The great hall rang with rumors from the departing nobles. Their heels echo clomps and taps against the marble floors, blending in with their running mouths as they mumbled.
Some nobles decided to return to their lands, leaving immediately with their carriages. Others, however, preferred the palace's offered rooms to stay for a few days before starting their long trip back home.
While everyone was busy leaving, somewhere at a corner of the great hall, Marquess Heldan talked faintly alongside a couple of council members, discussing the previous occurrence.
"Wouldn't you agree that it was a mistake to even consider the Duke of Solmere's appeal?" one whispered sternly, his voice making sure his voice barely audible over the noise.
One quickly tried to shush him, whispering, "My lord, you can't say that here! The walls have ears!"
But another council member bobbed her head along, hearing the earlier comment. "Because he's a relative of the royal family of Solmere, he wields enough influence. It's only obvious that he must have talked to the King before this mess."
Finishing the councilwoman's perspective, the other members exchanged silent nods, stunned by the King's decree to remove Princess Elucina from power.
"…It's great that His Majesty heard our appeal and considered delaying Princess Vanetta's coronation until she proves herself worthy of the title," Marquess Heldan interrupted.
He recalled how almost every seated council agreed with his suggestion once they all learned about the princess' background.
After all, it was unusual for them to share the same opinion unanimously.
Still, what surprised him more was that even the high-ranking nobles in the audience supported the same appeal.
'Duke of Solmere couldn't do anything about it.' It was satisfying to see that his plan didn't work out as flawlessly as he might expect it.
A councilwoman added, "Considering she's lived as a commoner her entire life, it will place our kingdom's reputation and foreign relations in jeopardy."
The group silently agreed, their whispers mixing with the sounds of the last nobles leaving.
From then, Marquess Heldan stopped paying attention to the conversation when he noticed Princess Elucina assisting her mother, guiding her back to the Queen's residence.
Worried of the princess' situation, he could only do his job to persuade the King to help her from the political game set up against her.
…
Outside Princess Elucina's castle, a mountain pile of leather cases was being loaded onto carriages, with the cases strapped to the roofs of the vehicles.
From the other corner, wooden crates filled with the princess's personal furniture were being lifted onto the moving wagons.
"H, Huh? Those a, are my…"
Elucina stood there in disbelief. She had just returned to rest after calming her mother from a hysterical episode.
However, as if losing her crown was not enough, another came in, not allowing her to catch a break.
"Your Highness, we have packed your belongings," the head maid said, bowing to her deeply as she approached.
"M, My belongings, you say?"
Elucina's hands trembled as she surveyed the upsetting scene.
The realization hit her. She was being made to leave the castle that had been her home for the past eight years, since her coronation at the age of ten.
'F, Father…!'
It was hard for her to understand the atrociousness of the King's recent decree.
Elucina thought about it when Marquess Heldan revealed the introduction of another princess, from which or wherever slums those power-hungry people picked her up.
However, she did not expect her dethronement to happen so suddenly!
She had always thought she would continue to live in this castle until she succeeded her father's throne in a few years.
But it looked like fate had different plans for her.
"Ha," she let out a sharp exhale under her breath.
She shook her head. She shouldn't strain too much. It would create permanent wrinkles on her face.
Instead, Elucina raised her chin, keeping her pride intact even after facing such humiliation by her father.
With one final look at her castle, she climbed into one of the carriages. She sank onto the cushion, the plush doing its thing to give her little comfort.
A knight closed the door of the carriage, and she heard the horses neigh and the clip-clap of their hooves on the ground before the carriage moved finally.
'I suppose I will be staying with Mother,' she thought to herself, feeling her carriage sway along the route and occasionally jolting by the cobblestones.
'Wait…'
Elucina expected she would be taken to Queen Esteria's castle, but as the carried went on and turned, she realized they were taking a different path.
"Wha, where are they taking me?" she whispered sharply.
She brought a hand to move the curtains out of the way to peer outside of the window. The road the driver took was different than she would usually take to visit her mother.
'No, don't tell me…' she trailed off.
As she peeked out the window, Elucina noticed some noble ladies staring at her with pity in their eyes. Quickly, she withdrew her hand and closed the curtains shut, making sure there were no gaps left between them.
'Hmp! I don't need your pity!'
The travel felt like an eternity. Every mile the carriage head on pulling her farther from the life she had known.
They passed the back of the great hall and the maze gardens. The tall hedges were replaced by wild trees and untamed bushes as they entered a part of the royal palace that was not as familiar to her.
Until the carriage finally came to a halt.
"Phuff," the horse scoffed.
A knight, who had ridden a horse to escort her, got off his stallion and opened the door, extending a hand to help her out.
But Elucina ignored the knight's offer. She was rushing to see where they had brought her, quickly stumbling out of the carriage.
"Wh, What kind of place i, is this?" she stammered.
A two-story tall mansion greeted her. Its walls worn patches of both green and dark molds here and there. There were wild ivies covering it, too.
Compared to the grand castle she had just left; this simple and weathered manor was modest. Just the sight of it made her heart sink even further.
While Elucina was occupied registering the state of the mansion, a voice spoke like a mockery. "This will be your new residence, Your Highness."
Elucina turned on her heels, looking behind to find the speaker. With an angry frown, she asked the knight beside her, "Did you say something just now?"
The knight seemed taken aback by her question. "No, I, I didn't say anything, Your Highness," he replied, his voice completely different from the mock she had heard a while ago.
She cast a narrow gaze at him before flicking her head back to her problem. It must be Elucina's hallucination. She was feeling tense, after all.