Lezamer’s chest puffed out with pride as he bathed in the unanimous praise of his audience. Anna stood fixed in place behind him, a deeply serious look on her face. The coronation was where Legalisbelm ended. Soon, the current king would give Lezamer the crown, making him the ruler of the Kingdom of Ogdenn in both name and truth. The throne seemed ready to welcome him, regardless of the ignoble means he had used to get there.
Soon thereafter, a messenger appeared to announce the start of the ceremony. “His Majesty, King of Ogdenn!”
The king’s white-clad private doctor led the way, with the king’s bed itself being carried out behind him. Lying in the bed was the current king’s emaciated form. His frame, once touted as hale and hearty despite his advanced age, had now withered thin like a brittle branch. After being ravaged by illness, the king likely couldn’t even move on his own. His attendants lifted him up, supporting him as he finally managed to rise to his feet.
A restrained buzz broke out from the crowd. For many of the nobles, it was the first time they’d seen the king in a considerably long time. His cheeks were sunken in, the shadow of death hanging heavily across his face. Legalisbelm hadn’t started a moment too soon. Even then, as if determined to fulfill his final duty, the king held the crown tight in his skeletal hands.
Facing the king, Lezamer’s eyes flashed full of contempt for a moment, only to immediately dispel it and put on a commendable front as he knelt.
“You must be dreadfully tired, father. I, Lezamer, shall take on your duties in your stead. Now, grant me the crown, and I shall—”
The king mumbled in an attempt to say something, but even Lezamer couldn’t make out what he’d said, despite being so close. His hand trembling, the king slowly lifted the crown into the air, and—
“I must ask that you wait. Legalisbelm isn’t over yet.”
Her voice rang through the silence with surprising clarity. As the nobles in attendance widened their eyes in disbelief at this unusual development, the girl stepped forward with no hesitation. It was Anna.
As she passed by, Anna locked eyes with her mother, Cullina. Cullina remained silent, giving her daughter a subtle nod. Ledo and Leda were there as well. Broad grins broke across their faces, but they seemed completely indifferent, as if it were no concern of theirs.
There was no turning back now. Anna braced her arms and legs and then her core.
“Legalisbelm has only been temporarily suspended due to the fact that only one candidate remains. The laws of the kingdom stipulate that once it’s been confirmed that there are multiple candidates remaining, Legalisbelm is to be resumed...and the monarch confirmed by the votes of the nobles, just as it’s always been.”
Anna faced her stepfather, Lezamer Ogdenn.
“What are you... No, you wench! Don’t tell me you’re—!”
Overcome with shock for a moment, Lezamer immediately arrived at a certain possibility. It was plausible in theory, but why would she? There’d be no point to it. Could Anna perhaps have any odds of winning at all? No—it was unthinkable. Did she have some sort of information that he had no way of knowing about?
All sorts of thoughts surged through Lezamer’s mind chaotically, critically slowing his actions.
The king’s eyes flashed, opened wide, as he stared at Anna.
She made her declaration, her voice ringing out loud and clear. “And so, I, Anna Ogdenn, eldest daughter of Lezamer Ogdenn, hereby announce my participation in Legalisbelm. The number of candidates in Legalisbelm is now two, and therefore...Legalisbelm is to be officially recommenced!”
The silence lasted for only the briefest of moments before exploding into an uproar immediately thereafter. Cries of excitement, shouts of anger, doubts—every conceivable response bubbled up from the crowd to envelop Anna.
There’s no running away now...“father.”
In principle, every noble in the kingdom was required to participate in the coronation—which meant that her words would reach all of the nobles. Anna’s goal had been to recommence Legalisbelm with all of the nobles as her witnesses. Her words had already spread to the nobles close by—not even Lezamer could deceive them now. By all means, the first step of her plan had been a success. It was what happened after this that would be the true challenge, however.
“Such nonsense! Your Majesty! I am ever so sorry you were forced to listen to such foolish prattle. Now, let us continue with the coronation and—”
Despite Lezamer’s urging, the king kept the crown in his trembling hands. Having his attendants carry him, he returned to his bed before faintly moving his mouth.
“Please, wait! What in the world are you doing?!”
“As Legalisbelm has not ended, the coronation cannot be recognized... That is His Majesty’s opinion,” one of the attendants answered.
They gave a courteous bow before making their exit carrying the king’s bed. Lezamer clumsily reached out his hand...but the crown escaped his grasp. He had no choice but to watch the throne that had been only a step away, within his clutches, grow further and further away.
Nonsense... Damned nonsense, all of it! Wh-What in the blazes just happened?! Lezamer thought.
His jaw creaked as he clenched his teeth in rage. It was as if only the air surrounding him had chilled. For a while, he stood there trembling, squeezing his fists tight. It wasn’t long, however, before a guttural laugh began to steal past his lips.
“Heh heh, hee hee hee...! You really did it! I never imagined it—not even once! As brilliant as my mind might be, never once did I ever imagine that you would try to defy me, Annaaa!”
Temples twitching, Lezamer spun around. “You do indeed have a claim to the throne yourself, don’t you? But what of it?! You’ve no supporters at all! Even joining Legalisbelm, you don’t have the slightest hope of winning!”
With the shock from the turn of events subsiding, Lezamer had begun to regain his composure. She’d landed a blow, no doubt. But what did it matter that Legalisbelm had resumed? He had nothing to fear from a wench who lacked any supporters. He felt sick at having his prize postponed a bit, but now he even saw it as punishment for letting down his guard at the last minute.
“Just remember, on the eve of my ascension, I’ll reward you amply for defying me so!”
Lezamer glared at Anna, his eyes flashing. And yet, his estimations of how Legalisbelm would play out were soon to be shattered.
“I assure you, she has her supporters!”
The words rang out from the far distant corner of the courtyard, but even in the middle of the uproar, they were plainly audible. As if to form a path, the nobles around the speaker wasted no time splitting to either side. With his head held high amid the crowd, Otto Socom boldly stepped forward.
“Why, it’s Lord Socom! You’re coming forward in her support?”
“So that’s him—the man they call the Hero of the Frontier. Why don’t we see just what he’s capable of?”
“He’s nothing more than a new-money noble who clawed his way up from a merchant. What in the world does that presumptuous knave think he’s doing?!”
While the nobles around him boisterously said whatever they pleased, Otto ignored it all.
“The Socom Barony welcomes Princess Anna’s participation,” he declared, undaunted. “Furthermore, I hereby announce my support for Princess Anna! To all the strong-willed souls that lament our kingdom’s future...now is the time to rally around the princess!”
“What...?!”
Clenching his teeth, Lezamer couldn’t laugh off the baron’s words. He was quick to realize that other opinions—different from what he’d heard earlier in the coronation—had begun to mix into the stir of the crowd.
“My, this has gotten rather interesting, hasn’t it? Legalisbelm has to end with a choice, no doubt about it.”
“Ugh, she’s certainly a late entry, but she still might be able to aim for the lead.”
“This race just got much harder to call, I’ll say that.”
At the end of the day, all nobles could do in Legalisbelm was choose. If they only had one candidate to choose, they couldn’t do a thing. But suppose another candidate were to appear?