The Kingmaker System Chapter 755 - 754. Aftermath (4)

[Cognitive processing temporarily reduced.]

The notification that came along with the progress bar of mana recovery was a little issue for Reina.

She had been feeling it before the notification confirmed, the reduced strength was the greatest but her senses also seemed to be muffled, as though she was trapped in a waterbubble. Her understanding and memory also seemed to be affected.

Reina didn’t want these aspects to be revealed before her people so, she had made a mental note and also a little list for herself in order to stick to the relevant topics and not slip up anything.

But with Davian present on the other side despite her instructions of him not being there...

It was rather difficult since while her rational side was at a crawling speed, her emotional side seemed somehow active, like a raging river.

Reina pushed aside her thoughts and focused on the meeting as that was of importance right now.

"Miss Keira told me that the Queen didn’t summon that monster, it was... the Princess."

Along with Reina who sat across the globe, the ones present in the room were also greatly shocked.

"What?!"

"You mean Princess Colette!"

"It runs in the blood, I suppose."

Reina sighed, this was complicated. She wanted to sort the situation of the Queen’s involvement with the Dark Forces without any great consequences. But if the news of Colette’s acts reached the public then the public will storm the royal palace and destroy everything. It would be a civil war.

"Kai, have you told anyone else about this?" Reina asked.

"No, only us few know of this." Kai answered.

"And where’s Keira?"

"I thought it would be dangerous in hospital so, I had her moved to Count Erkens’s place."

Reina nodded, Caelthir sat on the railing staring at the new World Tree while Aelfric stood near the doorway looking a little anxious. He had only assumed that the young Dragon they had been desperately calling for the other night was busy with a battle but to think that she had also been dealing with just as grave situation herself.

For such a young Dragon to take up everything on her own, it made him feel intimidated as despite everything she seemed calm.

"Good, make sure nobody gets the wind of this. For now, it’s better if the world believes that the Queen did it. She was the one who started it anyways."

"Are you saying we should cover for Princess Colette?" Rune asked.

"Not completely, but for now, let her be. Since her plan failed she won’t do anything immediately." Reina said.

"What is the plan?" Marquis Fairisles asked.

Reina was quiet for a moment, she glanced at the World Tree and then at the bar of her mana recovery. It had barely moved to one percent so, she wasn’t sure how long it might take for her to get back to her original body so, she couldn’t rush to do things on her own just yet.

"We’ll proceed in three ways," Reina announced.

"First we’ll need to make sure that the people won’t reach the point of unrest," Reina said, "second, the news about Colette and the prisoners must not leak. And third, Esmertia."

"What do you want us to do about them?" Rune asked.

"With the Queen gone they would be antagonised by the people, I’m sure they would be thinking of a way to salvage their own reputations so, Kai, have Prince Carlos be a representative from our side and have them agree for a meeting in a week’s time."

Kai frowned a little, "Would that be all right though? I mean... They have always been against us."

"Just give them a prompt, with time they’ll realise that they need us." Reina said dismissively, "We don’t want them choosing to support Colette."

"I understand." Kai responded.

"Prince Eric," Reina said.

"Yes?" Eric quickly leaned forth at being directly addressed to.

"Head to the palace with Prince Carlos as soon as possible. I’ll leave Prince Carlos’s safety to you." Eric was perplexed at this instruction, but he didn’t question it.

"Leave it to me."

Reina nodded, "Grand Duchess, I’ll ask you to delay going to Frosthail for a while, please remain in Laiden and assist the King since he must be tied down now with everything that has happened. Grandfather, you too."

"All right." Dahlia responded and Marquis Fairisles hummed.

"Now the people, Fa-Duke Aurelius, Archmage, Kai and Prince Rune, please assist Oasis Foundation and visit as many affected places. We’ll need to make the people believe that they weren’t only given food and temporary shelters, being around will help soothe their anger from exploding just yet."

"I’ll assemble the medical team to go along." Kai announced.

Duke Aurelius and Rune responded their agreements while Silas sighed.

"Next, have Zach and other Underworld Lords spread rumours that the Queen was suffering from a mental illness and hence ended up joining hands with the Dark Forces. Try to salvage Prince Carlos’s reputation, we can’t have him dying, he’s still possessed."

"I’ll send a word to them." Roan answered.

"Are there any more questions?" Reina asked.

Dahlia hummed before she asked, "Wouldn’t it be beneficial to have Princess Alys go with Archmage and others? She has already made her appearance so, I’m sure the people will feel at ease knowing she is supporting them in such hard times."

Silas’s eyebrows twitched hearing that, Alys had to make her appearance given the circumstances but having her parade out would make people think she wanted to claim the throne. It would backfire.

"I agree that we can’t keep her hidden anymore, but taking her out exclusively would threaten the whole thing that I set out to do. Prince Eric is the winner of the Trials but because of the interruption it wasn’t announced and then Princess Alys appeared, it would create friction between nobles so, if you’re going to take Princess Alys out, there’s two conditions."

"First, ask her if she is willing to go out in the first place and if she does then make sure she has both the Princes by her side."

"Wouldn’t it be dangerous for Prince Carlos?" Roan asked.

"Not quite if he’s supported by the Prince Eric and Princess Alys."

The members in Ryujin mansion library discussed among themselves about the given instructions and asked a few more questions, Reina answered covering as many possibilities as she could before everyone fell silent.

"Is that all?" Reina asked hoping she covered all the bases for now but then a voice that had been silent for a while spoke up.

"What about me?"

Reina pursed her lips, she hadn’t called for Davian because he had nothing to do at this moment.

Reina sighed, she knew Davian wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing, he would have come all the way to Ryujin mansion to see Ocean and not finding him there would have been a disappointment but Reina didn’t really have anything special for him to do except...

"Prince Davian please assist Prince Eric and Prince Rune during their visits to the damaged places."

"Is that all?" Davian asked and Reina sighed.

"Is there anything specific you want to do?" Reina asked.

"Yes, I want to come to you and help you." Davian announced.

"That’s impossible." Reina replied instantly.

"Why?"

"Because by the time you reach here, I’ll be flying back and there are people here to attend to me." Reina announced.

Davian’s fingers clenched and Dahlia sighed, she could sense his aura sparking in the air. He had been a quiet child who wouldn’t voice his emotions but right now, he couldn’t be any more open about them.

"Then I’ll teleport to you." Davian said.

"You can’t, not with your capacity."

"I’ll manage!"

Reina groaned, leaning back in her chair while Caelthir who had been silently listening and making tiny tornadoes dance at his fingertips spoke up.

"Why not though?"

Reina looked at him and gestured at herself, mouthing, "He doesn’t know."

"Wait, is that Kin Caelthir?" Kai blurted out, "Why are you there? And when?"

Caelthir chuckled, "I left as soon as everything was done there, it’s fun here with our youngest."

Kai groaned but didn’t whine instead he looked at Davian, he looked really distressed, Kai wished he could do something but there was nothing that came to his mind.

Marquis Fairisles also watched Davian tremble, his eyes hadn’t left the brooch which made him wonder if Davian really was oblivious of the fact that Ocean and Reina were the same or was there something else going on here?

Regardless, he knew he’d find out soon enough.

Davian leaned ahead, there was no sound from the brooch despite the soft glow of the mana stone still emanating from it.

"Ocean?"

Reina, who had been listening for a while was quiet until she heard his voice. She could feel the deep melancholy seep into the name he uttered. It was almost as if the name and the existence tied to it meant the world to him. But how would she tell him that that existence that he loved wasn’t real?

Could she dare break the man’s heart whom even she with time had started to like?

She didn’t know how to respond yet. But she knew, the more she delayed the harder it would be.

It was sooner than she had intended. Too soon, perhaps. But she’d already made herself a promise. Once this was over, Davian would know the truth. If bringing him here meant she could no longer delay it... then so be it.

He deserved to know.

So, with a deep breath she answered, "Fine, come."