"... and so I went on and dive into the books that I had at home, then immediately went to draw the very first concepts of the device.
After that, I took the blueprint to Grandpa Andi who happened to be with Grandpa Ben at that time. They saw my work and became immediately interested.
With their support, I was able to meet the people from the project team who helped me improve the blueprint and finally turn it into a reality.
So all in all, the device could not be fully attributable to me, but to the entire project team." Eli explained the creation of the water pressure and heater device without a trace of pride or boast.
She maintained a calm and level-headed expression which was her well-known demeanor as she narrated the tale like she was telling someone's story.
Queen Tehila and Queen Lucia looked at her with approval, while Arielle and Evelyn looked at her with amazement and a little bit of envy.
"You know what Lady Eli… When I heard of your accomplishment, I was envious. Because you made something out of yourself without even relying on other people. Your name spread out in the Empire purely through your ideas and inventions which helped the Empire a lot." Arielle commented with honesty.
There was a trace of sadness in her eyes as she was reminded of how her past was. A scorned princess of the Vanderford Family, which was not even of noble origins. There was even a rumor that she was not even carrying the Vanderford blood.
"Yes, I also feel the same. No offense to our Highness Queens, but oftentimes I felt like other than my noble background, my appearance, and my socializing skills, I hold no value to make myself known or be relevant.
Am I just a child-bearer to my husband, which may be the next to the throne?
Is that really where my worth lies?
And even in the past when Antoine was rather preoccupied with the competition, I felt lost and weak. I felt like a bird in a golden cage, who functions to only sing when my master is feeling down."
It was a mystery how the initial bright and friendly atmosphere turned heavy when Arielle and Evelyn expressed their struggles.
Fortunately, Queen Tehila and Queen Lucia were open-minded people and so they allowed them to freely discuss their struggles as women of the Imperial Family.
"Well, it is not wrong for you to feel such. To be honest as your elder, we also felt guilty about what kind of past you princesses have experienced." Queen Tehila gently placed her tea cup down as she looked at the consorts gently.
"With all the discord from our generation, it is to be expected that your generation would suffer because of our weaknesses." Queen Tehila was talking about the internal strife between the wives of the emperor along with their sons.
"Yes, I also feel responsible for this. It really gets me every time I think of the fact that I could have done things in other ways to make the situation better for you and for the Princes."
Eli silently observed the women as she listened to their conversation. Although she knew that these topics were extremely personal, she opted not to distract them from taking their worries out in the open to release themselves from the pain.
There was a long silence in the lounge, as the younger generation had already brought up their grievances while the elder generation took the blame for what happened. But how was this supposed to settle then? The four women no longer knew how to proceed.
And so Eli also placed her teacup down and broke the silence, "If I may have permission to speak of the Imperial Family's matters…" She paused before looking at the four women waiting for their permission to continue further.
Receiving their approval, Eli continued,
"From what I see, there's a time for everything. Even if I was put in the Queen's or the Princess Consorts' places at that moment, I would be equally helpless. For the matter was as deep with a large force involved to take it down.
But the moment the root cause has been dealt with, from an outsider's eyes like mine, the hope and restoration for the harmony of the Imperial family started to bloom and flourish.
So I think that the struggles and sufferings that Your Highnesses experienced were not without purpose. Instead, it has made you the kind of woman that you are right now in my and everyone's eyes…"
Eli looked at them with a gaze full of sincerity as she uttered her final words with great emphasis.
"Beautiful, Brave and Resilient."
Eli no longer needed more words to move the four women as she could already see their eyes starting to get teary and emotional.
"Lady Eli's words… How could you make my heart feel so moved…" They all started to draw their handkerchiefs as they started with soft sniffles.
"Ah, your highnesses! I didn't mean to make anyone cry…" Eli looked at them helplessly. She was rather surprised that her words would trigger such emotions in the women.
"It's alright. Just let us be. It was very rare for us to have a moment like this. So do not take it to heart." Queen Lucia whose tears were flowing like a river replied.
And so Eli sat silently as she let the women release the thorns that constricted their hearts.
Eli's words may seem simple and said with an intent to just convey her observation as an outsider. But for them, it was words of great comfort and affirmation.
Comfort, that those times they struggled to find their purpose as women in the palace were all part of the process of making themselves better people.
Affirmation, that all those years, their worth as a woman or even as a person did not even diminish but rather flourished into the woman they are now.
Indeed Eli's words were wise. There's a time for everything.
For now, the women also started to see clearly what their purposes were at the moment. They might not be as brilliant and as intelligent as Eli, nor they weren't as physically strong as the female knights like Dame Aquila.
But they could now clearly recognize their own strengths and have all thought about how they would capitalize on such.
–
While the women were having a heart-to-heart conversation. It was rather tense and serious on the men's side.
With the pressure of the Temple and the rest of the three main continents, Emperor Valentin and the entire nobility were now having a hard time thinking of ways to approach matters carefully.
The arrival of Governor Fidel and the Grandmasters also signified that they could no longer set the matters aside as they had to start thinking about the things to be done to prepare for these major events.
The crucial thing for the Main Temple's visit was the political implications that may arise from their intervention. As for the Grand Tournament, it would be a matter of security as the enemies might be able to infiltrate the Empire so freely.
But before they start any move or make any decision, Emperor Valentin found that it was rather important for them to know the results of the investigation first and have a clear picture of how the movements of the Vesala's actually happened.
Sitting at the long table with food served rather bountifully. The men looked at each other to signify the meeting disguised as a dinner amongst the most prominent men in the Empire.
High Priest Enoch and General Farauld also joined the meeting at Emperor Valentin's request as they had every right to know of the findings.
"Before I start, First Prince, pardon for asking straightforwardly… but is your heart and mind ready for the things that you are about to hear?" Governor Fidel looked at Kazimir whose body suddenly froze upon his reminder.
Emperor Valentin, his brothers, and the rest looked at him worriedly. But seeing his father and brothers beside him, he took a deep breath as he met Governor Fidel's gaze with determination.
"I have decided to stand on my ground. Governor Fidel, I am also ready to hear what you have to say, regardless of what it may entail for my maternal family."
"Alright. In this empire, every citizen will remember how you unrelentingly choose righteousness over personal matters." Governor Fidel looked at him with approval.
After that, he looked at everyone and then at Emperor Valentin.
Emperor Valentin waved his hands and in an instant, the door of the dinner hall locked and the window curtains closed. Then an isolation array was activated ensuring that no spies nor anyone would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation from this point onwards.
The food at the dinner table also disappeared as what replaced them were pen and paper and a projection stone in the middle.
"What we found in the investigation was actually greatly based on this book." Governor Fidel projected the image of the Vesala's genealogy book that he found under the Vesala's main estate.
