I Will Not Accept It — Since He Said He Would Demote Me to Second Queen for the Sake of His Own Love, I Will Break the Engagement - Episode 11

Stripped of my right to succession? Such nonsense couldn’t possibly be true.

I glared at the aide who delivered the news, demanding confirmation again and again. There must be some mistake. The information must have gotten mixed up somewhere. Otherwise, this wouldn’t be happening.

I’m the firstborn son and crown prince. I’ve been raised as the successor to the throne since birth. There’s no way I could be stripped of it so easily. This had to be some cruel joke.

“Your Highness, the information is confirmed. His Majesty the King himself.”

“Silence! How could this be possible!”

I cut off the aide’s report with a shout. These incompetent fools must have made some mistake.

That’s right! I’m supposed to marry Carla and make her my queen. I could picture Carla in her white wedding dress, smiling beside me. “Lord Cariotte, I love you,” she would say as she gently placed her hand on my arm. Her chestnut hair would shine in the sunlight, her large brown eyes gazing at me with affection.

Our love is real. It’s not political, it’s true love. No one else understands, but Carla and I understand each other.

But this was no time to dream of such a beautiful future. I needed to see my father immediately and clear up this obvious misunderstanding.

I stood up abruptly and headed for the king’s private chambers.

“His Majesty is resting due to illness. Perhaps you could visit another day.”

At the entrance to the king’s chambers, an attendant tried frantically to stop me.

“This is important! It’s about the succession rights!”

Making such a critical decision to strip me of the throne. If he made that choice, he should at least have time to discuss it with me, the person most affected. Even if he’s sick, it can’t be that serious. I heard he was recovering.

Still, doubts remained. Was he really ill? Or was this just an excuse to avoid me? Maybe someone was whispering falsehoods to my father, trying to undermine me.

Or perhaps his illness was affecting his judgment. If so, I needed to correct his mistaken decision quickly. Otherwise, things would proceed based on error.

In any case, the situation wouldn’t improve unless I spoke to him directly. I had to act.

“Out of my way!”

Brushing past the ministers and attendants trying to stop me, I threw the door open forcefully.

“What is the meaning of this!?”

My father was lying in bed. His complexion was pale, his cheeks more hollow than before, but that wasn’t important now. My father’s health was secondary. I was about to be unjustly stripped of my position as crown prince—compared to that, his condition was trivial.

“Cariotte…”

My father tried to sit up but was wracked by violent coughing. The ministers rushed to his side, but I paid them no mind. This level of coughing shouldn’t prevent conversation.

“I haven’t heard anything about being stripped of succession rights! How can this be allowed? I’m the firstborn! I’m the rightful heir!”

My voice echoed through the room.

“Your Majesty, your health.”

“Enough! Listen to me now!”

I cut off the minister’s concerned words. Yes, my father was coughing a bit, but we needed to talk first. With a little explanation, he would surely understand. After all, I am the crown prince.

“…Cariotte.”

“!”

My father’s voice was low and filled with authority. Even on his sickbed, he radiated the unmistakable dignity of a king.

“Then I shall tell you myself. I am stripping you of your right to succession. You will also leave the palace.”

“Th-that can’t…!”

Hearing it directly was still a shock. No, but this must be a mistaken judgment. If I explained, he would understand the error and retract it.

“I will give you time to prepare. I’ll arrange an estate where you can live. If you promise to live quietly from now on, I’ll ensure you want for nothing.”

“Th-that’s not.”

He spoke as if it were already decided. But it was wrong from the start. I desperately tried to protest.

“Why!? What have I done!?”

“You broke off your engagement to Lady Mylenna.”

“Huh?”

I was stunned by the unexpected name. I couldn’t understand at all how breaking off my engagement with her could lead to losing the throne.

“Because I lost my fiancée? But I have Carla! I don’t need Mylenna!”

My destined partner isn’t Mylenna, it’s Carla. Why can’t anyone understand these pure, genuine feelings? True love should matter more than a political marriage.

“Besides, I proposed making her my second queen. She was the one who refused.”

I didn’t just cast her aside. I offered a way for both to coexist. She was the one who rejected it.

“Such a thing would never be permitted.”

My father looked at me with exasperation. His eyes held contempt, as if viewing a hopeless fool.

“Th-then! I refuse to break off the engagement with Mylenna! Since she initiated it, it shouldn’t happen if I don’t accept!”

It’s frustrating that I can’t make Carla my primary queen, but if it’s not allowed, I have no choice. Protecting my position as crown prince takes priority for now. I desperately clung to this.

“That’s impossible too. All procedures are already complete.”

“When… how…”

“Besides, she already has a new fiancé.”

“Huh?”

Hearing these unbelievable words again, I was stunned.

“Lies! I haven’t heard anything about that!”

Anger welled up inside me. How dare they decide something so important without my knowledge? How could engagement talks proceed without me knowing?

“They are not lies. Everything is true. And she has nothing to do with you anymore. Since you broke off the engagement, stay away from her.”

My father’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“If you ignore this, I will not forgive you. If you do anything, you’ll understand what happens then?”

“Guh!?”

A chill ran down my spine. An incredible pressure crushed me. This was truly bad. If I opposed him, it could become a matter of life and death. The overwhelming, terrifying pressure was something even I could understand.

But I couldn’t lose here. They were the ones in the wrong.

“P-please! Revoke the decision to strip me of succession rights! I am the crown prince! I’ve been raised as the successor since birth!”

I pleaded desperately. But my father only shook his head.

“It’s already decided. This decision will not be overturned. Leave the palace by the deadline.”

His words made me realize there was no room for discussion.

In the end, I had no choice but to retreat. I didn’t have much time left until the deadline to leave the palace. Staying wasn’t an option.

Walking down the long corridor back to my room, my heart boiled with rage.

Why did this have to become so unjust?

My father must be wrong. His illness must be preventing proper judgment. It’s too unreasonable.

And then there’s my brother Aldian, who was apparently made crown prince in my place. That guy who always stayed quietly in the shadows suddenly started moving. This must be a conspiracy to bring me down. His previous harmless, quiet behavior must have been him waiting for an opportunity. What a cunning, cowardly bastard.

And then, my former fiancée Mylenna.

If that woman had just accepted my proposal to become second queen, none of this would have happened. She didn’t even try to understand my pure love with Carla. Not only that, she went and found herself a new fiancé without my knowledge, acting like it’s some kind of retaliation against me.

I’ll never forgive this.

Carla has done nothing wrong. She’s pure, an innocent woman who loves me from the bottom of her heart. The fault lies with everyone else. Especially Mylenna and Aldian, I’ll never forgive them. They conspired to bring me down.

I won’t let this be the end.

I am the crown prince. I have been since birth. I can’t just stay silent after having it unjustly taken from me.

“What’s wrong, Lord Cariotte?”

Carla’s voice came from outside my door. She’s the only one who stands by me.

“Carla…”

I opened the door and invited her inside. Her brown eyes showed concern.

“What happened? You look so distressed.”

“My father says he’s stripping me of my right to succession.”

“Oh! Is that true?”

“Yes. He told me out of nowhere.”

“That’s so unreasonable…”

Carla showed a surprised expression, but for a moment, I thought I saw a different emotion flash in her eyes. But all I could see was her concern for me.

“But it’s alright. Someday, I’ll definitely clear this humiliation.”

Someday, I’ll definitely reclaim the throne. And Mylenna and Aldian will receive the punishment they deserve. Absolutely.