Chapter 384
My Queen
While the entire Glass Island was still discussing the story of Eivass and Alistair, Eivass himself had already quietly entered the Silver and Tin Hall.
He had stayed at Moriarty Manor for three days after returning from the Arbitration.
Then he received a message—a phone call to Moriarty Manor, instructing him to go to the Silver and Tin Hall immediately.
Eivass immediately understood what was happening.
Perhaps it was because this new minister visited too frequently that even the palace servants recognized him.
This time, when Eivass entered the Royal Palace, he did not wait in the reception hall but walked straight in.
Throughout the entire process, no one tried to stop him or report his arrival. There were not even the usual security checks… the process was completely different from Eivass’s previous visits to the Silver and Tin Hall.
Normally, even a minister’s visit should follow such a procedure. Either the visitor would be led to a waiting area to meet the person they were to see, or servants would directly escort the ministers to the agreed-upon location.
However, Isabel’s letter did not mention where Eivass was to meet her… nor was there a butler or maid to guide him.
In other words, Eivass had obtained the privilege of walking freely within the Silver and Tin Hall.
Undoubtedly, this was something Isabel had arranged beforehand.
Subconsciously, Eivass first went to Isabel’s bedroom.
Upon opening the bedroom door and seeing it empty, Eivass turned towards the study.
After all, it was just a few rooms. If Isabel was not in the study, she would likely be in her grandmother’s bedroom at this moment.
But Eivass did manage to find Isabel in the study.
“…Huh?”
As soon as he entered, Eivass’s eyes widened in surprise.
Isabel’s attire was somewhat different from usual. Today, Isabel was wearing light makeup, much like when she first invited Eivass to a banquet.
Due to her quarter Elven blood, Isabel, who was actually one year older than Eivass, appeared quite young, like a girl of fourteen or fifteen. However, also due to her Elven blood, she was taller than her peers, reaching about 1.63 meters.
But in front of Eivass, she was still the little girl who was shorter than him. With such youthful vitality, she didn’t need much effort to look cute.
Now, Isabel’s light golden, straight hair, which was usually casually draped behind her, was intricately styled. It looked like flowers, like a headdress, and like a crown.
This made the slender, seemingly frail girl appear to possess a hint of maturity for the first time.
“Minister Moriarty, you have arrived,” Isabel said softly.
Her clear, emerald eyes gazed at Eivass, with undisguised joy evident in them. But she quickly suppressed her emotions. “Please sit down first.”
Her gaze fell upon a chair placed at least three to four meters opposite her desk.
Seeing Isabel sitting there upright and serious, Eivass’s lips couldn’t help but curve upwards slightly.
He casually picked up the chair and brought it to the opposite side of Isabel’s desk. It was as if they were dining face-to-face, and then he sat down.
Looking at Isabel’s slightly flustered and momentarily bewildered expression, Eivass’s mouth curved into a subtle smile. “Not bad. You’re starting to look a bit like a queen.”
“… I am growing too.”
Isabel pouted slightly and asked earnestly, “Did I do something wrong?”
Eivass, however, merely smiled and shook his head, speaking calmly and clearly, “You should call me Eivass.
Queenly dignity isn’t established this way. If it were Her Majesty Queen Sophia, she would call me by my name in private to express familiarity.
Furthermore, whether you address me by my first or last name in front of others depends on whether you need to show that familiarity at that moment. Sometimes this attitude can express agreement; sometimes it means handing over the decision-making power to me; sometimes it signifies distancing yourself from others.”
As Eivass spoke, he clasped his fingers together, casually and naturally resting his elbows on Isabel’s desk. This made the desk, which was originally just the right size, feel somewhat cramped.
Isabel subconsciously drew her hands back from the desk, making a little space for Eivass.
But before she could fully do so, Eivass quickly grasped her wrist.
She looked at Eivass in a daze, but this time she quickly reacted. “This is not correct either, is it?”
“For me, it’s casual,” Eivass chuckled. “But not for others—did Her Majesty Queen Sophia not teach you these things?”
“No,” Isabel shook her head. “She said that political matters cannot be learned in a day or two. Rather than letting me understand a little and think I understood everything… it’s better to remain completely ignorant. To directly ask you and Sherlock, and consult your opinions.”
“Her Majesty is right,” Eivass nodded. “Understanding things halfway is indeed more dangerous than not understanding them at all.”
As he spoke, he pulled back Isabel’s wrist, which he had been holding. He slowly placed it back to its original position.
He said softly, “Remember next time, if someone invades your territory, don’t back down. Shout at them and make them retreat. Be like a lion king protecting your pride.”
“… I will remember,” Isabel was silent for a long time, nodding slowly and responding earnestly.
If she said she remembered, then she remembered. Isabel was not the type to pretend to know; if she didn’t understand something, she would definitely ask. If she said she remembered, then she remembered. She was a good student, which put Eivass at ease.
Eivass straightened up, letting his right arm drop naturally from the desk. Only his left arm remained propped on the desk, supporting his chin.
He casually said, “I assume you didn’t call me here just to see your new hairstyle. Although it does look very good.”
“It does look good, and I know it,” Isabel’s lips curved upwards slightly as she said briskly. “But thank you for the compliment anyway.”
Her tone was filled with much greater confidence than before.
Her eyes were exceptionally bright as she looked at Eivass earnestly. “I called you here to ask for your help. Grandmother… her time is likely up today. Only a few hours left, perhaps.
“—Please help me, Eivass.”
Isabel did not specify what she needed help with.
But Eivass already understood her meaning.
She was not asking for help with a specific matter—but with everything.
“You know, Isabel, I really like this personality of yours,” Eivass said leisurely. “Never pretending to be strong, nor stubborn. Always knowing what you should do and what you can do. When you confirm that you need help, you ask for it immediately—you know, Isabel, this is also a talent. And a rare one.”
“… What kind of talent is this?” Isabel’s face flushed slightly at Eivass’s words.
She thought he was being sarcastic.
But Eivass merely shook his head. “This truly is a talent. Its father is called Humility, and its mother is called Self-Reflection. And it is the foundation that connects people. It is one of the two most essential talents for a monarch. Many monarchs become arrogant and refuse advice precisely because they lack it.”
“Then what is the other one?” Isabel asked curiously.
“A firm and calm demeanor,” Eivass replied. “You need to be utterly convinced that you are on the right path and must not waver in the slightest due to others’ words.”
“… This sounds contradictory,” Isabel acutely sensed the incongruity.
“Many things are contradictory. And we are born in contradiction, and we die in contradiction. People crave comfort, yet they also pursue wealth. Animalistic and social needs differ. As a monarch, you must also fight against your inner ‘human’ attributes.”
Eivass said softly, “You must be good at listening, yet also be stubborn; you must be good at asking for help, and also be stubbornly silent. It is difficult, but being a monarch is inherently not simple.”
“… I didn’t understand,” Isabel was silent for a long time, then honestly replied, “But I will strive in this direction.”
“Then allow me to teach you the first lesson, Isabel. As a monarch, you must first learn to lie.”
Eivass smiled, leaning back in his chair, supporting himself with his arms. “My beloved Queen.”
“I am not a queen yet,” Isabel said subconsciously, touching the silvery white dragon-head ring on her right ring finger.
This was an Avalon tradition, signifying the monarchy’s contract with Avalon. The ring should have been retrieved by Bishop Mathers after Queen Sophia’s death and bestowed upon Isabel during her coronation ceremony.
But Queen Sophia had a brief period of lucidity in between. She personally took off the ring and placed it on Isabel’s finger.
Isabel was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, “But… I am willing to learn.”
Upon hearing this, Eivass showed a fox-like smile. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly.
“It’s alright,” he said gently and elegantly. “I am very skilled—I will teach you. But before that, let me accompany you to send off Her Majesty.”
