Published at 7th of February 2023 5:52 pm

Chapter 364 Realization

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It took Diana two minutes to calm herself down and composed herself after the emotional breakdown that possessed her to something that she wouldn’t normally do.

Alexander found her action to be understandable. If the person who killed his parents is sitting across from him, he too would lose his rationality and begin attacking them in a way unimaginable.

Anne was an executive member of the Black Hand, which would make her an accomplice to the death of Alexander’s parents. If not for his state of existence that he is not the real Alexander, there’s no doubt, instead of stopping the fight, the real Alexander would be even glad to join Diana.

“So, I see that we have calmed. Can we start this discussion now?” Alexander began, crossing his legs and placing his hand atop one knee while he looked at Anne with those piercing eyes of his. “I want you to be truthful, tell everything that I want to know about the Black Hand. If you can’t do that, at least recall your past when the two of you siblings are having the joy of life, that would put some guilt in your mind.”

“I won’t say anything. My loyalty is with the Black Hand. You’ll have to kill me for that,” Anne resisted.

“I just dropped a nuclear bomb that killed the leadership of the Black Hand. I know there are some of you but without your chain of command, you are just mindless ants without a Queen. Can’t do anything for themselves, can’t decide anything for themselves. A minion, or worse, a pawn to a flawed ideal world.”

“I had made up my mind. I will not share with you even a tiny bit of info about my associates. Just hand me over to the Britannia Empire and have them execute me for my crimes…”

Alexander smiled smugly. “The moment I mentioned dropping a nuclear bomb at Washington D.C, your face turned pale. Though you already knew it as you have probably read it in the newspaper I gave you. I don’t mind dropping it again in cities like London, Rome, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna.”

“Should you do that, you’ll become the enemy of the world,” Anne smirked. “The whole world would unite to stop you. I don’t think you are the kind of man who would pull off such a thing.”

“Oh, I don’t mind if the populace gets angry. As long as the Black Hand went extinct, that’s fine by me. After all, it’s the most important goal of my life. I’ll stop at nothing, I will not hesitate. Besides, we can pretty much handle it all by ourselves anyway, so that line of words won’t work on me. Just give us who are the people in the countries we are at war with and get this over with.”

After being silent for about a minute, Diana decided to join the conversation.

“Does it not really mean to you? Our family? Is that really that much of a selfish person? Your negative mind has shrouded your rational thinking. Father did not hate you, or mother, even me.”

“Don’t lecture me about selfishness when you didn’t even get to experience what I have been through,” Anne said coldly, staring daggers at Diana.

“We loved you,” Diana replied with sincerity, tears flowing down her cheeks. She wiped them with the back of her hand, hoping that they wouldn’t notice. It seems that it isn’t going to be that easy to hide it. “We all did. I don’t know how you strayed on your path but we had never, ever, once thought of you of something that you think bad of yourself.”

Diana stood, trying to look as composed as possible but it seems that it wasn’t that successful. “Yet, what you did was unforgivable, a sin that can never be forgiven. At least repent by helping Alexander, to put an end to the tyranny of this terrorist organization that did nothing but killed innocent civilians and plunged the world into a war that it didn’t deserve.”

“There must be a time when you truly cared for your sisters or your family,” Alexander interrupted and continued. “Anne, try to believe in your family’s bond. Forget about your position as the executive of the Black Hand for a moment. I’m certain there was a time when even you two simply lived as older sister and younger sister.”

Anne closed her eyes, memories flitting across her mind. There was indeed a time in her life that they acted as older and younger sisters. At the age of six, when their cousins were picking up on her, Diana stepped in and confronted them. Due to her position back then, they feared her, and so they fled.

It was at that time that Diana made a promise. That she would protect her from everything. Fast forward to five years, Anne was amazed at Diana’s capabilities, her knowledge of politics and academics impressed their father. Anne was good in those fields too, but not as good as Diana. After all, Diana was a genius.

Anne only had talent, so she couldn’t match despite her best efforts. And little by little, it was as if her existence was gradually losing.

There was a time when she was fourteen when she had an opportunity to visit a city where a coal mine collapsed, killing hundreds of men and children. She tried helping them by making a personal plea to her father but it was rejected, telling her that she shouldn’t meddle with the lives of the common folks.

Visited a slum where hundreds of men, living in the gutter, begging for spare chains from the passerby. It was at that time that she believed that it was the royal duty of the royal family to help them. But all responses she got were to not think about them as if they were just worthless trash.

That was cruel to her. Isn’t it the goal of the government to help its people? And what are they doing? Going overseas and taking land upon land while suppressing those who lived on it.

What’s worse, even Diana was on board with the idea of imperialism. It was at that moment she realized her country had lost its way. There are a lot of Britannian citizens suffering and the government or even the monarch couldn’t care less about it. She proposed sensible tax policies that would make the Britannia Empire stronger economically than the others without resorting to violence, but just like before, it was ignored.

Frustrated, Anne had lost her faith in the country, until one man approached her during one of the parties the royal family hosted.

He said.

“You hate it right? When your citizens are suffering from the poverty they are here partying as if everything is okay. You have tried your best to serve your people but it wasn’t enough. You need political power, without it, no matter how sensible your idea is, it wouldn’t be even considered. I believe you will be a fine addition to our group, undertaking a noble cause of ending this cycle. Your Highness Anne Mary Edinburgh, I would like to invite you to the organization called the Black Hand and become the Britannia Empire’s shepherdess. You help us get what we want, and we’ll help you get what you want. So, what is it going to be?”

And that was the time Anne was lured to the idea of this ideal world created by the Black Hand. It aligned with her goals, but it is without its catch. She provided them with information, and they’ll provide her with information that she can use to manipulate members of the parliament that are involved in a variety of scandals. She gained political power but it wasn’t enough. To truly turn this country around, she had to be the next Queen of the Britannia Empire.

But her sister was the next in line. The only way she could become a Queen is if Diana died or her father changed his decision to make her become the Queen instead.

The latter one was impossible but the former one is achievable. For the sake of her country, she made her hardest decision.

***

Anne looked up at the ceiling, stopping tears from falling down her face. Thinking about what she had done so far, she is beginning to realize all the wrongdoings she committed. Though she was aware of it in the past and fine with it since they are working on a noble goal, what has the Black Hands done so far other than killing people upon people?

She doesn’t want to see it that way. She wants to prove something to her sister. However, it’s too late for that.

“Anne?” Diana said in the most sincere tone, she continued with her voice breaking. “I’m sorry, for not protecting you from the Black Hand…”

Finally, Anne lowered her gaze and looked at Anne, her sister.

Anne’s lower lips began to tremble, and at last, the tears filled her eyes.

“Sister…”

Anne’s heart was being crushed from all sides. She had never felt the feeling of grief before, not to this degree. She had done a lot of unspeakable things to the point forgiveness would be out of option. She wanted to be comforted where Diana would hug her. But given the situation now, and Diana’s hatred towards her, she knew it would be impossible, and presumptuous to ask.

“Mama…papa…everyone…I’m sorry..!” In spite of knowing she wouldn’t be forgiven, she still asked for it. “Sister…I’m sorry…I have lost…my way…” Anne whimpered.

Unexpectedly, Diana rushed towards her, not to attack her but to embrace her.

Anne stopped crying for a second, surprised at Diana’s sudden action.

“Sister…I know…I know…I can’t be forgiven, but please…let me say it…”

Diana didn’t reply, instead, continued hugging her until Anne calmed down.

Alexander let them have their moment by watching from behind. He grabbed a note and a pen, preparing it as if it seems like Anne is going to give in.

And it happened.

“Bring me that…I’ll write down everything I know about Black Hand.”

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