Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me/ Book 3 Paradise

Chapter 34 Rex

Chapter 34

<Queen's Guestroom>

A week had passed since Sasha's failure. Was the Queen working with the Black Rose? Had she turned traitor to her country? These thoughts swirled in Sasha's mind. What also troubled Sasha was her father's history. He was the fourth son of a Count family that had sided with the Queen in the fight for the crown. A few regions in Cornwall used to belong to her family. The Queen also wasn't shy, she did not hide her history with her father. Though he was normal by most merits, his charisma was what won her over.

Sasha gritted her teeth. She fought the urge to shred the records and turn them into compost. It was sickening, to say the least. Journal entries and diaries on both sides reaffirmed the feelings they had for each other. Perhaps this was the Queen's last bit of retribution. A little explanation for a love that transcended what Sasha's parents had. They even crawled through sewage vents to meet and do unspeakable things.

In any case, he never betrayed her. That wound came from his family. Who was executed not by her hand but by the masters they served. They were too greedy and such sins could only be drowned in blood. Their servants didn't survive, neither did those related to them either. That event morphed the Queen into the royal she is today.

It all started with the Queen's brother, the previous King. In the fight for the throne, he was sponsored by the Apocalypse family. At the time the Queen didn't care too much for the throne but she competed as well. She had to, her brother was the most unholiest of men. Describing him as indulgent would be an understatement. Money drained from the palace's coffers when he ruled. To this day the palace still had a debt to the church that was kept hidden from the public. It was in the best interest of the people that Elizabeth became Queen. She was well-mannered and composed. Whatever else her hidden traits were, they couldn't be worse than her brother's.

'Victors write history.' Sasha thought. This was only the Queen's side of the story. A dead man such as her brother couldn't defend herself. Otto couldn't defend himself when all the worldly sins were burdened on his shoulders.

She could only continue. As the noble factions split and as all opposition removed themselves from the running only Elizabeth and her brother remained. The upper nobles and the church had his back while the lower and mid-class nobles supported her. The qualification to rule was favored by Elizabeth. She was a woman and she had a stigma. The only ledge that leveled both Elizabeth and her brother was the purity of their blood. A foothold that would not have been enough for her brother to compete with her if not for the church's backing.

While going through a series of challenges that tested mettle, diplomacy, and leadership the Queen grew tired. She didn't care for the throne but it was a duty she felt obligated to fulfill. It was evident that her brother had cheated in the challenges set, he was far too incompetent to rule. Dodging assassins and thieves the Queen finally made it to the final test. Her brother was given Koleston to run and Elizabeth would manage the territory Count Boleyn had under his name.

It was quite the thrill in the past. She'd have an excuse to spend more time with Edmund and the trusted territory would be quite easy to run. Her brother would essentially be given a pass as Koleston would flourish without him doing anything. The Apocalypse family would never let him maintain Koleston though improving it was virtually impossible. The last test would take a year and as long as she could improve Count Boleyn's territory she'd win.

The first few months went well. The territory was agricultural. Wheat seed and other grains were the primary source of revenue for the Boleyn family. That all changed when the harvest never came. Elizabeth and Edmund desperately searched for a fix but they couldn't even find the root of the problem. A famine started and Elizabeth discovered that the stockpile of food for the residents had disappeared. It was enough grain for them to survive the winter and atop of this disaster, more beasts threatened the safety of the territory. The Queen fought for her life while oblivious to acts of betrayal. It was a terrible year, unholy misfortune was the excuse. She had lost, the realization of that moment brought her to tears and Edmund shared them with her. What hurt worse was that numerous people were under her care. Due to famine and constant beast raids, the population of the territory dropped by forty percent.