Book 3: Chapter 302: Queen Mursa

After returning to Regas, Sylutia stayed in the royal palace for several more days. During this time, Mursa took her to visit the newly established university, the knight training grounds, the national library, and other places. The queen then changed into casual clothes and toured White Cliff City with her, going shopping and strolling through the streets together.

Dressed in casual attire, Mursa wore a black veil over her head, and her clothing was also swapped for the black dress style she had favored in the past. She added a golden, exotic-style pendant chain across her forehead, with a sapphire drop hanging at the center of her brow, gently swaying to divert attention and prevent anyone from recognizing her true identity.

As long as no one stared directly at her for a close look, ordinary citizens couldn't tell that this was Her Majesty the Queen. They would simply think this golden-haired woman in the black dress was exceptionally beautiful.

As the governance of Regas improved, Mursa had also advanced to Fifth Tier. Moreover, as the holder of the kingdom's royal authority, as long as she remained within White Cliff City, she was blessed by the Royalty System, making her especially safe.

"However, precisely because I became queen, it's been a long time since I've been able to go out and see the world." Walking alongside Sylutia, Mursa recalled.

"In the past ten years, the farthest I've traveled was the royal hunting event three years ago, going thirty li outside White Cliff City."

"Unlike my father, I'm not skilled in combat or commanding knights. Going out requires quite a number of guards to protect me, and I found that it drained too much of everyone's energy, so I rarely participated in such activities."

"Although I don't go out much, thanks to the 'Sanctum of the Sacred Eye' that Ya left behind, those members can use secret arts to project the scenery outside and show the living conditions of people in various regions, so I'm not completely out of touch. Occasionally, Sister Karen and Knight Commander Solyn also conduct inspections on my behalf and report on conditions across the lands." Mursa spoke as she walked.

Over the years, she had fully mastered the responsibilities befitting a ruler and could handle all kinds of situations with ease.

"As for the successor..." She paused mid-sentence, turned around, and looked at Sylutia.

"What's wrong?" The girl was somewhat curious.

"Nothing." Mursa shook her head.

"Originally, I was supposed to select a suitable husband from among the nobles, then give birth to a prince or princess to inherit the throne. But later, I found it very difficult to accept that arrangement, so after discussing with a few trusted ministers, I chose to select a suitable successor from the younger generation of the royal collateral branches."

"However, this matter isn't that urgent. For now, it's only a preliminary emergency list that won't be announced to anyone. After all, I'm still relatively young and can probably live for quite a long time."

"Although the 'Castle' Aspect can provide power conveniently, when it comes to slowing aging and extending lifespan, it's far inferior to other Aspects. Moreover, due to the influences of concepts like 'Blunting' and 'Sturdiness' from the 'Castle' Aspect, the effects of 'magic potions' consumed by its holder are weakened and difficult to take effect."

"But the upside is that these traits also make poisoning and curses more difficult. As long as one doesn't indulge in excessive drinking or debauchery, a noble's lifespan can be much longer than that of ordinary people."

Hearing Mursa say this, Sylutia wasn't so oblivious as to miss the meaning behind her words. She understood how the other woman felt.

Because of the Fairies' blessing, she herself wouldn't age or change for several more decades, but Mursa was different. Right now, she was at the peak of her life in terms of appearance, physical condition, and rank. Yet this peak would inevitably pass, slowly giving way to decline.

For a woman, watching herself gradually grow older and lose her beauty would surely be painful.

Taking Mursa's wrist, Sylutia gently intertwined their fingers as the two walked slowly through the streets of White Cliff City. Then Sylutia asked her.

"Does Mursa want to remain queen forever, or would you prefer to step down at some appropriate time?"

"Of course, I'd prefer to step down at an appropriate time." Mursa nodded in reply.

"In truth, my father originally favored my elder brother. The rest of us princes and princesses were never among the heirs he considered."

"Brother Leon had undergone knight training since childhood and followed my father to assist with state affairs and command the royal guard. He was always my father's most beloved child."

"However, because of his heavy workload, his transcendent rank advanced relatively slowly. But in my father's eyes, that wasn't a problem. As long as he sat upon the throne, he would naturally gain rank and power through the blessing of the royal authority."

"My second brother, Higli, was much more clever. Compared to Brother Leon, he bore fewer responsibilities and had more freedom. He used his intelligence to accomplish quite a number of achievements, which made some nobles look upon him favorably."

"If not for Brother Leon's unexpected death, he would have been a very good candidate for succession."

"Sister Mathia had a steady personality. She was only a few years older than Brother Leon. When we were young in the palace, she was always the one managing us younger siblings, until she was married off to a distant country just as she was about to come of age."

"After Sister Mathia left, the palace gradually fell into disorder. Coupled with my mother's doting on Jabers, his temperament became increasingly arrogant. I couldn't control him either, which eventually led to the tragedy." As she spoke, Mursa's voice carried a trace of sadness.

Sylutia listened quietly, offering Mursa a few words of comfort from time to time.

The two arrived at a tall bell tower in White Cliff City, where they could overlook the bustling market below. The view was quite pleasant.

"If Mursa plans to step down at some point, you can let me know in advance." Sylutia thought for a moment.

"I might be able to help you obtain a magic potion that preserves youth and beauty. That way, you won't have to worry about aging, and you can also start a new life."

If she could return to the Meizhalansi family on the First Continent, obtaining such a potion would be a trivial matter, because her family had a special bond with the 'Spring Hour' and could procure many ingredients for youth-preserving potions from the Fairies.

This privilege and connection was something many in the dynasty envied but could never obtain.

Hearing Sylutia's promise, a shimmering light seemed to well up in Mursa's eyes, but she blinked it away, concealing that emotion.

"Thank you, Ti Ya." She looked down at the peaceful city below, her gaze lingering on the fluttering flags for a long moment.

"In truth, when I ascended the throne with your help back then, I had no sense of reality at all." She laughed again as she spoke.

"At that time, I even thought, if only you were a boy. Then you could have married me and become king directly, and I would only need to be a suitable partner."

"Responsibilities cannot be escaped. My father, my brothers, and Jabers all passed away one after another, leaving only me, a princess with nothing but a pretty face, to ascend the throne. Even now, looking back, it still feels somewhat unbelievable."

"But it was through gradually fulfilling the duties of a queen that I learned and grew a great deal. I'm no longer as fearful and anxious as I once was."

"Governing a country wasn't as difficult as I had imagined. Perhaps I've just been very lucky. With the team and personnel you helped establish, many of the ministers are of excellent character and have shared much of the pressure for me." She spoke, her eyes shifting gently before looking at Sylutia once more.

"Thank you again, Ti Ya. Not just for me, but you also saved Regas. In that chaotic, turbulent time, you were like a bolt of lightning splitting through the confusion, sweeping away all the danger and leaving behind a simple, stable situation."

Her voice trailing off, the two reminisced about the past. A gentle breeze rustled through the treetops, and a few fresh sprouts drifted past their hair, falling toward this city built of white mountain stone.