Episode 176: The King’s Inauguration Speech

Siegfried’s ascension to the throne was carried out quietly, without lavish ceremonies or grand feasts. Naturally, there were voices of dissent regarding his coronation. The opposition was primarily led by the nobles.

“We acknowledge his achievement in defeating Lugdura. However, he is merely a rural earl. To ascend to the throne is simply unacceptable.”

“The king of the Kirchhen Kingdom should be of royal blood. If a new king must be chosen, should it not be someone with ties to the royal family?”

“I’ve heard that Earl Kreving enforces strict meritocracy in his domain, promoting capable individuals regardless of their lineage. If such a man becomes king, the order of this kingdom will surely collapse.”

The nobles spouted seemingly reasonable arguments, one after another. But in truth, what they feared was the loss of their own privileges. Luverios had favored policies that benefited the nobility, but if Siegfried took the throne, those would be overturned—hence their resistance. However, Siegfried brushed aside all their objections.

Siegfried commanded the formidable Eastern Army. Furthermore, the kingdom’s forces, having witnessed his defeat of Lugdura, were now captivated by his strength and pledged their allegiance to him. In other words, at this moment, the majority of the kingdom’s military power was already in his grasp. Nobles who relied solely on their authority were no match for him.

One month after his ascension.

Siegfried announced his intention to deliver a formal speech to proclaim his inauguration as king.

The proclamation issued to the people of the capital was simply: “Those with time to spare, come to the ruins of the royal palace.”

It wasn’t mandatory. It was a provocative call, as if daring those with free time to come hear the new king’s address.

Yet, to the people of the capital, the new king Siegfried was an object of curiosity, the center of all rumors. In the end, a massive crowd gathered at the palace ruins.

 

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“But… why hold the inauguration speech now? Couldn’t he have done it sooner?”

The spacious palace gardens were already packed with people. One of them muttered this while tilting their head.

A man standing nearby turned around and responded.

“He probably prioritized the capital’s reconstruction.”

The rubble of the collapsed Kirchhen-Almas Castle and noble estates had been cleared, and in their place stood tents and temporary shelters.

Fortunately, the middle and outer districts, where knights, merchants, and commoners resided, had sustained little damage.

“The fancy palace and noble mansions aren’t fully restored yet, but functionally, the capital’s pretty much back on its feet, right?”

“I see. So he planned the speech with that in mind. Makes sense—our lives are pretty much back to normal.”

Another voice cut into their conversation from the side.

“No, it’s more than just back to normal, you guys.”

The voice belonged to a woman who ran a diner catering to commoners.

“I run a business, so I can tell. Things are actually better now—better than before Lugdura wrecked the capital.”

“Huh? How’s that possible…?”

Before the man could finish, the surrounding chatter suddenly fell silent.

A subtle tension filled the air, and everyone instinctively held their breath. All eyes turned to a simple but tall wooden platform, where a lone figure appeared.

Silver hair, deep blue eyes—it was Siegfried.

The next moment, the silence shattered as cheers erupted.

“Lord Siegfried!”

“Earl Kreving… no, His Majesty the King!”

“Our hero! Our savior!”

A wave of fervor swept through the palace gardens, with people raising their arms and shouting his name.

To them, Siegfried was the hero who had vanquished the embodiment of death, Lugdura, and dethroned the foolish king Luverios.

Yet, despite basking in their cheers, Siegfried didn’t crack a smile. He surveyed the crowd slowly and, in a cold, detached tone, uttered something unexpected.

“What a bunch of naive fools. Calling me a savior? That’s laughable.”

His low, resonant voice cut through the crowd with a commanding clarity.

In an instant, the fervor died down, and silence reclaimed the gardens.

“I’ve gathered you here today for one reason: to declare my policies as king.”

His voice, amplified by magic, carried a razor-sharp edge that reached every corner of the crowd.

“I have no intention of doing anything for your sake. Don’t misunderstand. I will use this kingdom—and all of you, its people—for my own purposes.”

His words struck the crowd with shock.

No one could move, staring at the new king as if they’d forgotten how to blink.

No one had ever heard a king say such things so brazenly in front of the people.

Past kings of Kirchhen had occasionally appeared before the public to make declarations, but those were always cloaked in flowery rhetoric.

“I swear to lead this kingdom to prosperity.”

“I earnestly wish for the happiness of my people.”

Such platitudes were the norm.

Of course, their actions never matched their words.

No king in history had ever truly devoted themselves to the people.

Yet they all wore the mask of “a king for the people.”

That was what the people had come to expect. But Siegfried didn’t care for such conventions.

“You lot should let yourselves be used by me to your heart’s content. Of course, even if I tell you to work for my goals, you wouldn’t follow me willingly. Humans are creatures driven by their own desires and interests—I understand that much. So, I will reward those who excel and prove their worth without fail. I will elevate the capable and cast aside the incompetent without mercy. Meritocracy and strict reward and punishment—that is my rule. Just as I use you, you should use me to seize what you desire with your own hands.”

He paused, his icy gaze sweeping over the crowd once more.

“One last thing. If you don’t like my methods, feel free to challenge me anytime. But as I said—reward and punishment go hand in hand. If you dare to oppose me, be prepared for the consequences.”

With a faint, almost taunting smile, Siegfried vanished from the platform.

It was as if he’d said all he needed to say and had no intention of wasting another moment.