The previous emperor's funeral had ended yesterday, and Feysac's leaders immediately held a closed-door meeting to select a new emperor.
Sophia had been chosen as his successor not only because of her place in the legal line of succession, but also as the result of struggles and compromises between the various factions. She was the only surviving direct descendant of the previous emperor, while the collateral branches were more distantly related and considered to have "impure bloodlines." The previous emperor had ruled with an iron fist, and the nobles, churches, and officials all hoped for a gentler monarch.
"To put it bluntly, everyone wants you to be a puppet."
After hearing Sophia's account, Luther shook his head. "All that talk about impure bloodlines is a lie... The real reason is that the collateral branches of the royal family all have their own backing, making it easier for them to seize power. You don't have enough support, and you lack political experience, so you're comparatively easier to control."
"So that really is it..."
Sophia gave a bitter smile.
Luther frowned in thought, then asked, "What about the powerful members of your family? Don't they have any objections to the outcome?"
The Einhorn Family's Sequence 1 ancestor had already been killed, and his lingering resentment had merged with the Sauron Family's ancestor and Medici to form the Red Angel Evil Spirit. Even so, the family should still have considerable reserves of power. It would be perfectly reasonable for them to have an angel or two.
"I think they mentioned during the negotiations that His Highness didn't care about the outcome... The only requirement was that the successor be a descendant of His family."
Sophia recalled it and said hesitantly, "They used 'He' as an honorific when referring to that person."
*That settles