The waiting room, which had originally been quite spacious, was now packed to the brim. Every noble with even a little standing had come.
Since there hadn't been time to bring in temporary chairs, everyone was standing, following the example set by Second Prince Walker, Third Prince Murphy, and Rose Princess Lilia, as they waited for news from the emergency room.
As every second passed, the atmosphere grew heavier. The crowd had clearly split into three factions.
In this stifling atmosphere, even the neutral faction, which had originally taken no clear side, was forced to choose one for the time being.
It was obvious that Third Prince Murphy had the most supporters behind him—almost twice as many as the combined supporters of Second Prince and Rose Princess.
The rumor that Second Prince Walker had conspired to kill the First Prince on the battlefield had dealt a heavy blow to his reputation.
Although such things were common in the histories of noble families, and some of the nobles present had risen to power by similarly questionable means, so one could say they were all tarred with the same brush—
There was one problem: the Second Prince wasn't an ordinary noble. He was a member of the royal family, and by the customary principle of primogeniture, he was supposed to inherit the throne. Moreover, all signs suggested that he was deeply dissatisfied with the kingdom's current state and wanted to learn from the Crimson Cloud Empire.
Before even taking the throne, the Second Prince had been ruthless enough to turn on his own family. Afterward, he had used military reforms and battlefield promotions to place most of the army under the firm control of his own confidants.
If a king who was ruthless, well-connected, and highly capable—and who wanted to follow the Crimson Cloud Empire's example—took the throne, who would protect the interests of nobles like us?
But despite being outnumbered, the Second Prince's supporters had the strongest presence.
First, his supporters were generally younger, stronger, and healthier. Second, the Second Prince himself had a sturdy build, powerful muscles, and a square, imposing face. Even when he put on a sorrowful expression, he still looked thoroughly commanding.
By comparison, Third Prince Murphy looked kind, with rolls of flesh weighing him down. Though he tried hard to look sorrowful, he still resembled a laughing Buddha with the corners of his mouth turned down.
The other was beautiful and well-dressed, with tears at the corners of her eyes and a pitiful air about her. But in a struggle that would shape decades to come and decide the fates of countless people, who cared whether she was pitiful? If someone was down, you kicked them. If you stepped on them, you stamped them into the ground.
In fact, the Second Prince and his supporters had already mocked Lilia repeatedly, seizing on the fact that she had been the only one present when the Queen fell ill.
If Prince Murphy hadn't occasionally stepped in to help, Lilia's innocent, pitiful expression, combined with the fact that the Queen was also a woman, might not have stopped them from going too far. Instead of being described as young and inexperienced, in need of training and learning, she might have been told to stay in her place as a pretty ornament and prepare for a political marriage.
But as time passed and the golden window for treatment gradually closed, Lilia's position took a sharp turn for the worse.
If not for the fact that everyone present was a seasoned schemer who knew not to finish off an enemy before the dust had settled—and that the enemy of one's enemy could be an "ally"—Lilia would already have been placed under house arrest.
Still, some who had nowhere left to turn, or who hoped to climb higher, began to speak up boldly.
"Princess Lilia is still young. She has no experience caring for the elderly and failed to look after the Queen properly."
"The Queen is old, too. It's time to choose an heir."
"After ruling the country for so many years, the Queen's passing would surely throw the nation into turmoil. We need someone with authority, ability, and a good reputation."
"Prince Murphy is a generous man with an excellent reputation at home and abroad. If he were to take charge, the kingdom would surely prosper."
"The situation is unstable. The Crimson Cloud Empire, the Morning Star Alliance, and the Dawn Alliance are constantly at odds. With the loss of the Dawn Alliance market, some countries are already in turmoil. To prepare for the worst, we need someone who understands warfare and knows how to lead an army."
They had occasionally helped Lilia before, but now that the Queen seemed likely to pass away, the two sides were already laughing as they pushed Lilia out of the running. The situation had changed in the blink of an eye.
Nearby, Lilia's face had darkened behind her hands. In the end, she lacked a deep enough foundation. Though she had inherited her father's legacy and was skilled at managing people, she hadn't yet turned her potential into real influence. Now that a crisis had erupted so suddenly, she looked around and couldn't find anyone willing to speak up for her.
A few of her existing supporters saw that she was outnumbered and kept quiet. Some were even already preparing to join the Third Prince's camp in their minds. There was no point in tending a cold stove; protecting their own interests was good enough.
"Grandmother has always been in good health. This is only a passing cold. Whatever you have to say, you can discuss it once she wakes up." Lilia spoke without calling Queen Eliza "the Queen," calling her "Grandmother" instead. After a pause, she added, "Still, I must admit that what you've said makes sense."
"Although I haven't yet taken part in state affairs, I've occasionally heard Grandmother mention that tensions have been rising lately, with frequent clashes. It's possible a great war is brewing."
"Thanks to Second Uncle and all of you fighting so hard, the Hundred Flowers Kingdom suffered relatively little damage in the last World War. And since we're on the coast, we've benefited from the tailwind of reconstruction. I fear that, when the time comes, we could easily become the target of every nation, as the Crimson Cloud Empire's saying goes."
"Though we've signed peace treaties with other countries, treaties aren't always honored. The Bahrin Kingdom has torn up plenty of treaties, too. Just the other day, they agreed to make peace, then sent troops to our door the very next day, claiming the compensation wasn't satisfactory. It's hard to trust them or feel at ease."
"Lilia asks for nothing more than for the Hundred Flowers Kingdom to stay out of war. I don't want to see the kingdom's children lose their parents before they're even ten..."
Her words were clearly meant to fan the flames, and she made little effort to hide it. Everyone present could understand the plainly stated subtext.
But some things were effective precisely because they were obvious.
As soon as Lilia spoke, the temperature in the entire waiting room seemed to drop by eight degrees. It was as if oxygen had suddenly become precious and everyone had to ration it. They couldn't help breathing with care, while those who had been constantly interrupting and contradicting one another fell silent as though their throats had been seized.
"Heh." Amid the tense atmosphere, Prince Walker spoke slowly. "Niece, don't worry. The kingdom's army is like a sharp sword. I keep it honed in my hands. The Bahrin Kingdom is nothing but a pack of cowards. They wouldn't dare face the sharp sword of our Hundred Flowers Kingdom head-on."
"Second Uncle, hearing you say that puts Lilia at ease." Lilia tilted her head thirty degrees, tears still seeming to glisten at the corners of her eyes. "It's just that the Bahrin Kingdom is easily blinded by even the smallest profit. They act as if losing a few hairs would be like losing flesh. They also mistake things that haven't happened for things that already have, and react impulsively. It's truly worrying that they might lose their heads and do something foolish."
"But with you here, Second Uncle, I'm sure you'll make them pay for their foolishness before they can do anything wrong. That's such a relief."
"Second Brother, you're always so aggressive. Your sword may be sharp, but the Bahrin Kingdom's sword isn't dull either." Before Walker could answer, Murphy spoke up. Other than stepping in to help Lilia a few times, he hadn't said a word until now. "Besides, I've done some business with a few of the Bahrin Kingdom's nobles and know them fairly well. They won't go to war on a whim. They may bully small countries, but they don't have the nerve to pick a fight with a great power. They don't want rivers of blood, either."
"Then I'm relieved..." Lilia seemed to relax all at once and fell quiet. She had been about to say something, but then, as if she'd noticed something, her face lit up with delight—
Creak.
The emergency room door opened. A middle-aged doctor in a white coat slowly stepped out. "Why are there so many people here? Everything went smoothly. Her Majesty the Queen is in good health; she just needs to rest for a few days..."