For over 40 years.
During this long ti, which might constitute soone's entire lifeti, the Queen had created many excellent laws and appointed many great subjects to enhance her glory while ruling England.
She was cunning and persistent enough to win power struggles that would have crushed lesser monarchs. Her keen mind saw three moves ahead in the chess ga of court politics, outmaneuvering rivals who underestimated the woman behind the crown. Otherwise, she would have already departed for the next world, her na rely a footnote in the chronicles of English sovereignty rather than emblazoned across the epoch that now bore her na.
The Queen's bluff about establishing a standing army was also the result of such cunning and persistence. She ticulously swayed public opinion in London over a long period, spreading rumors on the streets.
'The Queen is trying to build up an army!'
'She's trying to build an army loyal only to the royal family!'
And she mobilized vast resources to move the royal guard, creating a tense atmosphere. She carefully calibrated this bluff to look threatening to anyone who saw it.
As a result, no one could discuss the successor anymore.
No one could bother the Queen to her face.
She seed to have won again.
It seed that the rightful Queen of England was once again getting her share.
However.
She overlooked one fact.
"Think about it. What will happen when that witch, that harlot, gets an army!"
"B-but that's absurd, isn't it? There's no way the English royal family really has that kind of money..."
"They do."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...No way."
"That's right, Virginia! With the enormous funds coming from there...!"
Now she had Virginia behind her back.
For the English to take her words as a bluff, she had beco too powerful.
For conspirators to doubt the Queen's words, her power was more solid than ever.
That wasn't all.
"Wasn't this a predetermined situation from when Walter Raleigh started building up the royal guard?"
"That's right! When he killed the Earl of Essex on charges of attempted assassination of a foreign head of state, there was no one left to check him!"
Moreover, since Walter Raleigh, as a 'saint' and Captain of the Royal Guard, led the guard to save London, the presence of the Royal Guard had gradually increased.
The number of guards, which was only a few dozen at that ti, grew two to three tis. It was for inspecting slums.
Although the guard no longer played a substantial role after Raleigh's visits to England beca rare, everyone still rembered the sight of the guard patrolling the slums.
If the scale of that royal guard grew...
If the Queen's army beca more powerful...
It would be a disaster.
Thus, frightened people gathered.
Those who were dissatisfied with the Church of England, like Puritans and Catholics, joined hands.
And various nobles who had been expelled from the Queen's court moved.
"We need at least 500 sympathizers within London. To capture Her Majesty the Queen and deliver various demands to her..."
"Deliver demands? No, what about setting up soone else as king..."
The plan beca more concrete.
"First, we stir up the city councilors at St. Paul's Cathedral, then secure the Queen."
"The order should be reversed. Only after securing the Queen can we secure the city councilors."
And more detailed.
Robert Cecil, the Queen's favorite who would monitor this, was already busy. Unfortunately, at that ti, rumors spread that Spanish troops would land in northern Ireland.
The navy was too far away. Drake was busy doing his best to plunder the Spanish fleet sowhere far away in the Atlantic.
And.
Hundreds of people gathered in London over several months.
Essex House, a mansion devastated after the death of the Earl of Robert Devereux, was secretly fortified.
Danger approached right up to the Queen's feet.
==
It was still early morning.
The Queen slowly finished her prayers, got up, and completed her makeup as always. Then Saint Margaret Lawrence walked into her room to check her dental condition and complexion.
"Your Majesty, this is not good. What ti did you go to bed yesterday?"
"I went to bed a bit late. Curious what I was doing to be up so late..."
"Aaaaah!"
"I did nothing but read books. What were you thinking?"
"T-that... it's nothing."
"Hahaha! You're really amusing."
Patting the shoulder of the blushing Margaret, Elizabeth quietly looked out the window.
In the luxurious garden of the palace, all sorts of flowers were blooming in the midst of autumn. The Queen was quietly gazing at them when she turned her eyes toward the door due to so disturbing sound.
"Your Majesty, what's the matter?"
"Shh."
Elizabeth puts her finger to Lawrence's lips. Then she dismisses her ladies-in-waiting and imdiately has the door opened.
Just, slightly.
tal sounds are heard.
As the Queen quickly approached the door and put her face close to the gap, she could see the scene beyond. Just then, her most favored lady-in-waiting, Catherine Howard...
Slash!
Suddenly has her chest torn by a man's sword.
The lady-in-waiting who had served her for over 40 years collapses, bleeding on the floor. She again covers the mouth of Margaret, who tries to scream beside her.
At that mont, the Queen's brain quickly rotates and draws a single conclusion.
Treason.
...Why didn't I know?
Ah, damn, those cursed Spanish.
It took less than a few seconds to reach this inference. As the Queen raised her head, the face of the man who killed the lady-in-waiting was revealed.
It's the Earl of Southampton.
...What should I do?
What do they want? Can they kill ?
Whether they kill or whatever, what can they gain?
While she was thinking, dozens of other strong n gathered and filled the corridor. At that mont, the sll of blood rushed into the Queen's nose, accelerating her thinking.
She sets up several scenarios and runs thought experints.
Whether a woman over sixty has a chance to evade those strong n.
Or...
Fling!
The Queen did not hesitate.
As soon as the door opened, the bewildered strong n stopped in their tracks. The Queen shouted at them:
"What are you doing!"
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