Chapter 449: Too much to handle

Third-person POV

Irina let out a long sigh, the kind that came from trying to keep too many thoughts in order at once, before she finally looked directly at Electra again. Her arms were crossed, but not in her usual defensive or annoyed way. This time, it looked more like she was trying to steady herself before saying something important.

"So what do you want to do now?" she asked, her tone calm but serious, her eyes not leaving Electra's face for even a second.

There was no accusation in her voice, no pressure, just a straightforward question that carried more weight than it sounded. After everything that had just been said, after everything Electra had just revealed, it felt like this was the next thing that had to be decided, whether Electra was ready for it or not.

Irina didn't wait too long before continuing, clearly not satisfied with leaving the question hanging in the air without context. "Because right now," she added, shifting her weight slightly as she spoke, "there's a lot going on all at once. You just found out how your mother died and not just how but why. Knowing you, that's not something you can just dismiss, Electra." Her voice softened slightly at that, but only for a moment before it returned to its usual firmness. "And on top of that, the throne of Elmeria is empty. The king is dead, and the queen is locked up, which puts everything on you."

Her gaze didn't waver. "So I'm asking you seriously," she continued, her tone now more direct, more pointed. "Are you sure you can take on the role of queen right now? When you clearly still have so many things you haven't figured out yet?"

For a moment, Electra didn't respond.

She just sat there, her posture relaxed but her expression unreadable, her mind clearly turning over the question in ways she didn't immediately show. The room stayed quiet again, but this time it wasn't tense in the same way as before. It felt more like waiting, like all of them were giving her the space to actually think instead of pushing her into an answer.

Electra lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers tapping lightly against the bed beside her as she considered everything Irina had said. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it before. She had declared herself queen in front of an entire kingdom without hesitation, without second-guessing herself, but that had been in the moment. That had been driven by something else entirely.

Now, sitting here, it felt different.

After a few seconds, she let out a breath and finally spoke. "The only reason I even wanted the throne," she said slowly, her voice steady but lacking the confidence she had shown earlier at the palace, "was to watch that woman lose everything."

Her eyes lifted slightly, a faint, cold look passing through them as she spoke.

"To watch her sit there and realize that after everything she did, after everything she tried to take from me, she still lost," Electra added, her tone sharpening just a little. "That was it."

She leaned back slightly, her shoulders relaxing as her expression shifted again, this time into something more thoughtful, more uncertain. "But right now…" she continued, her words slowing, "I have too many questions."

Her gaze drifted away from them again, unfocused. "About my mother, about what really happened, and about who that person is that might have killed her. Hell, I also want to know why the deities were so against letting me be born and why they've not killed me yet," she said quietly. "And until I get answers to those things, I can't focus on anything else."

There was a brief pause before she added, more bluntly, "I don't care about the palace right now."

Penelope was the first to react this time, her brows knitting together slightly as she took a small step forward, clearly thinking through what Electra had just said. "Then appoint a regent," she said, her voice steady, her eyes moving between Electra and Irina as if making sure they were both listening.

Electra glanced at her, her expression shifting slightly in curiosity, while Roxana tilted her head just a little, clearly interested but cautious.

Penelope continued, gaining a bit more confidence as she explained. "If you don't want to focus on the throne right now, then you don't have to take full control immediately. You can appoint someone to act in your place for now," she said, her hands moving slightly as she spoke, like she was trying to make the idea clearer. "Someone who handles everything publicly, someone who takes care of the responsibilities until you're ready."

She paused briefly, then added, "And if, by the time everything settles, you decide you don't want the throne at all, then you can fully pass it on to the only other Vale left besides you."

Electra's eyes narrowed slightly at that, clearly picking up on what Penelope was implying, even before she said it directly.

"But if you still want to be queen," Penelope finished, "then that person can just act as a figurehead for now. You still keep your claim, but you just… delay stepping into it fully."

The suggestion seemed almost reasonable.

Roxana let out a quiet scoff, shaking her head slightly as she stepped forward, her arms still crossed tightly over her chest. "And who exactly are you talking about?" she asked, though there was already a hint of skepticism in her tone, like she already knew the answer and didn't like it.

Penelope didn't hesitate. "Hunter."

The name was enough.

Roxana's expression immediately hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line as she let out a sharper breath. "You mean that Hunter?" she said, her voice laced with disbelief. "That's your solution?"

Penelope frowned slightly. "He's still a Vale. That makes him…"

"A risk," Roxana cut in quickly, her tone firm as she shook her head again. "A huge risk."

She stepped closer now, her gaze shifting to Electra as if making sure she understood what she was about to say. "That man was brought into this whole situation by Jella and the council," Roxana continued, her voice steady but intense. "They didn't just 'find' him out of nowhere. They used him."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "And for all we know, they might still be using him."

"Jella might be locked up, but she's not dead," she added, her tone dropping slightly as if to emphasize the point. "If you hand the throne over to Hunter, even temporarily, you're basically giving her another way to control everything from behind the scenes."

Penelope opened her mouth slightly, like she wanted to argue, but Roxana kept going.

"And if that happens," she said, her gaze locking onto Electra now, "you might not get it back, not easily, and maybe not at all."

That was enough to shift the mood completely. Electra, who had been listening quietly, finally straightened slightly, her expression changing from distant to focused as she looked between them. There was a clear gap in her understanding now, something she wasn't willing to ignore.

"Just who is this Hunter, and how is he a big deal at all?" she asked bluntly.

Irina was the one who answered. "Hunter Vale," she said, her voice steady. "Is your uncle."

Electra's brows furrowed immediately.

Irina didn't give her time to react before continuing. "He's your grandfather's illegitimate son," she explained, her tone calm but firm. "Someone whose existence was kept hidden for years from everyone."

Electra's expression darkened slightly, confusion mixing with something sharper. "Until recently," Irina added, "Jella and the council brought him forward," There was a brief pause before she finished. "Because they want him to take your place."