Chapter 656: Hope and Love Make People Strong

When Isabel gave her clear opinion, the Chief Justice, who had been quite stubborn before, unexpectedly chose to obey.

After everyone agreed, the matter was finalized.

The public opinion issues that might arise later, as well as the emergency plans, were all handed over to Grand Justice Arius. He was asked to go back and discuss with Mycroft and come up with several solutions.

But after the Great Guardian and the Great Justice left, Ligeia did not choose to go with them.

She just looked at Isabel with satisfaction - although it looked a little awkward for Ligeia to act like this as a little girl now, it was surprisingly not out of place.

She came over with a smile, jumped into Isabel's arms, and gently touched Isabel's head.

"Grow up, little Issa."

Ligeia gently stroked Isabel's soft, light golden hair like a little adult, and gently touched her forehead with Isabel's: "Now you finally look like a monarch."

Isabel lowered her head slightly and hugged Ligeia's waist with her backhand.

Feeling the elder's dragon tail gently sweeping and patting her calves, Isabelle's eyes became nostalgic: "Yeah..."

If it was a year ago... no, even just half a year ago, she couldn't imagine that she would have grown to this extent.

She still clearly remembered what she looked like before she met Aiwass.

—I hadn't experienced any unforgettable tragedy, nor felt any heart-wrenching torture. And just like that, in just a few months, I had grown to a level my former self had never dared to imagine.

“…Perhaps, love and hope can make people progress better than suffering.”

Isabel spoke softly.

She was the one who had the most authority to say this—because she had long been accustomed to running away and enduring. If there had really been a painful experience that forced her to choose to change herself, I'm afraid that by the time she made up her mind to act, she would have been tortured to the point of being covered in bruises and having no strength left.

"Not all of us are born strong, little Isa. Only steel can be reborn in fire, while even the strongest wood will be consumed by the flames."

Ligeia whispered comforting words, turning her head slightly and touching Isabel's forehead with hers, like a grandmother.

In her soft voice, as if she were telling a story to a child, she said something she hadn't told Isabel: "But wood isn't less valuable than steel. There are always things that wood can do that metal can't."

"...You've never told me anything like this before."

Isabel said this half complaining, half coquettishly.

Ligeia's childlike voice sounded mature, steady, and kind: "Because you were too lost at that time. A lost person cannot understand or remember these great truths. Great truths are never meant for the lost. The lost only want to know how to proceed.

"It's precisely because you've grown that I'm telling you this. I'm just telling you why you've become so powerful... I want you to know that this isn't an accident, let alone a miracle. I just want to tell you... you're truly amazing, Isabel. You've gotten over it, and you've become stronger."

I'm really great...

Hearing this, Isabel's eyes subconsciously filled with tears.

It wasn't a feeling of grievance or sadness, but rather an incomparable sense of relief.

It's like the crisp autumn air, the blue sky and white clouds. Open your arms and shout loudly to the sky, and the cool sunshine showers sprinkle on your body.

Isabel shed a few tears quietly, but she didn't sob or cry loudly. She just lowered her head playfully, wiped her tears on Ligeia's shoulder, and then showed the elder a sweet and innocent smile.

She said with some nostalgia: “Actually, I just…experienced a nightmare.

"In an alternate world, I saw Avalon fall apart. A fake took my place, and I fled overseas with Aiwass.

"The 'authority' that people emphasize, as if it were impossible without, could protect nothing in such chaos. The Glass Island was in flames, and the knights were slaughtering each other. No one could protect the people, just as no one could protect Avalon.

"So, I thought... 'Authoritarianism' is too fragile. It only has irreplaceable value when everyone believes in it.

"But if someone is truly in dire straits one day, and can only trust in 'authoritarianism', it won't be able to protect them."

Isabel's eyes were clear and bright, and after crying just now, they were as dazzling as polished emeralds.

"Only by trusting yourself—only by making Avalon stronger—can you avoid all kinds of disasters. And if Avalon is strong enough, then what's the point of exclusively adhering to the 'authoritarian' path? If Avalon can only promote the authoritarian path, how can it become strong?"

"……I see."

Ligeia nodded slightly and sighed, "That's how you figured it out."

"Of course," Isabel added with a smile, "it's mainly Aiwass."

"That little fox?"

"Because I don't want to disappoint him, because I don't want to become a puppet and be used to oppose him..."

Isabel whispered, looking down at her fingers.

Slender and white, it resembles a pair of hands skilled at playing the lute. Yet, despite its fragility, it possesses the power to control entire kingdoms, even multiple kingdoms – with just one signature, it can alter the fate of tens of thousands, even millions.

"...But these are not the reasons why I am so tough today."

Isabel said, "It's just 'don't want to', it's my 'fear'. But what really makes me strong is 'hope'.

"—I hope that one day Avalon will not suffer the disasters that I encountered in my nightmares.

"—I hope that one day, the people of Avalon can proudly declare themselves Avalonians without being discriminated against, hated, or feared by people from other countries.

"—I wish that when people address Aiwass, they would address him as Isabel's partner, instead of addressing me as Aiwass's wife.

"—I hope my grandmother will be proud of me, and I hope Avalon will become better, not worse, starting with me.

"—I hope I can protect Aiwass, share his worries, and become his protector. Not just a warm harbor, not a burden to him and the girl he protects.

"I hope I can be a good monarch, a good wife, a good mother, a good artist. And, a very good person."

There was a glint in the young queen's eyes.

Ligeia could feel Isabel slowly clenching her fists. She exerted a little force on her forearms and gradually sat up straighter.

"As a monarch, I must be tolerant of all my subjects. However, as a good monarch, simply 'following conventions' and 'maintaining the status quo' is not enough - I make the decisions and I take responsibility.

"If the Silver Crown Dragon disagrees, I will do my utmost to persuade him. If the people feel confused, I will make them understand. If other countries intend to take advantage of this opportunity to cause trouble, I will not back down.

"Avalon deserves change—"

As Isabel spoke, she involuntarily sat up straight, and Ligeia slid off her and hit the desk.

In the corner of the desk, there was a vase that was shaking and about to fall over.

Ligeia did a light backflip and jumped to the other side of the desk, and picked up the vase lightly before it fell to the ground.

She cast her eyes towards the table.

The vase seemed to have been placed on a book with an uneven cover, which was why it was about to fall over due to this level of collision.

"'Elves' Diplomatic Rhetoric'..."

Ligeia murmured to herself, taking up the book: "Is there anything in it?"

Isabel didn't realize it at first—until she saw the cover of the book Ligeia had picked up.

The glittering aura around her suddenly froze.

"Hey... Hey? Wait, wait... That's not allowed! Don't look at it!"

But it was too late for Isabel to react - when she said it, Ligeia had already pulled out the book.

She glanced at Isabel with a strange expression, and obeyed Isabel's order without opening the book. She just put it on the table and gently pushed it back.

Isabel was in a panic as if she had been electrocuted, but in the end she couldn't find a place to put it, so she could only throw it into the drawer with a blushing face.

"...Well, Your Majesty, I don't really recommend using this kind of book cushion vase."

Ligeia coughed lightly and reminded him seriously, "When your grandmother, the former queen, was on the throne, she would put the books in the compartment under the desk in such a situation."

“…Huh?”

Isabel was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head to search but couldn't find it, so she looked up for help: "Where?"

Ligeia walked over skillfully and turned a ruby ​​handle on the side of the desk, lowering an empty folding shelf beneath the Queen's desk. "Here, see? Screw it back and it will be hidden under the desk. You won't be able to see the book by touching it under the desk or opening the drawer, as it's on the side. Remember not to put anything too heavy, but a few books should be no problem."

“How amazing!”

Isabel exclaimed, "Is this the secret compartment?"

"This can probably only be described as a relatively hidden storage rack."

Ligeia said casually.

She smiled and bowed to Isabel. "If all is well, I'll take my leave. By the way, Your Majesty, you can ask the ritualist to check your aptitude for the Path. I think you should be able to adapt to the Path of Authority by now."

Isabel naturally believed Ligeia.

She is the person who has gone the furthest on the road to authoritarianism in the world.

——How ironic.

As a monarch who had no adaptability to the authoritarian path, just when he finally gained the approval of his ministers and was about to eliminate the concept of "illegal path", he suddenly gained adaptability to the authoritarian path...

"Even so, it will never shake my resolve."

Isabel said affirmatively.

Ligeia nodded with satisfaction: "That's good."

When she reached the door, she smiled and greeted the Queen's guards at the door. After opening the door, as if she had suddenly thought of something, she turned around and added, "By the way, Your Majesty. I've actually read that book—it's quite cheesy."

"If you like this, I have a collector's edition that's not available on the market. I'll bring it to you tonight."

After saying this, Ligeia quickly closed the door and left.

All that was left were the low laughter of the Queen's guards and Isabel, who was covering her face and whimpering.

(End of this chapter)