At her mother’s insistence, Anna set out walking, still stricken with hesitation. She thought to turn around several times, but each and every time, she thought better of it. No longer was she some bird trapped in its cage. She could fly on her own now—wherever her wings might take her.
✦ ✦ ✦
A faint beam of moonlight shone through Anna’s small window. With her room covered in a pale blanket of darkness, she found herself staring up at the ceiling after tossing herself onto her bed. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t readily fall asleep. All sorts of things darted across her mind before she remembered her conversation in the middle of the day.
“Make sure that you’ve no regrets...”
Her mother’s words were engraved deeply in her heart. Anna held freedom in her hands at this very moment. What she did with it from here was up to her.
I can do what I want to do. I... I want to do all I can to ensure that others aren’t dragged into this fight.
Anna recalled the sight of Front-Edge City during the battle. The same people she’d chatted with, who’d treated her with kindness and warmth, had been scattered in the titan’s onslaught with hardly a care. They were the ones who were completely ignored in Legalisbelm and the battle for the throne, but they were the very people she wanted to help.
But if I’m going to do that, trying to help them whenever something happens won’t work. I have to stop the conflict itself.
Until now, Anna had frantically tried to break off the fighting. That wasn’t the right approach, though. She had to start by eliminating the reason for the fighting in the first place. If she didn’t, it’d only be a matter of time before the same tragedy played out once more.
But if my stepfather goes on to become king now, I’m certain he’ll only invite further conflict.
To Lezamer, others were, without exception, nothing more than prey to satisfy himself. If a person who wouldn’t think twice before launching into a conflict were to become king, only tragedy awaited.
That’s why I want to keep him from becoming king. And to do that, there just needs to be a new candidate in Legalisbelm. Someone like...myself, for instance.
As low in the line as she was, Anna indeed had a claim to the throne and all the qualifications to participate in Legalisbelm. But that was all she had. She’d never stood in the spotlight before, which meant that there were no nobles to support her either. In the end, she’d simply lose out on a lack of votes.
Merely saying it was easy enough, but in truth, actually going through with it was boundlessly difficult.
And...even if I were to participate, that would mean facing off against my stepfather.
Lezamer had eliminated the other candidates in his pursuit of the throne. Anna could already see clear as day that she’d be crushed right away if she nonchalantly announced her candidacy at such a late stage. At best, her candidacy wouldn’t be accepted, and at worst, she’d be eliminated after her announcement. Anna knew full well just what her stepfather might do. The merciless scene of her great-uncle’s defeat was still fresh in her mind’s eye.
First, I need to find a place where I can announce my participation without being killed...
Anna turned over in bed only to be stricken with a flash of inspiration.
There was a chance. There was just one chance she’d have to do it where Lezamer could do absolutely nothing to stop her. What was even more convenient was the fact that she might even be able to gain nobles who would support her. While she was being optimistic about the outcome, by Anna’s estimations, her chances of winning weren’t terribly low either. But naturally, it carried a risk as well: Lezamer might very well throw everything away in a mad rage to put an end to Anna himself.
She shook her head, chasing her fears from her mind. If this doesn’t work, then there won’t be any other way to make things right!
But her father had shown her, hadn’t he? If she were going to hope for the best outcome, then her only choice was to make her very best efforts herself.
“I’ll... I’ll fight. In the way that only I can. Please, grant me courage.”
Anna closed her eyes, only to be greeted by Meddié smiling at her. Otto wore a demanding look on his face as he nodded at Anna, while Carome watched over her with a stern expression. And then there was Watt, who’d always pushed her ahead, smiling as he gave her a thumbs-up. She was anything but alone.
And so, Anna found herself venturing into the fray.
No longer was she the child who’d cowered in solitude—she was a warrior now, determined to fight against the madness.