Imprisoned for a Trillion Years, I Was Worshipped by All Gods! - Chapter 670

Chapter 670: Chapter226-he Shackles of Neutrality
The middle-aged couple nodded repeatedly, offering unrelenting praise for Speaker Lizzie’s wise leadership throughout the recent crisis.

Yet Lizzie ignored their flattery completely. Her tone shifted as she stared out the window, her voice turning thoughtful.

“I don’t think this is the end of it. In fact… it feels like only the beginning.”

“Stephen lured bounty hunters with the promise of profit to surround and eliminate Alan. That much I expected. But I didn’t foresee NK Kingdom deploying elite forces to join in.”

Her gaze grew sharper as she continued, “And now, even the so-called ‘Dark Mage Mutual Aid Society’—a name I once thought was pure myth—has emerged into the light.”

“From this small-scale conflict at the Jacob Ruins, we can glimpse a greater truth… A reflection of today’s shifting global balance.”

“Every nation is becoming restless. Every mage is eager to seize opportunities for personal gain. In such an age of chaos… how much longer can our Kent Kingdom maintain its so-called neutrality?”

The wife was the first to catch the true meaning behind Lizzie’s words. She rushed to reassure her.

“Speaker, I believe you’re overthinking things. The fate of the world isn’t something our little Kent Kingdom could ever hope to control.”

“As my father used to say: a person’s whole life is spent tending their own tiny field—if they can manage even that, they’ve already succeeded.”

At that, Lizzie smiled faintly.

“Your father sounds like a man of great wisdom.”

The wife waved her hands in embarrassment.

“You flatter him, Madam Speaker. He’s just an old farmer.”

“Is that so?” Lizzie chuckled softly. “Since when does being a farmer exclude one from possessing great wisdom?”

Her words made the woman choke slightly, speechless for a moment.

“Nation and home—those aren’t separate concepts,” Lizzie continued. “Only by protecting the home can we protect the nation. If your father can manage his family and land with care, then at heart, his duties are no different than ours as lawmakers guiding a country.”

The woman blushed deeply, bowing repeatedly. “I was foolish. Thank you for your insight, Madam Speaker.”

“No harm done,” Lizzie said with a wave of her hand. “But tell me… what are Alan’s thoughts on his own nation?”

“He’s powerful, yes. But if he lacks the belief in serving his homeland, then all his strength is nothing more than hollow posturing.”

Before the wife could answer, her husband cut in with surprising eagerness.

“Madam Speaker, I anticipated this concern. I asked the Intelligence Division to look into it specifically.”

“It’s hard to explain in words, so I thought you’d prefer to see the surveillance footage yourself.”

As he finished speaking, the man conjured a mana-based projection in the air.

The footage was blurry, clearly recorded in secret from a remote and shadowed location—likely captured by kingdom spies stationed in enemy territory.

Because Kent Kingdom lies in the far northern reaches of the continent, its citizens are notably fair-skinned. That’s why, when they travel abroad, they often conceal their appearance with robes and hoods to avoid drawing attention.

Even so, despite the unclear resolution, Lizzie’s sharp eyes picked up on every detail.

She watched as the scene unfolded—footage taken from the day the Barton Kingdom launched its assault.

She saw innocent civilians of Ironblood City slaughtered in droves.

She saw the city’s guards crumble before the enemy’s ferocity, paralyzed by fear. Not one dared raise a weapon in resistance.

And then… in the midst of the chaos, a faint silhouette appeared.

A young man.

He wasn’t tall, nor particularly imposing. Compared to the armored soldiers around him, he looked almost frail.

And yet—it was that very figure who stepped forward.

While others fled, he stood his ground.

While the soldiers cowered, he advanced.

One man, facing an entire enemy army, hoping to defend Ironblood City with nothing but sheer will.

Foolish? Perhaps.

To shrewd politicians, such an act might seem nothing more than a suicidal gesture.

But Lizzie was different.

She was more than a politician. She was also a seasoned mage.

Long ago, she had studied under the great mage Jacob himself. From him, she learned that a mage’s strength came not merely from power—but from unwavering resolve and an unyielding heart.

And now, that very principle was embodied in this young man.

Alan.

He had honored Jacob’s philosophy—not in words, but in action.

Lizzie took in the rest of the projection, silent and still. When the final images faded, she understood why the Plantagenet Kingdom had risked diplomatic tension—even war—to protect Alan in secret.

Because Alan had once risked everything to protect innocent civilians of Ironblood City from Barton’s cruelty.

And now… the Plantagenet Kingdom owed him a debt.

A hero should not be forgotten. Nor should one be allowed to perish, nameless, on foreign soil.

As Lizzie sat there, a strange feeling rose within her.

Her mind drifted to the image of the young man who had once shared her bed.

Alan.

Her emotions were a tangled web.

At first, she had hated him. Deeply.

But the more she came to understand him, the more that hatred began to shift.

Into something else.

Admiration, perhaps. A strange resonance between two people who bore the burdens of leadership.

Perhaps even… something like longing.

Respect between heroes.

Affection between kindred spirits.

But whatever it was, Lizzie locked it tightly away in the depths of her heart.

She was the Speaker of the Kent Kingdom.

He… was the rising star of the Plantagenet Kingdom.

They were not meant to walk the same path.

“Madam Speaker?” the wife’s voice called out, snapping her from her thoughts.

Lizzie blinked and straightened. “Yes? Is something the matter?”

The wife hesitated, wringing her hands awkwardly.

“It’s nothing, really. I just wanted to ask—after the disturbance at the Jacob Ruins, Alan slew many high-ranking elites from powerful factions.”

“Surely he’ll face relentless retaliation—especially from NK Kingdom and the dark mages.”

“These factions are wounded now. They won’t rest until Alan is dead.”

“A single Sirius Academy can’t hope to stand against a coordinated attack from both of those giants. So I was wondering… should we, perhaps…”

“No.”

Lizzie’s refusal was immediate and firm.

“To help either side would destroy Kent’s reputation. Have you forgotten the founding principle of our parliamentary nation?”

“Only by remaining neutral can Kent ensure lasting peace and survival.”

“…Understood.”

Seeing the speaker’s stance so clearly stated, the wife no longer pressed the matter. She bowed respectfully and prepared to leave with her husband.

But as they turned to go, Lizzie spoke again.

“Though we cannot intervene, instruct the Intelligence Division to keep a close watch on the Plantagenet Kingdom.”

“If anything unusual occurs—I want to be informed immediately.”

“Yes, Madam Speaker.”

The woman answered crisply and exited in haste.

And once again, the chamber was silent.

Lizzie slowly walked to the door, bolted it shut, and let out a long sigh.

She slipped off her fur-lined cloak, letting it fall to the ground, revealing a dark violet dress clinging tightly to her form.

She slumped down against the doorframe, sliding to the floor, exhaustion etched across her face.

“To build a nation from nothing… is so difficult.”

“I wonder what he was thinking, standing alone against the Barton army…”

“Was he afraid?”

“Did he worry that all his struggles would lead to nothing?”

“That he had walked a doomed path from the very beginning?”

Lizzie whispered into the still air.

Whether to herself, or to a figure only she could see—no one could say.

But in that moment, the mighty Speaker of Kent Kingdom was just a woman, questioning the path she’d chosen… and the hero she could never have.