[The first part is easier to consider - and Edelgard's right. Of course she's right. While House Gloucester's lands may be ruled by a steady and careful hand, not all lands are so lucky. Houses have fallen into ruin due to terrible leadership, but the more frightening option is that they continue, leading into more and more generations of people unfit to guide their people. He knows. He knows, and yet he desperately wants to cling to the idea that nobility is the proper way to govern, because anything else...
Anything else is terrifying. It's new, and unknown, and relying on so many things he can barely wrap his head around—
But she isn't wrong. Lands ruled by people who actually know how to lead, to guide their people to prosperity, regardless of lineage would ultimately be far better than the stagnant nature of nobility. He understands, and some part of him hates that he understands. If he didn't, he could simply shrug this off and...
And what?
Thankfully, Edelgard keeps going and he doesn't have time to stop and think about that. Her words are perhaps the most open and honest he's ever heard from her, and it's clear that this isn't easy for her to discuss. He only has a small piece of the story and what's shaped Edelgard up until this point, but he's starting to see that he was woefully wrong about so much of her.
A woman willing to throw the world into war in order to force it to change is his soulmate. The idea should be terrifying, but as the shock slowly begins to wear off, he finds he feels a nearly overwhelming sadness instead. What happened to her to cause her to decide this is truly the only way?]
...Edelgard.
[It's soft, full of an emotion he can't place, and isn't sure he really understands. He reaches out then, opening a hand to her, if she'll take it.]
I had thought to reject the idea of a soulmate as well. When I arrived here, my plan was to find a suitable wife to stand beside me when I inherited House Gloucester. I saw nothing wrong with this.
I must admit, when I discovered you were my soulmate, my thoughts did drift there on occasion. A marriage into House Hresvelg could only serve to strengthen House Gloucester. But thinking about it like that... I felt it wasn't right to consider such a thing.
So I wanted to get to know you, and in doing so... I believe I've learned more about myself as well; about what I am and am not willing to do. I never wanted to force you into being my soulmate, and I never wanted to insist on pursing anything even after you felt the connection as well. I am very glad I've had the opportunity to get to know you so well, and I consider you a dear friend.
[At the very least, though it feels like that's nowhere near enough to express just how much she means to him.
Lorenz takes a deep breath to steady himself, and then presses onward.]
I understand that the nobility is stagnant, and the reliance on crests is abhorrent. We've seen so many people suffering under both. I... have not been quite as cognizant of it as you have, but I can't simply turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
A world in which leaders will only be those fit to lead, without a reliance on crests... It certainly sounds like a wonderful dream. But Edelgard, I must ask you... Is there truly no other way this can be accomplished? Is war the only path forward to such a future?
[The words are mostly even, perhaps surprisingly eloquent given just how much of a shock all this is, but Lorenz tries his best to be adaptable. It's a lot. It's so much to take in, and he can practically feel the weight of it on his shoulders. He can scarcely imagine how much more Edelgard has had to bear. But this... this is something he needs to know before he decides how to proceed. If peace and negotiation are out of the option, then...
Well, he suspects he already knows Edelgard's answer. He can't see her jumping to war if other options are available.]
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Anything else is terrifying. It's new, and unknown, and relying on so many things he can barely wrap his head around—
But she isn't wrong. Lands ruled by people who actually know how to lead, to guide their people to prosperity, regardless of lineage would ultimately be far better than the stagnant nature of nobility. He understands, and some part of him hates that he understands. If he didn't, he could simply shrug this off and...
And what?
Thankfully, Edelgard keeps going and he doesn't have time to stop and think about that. Her words are perhaps the most open and honest he's ever heard from her, and it's clear that this isn't easy for her to discuss. He only has a small piece of the story and what's shaped Edelgard up until this point, but he's starting to see that he was woefully wrong about so much of her.
A woman willing to throw the world into war in order to force it to change is his soulmate. The idea should be terrifying, but as the shock slowly begins to wear off, he finds he feels a nearly overwhelming sadness instead. What happened to her to cause her to decide this is truly the only way?]
...Edelgard.
[It's soft, full of an emotion he can't place, and isn't sure he really understands. He reaches out then, opening a hand to her, if she'll take it.]
I had thought to reject the idea of a soulmate as well. When I arrived here, my plan was to find a suitable wife to stand beside me when I inherited House Gloucester. I saw nothing wrong with this.
I must admit, when I discovered you were my soulmate, my thoughts did drift there on occasion. A marriage into House Hresvelg could only serve to strengthen House Gloucester. But thinking about it like that... I felt it wasn't right to consider such a thing.
So I wanted to get to know you, and in doing so... I believe I've learned more about myself as well; about what I am and am not willing to do. I never wanted to force you into being my soulmate, and I never wanted to insist on pursing anything even after you felt the connection as well. I am very glad I've had the opportunity to get to know you so well, and I consider you a dear friend.
[At the very least, though it feels like that's nowhere near enough to express just how much she means to him.
Lorenz takes a deep breath to steady himself, and then presses onward.]
I understand that the nobility is stagnant, and the reliance on crests is abhorrent. We've seen so many people suffering under both. I... have not been quite as cognizant of it as you have, but I can't simply turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
A world in which leaders will only be those fit to lead, without a reliance on crests... It certainly sounds like a wonderful dream. But Edelgard, I must ask you... Is there truly no other way this can be accomplished? Is war the only path forward to such a future?
[The words are mostly even, perhaps surprisingly eloquent given just how much of a shock all this is, but Lorenz tries his best to be adaptable. It's a lot. It's so much to take in, and he can practically feel the weight of it on his shoulders. He can scarcely imagine how much more Edelgard has had to bear. But this... this is something he needs to know before he decides how to proceed. If peace and negotiation are out of the option, then...
Well, he suspects he already knows Edelgard's answer. He can't see her jumping to war if other options are available.]