I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 11 - The Beginning of the Revolution
When Henry heard Stella relay the Duke of Zenefelder’s response, he froze like a stone.
Ignoring her stiffened husband, Stella paced around the room without even removing her travel clothes. She seemed to be looking for something.
“Zenefelder has completely abandoned Victoire. This country is finished.”
“Stella, what are you doing?”
Stella yanked open drawer after drawer in the wardrobe, roughly pulling out their contents. Dresses fell onto the carpet.
She paid them no attention, instead focusing on something attached to them.
Without looking at Henry, she answered.
“I’m leaving this country too! I’m taking anything that can be turned into money. I’m not the kind of woman who ends here!”
“──”
“Your Majesty the Queen, are you serious!? His Majesty said he would stay.”
Lamium protested, sounding shocked.
Stella shot him a sharp glare from the corner of her eye.
But her hands did not stop. She tore the jewels sewn into the dresses without hesitation, yanking them out one by one.
Her actions were so crude, so shameless, that neither Henry nor Lamium could believe she was a queen. She looked more like a common thief than a noblewoman.
Both men held their breath as they watched her in disbelief.
Without caring, Stella finished stripping the jewels from the dresses, then stood up and headed toward her personal chambers through the adjoining door.
As she passed Henry and his aide, still standing frozen, she spoke.
“I was born a commoner. I have no responsibility. But you’re different, Henry. You were born a royal, and now you’re the king. Maybe you can’t abandon this country, but I never had any attachment to it in the first place. As long as I survive, I don’t care where I go!”
“What… are you saying…?”
Lamium was speechless.
Henry stared blankly at his wife as she openly declared her intention to flee.
Without caring about their reactions, Stella let out a huff and walked out of the office.
Her expression seemed to say, This is all your fault.
At this moment, Henry realized something.
In times of crisis, it was Chalize he could truly rely on.
At the very least, she would not have tried to run away alone in the face of disaster.
Until the very end, she had fulfilled her duty as queen.
He remembered the day of her execution, how she drank the poison quietly, without struggle.
(…I see. That’s how it was…)
At last, Henry understood.
Love alone is not enough to make someone a queen.
One should not grant the title of queen based only on affection.
A queen must think of the people, of the king, and must rationally and calmly understand the situation—even without love.
Chalize was perfect in that regard.
At the very least, she never sought to overthrow Henry as king.
She had always voiced her opinions about politics—but her enemy had been the temple, not the crown.
And now, after her death, that same temple was trying to destroy the royal family.
Sharizé had been protecting them.
The Zenefelder family had been protecting them too.
With such powerful allies gone, it was no surprise that the royal family was now on the brink of collapse.
But this realization… came far too late.
Henry was overwhelmed with regret, so intense it made his stomach churn.
He had made a terrible mistake…
As Stella disappeared into her private chambers, Lamium looked to Henry for guidance.
Was this truly the end?
Should he also consider fleeing?
Just as he reached that thought—
“Waaaahhh!!”
The cries of the people outside the castle grew louder than ever.
Henry’s eyes widened in shock.
Lamium froze as well.
Then, the sound of hurried footsteps came rushing toward them.
Fear instantly gripped Henry, paralyzing him. Lamium braced himself.
With a loud BANG!, the door burst open.
There wasn’t even a request for permission to enter.
A royal guard appeared, breathing heavily.
He dropped to one knee, struggling to catch his breath as he delivered his report.
“Report! Report! Just now, the castle gates have been breached!!”
“──”
“Your Majesty!!”
Lamium shouted desperately.
Henry’s eyes widened.
His legs shook violently.
A creeping fear wrapped around his body like vines, rooting him to the ground.
As he remained frozen, the royal guard delivered yet another shocking report.
“Prince Noah has betrayed us…! Leading a border army, he has entered the castle alongside the people. The rebel Noah is heading straight here, Your Majesty!!”