Hold on. No one brought this up to me.
The palace’s audience chamber had been decorated in a rather simple, yet elegant, style for this event. It gave off a decidedly different atmosphere than in the past. The war with the empire had only just ended, so the royal coffers hadn’t yet refilled enough to afford the same opulence as in the old days.
That, however, wasn’t my objection.
Leaders from foreign nations the world over had gathered to witness this coronation. Vordenoit had even sent an envoy. A lot had happened while I was unconscious.
But that was neither here nor there. We needed to put the brakes on this whole thing. Way too many people are here, right? There were attendees from Vordenoit, Alzer, and other countries I didn’t recognize. Wait, no. The headcount doesn’t matter either!
Why was I being crowned king?!
I spotted Roland in the crowd. He climbed the stairs to hand over his crown, then promptly retreated. I had half a mind to snatch the crown off my head and chuck it at him. This was my coronation ceremony?!
“Th-this doesn’t make any sense,” I said, my whole body trembling. “No one told me anything about this.”
Everyone had accepted me as the new king as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Was I dreaming? Was this all a figment of my imagination, conjured while I was still comatose in that capsule? I entertained the possibility for a bit, but I had to shake it off. There was no sense trying to escape reality. I needed to keep a cool head to clarify the situation.
“For the most part, all you need do is keep calm and watch,” a voice whispered into my ear.
I craned my neck and saw Master standing there, looking far more fit for this role than I was. “Shouldn’t you be doing this, not me?” I whispered to him.
His smile weakened. “You have a strange sense of humor, Your Majesty. What point would there be in a wizened old man like me taking the throne? You have the strength, the bloodline, and a list of accomplishments everyone respects. It makes far more sense for a youth like you to lead us into a new age.”
I was Luxion’s—or rather, as he was known now, Elysium’s—master; I was engaged to Angie, a blood relation to the old royal family; and I’d triumphed over the empire, although the odds had been stacked staggeringly against us. All the kingdom’s aristocrats had agreed to recognize me as king. It made sense, in retrospect, why they were all so reverent and polite with me. And no wonder they’d been willing to follow me. They knew I’d be crowned after the war was over.
“But don’t you think this is a big mistake?” I persisted. “Roland’s alive and kicking. We should work him to his dying breath.” Standing there in front of everyone, I blanched, my face twisting into a look of bewilderment. Roland seemed awfully pleased by my dilemma; he was grinning like the cat that got the cream. It made my blood boil.
“Roland will be retiring to a spot we set aside for him in the countryside. He’ll take some concubines along, as well as a number of his mistresses,” said Master.
“He’s retiring?” I asked, indignant.
Why was I being forced onto the throne while he got to run off to an easy life in the countryside? That was exactly what I’d always wanted, and he’d stolen it from me! Oh, he was not going to get away with this. It only made matters worse that some of the concubines from his remarkably huge harem, as well as his mistresses, were so concerned for him that they wanted to go along.
What the hell? This was a world gone mad. My fists trembled at my sides. No matter what it takes, I’ll stick my nose in and meddle so his retirement’s spoiled!
Angie had been crowned queen during this ceremony. Wearing a red gown, she stood confidently before the crowd, as if this was exactly where she belonged. Her regal voice rang through the room. “Now that Leon Fou Bartfort has been crowned our new king, we declare this the beginning of Holfort Kingdom’s Bartfort dynasty!”
The aristocrats sank onto one knee, bowing their heads as they swore fealty to me. Livia and Noelle watched us from the edge of the elevated stage we all stood on. They both wore gowns as well, smiling as they wiped away tears of joy.
I was now preoccupied by Angie’s mention of a Bartfort dynasty. She was implying that my bloodline would constitute the kingdom’s new royal family, which made a certain sense. My offspring would inherit the throne for generations to come, since the former royal family had lost all claim to it, and my children would be the only ones in the line of succession. But it was just weird to keep calling this “Holfort” Kingdom when the Holfort family was no longer in power. Regardless, this was the beginning of a new country.
I guess we were able to usurp Roland peaceably because I’m taking Angie as my wife, I thought. No… It’s more like he fobbed the throne off on me.
Roland clutched his stomach, almost doubling over as he tried to hold back laughter.
I’d love nothing more than to send him straight to the gallows.
On that note, it seemed weird that Julius and Jake were here. You guys are princes, aren’t you?! At least, former princes. You’re really okay with me stealing your birthright?! Why’re you applauding like this is some happy event?!
Julius wasn’t the only one cheerfully attending. The rest of the idiot brigade was here, and they all looked relieved that I’d sit on the throne from now on. They gazed up at me with blankly pleased expressions, as if there were no complicated thoughts in their heads.
You’ll all pay for this. Mark my words, every last one of you will suffer. I’m a small-minded guy. You idiots aren’t getting a happy ending while I’m forced to sit here tormented. But I was too timid to risk destroying the mood by venting my feelings. Instead, I kept a thin, uncomfortable smile on my face for appearances’ sake.
Angie grinned at me. “I used some rather unconventional methods to ensure things ended this way, but at least now our country’s unified. Thank you, Leon. I’m glad you had faith in me.”
“Huh? Uh, no, I wasn’t—ah!” I gasped as I remembered Angie informing me that she knew a way to unify everyone. I’d told her she was free to do so, if she thought she could, never asking for details about her plan.
Oh no. She couldn’t have meant making me king, right?! I’d taken it for granted that someone else would be crowned after Roland stepped down, so maybe I had this coming.
My eyes landed on Elijah, who was attending the ceremony with Erica. I was tempted to throw him under the bus by making him take the throne. That way, I could run away from the responsibilities this new position entailed. Awfully tempting. Erica was royalty—or used to be, I figured. Surely, with my support, she could take the job. I mean, maybe?
None of that mattered. I was just being stubborn—and kicking myself for not paying more attention to detail. Why didn’t I ever pay attention to detail?! What I wouldn’t have given to go back and punch myself.