Chapitre 44: Chapter 39: Hail the Crown Princess Elizabeth (III).
Chapter 39: Hail the Crown Princess Elizabeth (III).
"Duty over your desires." I could hear Sir Lincoln laugh before placing a hand over at Victoria's shoulder. "You haven't changed, a trained loyal soldier till the very end."
"..."
Victoria stayed silent and I did the same. This part of her life was still a missing piece for me to know, I have asked a few times being met with the reply- 'I will tell you that story for another time' until it was forgotten the very next day.
"Well your highness, thanks for the laugh before your coronation. Congratulations, and do visit my estate to play a bit of chess. My sons are all busy and there's no one to keep me company." (Sir Lincoln) bows his head and I give him a quick curtsy before waving goodbye.
The party soon became crowded with more people flooding in.
I could even see Sir Tobias and Scholar Misha blending into the crowd.
I tugged on Victoria's sleeve.
"Am I-" I looked away feeling a bit scared to hear her answer. "Was I… Is it because of me? That's why you can't go back home?"
Victoria saw the expression that I was making, vulnerable and trying my best to hide my fear under a soft smile because of all the other people inside.
"That's- We'll continue this later, your highness. Your coronation is about to start, I'll catch up with you- okay?" She gave me reassuring words but didn't leave me with a pat on the head.
I heard footsteps walking behind us and felt a shadow looming over our figure.
"It's time."
It was the emperor of our land, my father whom after all these years refused to even be in the same room for me for an hour and would only flaunt my achievements whenever other nobles from other lands would come to visit.
"Father- I mean- Emperor…" I gave Emperor Alastor a curtsy before straightening my position, biting the inside of my cheek hoping it'll help in stopping my eyes from becoming watery. "I suppose it is."
"Walk with me to the pedestal, the magic appraisal orb has been prepared for your use." He told me and the whole noble crowd began to go quiet as I walked by, keeping my head up and not letting their stares make me feel uncomfortable.
"Cousin!"
"...?"
My heart was relieved when I saw Melrose amongst the crowd looking so happy while holding her little brother's hand. I gave her a smile and she returned it back to me, both being near the same age- I was born just a few months ahead.
"My goodness- years have gone by and her magic isn't even awakened?"
"I heard they all did a lot of training and studying- even hiring so many tutors and now it came to this."
"She's already thirteen. I don't see her using any magic, why would this year be different?"
"Our country would be doomed to ruin if we have another Morama leading."
Gossips traveling by whispers for each guest has known of my age and inability to do magic.
I was a lost cause in their eyes, and it was understandable.
Now for the reason why my father offered to do it publicly this time baffles me, there's a high chance for me not being able to use magic- and he wants the whole world to see?
It's rather a foolish choice, I didn't agree to this but I was forced to do so.
…
When the coronation started I made my way and got myself to swear an oath in front of the nobles.
"Please read this rite of passage, your highness and face the audience to let them know of your word."
I was given a script to follow, for everything to go according to plan.
I read every word.
"I swear to my people. To be the crown princess this kingdom deserves. As the only heir to the throne , I promise when I have finally ascended. I will rule the continent to what my people need. As the princess of the land of snow. I'm honored." I said as I bowed to the emperor who was holding a silver encrusted crown. "This belongs to your mother, take very good care of it."
He put the crown on top of my head and smiled with satisfaction.
"I bid you congratulations. Crown Princess Elizabeth." He turns over to the other nobles who started clapping in their seats, slowly standing up to cheer.
"All hail the crown princess!"
"Indeed!"
"Yes, yes!"
"From now and forth, you shall now be known as the Crown Princess Elizabeth Isoldein Nevemayr." They announced as I made my way into the balcony where I faced my people.
People… whom I haven't known personally but have been tasked to care for them, and I will.
They now know my name.
My face and my responsibilities that will befall on my shoulders.
"Sniff…"
I saw Victoria chewing down on her tissues as she dried her tears with them, she looked out of place before and distant but it seems after seeing me take the crown she completely broke down in tears.
"All hail the crown princess!"
"The former empress' legacy is here!"
"May the crown princess bring prosperity to our land!"
The cheers of the crowd overwhelmed me that even with the cold atmosphere my heart still crossed a beat as my body felt tense from their gazes, the ground shook- deafening cheers shouting my name.
"People of the land of snow! It is in my great honor to introduce you to your new crown princess and your highness! Crown Princess Elizabeth Isoldein Nevemayr!"
The crowd got even wilder as soon as the emperor announced it on his own.
"..."
I just stood there sucking it all in.
After a few moments, a huge orb was brought upon me.
I… have never seen such an orb with this dark color before. The ones they used in my past birthdays were all light in color.
"?!"
Wait- did something just move in its reflection?
"Is this the [Appraisal orb]? Feels a bit different." I mutter under my breath hoping no one could hear me because for a moment I caught a glimpse of something moving inside.
Is it the nerves making me hallucinate at this time of day?
The servants have set the appraisal orb on the pedestal already, now everything seems so perfect.
The weather was good, the sun was out and snow was nowhere out of sight.
The next harsh winter will be next month since they've picked around the summertime to do my coronation and magic appraisal.
"Go on, try holding it and pouring your mana over it."
I did what the emperor said I held the orb, from its cold surface I shivered. I took a deep breather and poured my mana over it.
…
We all waited for something grand to happen, even the wild deafening cheers disappeared because they were all expectant of awakening my magic.
I've already accepted that I could not have magic because of my ties with the chaotic god, he couldn't be so foolish to give me something grand as magic.
"Hmm... Nothing's happening."
The emperor scoffs, hearing my words.
He stared at me pitifully and I had my head casted down on the ground. I would be known as the black sheep, failure and shameful for not having any magic.
I knew… this was a mistake to have public appraisal- the whole kingdom saw that I'm an easy target now.
"You are her daughter after all-"
Crack! Crack!
"Wait what?!"
Suddenly there were ice shards enveloping the orb.
"Hah…"
Its surface of the orb was now fully covered by sharp spikes of ice.
"Water magic- no- this is- the extension skill that I had to master for decades! This is not a main element- this is one of the powerful branch skills!"
"Um…"
My hand was stuck to the orb, I can't move it-
"I-Ice Magic..."
…
I could hear everyone gasping behind me, sounding curious while looking over the window.
I was on the balcony so I immediately knew why they panicked.
"S-Snow? But it's our spring-summer time! It's just the cold wind, usually the snow would've melted then come back for the next few months!"
"Could this be a coincidence?"
"Gasp! Perhaps awakening the princess' magic is so strong that it affected the weather?! Amazing! Wonderful! I have never seen in my life a study worth researching!"
Oh good god is that scholar Misha, giving whole narrative speech on theories about my magic-
Not the time Misha!
I will need to talk to you later though about this!
"After all it's one in a billion for a person to unlock magic from the branch extension of the main elements and make it into their own 'main element' of magic!"
Everyone was looking above the sky, still shocked that snow was falling and then towards me.
"I'm still… stuck." I tell them, pulling my hand not knowing how to melt the ice.
The ice spikes have moved not only from the orb but it completely froze my hand too. "I-It's moving on its own-! Wait, it's not cold, I'm actually just stuck in ice."
What's happening to me? Why did the weather suddenly change? Can I really use magic?
How in the heck do I melt this ice?
"You- Elizabeth- what kind of sorcery is this? It's never been heard of!"
The emperor is currently in shock, he looks angry with a mix of jealousy looking at the orb.
"..."
Oh right he needed to master this for decades, seeing his daughter suddenly get this branch extension of the water element would definitely piss a few water element casters off.
"It seems you're a special case, Elizabeth." My father walks towards me raising his hand and I could feel him concentrating on his mana. "[Water Magic: Ice Melt]."
"..."
"...Ahem."
…
"[Water Magic: Ice Melt]."
"[Water Magic: Ice Melt]!"
"[Water Magic: Ice Melt]!!! Why is the ice not melting?! I have mastered the ice extension magic but what is this?!" He looked angry taking a few attempts to try and get me out of my predicament.
"Calm down, emperor-" I tell him but he reaches for the ice spikes that the orb was surrounded with, not looking good.
"Don't tell me to calm down- ice magic was revered! Feared by the main elements! Something it took decades for me to master! I refuse to acknowledge that you- a child has mastered it without proper training-!" He held the ice spikes and started pulling it apart with his own bare hands.
"Stop that's not-"
The moment he touched the ice spikes, for only a few seconds the tips of his fingers turned red not long it turned bluish gray in a blink of an eye. "Agh?!"
He screamed in pain, quickly retrieving his hand. "Frost… bite?"
I saw the way his hand changed in color and was shocked, my hands being covered by the ice spikes was fine- they didn't change in color nor did I feel any discomfort or pain.
However to see the emperor, whom I've never seen grown in pain from his own mastery-
An experienced person who has been practicing and mastering the ice magic extension of the main element of water, get frostbite-?!
"This isn't any normal ice." (Emperor Alastor) ordered everyone to avoid touching the ice spikes looking at me like I was some sort of-
"Monster."
Ouch.
…
No one dared to come near me.
"Well- shit." I muttered under my breath and tried calming myself down thinking of a way to control the weird ice I just summoned.
"Someone! Bring me some pickaxes and a pair of gloves. We'll be breaking that ice quickly and let the crown princess out of that mess." My father immediately ordered a servant that was near and ran like his life depended on it.
I didn't just stand still, I was at the pedestal being stuck by the balcony while little snowflakes fell on my dress.
I tried pulling my hands into freedom, squirming around and kicking the ice hoping it'll break.
"Break you stupid little-!" My panic could be seen all over my face as much as I wanted to hide it.
No one in the nobility wanted to help me, except my friends and companions I have known over the years.
The first one to move was Victoria, quickly running to my side but immediately stopped by my father to step aside because-
"She's dangerous, Victoria. Don't get any closer, I can't afford to lose a friend." My father told my caretaker and I was heartbroken.
I wasn't that much hurt when he called me a monster- but to say it to Victoria's face?!
"Nngh…" I continued on pulling my hand, it was useless but I refused to give up. I'm not a monster, I can control my own magic!
Whatever the fuck this is?!
"I'm not… dangerous… you stupid… old… man." My pettiness is clear. I wanted to also prove him wrong for calling me a monster!
"She's not dangerous, Alastor let me talk to her-" I could hear their conversation even from the balcony, arguing and I was glad my maid still cared about me.
"Hmph, I'll let you be but look at what she did to my hand." He showed her his hand, the top of his fingertips were covered in frostbite. "I can't feel the cold with the ice extension unlocked, and I've been a master of ice magic- but this is different if you get anywhere that ice- you'll die from its effects within just a few minutes of touching it."
I could- do that?
This ice could do that?!
"Hah… The emperor is right! Don't come anywhere near me! I'll get out of this ice on my own! I won't let you risk yourself getting hurt! Nnghhh!" I can't believe I actually agreed with my own father for once- it felt weird.
"Then the only solution is to not touch the ice right?" (Victoria) persuaded, still not giving up looking at my father with such determination- even I was moved. "She's unlocked her magic as such at a later age, no wonder it's unstable- let me talk to her and give her a few instructions on how to gain control over her gift."
"If you die- I won't be responsible."
"Fine by me."
Victoria no!
"Come on, Victoria leave me be you heard what he said! We don't know what kind of ice magic this is! I could actually hurt you- and I don't want that!"
Victoria ignored my plea and went in anyway inside the balcony with me, the nobles were asked to not move any closer to this spot.
"We both know you won't do that." she tells me smiling while kneeling down to inspect the ice.
I grit my teeth making sure she's not touching any part of the ice.
"H-How could you even say that? You trust me that much?! What if I hurt you by accident?" I could hear my heart beating so fast- my vision getting blurry and legs shaking.
Crack… crack…
The ice slowly spread, climbing to my hands now they're at my wrist-!
"Oh no-"
It was like I felt as if this ice was alive at the same time it wasn't.
"What do I do- I thought I wouldn't have any magic-?! Hah… hah- I can't breathe-"
"Elizabeth, take a deep breath. I've taught you meditation when we went out to train- I have prepared you for this." She stands up and raises her hand to her chest trying to gain my attention, "Do it with me. Deep breath in, deep breath out."
Her hands moved up and down.
I followed her instructions and the rhythm. "Hah… Hah…"
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath in, thinking happy thoughts, focusing on myself and the goal of not hurting anyone I care about.
Don't hurt anyone…
"Good… good… you're calming down- you're stabilizing your magic. I knew you could do it."
With Victoria's praise I opened my eyes to see that the ice stopped spreading. "Remember your lesson with Misha- magic is related to your emotions. If you're not in control of your emotion then your magic will be too, you've calmed down now-"
"The next step you'll need to do- is to imagine what you want for these ice to be?"
What do I want them to be…?
"Hah…" I focused on the ice, imagining them being broken off piece by piece, this ice- is harmless. I imagine them being harmless- just like any regular ice that doesn't spread frostbite like the plague.
I want them to be gone.
Crack! Crack!
"They're- breaking on their own?!" I was happy to see that the ice was slowly chipping off. "Humph!"
I continued on imagining that these eyes were nothing, just normal ice you can eat!
"Almost there, princess!"
"Ah!"
With the last piece of ice that was trapping my hand I was able to destroy it and set myself free.
"Well done." (Victoria) was there not too far away from me- from the ice-!
"Victoria-!"
I hurriedly hugged her from the front, minding my cold hands because I was afraid that the scary ice would come back.
"It was scary, my heart was pounding like crazy and I almost felt like throwing up." I tell her, burying my head to her chest. I could hear her sighing a breath of relief before feeling her pat my back.
"You did good, I'm so proud of you. It was scary right?" My mama bear praised me, and that was enough to throw away my worries for the next hour.
"Sniff… yeah it was… Also this is the first time you called me only by my name."
I could hear her laughing in embarrassment as she dismissed my teasing.
"D-Don't remind me about that, please."
Once I calmed down a bit I glanced at the leftover ice at the unique appraisal orb.
Ice that can give instant death in just a matter of a few minutes- if I even master this I won't even need a minute.
"Well it seems that the ice is breaking off on its own now- just like I imagined it doing."
I don't know what the god of chaos is playing at, did he think of giving a fair playing field for us to play?
He's underestimating me-
Even if I didn't have any magic I would spend my years being cooped up in the former empress' lab to make a weapon that can destroy a god.
Now it seems I won't be in need of doing that any time soon.
…
I'll master this magic and then kill you myself.
Gamaloa.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone