The Queen and the Lion - Chapter 43

Everything unfolded as Kaplan had expected. The bomb he’d dropped into the party had caused a ripple effect of chaos.

The Florean nobles all turned to Lysian, their eyes seeking confirmation of what they’d heard. Lysian, who had been waiting for the right moment, furrowed her brow at the unexpected revelation.

She hadn’t planned to reveal it so soon. She’d intended to prepare the ground first, easing the nobles’ resistance to Aslan before making the announcement. This was a headache she could have done without. Lysian sighed softly.

Having successfully sown chaos in Florea, Kaplan returned to Heiban. At the next cabinet meeting, the issue of Lysian’s consort was immediately brought up. The nobles and clergy were unanimous in their opposition.

“Are you truly going to make that man your consort, Your Highness?”

“That man? He’s Lord Yilmaz. Mind your manners, Minister.”

The minister looked as if he wanted to strangle himself at Lysian’s indifferent reply. He wanted to protest that this was not the time to be nitpicking about titles, but he had always been one to insist on such formalities and was now speechless.

They could see that Lysian was determined to make Aslan her consort. A look of despair crossed the faces of the nobles. With a ferocity far greater than before, they began to rise one by one.

“Lord Yilmaz lacks both political skill and manners! He is not fit to be the consort of Florea!”

“What a consort needs are not political skill or manners,” Lysian replied immediately.

She placed her hand on her forehead. Initially, she had planned to persuade them, but the nobles’ hostility was greater than she had anticipated. With a headache, Lysian tried to suppress her anger at Kaplan and her frustration with the nobles.

The nobles could sense her irritation. But that didn’t mean they were ready to accept Aslan as consort. The Prime Minister, Primula, pounded on the table, trying to suppress his frustration. He had forgotten about the matter of titles in his exasperation.

“But Your Highness, if such a rude and uncouth savage becomes our consort, everyone will make fun of you. They will say you are obsessed with him!”

“You’re right.”

“Your Highness!”

Though this was meant to change Lysian’s mind, she remained unyielding. The nobles, including the Prime Minister, protested loudly. But Lysian did not even bat an eyelid.

Lysian scanned the room and asked, “Then tell me, will my legacy be tarnished as that of a queen obsessed with a man?”

“…”

The nobles were silent.

The Blossom royal family, which had ruled the floral kingdom of Florea, had always made wise choices. And Lysian, the current queen of Florea, was the epitome of a wise ruler. They could not bring themselves to disparage their queen.

The officials exchanged glances, reading the shared misery in each other’s eyes. One by one, they shook their heads in despair.

Judging by Lysian’s resolute stance, it was clear she would never give up on Aslan. Once Lysian had made up her mind, she was as stubborn as an ox. Those who had known her since childhood realized they would have to compromise.”

The minister swallowed hard and stepped forward. “Even so, Lord Yilmaz’s current state is unacceptable. This is not a matter of personal affection; he is to be the consort of Florea. As the mistress of Florea, he needs to be familiar with Florean customs and etiquette to a certain extent.”

“I don’t want to put a leash on him.”

“A lion needs a leash to live among humans.”

Lysian could retreat no further. The minister’s voice was firm.

It was a result of countless compromises on the part of the nobles. But even that wasn’t enough for Lysian. A leash for Aslan?

However, since the nobles had bowed their heads this far, Lysian, as their leader, had to reciprocate to some extent. She sighed softly at the turn of events. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Aslan. Since Kaplan’s departure, the kingdom had been abuzz with discussions about whether Aslan would become consort. However, Lysian didn’t tell Aslan about the situation. She didn’t want to unnecessarily worry him. Those who encountered Aslan also kept quiet. Not only had Lysian issued a stern warning, but no one had the courage to ask Aslan directly.

Though they despised Aslan, they also feared him. It was no wonder that despite his elevated status due to Lysian’s favor, no one dared to approach him.