Vina said nothing.
She walked down the avenues of Londinium with a clear destination in mind, followed by an unfathomable mentor. There was little nostalgia in Vina's eyes; setting foot on her homeland seemed as natural to her as breathing.
"I just didn't expect it to happen so soon."
It really should not have happened this soon, but there was someone pulling strings behind the scenes.
"Plans can't keep up with changes. That's perfectly normal." The shrine maiden nodded helplessly. "Enemies will never wait until you're ready before they start fighting. Treat it as a rehearsal for being king."
"That's true."
Vina entered Buckingham Palace as though no one were there. This had once been her home; she had grown up beneath the throne.
"Y-you-you-you!"
Bella pointed at Yae Sakura, too flustered to speak coherently.
"Put away your anger. If circumstances allowed, I'd definitely plunge a knife into your dragon heart. But you were clever enough to turn this into Victoria's internal affair, so I can't kill you here either. I'm only a safety lock."
Yae Sakura sighed.
"Who knows whether a dragon like you might suddenly lose her temper and kill the lion family's heir on the spot? Others may not know, but I know perfectly well. No matter how many years pass, you Draks are all single-minded. Rather than a Drak restoration, this selection for the throne is more like grandparents and grandchildren having fun together—a show put on by the little dragons so their ancestor won't get lonely."
"That's not true!"
Bella revealed a guilty, panicked side of herself. She was clearly frightened, but soon became emboldened again.
"Draks will always be proud Draks."
Reed quietly glanced at Bella, then carefully examined Rozaliya, who had just come down from the stage. She seemed to have found her