Leonardo, Empress Canela, and the emperor were gathered in a conference room in Le Chantier Palace. The final screening was over, and the meeting was to decide who would be chosen as empress. The emperor, seated in the chair in the center of the room, cleared his throat, and the atmosphere in the room became tense.
Who will the emperor pick? Leonardo wondered. He was in favor of Westalia, but Canela had a history with Elizabeth, being partial toward her since she’d been a small child, so it was likely that the vote would be split.
The prince and princess, who were devoted to the Reyn family, had been excluded from the final discussion by Leonardo’s direct appeal to the Assembly, and the final selection would be decided by the emperor’s vote.
The case of the trial in the Kingdom of Lhumzia was well known in the Archaites Empire. There was some dissatisfaction with Westalia’s participation in the final stage, since she was responsible for causing a major incident that incited a stir in the country, but that dissatisfaction had disappeared with the emperor’s approval of her participation. So it was certain that the emperor also considered her a solid contender.
“Empress Canela, who did you think was the more suitable candidate?” the emperor asked.
“I thought that Miss Elizabeth was the better candidate,” Canela responded as Leonardo had expected her to.
“And Leonardo? What do you think?”
“I think Westalia Lejainne is the correct choice.”
“Hmm, I see,” the emperor said. “I thought Elizabeth Reyn was the one more suited to be empress.”
Leonardo’s heart sank at those words. In response to the emperor’s question, Elizabeth had given an answer from the point of view of the aristocratic norm, the way the royal family should be. Westalia, on the other hand, had offered concrete ideas from a political perspective, such as education and disease control.
“I posed my question for the next empress. The proper role of empress is to support the emperor from the shadows and to love her people. I was not asking for policymakers. In that sense, I would say that it was Elizabeth who interpreted what was being asked appropriately,” the emperor said.
Westalia’s answer had been a criticism of the current policies. That was to say, it could be taken as a criticism of the emperor, who was in charge of the policies. Even Leonardo had been somewhat taken aback by the challenge in Westalia’s final statement.
“Westalia Lejainne is very wise, has a strong sense of justice, and is very logical. But she is too straightforward,” the emperor continued.
It was a fair observation. Westalia was stubborn and would not change her mind about what she thought was right. Leonardo liked that about her, but depending on the recipient, it could be taken as cockiness.
“So you have decided on Elizabeth Reyn as empress?” Leonardo asked.
“You seem dissatisfied.”
“No...” Leonardo said. If Westalia wasn’t chosen here, it only meant that she wasn’t up to the task. Leonardo couldn’t do anything more to speak on her behalf.
But then Canela spoke up. “I said that Miss Elizabeth was more suited to be empress, but...I liked Miss Westalia. I think a woman like that could change the world,” Canela said.
“You make a good point. I’m interested in her too. If I choose her, the Reyn family will be very much against it, but perhaps she can be a trump card against them.”
The most influential family in the country was Elizabeth’s own family, the Reyns. Many whispered that they were corrupt, and their darkness ran deeper and darker than even Delphine’s. It was true that the Orencia family had managed to resist having the Reyn family hold power over them, but until now, no daughter with qualities like Elizabeth’s had appeared.
“Even as she stood before me, she showed no fear. Her eyes were saying, ‘Choose me!’ It has been a long time since I was moved by someone’s enthusiasm. Leonardo, what do you think of her?”
“I believe she was born to be empress,” Leonardo replied.
“You’d go that far?”
They continued discussing for a little while and then the emperor clapped his hands together. “Very well then, how about this?”