Chapter 220 - The Next in Line

Inside the duke's office the four of us, Duke Matias, George, Jack, and I were sitting down the receiving area. Tea and snacks were brought in by the butler and maid just a while ago and we were having refreshments right before going to the serious conversation that we need to discuss.

"Is it okay for me to start?" I asked them. I know that George also has an important message to say so I asked if I can go first and discuss the topic about the queen.

"Of course your highness." George said with a gentle smile. "I can relay King Regaleon's message after you." I nodded in agreement.

"Duke Matias." I shifted my gaze to the duke. "As you know, my aunt Queen Patricia is also an Atlantian princess like me. She has been held captive after the war by the former king of Jennovia and made…terrible things to her." I scrunched my face in disgust just by thinking how the former king of Jenovia defiled my aunt. The former king's action gave birth to the cold hearted Queen Patricia now, just made me detest the former king of Jennovia.

Duke Matias nodded in understanding. "I only heard of rumors regarding this and didn't know it was really true, to think that a former princess of Alvannia was taken here and was held captive by the deceased king. I only thought she was some noble lady selected by the deceased king as his concubine because of her beauty and also carrying his child." He shook his head showing his disapproval of the former king's actions. "I have known that the deceased king was fond of beauties, but to do this to a former princess of Atlantia is truly unacceptable. Well disregarding social statuses, doing this to any woman is unforgivable."

"My aunt… she held a grudge against the former king of Jennovia and to those that have purged her family." I said with a regretful voice. "She… she was the one that killed the first wife of the former king to take the seat of Queen herself. And I am afraid that, she was also the one that poisoned the former king of Jenovia that lead to his death." I looked at the duke that was listening to me seriously.

"This… how did you know all of these?" The duke asked in curiosity.

"It was my aunt that told me herself." I replied. "She did all of that for her revenge and this war too is a form of revenge against the other countries that purged Atlantia to the depths of the sea."

The duke was deep in thought. "If what you say is true, then she needs to be expelled from her position as queen and head of Jennovia. Killing the king is a grave sin, only punishable by death."

"Not only that. I am afraid that the weather of Jennovia that is winter all year round is also her doing." I said. "I am not yet sure though but it is possible because just months before I was able to make changes in the weather by my own magic."

The duke surprised with this. "Is that even possible?"

"Yes, that is possible." George was the one that replied. "The magic of the royal family of Atlantia is more than that of an average Atlantian. They have the ability to change the weather. But this is the first time I have witnessed a lasting effect. At first I investigated the long winter here in Jennovia, thinking that it was done by magic. But I didn't get any proof because in history, there are not lasting effects similar to this."

"Maybe it can be possible by harnessing the magic of the Almighty One inside a magic stone." I told George my hypothesis.

George touched his chin in thought. "Well that may be possible, but I cannot say for certain because I haven't had the time to test it out. Having magic stones that stores the Almighty Ones magic is rarer that you can imagine." George said.

"Aren't the pendants given to my mother and aunt magic stones that store such powerful magic?" I asked George and looked at him earnestly.

George eyes widen with the thought. He hits his fits on his palm. "You are correct! That just proves your hypothesis your highness. Hahaha, now I know where and how this forever winter came to be."

"That queen is really scary, to do such a thing and to a whole country at that." Jack interjected. "Didn't she think about the lives of millions of people living here in Jennovia? This forever winter has made the lives of people here hard to bear."

"I think she doesn't even care about that." I said sadly. "I am afraid that her hate has blinded her from seeing other people's pain and suffering. She can ignore others if that mean she can get the revenge she craves for."

"So you mean she doesn't even care about the citizens of Jennovia?!" The duke looked furious. "This is absurd! How can she be the queen of the people?! Even this war to expand Jennovia for the people's benefit is a hoax made by her. This war is only for her personal vendetta!" He roared.

"I am afraid this war is truly for her own personal grudge." I said.

"Then we must dethrone her at once and make the next in line succeed the throne." The duke said with certainty.

Hearing the duke was siding with us made me happy. This is a step forward of one of my plans.

"Next in line, do you mean the crown prince?" Jack asked and scoffed.

"Well he is the only male borne heir of the deceased king and next in line for the throne." The duke said. "It is only right to crown him king, with his mother having greatly sinned against Jennovia. The deceased king might have made a grave sin against her. But killing him and also endangering the country is a crime she must pay."

"Heh… Prince Gladiolus is a puppet under the queen. He follows his mother's wishes to the tee." Jack mocked. "I am afraid that making him king won't change the future of Jennovia."

"And also… Gladiolus isn't the former king's son." I said with a serious face.

"What?!" The duke stood up in surprise. The tea cups placed on the table rattled with his abrupt action.

"Hahaha… I have also thought something like that as well." George looked happy. "I only caught a glimpse of the crown prince. And he was the spitting image of the deceased crown prince of Atlantia, Patricia and your mother's older brother. And to think that the queen of Jennovia is Patricia, it just sums it all up."

"This is preposterous!" The duke shouted in anger. "The queen has done many things that can never be forgiven!"

"But Princess Satiana is the real daughter of the deceased king, correct?" It was George that has hypothesized this. "With her age, of course there is no other that can father her than the deceased king himself. The princess has inherited the king's facial features, so there is no doubt about that."

The duke sat down again. "Then there is no other way. I will give my support to Princess Satiana as the next Sun of the Jennovian kingdom."

I looked at the duke with worried eyes. "But the princess is still young. She will just turn fourteen next week."

"Do not worry your highness. I Duke Karl Matias, gives my word to support Princess Satiana when she gets enthroned. But first we of the noble resistance need to plan our next action. We have to take down Queen Patricia and his son Prince Gladiolus in the Jennovia court."

With this, I got Duke Matias' alliance. With someone making internal conflict in the Jennovian court, my aunt will have many problems on her hand.

"Thank you for giving us your cooperation, Duke Matias." I bowed humbly. "This war… we need to win it for the sake of all people in this continent."

The three men looked at me, curious about the words I just uttered.

"My aunt… she is planning on searching for the forbidden magic and to use it in this war." I said with utter seriousness.

George was the one to have the most reaction from them. I am sure that he had seen first-hand the destruction the forbidden magic has brought on the last Great War.

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