Together, Elisa and I walked toward the stage.
Come to think of it... this was the first time in my life that I was walking hand in hand with a girl... and not just any girl.
She was my fiancée.
I stole another glance at her.
She looked... breathtaking.
There was an elegance about her that words couldn't quite capture. Every step she took carried an effortless grace, drawing everyone's attention without even trying. I was supposed to be walking beside her, yet I couldn't stop looking at her.
Suddenly, Elisa turned her head and met my gaze.
"What is it?"
"N-Nothing... it's nothing."
The way she looked at me...
At this rate, my heart was going to explode.
Arin... focus.
You're a king now. Start acting like one.
Taking a quiet breath, I finally managed to calm myself and shifted my attention toward the grand hall.
As expected, countless eyes were fixed on Elisa. Some admired her beauty, while others simply watched us in silence. I carefully observed the crowd, searching for anything unusual.
Nothing.
At least, nothing suspicious.
Though snippets of conversation drifted through the hall.
"So that's the new king...?"
"He's so young..."
I won't lie...hearing that felt surprisingly nice.
But then another voice followed.
"Surely... he's not worthy of Princess Elisa."
That one hurt.
Well... I guess I set my expectations a little too high.
Still, this was only the beginning of the ceremony. The real event hadn't even started yet.
Soon, Elisa and I reached the stage.
Queen Mother Carol stood at the center, and the two of us took our places on either side of her. Pristin had followed us all the way, but stopped respectfully near the corner of the stage, remaining close enough to intervene if necessary.
Queen Mother Carol stepped forward, her voice carrying effortlessly throughout the hall.
"Today, I have the honor of introducing the two most important people of this occasion."
She smiled warmly before turning toward Elisa.
"My beloved daughter... the Princess of Valenford... and the future Queen of this kingdom—Princess Elisa."
The entire hall erupted into applause.
After waiting for it to settle, she continued.
"And standing before you..."
She looked toward me.
"...is the man who shall become the future King of Valenford... and my daughter's fiancé."
"Arin."
Silence.
Not a single clap echoed through the hall.
I knew it.
Nobody likes me...
For a brief moment, the entire hall remained completely still.
Then
Clap.
Clap. Clap.
Clap... Clap... Clap...
The first person to applaud was Lopel.
Without the slightest hesitation, he raised both hands and continued clapping.
A second later, Rowan joined him.
Then Elisa.
Watching the three of them applaud, the nobles exchanged awkward glances before, one after another, they too began clapping.
Within moments, the silence disappeared beneath the sound of applause filling the entire hall.
After the introductions, the Kingdom's High Priest stepped forward and began reciting ancient prayers.
Unfortunately...
I couldn't understand a single word he was saying.
As his voice echoed throughout the grand hall, every noble present slowly lowered their heads, closed their eyes, and stood in a respectful bow.
And me?
I was the only one standing there completely confused.
What exactly is this man saying...?
Well...If everyone else was doing it, I might as well follow along.
Closing my eyes, I tried my best to imitate everyone around me.
From what Pristin had explained earlier, this prayer was offered to Lord Solaris, the Sun God worshipped throughout the Solaris Alliance. The High Priest sought His blessings upon the royal family, praying for prosperity, wisdom, and a fortunate future for the newly engaged couple.
Well... in that case... I should pray sincerely too.
Some time later, the High Priest finally concluded the ceremony.
The nobles slowly opened their eyes and straightened their posture.
Elisa turned toward me, tilting her head slightly.
"What happened? Why do you look like that?"
I looked at her with a completely serious expression.
"Elisa... tell me something."
"What is it?"
"How long does this prayer usually last?"
She answered as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"About forty-five minutes."
"...What?"
Forty-five...Minutes...?
"N-Nothing."
"I'm fine."
I've never stood in a bowed position for forty-five straight minutes straight in my entire life...
My back is killing me...
Wait...why do I suddenly sound like an old man?
After silently mourning my spine for a few seconds, I composed myself once again.
Soon after, Queen Mother Carol, Elisa, and I took our designated seats upon the stage.
"The formal greetings will begin shortly," Queen Mother Carol explained. "Each noble house will approach to congratulate you both on your engagement. They will present gifts, offer their blessings, and if they wish... speak with you personally."
I had no issue with greeting the nobles.
That part was expected.
The problem was...
Exactly how long am I supposed to sit here...?
And more importantly...
Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?
Slowly, I turned my head toward Pristin.
Our eyes met.
For a brief moment, he looked away, pretending to admire absolutely anything else in the hall.
His expression practically screamed,
"I... may have forgotten to mention that....."
Seriously?
Well...there was no point complaining now.
I was going to meet every noble sooner or later anyway.
Might as well get familiar with them today.
"Sire... this is the Head of House Ashbourne."
Rowan's voice pulled my attention toward the next noble approaching us. Following his gaze, I saw an elderly man walking confidently through the hall with a woman beside him.
"Duke Cedric Ashbourne."
My eyes instinctively followed the elderly man as he walked toward us.
For someone his age...
He certainly didn't look old.
His height was almost identical to General Arhim's, and his broad, powerfully built frame immediately stood out. Even beneath the formal noble attire, it was obvious he possessed remarkable physical strength. His neatly combed white hair and the faint lines on his face were perhaps the only things that revealed his age. Everything else—from the confident way he carried himself to the unwavering steadiness in his steps—made him seem like a man still in his prime.
There was an undeniable presence about him.
It wasn't something I could quite explain.
Some people simply walked into a room and commanded attention without saying a single word.
He was one of them.
As the Duke stopped before us, both he and his wife bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty," Cedric greeted with a warm smile. "Allow me to congratulate both you and Princess Elisa on behalf of House Ashbourne. We sincerely wish you a long and prosperous reign."
"Thank you, Duke Cedric. I truly appreciate your kind words."
The old Duke nodded before letting out a quiet chuckle.
"Unfortunately..." he began, scratching the back of his head with surprising casualness, "...House Ashbourne did not bring Your Majesty a wedding gift."
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere around us shifted.
Nearby conversations came to an abrupt halt as several nobles turned their heads toward the Duke in surprise. Even Rowan's composed expression visibly stiffened.
"Lord Cedric..." Rowan spoke carefully, lowering his voice. "Surely you understand what you're saying. Such a thing could easily be interpreted as disrespect toward the Royal Family."
Cedric simply raised one hand, stopping Rowan before he could continue.
"I know exactly how it sounds."
Then...his sharp gray eyes settled upon me.
"But instead of a gift...I wish to offer His Majesty something I believe is far more valuable than gold, jewels, or treasures."
Curiosity spread across the faces of everyone standing nearby.
I found myself equally intrigued.
"And what would that be?"
Without another word...
Cedric and his wife once again lowered themselves into a respectful bow.
"From this day onward.....House Ashbourne pledges its complete support to the rightful King of Valenford."
For a brief moment...the entire hall became silent.
I blinked once, genuinely wondering if I had heard him correctly.
...What?
Rowan. His heart skipped a beat.
This...this was no ordinary declaration. If His Majesty wished to establish unquestionable authority within the Royal Court, he needed more than the Crown.
He needed the support of Valenford's most influential noble houses.
For generations...only four families had possessed enough influence to sway the balance of power inside the kingdom.
House Walt.
House von Quizer.
House Ashbourne.
And...
House Evermont.
Whichever faction earned the loyalty of these four great houses inevitably became the dominant force within the Royal Court.
General Arhim had already placed House Walt behind the young King. Commander Lopel represented House von Quizer.
And now
House Ashbourne had publicly declared its allegiance before the entire nobility.
Three
The young King already possessed the support of three of Valenford's greatest houses.
Even if someone wished to challenge the Royal Family now...
Doing so would border on madness.
Returning to my own thoughts, I couldn't help noticing the countless expressions of disbelief surrounding us. Some nobles exchanged uneasy glances while others whispered quietly among themselves.
Looking at everyone's reactions, it was obvious Duke Cedric's declaration carried enormous political weight.
Still...one question continued bothering me.
"Please, Duke Cedric, rise."
The elderly general slowly straightened himself.
"I truly appreciate House Ashbourne's support," I said sincerely. "Your loyalty will undoubtedly strengthen the Crown."
I paused for a moment before continuing.
"However...you have declared your support without asking anything in return."
"I must admit...I find that rather unusual. Would you mind telling me why?"
Cedric smiled as though he had been expecting the question all along.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
He folded his hands behind his back before speaking once more.
"For generations, House Ashbourne has served Valenford upon its battlefields. My ancestors commanded soldiers long before I was born, and I myself devoted my entire life to the kingdom's army before finally retiring."
A faint smile crossed his weathered face.
"But retirement has an amusing habit, Your Majesty."
"It allows an old soldier more time to study wars."
Several nobles quietly laughed.
"When war against Velkyria concluded, I carefully examined every report that reached to me. Every movement... every battlefield... every order."
His eyes met mine.
"There was one decision that immediately caught my attention."
He continued calmly.
"For centuries, Valenford has lived by a military doctrine that every commander respected."
Never invade another kingdom.
"Our armies defended our borders. They never pursued a retreating enemy, nor did they cross into foreign lands. Over time, that principle became almost sacred within Valenford's military."
He paused briefly.
"Yet during the war against the Velkyria....you broke that doctrine. You carried the battle into Velkyrian territory."
Several nobles quietly shifted where they stood.
"I imagine many considered that decision reckless."
Cedric smiled.
"I did not. I saw a king who understood something many commanders fail to realize." Traditions exist to protect the kingdom. But the moment those traditions begin endangering the kingdom instead....they must be broken."
A loud laugh escaped the old general.
"Haha...!"
"I have always admired men willing to take calculated risks."
His smile gradually softened.
"And..."
"There is another reason."
His gaze briefly shifted toward Elisa.
"I have known Princess Elisa since she was a little girl."
"I have always regarded her as though she were my own daughter."
"So naturally..."
"My place is wherever her future lies."
The moment he finished speaking...everything suddenly made sense. He wasn't supporting me simply because I had won a battle.
He had judged my decisions.
He had studied my actions.
And after doing so...
He had reached his own conclusion.
I smiled respectfully. "I understand now. And I sincerely appreciate that you chose to tell me your reasons."
Cedric nodded with satisfaction.
"We merely hope, Your Majesty.....that you will lead Valenford toward the future this kingdom has spent generations searching for."
A small smile formed across my face.
"I'll do everything within my power."
"I'm certain you will."
The Duke offered one final bow before stepping aside.
"I should not keep the other nobles waiting any longer."
"Of course."
"And Duke Cedric..."
"Thank you once again for attending."
"The pleasure was mine, Your Majesty."
As House Ashbourne walked away, I could still feel the weight of countless gazes resting upon me.
The engagement ceremony had begun as a celebration...
Yet without anyone realizing it...
The balance of power inside Valenford's Royal Court had quietly shifted in my favor.
After meeting Duke Cedric, the ceremony continued as one noble after another stepped forward to offer their congratulations. Some presented beautifully crafted gifts, while others simply conveyed their blessings on behalf of their families. Although the conversations varied, they all eventually blended together into one long procession.
Still...seeing the next familiar face immediately brought a smile to mine.
Rowan stepped forward once again.
"Now approaching... the Head of House von Quizer, Commander of the Naval Forces... Duke Lopel von Quizer."
Lopel walked toward us with the same composed expression he always carried before offering a respectful bow.
"Your Majesty."
"It is good to see you again."
"On behalf of House von Quizer, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to both you and Princess Elisa."
A genuine smile appeared on my face.
"It's good to see you again as well, Lopel."
"And..."
"Thank you."
"For successfully completing your task in Farham."
Lopel simply shook his head. "No, Your Majesty. That was merely my duty."
I couldn't help but smile.
"Even so...I appreciate everything you've done."
A faint smile finally appeared on Lopel's face.
"I am honored to hear those words."
He bowed once more.
"If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty. There are still many guests waiting."
"Of course. Thank you for coming."
With one final nod, Lopel stepped away, disappearing back into the crowd. Before I could gather my thoughts, Rowan announced the next guest.
"Now approaching..."
"The Head of House Rainar...Lord Saum Rainar."
The moment those words echoed across the hall...Lopel, who had only just begun walking away, suddenly stopped.
Without saying a word...He slowly turned around.
His sharp eyes settled upon Lord Saum with unmistakable suspicion.