Oaths Of Loyalty From High Nobility

Around 7:15 PM.

It was a lavish dining room. This place was reserved solely for the royal family, and in this vast space, only two people were present. Both had red hair.

The one with a benevolent appearance had a vaguely hollow expression in his eyes, while the sharp-looking one was glaring intensely at him. Soon, the sharp-looking one spoke in a tone that suggested he couldn’t make sense of the situation.

“What the hell is going on? Why are you being held like this?”

Vincent wanted to scold him for being so casual in a situation like this, but he knew his own position left no room for such complaints, so he replied in a weak voice.

“You… You really know nothing, do you?”

“How would I know anything?! Our estate was suddenly attacked! I naturally assumed you were the one who had me captured! But you weren’t, were you?! What the hell is going on here?!”

“So you knew nothing either, Rubid. We’ve both been played.”

“Played? By who?”

“Ian.”

“What? That brat Ian did this to us? How could someone like him pull something like this off?!”

“That’s what I want to ask. I still can’t understand how he pulled off something this massive.”

“That’s ridiculous! He was just a figurehead!”

“Would a figurehead be able to command Count Dimentis?”

“Count Dimentis…”

He already knew that the soldiers who captured him were from the Capital Defense Command. He’d assumed they were working with Vincent, but to be caught by Ian, whom he thought had no influence whatsoever—this was truly bizarre.

“Could it be… Count Dimentis had a change of heart and Ian is just being used—”

“Don’t even think Count Dimentis is controlling Ian. The atmosphere was nothing like that.”

Prince Rubid, hearing Prince Vincent shake his head and speak so firmly, was left wondering. Had Ian truly gained command over Count Dimentis? Even if his reputation had grown immensely due to recent fame, there was still no reasonable cause for them to join forces. It made no sense.

“He was meticulous. There weren’t just one or two royal guards who joined him. I’m sure there are more out there.”

“What did they see in him to join him?!”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you know anything at all?!”

“You’re being quite disrespectful.”

“Still trying to play the older brother even in this situation? Do you know how I feel right now?!”

“And do you know how I feel?! This absurd, wretched situation!”

Before long, both were raising their voices. Just then, the doors to the dining hall swung open. Ian stepped in, having come straight from receiving the loyalty oath of the military generals.

Their angry gazes turned toward the entrance, but Ian simply looked around and began speaking casually, as if they didn’t matter at all.

“Well, I’ll need to renovate this place soon. It’s unnecessarily grand and spacious.”

It was a dining room the late king had created by converting a small party hall. The decor was extravagantly ornate, with lights on every wall and ceiling. For Ian, who only had three family members left, this vast and empty dining room felt unnecessary.

‘Better to repurpose it for something else. Maybe turn it into a practice hall for Charlotte’s dance lessons.’

As Ian thought this, he finally turned his gaze toward his two older brothers, who were glaring at him. Ian walked toward them and spoke in a calm tone.

“Why are you two so angry? What’s with all the yelling?”

“Ian, just when did you start planning all this?”

At Prince Vincent’s question, Ian paused to think for a moment before answering.

“Well, it’s hard to say exactly when. Honestly, I wasn’t planning to take things this far.”

“What are you talking about? Say something we can understand!”

“Brother Rubid, could you step back a bit? I’m talking with Brother Vincent right now. If both of you talk at once, it’s hard for me to think.”

“You little—!”

“Still don’t get your position, do you? Or would you like me to help you understand it clearly?”

“……”

The way he gritted his teeth showed that he understood all too well. Ian now had the power to decide whether he lived or died. Not just him—his wife and children could be executed too. Knowing that, he couldn’t take Ian’s words lightly.

“Now, where were we?”

“You said you didn’t originally want to go this far…”

“Ah, right. Anyway, I never wanted the throne in the first place. Honestly, I thought, ‘Do I really have to?’ I was planning to leave the country with Mother and my little sister. But then, during the war with the Doicheun Empire, my fame grew so much that even that became impossible.”

“……”

“And then there was one decisive thing.”

“What was that?”

“I didn’t like it.”

“What didn’t you like?”

“You know what I mean. I was suddenly dumped, sent away without my consent. Sure, I achieved something by hunting a kraken, but wouldn’t anyone be furious after all that? And then they tried to marry me off again, like I was their pawn.”

“Just for that…”

“‘Just’ for that? It was a pretty big deal for me. Besides, it’s obvious they would’ve done the same to my little sister. And Mother? She’s been trapped in the consort’s quarters for far too long. That’s why I changed my mind. I figured, I’ll just become king myself. What do you think? Does my reason for wanting the throne make sense to you?”

Hearing Ian say this so nonchalantly, both princes stared at him like he was insane. From their perspective, nothing about this was logical. But with the earlier threat still looming, they didn’t dare say it out loud.

“Now, let’s have a proper conversation. As you know, I won’t kill either of you. Nor will I kill the other siblings, the princesses. Honestly, I don’t want to be remembered as a bloodthirsty king.”

Hearing this, both men showed a mix of relief and unease on their faces. Sensing that, Ian continued, as if not wanting them to get too comfortable.

“Of course, saying I won’t kill you doesn’t mean I’m setting you free. You won’t stay on the mainland either—I’m sending you far away.”

“Where are you sending us?”

“To the colonies.”

“T-To a place like that?”

“Well, I’ve been there myself. It’s not that bad. Sure, there’s a lot it lacks, but it has everything you really need.”

Sending the princes to the colonies was actually based on the idea that leaving them on the mainland would only cause trouble. It could lead to false hope and plant the seeds of rebellion. Of course, rebellion could still happen in the colonies, but Ian had already considered that.

‘They’ll just end up fighting each other over there.’

Colonial enterprise was essentially about exploitation—selling goods at cheap prices and extracting resources—but Ian knew that over time, it would become a heavy burden. Constant unrest and rebellion were inevitable.

Suppressing them would require military spending, and eventually the cost would outweigh the benefits. That’s why he had started considering colonial independence. In exchange, they could sign favorable trade treaties and import resources more cheaply.

‘The mainland will be enough.’

Though it was an island with limited boundaries, it still encompassed an enormous territory—1,730 km from north to south and 1,550 km from east to west. It was no wonder it was called the largest island in the world. And the population? Recent statistics showed it had surpassed 80 million and was now entering the 90 million range.

In this era, such a population meant there was no deficiency in manpower. Of course, it was still far fewer than the hundreds of millions in the great empires, but wars weren’t won by population alone. And besides, this was an island nation. As long as the seas were secured, the mainland had no reason to suffer any damage.

That was the reason Ian planned to send the princes to the colonies.

‘I’m not the one killing them.’

If they fought and killed each other, then so be it. He couldn’t help it. That said, he had no intention of sending the princesses away. Of course, as princesses, they would receive a certain level of treatment, but it wouldn’t be like before.

Still, he didn’t plan to use them as tools for political marriages either. As he thought that, he noticed the two princes deeply troubled by the word colonies. He could already tell what they were thinking.

‘They’ll all want to build their own factions there.’

Naturally, Ian would have his own people embedded within those factions. While he’d send the princes to the colonies, he’d still keep a close watch. After this incident, he would be more cautious about who he allowed into his inner circle. But that wouldn’t be easy. Worse yet, distrust might become a constant presence.

“Well, with that decided, I’ll need your help tomorrow.”

“You want us to help you?”

“That’s right. I’ll summon all the high nobles to the palace and have them swear loyalty.”

“Absurd!”

Prince Rubid flinched, seemingly ready to protest, but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to speak. At that, Ian spoke with finality.

“I’ll show everyone that I’m the victor in the royal succession. It’ll be even easier if they see my two elder brothers bowing their heads before me. Oh, and by the way, all the military leaders have already pledged their loyalty to me. Just thought I’d mention it.”

“Ah…”

“Even the military…”

Hearing that even the military had pledged loyalty, the two princes knew without a doubt that all hope was lost. Both could only sigh at the reality that now loomed over them. Seeing their despair, Ian spoke as though he had said all he needed.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, he turned and left, leaving the two princes to fully grasp their situation. Once rivals for the throne of the Polia Kingdom, their ambitions were now completely extinguished.

The next day.

Over a hundred people were gathered in the grand assembly hall. Unease clouded their faces. The sudden unrest from the previous day had frozen not just the palace, but the entire capital. The streets were now filled with soldiers and police, enforcing strict control.

Any quick-witted noble could sense that something serious had happened. Everyone knew this incident was related to the succession, and now they waited anxiously to see who would emerge as the next king. The summons to the palace had left the high nobles both nervous and expectant.

No one spoke. In this situation, one careless word could lead to their downfall. Silence was their only option. Their eyes wandered to the empty seats throughout the hall.

The seats of Marquis Veloster, admiral of the 2nd Fleet, and Duke Gwens, the royal chancellor, were vacant. Had either one been present, it would have been clear who had won the struggle. But with both absent, no one could deduce the outcome.

Just then, the hall doors burst open. Everyone turned toward the figures entering—figures they had been desperate to identify. It was none other than Duke Gwens and Marquis Veloster.

Just as people began to rise in surprise, Princes Vincent and Rubid also appeared behind them, shocking the assembly. To see them enter together—what could this mean? And then, Count Dimentis appeared as well.

As murmurs began to rise, the head attendant entered and announced loudly:

“Silence, all! The new Ruler of the Great Ocean has arrived!”

At that declaration, all heads turned as Prince Ian made his entrance. Confusion filled the room. And then, Count Dimentis fell to one knee.

Following him, Duke Brudwar, admiral of the 1st Fleet, also knelt. The room stirred in shock. Then Duke Gwens and Marquis Veloster both knelt as well.

Just when the nobles thought things couldn’t get stranger, Princes Vincent and Rubid dropped to one knee.

The high nobles were left stunned, their faces pale. Then Count Dimentis raised his voice:

“Count Shin Dimentis greets the next King!”

Following his lead, others echoed his cry. As realization set in, the high nobles hastily knelt and shouted:

“We greet the one who shall be King! We pledge our loyalty!”

“O Ruler of the Great Ocean, please accept my loyalty!”

“I pledge my loyalty, my liege!”

“Loyalty to the Sovereign! Congratulations!”

The high nobles immediately grasped the situation. No, rather—they accepted reality. Recognizing that Ian was the undeniable victor, they pledged loyalty without hesitation. They instinctively understood that this was their only path to survival.

‘Good.’

Without needing to say anything, Ian had shown them the reality of the situation. Their spontaneous pledges of loyalty gave him immense satisfaction. Now, the conditions for his coronation were fully met.

All that remained was to inform the entire nation. Starting tomorrow morning, the news would spread through newspapers and radio. Foreign nations would soon learn as well.

“I, Ian di Polia, accept your loyalty.”

With those words, the Polia Kingdom recognized the birth of a new king.