NOVEL WEB Chapter 10: The Election
The Lords gathered at the Courthouse after two days, with Elon and Sheera, the princess, seated in two chairs on the podium of the great hall.
Sheera had pale skin, straight shiny hair, and a not-so-slender figure, but an arrogant aura surrounded her. It was clear that Elon's presence had darkened her mood, and everyone could easily notice the distasteful looks she repeatedly shot at him.
Apart from the Lords and the candidates, two knights stood by the doors, guarding the Court against potential attacks. They were clad in black leather armor and held brown wooden spears—a testament to the kingdom's poverty. The weak finances of Salvador prevented them from acquiring iron spears from wealthier kingdoms.
They could only afford a limited number of swords, and it was even said that the Therans had loaned them quite a few swords and shields before the war with the Last Order Negators.
Elon was well aware of this.
"Elon Roger, Sheera Roger... children of the great King Halton Roger II. It aches my heart to accept that the king lost his life, along with your brothers, in battle. The kingdom will mourn them honorably for many days. But now, we must crown a new ruler—someone who will lead us in these crucial times and continue from where the king left off," Lord Xan stood up from his seat and spoke.
"You and I both know my father was no great man, Lord Xan. Sometimes, we must honor the dead with their true achievements, not with ridiculous lies," Sheera glared and said.
"Uh... Uh... My..."
"My banished stepbrother has come to steal the throne from me... I know it must be a pleasure to take what is rightfully mine, but do you know what? I don't think the Lords or the people are ready to accept you as king. Hah! The one who couldn't awaken and partake in the blessings of the Great God of Mana—how can such a person rule Salvador?" Sheera laughed, taking a sip of wine from her cup.
"The kingdom needs me, sister. I am the only one who has what it takes to protect the people," Elon replied.
"I'm not your sister! I stopped being your sister—or stepsister, as they say—from the very moment Father banished you!" Sheera shouted.
Elon simply shook his head at her harsh words and shrugged.
"Shall we begin the election, my prince, my princess?" Lord Xan asked.
The other Lords remained calm and collected, not uttering a word during the argument. No one could tell where their loyalties lay or who they truly supported.
But Elon knew one thing for certain—he had already lost Lord Millish's vote before the election had even begun.
"Go on," Elon responded.
Lord Xan retrieved two wide stone bowls and placed them on a side table. In his hand, he held five small round leather pieces, which would be used for voting.
"Once given a leather piece, write the name of your chosen candidate on it and place it in the stone bowl," Lord Xan explained.
He then took out a small wooden container filled with liquid ash—the ink used for writing in this world—and wrote "Elon" on one bowl and "Sheera" on the other.
"As you vote, you must voice your choice aloud. That is the tradition of this election. Although this is the first time in Salvador's history that such an event is taking place, it is still in accordance with the law," Lord Xan added.
As the most senior Lord and the one who governed the largest territory in Salvador, Lord Xan was the first to cast his vote.
"Before the Just and Great Altar of the Salvadoran Court, I, Lord Xan Grush, vote for Elon Roger, the true and only surviving son of King Halton Roger II, as my king."
He wrote Elon's name on the leather piece and placed it into the stone bowl, officially giving Elon his first vote.
Lord Millish stood up within seconds, took his leather piece, wrote down his choice, and approached the table.
"Before the Just and Great Altar of the Salvadoran Court, I, Lord Millish Eborr, vote for Princess Sheera, the true-born child of the late King Halton Roger II and the rightful heir to the throne of Salvador, as my queen," Lord Millish declared as he placed his vote in Sheera's stone bowl.
Seeing Lord Millish's support, Sheera broke into a wide smile, which did not go unnoticed. Elon, however, remained calm and expressionless.
Next, Lord Barton stepped forward without hesitation and boldly cast his vote for Sheera without even looking back.
"Princess Sheera has lived in the palace since birth, unlike you, who may have picked up strange foreign influences outside. I believe she learned a great deal from the king and is fit to rule," Lord Barton told Elon with a glare.
Elon nodded, saying nothing. They expected him to react angrily, but as Lord Xan had anticipated, he remained composed.
'He is more like his mother than his father... cool and smart,' Lord Xan thought.
Then it was Lord Tywin's turn.
He hesitated for a long moment, leaving the Court in suspense. It was as though he had entirely no choice in his heart, making it quite hard.
"Just go with your heart, Lord Tywin," Lord Xan urged.
Lord Tywin reluctantly nodded, glancing between the stone bowls.
'Sheera is strong-willed and a powerful Earth Magic Specialist. If she becomes queen, she will defend the kingdom and rule with the wisdom inherited from her father.'
'But Elon... He possesses a powerful weapon. He is intelligent and has the ambition to elevate the kingdom. Magic has failed us in many ways, and now, the Great God has sent us a savior. I cannot reject this blessing...'
With that thought, Lord Tywin made his decision. He wrote the name of his chosen candidate and, in front of the others, cast his vote for Elon Roger. He then turned away, ignoring the stern glares from Lord Millish and Sheera.
______________
**[Lord Tywin believes your rulership would be more beneficial than Sheera Roger's. You have earned his trust.]**
**[You have gained 50 Approval Points.]**
**[Approval Points: 130]**
_______________
A notification popped up, making Elon smile once more.
Sheera had been hopeful that Lord Tywin would vote for her, securing her victory. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Now, the election was tied, and the final vote would determine who would be crowned.
"Lord Jevran, it is your turn," Lord Xan called.
"Oh..."
Lord Jevran, an old man dressed in white robes, approached the stone bowls, appearing as if he had already made up his mind. He was known as a wise lord who judged situations with an eye toward the future.
He was indeed a key character—even the author of Fallen Mages had portrayed him as one of the best Lords.
"I... I have made my decision. And I have decided to vote for Elon Roger as my king," Lord Jevran declared.
_______________
**[Lord Jevran believes you can rule the Kingdom Of Salvador wisely, and would fight for the betterment of the land]**
**[You have gained 50 Approval Points]**
**[Approval Points In Store: 180]**
_______________
Sheera shot up from her seat, eyes wide in shock, her rage barely contained.
"But at the same time, I would like Elon to appoint his stepsister, Sheera Roger, as his Hand. She would be the best figure to assist him in ruling this great kingdom," Jevran added.
"I decline!" Princess Sheera barked.
"Uhh..." Lord Xan sighed and shook his head.
"I am the rightful ruler of Salvador, and no one can take the crown from me! Not the people, not the Lords, not even you!" Sheera pointed angrily at Elon.
"It was a fair election... You should accept that I am fated to be king, sister," Elon said.
"I told you to stop calling me your sister! I hate you with every fiber of my being, Elon! And I will have your head cut off someday and take back what is rightfully mine... This is a promise!"
No one could calm the furious princess as she stormed out of the Courthouse. Shortly after, Lord Millish and Lord Barton followed, leaving only Elon and the three Lords who had supported him.
"She didn't even acknowledge that I was the reason she's still alive. So ungrateful," Elon muttered, shaking his head.
Lord Xan approached him.
"That should be the least of your worries, Elon... You are king now," he said.
"Of course. There are many problems to solve," Elon nodded.
"True... But I doubt you know the biggest problem ahead," Lord Jevran interjected.
"Huh? What do you mean, Lord Jevran? Are we at war with another kingdom?" Elon asked.
"No, my king..." Jevran shook his head.
Then, from another direction, three gut-wrenching words rang out...
"Winter is coming."
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[A/N: This are the first ten chapters of the novel, I'd like you to drop your opinions about it and how you want this story to progress, on your opinions... I'll surely see to it.]