[In a way, it's perhaps better than Lorenz simply considers her a friend; it'll make all of this so much easier if he doesn't reciprocate, then she can kill him and accept that such love isn't something for her. Even so, she finds herself taking Lorenz's offered hand in a selfish manner, it's warmth something that renews her and yet only serves to remind her of how much these wretched feelings hurt.
But Edelgard listens to him, and she's not surprised by what she hears. She'd be naive to think that his thoughts didn't drift towards how marrying into House Hresvelg would benefit House Gloucester immensely. That his house would place importance on finding a suitable wife with a noble pedigree, rather than a wife who could properly support her husband.
And yet, as Edelgard listens, that fire is reignited anew; he clearly understands just what she's getting at, even if he doesn't see it the same way that she does. And the fact that he's never wanted to push her into pursuing a relationship is something she can appreciate as well, because it's clear he does care.
When he asks those questions of her, however, Edelgard's look steels again, and her answer is likely deeply unsurprising to him.]
No. This is the only way forward; even if I were to eventually succeed my father and become Empress without doing such things, nothing would change. I could sit everyone down and discuss with them the merits of such things for hours on end, and do you know what they would all do? They'd laugh me out of the room at best, and attempt to oust me for my insanity at worst. And why should they listen? This cruel, irrational world has only benefited them, and they're certainly not going to let anything change if that means they'll lose the power they cling to.
Even if the future rulers of Fódlan all came together and rallied behind such a cause, we would be stopped in our tracks at every turn. Whether it be the nobility or the church, nothing would possibly change, and we would all die before any impact could possibly be made.
That is why I must do so by force. [Edelgard's calm when she says that, because she knows it's what needs to be done.] In order to ensure that Fódlan will no longer stagnate, and to lead it to a brighter future, I will tear the old world asunder. It is the only way to lead Fódlan to a brighter future, and prevent such hideous things from happening again.
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But Edelgard listens to him, and she's not surprised by what she hears. She'd be naive to think that his thoughts didn't drift towards how marrying into House Hresvelg would benefit House Gloucester immensely. That his house would place importance on finding a suitable wife with a noble pedigree, rather than a wife who could properly support her husband.
And yet, as Edelgard listens, that fire is reignited anew; he clearly understands just what she's getting at, even if he doesn't see it the same way that she does. And the fact that he's never wanted to push her into pursuing a relationship is something she can appreciate as well, because it's clear he does care.
When he asks those questions of her, however, Edelgard's look steels again, and her answer is likely deeply unsurprising to him.]
No. This is the only way forward; even if I were to eventually succeed my father and become Empress without doing such things, nothing would change. I could sit everyone down and discuss with them the merits of such things for hours on end, and do you know what they would all do? They'd laugh me out of the room at best, and attempt to oust me for my insanity at worst. And why should they listen? This cruel, irrational world has only benefited them, and they're certainly not going to let anything change if that means they'll lose the power they cling to.
Even if the future rulers of Fódlan all came together and rallied behind such a cause, we would be stopped in our tracks at every turn. Whether it be the nobility or the church, nothing would possibly change, and we would all die before any impact could possibly be made.
That is why I must do so by force. [Edelgard's calm when she says that, because she knows it's what needs to be done.] In order to ensure that Fódlan will no longer stagnate, and to lead it to a brighter future, I will tear the old world asunder. It is the only way to lead Fódlan to a brighter future, and prevent such hideous things from happening again.