Chapter 37 - The Two Empires
The most interesting thing about Sophia's appearance wasn't that she had turned up out of nowhere, but what it would entail. In order to understand why she was here now, it would be important to understand why she originally appeared in the otoge. As the Princess of the neighbouring Empire, she was initially supposed to attend the academy after turning 18, as she would become a prospective bride for Helios. It would make sense, the two are powerful in their own right and would allow for a union of the two Empires. While our Empire of Amal was known for it's economic prosperity, the Empire of Albard was known for their military prowess. Having a union of the two would make each one powerful to a degree that it would be near impossible to harm either one substantially. It was, as one might say, the nail in the coffin for any others who had hoped for the downfall of either of the two. Sophia should have come later as a marriage candidate and brought with her hope for an even more successful Amal Empire as dowry. It felt like an obvious conclusion as the marriage would be mutually beneficial. That was, of course, if everything had gone as expected.
In reality, life was a lot crueler than that. What we couldn't imagine would often become reality. Sophia was in fact a traitor. She would hold the title of the woman who would soon become the mother of the Amal Empire, the one who would bring a new definition of prosperity to both Empires. But behind closed doors, her father had sent her to assassinate Helios. If they could do so, it would be easy to take down the Amal Empire, as he was the only proper heir to the throne. The moment he was gone, it would need to be passed down by lineage, but none of the others would have received as much education as he did when it came to knowing how to become a ruler. Leadership qualities were not something inherent, they were taught. And it's a shame to say that no one was taught,even remotely, as much as he had, but it was the truth. In order to be successful, it was important to create a feeling of unrest among the general population. Distrust in superiors would lead to conflict within and would weaken the morale of the people, making it much easier to infiltrate and take over the land. Being handed what you wanted is always preferable to having to fight for it, as it would save time, money and effort.
They knew that if we had lost Helios, grief would strike us and we would be shackled by this sense of hopelessness that we wouldn't be able to shake. Sophia would act as a catalyst that would bring the Empire of Albard from one of the two most influential Empires, to the only one. It was perhaps the easiest way for Albard to take over Amal, and would certainly be the most effective. An empire without its leader is most likely to lose all sense of direction. People needed someone to place on the pedestal, even if it was just a figurehead who couldn't do anything themselves. The moment that happened, we were as good as over. In the face of the strongest opponent, a person who held power in name only, was no use. The new leader would be climbing up the ranks like a lamb to the slaughter, clearly unaware of how they would now have a bounty on their head.
That was the plan of Sophia's father. Sophia, as the main villainess, was in some ways the main boss that must be defeated in order to achieve a happily ever after, and in others she was nothing more than a pawn for her father. She would bend to her father's will in an attempt to please him, to be praised. It was common enough for children to act according to their parents wishes in hopes for love and affection, and even more common if a child is raised in that manner from a young age. If she had been convinced that she needed to play her part in order to defeat the enemy and help her Empire, would she be able to say no? Children are vulnerable like that. They like to believe that they're adults, and it's that misconception that does them the most harm. In thinking of themselves as powerful and intellectual, they become vulnerable to manipulation. They act based on what they have been told but remain under the impression that it was their own decision. Sophia was both calculating and naive. She was outspoken but reserved when needed; her father had no use for a child brave enough to speak her own mind.
Did I feel sorry for her? Most likely, yes. But it's hard to tell as I didn't know where she fell in line with her parents' beliefs. How old would a person need to be to make their own decisions? How much could you extract a person from their surroundings and determine that which falls solely on them? It was a massive grey area and views would differ substantially. If she came at age 18 as planned, to act as a spy, would she be solely responsible or would it be her parents, who convinced her to do so? One man's traitor was another man's hero, the blurriness would not go away no matter how objectively you might try to look at it. Determining accountability has always been such a trifling matter since it would constantly differ based on the people and the situation. Even if I did not blame her for doing as she was told, could I remain impartial to the fact that she went against her own morals and knowingly wanted to harm others?
As with every otome game, there were countless endings to each game, all dependent on the choices the player would make. Somewhat regretfully, I would have to admit that I was not someone who was as invested in a game as perhaps others might be. Once I had finished one route, that was all for me. My interest in things never lasted long enough for me to dedicate my time playing anything to achieve a different ending. The moment I had completed one thing, I would move on to the next. This often presented itself as my inability to hold down a single hobby, or my struggle to know what to study because I knew I couldn't enjoy anything for too long.
Well, regardless of all of that, all that mattered was that I was only able to play enough to complete one route. Due to that, I wouldn't be able to say what would happen in the other situations or had Sophia been successful in assassinating Helios. I was just as oblivious and ignorant as others, especially given that the situation had changed entirely. If anything, I might be at a bigger loss as my past memories continuously shape my present. If there was anything that could cause poor judgement, it was the presumption that I was more knowledgeable than I actually was. In the same way that expectations shape what a person sees, our reality is shaped by what we choose to see and what we choose to avoid. This was my very own Kanizsa Triangle, as I was seeing that which did not exist and yet continued to take form in my mind. How can one thing simultaneously be and not be? All I knew was that one situation that was a possibility was Sophia attempting to assassinate Helios in his sleep, but coming back unsuccessful. That was the only route I had completed. The memory in itself held absolutely no meaning, neither to me nor to Helios who may fall victim to the man trap that was Sophia herself. It was all a bunch of ifs, buts and maybes. Certainty was always just out of grasp.
If we were to push all of that aside and try to understand things from a non-prejudiced point of view, where would we stand? Sophia at the moment came as a symbol of peace. Much like in the game, she was brought as a proof of the Union between the two Empires. After all, it was highly common for children to have to bear the burden of their parents and of the joining of families. Were my parents not the same when they married one another for nothing but political gain? No one thought too much of her sudden appearance as Albard didn't have any strong hostility with us and had not been seen to be plotting our downfall in any way. What better way to attack than to do so stealthily? Because of this veil of innocence that they hid themselves under, there wasn't much concern for what Sophia was truly doing here. Everything was taken at face value and the peace we had was never interrupted. If anything, people seemed extremely excited to be acquainted with her. Quite different from myself, others didn't seem to know fear. At times I would wonder whether it was that I was strange or whether the world was completely naive and vulnerable. It could be a difference of interpretation, perhaps it was both. I would worry myself too much about what could be, and others would fail to think ahead and prepare for the worst. Between the two of us however, I had the shorter end of the stick. At least they would be able to enjoy their lives in their oblivious states, but I would constantly be on edge for what may never come. How long would I have to wait to realise that I was safe from the imaginary harm my mind would create?
I had decided that I would not judge Sophia until I myself got to know her, but that didn't mean I would leave myself open to hurt. I would get to know her, carefully, so as not to leave any stone unturned. If I was wrong, I would end up with blood on my hands and I couldn't live with that. Occasionally I wonder why I do this to myself. Why must I do anything at all when it was not my responsibility? I knew just as much as the next person so there was no obligation for me to act for the safety of others, we were all on the same boat. I suppose I'm just extremely nosy. I couldn't help but want to know, couldn't stop myself from wanting to help.