Netori SSS-Emperor: All Queens Shall Be Mine!-Chapter 31: Meeting The Participants - Part 3

Note: This Chapter and the next one, I couldn't grammar check cause i got sick suddenly. Please do point out any mistakes and I'll correct them as soon as possible! Thank you for reading~

Stepping up next was a woman dressed in a modest mermaid gown. Smiling, she greeted the crowd and, clutching her sapphire necklace, she gave them a bow. Raising her head slowly, she lifted the holy staff held in her hand. Made of pure silver with a circlet at the top, the staff encased a string portrait of their mother.

"Fine folks of Aestonia, my name is of little substance," keeping the staff held high, the priestess, whom the people knew very well, kept on smiling a weak smile. "I am a servant of Mother Madia, just as you."

Lowering the staff, the priestess turned to the other participants. Bowing at them as well, she lifted her head and gave them yet another look.

"I cannot let incompetence take hold in our fine city, and thus, I'll act as her hand in this event if necessary," turning around, she began waving at the public. "I do not hope to be queen, for nobody could match Queen Astoria's brilliance, but that doesn't mean I can't test these participants and judge for myself if they're worthy to rule in her stead!"

Bowing yet again, the priestess retreated without turning back. As if moving away from Askramadia's idol itself, she showed the public great respect. Renowned as the only healer who worked tirelessly and for free for the general populace, she was met with applause, albeit with not as much conviction as the other candidates.

"Kanna Su'yeh, she's the youngest head priestess of a church we've ever had," standing before Astoria after the priestess had retreated, Hestia glanced down at the queen, her eyes still shut. "Twenty-eight years of age, and she sounds like a child trying to spread an indifferent gospel."

"Better than no gospel at all," opening her eyes, Astoria glared at Hestia with deep squinted eyes. "Hold your tongue, Hestia. Our goddess is quite present at this very moment."

Taking a deep breath, Hestia heaved a sigh while turning her head forward.

"They say good folks die early because the goddess favors them and wants their company," closing her eyes, the head maid shook her head. "I wonder why she hates me then? I must've done something bad in my previous life."

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freёnovelkiss.com.

Cutting her off, Astoria announced.

"Next participant! Step up this instant!" With a muffled sigh and a chuckle, the maid paid attention to the coliseum once more.

A scrawny kid, not a day older than eighteen, had stepped in the middle of the arena. Looking confused, nervous, and in general lost, he awkwardly smiled at the crowd while scratching the back of his head.

"R-Runner Hista! That-that's my name! And I–" Overwhelmed by anxiety, the boy fell quiet for a moment. Looking down at the ground, he cursed his luck. He knew he had no chance of winning, and the only reason he even stepped up was to keep up the terms of a bet he'd made with his friends.

Too embarrassed to speak any longer, Runner raised his head one last time to look at the crowd. To his surprise, the gathering of his friends at the very edge of the arena began rumbling into cheers–mostly mocking, but cheers nonetheless.

'These fuckers...' A smile crept up his lips, but that was the end of his declaration. He knew he'd lost and returned to the line of participants.

Wasting no time, seeing as how unserious the last candidate had been, Astoria moved things along, and the final participant stepped forward. A horned beastman with charcoal black skin stepped up into the centre stage and huffed through his nose ring. Looking around with his hands folded, he wore a deep grimace as if he was angry from just being there.

"Waallian Gurthei, I've worked in a damned mine all my life," his eyes, red with carnage, reflected hate palpable enough to drown the hopes in the public's eyes. "I'VE WORKED AS A SLAVE ALL MY DAMAGED LIFE!"

Blowing smoke through his nostrils, the enraged beastman growled at the citizens.

"I'VE SEEN COUNTLESS OTHERS BEING CRUSHED IN THOSE CAVES, BUT NOBODY CAME TO HELP BECAUSE WE WERE FUCKING SLAVES!" Spanning his arms wide, he began pounding his chest with one of his fists. "WE WERE ONLY FREED ONCE THE KING WAS GONE, AND NOW YOU WANNA PUSH US BACK INTO SLAVERY?! I'LL SLAUGHTER ALL OF YOU INSTEAD!"

In the face of his anger, nobody spoke a word. But their silence wasn't just because of fear, as it also served as dissent, given the nature of the competition.

"YOU'LL KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AND BEAR THE FRUITS OF YOUR TORTURE!!" A man abandoned in mine with his family of slaves, Wallian was willing to upturn the scales and make the commoners, the elites, and everyone else experience the sorrow of losing their families to intense labor–just as he had.

As he returned to his spot in the participant's line, only the former slaves–now free citizens since the king's death marked their freedom, cheered him on. Astoria, although slightly concerned about the man's intent, couldn't bar him from entry as the rules of meritocracy cannot be bent.

Shrugging past the unusual declarations, the queen rose from her seat and walked closer to the window. Stomping her sceptre, she gathered everyone's attention, and as things grew quiet, she glanced around at the public.

"Nobody else tempted by the offer? Step forth now or hold your dissent forever!" Her words echoed through the silent coliseum, with not a single man or woman willing to step forward. Waiting for a full minute, the queen made sure that there was no one else who wished to participate in the competition.

As her eyes lowered to the ground, however, she noticed a familiar face wandering into the arena from the underground entrance reserved for the participants.

'What is she doing here?' She pondered, baffled at the sight of the familiar woman.

Following her look of concern, everyone's gaze turned to the same woman. Walking to the centre stage without spotting to explain anything to anyone, the faunan glanced around at the surprised faces and announced her name.

"I'm Sola, Prince William's maid..." To say shock had taken over the arena would've been an understatement. Nobody could believe what they were seeing, a maid? Stepping up as a participant? None of it made sense until... "I'm entering as Prince Wolf's proxy! He has my support, and if I win, I want him to take the throne instead of me!"

"SOLA!" William screamed at her from behind, his face covered with wrinkles.

The prince's anger knew no bounds, he'd been betrayed before, but to announce it to the rest of the world? He was just seconds away from killing her.

"Very well!" But hearing his mother's words, he had to reel back his emotions. "Go join the others in a file; I'll now announce the rules of the competition."

Much like anyone who'd challenged William, Sola was sent off with clapping with the supporter's hands hidden behind each other. Nobody wanted him to be king, but nobody was willing to speak up, either. And although Sola was far from ideal as a candidate, if she could help Wolf win, then they wanted her to remain in the competition.

'What a mess...' Thought the queen, but as it was time to announce the rules and the first elimination, Astoria shook her head and held her head high with pride.