I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 59 - Alliance Between Two Nations

I still can’t fully believe it.

If you just list the facts, your first reaction wouldn’t be shock—it would be, ‘This sounds like a lie.’

It’s just too unbelievable.

The letter I sent to Noah was short and straight to the point. There wasn’t enough time, and since I used a code, I couldn’t write a long message. I only summarized the facts clearly. But maybe because of that, Noah was probably stunned when he read it.

Thinking about it that way, I started to feel sorry.

Noah’s eyes looked far away, but eventually, with a bit of a bitter smile, he spoke to Louis behind him.

“Hey, Louis?”

“…Lady Chalize doesn’t lie.”

“No, I’m not saying I doubt her! I’m just saying—you were shocked too when you found out, right? That the people of the Arcana Empire are vampires. If it weren’t Chalize saying it, I’d have brushed it off like some nonsense said in a dream!”

“You’re right… It really is too outrageous.”

Noah’s surprise, and his doubts, were natural.

I nodded, and Tino, who had been silently watching behind me, spoke.

“Maybe I should use my magic to prove it.”

Then finally, Noah looked at Tino.

“You’re the third prince of the Arcana Empire… right? Honestly, the fact that you’re even here with us—I still can’t believe it. The Arcana Empire always kept a distance from Victoire, didn’t they?”

There were some small skirmishes in Uthis, but the royal family had never tried to contact Victoire before.

To Noah’s words, Tino lowered his lashes.

“Yes, that’s true. The Arcana Empire never tried to get involved with Victoire—because of certain reasons. I think Lady Chalize just explained those reasons to you a moment ago… Prince Noah— No, I should say, Your Majesty the King.”

Tino addressed Noah.

Noah quietly stared at Tino.

No—it wasn’t as gentle as ‘staring.’ His gaze was too sharp.

Silently, Noah was studying Tino.

If we speak of appearances alone, Tino is the kind of young man who gives off a sense of calm.

He doesn’t raise his voice often, and his emotions are hard to read.

Because of that, someone who doesn’t know Tino well would easily label him as ‘suspicious and unreadable.’

But in truth, Tino is full of emotion.

I think he deliberately hides it by keeping his voice calm.

The result is that he seems mysterious—no, more like a strange person.

Tino answered plainly.

“The fact that you became the King of Victoire is something we in the Arcana Empire are also glad about. f you can accept what Lady Chalize has said as true, then we from the Arcana Empire also have a proposal. That’s why I’m here with you now.”

Yes. There’s a reason why Tino is here with us.

Buried under the forest of Utis were the remains of a royal from the Arcana Empire.

Using the remains of a vampire as a catalyst, a barrier had been placed over the forest of Utis.

What to do with those remains—it’s not something I can decide on my own.

This is something that both Noah, the King of Victoire, and Tino, a royal of the Arcana Empire, must discuss together.

Tino spoke in one breath.

“I have a message from my father.”

Tino’s father—that is, the Emperor of the Arcana Empire.

Even I could tell that Noah tensed at those words.

“We would like you to hand over the remains from the forest of Utis.”

“…”

Noah narrowed his eyes and watched Tino closely.

Tino received that sharp gaze head-on and continued speaking.

“However, that doesn’t mean our empire wishes for conflict. In fact, we have a proposal to avoid that. Your Majesty the King.”

“…Let’s hear it.”

Tino looked slightly relieved when Noah said that.

It was a small change, but I noticed it.

He must be very nervous.

Probably, Louis and Noah haven’t noticed Tino’s tension.

“Let’s form an alliance.”

“An alliance…?”

Noah repeated the word with confusion.

Tino nodded.

“Yes. An alliance to declare that we will not invade each other. The barrier in Utis Forest was created originally for Victoire’s defense. If we both swear not to invade each other, that barrier won’t be necessary anymore. …What do you think?”

“That is…”

Noah hesitated slightly.

It was too big a matter to decide on the spot.

As Noah furrowed his brows, I added something.

“Noah, I know this is all sudden and confusing. So let’s set a time. One week from today—please give us your answer.”

“…Won’t you think it through with me?”

Noah said with a bitter smile.

I gave him a bitter smile back.

“I’ve been with him this whole time. So… my emotions might get mixed in. And, Noah. Right now, the King of Victoire is you.”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

He understood what I was trying to say.

He smiled, looking tired.

“…You’re the one who has to make the decision. From now on, you’ll be in situations like this many times. When that happens, you need to be able to make the decisions you believe are right.”

I didn’t say anything more.

Just as Tino said—I’m already a ghost of the past.

Queen Chalize is dead.

The person standing here now is just Chalize, who has nothing.

Someone like that shouldn’t interfere with politics. I believe that’s the right thing.

What Victoire needs from now on is someone who can support Noah, worry with him, and think things through with him.

In other words, someone he can trust.

I turned my gaze to Louis, standing behind Noah.

“Louis.”

“Yes…”

Louis lowered his head in reply.

“Please be there for Noah.”

“That is—”

Louis tried to say something but stopped.

Noah must have sensed something too.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“…The way you’re speaking, it’s like you’re going to disappear.”

At Noah’s words, I shrugged my shoulders.

“…Yes. I’m someone from the past now. I can’t return to the public stage anymore.”

“That’s not—”

Noah tried to speak, but I cut him off.

“Noah. I once made a mistake, and then I tried to run away from that mistake.”

Once, I tried to abandon this country.

I lost in a political power struggle, and I drank poison.

I drank the poison because I was told to. That’s how Queen Chalize died.

I meant to leave the country behind.

I abandoned it once.

For me to walk in the sunlight again—that is something the pride I had as Queen Chalize will not allow.

“I love this country. And because I love it, I can’t forgive the version of myself who tried to run away. …I’m sorry. It’s just selfishness. But even so, I have no intention of returning to the public stage.”

“─…………”

Maybe those words were also my answer to Noah’s confession.

He was speechless, clenching his hands tightly.

So tightly that his fingertips turned white.

“Noah. I want to entrust Victoire’s future to you. I once gave up everything and fell into despair over this country’s future… but may I dream again?”

“Chalize…”

“I want to entrust the dreams I had as Queen Chalize to you. You never gave up. Even in hopeless situations, you always faced forward. I want to entrust those dreams to you, Noah.”

I knew I was being unfair.

Because these words would become a curse that binds him.

I was pushing onto him something I couldn’t do myself.

Just saying sweet-sounding words and placing a burden on him.

I knew that. I truly did.

Even so, I wanted Noah to be the King of Victoire.

Because I believed that he would cherish this country.

Hearing my words, Noah looked like he was about to cry.

It was a face I’d seen often back when I was engaged to Henry.

Whenever I was treated unfairly or pushed into a corner, he always made that face.

“Noah. I…”

I can’t say ‘love you’ anymore.

What I feel for him now is affection, friendship, and familial love.

I can’t give him what he wants.

“…I believe in you.”

“…Chalize, you’re so unfair.”

He said that in a small voice.

And yes, it was true.

The corners of Noah’s eyes were red.

“…Thank you, Noah.”

I didn’t apologize.

That would’ve insulted his pride.

“Louis. You too.”

When I addressed him, Louis’s shoulders twitched.

But I think he also found his own answer while listening to our conversation.

Silently, Louis gave a knight’s bow.

“Please take care of Noah.”

And so, the meeting between the third prince of the Arcana Empire and the new king of Victoire came to an end.