The next day, it was Natsuki Subaru's turn to try and win over Emilia.
Although he employed countless methods, the one thing that undermined him was his need to be in front of Emilia twenty-four hours a day.
His constant chatter and insistence wore her patience thin.
Unlike Uranus An, who always left space for each other, Subaru's approach felt suffocating.
Meanwhile, Uranus had gone to the village alone that day, spending time with the children there to build a bond.
He planned to bring Emilia the next day, so that the children would not be intimidated by her appearance.
Since she resembled the Jealous Witch, they had always been fearful, which had long weighed on Emilia's heart.
Uranus intended to heal that pain first.
Afterward, he would have Elsa and the others intervene with a clever scheme, enough to earn Emilia's trust and affection.
Then, framing Natsuki Subaru would leave him humiliated and disliked by everyone Emilia knew.
Once Subaru departed, Lucien could make his next move.
Ideally, a random transmigration or teleportation would occur, but if not, he would reconsider his strategy.
Despite his plans, Uranus's expression was grim as he stood deep in the forest, watching the Witch Cultists and their idiotic leader, Romanee-Conti.
This fool had struck again.
Originally competing with Elsa and Meli, Romanee-Conti's mind became even more twisted the moment Uranus appeared.
"Sloth~ Sloth~" the man muttered.
"Ah ah ah!!! My brain, my brain is trembling trembling trembling trembling!!!"
He gnawed on his fingers until blood appeared, his eyes rolling wildly.
"Tremble your ass! Didn't I tell you that you appeared too early? I'm trying to win the heroine here, and you've come to make more work for me?" Uranus's voice was sharp, his patience thinning.
"I throw you, Rem."
Lucien licked the cigar from his hand, anger flaring.
His right hand moved swiftly, and a five-hundred-meter divine dragon plunged deep into the forest.
The forest tore apart like a landslide, forming a massive clearing amid the dense, intertwined trees.
As for Romanee-Conti and the Witch Cultists, those who needed to disappear had vanished.
Lucien knew the idiot wasn't truly dead.
Casually giving a few instructions to Elsa and Meli, he watched as they executed his plan before leaving.
He spent some time in the village, playing with the children and attending to small matters, and returned to Roswaal's Mansion as the sun dipped toward the horizon.
The night passed uneventfully, and Rem still had not made her move against Natsuki Subaru.
Lucien found this unusual.
---
Early the next morning, in the mansion dining room:
"Liya, good morning!" Uranus greeted warmly, looking up from his breakfast as Emilia descended the stairs.
She wore a simple white dress, unadorned, her long silver hair cascading to her waist and eyes sparkling like stars.
She was the epitome of an elf girl.
"Ann, good morning!" Emilia replied cheerfully, her mood bright.
This time, she did not sit in her usual spot but next to Uranus.
"Try this. Ram and Rem prepared a new breakfast. Their skills are far better than mine," Uranus said with a subtle, flattering gesture toward the twins.
Neither Ram nor Rem reacted, continuing their own routine.
Subaru was not present, likely avoiding the encounter with Uranus.
"Okay." Emilia accepted the food with a sweet smile.
Today's breakfast had never tasted so delightful.
"Liya, after breakfast, I'll take you somewhere," Uranus said, speaking with his mouth full but clear enough to hear.
"Go… go where?" Emilia asked, both excited and anxious.
"You'll see soon enough," Uranus replied, eating briskly, leaving Emilia quietly anticipating the adventure.
---
A few minutes later, in the mansion courtyard:
Emilia's eyes widened at the bicycle Uranus was riding.
"Ann, this is…"
"It's a bicycle. Sit here." Uranus held the handlebars with one hand and patted the backseat with the other.
"Can… can I?" Emilia asked timidly, stepping forward and sitting sideways on the seat.
As Uranus pedaled, the bicycle started to move.
Emilia instinctively wrapped her arms around Uranus's waist, letting out a soft cry of surprise as the scenery blurred past.
Her hair flowed in the gentle morning breeze.
"Ann, where are we going?" she asked, feeling unusually at ease.
"We're going to the village. Yesterday, I promised my friends that I would bring them the most beautiful, kindest, and most unique person in the world."
Without another word, Uranus began to express his feelings silently through his calm presence and careful attention.
Emilia's cheeks flushed at his closeness, but she murmured nervously, "I can't go."
"Liya, trust in yourself. You are one of a kind, truly unique. Believe me," Uranus said, turning back to give her a reassuring look.
Emilia nodded, courage building inside her.
The ride was smooth.
When they arrived, Uranus took Emilia's delicate hand as they entered the village.
Emilia kept her gaze lowered.
"Ann is here!"
A few children spotted them and ran over, some hugging Uranus's legs while keeping their eyes on Emilia.
Fear lingered, but it did not deter them.
Uranus had prepared for this carefully.
"Is this the most beautiful girl in the world that Ann talks about?" one child asked in awe.
"Yes, isn't she beautiful?" another added.
Uranus nodded proudly, showing off his companion.
"Hello, Ann's girlfriend," the chubby boy said, trembling slightly, extending his small hand toward Emilia.
Emilia looked at the tiny hand in surprise.
"You… you're not afraid of me?" she asked softly.
"No, we trust Ann. He said you are the cutest, kindest, and most beautiful, but I think you're not as beautiful as my mama," the boy said earnestly.
"In your eyes, your mama may be the most beautiful, but in mine, Emilia is the most beautiful. I challenge you to a duel. Whoever loses must admit that the person the other considers the most beautiful is the winner."
Uranus rolled up his sleeves, grinning.
"A duel it is! Today, I'll show you how skilled I am. I've been practicing in secret."
The boy's determination only hardened, his small figure resolute.
"Th-that… you can't fight!" Emilia protested, panicked.
"It's fine," Petra said, tugging Emilia's hand and shaking her head.
Before Emilia could stop them, the duel began.
Uranus and the boy stood, gripping their right ankles with their right hands, balancing on their left foot in a cockfight duel.
"Go, go!" the other children cheered.
Emilia covered her mouth, quietly laughing at the sight of the serious duel, both big and small figures fully engaged.
"You lost," the boy said after falling to the ground, huffing indignantly.
Uranus lifted his chin proudly.
"Darn it," the boy muttered, his face full of stubbornness.
"Ann, you're an adult…"
"No, Emilia, this is a duel between men. When it comes to deciding who is the most beautiful, I will not yield," Uranus said firmly.
"That's right, a duel between men. I accept my loss," Emilia replied, though her voice betrayed amusement.
"You are the most beautiful, but one day I will defeat your boyfriend," the chubby boy vowed, brushing dust from his clothes.
He pointed casually at Uranus, whose smug smile practically wagged his tail in triumph.
"Th-that… he's not my…" Emilia's face flushed crimson.
She stole a glance at Uranus, then quickly lowered her eyes, unable to finish her sentence.