(A/N: This speech is a bit hard on your mind, it makes you question everything and come to a random conclusion revolving on some fixed points, it may not be everyone's cup of tea so you can ignore or skip this chapter if you want)
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{3rd Pov}
The entire army had gathered within the temporarily established military camp, waiting for their commanders to arrive.
There was a low murmur spreading through the crowd, mixed with anticipation and unease. Soldiers stood in formation, while others adjusted their equipment or exchanged quiet words, all of them wondering what kind of announcement was about to be made.
Then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed clearly across the area.
Boots striking the ground in unison.
One by one, attention shifted toward the raised platform prepared at the center of the camp.
Natsuki Subaru stepped forward first.
Behind him followed Emilia, Crusch Karsten, and Anastasia Hoshin.
Their presence alone was enough to draw complete silence from the gathered forces.
However, what truly caught everyone's attention was something else.
Subaru was walking ahead of all of them.
That single detail caused confusion to spread among the soldiers.
Many exchanged uncertain glances, clearly surprised that someone other than their recognized leaders was taking the front position.
From the way things appeared, it was obvious.
Zero was leading.
That realization only made the atmosphere heavier.
Finally, Subaru stepped onto the platform and came to a stop.
He turned to face the army, his gaze sweeping across the countless soldiers standing before him.
Then he smiled.
"Greetings to all of you," he began calmly.
"I understand that many of you want to know why we are fighting this war, and why your respective leaders have chosen to support this cause."
He paused briefly, letting his words settle.
"But the truth of the matter is…" he continued, his tone shifting slightly, "I am the Great Sage."
Silence.
Complete and absolute silence.
Subaru blinked once.
Then again.
There was no reaction from the crowd.
Not even a whisper.
For a moment, the entire declaration seemed to fall flat.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, the sound far louder than it should have been in the quiet atmosphere.
The situation reminded him, rather painfully, of how spectacularly things could go wrong like Spectacular Spider-man missing his important date at the worst possible moment.
Realizing that words alone were not enough, he decided to add a more… visual demonstration.
A subtle shift occurred.
His hair turned white.
His clothes transformed, replacing themselves with a flowing white robe that carried a distinct, imposing presence.
This time, there was no way anyone could ignore him.
"I am Natsuki Subaru… the Great Sage," Subaru repeated, his voice calm and steady this time, carrying clearly across the entire camp.
Unlike before, this time the reaction was immediate.
Shock spread across the faces of the soldiers.
Murmurs erupted as disbelief and confusion took hold.
Many of them stared at him with widened eyes, trying to process what they had just heard.
Subaru observed their reactions quietly.
"I know what all of you are thinking," he continued without hesitation.
"Many of you want to question my claim. That is natural. You have every reason to doubt something like this."
He paused briefly, letting the tension build before speaking again.
"But I will be direct with you," he added.
"Shaula is my apprentice. The one you have all heard about in legends… the Great Sage… that is me."
The murmurs grew louder.
Some soldiers frowned, others exchanged uncertain looks, and a few seemed ready to dismiss his words entirely.
Subaru did not argue.
Instead, he raised his hand slightly.
"If words are not enough," he said, "then I will show you."
There was no warning beyond that.
In the next moment, something changed.
Each soldier suddenly felt as if their mind had been pulled elsewhere.
Memories began to surface one after another.
Their own lives.
From their earliest recollections to the present moment, everything unfolded before them with overwhelming clarity.
It was as if a recording of their entire existence had been forced into motion, scenes playing back with vivid detail.
Every decision they had made, every mistake they wish they could forget, every hidden thought they had never shared with anyone.
To them, it felt as though hours had passed within that experience.
They lived through their own lives again, unable to stop or look away.
And then—
It ended, abruptly.
Their awareness snapped back to reality.
The camp returned to normal.
The sky, the ground, the people around them and everything was exactly as it had been before.
But the soldiers were no longer the same.
Many of them staggered slightly, trying to steady themselves.
Others breathed heavily, their minds overwhelmed by what they had just experienced.
It had only been a few minutes.
Yet it felt like much, much longer.
Now, instead of silence, the air was filled with tension and unspoken questions.
Every single one of them was staring at Subaru.
And this time—
They were no longer dismissing his claim, because he shown exactly what Great Sage was capable of in the legends... Omniscience.
"Sir… Great Sage," a man finally spoke up, raising his hand from among the gathered soldiers.
It was none other than the one known as the "Finest of Knights," Julius Juukulius.
All eyes briefly shifted toward him.
His expression was far from composed.
There was hesitation, confusion, and something deeper such as guilt clearly visible on his face.
It was evident that this question had not been formed in the moment, but had been weighing on him for a long time and now he couldn't stop it after all his past memories flashed before him just right now.
"I wish to ask something," Julius said, his voice steady but strained.
"Am I… unworthy of being a knight?"
The question hung in the air.
He knew it might not be the appropriate time.
He knew it could seem out of place in the current situation.
But ever since that day, since his defeat at the hands of the Great Sage this doubt had never left him.
It had only grown stronger with time.
"I want to ask you," Subaru asked, looking directly at Julius, "what does it mean to be a knight… in your eyes?"
Julius himself hesitated for a moment, clearly not expecting that.
"A knight is…" he began, pausing briefly to gather his thoughts, "a symbol of justice."
There was a slight uncertainty in his voice, but he still gave his answer.
Subaru listened without interrupting.
Then he spoke again.
"What is justice?" he asked calmly.
"Is it something you desire… or something you require?"
The question was simple.
But the weight behind it was not.
Julius froze.
This time, he did not have an immediate response.
And he was not the only one.
The entire army fell silent once again.
Every soldier present found themselves thinking about the same thing.
Not just Julius, but all of them found themselves stuck at the question.
"Everyone has their own sense of justice," Subaru began, his voice calm yet firm enough to reach every corner of the camp.
"It differs from person to person, shaped by their experiences, their values, and the world they have lived in. But for me, as long as your sense of justice is rooted in something genuine love, happiness, concern for others, and the desire to protect then I can accept it as justice."
He paused for a moment, letting his words settle before continuing.
"Let me ask you something," Subaru said, turning his gaze directly toward Julius.
"That day, when you wanted to defeat me… was it because you wanted to protect me? Or was it because of your pride?"
The question struck deeply.
Julius did not answer.
Instead, his body moved on its own as he slowly fell to his knees. His silence itself became the answer.
It was not a simple matter.
A part of him had wanted to restore order, to take control of the situation that Subaru had disrupted.
But at the same time, there had been something else something far more personal.
He had felt insulted.
The very ideals he had dedicated his entire life to had been challenged, and he could not accept that.
In the end, he had justified his actions under the name of justice.
Subaru continued speaking.
"To me, justice is about giving everyone the same starting line," he said.
"Not lifting someone up because of favoritism, not pushing someone down because of bias, but ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to move forward."
He let out a small sigh.
"If I were to claim that I fully understand justice… then I would be wrong," he admitted.
"But the real question is this are you willing to question your own beliefs, and still stand firm after doing so?"
There was no arrogance in his tone, only honesty.
"I understand that sometimes, you may have to do things that are considered evil," Subaru added, his words causing a visible reaction among the soldiers.
Several of them gasped quietly, clearly caught off guard by the statement.
"But that is reality," he continued without hesitation.
"It cannot always be avoided."
He looked across the crowd once more.
"So you see… I do not claim to have all the answers," Subaru said.
"I only follow what I believe in...the idea that what I am doing will make the world a better place for everyone, even if the path to that outcome is not always clean."
"It is not as simple as merely supporting Emilia," Subaru continued, his tone steady as he addressed the entire army.
"Every Royal Candidate has, in their own way, shown a willingness to protect this nation. Their reasons may differ, and their motivations may not always be pure but that does not erase the value of their actions."
He paused briefly before asking,
"Even if something good is born out of selfish intent… does that automatically make it wrong?"
The question lingered in the air, forcing many to think rather than react.
Subaru did not wait for an answer.
"I am fully aware of what lies ahead," he went on.
"We are going to stand against the current noble system. We are going to challenge the crimes that have been committed under its protection, crimes that have never benefited the people, but only those in power."
"This will not be easy. It will not be clean."
He looked across the crowd, making sure his next words were understood clearly.
"If any of you do not wish to fight… that is completely fine," he said.
"No one here is being forced. This is a choice, and you are free to walk away."
A brief silence followed.
Then his expression turned more serious.
"But there is one thing I will say," Subaru added, his voice carrying a stronger weight now.
"Even if it costs me my own life, I will ensure that every person in this nation has the opportunity to fill their stomach."
His words grew firmer with each sentence.
"I will ensure that everyone has the chance to work, to live with dignity, and to build something for themselves. I will make sure that no one is denied the opportunity to become a better version of who they are."
There was only resolve in his voice.
Subaru slowly extended his arm toward them, his hand open, as if inviting them to take it.
"And that same choice applies to all of you," he said, his voice calm but firm.
"If you believe this fight is worth taking part in, then step forward and join us. And if you think I am wrong… then you are free to walk away without hesitation."
He did not try to force them.
He simply stood there, offering a decision.
"But regardless of what you choose," Subaru continued, his tone growing more resolute, "I will fight for the people. I will fight for what is necessary, no matter whether it is called justice… or evil."
Silence followed and no one spoke, they had no words to speak after all.
The speech was not something everyone fully understood on a deeper level, yet somehow, the message behind it reached them.
It was not about perfect words or flawless logic it was about intent and they felt it.
For many of them, a question began to surface in their minds.
Why had they picked up the sword in the first place?
Wilhelm, standing among them, clenched his fists tightly.
That question struck him harder than anyone else.
Memories surfaced, pulling him back to a time he had long buried.
'It was to protect those I love,' he thought.
His grip tightened further as he recalled his wife, her smile, her strength, and the determination she carried.
He remembered why she had wielded the sword, even when she despised war itself.
After her death, everything had changed.
He had lost himself.
The purpose behind his blade had faded, replaced by a single, consuming desire which was revenge.
In that pursuit, he had forgotten the very reason his wife had ever taken up a weapon.
Even during her final battle against the White Whale, she had not fought out of hatred.
She had fought out of love and what had he done in return?
He had allowed himself to break his own family.
He had placed the blame on Reina for her death.
The thought lingered heavily in his mind.
Did he even deserve to carry the same name as her?
Did he deserve to be called "van Astrea" at all?
"I picked up this weapon… because I wanted to protect my family," one of the soldiers suddenly spoke up, his voice slightly shaky but filled with determination as he forced himself to say it out loud.
For a moment, all eyes turned toward him.
Then another voice followed.
"I wanted to deliver justice…" a second soldier said, though his tone lacked confidence.
It was as if he himself was unsure whether he had truly lived up to those words or had strayed away from them somewhere along the way.
The uncertainty in his voice did not go unnoticed.
Subaru watched them quietly before speaking again.
"No… all of us," he corrected, his voice steady as he addressed the entire army.
"We are choosing to stand against a system that divides people the one that benefits a few while leaving many behind."
He took a step forward.
"And you need to understand something clearly," he continued.
"From this point onward, we will be seen as heroes by some… and as villains by others."
There was no attempt to sugarcoat it.
"That will not change," Subaru added.
"No matter what we do, there will always be people who oppose us."
He let his words settle before finishing.
"But in the end, the only thing that truly matters is this when the people who matter to you look at you… do they see a hero, or a villain?"
Silence followed once again.
Subaru himself did not claim to have the perfect answer.
He knew he was not a god.
He did not possess absolute truth.
But even so, there was one thing he had already decided.
He would move forward.
Even if the path forced him to be seen as a villain if it meant making the world a better place, he was willing to accept it.
"I will fight," Julius said as he slowly rose to his feet.
His voice was steady, but there was a clear weight behind his words.
"For a long time, I ignored my own flaws and justified my actions as righteousness," he continued, looking at his hands for a brief moment.
"But what meaning do these hands have… what meaning does this sword carry, if I claim it stands for justice while my actions contradict it?"
He tightened his grip slightly.
"If I truly think about it, I can still understand what is right and what is wrong," Julius said, lifting his gaze toward Subaru.
"That is why… you have my sword. I will dedicate it to your cause."
Subaru shook his head lightly.
"It is not my cause," he corrected calmly making Julius pause.
"It became our cause the moment you chose to stand with us," Subaru added, his tone firm but not overbearing.
For a brief moment, silence filled the space again.
Then, one voice broke through.
"I will join!"
Another followed almost immediately.
"I will fight!"
"I will protect!"
More and more voices rose, overlapping with each other as the hesitation that once filled the army began to fade.
Determination replaced uncertainty, and the atmosphere shifted rapidly.
Subaru looked at them and spoke once more.
"This is not a fight about proving justice," he said.
"We do not need a perfect justification for every action. What matters is that we do what must be done."
His words ignited something within them.
The entire army responded, their energy rising as they rallied behind the decision they had made.
Meanwhile, standing slightly apart, Anastasia observed everything quietly.
'How terrifying…' she thought, her expression composed but her mind racing.
'He managed to bring all of them to his side… with nothing but a single speech.'
And that realization made her understand just how dangerous Subaru truly was.
'Father, I have a question I have been wanting to ask for a while,' Gloria's voice suddenly echoed within his spiritual space, drawing his attention inward.
Subaru paused slightly, acknowledging her presence.
'Go on,' he replied calmly.
'Why did you forgive him?' Gloria asked directly. 'Didn't he wrong you? And at the same time… you did not forgive that old man.'
Her words clearly referred to Julius and Wilhelm.
Subaru remained silent for a brief moment before answering.
'I forgave Julius because I was the one who suffered at his hands,' he said. 'And in the end, I decided that holding onto that resentment was not worth it. It was my pain, so it was my choice to let it go.'
His tone remained steady.
'But Reina…' he continued, his expression growing more serious even within the spiritual space, 'Reina is the one who suffered because of Wilhelm. That is not my place to forgive. Whether he deserves forgiveness or not is entirely her decision.'
He paused briefly before adding,
'And more importantly… he has crossed lines that cannot simply be ignored.'
Gloria clicked her tongue in mild dissatisfaction.
'Hmph. The moral compass of humans is truly complicated,' she said, clearly unimpressed.
'I suppose,' Beatrice added with a small sigh, 'that is exactly why dealing with humans is so troublesome.'
Another voice chimed in.
'Umu! I am quite happy being a spirit,' Agni said confidently.
'The only moral compass I need is simple is whether something harms Father or not.'
'Must protect Daddy,' Sylphy nodded firmly, her voice filled with determination despite its simplicity.
'I am pretty sure it is the other way around,' Subaru replied calmly through their shared connection, his thoughts reaching each of them through the contract.
'But for me, as long as something has not crossed a certain line, I can still consider it forgivable.'
His tone was steady, neither defensive nor uncertain.
'And what happens… if that line is crossed?' Aqua asked, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity mixed with seriousness.
Subaru did not answer immediately.
Outwardly, a faint smile appeared on his face.
'Then only death and destruction await,' he replied without hesitation.
'I am not a hero. I am just a human being trying to balance the good and the evil within myself.'
His words were simple.
But there was no doubt in them.
Meanwhile, outside his inner world, the army had already begun preparing for war.
Weapons were being checked.
Armors were being adjusted.
Formations were discussed, as the meeting had been taken over by the Royal Candidates.
They were about to fight against the very nation they had once chosen to serve.
But what did that nation truly mean?
Was it the nobles who governed it?
Was it the merchants who prospered within it?
Was it the commoners who sustained it through their labor?
Or was it the slum dwellers who struggled every day just to survive?
For Subaru, the answer was simple.
It was all of them.
Nobles, merchants, commoners, slum dwellers every single one of them deserved equal opportunity.
At the very least, they should have the chance to improve their lives through their own effort, without being crushed under discrimination or systemic bias.
Even as he thought that, he was fully aware of the reality.
It was impossible.
Creating a perfect utopia where everyone was equal in every sense was nothing more than an ideal.
A dream.
And yet that did not mean nothing could be done.
He did not aim to create perfection.
All he wanted was to create a place where people could live… and truly call it home.
A place where effort meant something.
A place where hope could exist, even if it was fragile.
Because in the end, hope no matter how small was what gave people the strength to act.
As the saying goes, hope for the best… and prepare for the worst.
Only those who still carry even a faint sense of hope within their hearts can find the courage to move forward.
And that was enough for him.
To be continued...