Difference

Elizabeth was absent-minded. 

What happened last night was the most terrifying experience in her life. It made her doubt everything. 

"What am I fighting for?" she thought. 

All this time, she thought she was fighting for equality and a better life for commoners. 

But that man, John, was so terrifying that the world now seems illusory. 

Elizabeth has a strong feeling that John is as strong as the man who installed Mark I and could kill thousands with only snapping fingers. 

In this case, why is she bothering to fix anything? All she does can go to waste with the snap of one of those supernatural creatures.

"So depressing!" She frowned and almost cried. 

She wasn't someone who cried a lot. But feeling she lost her direction, her life's meaning, she couldn't help but cry. 

After a while, she wiped her face, making sure nobody knew she cried. Women crying is a stereotype, and she never wants to amplify it. 

With this, she moved to the royal court. In any case, she will continue her resolve to make things better. 

As for what if one of those supernatural creatures destroys it? Well, that would be too bad.

…

Waking up, Alex III started his usual communication with Rob. 

Rob has many soul splits, all delivering information directly to his mind. Those soul splits also collect information on Alex's side.

Alex III has set up this process recently; sometimes, he may not check back for thousands of years, but he usually checks every few hundred years. 

After all, if something that important happens, Rob can alarm him. 

This time, after getting updated, Alex III frowned. 

Rob just updated him on Mark I, Mark II, other kings after him, and Elizabeth I.

His making Mark a king was acting willfully; Alex III had no purpose behind it. 

What made him pay attention was Elizabeth's actions. 

She was a very determined person and looked like a candidate for becoming a vampire.

Reviewing her policies, Alex III thought, "Her ideas are naive and nonsensical, but she is determined and focused."

In Alex's opinion, equality, fairness, right and wrong, justice, and all of these concepts are nonsense:

Equality doesn't exist. Everyone's fate is determined at birth.

If the parents are wealthy, the child will have a happy life; if not, they will have to try to feed themselves for the rest of their lives.

How smart one is and what talents they have is also determined at birth.

Some people are born talented, while others are born dumb; as for putting efforts to make up for the lack of talent, that is nonsense, too; strong willpower is also a talent and one of the most useful ones.

The location one is born in, the birth situation, wealth, health, and many others are decided by birth, so what part of it all is exactly equal? 

As for fairness, everything is fair. Everything is fair as it is. 

For example, one person may have much better talent and qualifications for a job. Still, the job was given to a less qualified person because of a recommendation letter from the less qualified person's father. 

Is that unfair? No, it is not. 

Indeed, that person's father worked hard to reach that position in which he could help his child. Why wouldn't parents' efforts count? 

Some are born to rich parents who want their children to have better lives; the parents have the right to provide better lives for their children; they work hard for the money they have.

Even if they didn't, some ancestors worked hard somewhere in the family line to get rich and bless their future generation. 

Some being nobles and some being commoners is also fair. Those nobles' ancestors have taken significant risks to help create the kingdoms; why should their efforts be ignored? 

In Alex III's opinion, everything is fair, and anyone who complains is making excuses. 

As for right and wrong? Anything that helps one achieve their goal is right, and anything that doesn't is wrong.

That is a straightforward concept Alex III believes in. 

Restricting oneself with 'morals' others created is nonsense. Why should Alex III care about killing 'innocents'? He will kill the entire world if it helps him. 

He honestly doesn't believe there is any bottom line; as long as he wins, who will remember how many innocents he killed? 

The answer is that even if anyone remembers, they wouldn't dare say it. 

Only those who use all means reach their goals; in this competitive world, those who restrict themselves leave the road open for others.

Justice? Power is justice. Weakness is sin. 

Justice is an illusion that those who are weak stick to. There is no justice or karma in this world. 

Alex III already checked; he believes in reincarnation in this world but no karma. 

Elizabeth believes in all of those concepts. 

She is trying to help the weak, make the world a 'just' place, reduce inequality, etc. 

All of those are nonsensical goals Alex III has contempt for. 

As a king, one must look for a way to extend one's lifespan. 

When one dies, it's game over. Even though reincarnation exists, the memories would be wiped in the process. 

Without memories, one might as well completely die. Reincarnation without memories is useless. 

Instead, Elizabeth is trying to make the kingdom 'equal.' 

So, what does it become equal? People still live for a few years, then die. 

What is the difference between a person who lived for 100 years in joy, then died, and another who lived 100 years in grief, then died? 

Aren't both dead in the end? 

Both rot, disappear, and are forgotten the same. 

There is no difference. 

The only thing that matters is survival. 

The best survival is if one, like Alex III, can find a way to immortality, but other ways exist, such as leaving a name for oneself or having many children. 

Alex III believes immortality is the only kind of survival worth fighting for. 

As for leaving a name so future generations remember them, that is not helpful. 

In Alex III's opinion, Elizabeth's ideas are naive, but her determination is strong.

She has fought a callous environment to implement those changes. 

First, the male-centric kingdom resisted her at every turn as a woman. 

Even though she did her best to help commoners, most hated her. She knows the commoners hate her, but she still tries to help them. 

She tried to win over nobles despite them doing all they could to ruin her reputation. She never used dirty tricks, like resorting to false accusations or assassinations. 

She remained upright throughout all of these ordeals. 

She is a lawful good type. She would make a good vampire. 

The best vampires Alex III made are those with Elizabeth's personality. 

After living long and seeing the world's truth, they gradually became ruthless and determined. 

Those are good subordinates. 

With this thought, Alex III disappeared.

...

Elizabeth didn't know the biggest villain in history targeted her. 

She would have disagreed with every point Alex III thought if she knew of them. 

She believes there is right and wrong, fairness and justice, and people can change their destiny. 

A lot is determined by birth, but one can still change one's destiny by working hard. Humans do have the freedom to choose and act in many cases. 

Elizabeth became king because she displayed her abilities to her father. She read books while her friends were playing in the yard. She wrote essays for her father while her brothers were busy in nightclubs. 

She didn't get all she had only by luck; she worked for them. 

Right and wrong exist. 

Harming the innocent is wrong, no matter how one tries to justify it. Helping the poor and the needy is good, no matter how much one tries to argue against it. 

People know it instinctively, and those who argue against it aren't sound in mind. 

Those concepts are so self-evident that even arguing about them may sound absurd. 

Justice exits. The world is not working according to human concepts of justice, but human kingdoms must be just. 

Evil must be punished, and good must be rewarded. 

Some may try to blur the line, but the line is clear. 

Everyone can recognize evil acts when seeing them. The same is true of good acts. 

Humans inherently know when they witness a kind act. 

Elizabeth believes the world would be heaven if everyone tried to do good while avoiding evil. Her lifelong goal is to try to make everyone kinder.

Trying to extend her life alone is selfish; she can make a far more significant impact if she can change the culture.

Looking at the few people in the royal court, she said, "I want to issue a decree." 

The Marquis of Westfire City said, "I wonder what your majesty has in mind?" 

He is the leader of the noble faction, so his questions represent nobles' positions. 

"It's about hunger; I have heard about children suffering from malnutrition in some territories in the south. I want to increase taxes on nobles to pay for food for those children," she said. 

Her heart bleeds when she thinks of those hungry children still existing in her kingdom; while she has so much food, she doesn't know what to do with it. 

Living conditions are excellent in the areas near Blue Blood City, and nobody is hungry, but things are different in the south. 

Those southern nobles have increased taxes recently and leave very little for their subjects. 

The Duke of Westfire City said while frowning, "The food should be handed over to the nobles!" 

Increasing taxes on nobles is beyond the purview of the House of Blue Bloods. Elizabeth can raise taxes if they are less than a specific limit. 

But the Marquis and the noble faction never accepted the royal forces directly interfering in nobles' matters, even if it was for feeding hungry children. 

Elizabeth's heart sank. 

Those nobles would squander all that food if she gave it to them. 

"I will send royal observers," she said, compromising slightly. 

"No," the Marquis rejected firmly. 

"Marquis Westfire, we are talking about feeding hungry children!" Elizabeth said, a bit angry. 

"WE are talking about your majesty trying to reduce our authority!" Marquis Westfire retorted. 

After not reaching any deal, Elizabeth shook her head and said, "We will discuss it later."

...

Outside the city gates, a man in white cloth and with an umbrella appeared. 

He enjoyed going through the gate. He had done it many times and was going to do it again. 

Instead of jumping into the city, he would go through the gate. 

Singing, he went toward the gate.