Book 11: Chapter 40


    Your Majesty, what ns do you have in regards to the discussion in the conference hall?


    ns? repeated Elizabeth. The Empress narrowed her eyes to look at the blood groove of the sword in her hand. Without looking at Castell next to her, she said, Do my ideas mean anything for the North? Does it mean anything for us? Is it in any way meaningful to the elves? Its meaningless. Why would I waste my energy thinking about it?


    It is not meaningless, Your Majesty. The North is now in His Majestys hands, while our army is also stationed in the North. Thend belongs to us. Our alliance with the elves should end here, which means that we should consider what to do with thend.


    The Empress ced the long sword in her hand down then snickered. Theres no need to even fight for it. The elves wont want thatnd, because the elves cant survive in the cold. Furthermore, the North is the elves cemetery. They dont want the ce. To be frank, Castell, I really never thought youd ask me this question. That bunch doesnt understand that elves cant survive in the freezing cold, and they dont know the significance of the North to the elves, but youre a human whos been active in the elvennds. Are you telling me you dont know that?


    Castell couldnt answer. He lowered his head hopelessly. Truthfully, he wasnt bringing it up for humanitys sake or for the right to rule the North. He just felt that Elizabeth hadnt taken the initiative to say anything or do anything ever since returning. He was worried that his Empress mind was still at Troy City, thereby affecting her work. Nheless, he now realised that she actually wasnt giving the North any of her attention. She had already decided on the matters before and after the war.


    The elves were doomed to never acquire thends in the North, so it was bound to be humanitys.


    I dont want to discuss the North, not because its bound to be ours. Thats just one reason. Frankly, I dont want thend in the North at all, exined Elizabeth. She then sheathed her sword. My son was the one who captured the North, not me. The right to rule the North belongs to my son, not me, so regardless of what you discuss or what request you might have, its all pointless. It belongs to my son, not me.


    Castell froze for a moment. He then looked at Elizabeth and in a dumbfounded manner asked, Your Majesty, that ce is ours It


    The Empress narrowed her eyes. My son is my son, and I am me. My son didnt do anything for himself because of my identity or rule. Furthermore, not only is he my son, but also the Elven Prince, albeit my reluctance to admit that. There is no way that he will pass the right to rule the North to either side, either. What my son has been after has never been to be a sessor, who sits on hisurels in peace, waiting to be crowned. He wants his ownnd and his own authority to rule.


    But would this be considered a revolt against us? What significance does His Majestysnd in the North mean to us? Are they our allies, our vassal state or what?


    My son is not trying to be a vassal state. He what he wants is his ownnd and his own independent nation.


    That


    Elizabeth sat down to the side and looked to the North. With a slight smile, she said, But I dont want to rule the North. That is a nation my son established. Thats the rule my son established with his own efforts. Thats his dream and home. How could I destroy it? I never had any ns to achieve world conquest. I simply wanted to revive my nation, and Ive done that.


    That means His Majesty is not your son, but the ruler of a nation. He is no longer a son in your presence, but a monarch on equal footing with you.


    Elizabeth revealed a slightly mncholic smile and responded in a lonely tone. His time as my son was honestly too short, so short that I dont feel anything. I never raised him. I just want to satisfy his desires. I will support what he does as long as its reasonable, since hes my son.


    So you want to borrow our strength to build a nation in our North?


    Our strength? repeated Elizabeth, emphasising those words. She smiled. Castell, have you gotten something wrong? Besides sending out our military, my sons every move was his own decision, and he personally acted upon them. He was the one who came up with a way to break through the valley, and he was the one who made his own new weapon. What do you mean he borrowed our strength?


    Castell looked at Her Majesty and responded, Last question, then. Your Majesty, you must know that he is your only child. He has gone to the North. Now what about you? Who will rule your empire in the future? You must pass the empire to His Majesty once you age, but what would passing your empire to the monarch of another nation be considered?


    Elizabeth didnt reply or look back at him. Instead, she stood up and walked over to her desk to examine the map on it. She had made several heavy marks on the position of the North, leaving a behind deeply etched pen marks on the map. The North was now her sonsnd. She wanted to satisfy her sons desire. She had previously contemted Castells question, but she hadnt decided what to do as of yet.


    <em>What should I do so that my empire and my sons nation donte into conflict? What do I do? I</em><em>definitely need a sessor for my empire, but my son is not going to be here. His nation is in the North. It would be solved if I could still have another child. If I had another child, I wouldnt have to deal with this problem. My husband has passed away, though. How am I going to have child on my own?</em>


    Vyvyan appeared in Elizabeths mind. A very frightening idea surfaced into Elizabeths mind. She froze. She was frightened by her own idea just now.


    <em>What am I thinking?</em>


    Elizabeth wanted to p herself.


    <em>Hes just my son. My son even has a wife already. How can I do that with my son? Moreover, hes not my husband!</em>


    I love you, Mom, recalled Elizabeth.


    Elizabeth touched her lips. She suddenly remembered her son tightly embracing her in her room back at Troy City. She recalled that he was very tall, and she recalled the embrace that was simr to the embrace her husband once gave her. It was as though he was her husband Elizabeths hand stopped on her lips. Her gaze looked hazy as she recollected it. Suddenly, she felt that the idea she just conjured up was usible