“It’s all a bit confusing, isn’t it?”
Before the murmuring crowd, First Princess Selina Bertica quietly spoke up.
“There have been many events. I apologize for not stepping forward sooner for all of you, who must have been trembling in anxiety as members of the royal family.”
As Selina bowed her head, ripples of surprise spread through the crowd.
It was an unusual display for royalty to show in an official setting, capturing the attention of the people and gradually restoring order.
“Though it’s late, I will now introduce myself. I am First Princess Selina Bertica.”
First Princess Selina Bertica.
At the unfamiliar name, some people tilted their heads in confusion.
Generally, there are more commoners who don’t know the face of royalty than those who do.
However, when it comes to direct royal family members, while they might not recognize the face, they usually know of their actions upon hearing their name.
But the name Selina Bertica was not exactly familiar to them.
The only facts known about her were her name and her medical history.
Years ago, rumors circulated that the First Princess would not live long due to her frail health, and for the last few years, she hadn’t even been mentioned.
The direct royal family consisted of the current king, the prince, and the princess, totaling three members.
Some intellectuals, who had presumed she was a collateral relative since she was a female member of the royal family, couldn’t hide their puzzled expressions.
But Selina seemed to pierce through those thoughts as she slowly surveyed the crowd and raised her right hand.
“Certainly, some of you may wonder why it is I, the First Princess, who stands here as a representative of the royal family.”
Just then, a man, presumed to be a high-ranking official waiting in the back, appeared holding a thick leather-bound book.
Selina placed her hand on it. Suddenly, ornate and elegant letters began to appear on the previously blank cover, emanating a soft golden light.
“Perhaps some of your questions have been answered.”
The royal emblem.
The sight of the royal emblem, often used among nobles to verify social status or clarify controversies regarding illegitimacy, filled the people’s eyes with understanding.
The golden color symbolizes direct royalty.
Without directly mentioning it, Selina had proven that she was not a puppet set by the vampires to impersonate a royal.
However, questions still lingered.
In the current situation where vampires were holding their ground, it seemed impossible for a royal family member to act freely.
This suggested that this gathering was likely arranged to convey the vampires’ intended treatment of the defeated nation through the mouth of royalty.
Those with keen insight couldn’t help but harbor anxiety and doubt.
While it was a bit surprising to approach this situation as a royal speech rather than a public execution or declaration of conquest, why was it the name-only princess standing as a representative instead of the king or prince?
Moreover, the First Princess had never made any public appearances due to her frail health.
Yet the princess standing confidently before the people, though appearing slightly emaciated, looked more unfortunate than incapable of movement.
“I believe you still have many questions. And as some might have guessed, I stand here today as a representative of the royal family… in other words, as the representative of the defeated nation in this war.”
As Selina declared in a hesitant voice, a heavy silence fell.
Defeated country. A fact that remained unchanged since the moment the royal capital fell, and upon seeing the sudden appearance of the princess, those who had harbored any lingering hope felt an unavoidable sense of despair.
The significance of the term “defeated nation” and the royal family’s official declaration of defeat carried substantial weight.
What could the words of humans, defeated by vampires, possibly mean?
Considering the long-standing relationship between humans and vampires, it felt like humans would be treated best as livestock. Imagining anything other than being toyed with like unnecessary surplus or discarded was unimaginable.
One by one, people began to collapse, but the commotion did not escalate beyond that.
Somewhere unseen, a chilling aura suddenly descended.
Even in the daytime, at that moment, the eerie sensation seemed to proclaim that the eyes of vampires were watching, leaving the frightened individuals with nothing to do but seat themselves and stifle their sobs.
But in the face of a future filled with despair, unexpectedly, it was once again Selina who reignited a small spark of hope.
“The defeated Bertica Kingdom can no longer live as it once did. However, this does not mean the death of all.”
Before they knew it, the crowd was hanging onto every word Selina spoke.
Appearance, demeanor, and capability.
Everything about the First Princess, shrouded in secrecy, carried an unseen power.
Perhaps she was merely acting as a messenger to convey the vampires’ message as a member of a defeated royal family.
Yet it somehow instilled an unfounded belief that maybe she could pull a small miracle from the depths of despair.
“Our way of living will change significantly. I know this may frighten you. However, as is true in any circumstance in the world, no matter what, there is nothing that does not begin with fear. So please, listen to me until the very end.”
Some might say it is the natural charisma that comes with noble blood.
The princess, making her first appearance to the world, gradually captivated the crowd solely with her innate qualities and eloquence, despite her lack of verifiable achievements.
However, it wasn’t enough to enchant everyone.
Humans are not purely rational beings.
Even when they know it’s not wise to create a disturbance, some people, fixated on their own conclusions and refusing to hear others, ignore the glimmer of hope suggested by the princess.
This was something that neither the vampires lurking unseen could pressure nor the calm persuasion of the princess could resolve.
Sensing signs of growing chaos, Selina calmly surveyed the crowd.
Words alone would not persuade all humans. Aware of this, she decided it was time to evoke the most striking “visual shock” from among her carefully prepared measures.
“First, I should explain why I, and not my father or brother, have come forth as the representative of the royal family.”
Suddenly, a bittersweet sorrow colored Selina’s face.
In that fleeting moment, curiosity surpassed despair in the hearts of most people.
Everyone was curious as to why the princess, whose name was barely recalled, had stepped forward instead of the king and prince.
And Selina seized that moment.
“My father and brother are… right here. Please, those who are of weaker constitution or faint of heart, turn your heads away.”
With a flutter, the sound of a cloth being pulled back echoed as something heavy was revealed.
And soldiers, two by two, brought forth something that the crowd could not see from the first floor to the edge of the balcony.
A collective gasp.
Then screams broke free.
The shocking scene that had surged forward without warning wiped all distracting thoughts from the minds of the crowd.
For what they witnessed was none other than the deceased forms of King Glom Bertica and Prince Dweik Bertica of the Bertica Kingdom.
“My father and brother were caught trying to secretly escape the royal capital and were killed.”
Shock, horror, disappointment, and muted condemnation.
The crowd began to glance at one another, witnessing the fleeting demise of figures who were like deities to them.
The reality of death had set in, and the thought that resisting might lead to their own fate made them even more guarded.
“As you know, it is a long-standing custom on the continent for members of the royal family of a defeated nation to be executed as a consequence of instigating a war. Perhaps they were aware of this and were attempting to plan for the future.”
Selina’s words trailed off as she delicately packaged the morbid truth, but it wasn’t difficult to understand the meaning behind it.
The monarch they had trusted, the king and prince, were caught trying to flee, leaving the citizens of the royal capital vulnerable, and were killed in the process.
They didn’t die nobly in battle against invaders, nor did they face the guillotine for the responsibility of defeat but rather perished disgracefully while trying to escape to an unknown place.
As one, then two began to recognize the harsh reality, waves of disappointment and blame began to ripple through the crowd.
Yet amidst the surging tide, a single tree stood tall.
As disappointment and betrayal towards the trusted king and prince grew, attention gradually shifted to the princess, who stood resolutely before everyone, quietly accepting the blame that was not of her making.
While some cast scornful glances simply because she was of the same royal blood, Selina remained unfazed.
What mattered was her solidifying her political standing, one way or another, despite having had no influence until now.
Unknown to anyone in that crowd, it was the First Princess herself, with the approval of Aria, who had orchestrated the disgrace and death of the king and prince. This entire event was a meticulously calculated performance prepared by Selina for this very moment.
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