Elliot pulled himself from his thoughts and slowly shook his head.
He had to admit that Sidney had considerable personal charm. As he spoke of these things, Elliot had genuinely been swayed for a moment.
But he soon realized that Sidney could never succeed.
If he wanted to rely on commoners to build this country, he should have launched change from the bottom up and started afresh.
Sidney had chosen to join forces with Michel and win over Elliot, a Sacred Blood Noble. He reportedly had contingencies in the New Nobility's Parliament as well.
That meant he could never carry the change through completely.
And if the change was not thorough enough, sooner or later someone would steal its fruits.
He would become the next His Majesty Thorne, sitting on the Throne all day, unable to take even half a step away.
But... what did that matter?
Elliot sighed.
Sidney's plan might have been doomed to fail, and he might have been too idealistic, but what were the other people in this world like?
The nobles were utterly depraved, knowing only the revelry of the Blood Feast. Victoria had built the Abode in preparation to flee the Present World. Michel's supporters were Parliament-when had those factory owners ever cared the slightest bit about commoners?
The Fourth Prince, Crawford? Better not to mention him.
No one deserved that crown more than Sidney.
And Elliot knew that the real hope still lay in the Hearthfire District.
He sighed softly.
"I don't approve of his methods, nor do I think he'll succeed. But after walking alone through the darkness for so long, his was the only light I saw. I'm willing to help him."
"So I came back here to prepare for the expedition."
"Ah, r-really..." Cora was somewhat bewildered. Elliot had not