She was not a good monarch, a good daughter, or a good sister.
As a monarch, she had watched helplessly as Northland sank into the quagmire of war, hurtling toward destruction day by day under the pressure of the Holy State and Havaron, completely powerless to stop it.
As a daughter, she was unable to avenge her parents, left to be ordered around like a puppet by her enemies, playing the fool day in and day out to mask her own incompetence.
As a sister, she had personally driven her sister away; no sister would hate her own sibling as intensely as hers did.
She was a failed monarch.
A failed daughter.
A failed sister.
Throughout her thirty-odd years of life, failure had been the only constant.
Yet, now that this day was truly about to arrive, she no longer wanted to play the role of a comical buffoon. Even if she was to die, she would die with dignity.
“Someone, come!”
The ruler of the North, the Queen of Northland, a monarch at the end of her rope who had inherited Iron Crown Keep but failed to inherit its former glory—Ragna Rowe gave her orders once more.
...
The construction of the railway was far faster than Lu Li could have imagined. When his figure, wearing the Triple Tiara and draped in the holy robe, appeared in Gargo City, Eleanor was truly shocked out of her wits.
She had quickly ridden her horse to the newly constructed train station, and upon seeing that aloof figure, she hastily dismounted, speaking before she could even steady her footing:
“Your Holiness, why have you come to the front lines?”
“And why are you all alone? Where are your knights?”
When she heard the soldiers say that a Pope had gotten off the first train arriving from the holy capital, Eleanor had nearly fallen out of her chair.
Their great Holy See had actually appeared on the dangerous front lines of war without a word. If this news were to leak, there was no telling how massive of a stir it would cause.
“Who said I was alone?”
Lu Li tilted his head to look at her. He had a slight impression of this woman wearing the new military uniform. It was said that she had been commanding the military operations on the front lines all this time.
Bold and meticulous—that was how the old fogeys back home evaluated her.
In the battle reports recently sent back to the holy capital, although the Order of Light took the primary credit, it was undeniable that if Eleanor hadn't acted decisively and ordered her troops to clear the obstacles for the Order of Light, the Holy State wouldn't have been able to occupy the entire Gargo region so quickly.
Thinking of this, Lu Li couldn't help but offer a word of encouragement: “Eleanor, you've worked hard during this time.”
“Your Holiness, you still remember me?” Eleanor felt somewhat flattered.
Although she had met the young man a few times back when he was still the Holy Son, she had been dispatched to the North shortly after his coronation.
Having stayed here for nearly half a year, Eleanor truly did not expect this young Pope to still remember her.
“Eleanor.” Lu Li curled his finger, motioning for her to come closer.
Eleanor didn't understand why, but she still obediently drew a bit closer.
Lu Li looked at the woman who was much taller than him, slightly narrowed his eyes, raised his hand to pat her shoulder, and said:
“I am the Pope of the Holy State, after all. I wouldn't go so far as to forget where the glory of the Holy State comes from.”
His voice was calm, and the contents of his words could be considered a supreme honor to Eleanor, but hearing them made her break out in a cold sweat.
“It is my mistake, Your Holiness.” Eleanor bowed her head slightly.
“I'll let it slide this time. Consider yourself pardoned. Once you head back, remember to write 'The Holy See is so handsome' three hundred times. I'll check it next time,” the youth said with a grin.
She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but Eleanor felt like the Holy See in front of her seemed to be a little... excited?
And besides, wasn't the word 'handsome' usually used to describe women?
“Yes.”
But having already made a mistake, Eleanor still obediently complied.
Suddenly, she remembered that the Holy See had yet to answer her question, so she asked again:
“Your Holiness, didn't you say you weren't alone? Where are the others?”
Hearing her mention this, Lu Li turned around to look at the train parked on the tracks.
Eleanor followed his gaze and immediately spotted a familiar figure.
“Professor Mekal?” She was dumbfounded.
This was what the Holy See meant by “not alone”?
“Yo, long time no see, Legion Commander Eleanor.” Mekal's attire was as wild and unconstrained as ever, and her hair gleamed as if it hadn't been washed in three months.
A bad premonition suddenly welled up in Eleanor's heart. She turned back to look at the beaming youth and asked:
“Your Holiness, don't tell me you two are the only ones on this train?”
“So what if we are?” Lu Li shot her a look.
“Does Lady Julia know about this?” Eleanor's face darkened a bit.
“She probably knows by now?”
“What do you mean, 'probably'...”
“Oh, come on. Since when does she get to dictate where I go? Enough, quickly take me to see my army.”
“...Your Holiness, strictly speaking, that is the Holy State's army.”
Eleanor was starting to get a headache. She could already visualize the Cardinal flying into a furious rage.
“It's all the same—” Lu Li waved his hand.
Eleanor really did not want to take him there. The most urgent task at hand was to send this young Pope back to the holy capital.
“The front lines are very dangerous. I will dispatch troops to escort Your Holiness back to the holy capital. Your Holiness...”
She opened her mouth, but before she could finish, she was cut off by Lu Li.
“Eleanor,” Lu Li looked at her, his face growing a bit more serious, and his tone turning earnest. “My soldiers are also in danger. If I turn back and leave now, I would be abandoning them. Are you asking me to betray our faith and glory?”
“No... That's not what I meant...” Eleanor's face turned slightly pale under his sharp words.
“Then what are you waiting for?” Lu Li said with a majestic voice.
“I...”
Eleanor was left without a retort. Accusations of betraying one's faith were far too heavy a label for her to dare accept. She had no choice but to lead her horse and guide the way ahead.
However, when they were halfway there, she suddenly realized something was wrong. These two matters could not be conflated at all; she had been completely led astray by the Holy See.
But it was too late to say anything now. It was easy to welcome the Holy See, but hard to send him away. Eleanor couldn't help but suspect if he had made prior arrangements with those folks back in the holy capital, and that they were all playing a practical joke on her together!
What a... hassle!
With that thought, Eleanor couldn't help but look at the youth beside her, only to see him suddenly turn his head and flash a brilliant smile.
Looking at that smile, for some reason, a thought popped up in her mind:
Forget it, as long as the Holy See is happy.
The weather in the North was significantly colder than in the holy capital. The first snow of winter began to fall without warning, soft snowflakes drifting down from the sky.
The white horse Eleanor was leading snorted. Only then did she notice that, perhaps because he had arrived in a hurry, the youth beside her was dressed lightly, and his pretty face had already turned slightly red from the cold.
After some thought, even though it might seem a bit presumptuous, she still took off her overcoat and draped it over the youth.
The camp lay just ahead.
Lu Li glanced at her but said nothing more.
He hadn't come here on a whim. With a major battle looming and the foundation laid by the Order of Light, now was the absolute best time to boost morale and harvest faith.
If he missed this opportunity, there was no telling when the next one would come.
Rate on N.U.
