Chapter 69

The night before the Crown Prince approval ceremony.

For the first time in a while, the members of the Royal Family were gathered in the small dining hall of the royal palace.

The Second Prince, who is entrusted with guarding the frontier.

The First Princess, who continues to visit and console monasteries and orphanages in various regions.

The First Prince, normally, it would not have been strange if he had been approved as Crown Prince much earlier.

However, ever since a past engagement was lost due to the death of his fiancée, he himself had been postponing the ceremony.

The King and Queen, and their four children surround a single table. The Second Prince said.

“…So you’ve finally felt like accepting it.”

The First Princess looked at the First Prince.

“It took a long time, didn’t it.”

The First Prince said quietly.

“…I suppose, it did.”

When the meal was past its halfway point, the Second Prince looked at me.

“Leonhart. Is the talk about you being granted the hot spring resort true?”

“Yes.”

I answered quietly.

The First Prince gave a bitter smile.

“It is true. I recommended Assistant Chancellor, though.”

At those words, the First Princess said while tilting her cup.

“Regarding Princess Elysia, the surroundings view it as being Leonhart, but… won’t that view also change with the hot spring resort?”

“Rumors will be rumors.”

The Second Prince slowly opened his mouth.

“Even though he went to the trouble of being bestowed a title from the great power.”

I remained silent.

Then the King surveyed his children surrounding the dining table.

“But well… Leonhart has his own intentions in this too.”

And he said quietly.

“That said, I would like to decide on marriages for you all soon.”

For an instant, the air at the table froze.

The first to open his mouth was the First Prince.

“I will serve the country.”

Following that, the First Princess smiled.

“If necessary, please decide on a partner for me.”

The Second Prince shrugged.

“If Leonhart is taking the hot spring resort, the frontier is enough for me. We can figure the rest out later.”

The King exhaled deeply.

“…Good grief. Because I’m going to have someone settle down soon.”

At that moment, the Queen, who had been quiet until now, opened her mouth.

“Leonhart.”

I raised my face.

“The location is the hot spring resort under the jurisdiction of the Royal Family, where the royal annex is located, I hear.”

“Yes.”

The Queen smiled gently.

“A hot spring is a place that heals people.”

And, pausing her words just slightly, she said.

“But sometimes—it heals the country too, you know.”

…I remained silent.

The Queen said nothing more. But those words alone were enough.

The Queen smiled softly.

“I am very much looking forward to it.”

…I wonder why.

Among all the words tonight, those sounded the heaviest.

The next day. In the grand cathedral of the Royal Capital, the heavy sound of bells echoed from the morning.

Countless candles were lit on candlesticks hanging from the high ceiling, and the light shining through the stained glass windows dyed the stones of the floor red and blue. The nobles, bishops, knights, and envoys from various regions of the kingdom were lined up quietly in rows.

Eventually the doors opened, and the King made his appearance.

Behind him followed the Queen, and then the Princes and Princess.

When the bishop’s prayer ended, the King stood before the throne.

“I approve my eldest son as Crown Prince.”

A solemn voice echoed within the hall.

The First Prince knelt and stepped forward before the King.

The King took the sword of the Royal Family and quietly touched his shoulder with it.

“As the one to inherit this country, do you swear to protect the people, protect the laws, and protect the kingdom?”

“I swear.”

They were short words, but that voice echoed clearly.

The bishop offered a prayer of blessing, and the nobles bowed their heads in unison. Thus, the Crown Prince approval ceremony ended.

Following that, several investitures took place. My name was also called.

“Third Prince Leonhart.”

I stepped forward and knelt.

“I grant the hot spring resort under the jurisdiction of the Royal Family as your territory.”

The King’s words echoed.

“Govern it, protect the people, and make it a benefit to the kingdom.”

“I humbly accept your command.”

I bowed my head. There was no applause or cheering within the hall. Only a quiet stir of approval spread.

With the heavy air remaining, the ceremony ended.

—However.

After leaving the grand cathedral, various voices were already whispering in the corridors and halls of the royal palace.

“That Third Prince getting the hot spring resort.”

“Wasn’t His Highness the Crown Prince intending to install him as Chancellor?”

“No, apparently he intends to build a city of medicine.”

“What happened to the talk with the princess of the great power?”

Nobles, merchants, priests—.

Their respective speculations were being exchanged secretly. The day a Crown Prince was born, and a new territory was granted.

The kingdom had quietly begun to move.

As I stood still for a bit in the corridor, I saw the Chancellor coming towards me.

“Excuse me, Your Highness Leonhart.”

The Chancellor bowed quietly.

“May I borrow your ear for just a moment?”

I nodded.

“Did you choose the hot spring resort?”

“It is not that I chose it. I was merely granted it.”

The Chancellor gave a small laugh.

“Let us leave it at that.”

And lowering his voice slightly, he said.

“That land gathers people.”

I remained silent.

The Chancellor continues.

“If people gather, money moves.”

Furthermore, pausing a beat.

“If money moves, the country moves.”

And he lightly bowed his head.

“If Your Highness has thought that far ahead… you are truly reliable.”

Saying that, the Chancellor walked away.

The Chancellor’s footsteps disappeared beyond the corridor. However, I was still standing in that spot.

In the long corridor of the grand cathedral, the presence of people coming and going remained. The light shining through the high windows cast long shadows on the stone floor.

A quiet voice came from behind.

“Your Highness.”

When I turned around, Marc was bowing.

“My preparations are complete at any time.”

I gave a small laugh.

“Already?”

“Yes.”

Marc said with his unchanging serious face.

“We are heading to the hot spring resort, are we not?”

I looked down the corridor once more.

—What kind of path awaits beyond here.

I don’t know yet.

But certainly, the future I should walk seemed to continue there.