Alysia Flora's POV
It had been a few days since my mother's funeral.
I was now faced with the responsibilities of being the temporary Queen.
"Your Highness, please check and sign this document" one of the Elders urged.
"Oh, Okay" I picked up the document and began to read it.
The elder in front of me was the same one who had criticized my mother without fear.
After a few minutes, the elder's impatience grew evident,
"You are taking too much time, Your Highness. If it were your mother, she would have signed it already" he remarked sternly, making clear his opinion of my capabilities as a ruler.
In a few moments of contemplation, I signed the document and handed it to the elder. He accepted it and left without uttering a word.
"Mama" I whispered, trying to hold back my tears.
I couldn't help but blame myself for the recent events. The investigation into my mother's sudden death had concluded that it was a natural death, brought on by her neglect of her duties as queen.
There was no assassination, no Soul Crystal corruption or even a fight against another Emperor.....All I remembered was her cold body that was hugging me in the bed.
Saying World Tree punished her for having incompetent me...A verdict that left me feeling responsible.
"In the end....I am the one responsible...." I admitted, biting my trembling lips to stop myself from crying.
As the only member of the royal bloodline left, I had been thrust into the role of temporary queen.
Despite our efforts to reach my father before my mother's burial in the World Tree, he had claimed to be preoccupied with important matters.
'Grip'
Frustration and anger coursed through me, but I was painfully aware of my lack of power.
"...."
.....
Months passed, and the report indicated that my father would soon arrive.
"I see, so he's finally coming" I mumbled quietly while sitting at the round table.
"Yes, Your Highness, and it's best if you don't let him hold the power" one elder advised.
"Your best choice is to marry my son. That way, you won't need to worry about these political matters" another suggested.
"What do you mean, your son? My son reached Domain Rank at the age of 120, which has never happened in our history...."
"..."
The conversation left me feeling bewildered as if my opinion and choice didn't matter.
It stirred up memories,
/"We will never betray our kin
Our hearts are united as one"/
Those were the words I had learned from my mother, and yet I felt a sense of disillusionment.
"Don't you think so, Your Highness?" an elder asked, bringing me back to the present.
"Huh?" I replied in a daze.
Their words shook me from my thoughts, and I finally responded, "I am leaving"
Without looking back, I exited the wooden building used for conferences and meetings.
I felt as though I were being dragged down into the mire of political schemes and forced decisions.
"Oh, I forgot about the trading document" As I walked away, I suddenly remembered something.
I quietly re-entered the room, trying to avoid the topic of marriage and other political matters.
'Rustle, Rustle'
"Here" Inside, I retrieved the document and prepared to leave.
However, my departure was delayed by the voices of the elders in the room.
"She is annoying just like her Mother" one elder's voice sneered.
"Yeah, She acting like a Real Queen even though she is just incompetent" another commented.
"Just how long we are going to follow the Flora Lineage, what about our lineage that worked to the bone?"
"Life is unfair!" one of them lamented.
"Hey, don't forget Morgan bitch finally die so, as long as we get her daughter pregnant with our sons then we can rule the Flora"
Then, the conversation took a darker turn.
"Yes, as we discussed we should make her marry multiple men as much as possible in our families"
I am sorry for leaving you suddenly but this is my fate...I am truly sorry for giving you such a burden.
I never said anything about my life, didn't I?
Well, Please listen to Mama one l-last t-time.
I was born as a Royal Princess just like you, my mother only had me.
I was raised with the weight of great expectations, primarily because my father was quite demanding. However, my mother, your grandmother, always showered me with an abundance of love. It was her affection that provided solace and comfort in my life.
As I grew older, I fell in love with a remarkable man. He was unlike anyone I had ever met before, driven by ambition and unwavering determination to better himself. I felt that he was a kindred spirit, so much like me, and I believed that we could find true happiness together.
In a bold move, I was the one who proposed to him, and to my delight, he accepted, confessing that he had loved me all along.
Despite our social status, I begged my father to let me marry him and the wish came true. I married that man with my parent's blessing.
However, our joy was short-lived. First, my father passed away, and shortly after, my mother's life slipped away as well.
Time waits for no one....My dear.
Anyhow, After I got pregnant, I got a glimpse of the true nature of the person I loved.....He was sleeping with housemaids.
No, No, I didn't harbour anger at him for sharing intimate moments with other women; I know the power of carnal desires of every man needed....However, I couldn't have been more wrong. Those housemaids he was involved with suffered mysterious and tragic deaths soon after their encounters.
This unsettling discovery filled me with suspicion and doubt. I conducted a discreet investigation and found out that 'Nothing'. No matter what, I couldn't find a single piece of evidence about their death except their encounter with him.
As my delivery date approached, my anxiety grew. To avoid any future regrets, I confronted him...Unfortunately, it led to an altercation, and he resorted to violence, nearly harming you in the process.
After your birth, He seemed to have a change of heart as he started treating you like a good father but that didn't last longer, after you didn't awaken....he left the home not saying a single word.
As time passed, I continued to monitor his actions secretly, and I eventually learned that a woman he had been involved with gave birth to a child without meeting a tragic end.....Though it pained me deeply, the arrival of you, my beloved daughter, brought me immense solace.
My life found new meaning in the happiness that you brought me. Regardless of whether you were mortal or not, your existence was a profound source of joy for me.
The serenity of my happy life was soon disrupted when I learned that those women who bore his child had met a mysterious and untimely demise...again, leaving their mortal child behind. His offspring remained mortal and could not awaken their soul crystal.
Yet, I did not mind. As long as I had you, my precious child, my heart was content....However, as fate would have it, I sensed that my time was drawing near. It was then that I penned this letter and entrusted it to a dear friend, with the request to deliver it to you after my passing.
My dearest Alysia, this letter contains the untold story of my life, which you always wished to hear.
I am sorry for leaving suddenly.
I am sorry for making you go through pain.
I truly wanted you to stay away from this Political....I just wanted you to enjoy like a normal girl.
I-I am sorry for leaving you in this wretched world.
I-I truly wanted to live the r-est of my life with you seeing your beautiful smile that brightened my f-face.
I...am sorry for not telling you directly...I was scared what would you do...I was just...scared seeing you in p-pain...
If y-you want you can run away, My Dear.....no, I want you to run away and live a normal life anywhere in this world....
I will only be happy when I see you happy.
Find a good-hearted man, unlike me, who has failed to see the true essence of a person.
Give your daughter/Son as much as love possible.
MVLeMpYr-unofficial-text
I-I-I wish I could have been there to witness the love and happiness....
I am sorry, sorry....sorry....sorry...
Y-Your Beloved M-Mama
/
The dried tears visible in the letter revealed how much my mother had cried, more than ever before.
'Drip, Drip'
I couldn't control my tears any longer, and I began to sob uncontrollably.
"It's okay, okay...." the tiny fairy said, gently patting my head before wrapping me in a comforting hug.
In the warmth of that embrace, I cried even more, releasing the pent-up emotions that had been building inside me.
Next Morning,
"A, isn't our Majesty?"
"N-No way, She died"
"Th-hen how is see?"
"Ghost?"
"..."
"You are in the presence of the Elven Queen, Alysia Hill Morgan Flora"
"Kneel"
"!!!!"