Afterward, Elaine exchanged a few words with the Étoile Emperor and the Third Prince. The Léonas sovereign continued catching up with the Duke and occasionally interrupting their conversation. However, the primary subject of the previous topic, Prince Nickolas, stayed quiet and ignored her for the remaining time. After a while, Elaine gave an excuse for being tired from the 'long' journey and requested permission to dismiss herself.

"You may leave." The Étoile Emperor nodded.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Elaine returned to her carriage. Now that everything had calmed, she began dissecting her meeting with the Léonas ruler. Though his proposal seemed like a whim at first glance, she speculated he had thoroughly deliberated. Everyone in the empire knew Estella was the Crown Prince's fiancée. It seemed improbable that the Étoile closest allied did not acquire that information. If Estella were not already engaged to Louis, then a political marriage between Geris and Léonas would mutually benefit both parties. The Geris Dukedom would gain another powerful backer, while Léonas would be in an advantageous position to buy high-graded spirit gems.

Still, she was already engaged to the Crown Prince. What was the purpose of mentioning the marriage now? Then Elaine remembered Estella's 'capable' fiancé. Similar to her status as the future Crown Princess, the knowledge that Louis was on shaky ground with the Étoile Emperor was no secret among nobles. Besides the Crown Prince, Estella had limited options. The Third Prince's mother was the male protagonist's aunt. Thus, given the two houses' long-held animosity, Gerard would never allow Estella to marry him. Other princes were weak contenders to the throne, and marrying down to lower nobles was also unacceptable since the Croix considered it disgraceful. The Duke had no choice but to continue his support of the useless prince.

Is the Léonas Emperor reminding Gerard that he has another option? Besides that motive, Elaine could not find another reasonable explanation for his sudden proposal. Of course, she could not read the foreign ruler's mind or ask him.

Though Nickolas would be a much better option than Louis, I doubt the Étoile Emperor would allow the union. Elaine heaved a sigh, finding solace in the thought. Even if the Étoile Empire considered the Geris Dukedom as its subject, it remained an autonomous rule region. No matter how generous his facade appeared, the Emperor would prefer to maintain a tight lease over the dukedom than transfer it over to another empire. With or without Louis, in the Emperor's perspective, allowing Léonas to embrace Geris was without benefit.

Elaine also had a similar view, though her motive was entirely different. She cared more about the potential plot derailment than the political implication of the union. Though the political marriage was their only connection, Elaine chose to remain by the Crown Prince's side until his disposal. To her, Louis served as an essential pawn in reaching her goal. Thus, Elaine would rather stay in Étoile and become the destined tragic Crown Princess than be married off to a foreign country. Besides, she knew very little about the Léonas Empire and its internal affairs. The book's primary focus was Étoile and its power struggle. Even arming with such advanced knowledge could not prevent her from making grave mistakes and landing in unexpected situations. How could she expect to survive in an unfamiliar setting?

However, the decision did not rest with her but with Gerard. She could only pray that he would resist the tempting offer or that the Emperor dissuaded him. I must stay far away from the Léonas' entourage for the joint expedition duration. She could not risk another troublesome encounter with the foreign monarch.

Hours passed, and the day faded away, overtaken by night. The nobles retreated into their tents while the knights and soldiers polished their swords and shields for tomorrow's departure. Elaine lay on her bed, afraid to close her eyes. The horrible images from the nightmare still haunted her. What if the creatures return? Though she felt exhausted, her nagging thoughts kept her awake. She glanced over at Mariam. The young maid was already asleep in the tent's corner.

Elaine sprung from her bed and strode toward the entrance, peeking outside. The knights and soldiers sat by several campfires, talking and intermingling. It was a lively scene. Of course, the Croix and d'Amboise settled at the campsite's opposite end while the d'Artois was beside the d'Amboise. The Léonas Empire's campsite separated itself from Étoile, though sometimes individuals from both sides would visit each other.

She scanned the crowd and saw Elias conversing with Prince Nickolas. Unlike his distant attitude from before, the prince seemed engaged in the current topic. Her eyes continued to the Croix's campfire and discovered an unexpected sight. Cecil sat quietly, like always. However, he was not alone but surrounded by other Croix's knights in training. They appeared undeterred by his silence and included him in every conversation, chatting and laughing.

They look like "friends," Elaine whispered. Until now, her only worries were the story and Estella's fate. And though Cecil was a close confidant, she never considered that he had another life outside the main storyline and his duty as her guard. Would he abandon his friends when the time came for him to leave? What about the other lives inside the Croix estate? Elaine refrained from continuing with her thoughts, for she knew they would weaken her resolve. Completing Estella's story meant sacrificing many people, and Elaine had already decided on her path. Therefore, her plan and conscience should never intertwine.

Elaine closed the tent and returned to bed. Although still wary of the nightmare, she could no longer fight the overwhelming sleepiness.