And Thus… It All Comes to an End - Chapter 7

From behind the heavy, closed doors, a faint murmur of voices leaked out. The moment I slowly pushed them open, every gaze in the room fell upon me at once.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, a low, resonant voice dominated the space.

“Is everyone assembled?”

As if breaking the silence, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed as everyone stood. My grandfather stepped forward, scanning the crowd with a gaze that was stern yet gentle.

“Yes, good. Sit.”

With that single command, the thread of tension loosened ever so slightly. However, all eyes remained fixed on me. Beneath my thin veil, I let the corners of my mouth curl into a small smile.

“There is no need for a formal introduction, but here is my granddaughter, Luciana Eisenberg.”

Taking my grandfather’s words as a cue, I slowly removed my veil.

“I, Luciana Eisenberg, have decided that this land shall be the capital of a new nation. I shall become the first monarch of the Kingdom of Veridia. I ask all of you to support this country alongside me and save our people.”

In that instant, the air itself seemed to shudder. The murmurs spread like ripples on a pond. I could clearly sense someone catching their breath in shock.

“…A ‘nation,’ you said?”

The low voice belonged to Gareth Walden, the Commander of the Territorial Army. He was a man who had known me since I was a child. I met Gareth’s gaze directly and answered calmly.

“Yes, that is correct.”

Marcel Blois, my childhood friend who managed foreign affairs, leaned forward to question me.

“Lady Luciana, are you not the fiancée of the Crown Prince?”

“Fufu… I’ve gone and annulled it.”

“A—Annulled…?!”

Cries of surprise swept through the room like a wave.

“I lived in the Royal Palace for three years and saw the truth with my own eyes. It was more than enough time to realize that kingdom is beyond saving.”

A stunned silence fell over the room. Some furrowed their brows in deep thought; others exchanged looks with those beside them.

“Hmm…”

A veteran official placed a hand on his chin. This was Rutherford Grime, a civil servant well-versed in the law and my grandfather’s right hand. The creases etched between his brows were proof of his cautious mind.

“Rutherford, do you oppose me?”

When I asked, his eyes narrowed slightly before a small laugh escaped him.

“Hahaha! Lady Luciana. We are the former King’s high officials and their families. We are all people who have long worried for the future of Dreisburg. No! I am glad you have made this decision.”

At those words, I felt a brief flash of relief.

“However, creating a new country… if you hold the right of succession, would it not be faster to move to seize the throne itself?”

It was a cold, logical question. I had harbored the same thought myself once. But to move from within would mean facing those who held invisible shackles and fangs in a windowless room.

“I learned the truth once I was on the inside. There are too many people who need to be crushed. Rather than moving in the shadows, it is faster to crush them all at once from the outside.”

Silence returned at that remark. Eyes weighed the gravity of my words, and the atmosphere shifted into a heavy, collective nod. Attacking from the outside was dangerous, but it was logical. Everyone present felt it.

“True. However, the presence of the Apostle of the Goddess in that country is also troublesome,” Gareth continued. “The people cling to hope largely because of her existence. If she remains on their side, we cannot easily lay a hand on them.”

Then, my grandfather spoke quietly.

“Regarding that… some of you may have already suspected, but Luciana is also an Apostle of the Goddess. Luciana, show them.”

Following my grandfather’s order, I slowly stuck out my tongue to reveal the Mark.

“What?! The Crest of the Goddess!”

“Does this mean the Apostle over there is a fake?”

As the commotion spread, Emilia Lant, the Head of Intelligence, interjected calmly.

“There are two Apostles of the Goddess.” Her voice was steady, sorting through the information and settling the air.

“That is correct. Though it has not been made public, two Apostles appear,” my grandfather added softly.

“I see. Well, it is more convenient for us to have one on our side. It would be ideal if we could pull the other one over to us as well…”

“That is impossible,” I replied. “Apparently, she is the Prince’s next fiancée.”

“Is that so… Still, if Lady Luciana is an Apostle, we won’t have to fear incurring the Goddess’s wrath.”

Everyone nodded to one another. My status had shifted a major piece of the strategy. I began to lay out the next steps with detached precision.

“First, we must notify foreign nations of our independence from the Kingdom of Dreisburg and my ascension as King to obtain their recognition.”

“In that case, I will send messengers immediately,” Marcel offered at once. He was a man of great courage and quick wit. “Furthermore, we own many of the neighboring lands. Let us call upon the other lords. Most are already under our influence. They will gladly join the nation Lady Luciana is building.”

“The Royal Family will surely send troops to stop us. I will prepare the defenses to intercept them,” Gareth declared, his low tone promising my safety.

“The territory my brother inherited and its surroundings are far from here, but leave them to me,” Julius said. I nodded at his words; the path to gaining allies was becoming clear. “There are many who are dissatisfied with the current kingdom; persuading them will be easy.”

“Ho! If the Falkenhain family joins us, a third of the current kingdom’s territory will be ours,” my grandfather said, his lips curling into a calculating smile. However, he quickly followed up with a warning. “But it is already known that Julius has sided with us. It is only a matter of time before the Royal Family reaches for him. We must hurry.”

Julius gave a small nod. Time was both their ally and their enemy.

“Leave the finances to me. We must secure the army and supplies in haste,” Rutherford said, his mind already seemingly filled with tax revenue and distribution charts.

“I’ll handle the flow of information. I’ll dig up every movement inside the palace,” Emilia announced briefly. There was no waste in her speech.

As each of them stated their roles, the plan took on a reality, step by step.

“Then, let us all move out.”

The air in the room shifted. Everyone stood in unison, taking up their respective duties. Watching these brilliant individuals move toward a single goal, I let a small smile escape within my heart.

The plan had, at last, truly begun.