Third-person POV

The palace hall had been transformed into something entirely different from what it had been just hours ago. Where there had been tension and just a bit of whispering here and there, there was now noise, movement, and the constant flashing of cameras that lit up the room. A crowd of reporters had gathered, their voices blending into one low, restless sound as they waited for the press conference to begin.

Microphones were set up in neat rows, cameras angled carefully toward the front where Jella stood, and every second that passed seemed to pull more attention toward her.

A little further away, hidden just enough to avoid being noticed, Electra and Irina stood side by side, watching everything unfold without stepping into the spotlight. The distance was intentional, and from where they stood, they could see everything clearly, but the crowd couldn't see them, and for now, that was exactly how Electra wanted it.

Irina had already explained everything to her, taking her time to go over details that Electra didn't care much about but still needed to understand. She had explained what the press was, how they worked, and why they were here, and even though Electra didn't seem particularly interested at first, she still listened. According to Irina, every major event in the kingdom was reported, and the death of a king, even one that had fallen out of favor, was not something that could be ignored.

"Everyone is watching this right now," Irina had said quietly, her eyes scanning the crowd as if she were trying to take in the intensity of the moment. "Not just the people here. The entire kingdom."

Electra had only glanced at her briefly when she said that, her expression calm, almost indifferent, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes that suggested she understood the importance of that detail more than she let on.

Now, as they stood in silence for a moment, Irina turned slightly toward her again, her expression shifting into something more serious. "So," she said, her voice low enough not to draw attention, "are you planning on showing yourself to the public?"

Electra didn't answer immediately. Her gaze stayed fixed on Jella, who stood at the front of the hall, perfectly composed as she prepared to speak. There was something about the way she carried herself that reconfirmed to Electra that she was used to moments like this, used to being watched, judged, and listened to all at once, and she loved the attention.

"I will," Electra said finally, her tone calm, almost casual, like she was talking about something far less important than it actually was. "But not yet."

Irina frowned slightly. "Not yet?" she repeated.

Electra's eyes narrowed just a little as she continued to watch Jella. "She called this," she said simply. "So I'll let her do whatever it is she thinks she's doing first."

There was something deliberate in the way she said it, something that suggested she wasn't just waiting for the right moment, she was waiting for something specific.

Irina studied her for a second before speaking again. "I don't have a problem with you going out there," she said, her tone honest but cautious. "But you should know what you're walking into. They're not going to go easy on you."

Electra didn't react.

"They're going to question you," Irina continued, her voice steady. "They're going to push, they're going to insult you, and they're not going to care about how you feel. To them, you're still…" she hesitated for a brief moment before finishing, "…something that shouldn't exist."

Electra turned her head slightly to look at her then, her brows pulling together in mild confusion, like she didn't fully understand why that was supposed to matter.

"And?" she asked simply.

Irina blinked once, caught slightly off guard by the response.

Electra shrugged lightly, her expression returning to its usual calm. "I don't care about that," she said, her voice flat, almost dismissive. "What they think doesn't change anything."

She paused for a moment before adding, "I'm not going out there for them."

Irina raised her brow slightly. "Then what are you going out there for?"

Electra's gaze shifted back to Jella, and this time, there was something sharper in her eyes, something that hadn't been there before.

"I want a confession," she said.

The words were simple, but the weight behind them was clear.

Irina frowned slightly, clearly not fully convinced. "A confession?" she repeated.

Electra nodded once, her attention still fixed ahead. "And what better day than today?" she added quietly. "In front of a crowd she gathered herself."

Irina didn't respond right away. She just watched her, her expression skeptical, like she wasn't entirely sure how Electra planned to make that happen, but she didn't argue either. There was no point. When Electra decided something, she didn't usually change her mind.

So instead, Irina let out a small breath and turned her attention back to the front of the room.

Jella had started speaking.

At first glance, she looked exactly how someone in her position was expected to look. Her posture was straight, her expression carefully controlled, and her voice carried just enough emotion to match the situation without seeming overdone, but there was something about it that didn't sit right, at least not to someone who was paying attention closely.

Her eyes glistened slightly, and when she spoke, her voice wavered just enough to suggest grief.

"This is a tragic day for the kingdom," Jella said, her tone heavy, her words calculated as she addressed the crowd in front of her. "No matter what has happened in the past, no matter the mistakes that were made, no one deserves to lose their life in such a brutal way."

She paused briefly, lowering her gaze as if she needed a moment to collect herself, and when she looked back up, there was a faint shine in her eyes that could easily be mistaken for tears.

"King Vale…" she continued, her voice softer now, "may have betrayed both me and the kingdom, but he was still a man who once carried the burden of this crown, and for that alone, he deserved better than this."

The room was quiet, the reporters listening carefully, some of them already scribbling down notes, others holding their microphones a little closer.

"Regardless of what people may have thought of him," Jella added, "he was still a former king, and because of that, there will be a three-day mourning period in his honor."

The words settled into the room, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Behind the crowd, Irina let out a quiet scoff, shaking her head slightly as she watched Jella continue her performance. "I hate people like that," she muttered under her breath, her tone filled with clear disgust. "People who can just stand there and fake everything like it's nothing. Sometimes I wish I could be like that though because it seems like they have it easier than brutes like us."

Electra didn't look away from Jella as she spoke, but a small, almost amused expression crossed her face.

"Then we wouldn't have become friends," she said simply.

Irina glanced at her, confused. "What?"

Electra's lips curved slightly, not quite a smile, but close enough to suggest she found something about the situation mildly entertaining. "I don't think my old self would have liked someone like that," she added, her voice calm, almost thoughtful. "Someone who pretends."

Irina let out a short breath, shaking her head again. "Maybe," she said.

Electra's gaze sharpened slightly as she continued to watch Jella, her attention fully locked on her now.

"After you see what happens to her," Electra said quietly, "you'll like yourself even more."

Irina raised a brow, her expression shifting into something closer to curiosity now. "I bet I will," she replied, her tone dry, but there was a faint hint of interest in her voice.

They both fell silent after that, their focus returning fully to the scene in front of them as Jella continued to speak, her voice carrying across the room with ease, and her performance flawless to anyone who didn't know better.