Ripening (3)

The altar was before my eyes. Now, if I only climbed the stairs and turned around, the path I had to walk would come to an end. After that, all I had to do was say the prepared lines, and at that moment, with a “bang!” the firearms all spewed flames at once.

It seemed they had separately modified training rounds so that flames and noise would occur.

Honestly, I was a little surprised, but I endured it well, and when I climbed the stairs one by one and arrived before the altar, I felt a little taken out of it as I saw the piles of many gold, silver, and treasure arranged quite splendidly.

It was because it felt as if this was glory sitting atop gold, silver, and treasure. But that only lasted a moment. Demina and Wijel slowly helped me turn around, and the sight of the countless crowds showing courtesy as seen from the platform was another incredible spectacle.

“You must give your speech. I will cast amplification magic, so please prepare.”

Those were the words Hare, who had been slowly following behind, spoke, and I could immediately see magic power moving as a magic circle was drawn.

Hare deliberately created a large magic circle behind my back, and before long, she informed me that the magic had been used.

But the problem was that my mind had gone blank from nervousness.

I thought I had memorized what I had to say in advance, but… I was nervous because there were far more people than expected, and because of that, my mind went blank.

Silence settled for a moment. It seemed they wanted me to say anything at all.

“Ahem, Your Highness… the speech…”

Behind me, Wijel and Demina were also waiting for me to speak. But no matter how much I thought, nothing came to mind. Because I could not remember, I became even more nervous, and the lines came to mind even less. I let out a deep sigh and opened my mouth.

“Um, I’m sorry. I forgot the speech. Would it be all right if I say what I want to say instead?”

I could feel the intense trembling of those looking at me as if wondering what this was, and the vassals whose expressions were dyed with panic. A chuckle escaped me, and I laughed as I looked back on this coronation that was drifting farther away from grandeur.

The sound of my laughter spread far and wide through the amplification magic. Then, after releasing my tense heart to some extent, I looked around at the people and spoke.

“I am a man who never had even the slightest thought of living as a king. I was merely an ordinary man who hoped everyone would live together in harmony. But many things happened, trials came, and because there were many bonds that seemed to connect like fate and people who believed in me, I think the current me is standing here today. Today, in this place, I must become a ‘king.’ But you know… do you know how unbearably burdensome that is?”

There was no way an answer would come. Right now, it was only the moment of my speech. Everyone was silent, and they asked with their eyes. Their expressions seemed to ask what I wanted to say.

“I do not think I will become a great king. However! I will try to become a good king, so please watch over me…. Oh, wait, right. They told me to say this at the end. May the blessing and protection of god be with you…”

But the problem was the very moment I said the final line. Light fell from the sky and spread widely around me.

Then, as I thought the light was caressing everyone here as though blessing them, I saw everyone drop to their knees at once and raise their gazes toward behind my back.

‘How tiresome…’

Thinking something that would not be strange at all to be cursed at as blasphemous, I slowly turned my head, and thanks to Demina and Wijel, who turned with me in line with my movement, I was able to see a figure floating in the air.

It was a figure I knew well, and after looking around with an expression that seemed delighted to death, she soon lowered her body and flew toward me. Then, before everyone’s eyes, the Goddess Artemisia seemed to take hold of both my cheeks, kissed my forehead, and disappeared while scattering flower petals in a splendid manner.

I thought it was an incredible production, but I could never feel good about it.

It was because of the words the Goddess Artemisia left behind as she kissed me and disappeared.

“The time of trial will soon come.”

With an expression like I had chewed on shit, I asked Artemisia as she scattered away.

“What kind of trial?”

But there was no answer that returned, and the surroundings were only filled with murmurs about the being who had just revealed herself. Afterward, the murmuring that the goddess had bestowed blessing and protection continued, and soon it turned into cheers.

Then shouts of “the king who received god’s blessing and protection” could be heard, and cries of “Long live His Majesty the King of Ingrad” burst out. Amid the cheers that began chanting, I alone had to taste a confused feeling.

Afterward, the gift presentation ceremony brought by the envoys of each country continued. It was a place where each introduced themselves and publicly revealed the gifts they had brought to all those watching, and I wondered why this nonsense was being done.

However, since this too was said to be an important event among the beastkin in its own way, I had no choice but to sit on a temporary throne and conduct the gift presentation ceremony. Afterward, while looking at the mountain of gifts that had formed, I shouted awkwardly.

“Begin the banquet!”

“We thank you, Your Highness!”

The beastkin who had been prepared in advance began decorating the coronation venue. They had been waiting beforehand to turn it into a banquet hall. And before long, instruments began to play, and alcohol and food began entering the banquet hall.

When the appearance of the coronation venue changed in perfect order, people one and all began rushing to help prepare the banquet, and soon the atmosphere ripened and began to grow lively.

Because it was clearly different from a normal coronation, the envoys of many kingdoms who participated looked puzzled, while the beastkin and humans who had become people of Ingrad soon found stability and began mingling as though they were used to this atmosphere.

Amid that, I saw many territory residents bringing me small items and asking me to accept them as gifts, and it was a moment when I thought the sight of slaves, commoners, and people regardless of status or rank mingling together was quite worth seeing.

“Congratulations on your enthronement, Your Majesty.”

When I turned my head at the familiar voice, it was Onellia of Briden. She and several nobles offered me polite greetings.

We had exchanged brief greetings during the gift presentation, but it seemed she needed more conversation.

“Thank y…. No, thank you. I am grateful for the gift.”

“Your way of speaking sounds awkward.”

Thinking it would take quite a long time to fix this, I asked,

“Do you not intend to enjoy the banquet?”

“No. It is a banquet with a special atmosphere, so I am watching carefully because it feels unfamiliar.”

“I see. This is the appearance of Ingrad. Everyone mingling together… is it not a pleasant sight?”

“I think so. No kingdom could show such a sight.”

I could not tell whether she meant she was envious or simply found it fascinating, but I thought the sight of the people without a single dark shadow visible was quite a wonderful scene.

“Is this the first time in a while that we have had a private conversation, excluding trade?”

“Hmm, if we look at it strictly, I suppose so. Is there something you wish to say?”

“I wondered whether His Majesty the King of Ingrad had no intention of seeing descendants.”

“I only just ascended the throne?”

Just as I was thinking that this was absurd, Onellia spoke.

“I think the princesses from each country who came here all have the same purpose. They came here because they think Ingrad is not a country that can be taken lightly. Their purpose would all be the same.”

It was an awkward topic. And perhaps it was also a natural topic. Most of those who came as the representatives of envoys from each country were women, and princesses.

Only the Terakan Imperial Family had not sent an envoy. It seemed they recognized the independence but could not congratulate it. If not that, perhaps they did not want to send the Princess.

Whatever the case, I could roughly understand how things were flowing, and I could also glimpse Onellia’s intentions.

Was that why?

For no reason, instead of asking Onellia her reason for visiting, I brought up another topic. It was related to descendants, but it would be disappointing for the princesses.

“I am not thinking of descendants right now. I also have no thoughts of marriage yet.”

“Royal marriages are not often done because the individual wants them.”

I knew what Onellia meant. However, that was literally a political marriage, and our situation was not bad enough to require such a marriage.

“I know what you are trying to say. However, I will live the life I desire at the time I want. That is my will.”

In the end, I had indirectly rejected all intentions. To put it bluntly, a political marriage?

I did not even want to think about it.

Onellia had a complicated expression, but while I exchanged a few words with her, the envoys of each country who surged in meant we could not continue our conversation any further. After that, I spent almost the entire banquet surrounded by princesses, unable to eat or drink, and having to talk until my mouth went dry.

The festival schedule was one week. I thought it had truly been set horribly long, and I had to spend truly exhausting days showing my face at the banquets held every day.

However, there was also an unexpected visit, and it was Branne.

She had come dressed up with noble-looking hair that was close to silvery white and a pure white dress.

“I greet the master of Ingrad.”

With Branne’s polite greeting, she turned the princesses around me, who had been making all kinds of efforts to catch even a little of my attention, into squids. It seemed she had been steadily applying and managing herself with the “Tiger Balm” I had given her before.

I thought her seemingly transparent skin and grayish eyes matched far too well.

“It has been a while, Branne de Ishtain.”

“It seems our ranks have changed now?”

“So they have. This is an unexpected visit. Are you not busy with the war?”

“War is war, and I judged that I had to offer my greetings. And I wished to convey my gratitude for this aid.”

Everyone was busy looking at me and Branne with surprised expressions because the master of Ishtain had visited. In addition, Branne’s dressed-up appearance was beautiful enough to capture everyone’s attention.

That was probably the part that made the women most concerned.

As it happened, over the past few days, I had recalled that the princesses and nobles of each country, after seeing the transparent skin of the people of Ingrad, had asked questions out of curiosity about the importance of skincare and the items used to manage it separately. From that perspective, seeing Branne radiating enough charm to turn beautiful princesses into squids made me think she was impressive.

To put it bluntly, was she not even a Master?

It was a moment when I thought she might truly be a woman who had everything.

“I am relieved that I can meet you again with a smiling face, Your Majesty.”

Branne’s appearance as she showed a knight’s courtesy while wearing a dress could have been slightly incongruous, but there was not the slightest servility in her actions.

So I too answered Branne with courtesy befitting formality.

“I too think it is a great relief that I can face you with a smiling face. Branne de Ishtain.”

If she had succeeded in gaining independence, we would have faced each other in the same position, but for now Branne was still treated as the ringleader of rebels, so I substituted it by calling her by her full name.

As if satisfied with my answer, Branne smiled, and I also smiled along with her.