Chapter 1956: Chapter 1956

Although the throne had been lost from the Middleton family for half a century, Queen Isabella, in an effort to legitimize her rule, had always consciously promoted the narrative that she had received the crown from the previous king and would, in the future, return that power to the Middletons.

Because of this, before the Williamette family emerged, the nation was not particularly opposed to the highest-ranking heir—a foreigner from Cheslan—becoming king, despite their reluctance. Aside from his foreign status, people had few other objections to him.

The Middleton family's standing in the Fidektri Kingdom was unshakeable. With a clear descendant now present, even if Jessica accepted Queen Isabella's offer to succeed the throne, she would not necessarily be able to win against Jenkins.

Jenkins remained on the dais, looking at Queen Isabella. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.

"I did say I would select an heir after the Tri-King Summit."

"In that case, why not decide now? Viscount Williamette is right. This is indeed a fine opportunity," a man declared loudly. It was a local viscount from Nolan who had pledged his allegiance to Jenkins, stepping up to play his part.

The old Duke, Douglas Gerrod, turned to look at the speaker. Queen Isabella's expression remained placid.

"It seems you're a bit impatient?"

"No, I simply believe the occasion is fitting. This is a rare opportunity, I think, with everyone present..."

Another voice chimed in, supporting Jenkins. It was a somewhat portly man clutching a black hat. This was Sir O'Donnell, the Kingdom's Economic Secretary and the highest-ranking official from the treasury department who had accompanied the Queen from Bel Diran to Nolan.

The young Duke of Rochester seemed about to say something, but Queen Isabella raised a hand, silencing the room.

she called out, and Miss Windsor stepped forward from the back rows.

"Do you believe now is a good time to announce the heir?"

Her reply was simple and direct.

"And what of you, Madeline?" Orıginal content can be found at novel⟡fire.net

She then turned to Duchess Madeline, the most elderly duchess in the kingdom. She had long since retired from all political affairs. While some of her descendants held minor positions in parliament, they were insignificant figures; the family's business ventures, however, were thriving.

Duchess Madeline and Queen Isabella were very close. They had been friends since their youth, and when the previous king passed away, Madeline, who had not yet inherited her family's title, had provided great support to the widowed young Isabella.

"What do I think? Well..."

She lifted her head to look at Jenkins.

Despite her close relationship with Queen Isabella, Duchess Madeline was, in fact, a staunch supporter of the Middleton family. Furthermore, she was a devout follower of the Sage, which was how she had come to know Bishop Parrold in her younger days.

"I suppose this timing is as good as any," she answered. Queen Isabella showed no surprise. Nodding, Her Majesty the Queen of Fidektri rose to her feet, turned, and looked up at the rows of guests behind her.

Now Jenkins was confused. He and Jessica had spent so long preparing to ensure their plan was foolproof, but this wasn't even the beginning. The next step was supposed to be a brief period of chaos in the hall, with those loyal to the Queen denouncing Jenkins, followed by rebuttals from his own supporters.

After a few minutes of such "debate," Jenkins was to forcefully silence both sides and once again ask for Queen Isabella's opinion.

That was when Marquis Mikhail was supposed to enter the stage, hinting at the movements of the naval fleet, pushing the dispute to its climax. Jenkins would then "hypocritically" tell the Marquis not to speak of such things, while the mayor would also begin to apply pressure. The police force, on standby, would then surround the city hall, not just maintain the simple blockade currently in place.

The army stationed near Nolan had already been won over by Jessica. Although Queen Isabella held a firm grip on most of the kingdom's land forces, Nolan's unique circumstances ensured that its garrison, at the very least, leaned in Jenkins's favor.

At that point, the endgame would be revealed. King Salsi II, playing the role of mediator, would feign neutrality and urge Jenkins to be reasonable, while actually taking his side...

In short, Jenkins's intricate plan hadn't even officially begun, yet his opponent had inexplicably folded.

He glanced quizzically at Miss Windsor, who wore an expression of sudden understanding.

"What does this mean?"

Jenkins's voice appeared in her mind, but Miss Windsor's current body had only just become an Enchanter; she lacked the ability to answer him from such a distance.

"Jenkins is right," Queen Isabella announced. All eyes focused on her face, waiting for her next words. What she said next would determine the content of that evening's papers and any special editions that might follow.

"Indeed, the time has come to announce the heir."

Jenkins's eyes darted around, half-expecting some unknown person to burst into the hall. But outside the doors, there were only police officers. The surrounding streets were under lockdown, and he couldn't even sense the spiritual glow of an unfamiliar Enchanter.

"Since the passing of the previous king, I have held this country for over fifty years. In this half-century, I have moved forward with Fidektri. Sometimes I even feel as if I am married to this nation."

While she had appeared drowsy during Jenkins's speech, she was now invigorated. Her eyes met those of anyone willing to look back, and for a moment, her commanding presence reminded everyone that she was still the most experienced, and arguably most successful, monarch alive.

"Perhaps the time is now. Let me announce my successor."

Her voice rose, and despite the faint frailty of old age, it compelled everyone to instinctively focus their attention.

"Jenkins Redemptor Williamette is my successor."

A jolt of joy shot through Jenkins, but the elation was fleeting. He immediately realized the problem; his goal for today was supposed to be...

"According to the kingdom's laws of succession, upon my death, he—third in the line of succession—will become the next king of Fidektri, the nineteenth king." (His father, Robert, and his elder brother, Newman, were first and second, and though neither desired the throne, they had not officially renounced their rights of inheritance.)

Through his carefully laid plans, he had been almost certain he could back Queen Isabella into a corner today. Even if she didn't concede, he had ways to make her. His objective was to become king immediately, not at some unknown point in the future when she finally passed away.

This move was truly brilliant—a strategic retreat. By declaring Jenkins her heir, she stripped him of any reason to escalate the situation. If he now persisted in using unethical means to force the current monarch to abdicate, Jenkins, who was supposed to be the righteous figure, would plummet to the bottom of the moral ladder. He would face immense resistance both at home and abroad, and his plan to unite the three kingdoms would encounter unprecedented difficulties.

This step back to move forward was an exceptionally clever gambit. Faced with a seemingly certain defeat, she had managed to put Jenkins in a position where he could neither advance nor retreat, all with a single concession.

But it wasn't as if he had no other options. For instance, he could find an opportunity to assassinate Queen Isabella. Though it would be highly suspicious, and anyone with a shred of intelligence would suspect him, he could still legally ascend the throne if he arranged a scapegoat and fabricated a convincing pretext.

Alternatively, he could use the power of his Lie Godhood to forcibly change Queen Isabella's mind, making her abdicate and hand over the crown voluntarily. Although the effects of his divine power were not yet permanent, he could simply keep her in seclusion afterward, away from outsiders, and no one would ever know.

But Jenkins wasn't...

"No, I've never considered myself a good person in the conventional sense. The situation has come to this. The Difference Engine could complete its final Reverser of Fate ritual and challenge me at any moment. This is a matter concerning the future of the entire world. At a time , am I really going to waste time because of so-called morality? Am I that kind of person?"

Of course, Jenkins was not that kind of person. If someone asked him to choose between "one person dies or a group of people die," he would choose "one person dies" without a moment's hesitation. He would do what he believed was the best possible thing, and for anything else, he would never feel that he had done wrong.

He stood on the dais behind Queen Isabella, gazing at her back. He knew that abruptly making her change her words now, in front of everyone, would seem unnatural. So he couldn't use his divine power here, but he could in a little while.

"Jenkins, say something."

The hall was utterly silent. Queen Isabella's declaration had stunned the crowd into a dead hush. Very few could understand what had just happened. Moments ago, they had been on the brink of a confrontation, yet the Queen had suddenly compromised.

She turned to Jenkins. Snapping out of his thoughts, he stroked the cat on his shoulder. Having made his decision, his mood brightened, and a smile touched his lips—a fitting expression for a lucky fellow who had just been granted the right of succession.

"Your Majesty, I am honored to be your successor. In the days to come, I will actively participate in the affairs of state. Yes, from now on..."

He would not wait any longer.