The Rose Of The South
Epilogue: The Queen of the West

"So what are you now? King Westeria?"

"Not." He laughed casually in response. But my heart hurts to hear it. "Westeria has no king. Westeria has only the Queen and the Queen's spouse. I'm still prince Nordhalbinsel."

I should have gone straight in and greeted my guest instead of standing for a moment at the door and eavesdropping on the conversation between my guest and my husband. But I'm not ready to meet the man who got the nickname Mad Wolf from the North.

Elias is the twin brother of Queen Eleanor. I had met him before when he invited me to participate in the event of the determination of the heir to the throne of Nordhalbinsel to support his twin sister at the request of King Xavier. I've talked to him. But it seems like I will never get used to dealing with him.

I think it's natural. I am the Queen of Westeria, a land of peace without war. We Westerians should avoid conflict with other countries as much as possible. Since the leadership of my predecessor, Queen Elizabeth, and even before, Westeria has never been in conflict with any country. And now I have a responsibility to maintain that peace. But General Elias was a man familiar with warfare, bloodshed, and his arrival was a bad omen for my kingdom.

I owe it to King Xavier, he was my friend and brother Jeffrey. I have also sent letters to Queen Eleanor lately, she is a very friendly person. Our kingdom's relationship with their kingdom is arguably like a brotherly relationship. And I have no intention of breaking that fraternal relationship. Allying with a kingdom that has a strong military and is full of talented witches is an advantage for us, no doubt. But if I can, I want our country to be kept out of the war. Whereas I heard Orient was preparing to attack Nordhalbinsel due to the death of Prince Yi who was allegedly killed by Queen Eleanor. Not that I believe in those weird rumors. Queen Eleanor was not that kind of person.

But I'm pretty sure General Elias' arrival to our Palace this morning was to talk about the matter.

As I entered the room, my guests and my husband stood up and bowed respectfully to me. I will never get used to this sight. Seeing my own husband bowing respectfully before me. I think I understand why Elizabeth never married as long as she was Queen. He definitely could not bear to see the man he loved act like that. Unfortunately, I cannot make my husband King. It's the rule like that in this country.

"Did I make you wait a long time, General?" I asked with the perfect Nordhalbinsel language. Sometimes, so often I talk to my husband using his mother tongue, I accidentally speak Nordhalbinsel with the people of Westeria. A Queen cannot forget her own language.

General Elias, like most northern men, had an impeccable manners. "Of course not, Your Majesty."

I motioned for my ladies and guards to leave us. I knew this conversation would require privacy. But I kept Jeffrey by my side. Need it.

Jeffrey is still mourning his father's death. He claimed to have never been close to his father, rarely even chatting with him, but he was still very sad when he got the news from his mother. We attended his father's funeral and attended King Xavier's coronation. Jeffrey looked fine at the time. But as soon as we returned to the Palace, she cried. He said the late King is not a perfect King because no King is perfect. But he's a man who strives to be a King for his people, a husband for his wives and a father for his children. I think I understand what that means. No matter how great our efforts of leaders are, we cannot be the best in the eyes of everyone. We are not perfect because we are only leaders of a country, not gods.

I am not twenty years old yet. My birthday is seven months away. I haven't been queen for a year. I'm still very new to this. Still very young. While in front of me right now is a General who if the information from Theana is not wrong, is twenty-six years old, and has been experienced in his field for many years. He was the right-hand man of King Xavier and the twin brother of Queen Eleanor. And he'll be Grand Duke Winterthur later. How should I behave?

I keep remembering Jeffrey's words every time I'm faced with a situation like this, "Show me you're the Queen."

I am the Queen of Westeria.

But just before I opened the conversation, the General had already first knelt before me. General Elias Winterthur, Leader of the Wolf Army, kneels before me.

"Baginda Queen, I need your help." He said in a pleading tone. The northerners with their distinctive accents that always sound haughty are very incompatible with such pleading tones. "Please, let me and my troops enter Westeria and look for someone."

"Your squad? You want to bring hundreds of wolves into my kingdom?" I unintentionally raised my voice so surprised. We may be able to accept the presence of one Wolf. But not with hundreds of predatory wolves that could kill an entire city in an instant. "Who are you looking for that requires your army to enter my territory?"

Jeffrey was standing next to me. I immediately clasped his hand, linking our fingers. Need it.

"Princess Seo-Hwa of the Orient. We have to find him immediately. The orders of King Xavier."

General Elias knows how much I respect King Xavier. So he purposely uttered that sentence at the end so that I could not refuse him.

I again asked in a voice that hopefully sounded calm and dignified like a Queen. "And what makes you so sure that Princess Seo-Hwa is in Westeria?" I must not immediately give him permission just because it is an order from King Xavier. I knew I would never have gotten my crown if it wasn't for the help of King Xavier. But this is my country and I'm the only one leading here. Not King Xavier. Nor is the Winterthur Wolf in front of me.

"The aroma..." When the General said that, I swore I could see his wolf behind his perfect face. "I smell it in your area."

Is he a bloodhound? But I didn't say it. Because most likely it is true.

"For what? Why do you want to look for him?" My voice did not shake at all. I am the Queen of Westeria. I'm not bowing to anyone.

But this time, he no longer spoke as my guest who was begging for permission. This time he was a General from the North. The Mad Wolf of the North. I was reminded that for hundreds of years, for generations, his family was black witch hunters - witches who used forbidden magic for bad things. They turned into wolves and hunted witches and tore their bodies with their fangs. That fang is what I see now. As if ready to pounce. His icy blue eyes seemed to be glistening dangerously under the light of the crystal. Jeffrey tightened his grip on me so I wouldn't be afraid.

"Because Princess Seo-Hwa can save our kingdom from the threat of an Orient attack. And that means saving your kingdom from the threat of Orient attack as well."

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