Sir Winstin nodded and retold all the events starting from the emperor's defeat to the current political chaos. He placed emphasis on her rainbow-colored transformation and spell, hoping she could enlighten them. But Elizabeth was as confused as them. She was not playing dumb. Her history was really as plain as it came. Working on the farm from dawn to dusk, every day… For the past sixteen years, that was it. There were no secrets. In fact, she did not even know Arcania existed until she arrived in this world! She knew nothing about Arcania. How could she be a master of such arts? What a ridiculous story!
Elizabeth rejected such a tale and demanded Sir Winstin to tell the truth. She was obviously upset. This had to do with her friends! How could he lie like this? General Illion smiled wryly and supported his claims. In doing so, she flashed him a dirty glare. The general snorted in response. Whether she believe him or not, he did not really care. Elizabeth grew irritated at his nonchalant attitude, but realized they had no reason in messing with her. Could they be that bored? If that was true… then…
Lord Korogin had died. Her heart was shaken. She felt bitter and frustrated. She might have killed the emperor, but the result was the same. That feeling of powerlessness did not lessen one bit! She felt like crying. That was right. Elizabeth felt weak… far too weak. Ever since she was rescued from the Kuthong Forest, she felt she could do something! Korogin was in danger and with Illion's fleet, it should have been possible, right? She earnestly believed she could change things! It was easy to place yourself on a pedestal when you were the heir apparent and princess. After all, she survived through such impossible situations. In her mind, Elizabeth was the heroine! This was her story! She could save the day!
But once again, reality was cruel. Despite her efforts, nothing changed. It was the same with New Havens. How could the world bend to her will so easily? She was a simple and insignificant character in this vast world. Weak. Useless. Pitiful. Futile. Fate. These words resounded in her head repeatedly. She came to help, so what? The battle was already over. She killed the emperor, so what? Korogin died anyways. How laughable was that? Her best effort was worth nothing at all in the end! Furthermore, by killing Emperor Lianghu, she sent ripples throughout the world. The world was about to descend into further chaos…
Why did I bother coming? She thought bitterly. What was the point? I couldn't change anything anyways. If I hadn't come, Lord Korogin might still be alive. Instead, I made things worse… I shouldn't have come…
She thought General Illion was standing in her way because he hated her. She ignored his opinions. She thought her friends would understand because they were friends. She forced them here. How laughable! Elizabeth forced so many people to listen to her because she believed… She believed she was different now! Yet, she realized… nothing changed. Nothing at all! These realizations crashed onto her like a tsunami, drowning her in anguish, lament, and regret! Elizabeth's breathing grew ragged and her chest throbbed. Her vision dimmed. Tears squeezed out as she sobbed loudly.
The tent was silent. General Gordon scratched his head while General Illion looked away. He might dislike her, but that did not mean he took joy in her misery. There was nothing to be happy about. Sir Winstin glanced at the physicians, Arcanists, and servants who were awkwardly standing around. His eyes motioned for them to leave. Once the tent vacated to just four, the knight sighed and sat next to Elizabeth's bed. He held her hand reassuringly and adopted a gentle smile.
"Elizabeth… Listen to me, it isn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong," he said.
"Don't lie to me. I was an idiot. I didn't listen to anyone. If I hadn't come…" she sobbed.
Sir Winstin shook his head. "If I do this, if I do that… If everyone worried about such a thing, nobody would move. What is the best choice? Is it so easy to find? Nobody knows but we cannot rewind time. We cannot redo our actions. If so, then learn. Learn from your mistakes and walk forward!"
"Sir Winstin is right," Gordon added. "If it wasn't for you, we would have all died. Don't say that you did nothing. It might not have gone as you wished, but it was not meaningless. Only you can decide that."
"The future is for those who are willing to walk it!" Illion stated.
"Thanks to you, Lord Korogin did not pass in anguish," Sir Winstin started, surprising Elizabeth. "He crafted this plan because the kingdom was hopeless. He thought the empire would triumph eventually. However, you did the impossible. You changed everything. Although the world is uncertain now, at least the kingdom has hope! Lord Korogin died, entrusting his hope into you. He hoped you would lead the kingdom into a new era!"
Elizabeth was still hesitant. "But… I don't know. Can I really do it?"
"No one starts out knowing how to run," the knight laughed. "How can you know if you can or cannot if you haven't tried? King Harth and Lord Korogin both believed in you. Now, it is time for you to believe in yourself."
The girl stared at Sir Winstin's face. Before she knew it, she stopped crying. Her chest also stopped hurting. That was right. She was too hasty. She needed to change her mindset. After an indescribable time, she made her decision. All along, she was against becoming the heir apparent of the Alzar Kingdom. That was why she ran from the capital months ago. She even grew irate with how the empire imprisoned her, simply because she was King Harth's daughter. Who chose their heritage? Who chose their parents? She had no say. Hence, she funnelled her hatred into her heritage.
Eventually, she changed her opinion to that of wanting to help Lord Korogin. She wanted to make amends for her mistakes. But that was it. Becoming queen? It seemed so distant that she believed it was impossible. After all, she never thought Korogin would die. She thought she could save him. But that was naïve thinking. The world was never so convenient. Now, Elizabeth realized and decided. She would no longer run away. She would earnestly put forth her full effort to succeed King Harth and Lord Korogin. She wanted to become queen of her own accord! She wanted to believe!