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 17

I took a deep breath and paused for a moment before the heavy doors of the throne room. Calming my mind, I reflected on the journey that had brought me here.

Finally, this day had arrived. Though we had expedited the process, the preparations had been thorough. The coordination with senior ministers, policy preparations, and most importantly, the political foundation built together with my trusted Murina. There would be no failure.

“Lord Aldian, are you ready?”

The voice of the chamberlain reached me. Turning toward the sound, I saw the experienced man who had served my father for many years, looking at me with deep respect.

“Yes, I’m ready.”

With confidence and dignity, I sensed the presence of the kingdom’s dignitaries waiting beyond the doors. The air felt different, heavier. Everyone understood the significance of this day.

“Then, I shall open the doors.”

With a heavy metallic sound, the doors swung open. The throne room was enveloped in an even more solemn atmosphere than usual. Sunlight streaming from the ceiling cast a sacred glow upon the marble floor. The kingdom’s leading nobles, knight commanders, and ministers stood in orderly rows, their gazes fixed intently on me.

A tension that prickled the skin washed over me. Yet, I also sensed expectant looks. They all held hope for a new era.

As my footsteps echoed through the throne room, I advanced step by step with certainty. My eyes fell upon Murina standing at the forefront of the ceremony. Dressed in a beautiful blue gown, she wore an expression of pride mixed with tension. When our eyes met, she gave a slight nod. In that moment, I was wrapped in a profound sense of reassurance.

The path we had walked together. The future we would continue to walk together.

My father sat on the throne, holding the crown that had been passed down through generations. Adorned with gold and jewels, the crown emitted a majestic glow, as if recounting centuries of history. My father’s expression was full of dignity, but I could see it. The strength of will with which he conducted this ceremony despite his poor health, and the fatigue that seeped through.

(Father…)

Whispering this in my heart, I stood before the throne. In my father’s eyes, I sensed a mix of relief and pride, the reassurance of being freed from years of heavy burdens, and the expectations placed upon the next king.

“Aldian Valheart.”

My father’s voice resonated through the throne room. It carried both the dignity of a king and the deep affection of a father. Stepping forward, I knelt and bowed my head. The cold touch of the marble transmitted through my knees.

“For a long time, you have fulfilled your duties as a member of the royal family,” my father continued.

“I have witnessed with my own eyes your wisdom, sincerity, and love for the people. Now is the time to entrust you with this heavy responsibility.”

The air in the throne room grew even more solemn. Everyone held their breath, watching this historic moment.

“I recognize you as the new king and bestow upon you this crown.”

The moment the crown was placed upon my head, its weight resonated through my shoulders. This was no mere ornament. This weight was the weight of the kingdom itself. The expectations of the people, responsibility, and hope for the future. That realization took solid form deep within my heart.

It was heavy. But bearing this weight was my mission.

“Hereby, I declare the ascension of the new king!”

The proclamation echoed through the throne room. For a moment, a silence fell as if time had stopped. Then, the sound of subjects kneeling in unison followed. The clatter of metal armor, the rustle of silk dresses—they merged into one great sound that filled the throne room.

“Loyalty to His Majesty!”

Voices pledging allegiance rang out one after another. Their echoes reverberated off the ceiling, creating an illusion that the entire kingdom was accepting me. I rose and surveyed the subjects.

The powerful gaze of the knight commander. The expectant expressions of the senior ministers. And my eyes turned to Murina standing at the forefront of the ceremony. Her eyes held a proud light, and that alone calmed my heart.

She is here. There are those who will walk with me.

“All of you, raise your heads.”

My voice echoed through the throne room. The sound of the subjects rising in unison sounded like the tolling of a bell heralding the start of a new era.

“As king, I vow to protect this country and its people. But that cannot be achieved by my strength alone. Together with all of you, I wish to build a better kingdom.”

I sensed small sighs of relief among the senior ministers. The succession ceremony had concluded without incident. And I reaffirmed my resolve to support the kingdom alongside them.

“Father, you can rest easy now. Leave the rest to me.”

After the ceremony, when I was alone with my father in his chambers, I told him this. Removing the crown, I placed it on the desk. Even as its physical weight vanished, the weight of responsibility remained unchanged.

“Ah… I can entrust it to you. I hope you become a splendid king.”

My father’s voice was filled with relief and expectation. The reassurance of finally being able to lay down the heavy burden he had carried for so long seeped through.

“It is only because of the foundation you built. I will show you how to develop it further.”

I took my father’s hand. It had grown thinner than before, but it still retained warmth.

“You think more of the people than I ever did. That is what gives me the most confidence.”

My father smiled and nodded quietly.

A brief silence filled the chambers. From outside the window, the faint voices of the people celebrating the ceremony could be heard. Voices of expectation for the new king, cheers filled with hope.