The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1309 - 198 - The Fall Of Milham Kingdom - Part 4 (9)
Leon’s POV
After Myrcella finished delivering everything she needed to say through the announcement, the room fell into a kind of quiet that didn’t feel empty.
She turned her head slightly and looked at me.
There was a short pause before she spoke again, like she was making sure she didn’t mess up whatever she was about to say next.
"I know I will never compare to the ideal monarch you all have in your head," she said. "I know for a fact that I won’t become the kind of ruler people imagine when they think of a perfect king. I won’t be special. I’m not even going to try to become that."
That kind of honesty wasn’t something you heard often.
Most people in her position would try to sound bigger than they actually were. They’d talk like they could do everything, fix everything, and be everything. She wasn’t doing that.
Instead, she was setting the tone early.
She was basically telling everyone what to expect from her before they could build their own image and get disappointed later. It was a smart move, even if it didn’t sound impressive at first.
She wasn’t promising greatness.
She was promising consistency.
She couldn’t give more than what she was capable of, but she was making it clear she wouldn’t give less either.
It was simple, and it worked.
Still, I had no idea how people were going to react to that. People liked rulers they could admire. Someone strong, someone flashy, and someone they could proudly support.
"But even so," she continued, "I will become the king that you all deserve. If you’re willing to give me a chance, then I’ll show you what I can do. And I promise I won’t become the kind of ruler you all hate."
That was the part meant to stick.
A promise, but not the exaggerated kind.
Something grounded. It felt more real that way.
She was giving them a heads-up, lowering expectations just enough that if she delivered more than that, it would actually matter. People remembered those kinds of things. They reacted stronger when someone exceeded what they expected instead of just meeting something unrealistic.
Right now, she was playing that perfectly.
"And if I fail to keep my word... then I am willing to offer my head to the gallows."
There wasn’t any hesitation behind it. She didn’t soften it or dress it up to make it sound less serious.
She meant it.
And you could feel that.
Then, just like that, she turned off the announcer.
The silence that followed felt heavy, like the kind that presses down on you instead of just sitting there.
"Sorry, Leon," she said, glancing at me with a faint smile. "Looks like I’ve added more to your plate."
For a second, I wasn’t sure what she was referring to.
Then I just let out a quiet laugh and waved it off.
"It’s fine," I said. "You’re the queen. You’re supposed to use me and whatever resources I have however you want."
That was the simplest way to put it.
"Fufufu... I don’t think that’s quite how it works," Myrcella replied, her smile widening just a little. "If anything, it feels like you’re the one using me. You’re pushing me toward the throne so you can have control over the kingdom."
She tilted her head slightly, like she was half joking, half serious.
"But either way, it doesn’t really matter who’s using who. What matters right now... is the kingdom."
That part wasn’t wrong.
At the end of the day, everything we were doing came back to that.
If no one supported her, she had already accepted that outcome. She wasn’t the type to crumble just because things didn’t go her way.
Still, things would be a lot easier if people did stand with her.
Even a little.
Support didn’t have to come from everyone.
If even a small group believed in her, that alone would already mean she had done something right.
Right now, the voice of the people mattered more than anything else.
After that, Myrcella stepped out of the council office.
I followed her to the balcony, and when we looked down, the sight below made me pause for a moment.
There were people gathered.
A lot of them.
Cadets filled the area, their voices rising in uneven waves. Some were cheering loudly, others clapping, and a few were just standing there, watching with expressions that looked a lot lighter than before.
It wasn’t perfect unity.
It wasn’t some overwhelming roar that shook the entire place.
But it was real.
And that mattered more.
They were supporting her.
Maybe not completely, maybe not politically, and definitely not in a way that guaranteed anything about the throne... but it was still something.
A kind of moral support.
A sign that her words had reached them.
Like I thought earlier, people wanted a king they could cheer for. Not someone they would constantly mock or doubt. A ruler who got nothing but ridicule wasn’t someone fit to lead anyone.
From where I stood, I could even spot Raymond and Duncan in the crowd.
Duncan was probably still trying to process what just happened.
Raymond looked like he was thinking too much, as usual.
Myrcella stepped forward slightly and looked down at them.
Then she smiled.
It wasn’t forced.
It didn’t feel rehearsed.
It was warm in a way that felt natural, like she didn’t even need to try. The kind of smile that made people feel a little more at ease without them realizing it.
"Thank you, everyone."
That was all she said.
Simple.
Straight to the point.
And somehow, it worked.
The tension that had been building around her started to ease, just a little, like a knot loosening instead of snapping all at once.
***
After that, we made our way back to the castle.
The moment we stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted again.
The noise from outside faded, replaced by a quieter, heavier air that felt more serious.
And that was when we saw her.
The Queen.
She was standing there, waiting.
She looked tired.
Not just a little tired. It showed in her posture, in her eyes, as well as in the way she held herself.
The two guards beside her stood alert, watching carefully.
"Welcome back, Myrcella," the Queen said.
"Mother? Why aren’t you resting?" Myrcella asked immediately, concern clear in her voice.
"Well, how could I rest when you’re working this hard?" the Queen replied. "It doesn’t feel right. I don’t think this is the time for me to be resting."
"But—"
"It’s fine," she interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. "I’m not that tired. Besides..."
Something shifted.
It was subtle.
Almost too subtle.
"I think you’re the one who should be resting now, Myrcella."
Then it happened.
Too fast.
Her hand moved, and a blade appeared.
It was already aimed at Myrcella.
I had been watching her since the moment we walked in.
Something felt off from the start.
Now it made sense.
That wasn’t the Queen.
Before anyone else could react, she moved again.
The blade flashed.
In a single motion, she cut down the two guards beside her.
They didn’t even get the chance to respond.
Then she lunged forward, aiming straight for Myrcella.
Her speed wasn’t normal.
But it wasn’t enough.
I stepped in without thinking, moving between them and stopping her attack before it could reach its target.
Ayuru formed in my hand, the familiar weight settling instantly as I raised it to block her blade.
The impact rang out sharply, the sound echoing through the hall.
"Kukuku... as expected, it won’t be that easy..." she said, her voice twisting into something completely different.
"M-Mother...? No... you’re not my mother. Who are you?!" Myrcella demanded, her voice shaking just slightly.
The woman’s face began to change.
It didn’t look natural.
It didn’t even look human.
It melted.
The features of the Queen slid away, distorting and peeling off like a mask that had been stretched too thin.
What was left underneath was something else entirely.
A different woman.
Her face was twisted.
Her expression broken.
It was deranged.
There was no other way to describe it.
