Chapter 395: True Nobility
Elizalina’s Side
“The fact that you’ve gone quiet means you understand that no matter what you do from here on, it’s meaningless, right?”
To begin with, there was no way she would ever be having a conversation with Lux in such a hostile atmosphere.
If the one standing before her now had been Lux, he might have said something that would exceed even Elizalina’s expectations.
However…
“S-silence!!”
Just as she expected, the king could do nothing but shout.
Seeing that, Elizalina spoke, unable and unwilling to hide her exasperation.
“At this point, shouldn’t you accept that we’re not going to give up on being engaged to the man we love, and stop trying to block our path? I know you can’t undo what you’ve already done, but if you’d at least acknowledge our engagement to the man we love, then maybe we could—”
“There is no way I could ever approve of you being with a man from a count’s family!!”
Cutting her off, the king pressed on.
“You should be with someone far more noble and accomplished!”
“Then I think he meets your expectations. The man I love has a kindness greater than anyone else, a true kind of nobility, and he’s highly capable as well.”
“There is no way someone from a count’s family could possess the true nobility worthy of you!”
“True nobility has nothing to do with rank… and it’s not you who decides whether someone is worthy of us. We do.”
“…!”
“This is going nowhere, so I think I’ll be on my way now.”
With that, Elizalina turned her back on the king, whose face had twisted bitterly.
“W-wait!!”
As he tried to stop her, she spoke once more.
“You’ve already realized that going around the city won’t change anything, so why don’t you head back to the throne room in the royal castle? You don’t know how many days you have left on that throne, so you might as well enjoy it while you can… right, Your Majesty?”
“Ghh…! Y-you…!!”
Leaving the king unable to respond, Elizalina walked away.
What the king might still attempt from here.
Among those possibilities, if he were to act next…
Elizalina considered it for a moment.
But that’s not my role. I’ll just focus on what’s in front of me.
With that thought, the king was already gone from her mind.
The only one left there was Lux, whom she had spoken with earlier.
Lux… we only got to talk a little, but I want to see you again and talk properly next time.
Not just talk… I want to hold your hand.
I want to hold you.
Those feelings welled up within her.
“Lux… I love you.”
Though no one was around, she let those words slip out in a voice so soft that even if someone had been nearby, they wouldn’t have heard.
King’s Side
Confronted with a hopeless reality by Elizalina, the king stood frozen in place.
If most of the ducal houses in the country had truly sided with the princesses, such a reaction was only natural.
He considered seeking cooperation from marquis houses and others, but if the other side had already secured most of the duchies, he couldn’t tell how much difference that would make.
“Damn it!! If that’s the case, I’ll make those ducal houses that sided with them betray them… no, even if I did that, I’d just be turned away again. But I have to somehow get the ducal houses in this country on my side… in this country…?”
Muttering as if something had struck him, the king continued.
“That’s it! There’s no need to limit myself to this country. I can borrow the power of other nations that currently have good relations with us!”
He hadn’t thought through what would come after that.
Even so, he had no choice but to cling to the faint possibility now in sight.
“Heh… go ahead and act like you’ve already won. I’ll show you the power of someone truly capable!”
Saying that to Elizalina and the others who were no longer there,
The king began to walk, clinging tightly to that newfound possibility.
Believing that there was no way the other nations his kingdom was on good terms with would refuse him, the king of this country…