CHAPTER 25 - The Mask of a Queen
Nights in the Palace of Valtherion always felt different.
Keira stood in front of the window in her chamber, looking down at the palace garden slowly sinking into moonlight. From this height, the garden looked peaceful, as if the problems of the world could never reach this place.
But Keira knew that wasn't true.
Behind the white stone walls of this palace… every step had meaning.
Not long after, a soft knock sounded on the door.
Tok.Tok.
Keira turned.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly.
Lucien stepped inside with his usual calm composure. His silver hair fell neatly over his shoulders, and his expression remained as unreadable as ever.
He closed the door behind him.
"My apologies for disturbing your evening."
Keira crossed her arms.
"When the Prime Minister visits at night, it's usually not for casual conversation."
Lucien didn't seem offended.
Instead, the corner of his lips lifted slightly. "As always, you go straight to the point."
He walked toward the small table in the center of the room and placed several thick documents on top of it.
Keira raised an eyebrow.
"What's that?"
Lucien answered calmly.
"Queen Aelirra's duties."
Keira stared at the stack of documents.
Then looked back at Lucien.
"You're joking."
Lucien didn't smile.
"Unfortunately, I'm not."
He pulled out a chair and sat down calmly.
"Starting tomorrow morning, you will need to begin performing your role."
Keira walked closer.
"My role?"
Lucien looked straight at her.
"The Queen of Valtherion."
Silence fell.
Keira leaned her hip against the table.
"I thought all you needed was for me to stay alive and appear in public."
"That's not enough."
Lucien opened one of the documents.
"Queen Aelirra had certain responsibilities in this kingdom."
He pointed to the first page.
"Petitions from the people."
The next page.
"Relief distribution for the northern villages."
Another page.
"Approval of funding for the royal hospital."
Keira looked at him.
"Why does all of this sound like social work?"
Lucien nodded slightly.
"Because that's exactly what she did."
Keira was silent for a moment.
Lucien continued, his voice softer.
"Queen Aelirra was known among the people as their protector."
His gaze returned to Keira.
"And if you suddenly stop doing all of this… people will begin to ask questions."
Keira let out a long breath.
"So I have to pretend to be her."
Lucien shook his head slowly.
"No."
Keira raised an eyebrow.
Lucien closed the document in front of him.
"What we need is not the old Aelirra."
He looked at Keira.
"We need a convincing queen."
Keira narrowed her eyes.
"That sounds like the same thing."
"No."
Lucien leaned back in his chair.
"Aelirra was gentle."
His gaze assessed Keira briefly.
"You are not."
Keira rolled her eyes.
"Thank you."
Lucien smiled faintly.
"Just an observation."
He pushed the first document toward Keira.
"What matters is that the people continue to believe their queen cares."
Keira picked up the document.
Neat handwriting filled the pages.
Requests for aid.Complaints.Appeals.
Small things.
Things that might seem trivial to nobles.
But to the people… they were their lives.
Keira slowly closed the document.
"Aelirra handled all of this herself?"
Lucien nodded.
"Most of it."
There was something in his tone now.
Almost like… respect.
Keira watched him.
"You liked her."
Lucien paused slightly.
After a few seconds, he answered honestly.
"She was a good queen."
Keira gave a small nod.
It wasn't love.
It wasn't blind loyalty.
It was respect.
Lucien opened the next document.
"So starting tomorrow, I will assist you."
Keira looked at him. "Teach me how to be a queen?"
"More precisely…" Lucien picked up a pen. "…help you survive in this palace."
Keira let out a small laugh. "That sounds more realistic."
They began working... The first hour passed.
Then the second....
Lucien explained each document patiently.
Who had sent the petitions.
Which villages needed aid.
Which nobles should be avoided.
And which ones truly cared about the kingdom.
Keira began signing some of the documents.
Some she read carefully.
Some she questioned again.
Lucien answered everything without looking bothered.
And the longer they worked…
Keira began to notice something.
Lucien wasn't just intelligent.
He was also—
kind.
He made sure the aid truly reached the villages that needed it.
He rejected proposals from nobles trying to take advantage of the situation.
He even marked several reports with small notes:
"Make sure the children in this village receive medicine."
"Send additional doctors."
"Prioritize this."
Keira stared at one of the notes.
Then looked at Lucien.
"You're actually a good person."
Lucien stopped writing.
He looked at her.
"Excuse me?"
Keira lifted the document.
"You genuinely care about the people."
Lucien returned to writing.
"As Prime Minister, that is part of my job."
Keira narrowed her eyes.
"That's not an answer."
Lucien didn't look at her.
But after a few seconds…
he spoke quietly.
"This kingdom stands because of its people."
He stopped writing.
"If they fall… this kingdom will fall as well."
Keira studied him.
That tone.
It wasn't just political logic.
It was belief.
Keira smiled faintly.
"So the Prime Minister of Valtherion actually has a heart."
Lucien closed the last document.
"I never said I didn't." He stood up, gathered several documents then looked at Keira.
"However, I do not usually show it."
Keira crossed her arms. "I noticed."
Lucien walked toward the door.
But before leaving, he stopped.
"For tonight…" He glanced at the table full of documents. "…you did fairly well."
Keira raised an eyebrow. "Was that a compliment?"
Lucien opened the door. "You may consider it one."
He paused for a moment, then added in a quieter tone,
"This kingdom might survive…" His gaze returned to Keira. "…with a different kind of queen."
A small, genuine smile appeared on Lucien's face.
Then he left.
The door closed slowly.
Keira stood alone in her chamber.
And she realized that behind the cold face of Valtherion's Prime Minister…
she had just seen something very few people ever did.
A hidden kindness.