The fleet travelled towards the South Crown Channel, which served as the backbone of the Alzar Kingdom's naval connections. Through it, one could travel from the southern ocean, stop at the capital, and proceed to the northern ocean through the North Crown Channel. Practically, the entire kingdom was accessible through these two channels. Naturally, the traffic through them was bound to be massive. The number of ships there vastly exceeded that of anywhere else. And they were not purely military! Nobles, government officials, merchants, and virtually anyone else used this route! Despite that, the channel was wide enough to accommodate everyone. No one could hog all the space, even if they wanted to.
When the Royal Escort Fleet entered the channel, Elizabeth could spot hundreds of fleets with their own unique banners and sigils. It was an extraordinary sight to see. And that was all that she saw. There were many more… beyond the horizon. Before, she had only a faint idea of the kingdom's scale. How could she understand? New Havens had less than a thousand inhabitants. That was the standard at which she grew up with. However, now she had a clearer idea of the overwhelming complexity and scale of the kingdom.
She drew in a deep breath. She had been taking things for granted before. If she wanted to become the queen, she had to understand everything and everyone. That meant the Royal Family, the Royal Assembly, the provincial governments, the Royal Guard and knights, the twenty-five Grand Nobility Households… Then, there was the military, the merchant guilds, the Arcanists, scholars, and even the pious… Not to mention, the people themselves! The farmers, blacksmiths, physicians, mercenaries, tailors, bakers, innkeepers, shipwrights and many more… This was the civilization which occupied nineteen provinces and two maritime provinces! This was the land of over several dozen million! This was the Alzar Kingdom!
The fleet travelled ahead of schedule with an excellent tailwind. With their incredible speed, they sailed through the South Crown Channel and breached into the Sea of the Crystal. Here, it was a hop, skip, and a jump to the Everstone Gulf and the subsequent King's Bay. The King's Bay! It was named appropriately because it was the heart of the kingdom. It was the home to every influential power! As Elizabeth drew closer to Corasen and Algard, she could feel tears building up in her eyes. It had been so long since she last saw this beautiful sight.
Back then, she was an emotional wreck. Even suicide did not seem a farfetched idea. She learned the truth of her heritage, of the Holy Reingolian Medallion, and of her future. However, she had adamantly rejected Lord Korogin's words and fled the capital. All she wanted was an escape from reality… to run far away. She wanted to wash away all her memories. She wanted to disappear… And with that, perhaps her pain would fade. In time, the world would forget about the person known as Elizabeth. And the world would continue as it always did…
Yet, nothing ever happened according to her wishes. Although she wished to wash her hands clean of her past, trouble came knocking on her door. She was whisked away from Port Silic and brought to the Yunyun Stronghold. She suffered pain and torment, both physically and mentally. The stink of her status never left her body. All the grievances inside her built to an unbearable level. Her hometown was destroyed, her family was ravaged, and her killers were celebrating. She was no saint. Her hatred exploded to an all-time high and she swore to take revenge. She wanted to kill every man, woman, and child down to their last descendant! She wanted the empire to burn from her fury!
Then, she met the Imperial Princesses, Xiuying and Ming. Indeed, the world worked in mysterious ways. Initially, she hated them. She detested them and this feeling came from the depths of her being. She wished them to die by a thousand cuts, begging for mercy like her family once did. However… When she and her friends were rescued by them, her attitude changed. Her hatred burned just the same, but she could not help but feel it lessen. Of course, Elizabeth could not believe them. She did not want to, as if it would lessen her family's sacrifices. The Xingyuu Empire was evil, and the Imperial Princesses was the same!
She continued with that cold mentality until General Illion revealed the truthfulness of the affair. Everything the Imperial Princesses had said was true! Her heart was shaken and softened for the first time. After all, their circumstances were simply too similar. Their families were broken, and their future spiralled out of control. It was like they were alone in this mad and crazy world, left fending for themselves. They, alone, stood against this world's unfathomable cruelty! Elizabeth was captured, but they had released her. Now, they were captured, but she had released them. Indeed, Elizabeth began to believe… that not everyone was evil. That there was some good in the world!
Finally, she made the decision to help Lord Korogin. She wanted to act, to do something with the little power that she had. She wanted to resist the pressures of the world. She wanted to shout out loudly as if to say she was not someone to be trifled with. She could grasp her own fate! Her future was in her hands! However, the world was cruel. She killed Emperor Lianghu, but Lord Korogin died regardless. That sense of hopelessness and futility was enough to drown her several thousand times over. Who could bear all that weight? Who could bear all that and continue living? And for a mere sixteen-year old girl nonetheless…
Despite that, Elizabeth persevered. Not because she was strong, not because she was smart, and certainly not because she was capable. In fact, she was possibly one of the least qualified to step up. Anyone could have been a better candidate. No… She stood up because she had to! After seeing all the sacrifices made by the people around her, could she honestly feign ignorance? Could she run away? Her heart was cold after her family's death. But even the coldest of nights saw the dawn of day. Benedict, Shirley, Freon, Korogin, Winstin, Christina, Xiuying, Ming… And many more… Their warmth gradually melted her coldness.
That was right… Elizabeth could not run away. Before, she was disconnected from the rest of the world. She felt like an observer, never truly interfering with the affairs of this world. Everything felt unrelated to her. Did anyone mind if clouds in the sky changed? Would anyone notice? Such was her thoughts. Even if the world burned around her, did it really matter? Not to her. But her viewpoint gradually changed. As she met everyone and formed bonds, she became connected. Their sacrifices touched her heart. She could not stand by anymore. She could not run away. Therefore, she decided… to do what she had to do. She decided to become queen!
Elizabeth looked up. When her thoughts ended, she was already in front of Castle Reinhard. The impeccably white castle walls made anyone's heart stir. However, Elizabeth only felt an unceasing determination! She would grasp the future with her hands!
Benedict said, "Elizabeth, this is where we'll part ways. The road ahead will be tough, but I'm sure you'll make it through. I'll help you if you ever need it. I'll believe in you!" He said it with such an unwavering faith that it surprised him as well. But for some strange mysterious reason, he just felt it was normal.
The girl said nothing and nodded her head slightly. She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. Who knew what she was thinking? But no one dared to interrupt her. Eventually, Elizabeth said with a smirk, "I'll become queen. Just you wait!"