Theia and Ruth appeared in room 106 just as Koutarou and the others had finished with breakfast. The two of them looked tired, and their expressions were dark and gloomy.
“...Good, you're all here”
Just as she turned up, Theia started speaking about something serious. Ruth was standing behind her, watching. Seeing the two like that, Koutarou could vaguely understand the severity of the trouble they were having.
“Everyone, there is something I'd like to say. May I have some of your time?”
As Theia said that, the girls who were busy with different things all gathered around the tea table without complaining. After waiting for everyone to sit down by the tea table, Theia slightly lowered her head.
“Thank you, I appreciate it”
“Theia, what happened?”
As Koutarou urged Theia to continue, their eyes met. And after looking at Koutarou for a while, Theia slowly continued speaking while she started to tear up.
“...Actually, it seems like my mother fell ill in Forthorthe”
“Your mother, Elle... uhm, you mean the current empress, her majesty Elfaria?”
Koutarou pulled that name out of his memory and asked Theia. In return, Theia nodded solemnly.
“Yes. My mother's body is not as sturdy as mine. It seems that she was so busy with her official duties that she fell ill”
“Oh yeah, the current Forthorthe is...”
Koutarou wasn't very knowledgeable about the state of the present day Forthorthe, but he remembered what Theia and Clan had mentioned. Theia's mother, Elfaria, was a pacifist that wished to disarm the military. As a result, her relationship with the army deteriorated and any reforms had reached a standstill. Since Elfaria would have to suppress the military's extreme backlash, Koutarou could easily imagine her becoming very busy with her official duty. And her body had been unable to deal with all the hard work she was forced to do.
”That's why... though I am very reluctant to do this...”
Theia paused for a moment to look at everyone gathered around the tea table before finally continuing.
”...I am thinking of returning to Forthorthe. And I will... give up on the rights to the throne”
When Theia spoke those words, the atmosphere in room 106 froze.