We stay frozen like that in silence for what feels like ten or twenty minutes, while I slowly adjust our course along the Egris River's bank as needed. Eventually, Ilina takes a deep breath and pulls away. She looks up to meet my gaze once more, and she seems more calm than before.
"Thanks for that, Mizuki, I feel a little better now. Maybe I should have talked with you about this sooner, but we always seemed so busy. I guess I didn't realize how much the stress of the past few weeks had gotten to me. To answer your earlier question, about what I was trying to say...I think I just needed to talk to someone about all of those concerns. Truthfully, I have no idea what to do with the situation we find ourselves in." (Ilina)
That's not good...I was honestly counting on Ilina's expertise to do the heavy lifting for this particular issue. Getting one person to do what I want, I'm competent at that. But winning over an entire group of people with different ideals and personalities, much less a country...I've learned that Ilina's really the one with talent in that regard. Still, I don't want to just leave this issue on her shoulders alone.
"Have you tried talking to Elira about this? I mean, she's been handling the nobles for millennia, right? Plus, she's Tessa's cousin. If anyone might have good advice about winning over the nobles, I assume it'd be her. Your dad is probably no slouch either." (Mizuki)
"I spoke to them briefly, but honestly, my mother isn't particularly gifted at winning people over. Father is, but he agreed with my assessment about Tessa. Mother has managed to keep the nobles in line, but she's done so with an iron fist. That, and using accumulated leverage and favors to bend them to her will, even when they don't truly support her. Unlike Mother, I have neither leverage, stored favors, nor am I some powerful ruler to avoid antagonizing." (Ilina)
I raise my eyebrows and snort derisively.
"Well I don't exactly have dirt on the nobles to help you twist their arms, but I disagree with one thing. You are a powerful ruler. Or at least, you can be if you want to. You're cunning, full of resolve, and currently the strongest elf in the whole world. I, for one, would not make an enemy of you lightly. If you show that side of yourself to them, not the polite mild-mannered Second Princess they're used to, they may treat you more like your mother. In a good way." (Mizuki)
Ilina sighs in annoyance.
"Now you sound like Mother. She's been telling me that what worked for me as Second Princess won't cut it as Queen. She's adamant that I need to be more assertive and firm with the nobles and other elves in positions of power. I'm not sure that I'm capable of it the same way that she is, though." (Ilina)
Really? Because I have a number of bruises on my side right now, and threatening stares from her in the past that still flood my nightmares on occasion.
I cut Ilina a skeptical look.
"Respectfully, you're delusional if you think that you don't have what it takes to be at least as intimidating as your mother. Just look at the way you bully me!" (Mizuki)
Ilina's eyes narrow dangerously.
"The only thing delusional is you thinking that you can keep making comments like that to your sweet fiancé and still outlive her..." (Ilina)
"See! Right there! That's what I'm talking about! I'm going to have nightmares about that for weeks!" (Mizuki)
Ilina rolls her eyes at me in a fashion that I find shamefully lacking in sympathy, then she sighs in exasperation.
"Regardless, interacting with you is different. For one, you're younger than I am...I'm practically a baby in the nobles' eyes. Furthermore, I'm sorry Mizuki, but you're a huge softie." (Ilina)
What is up with everyone calling me a softie lately!?
I give her my most indignant huff.
"Hmph...if I'm a softie, it's only towards my friends. That aside, I don't think your age keeps you from being intimidating. As you said, I'm younger than you. Despite that, do you remember how your parents treated me when I was no longer acting like Nina's weak servant? Or how you and Alara did at first? Or even how the spirits and the general of the demons behaved?" (Mizuki)
"Mizuki, you're powerful...to an obnoxious degree. Of course, anyone with a brain would have showed you respect." (Ilina)
"Exactly, and so...are...you! You're no Elder Dragon, sure, but not even Alto and Alara together with their spell rings would stand a chance against you in a fight. Remember how obnoxiously strong you have gotten! Plus, don't forget that I, and by extension, Nina, are loyal to you. Our strength is your strength, too." (Mizuki)
Ilina stares at me blankly for a moment. Then, she suddenly smiles up at me wryly with an expression that's half gratitude and half exasperation.
"Fufufufu...well thanks. Perhaps I am forgetting how far I've come since we met...I'm not the same girl anymore. Still, even if I could make all the nobles fear and respect me, I have no leverage over them. To bring Tessa in line like my mother has in decades past, I'd need both of those things. " (Ilina)
"Any chance that Elira or Cara have leverage on Tessa they'd be willing to give you as a favor? Or Alara? I think her and Tessa used to be relatively close." (Mizuki)
Ilina shakes her head dejectedly.
"Actually, I already asked them all. Tessa is almost as old as Darak, and her house is debatably the most powerful. She also has quite a bit of favor as a recent offshoot of the royal family, and as the noble that guards our eastern gate in Gelrod's Pass. Nobody has serious leverage on her." (Ilina)
I let out a deep sigh.
"Well, that's a bummer. Figures she'd have a tight grip on the reins of her affairs." (Mizuki)
Ilina nods sullenly, then we surf along in silence for several minutes. After a while, she seems to realize something and looks up at me curiously.
"We can put that aside for now. After all, while I would love to get the nobles in line, so we can get officially engaged and finally have Nina's blessing, we have plenty of time to sort all that out. We can endure the frustrating limitations in bed. I just remembered, though, you said you wanted to talk to me about something. What was it?" (Ilina)
Right, I almost forgot after she scared me so much earlier. We do need to have a serious discussion about the meeting tomorrow. I take a deep breath.
"Well, I'm sorry to drop this on you after the stressful conversation we've just finished but...I want your advice. Need it, more accurately. What do you think of me telling the nobles the truth about myself tomorrow? At least, as much of the truth as I can without breaking Azazel's rules. That I'm stronger than Nina, that I lead our group, that I'm a 'tri-class' mage...maybe even that I'm not from this world. I asked Nina's and Alto's opinions, but...I want yours." (Mizuki)
I immediately feel Ilina's hands clench around the fabric of my shirt, and she snaps her gaze towards me. Hey eyes are wide as saucers, and her mouth is hanging open.
"Mizuki!? You're really willing to tell them all of that!? You've...been so secretive about yourself. What's making you consider this now?" (Ilina)
I sigh and shrug.
"Maybe...I haven't decided. I'm considering it because my recent actions with the Empire, and my looming actions against the slave trade, are drastically affecting this world. The Elven Kingdom especially so, when you consider the magic items I've introduced here..." (Mizuki)
I trail off for a moment, collecting my thoughts. Ilina's eyes are just studying me intently, patiently, waiting for me to finish.
"So, I don't feel right making further world-altering decisions unilaterally. They should have a say, and more importantly, I might need their help making decisions going forward. After all, I'm not good at managing the welfare of a country, or predicting all the ways my actions may affect one. But at the same time, they can't give informed council if I keep them in the dark about myself. That's why I'm wondering if I should come clean. What do you think?" (Mizuki)
Ilina's eyes are looking blankly towards my chest, darting back and forth, as though she's frantically thinking through everything I've told her. Eventually, her eyes wander back to mine, a conflicted expression on her face.
"I.....that's....I'm a little...I don't know if I can be...objective. I need to think about it. How do you feel about your true self being out in the open, Mizuki? You've spent all this effort trying to get my people to accept you. General hostility toward you has mostly evaporated, but that's only because you don't seem like a threat. If you do this, a large fraction of common elves will look at a powerful human fearfully. What did Nina and Alto think?" (Ilina)
"Nina just said that, no matter what I did, she thought my friends would be happy and the world better off. Essentially, she didn't advocate for either decision. Alto felt that the pros and cons were equally balanced, and that I should ask you since you know the nobles better. She thought that they'll want to hide my true abilities from the public, at least for a while. She also said that revealing my strength shouldn't worsen my dynamic with Tessa and Jorah." (Mizuki)
Ilina's eyes widen at the news, then she bites her lip as she looks off thoughtfully. For a while she remains like that, murmuring to herself every so often.
"...would they really.....no, of course not....maybe if.....yes, yes....in that case.....but why wouldn't....right, obviously....so then....yeah...maybe that's it...." (Ilina)
Ilina's gaze suddenly fixes on me with an unnerving intensity, and despite an otherwise serious expression, I see barely contained excitement lurking behind her eyes.
"Mizuki, if I told you that I think you should tell them the truth about yourself tomorrow, as much as you feel comfortable sharing, how would you feel about that advice?" (Ilina)
I raise my eyebrows.
"Uhm...I guess mildly comforted? Not so much over the thought of my secrets being revealed. It's the fact that you're convinced there's a clearly better option, to the point of actually giving me definitive advice. It makes me feel like I'm not gambling with our futures." (Mizuki)
Ilina smiles softly and nods, but the intensity in her eyes is only magnified. She leans in towards me ever so slightly, her eyes studying my face seriously.
"So, you trust me, then? I mean really trust me to help you find the best path forward. For example, if I told you to do something without explanation, and with only my word that it was for the best...could you trust me enough to do as I asked anyway?" (Ilina)
Ilina stares at me patiently, expectantly, her face unwavering and her eyes resolute.
Do I trust her that much? Would I actually follow her advice blindly, and be okay with it?
I involuntarily replay the time we've spent together in my mind. That first night, how she'd already figured out that I was the one who saved them outside the tavern. The day I took them to meet Nina, where she saw through our charade and calmly declared that she knew we were in cahoots.
That night we freed the slaves, after our little heart-to-heart on the couch, when she swore to take me to her country as a guest and help me get to the bottom of the demon crisis. The day after Alara tried to kill me, when she trusted me enough to follow my plan blindly, and to fight her own sister to take the throne.
The time she finally told her mother that we were going to get married, and nothing was going to stop her. The night when she accepted my proposal without hesitation, even though it was on accident. Finally, earlier tonight, when she looked at me without a hint of doubt and told me that she loved me enough to put our relationship before her own country if it came to it.
A broad smile spreads across my face, and I meet Ilina's gaze feeling calmer than I have all night. I don't know why I needed to think about her question so hard in the first place.
"Yes, I trust you at least that much. I'd be an idiot not to, knowing you like I do." (Mizuki)
The excitement that had been contained behind Ilina's eyes breaks through as an unrestrained smile appears on her face. I feel her cool hands grab my face and pull me in for a brief kiss. After she breaks away, she gives me a confident smirk, and her eyes are shining with resolve.
"Good. In that case, right now I need you to send me back to the mansion to speak with Alto, Nina, and Alara while you finish this train system. After you're done, come find me so I can update you on anything that I need to. Then tomorrow, I'm going to solve all of our problems. You can tell the nobles all about yourself, we'll all come up with a strategy together to deal with the Empire situation, and..." (Ilina)
Ilina's smirk transitions to a mischievous smile, and her eyes darken threateningly.
"...I'll get every single noble's support for our eventual marriage...even Tessa Uril's." (Ilina)