I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 77
As Theseus and Elizabeth busied themselves rallying the moderate noble faction, their efforts gained momentum. With the Empress and the House of Baldr uniting and Elizabeth, the legitimate princess, joining their cause, even the most hesitant nobles started to extend their support discreetly. The Empress’s bold declaration that she could dismantle the nation’s towers within two years had caused quite a stir, sending shockwaves through the social circles. The aristocracy was abuzz with excitement and speculation.
After a long afternoon of meetings, Elizabeth went to the Baldr estate. She found Theseus receiving a report from Michael Rosen. On seeing her, Michael bowed respectfully.
“It has been a while, Your Grace.”
“Indeed, Viscount Rosen. It has been.”
Sensing the need for privacy, Michael swiftly took his leave. Elizabeth, looking weary, gestured towards the sofa.
“May I sit for a moment?”
“Please, make yourself comfortable,” Theseus replied, his eyes filled with concern as he watched her.
“Don’t overextend yourself,” he cautioned softly.
Elizabeth shook her head with a tired smile. “The capital is buzzing, thanks to the Empress’s holiday relief supplies. It seems she’s managed to win over both the nobles and the commoners with just a few gestures.”
The Empress had indeed captured the hearts and minds of everyone with a series of strategic moves. Lost in thought for a moment, Elizabeth gazed into the distance before voicing the question that had been troubling her.
“Why would someone of her stature agree to this union? She was once the crown princess of Gottrov, wasn’t she? There seems to be quite an age difference between her and the current Emperor. Why would she give up her claim? Gottrov doesn’t even have a primogeniture inheritance law.”
In response, Theseus quietly rose and retrieved a dossier. Elizabeth straightened in her seat as he handed it to her. She flipped open the first page and couldn’t help but chuckle. It was a detailed account of the Empress’s past.
“The Duke of Baldr never does anything halfway, does he?” she remarked, her curiosity piqued.
“You need to understand someone before you can stand with them truly,” Theseus remarked gently.
“That’s true…” Elizabeth’s voice trailed off as she delved into the dossier. The first page detailed how Princess Adelaide had founded the GottrovTower Resistance Organization at the tender age of fourteen, which ultimately led to her stepping down from her position as crown princess.
“Fourteen?” Elizabeth whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief as she turned the pages. Each one meticulously chronicled the Empress’s life, a testament to her unwavering dedication. As she read, Elizabeth’s fingers trembled, and she found herself flipping back to the beginning to verify what she had seen.
“Tower destruction, refugee rescue… tower destruction, refugee rescue… estate restoration… tower destruction…” The pattern was clear. The final page noted Adelaide’s departure to Ehrmont. Elizabeth stared at the last sentence, her mind reeling.
“The Empress seems to have decided that her presence was more a hindrance than a help to the Gottrov Emperor’s authority. It appears that in Gottrov, her standing was higher than the Emperor’s,” Theseus explained quietly.
“She gave her entire life to Gottrov,” Elizabeth murmured, her voice heavy with realization.
“Indeed.”
“And after dedicating everything to her country… she came here as if in exile.” Elizabeth felt as if a giant hand was squeezing her chest. It was overwhelming as if the entire room was closing in on her. She left the Baldr estate in a daze and hurried back to her chambers, shutting herself in.
As she sat in the silence, her thoughts raced.
You resented your brother just because you couldn’t become Empress, all because you were a woman. But what have you done in the meantime? The Gottrov princess gave up her claim and dedicated herself to her country. And you? You’ve been running away all this time.
It felt like a slap in the face. Elizabeth realized she was crying, the tears streaming down unnoticed. The image of the poor rejoicing over the Empress’s relief supplies came to mind, and her throat tightened. She had come here thinking she could use her magic to make a difference, only to rely on others and avoid any real sacrifice. She had leaned on Theseus and the Empress, always looking out for herself, never truly committing to any cause.
Kneeling on the floor, Elizabeth sobbed, biting her lip to stifle the sound. She vowed then and there to do whatever it took to pull her empire back from the brink of ruin. She swore she would never run away again.
****
Brunhild Alexa handed the meticulously organized documents to the Empress the night before the national holiday. These documents contained records of the past fourteen years of the Echmont Mage Corps’ activities. Adele looked at Brunhild with a mixture of gratitude and respect.
“You’ve done an incredible job. I know you risked your life to gather and organize this,” Adele said sincerely.
Brunhild shook her head. “I can no longer ignore the countless deaths that have occurred. I couldn’t just stand by any longer.”
“Once the holiday ends, we’ll use this information to investigate Duke Despone and the Mage Corps. You should stay out of the limelight and keep yourself safe,” Adele advised.
Brunhild bowed deeply, her expression resolute. “If you need anything more, just call for me.”
After Brunhild left, Adele examined the documents thoroughly. She wanted to summon Lionel immediately but decided against it, considering the late hour and the busy day ahead. She resolved to show him the documents after the festivities. She carefully locked the papers in her safe, taking a deep breath. Focus on the present, she reminded herself, closing the safe with determination.
As Theseus and Elizabeth busied themselves rallying the moderate noble faction, their efforts gained momentum. With the Empress and the House of Baldr uniting and Elizabeth, the legitimate princess, joining their cause, even the most hesitant nobles started to extend their support discreetly. The Empress’s bold declaration that she could dismantle the nation’s towers within two years had caused quite a stir, sending shockwaves through the social circles. The aristocracy was abuzz with excitement and speculation.
After a long afternoon of meetings, Elizabeth went to the Baldr estate. She found Theseus receiving a report from Michael Rosen. On seeing her, Michael bowed respectfully.
“It has been a while, Your Grace.”
“Indeed, Viscount Rosen. It has been.”
Sensing the need for privacy, Michael swiftly took his leave. Elizabeth, looking weary, gestured towards the sofa.
“May I sit for a moment?”
“Please, make yourself comfortable,” Theseus replied, his eyes filled with concern as he watched her.
“Don’t overextend yourself,” he cautioned softly.
Elizabeth shook her head with a tired smile. “The capital is buzzing, thanks to the Empress’s holiday relief supplies. It seems she’s managed to win over both the nobles and the commoners with just a few gestures.”
The Empress had indeed captured the hearts and minds of everyone with a series of strategic moves. Lost in thought for a moment, Elizabeth gazed into the distance before voicing the question that had been troubling her.
“Why would someone of her stature agree to this union? She was once the crown princess of Gottrov, wasn’t she? There seems to be quite an age difference between her and the current Emperor. Why would she give up her claim? Gottrov doesn’t even have a primogeniture inheritance law.”
In response, Theseus quietly rose and retrieved a dossier. Elizabeth straightened in her seat as he handed it to her. She flipped open the first page and couldn’t help but chuckle. It was a detailed account of the Empress’s past.
“The Duke of Baldr never does anything halfway, does he?” she remarked, her curiosity piqued.
“You need to understand someone before you can stand with them truly,” Theseus remarked gently.
“That’s true…” Elizabeth’s voice trailed off as she delved into the dossier. The first page detailed how Princess Adelaide had founded the GottrovTower Resistance Organization at the tender age of fourteen, which ultimately led to her stepping down from her position as crown princess.
“Fourteen?” Elizabeth whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief as she turned the pages. Each one meticulously chronicled the Empress’s life, a testament to her unwavering dedication. As she read, Elizabeth’s fingers trembled, and she found herself flipping back to the beginning to verify what she had seen.
“Tower destruction, refugee rescue… tower destruction, refugee rescue… estate restoration… tower destruction…” The pattern was clear. The final page noted Adelaide’s departure to Ehrmont. Elizabeth stared at the last sentence, her mind reeling.
“The Empress seems to have decided that her presence was more a hindrance than a help to the Gottrov Emperor’s authority. It appears that in Gottrov, her standing was higher than the Emperor’s,” Theseus explained quietly.
“She gave her entire life to Gottrov,” Elizabeth murmured, her voice heavy with realization.
“Indeed.”
“And after dedicating everything to her country… she came here as if in exile.” Elizabeth felt as if a giant hand was squeezing her chest. It was overwhelming as if the entire room was closing in on her. She left the Baldr estate in a daze and hurried back to her chambers, shutting herself in.
As she sat in the silence, her thoughts raced.
You resented your brother just because you couldn’t become Empress, all because you were a woman. But what have you done in the meantime? The Gottrov princess gave up her claim and dedicated herself to her country. And you? You’ve been running away all this time.
It felt like a slap in the face. Elizabeth realized she was crying, the tears streaming down unnoticed. The image of the poor rejoicing over the Empress’s relief supplies came to mind, and her throat tightened. She had come here thinking she could use her magic to make a difference, only to rely on others and avoid any real sacrifice. She had leaned on Theseus and the Empress, always looking out for herself, never truly committing to any cause.
Kneeling on the floor, Elizabeth sobbed, biting her lip to stifle the sound. She vowed then and there to do whatever it took to pull her empire back from the brink of ruin. She swore she would never run away again.
****
Brunhild Alexa handed the meticulously organized documents to the Empress the night before the national holiday. These documents contained records of the past fourteen years of the Echmont Mage Corps’ activities. Adele looked at Brunhild with a mixture of gratitude and respect.
“You’ve done an incredible job. I know you risked your life to gather and organize this,” Adele said sincerely.
Brunhild shook her head. “I can no longer ignore the countless deaths that have occurred. I couldn’t just stand by any longer.”
“Once the holiday ends, we’ll use this information to investigate Duke Despone and the Mage Corps. You should stay out of the limelight and keep yourself safe,” Adele advised.
Brunhild bowed deeply, her expression resolute. “If you need anything more, just call for me.”
After Brunhild left, Adele examined the documents thoroughly. She wanted to summon Lionel immediately but decided against it, considering the late hour and the busy day ahead. She resolved to show him the documents after the festivities. She carefully locked the papers in her safe, taking a deep breath. Focus on the present, she reminded herself, closing the safe with determination.
