BBC News led with a startling headline across its front page: Duchess Elizabeth was secretly Artoria, the top player in the English server of Blue Sky.
The journey from Buckingham Palace back to my estate was total madness, as crowds who once took simple photos now cheered frantically. I was bewildered by their intense excitement over discovering the identity of the highest-ranked gamer.
While the revelation was sudden, the public reaction still seemed vastly blown out of proportion.
"I am Blue Sky's Artoria."
No matter which channel I selected on the television, my statement kept repeating endlessly.
It really felt no different than a sovereign issuing a formal proclamation of military conflict.
Between my stern demeanor and firm voice, I certainly projected a powerful presence, particularly when issuing that open challenge.
"We interrupt this scheduled broadcast to deliver critical news that has stunned the nation." The drama abruptly cut out, replaced by a bulletin that fixated entirely on my royal address.
At that exact moment, the television screen suddenly went dark.
"Ellie…"
I hadn't touched the remote control. Katalina had crept up behind me silently, wrapping her arms around me as she switched off the display.
"Why do you seem so gloomy?" I asked.
"Are you certain you won't have second thoughts about this?"
Katalina gazed at me with deep concern in her eyes.
"Had I any doubts, I never would have taken the step. Consider it simply bringing the truth to light early, as my identity was bound to emerge eventually. I couldn't remain an anonymous figure indefinitely."
"Yet, you always despised that level of attention."
"Remember that my memory was lost, so those old anxieties no longer trouble me."
"However... what happens if..."
Her fragile tone sounded utterly heartbreaking.
"What will you do if your former memories return?"
A sharp pang hit my chest instantly. To me, losing my memory wasn't a simple medical issue; my soul had traded places with Elizabeth's.
Should my presence vanish and Elizabeth return, how would she view these circumstances? How would she treat Katalina, who prompted all of this? Was it right for me to keep showing such affection toward Katalina?
Endless doubts raced through my head. Perhaps sensing my inner turmoil, Katalina trembled slightly against my body.
Only then did I understand why she hesitated to seek my aid despite our growing closeness, and why this situation filled her with such deep anxiety.
She was truly terrified.
"Are you scared?"
"…"
My quiet observation caught her off guard, causing her to flinch against me.
"Though my past memories vanished, I know I won't lose the new ones we've created together if they ever return."
Did I truly possess the right to make such claims? Perhaps I was merely offering myself false comfort.
It was a self-serving attempt to rationalize everything, as I likely feared Elizabeth's return far more than she did.
"Can I truly rely on that assurance?" Katalina clung to the hope my words offered.
"Without a doubt." Unclasping her arms from my waist, I held her tightly against me, seeking the soothing warmth of her body.
Her rapid heartbeat pressed against my heavy chest, leaving me uncertain whether I was comforting her or relying on her instead. A melancholy expression crossed my face that I made sure she couldn't see.
"Sob, sob…"
Katalina began weeping softly. I felt an even greater urge to cry myself, burdened by the uncertainty of whether I had any right to harbor these developing feelings for her.
This lingering sorrow would likely remain as long as my soul inhabited Elizabeth's form.
"Everything is going to be all right."
I stroked her back gently, struggling to hold back my own tears.
"I will place my trust in you, Ellie… Sob."
Hearing her place her faith in me felt more like a painful stab to my heart than an encouragement.
"You won't ever abandon me, will you?"
I managed to force those words out with great effort.
"Ellie?"
I held her closer to hide my conflicted expression from her view.
"Please give me an answer."
If she refused, it might have actually brought a strange relief, saving me from preparing for an inevitable betrayal later. I couldn't explain why my pulse raced so wildly with anxiety.
"Never, hehe."
She offered a cheerful response as if her earlier tears were meaningless, yet her words meant the world to me. I finally allowed the guarded walls around my heart to open up.
With that choice, whether my heart would suffer future heartbreak was left entirely to destiny.
As my turbulent thoughts quieted, my racing pulse began to settle, and a comforting warmth returned to my soul.
Savoring that fleeting tranquility, I slowly eased my embrace.
Thump.
"Ouch!"
I playfully tapped the head of the girl who had briefly pushed me into emotional despair. Katalina appeared bewildered by the sudden gesture.
"Hmph."
Rubbing her forehead, she pouted slightly as if the tap actually stung.
"Anyone who laughs immediately after crying deserves a light hit on the head."
"Who decided that rule?!"
"I did."
Katalina stared at me in disbelief, and I offered a warm smile in return. Sometimes, letting go of heavy thoughts is truly the best path forward, whether for her or for myself.
"So Ellie, what is your plan now? Having declared war on both Shining and Chaos, you'll certainly need to participate in tomorrow's siege."
"I wonder. How would the Volcano guild feel about me standing beside them?"
"We would receive you with open arms, naturally."
She likely desired my support more than ever, given that her guild faced its greatest crisis since its founding. I also had no desire to recklessly fight two massive guilds without any allies.
However, officially joining Volcano carried public relations risks. People might accuse me of orchestrating a spectacle merely to preserve Volcano's dominance across the server.
Although Volcano and I held the moral high ground, joining them outright would make it far more difficult to rally neutral guilds to our coalition.
What approach could satisfy our current allies while leaving a clear path for external groups to join us?
"Ah! What about this approach?" Katalina's eyes lit up as an idea struck her.