Everyone fell silent. Only the crackling flames behind Serena could be heard.
Prince Ronald stepped forward, standing only a few dozen meters away from her, wearing a resentful gaze that left me wondering what had happened between them. While I could understand the struggle for the throne, the gleam in this man's eyes was different. This wasn't just a fight for power—it was a personal vendetta.
He looked like a man who didn't care about victory or defeat. He just wanted to fight.
"For decades now, my mother has been holed up in the Second Ring City, trying to salvage what's left while protecting our civilians there. The only reason the dwarves are yet to join the war is because my mother still fights—she's on the frontlines!" Ronald snarled, then turned to the people.
"Who deserves to be your Empress?" he asked. "The woman who has been fighting on the frontlines, or the girl who has been hiding within this castle all her life, playing Empress?"
