(Eri's POV)
The carriage moved steadily along the road. The capital of Kazunaga slowly disappeared behind us, and outside the window, the mountains and forests passed quietly, but my mind was far from calm.
I kept thinking about the conversation Lourice and I had earlier. She was right. The regent, the ministers, and the council all held power. Even though I was now crowned queen, in the laws of Kazunaga, a ruler could still be removed. It would require a serious crime, something severe enough to justify it, but the possibility still existed—and in politics, reasons could always be created.
I remembered Lourice's words clearly. She had said that I needed an alliance with Princess Elara, that she was the key to securing my crown. The word stayed in my mind.
The key.
I had only just been crowned. The people of Kazunaga had not yet fully accepted me. For years, they believed Prince Haru would be their ruler. Many of them still did. Until I proved myself to them, my position remained fragile.
And now there was another complication—Princess Elara. She was not my ally, but she was not exactly my enemy either. Still, her loyalty leaned toward Haru. That much was obvious. They were close. Everyone in the palace knew it. The Blood Oath marriage had originally been meant for them, not for me.
Which meant one thing.
I needed to get closer to her—but not too close.
Lourice had explained it carefully. I needed her trust, but not the kind that turned into romance. I remembered laughing at that moment, asking how that could even happen when we were both women, but Lourice had only shrugged and said that we did not know what the future held. Once we were married, she would stand beside me as queen consort. We would rule together. We would spend time together.
I leaned back in the carriage seat.
Perhaps she was right.
Perhaps not.
But one thing was certain.
I needed to understand Elara.
I needed to establish boundaries—a connection strong enough to protect the throne, but controlled enough not to create new problems.
The carriage slowed slightly as we reached a narrow road. My hand moved inside my coat pocket, and there was a small box there. I opened it quietly. Inside was a ring—an old one. It had once belonged to my grandmother. King Korei had given it to my mother, and when she died, my father passed it to me. He told me that one day I should give it to my child.
But things had changed.
There would be no child.
Not now.
Perhaps not ever.
For now, the crown came first.
The kingdom came first.
I closed the box slowly.
I must protect Kazunaga.
I must protect the crown.
So I had made a decision.
When I arrived in Vesperia, I would give the ring to Princess Elara.
A proposal—not of love, but of alliance.
The journey to Vesperia took several days, and I did not bring a large escort. Only Ali accompanied me. Lourice remained in Kazunaga. Someone needed to stay behind, someone I trusted. While I was away, she would watch everything inside the palace—my eyes, my ears.
When we finally arrived at the royal palace of Vesperia, the guards were clearly surprised. No announcement had been sent. No diplomatic message had arrived before me, and yet the Queen of Kazunaga had appeared at their gates.
Inside the palace chamber, King Ivan and Queen Letisha greeted me with visible surprise, though they welcomed me politely. I simply smiled and apologized for arriving without notice, then told them I wished to speak with Princess Elara about the wedding.
For a moment, silence lingered in the chamber.
King Ivan nodded slowly, but I noticed something else. His eyes briefly moved toward my hand—the small box I was holding.
He had seen the ring.
He understood.
The king and queen spoke with me for a while—polite conversation, diplomatic words—until the door opened again.
Princess Elara entered.
For a moment, the room felt brighter.
She wore a soft cream-colored gown embroidered with silver patterns that reflected the afternoon light. Her dark hair was tied loosely behind her shoulders, not as formal as a royal court appearance, but elegant, natural. She looked like someone who belonged in gardens rather than throne rooms.
Our eyes met briefly.
Then both of us looked away.
King Ivan stood and suggested that we speak privately, and neither of us argued.
Soon after, Elara led me outside into the royal gardens. Vesperia's gardens were vast. Flowers filled every path. Herbs grew along the stone walkways. Fountains whispered quietly among the trees. It was clearly a place she loved.
But once we reached the garden path, neither of us spoke.
We simply walked side by side in silence.
What am I supposed to say?
I was never good at this. Negotiations, politics, battle strategies—those were easy. But this, this strange conversation about marriage, felt unfamiliar.
My instinct was simple: say it directly, explain everything clearly.
But Lourice's warning returned to my mind. Be careful with Princess Elara. Her personality is different. If you approach her too directly, it may appear… alarming.
I frowned slightly.
Alarming?
If I said the truth directly, would that really be a problem?
Then another thought appeared.
If being direct was wrong…
then what exactly was I supposed to do?