I had stayed in Edina only because I couldn’t leave, but now that there was someone to take my place, I intended to leave Edina as soon as possible.  0

I planned to depart the very next day after finishing my preparations.  0

The night before my departure, Charlotte came to see me.  0

Harriet hadn’t returned to the bedroom yet, saying she had to make some preparations for my departure.0

Charlotte seemed extremely flustered at first when she realized that I shared a bedroom with Harriet, but she didn’t ask me anything. 0

In a way, not asking about it made it even more awkward. It was as if she had decided to believe that since I had made that decision, it was fine. But keeping quiet about it was just so much stranger.0

Charlotte stepped out of the bedroom and onto the deserted terrace.  0

“Reinhart, I have something to ask,” Charlotte said.  0

“What is it?”  0

“I want to know the extent of my authority. I need you to clarify it.”  0

Did she mean she wanted to know exactly how far she could go?  0

After all, Charlotte was an outsider who had just rolled in.0

Even though she had confidence that she would govern better than me, it was true that she had suddenly been put on the throne of a nation with a system of governance that had somehow been running for two years.  0

Charlotte looked out the window, her expression giving nothing away. “I think I can definitely assert control over the demons and vassals under me. But as you know, the Senate and the other founding contributors are your friends and collaborators. There’s a high possibility that I wouldn’t be able to...0