Capítulo 117: The view at the top!
Castle Reinhard, the crown seat of the Alzar Kingdom's authority, stood as a marvelous beacon of stability and power. At the heart of Algard, the pearly white walls could make anyone's breathing hasten from afar. The time was winter now, not long after Elizabeth's return following the final battle of the Second Great Kingdom War. To be specific, it was the end of the year. What should have been a momentous occasion brought storms of uncertainty across the kingdom. Everyone was anxious.
Who could blame them though? Lord Korogin's death was truly unexpected. Previously, he acted as an anchor to this swaying ship. He had successfully pacified the revolts and suppressed the ambitions of haughty nobles. Although the undercurrents swirling in the political world were always threatening him, the typical citizen was happy. They could not admire the sky from the ground. To them, if they were safe with food and water, was there a need to worry about who stood at the top? It was not out of ignorance, but out of futility. Indeed, they could not change anything anyways! Then why bother thinking so much?
But everything changed now. The world was uncertain. With Lord Korogin's death and the emergence of a new heir apparent, no one could make heads or tails of the situation. It was a mess. Remember that prior to Elizabeth's shocking debut in the fight with the emperor, no one knew who she was! She was raised in New Havens, an entirely isolated world! At one point, the number of people who knew her existence were less than ten in total! How could anyone accept such a figure ruling over them? Certainly, with the completed Holy Reingolian Medallion, her legitimacy was not of concern, but the Grand Nobility Households could not accept it. They simply could not!
That was no surprise. They lived a life with excessive riches and power. They could command an army at their fingertips. In their minds, they could flip the earth with one hand and summon the rain with the other. For someone like Elizabeth, with no prior background, to suddenly reign over them, it was like a slap to their faces. It was an insult to their pride and honor. Moreover… It made them afraid. Elizabeth was an enigma. No one knew much about her at all. Her likes and dislikes, her habits and hobbies, her strengths and weaknesses… No one knew anything. If she were to reign as monarch, who knew if she would become a kind and peaceful ruler, or one marked by cruelty and bloodshed? Their lives were completely at her mercy!
Therefore, when news of a new heir apparent spread, there was an immediate outcry from the collective Grand Nobility Households. Not even them, but the entire noble class was panicking! Indeed, gaining the crown was not as simple as saying so. The Holy Reingolian Medallion was a symbol, but in times of true power, it was meaningless. Human nature was like this. Not even Queen Bethnal, who served as the temporary monarch, could quell the waves.
Outside one of the conference rooms in the castle, Royal Guards were as common as the servants here which showed how important such a place was. Remember, Royal Guards were the apex fighting power of the Alzar Kingdom! There were only one hundred of them at any time! In the entire kingdom, spanning millions of citizens, for only one hundred to be chosen… It was obvious how mighty their strength had to be! Grand Knights of the Realm filled the gaps and truly transformed the area into an impregnable stronghold. Not even a mouse could sneak by.
Elizabeth was standing outside of the larger conference rooms waiting patiently. She was wearing a loose-fitting, but elaborate dress that appropriately highlighted her figure. Around her neck was the completed Holy Reingolian Medallion, an illustrious golden medallion with the emblem of the Alzar Kingdom: a lion and a snake. Finally, a beautifully crafted golden crown proudly sat on her head, demanding respect and reverence! However, she had fiercely protested wearing such clothing. It was too stifling! She was still getting used to the customs of royalty and nobility, but her nature was rooted in sixteen years of living on New Havens. To transform from a farmer girl to a refined lady was tantamount to scaling the sky to her! Especially in such a short timeframe.
She was on the verge of freaking out. Her palms were sweaty, her eyes were fidgety, and her thoughts were frantic. Her status might have soared, but she was the same inside! All this talk of kings and queens, Grand Lords, and knighthood was like a wild fairy tale. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would be standing right here. Although her mind was set, she could not help the rising surges of nervousness. Her fate would be decided in a next hour!
Commander Christina stood behind Elizabeth with Sir Winstin. Both of their expressions were deeply concealed, but glimmers of conflict could be seen. Christina was probably the closest to Elizabeth. After all, the woman had watched the latter grow up. Truthfully, in the entire known world, Christina was probably the one who knew Elizabeth the best. Yet… Things could not be more estranged now. Learning that she kept secrets for so long, and such large secrets as well, Elizabeth felt deeply betrayed. Once trust was lost, it was something hard to recover. That closeness would never return. Christina could only bitterly stand behind Elizabeth in silence.
Sir Winstin was also a peculiar case, though for different reasons. Right now, he was serving as Elizabeth's Protector. Naturally, that task would befall on the kingdom's greatest knight, but he felt dissatisfied. Not because of Elizabeth, but because of his own inadequacies. Sir Winstin served under three people now, the most of any Royal Guard. All three stood at the top of the kingdom! And what happened to them? King Harth was captured in the Battle of the Millennium and Lord Korogin was captured in the last battle of the war… Both died. If it not for the timely intervention of Ten Dawn Iris and Krogan, then Elizabeth's fate would have been the same. In all three cases, Sir Winstin, the strongest knight, could do nothing to stop it. How ironic.
Time crept forward slowly with the three absorbed in their own little thoughts. Gradually, the doors to the conference chamber opened and light poured out from within. Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped forth. When she walked inside, she saw two tables, one large and one small, each occupied with unfamiliar faces. The larger table was occupied by eight old faces, radiating a sense of wisdom and experience. The smaller one had four people, but it was obvious that they were a step above the eight because they were wearing crowns! They were royalty!
As soon as Elizabeth walked in, the twelve people radiated an enormous pressure onto her. It was different from Royal Guards with their Martial Auras. Auras were bloodthirsty and brutish; however, the pressure here was regal and holy, like gods overlooking the mortal world! It was unbearably arrogant and overwhelming! Elizabeth's breathing immediately hastened, and her pupils dilated. Her knees felt weak, as if they were about to buckle. Sweat lined her brow. She started to back up, but she forcefully gritted her teeth and stepped forth instead! The instant that step landed, the pressure vanished entirely.
"This is the heir apparent?" someone scoffed.
Another sighed. "To think she would stumble on this first test…"
"Truly disappointing…" several agreed.
Elizabeth felt indignant and wanted to shout, You old geezers try doing what I did! You throw a mountain on someone and expect them to carry it… Are you all idiots or something?
Unfortunately for her, the people in front of her were special. They read her expressions in a heartbeat and their faces grew dark. Elizabeth nearly jumped in panic and remembered her handmaiden's stern warning. These people were masters at reading body language! From her standing posture down to her eyebrow twitches, they could see through her completely. The girl tried to hastily empty her mind, but in the process, it made her thoughts more chaotic.
Before she made any more mistakes, the lady sat at the head of the smaller table spoke up. "Princess Elizabeth, you should have already guessed what this meeting is about, right?"
Elizabeth glanced at this person and recognized her immediately. She was the former queen of the Alzar Kingdom, Queen Bethnal Etuvel Reindel! In other words, she was Elizabeth's grandmother! Technically, the woman had long since retired, having passed down the crown to her son, King Harth. She had completely stepped away from the political world. However, with Lord Korogin's death, the stability of the kingdom was under siege. She needed to step up. From this, it can be seen just how important Elizabeth's role as heir apparent was.
"You're deciding on whether I should remain as the heir apparent."
"Do you want to be queen?" Bethnal continued calmly.
"Of course!"
"Then tell us, why do you seek the crown? What are your plans for after? What do you hope to achieve?"
The girl quieted down and frowned. This was a difficult question and she could tell that her answer was pivotal. She could not answer so carelessly. It could decide everything! But she was dumbfounded. Previously, her motivation for seeking the crown was simple. It was to honor Lord Korogin's sacrifice and to protect her friends, and in turn to protect the world she now became a part of. However, that was clearly not the answer Queen Bethnal wanted.
It was not like she never thought about it. She did think about it earnestly. Certainly, becoming queen was hard, but the true difficulty laid in what came next. What were her goals and how would she achieve them? What came afterward? Many monarchs of the past had varying ambitions. Some wanted to defeat the Xingyuu Empire. Some wanted to support the economy. Others wanted to expand the kingdom's development. Many failed, but many also succeeded! Their actions helped paved the future and founded the Alzar Kingdom currently known today! To stand alongside them and inherit this enormous burden, it was truly carrying a mountain on her shoulders!
My resolve… Elizabeth closed her eyes and pondered deeply. To lead this kingdom forward… How would I do it? How should I do it? What should I do?
The room was eerily quiet, and everything was deathly still. The only movement came from the clouds outside, drifting in the sky. Gradually though, the tapping of a finger could be heard. Their impatience was clear. Queen Bethnal turned her head to see her eldest son, Prince Ranir. Ranir was slouched with his face grouchy and his eyes fuming. He was like a mad dog, ready to lash out at anyone who wronged him. Despite his age and seniority, Princess Millisandren and Prince Dannark were more the model royalty than him. Queen Bethnal said nothing about Prince Ranir, though her disgust grew inwardly.
"That is enough, Princess Elizabeth. You can leave now," Queen Bethnal said disappointedly.
Elizabeth's heart dropped. She wanted to crawl into a hole and die. How embarrassing was this? Her cheeks were flushed crimson red to match her hair. She wanted to open her mouth to say something… anything at all… except the words refused to come. Princess Millisandren offered a look of pity while everyone else remained neutral-looking. Meanwhile, Elizabeth refused to move. She knew that if she left now, without saying anything, then she was admitting defeat! So, she could not move! She could not budge one bit!
"Royal Guards, please escort the heir apparent out," the queen ordered.
Two guards saluted, walked up, and tried ushering Elizabeth out. However, she was wooden. In the end, they were forced to drag her out. As soon as the doors closed, Queen Bethnal glanced at the eight people sat below her. Elizabeth might not recognize them as this was her first time seeing most of them, but they were the Royal Assembly! The Royal Assembly was the second highest administrative body, serving directly underneath the crown. They acted as the arms and legs of the Royal Family and helped in controlling this vast civilization! Each of the eight members served in incredibly important positions.
Queen Bethnal observed everyone's expressions deeply, including the newly inducted Master of Strategy. Each of them carried a blank face, but who was Queen Bethnal? She was navigating the political waters for far longer than anyone present. She was the former queen of the Alzar Kingdom! How many tribulations did she cross? How many storms did she weather? Whether it be the past or the present, there was no difference. Humans would always be the same. That was why they called it human nature.
Even if the Royal Assembly was structured to act upon the best interests of the kingdom, could these eight people truly do so? They were either the patriarchs or matriarchs of their Grand Nobility Household! If something infringed on their family interests, they would not hesitate to annihilate it. It was all a matter of benefits! Queen Bethnal knew that better than anyone else. These old wolves might bark that Elizabeth was unqualified or unrefined, but even if she were perfect, they would still protest! Because they were threatened!
Bethnal scoffed internally while saying, "What does the Royal Assembly think of the heir apparent?"
"With all due respect, Her Highness has neither the ambition nor the air that royalty should possess."
"If Her Highness was chosen to become the next queen, it would surely spell calamity for the Alzar Kingdom."
"Right now, the kingdom needs a strong backbone to survive these chaotic times. We cannot rely on Her Highness to mature. We must act now!"
"I agree. If this were how Her Highness acted in private with us, could you imagine what she might be like with the public? Her Highness might not hesitate to start throwing insults or punches! That would be a disaster." Many nodded their heads in unison, as if they had not already practised their lines ahead of time. Probably long before Elizabeth returned to Algard, the Grand Nobility Households were already planning this. Speaking righteously while plotting deviously, that was their modus operandi!
The queen glanced at the Mistress of Wealth, the woman responsible for all the finances of the kingdom, Lady Lucia Highguard. As her surname suggested, she was the late Lord Korogin's wife. Together, they used to command the two most prominent positions on the Royal Assembly. That was how Lord Korogin was able to demand so much respect, even among the Grand Nobility Households! He controlled the military on one hand, and the economy on the other; a truly frightening combination! Yet with Lord Korogin's untimely death, Lady Lucia's own influence plummeted. She could not steer the ship alone. Lucia smiled bitterly. The woman wanted to support her late husband's hopes for Elizabeth, but the Highguard Household was more than just her. She could not defy them all.
Of course, Queen Bethnal did understand everyone's concerns. She was no fool. Elizabeth had many shortcomings. In fact, many might have been a gross underestimation! The largest one was definitely the problem of Elizabeth's upbringing. The girl had essentially no education to speak of. To become a monarch was to reign above everyone else. How could you command respect if you were beneath them? Although you did not have to master everything, you had to at least be competent. Elizabeth would be a laughingstock if she were to inherit the crown right now. The old wolves would eat her alive.
The only reason King Harth and Lord Korogin were willing to choose her as heir apparent was that they believed she would learn everything in time. It would be difficult for sure, but not impossible. With those two supporting her from behind, she could integrate herself slowly with the upper-class, and form her own backing. In time, Elizabeth could rise to the crown without much opposition. That was the plan anyways… When King Harth died, Lord Korogin was forced to accelerate the plan much earlier.
But using New Havens to safeguard Elizabeth backfired tremendously. There were several large-scale magics enveloping the island with one allowing it to fly, and another to prevent detection. It offered Elizabeth unprecedent protection. Even with the chaos shrouding the world below her in war, she neither saw nor heard a single thing. It was the perfect hiding place for her. Unfortunately, that meant finding her when she was needed was that much harder… Commander Christina tried finding Elizabeth discreetly for a long time only to fail miserably. It took until Benedict crash landed onto it by accident. The rest was history.
However, Queen Bethnal was forced to take the helm now and the world was many times more chaotic than before. The situation was rapidly degrading. If it was not for Queen Bethnal stepping up, and Prince Dannark mobilizing the military, they might have followed the Xingyuu Empire into civil war. Then, the kingdom would really fracture and disappear forever! They could not wait for Elizabeth to mature. They needed a strong leader to stabilize the realm now! Understandably, the Royal Assembly would never accept Elizabeth. Putting aside their personal interests, it was simply too ridiculous to allow a child to inherit a kingdom!
The old queen smiled gently. Everything was within her expectations. "Then I have a suggestion that everyone might find acceptable…" she started.
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DivineFifteen
DivineFifteen I'm finally writing Book 2! To celebrate, here is an extra long chapter!
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