Everything appeared to be going exactly as it should.
The grand hall echoed with applause as the nobles welcomed Lord Saum's words with warm smiles. Watching the scene unfold before me, I couldn't help but smile as well. Meeting someone who valued a person's actions over their title or wealth was... refreshing.
Yet despite the cheerful atmosphere surrounding him, there was one person who couldn't bring himself to relax.
Lord Lopel.
Something still doesn't feel right.
His sharp eyes remained fixed on Lord Saum as he quietly replayed the earlier conversation in his mind.
When Lord Saum spoke to me... and when he addressed His Majesty just now... it almost felt like I was looking at two different people.
He's still hiding something... but what?
Whatever the truth was, Lord Lopel had no intention of letting it remain buried.
I'll find out eventually.
With those lingering doubts quietly tucked away in his mind, he returned his attention to the ceremony.
The introductions resumed once again.
After meeting Lord Saum, I continued greeting the remaining nobles one after another. Lord Kelvin, Lord Mathew, Lord Carl... every one of them welcomed me with genuine warmth. Their words of encouragement, thoughtful gifts, and sincere smiles made it impossible not to feel grateful.
Before I realized it, the afternoon had nearly come to an end.
Finally, Prime Minister Rowan stepped forward and addressed the gathering.
"Your Majesty," he announced with a respectful smile, "it is now time for you to address all the nobles and our honored guests."
I slowly turned my head toward Pristin.
Again.
The moment our eyes met, he casually looked away and pretended to be interested in something on the opposite side of the hall.
...I may have forgotten to mention that too.
His expression practically confessed it.
Seriously...?
Well... there wasn't much I could do about it now.
But speak in front of all these people?
What the hell...
I've never addressed an audience this large before.
If this goes badly... today's going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Just as my thoughts began racing, I heard a soft whisper from beside me.
"Arin..."
"Arin..."
I turned toward the voice.
Elisa looked at me with a gentle smile before quietly giving me a thumbs-up.
"You can do it."
Easy for you to say.
One mistake...
Just one...
...and every bit of dignity I had managed to build would disappear in front of the entire kingdom.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly rose from my seat.
Although I tried my best to appear calm, the tension on my face betrayed me. My heartbeat had quickened, but there was no point overthinking it anymore.
I inhaled once more before slowly letting the breath escape.
I already knew what I wanted to say.
Now.....all that remained was to say it.
I took one last deep breath before looking across the gathering.
For the first time, I truly realized something. None of them were looking at me as Arin anymore.
To them...I was the King of Valenford.
The realization made the crown resting upon my head feel far heavier than before. It wasn't simply a symbol of authority anymore—it carried the hopes, expectations, and future of an entire kingdom.
I gently tightened my hands before finally breaking the silence.
"I stand before all of you today, not because I have earned this position through years of experience or remarkable achievements."
"In truth, many among you possess far greater wisdom than I do. Many of you have spent decades serving this kingdom, protecting it, and helping it prosper. Compared to all of you... I still have much to learn."
My voice remained calm, yet every word came straight from my heart.
"So I won't stand here and claim that I am already the king Valenford deserves."
"I cannot promise that every decision I make will be perfect. I know there will be mistakes. There will be failures, and there will be moments when the burden before me feels heavier than I could ever imagine."
For a brief moment, I lowered my eyes toward the royal crest present on my dress before looking back at everyone once again.
"But what I can promise... is that I will never stop striving to become a king worthy of the trust you have placed in me."
"I will learn from my mistakes. I will listen before I judge, and I will always place the well-being of our people above my own."
As those words echoed throughout the hall, I slowly swept my gaze across every noble present.
"This kingdom... its people... and the generations that will come after us..."
I paused for a brief moment, allowing the weight of those words to settle.
"They are now my responsibility."
"And I intend to carry that responsibility with everything I have."
For the first time since standing before everyone, I allowed myself to smile—not out of confidence, but out of determination.
"But no king can shoulder the weight of a kingdom alone."
"A prosperous nation is not built by its ruler alone. It is built by every soldier who defends its borders, every merchant who keeps its markets alive, every farmer who feeds its people, every craftsman who shapes its future, and every noble who chooses to place the kingdom before personal ambition."
I looked across the hall once more, meeting the eyes of those who would shape Valenford's future alongside me.
"So today, I do not ask for your loyalty alone."
"I ask for your guidance... your wisdom... and your trust."
"If we stand together, learn from one another, and continue moving forward with the same purpose, then I truly believe we can build a future far brighter than the one we inherited."
I placed a hand over my chest before respectfully bowing my head toward everyone gathered in the hall.
"So today, I, Arin Valen, humbly ask for your support. Not so that I may become a great king... but so that together, we may build a kingdom worthy of being called home by every person who lives within it."
"Thank you."
For a brief moment...the grand hall fell completely silent.
Not a single voice could be heard.
Everyone's eyes remained fixed upon me as my final words lingered in the air.
Did... I say something wrong?
The thought had barely crossed my mind when a familiar voice broke the silence.
Lord Cedric Ashbourne stepped forward before placing a hand over his chest.
"Your Majesty," he said with a warm smile, "after hearing your words, I have only one thing to say."
"You already have the unwavering support of House Ashbourne. I cannot speak on behalf of every noble present here, but I can speak for my own house."
"My family places its complete trust in you."
"As the head of House Ashbourne....that is my promise."
A genuine smile slowly appeared on my face.
Before I could even thank him, another voice echoed across the hall.
"Hmm..."
"I find myself in agreement with Lord Cedric."
Lord Lopel stepped forward, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever.
"House Von Quizzer shall also lend its full support to Your Majesty."
His words were brief, yet they carried tremendous weight. A man as cautious and observant as Lord Lopel would never make such a promise lightly.
At that moment...I could no longer stop the tears gathering in my eyes.
For the first time since inheriting the throne...
I truly felt that I wasn't carrying this responsibility alone.
Then...another voice rose from among the nobles.
"You have my support, Your Majesty."
Soon another followed.
Then another.
"You can count on us."
One by one, the nobles began stepping forward, each offering their own words of encouragement and unwavering support.
Within moments, the grand hall was filled with voices.
"We stand with you!"
"Valenford has our loyalty!"
"You have House Blackwood's support!"
"May Your Majesty lead us into a brighter future!"
The overwhelming response left me speechless.
Unable to find the right words, I simply lowered my head with a grateful smile.
"...Thank you, everyone."
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Pristin quietly exhale the breath he had unknowingly been holding, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
Elisa looked at me with eyes filled with pride, her own smile brighter than ever.
Prime Minister Rowan stood with his arms folded, unable to hide his satisfaction, while Queen Mother Charol watched the scene before her with glistening eyes and the gentle smile of a mother witnessing her son take his first true step.
It was she who began applauding first.
The sharp sound of her hands meeting echoed throughout the hall.
Soon Rowan joined her.
Then Pristin.
Then Elisa.
Within seconds, every noble, every guest, and every person gathered inside the Royal Palace rose to their feet as thunderous applause echoed through the grand hall.
The sound reverberated through every corner of the palace.
Standing there amidst those deafening cheers, I realized something.
Today wasn't the day I became King of Valenford.
That had happened the moment I inherited the crown.
Today....was the day I took my first real step toward becoming one.
And with that...the Royal Accord Ceremony finally came to an end.
One by one, the nobles exchanged their farewells before leaving the grand hall. The once lively atmosphere gradually grew quieter as servants began clearing the ceremonial gifts and decorations.
Before long, only a handful of people remained.
My body suddenly felt much heavier than before.
Now that everything was over, the exhaustion I had been unconsciously suppressing throughout the day finally caught up with me.
Together with Pristin, I slowly made my way back toward my chambers, while Elisa returned to her own room after giving me one last cheerful smile.
Stretching my sore shoulders, I let out a long sigh.
"I seriously had no idea royal ceremonies lasted this long."
"It feels like the entire day disappeared."
I looked toward Pristin with a tired expression.
"And why was it so long?"
Pristin couldn't help but chuckle.
"Your Majesty, royal ceremonies have always been lengthy affairs. Nobles from across the kingdom gather for occasions like these, so every tradition must be properly observed."
A gentle smile appeared on his face.
"But if you ask me... the greatest part of today's ceremony was undoubtedly your speech."
"It isn't surprising that every noble chose to support you after hearing those words."
I simply shrugged.
"I only said what was in my heart."
Then I narrowed my eyes at him.
"And don't think I've forgotten."
"You conveniently left out quite a few important details today."
I stared at him without saying another word.
Pristin immediately looked away, awkwardly clearing his throat.
"Well..."
"I suppose... if we look at it from another perspective.....perhaps it was for the best."
"If I had told Your Majesty everything beforehand, you might have spent the entire night memorizing a prepared speech."
He scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.
"But because you spoke from your heart instead... I believe today's speech carried far more meaning."
I remained silent for a moment before letting out another sigh.
"Huh..."
"Maybe you're right."
"Well..."
"My peaceful life officially ends today."
"Starting tomorrow....everything truly begins."
Pristin gave a respectful agreement.
"Indeed, Your Majesty."
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
"Oh, Pristin."
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Tell Prime Minister Rowan that the rest of the nobles don't need to attend tomorrow."
I looked ahead as we continued walking through the quiet palace corridor.
"For now, I only want the members who attended our first council meeting."
Pristin immediately nodded.
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
"I'll inform Prime Minister Rowan right away."
With a respectful bow, he turned and walked down another corridor, leaving me standing alone.
The palace had grown unusually quiet.
For a brief moment, I looked out through the tall palace windows.
The sun had already begun to set beyond the capital, bathing the kingdom in shades of gold and crimson.
A new day had ended.
And with it...so had my first day as a king who had finally earned the trust of his nobles.
I took a slow, deep breath.
No more ceremonies.
No more celebrations.
Now...
The real work begins.
*****
"Welcome back, Sir."
The man standing inside the dimly lit chamber lowered his head respectfully as the door closed behind the figure who had just entered.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, "So... did everything go according to plan?"
"No."
The unexpected answer caught the man off guard.
"No...? Why?"
"Because Duke Cedric publicly declared his support for the Crown."
His voice remained as composed as ever.
"Making a move at that moment would've been... unwise."
The room fell silent once again.
The man slowly nodded, understanding the implication.
"Then... are we simply going to let the young king be?"
"No."
He turned his gaze toward the window.
"That young king is... interesting."
Another brief silence followed.
"Let's see how far he goes."
His expression remained unreadable.
"After that..."
"...we'll decide our next move."
"As you command, Lord Saum."