Ever since I had discovered Prime Minister Aldren Vaelis' journal, my daily routine had completely changed. Every morning began in Rowan's office, where we discussed the kingdom's ongoing affairs and the reports that continued arriving from different parts of Valenford.
Although the survey teams had not yet returned in full, even the smaller updates were enough to give me a clearer picture of the kingdom than I had when I first inherited the throne.
The afternoons belonged entirely to the royal library.
Almost every hour I spent there was with Aldren's journal resting open before me. The deeper I ventured into its pages, the more fascinated I became. Surprisingly, the journal wasn't filled with direct answers or instructions.
Instead, it challenged the reader to think. Many times I would finish reading a few pages only to close the book and stare outside the library window for several minutes, trying to connect his ideas with the Valenford I ruled today.
It felt less like reading a book...and more like having a conversation with someone who had governed the kingdom centuries before me.
No wonder Valenford had once entered such a prosperous era.
If men like Aldren had guided the Crown, then perhaps its greatness hadn't been accidental after all.
The evenings, however, were an entirely different story.
Princess Elisa had somehow convinced everyone inside the palace that I required "proper royal grooming" before the Royal Accord Ceremony. Apparently, being crowned king and actually behaving like one were considered two completely different things.
Honestly...
I had underestimated how exhausting it could be.
Whether it was the way I walked, stood, greeted nobles, or even the angle at which I was expected to bow my head, every tiny detail seemed to matter. After nearly an hour of listening to one instructor correct my posture for what felt like the hundredth time, I finally looked toward Elisa in complete disbelief.
"Was all of this really necessary?"
Instead of answering immediately, she simply folded her arms and looked at me with the calm confidence of someone who already knew she was right. According to her, every noble attending the Royal Accord Ceremony would spend the entire time observing the new king. A single careless gesture could become tomorrow's rumor across the kingdom.
I wanted to argue.
I really did.
But somewhere deep down, I also knew she wasn't wrong.
Still...
I'd much rather spend another afternoon reading Aldren's journal than balancing books on my head while someone criticized the way I walked.
Just as today's lesson finally came to an end, I let out a long breath before stepping out into the palace corridor. Thankfully, the hallway was quiet. Most of the servants had already returned to their duties, leaving only the sound of my own footsteps echoing through the stone passage.
I had barely taken a few steps toward my room when a calm voice emerged from the shadows.
"Sire."
My instincts immediately made me stop.
Turning around, I found a man dressed entirely in black standing where, just a moment ago, I could've sworn no one had been. His face remained hidden beneath a dark hood, revealing only a pair of sharp, watchful eyes. One of the Blacks.
Rowan had introduced me to them only a few days earlier. Officially, they didn't exist. Unofficially, they were Valenford's hidden eyes and ears, responsible for gathering intelligence, infiltrating enemy territories, and carrying out missions few others even knew existed.
It was honestly unsettling how silently they could appear.
I walked toward him, lowering my voice. "What brings you here?"
Without wasting a single word, the Black respectfully handed me a sealed packet.
"As instructed, Your Majesty. Everything we managed to uncover is inside."
I accepted the packet, noticing its unusual weight.
"So quickly?"
"Our network has been preparing for the Royal Accord Ceremony ever since Lord Rowan issued the order."
That made sense.
The ceremony would gather nearly every noble in the kingdom under one roof. If there was ever a time to investigate political movements, this was it.
Just as the Black turned to leave, he suddenly stopped.
"There is one more matter, Sire."
Something in his voice immediately caught my attention.
"What is it?"
"You should exercise extreme caution during the Royal Accord Ceremony."
My expression changed almost instantly.
"Why?"
"We have reason to believe Your Majesty's life may be in danger."
For a brief moment...
I simply stared at him.
Until now, the Royal Accord Ceremony had seemed like nothing more than an ancient royal tradition.
Suddenly...
It had become something else entirely.
"I've already informed Lord Rowan," the Black continued calmly. "He should receive the complete report shortly."
Before I could ask another question, he bowed once and quietly disappeared down the palace corridor.
I remained standing there for several moments, the packet still resting in my hands.
My life...
In danger?
Of all the possibilities I had considered for the ceremony...
That certainly hadn't been one of them.
Returning to my room, I locked the door behind me before carefully breaking the seal.
Inside were dozens of neatly organized reports.
Every noble expected to attend the Royal Accord Ceremony had been investigated.
Their territories, their military strength, their political influence, their business interests, their alliances.
Even the relationships they maintained behind closed doors.
The amount of information gathered within only a few days was honestly impressive.
Slowly, I began reading each report one after another.
Most merely confirmed what Rowan had already explained over the past several weeks. Some nobles had earned genuine respect by governing their domains responsibly, while others seemed far more interested in expanding their own influence than serving the Crown. There were even a handful who had somehow continued growing wealthier despite the kingdom's worsening condition.
Nothing particularly surprising.
At least...
Not until I reached one specific report.
The moment my eyes stopped on the name written across the page, I instinctively read it again to make sure I hadn't misunderstood.
"...So I was right."
Leaning back against the chair, I quietly looked toward the window.
The pieces that had felt disconnected until now had finally begun fitting together.
The following morning, I met Rowan as usual inside his office. Only twenty-four hours remained before the Royal Accord Ceremony, and judging by the expression on his face, he had already finished reading the intelligence report.
The moment I entered the room, Rowan slammed his fist onto the table with enough force to shake the documents scattered across it. Years of loyalty, diplomacy, and trust had been thrown into question by a single report, and for perhaps the first time since meeting him, I saw genuine anger instead of his usual composed demeanor.
Unable to hold himself back any longer, he questioned how anyone could betray Valenford after everything the kingdom had done for them. Decades of friendship between noble houses... years spent protecting one another... did none of it matter anymore? Had greed truly blinded someone to the point of betraying the very kingdom that had helped their family rise?
I allowed him to finish before speaking.
"Rowan... please calm down."
He looked at me, still struggling to suppress his anger.
"But, Sire... if what we've learned is true—"
"I know."
I interrupted him gently.
"But anger won't solve anything. If we act recklessly now, we'll only reveal that we already know far more than they expect."
Rowan remained silent.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly regained his composure.
"There is one more thing," I continued. "Everything contained in this report stays between the two of us. No one else must know. Not yet."
He hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
"But if we simply remain silent..."
"We won't," I said quietly, shaking my head. "But neither will we rush into this blindly."
Rowan looked at me, still unable to hide the frustration in his eyes.
"If we make a move now," I continued, "the only thing we'll achieve is letting them know we've uncovered their plans. Until we know exactly what they're trying to do... we wait."
The room fell silent.
Although reluctant, Rowan eventually nodded.
"...Understood, Sire."
"There's one more thing," I said. "I need you to make a few arrangements before tomorrow's ceremony."
I quietly explained everything I had in mind. Rowan listened without interrupting, occasionally nodding as I spoke. By the time I finished, the anger that had clouded his judgment had settled into determination.
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Rowan gave a respectful bow before leaving the office to carry out the preparations.
Left alone, I slowly walked toward the window overlooking the capital.
Tomorrow's Royal Accord Ceremony was supposed to mark a new beginning for Valenford.
Instead...It seemed someone had chosen that very day to make their move.
My gaze drifted across the city below as the same thought continued echoing in my mind.
Why now?
The rest of the day passed almost exactly like every other day.
Since Rowan had already begun handling the matter, there was little I could personally do until tomorrow. Worrying about something beyond my control wouldn't accomplish anything, so I decided to spend the remainder of the day exactly as I normally would.
After finishing the morning's work, I returned to the library and once again immersed myself in Aldren Vaelis' journal. Every time I opened that worn collection of pages, I found myself discovering another perspective on governance that I had never considered before. The journal never handed me direct solutions. Instead, it forced me to ask questions, think through the consequences of every decision, and understand why certain choices had succeeded while others had failed. It almost felt as though Aldren himself was quietly challenging every assumption I made.
By the time I closed the journal, the afternoon had already slipped away.
As usual, the evening belonged to my final grooming session before the Royal Accord Ceremony.
Fortunately, today's lesson was far less exhausting than the previous ones. Either I had finally learned something over the past few days, or the instructors had simply accepted that expecting perfection from me was impossible.
As the lesson concluded, the instructor gave an approving nod before bowing respectfully.
"Your Majesty, simply remember everything you've practiced in past few days. I'm certain tomorrow's ceremony will go smoothly."
"I'll try my best," I replied with a smile.
Once he had taken his leave, only Princess Elisa and I remained inside the spacious hall. The silence lingered for a moment before she slowly walked over, looking at me with an expression that carried both relief and a hint of guilt.
"Tomorrow is a very important day," she began. "Everyone will be watching us, especially you. So... don't be nervous. Just be yourself." She hesitated for a brief moment before continuing. "I know these past few days have probably been nothing but a headache for you... and honestly... I'm sorry for putting you through all of this."
I couldn't help letting out a small laugh.
"You don't need to apologize."
She looked at me in surprise.
"None of this is your fault. In fact, no one in the palace is to blame." I shrugged lightly before continuing. "If I'm part of the royal family now, then learning all of this was inevitable. Whether it happened today or sometime later wouldn't have changed anything."
A gentle smile appeared on Elisa's face.
"Thank you..."
I nodded before glancing around the now-empty hall.
"...And besides," I said casually, "if I'm going to represent the Crown, then behaving like a king is probably the least I should be able to do."
She tilted her head curiously.
"What do you mean?"
Realizing I had spoken more seriously than I intended, I simply shook my head with a faint smile.
"Nothing. I was just thinking out loud."
Elisa didn't press the matter any further.
Instead, she folded her hands behind her back and smiled.
"Well... then I suppose all that's left is tomorrow."
"Looks like it."
She stretched her arms slightly before letting out a tired sigh.
"I didn't expect preparing someone for a ceremony to be this exhausting."
"Trust me," I replied immediately. "You weren't the only one suffering."
For a second, she stared at me.
Then, without warning, both of us burst into laughter.
The sound echoed softly through the otherwise empty hall before gradually fading into silence again.
"Go get some rest," I said once our laughter settled. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day for both of us."
She nodded.
"You too."
After wishing each other good night, we parted ways at the palace corridor and headed toward our respective rooms.
And just like that...
Another day quietly came to an end.
****
The following morning began much earlier than usual.
I had barely been awake for a few minutes when a knock echoed through the room. Before I could even respond, the door slowly opened and several palace maids entered in an orderly line, each carrying neatly folded garments, polished ornaments, and small wooden boxes whose purpose I couldn't immediately guess.
For a brief moment, I simply stared at them.
"...Good morning?"
The women bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Your Majesty. We've come to prepare you for today's Royal Accord Ceremony."
I blinked.
"...Prepare me?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." One of the senior maids stepped forward with a polite smile. "We'll begin by assisting you with your bath before helping you dress."
I looked at her.
Then at the other maids.
Then back at her again.
"...I'm sorry... what?"
She repeated the sentence as though it were the most normal thing in the world.
"We'll assist Your Majesty with your bath."
"...No."
The answer escaped my mouth almost instantly.
"I appreciate the offer, but I can manage that part myself."
The maids exchanged uncertain glances.
"But, Your Majesty..." the senior maid replied carefully, "these were the Queen Mother's instructions."
Queen Mother...
Of course.
I let out a quiet sigh.
"I understand. But I really don't need help bathing." Scratching the back of my head awkwardly, I tried to explain myself as politely as possible. "I'll take care of that myself. You can help me with everything afterward."
The maid looked as though she wanted to protest.
"But, Sire—"
"I insist."
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
Finally, she lowered her head with a small smile.
"...As you wish, Your Majesty."
Without giving anyone the chance to change my mind, I immediately disappeared into the washroom.
Honestly...
In my entire life, no woman had ever helped me bathe.
There was absolutely no way I was letting that become my first royal tradition.
A short while later, I stepped back into the room.
During the time I had been away, the maids had already arranged everything neatly. My ceremonial attire rested on a polished wooden stand, while every accessory had been carefully placed beside it.
Without wasting any time, they immediately began helping me get dressed.
Today's outfit was unlike anything I had worn before.
The foundation was a pristine white ceremonial uniform, tailored far more elegantly than ordinary military attire. At first glance, it reminded me of Commander Lopel's uniform, but only slightly. This one carried an unmistakably royal appearance. Golden embroidery traced its edges, while a deep navy cloak rested across one shoulder, secured by an ornate clasp.
What caught my attention most, however, was the emblem stitched over the left side of the chest.
It resembled an eagle with its wings spread wide.
Curious, I looked toward one of the maids.
"What does this emblem represent?"
She smiled warmly.
"That is the crest of the House of Valenford, Your Majesty. Only members of the royal family are permitted to wear it."
"I see..."
My eyes lingered on the emblem for another moment.
That small emblem felt much heavier than it looked.
Once everything had been adjusted and every final detail inspected, the maids stepped back to admire their work.
One of them couldn't help smiling.
"Your Majesty..."
I looked toward her.
"You look remarkably handsome."
Another maid nodded in agreement.
"I'm certain Her Highness Princess Elisa will be pleasantly surprised."
I couldn't help laughing a little.
"...Really?"
"Without a doubt, Your Majesty."
I glanced toward the full-length mirror standing beside the room.
For a moment...Even I barely recognized the person staring back at me.
He didn't look like the engineering student who had suddenly found himself in another world.
Today...He looked every bit the King of Valenford.