Third-person POV

Electra watched as Jella was dragged away by the guards on her order, her gaze steady and unblinking as the queen struggled against their grip. The sound of Jella’s voice, sharp and filled with rage, slowly faded into the distance as she was pulled out of the hall, leaving behind a strange kind of silence that didn’t feel peaceful at all.

It felt heavy, like the room itself was trying to process everything that had just happened. The reporters stood frozen for only a second before reality settled back in, and just like that, the silence broke apart again. Voices rose all at once, overlapping and rushing forward, questions thrown in every direction without any order or patience. Cameras shifted quickly, focusing back on Electra now that Jella was gone, and the attention in the room centered fully on her again.

"What happens to the throne now?" One of them called out, pushing forward slightly as he tried to be heard over the others. "The king is dead, and the queen has just been arrested as his murderer!"

"Who takes over Elmeria?" another voice added, louder this time, cutting through the noise. "Will there be a council? A temporary ruler?"

"Are you planning to take the throne?" Someone else asked, their tone sharper, more direct. "Do you really believe the people will accept someone like you as queen?"

The questions kept coming, piling on top of each other, each one louder than the last, each one demanding an answer she hadn’t even been given time to think about. Some of them sounded curious, others sounded doubtful, and a few didn’t even try to hide the judgment in their voices. The room had turned restless again, filled with tension and expectation, and all of it was aimed at her.

Electra rolled her eyes slowly, the motion small but clear enough for those closest to her to notice. She let the noise go on for a few seconds longer, letting them speak, letting them waste their energy, before she finally raised her hand slightly.

That was enough.

The voices didn’t stop completely, but they quieted just enough for her to speak.

Her gaze moved through the crowd before settling on one reporter who had asked one of the louder questions, her eyes locking on his with calm focus. "Do you have a better option?" she asked simply, her tone flat, almost bored.

The question caught him off guard immediately.

He blinked, clearly not expecting to be addressed so directly, and for a second, he didn’t respond. The people around him glanced at him briefly, some waiting to hear what he would say, others simply watching the exchange unfold with interest.

Electra didn’t look away. "If you do," she continued, her voice steady, "then say it."

The reporter shifted slightly under her gaze, his confidence wavering just a bit, but after a moment, he cleared his throat and spoke. "There have been... rumors," he said carefully, choosing his words with more caution now. "That the late king had an illegitimate brother."

A slight murmur spread through the crowd at that.

"He could take the throne instead," the reporter added, his voice steadier now that he had started. "His presence might be more... acceptable to the people."

Electra’s brows furrowed slightly. "A brother?" she repeated, the confusion in her voice clear, though not overly dramatic. It wasn’t something she had expected to hear, not something she had even considered.

The reporter nodded quickly, encouraged by her reaction. "Yes," he said. "And unlike you..." he hesitated for only a second before continuing, "...he would be trusted."

The room grew quieter again.

"You’re still seen as an abomination," he added, his tone more careful now. "The daughter of a phoenix. By popular demand... you were supposed to be executed."

Electra didn’t react the way most people might have expected. She didn’t get angry, didn’t raise her voice, didn’t even look offended. Instead, she simply stood there, processing what he had said, her expression calm but thoughtful.

Her father had a brother.

That was new information for her.

Slowly, she turned her head slightly, her gaze shifting to Irina, who stood just behind her. There was a question in her eyes, unspoken but clear enough.

Irina met her gaze for a brief moment before giving a small, subtle gesture, almost like a nod, as if to say she would explain later.

Electra held her gaze for a second longer before looking back at the reporters.

"If this uncle of mine feels like he’s up for the challenge," she said, her tone calm again, her words steady, "then he’s free to come forward."

There was no hesitation in her voice, no sign of doubt. "He can fight for the throne," she added simply.

The reporters exchanged glances at that, some surprised by how easily she said it, others clearly unsure what she meant by "fight."

"But until then," Electra continued, her gaze sweeping across the crowd again, "I am the next queen of Elmeria."

The words settled into the room with an intensity that couldn’t be ignored.

"And the sooner you all accept that an abomination like me isn’t going anywhere," she added, her tone sharpening just slightly, "the better it will be for you."

There was no arrogance in the way she said it, no need to prove anything. It was just a statement, simple and direct, leaving no room for argument. The silence that followed lasted only a moment before the reporters started to speak again, their questions rising once more, but this time, Electra didn’t wait.

"You can all leave now," she said, her voice cutting through the noise without effort.

That stopped them. Her gaze hardened slightly as she looked at them. "I would advise that you do so peacefully," she added, her tone calm but carrying a clear warning, "or I will have you escorted out by force."

That was enough.

The energy in the room shifted again, the earlier boldness fading as the reporters exchanged uncertain looks. None of them seemed eager to test her patience, not after everything they had just witnessed.

Electra didn’t wait for them to respond.

She turned around without another word, stepping down from the podium with the same calm confidence she had shown the entire time. Irina followed closely behind her, her expression unreadable as they moved away from the center of attention and into the quieter part of the hall.

The noise behind them didn’t disappear completely, but it softened, becoming distant as they put space between themselves and the crowd.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Irina broke the silence. "Are you really serious?" she asked, her voice low but serious enough to carry her concern. "About becoming queen?"

Electra didn’t stop walking. She shrugged lightly, her expression unchanged. "How hard could it be?" she replied, her tone almost casual, like they were talking about something far less important than ruling an entire kingdom. "I’ll figure it out."

Irina stared at her for a second, clearly not impressed with that answer. "You’re a twenty-year-old student with zero memories of her life," she said, her voice tightening slightly. "You don’t know the first thing about running a kingdom."

Electra didn’t respond immediately, but her pace didn’t change either.

"And to make things worse," Irina continued, her frustration growing more obvious now, "you’re hated by almost everyone. The people don’t trust you, and the kingmakers..."

She stopped herself briefly before continuing, her tone more pointed now.

"You haven’t even spoken to them," she said. "Not once, and yet you just stood there and announced yourself as queen."

Electra slowed down slightly at that, her steps coming to a brief halt. She turned her head just enough to look at Irina, her expression still calm, almost too calm considering everything that had just been said.

"Take a breath," she said simply.

Irina frowned.

"Seriously," Electra added, her tone unchanged. "Just... breathe."

There was something about the way she said it that made Irina pause, even if only for a second.

"Live in the moment," Electra continued, her voice steady, like she wasn’t concerned at all about everything Irina had just listed. "You worry too much."

Irina let out a quiet breath, clearly not convinced, but she didn’t argue immediately.

Electra watched her for a second before her expression shifted slightly, not into something serious, but into something more curious.

"Tell me about this uncle," she said, her tone lighter now, like the earlier conversation hadn’t happened at all. "I’m interested."

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady on Irina. "Who is he?"