Chapter 31

"Your Majesty, the King"

Since I asked Duke Einhorn to correct the way he addressed me, the old man, who had been silent all this time, spoke to the king in a low voice.

"Four years ago, do you remember signing the document of the agreement that Prince Albert spoke about?"

This is it, he’s going to lay everything on the line and confront the king with the meaning of what he did.

The queen has already steeled herself, straightening her back and closing her eyes, ready to hear the old man’s words. The prime minister, after taking a deep breath, chose to remain silent with a grim expression.

No one is going to come to the king’s aid.

"Please answer."

Despite being intimidated by the old man’s prompting, the king responded.

"O-of course I do."

"Is that so? Then, do you understand what that signature means?"

The king’s expression changed as if to say, "What are you talking about?" Oh, you thought you were going to be hit with something worse, didn’t you? But you really don’t understand the true meaning of that signature, do you?

"A-ah, of course."

"Then, please explain what that signature means."

"What do you mean..."

This is it, he simply thinks that his signature only means he agreed to the content of the document.

"Please answer."

The king’s throat constricted under the old man’s pressure.

There’s no point in being scared. Just answer quickly. And don’t expect any support from the prime minister or the queen.

Both of them are exasperated that you signed the agreement without understanding its true meaning.

You’re the only one who doesn’t get it.

And the old man is about to hammer you for your carelessness.

"Ruegen’s signature is an acknowledgment that he will not become king and will leave the royal family."

"Yes, that’s correct."

Relieved that he was right, the king listened as the old man continued.

"That also means you are renouncing your position as the father of the First Prince."

At the old man’s words, the king let out a small, indistinguishable sound.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"That is the agreement. After the First Prince comes of age, instead of becoming the crown prince and inheriting the title of Duke of Fulftball, he will become the head of the Markovius family as Albert of Markovius. Your signature acknowledges that you agree to turn the royal family’s Prince Ruegen Albert into the Markovius family’s Albert."

"W-why would that happen!"

No, I want to say, why don’t you understand this?

"My mother is the direct descendant of the Markovius family, the only princess. If I don’t become king, it’s only natural that I become the head of the Markovius family as the son of a Markovius princess."

If I leave the royal family upon coming of age, it means that as a member of the Markovius family, I will return to Fulftball.

No matter how you look at it, it was impossible for me to leave the royal family at that point.

After all, the king’s children are only me and Ignatz, and there are only two of us in the royal family. Removing one of us from the royal family would never be approved in the national council.

Moreover, the queen has shown no signs of being pregnant with a second child.

That’s why I added the clause about coming of age to lower the bar for getting the certification to leave the royal family.

The prime minister was so upset at the time because he knew this, even though he also believed I should become king.

But since the king himself signed the document to let me go, no matter what the prime minister says, it can’t be undone.

"I didn’t sign it with that meaning!"

The king raised his voice in denial. He probably thought that signing the agreement would simply make Ignatz the heir, not that I would no longer be his son. But...

"But you didn’t hesitate to sign it, did you?"

When I said this, the king visibly trembled, looking at me as if he couldn’t believe it.

"Your Majesty’s answer is already clear, isn’t it?"

I don’t want to hear you talk about familial affection. The one who neglected to be a father to me is the king.

"Answer?"

"To you and my mother, we were just in the way, weren’t we? The concern that my mother, who sought the king’s favor, might do something to the queen. The desire to make the Second Prince, born to the queen, the next king. Signing that agreement would solve all these problems, wouldn’t it?"

Please, don’t pretend to be a good father to me. No one expects that from you.

"N-no, that’s not it, it’s not like that at all..."

"Stop saying that. It’s not true, is it?"

But denying it... that’s really not a good thing.

"It’s not true, I really didn’t think that! I didn’t sign it with that meaning! I admit there was a difference in how I treated you and Ignatz! But I never thought of you as unnecessary! I always considered you my son! That’s why I tried to arrange your engagement to Einhorn to help you, since you couldn’t become king!"

Wow... you really think I’d be grateful for that? Do you think the prime minister or the queen would take your mistake lightly?

Do you really think Grandfather would forgive you?

None of us—Grandfather, the prime minister, the queen, or I—will change our view of you as a parent. In fact, we’re just exasperated that you, who can do your job as king, would even think of something like this.

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