"I think you already know why I came here, Christina," the Duchess said, locking eyes with the Princess.
The Princess looked pained, as if she didn't want to hear what was coming next. "You're really planning to..." she trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.
"Yes, I came here to formally sever ties with the Elesia Kingdom," the Duchess confirmed.
Desperation tinged the Princess's voice as she asked, "Is there anything I can do to stop you from dissolving our alliance?"
The Duchess explained, "My great grandfather married the sixth daughter of the king of the Elesia Kingdom at that time, which is how our ties were formed. But that's the only thing that's keeping the connection between Leonhart and Elesia intact."
The Elesia Kingdom was infamous for its corruption, with the nobles abusing their power to oppress those beneath them. It seemed to operate on a "survival of the fittest" principle, where the weak were preyed upon by the strong.
