The Empress, unable to harden her heart against Elara, relented slightly in her persuasion.
"Naive child, do you not recall the divine decree from the Holy Order? One royal must rise as a celestial sage. You need only stand by the prince as he matures; post-nuptials, your joint cultivation will surely lead to enlightenment."
"How befuddled must you be to desire union with the ignoble Beast King..."
Unperturbed, Elara countered, "And how can you be so certain, Mother, that the Beast King cannot reach enlightenment? He is, after all, my destined consort. Let us not belittle him so—it rings of mockery."
I stirred the pot further, "Indeed, Elara speaks wisely. The Beast King possesses a spiritual root, affording him a finer chance at immortality than any mere mortal."
Her conviction deepened with my endorsement.
"Mother, as you well know, mortals lack spiritual roots, making their ascent akin to scaling the heavens—an ordeal I cannot endure. My sister, ever so boastful of her unique talents, let her face the trials then."
Elara's eyes gleamed with barely concealed glee as she emphasized her point.
She eagerly anticipated my facing the same brutal fate she endured in her past incarnation.