Interestingly, the moment I felt the warmth in the clasped hands, the swirling anxious emotions disappeared.
My heart, which had been pounding with vague unease and fear, gradually calmed down. It was just a matter of holding hands, yet how could I feel stable so quickly?
I glanced up discreetly. Perhaps sensing my gaze, Karl, who was staring straight ahead, slowly turned to look at me.
A faint smile, barely visible, suited him well, one that only I who stood close could see. “It’s okay.” His smile seemed to convey just that.
Stepping in front of the public required significant courage. Was I making a fuss over nothing, creating trouble where none was needed?
The fleeting conflicts and worries that arose in my mind were all swallowed by Karl’s smile. It was the belief that I had a steadfast ally to support and hold me.
“…Wrong things must be corrected.”
“That’s right, Celly. You’re doing the right thing.”
Karl kindly responded to my self-encouragement. Realizing how much strength kindness had, I stepped onto the platform.
The position from which I could overlook the crowd was, conversely, a place that exposed everything to the public.
As the restless crowd focused their attention in one direction, they gradually fell silent.
Though I felt overwhelmed by the dozens and hundreds of eyes fixated on me, I had no leisure to indulge in such trivial emotions. Taking a deep breath, I bore the heavy sense of responsibility.
Recalling Hannah’s voice, who fervently taught me how to speak with dignity before people, I straightened my shoulders and took a deep breath, tightening my abdomen.
I remembered Hannah and the count’s household, who insisted on what a noblewoman and the head of a family should know.
Back then, I had grumbled about whether it was necessary to learn all that. Now, I was grateful to realize how valuable and significant that education was.
“I am Celeste Aisha Louisette Albrecht. I stand here as a formally appointed Elector, granted authority by the Duke of Schwaben.”
The voting area was composed of three large platforms. The highest was occupied by the vote’s organizers, the Electors, and the royal relatives, while the lower tiers were filled with nobles who came to observe the voting.
The last tier was occupied by the public, responsible for monitoring to ensure fair voting.
The seats widened noticeably in a fan shape from the upper tier to the lower tier.
While seating was prepared up to the second tier, the downside was that those on the lowest tier had to stand and look up at the polling station.
However, that disadvantage was solely the burden of the common people seated there. The royalty and nobility sitting in the upper tier paid no attention to the public below.
Yet my gaze kept drifting toward them. They appeared the weakest but were actually the most powerful, the core group essential for maintaining the empire.
Monica briefly introduced me for the swift resumption of voting. Since I wasn’t the main character of the event, I quickly returned to my seat after her short introduction.
With Karl’s support, I slowly settled into my prepared seat.
At the moment I turned, I briefly caught a glimpse of Franz’s distorted face. He seemed to be trying to hide his feelings, but the troubled heart that was unexpectedly caught off guard was not concealed.
He must have intended to kidnap me, imprison me, and sacrifice Valerie while Karl would vomit blood and collapse to death.
I shuddered at the thought of Franz, who likely planned to kill the opposing candidate in this polling place where everyone was watching, stepping over the corpse to ascend the throne.
I could only think how fortunate it was to be able to return Valerie to where she belonged. I moved my hand to stroke my belly.
It was a tiny life, so small that I felt nothing yet. My belly felt flat, but just touching it gave me a sense of stability, knowing I was connected to Valerie.
I wanted to list Franz’s misdeeds right away, but I decided to observe the start of the voting quietly first. The four electors, including myself, proceeded calmly with the voting as per the agenda.
The voting method involved writing the name of one of the two candidates on paper made from processed magical stones and placing it in the ballot box.
This was done to prevent potential sabotage or interference from someone’s machinations.
It was fortunate. If it had been the ordinary method of writing names on regular paper with a pen and placing it in the box, Franz would surely have pulled off some tricks.
When thinking of a name while bringing a magical pen to the magical paper, the name is automatically engraved.
If it weren’t such a solemn occasion, I might have been fascinated by how the paper engraved itself as if it had been in a transparent printer.
All four votes were completed by the time the last step arrived. Now, all that remained was to count the votes. It wouldn’t take long to take out and reveal the four pieces of ballot paper.
As Karl watched the bustling people preparing for the next order, he slowly rose from his seat. Following him, Franz also got up.
All my nerves were focused on Franz.
What if he suddenly turned aggressive and charged, or used his subordinates that appeared from somewhere to turn the polling place into chaos? If Franz was greedy for the throne, he could easily do that.
“I will now begin the vote counting.”
Monica, holding the ballot box, calmly ascended the podium. Following her up were Marquis Tertio and Captain Rodrigo, standing in for Pulcheria as interim representatives of the royal family council.
Having the two, who were clearly leaders of the opposing faction, on the same stage likely aimed to make it beyond question that the vote was fair.
Monica opened the ballot box. Four shining golden papers were neatly stacked inside. Tertio first took one out and announced the name, followed by Rodrigo retrieving the next paper.
“It is His Highness Duke Albrecht.”
“……Albrecht, Duke…… His Highness.”
After the first, the second was also Karl’s name. Although he feigned calmness, Rodrigo’s voice was slightly trembling.
Two out of the four papers had already indicated Karl’s name. If even one of the remaining two had Karl’s name, the voting would conclude immediately.
Just when I thought the voting might end without incident, as Tertio was about to take the third paper, a furious shout pierced the air.
“This is all a conspiracy!”
Without looking back, it was clear the shout belonged to Franz.
The plan to kill Karl before the voting had gone awry, and now the voting results seemed poised to declare his loss, leaving him anxious and desperate.
“Albrecht. This is a thorough scheme by the royal family council to place that scoundrel on the throne. This vote is absolutely not fair. I cannot accept this vote. No, I will not accept it.”
As expected, with Franz’s declaration of refusing the vote, heavily armed knights began to appear alongside him, pushing through the crowd to ascend the platform.
The solemn polling place quickly descended into chaos, as people were pushed this way and that, some falling over and others trying to help them up.
“This is treason. Pure treason…!”
Pulcheria stood up and shouted. Her legs and voice trembled with instability.
“Treason? Ha, did you just call it treason?”
Was the word ‘treason’ his trigger? Franz’s enraged fury immediately targeted Pulcheria. He charged at her with fiery eyes, ready to harm her, but Karl’s knights quickly intervened.
“Step aside, you arrogant fools. How dare you block my way.”
Franz, unable to advance due to the knights’ obstruction, began to lash out at Pulcheria with loud insults.
“Treason? The throne’s ruler isn’t even determined yet, and you call it treason? Isn’t that proof that you planned to seat one side on the throne regardless of how this vote turns out? You will be held accountable for using me and my subordinates in this farce you’ve already scripted. …I have no intention of playing along with this ridiculous theater.”
The smile that seemed so relaxed had vanished. A raw, anxious face, filled with uncertainty, was openly displayed for all to see.
Seeing Franz openly spewing insults, Pulcheria faltered, clutching her head.
The shock that such a vulgar man coveted the throne and sat in that position consumed her thoughts.
“Duke Toskur, remove your subordinates and take your seat.”
“Shut up, you despicable, filthy scoundrel. You manipulated me in this absurd play where everyone’s in on it, and you think you deserve to sit on the throne?”
Karl’s intervention was almost his last chance. It was a final mercy to prevent Franz from adding another sin to his record. However, Franz showed no willingness to accept it.
In that case, there was no choice. Force with force. Karl slowly rose from his seat.
“At the very least, I would be more deserving than you, who has killed innocent people.”
