"I've heard stories of those who wished for the resurrection of the ancient kingdom... Is that why you committed such a great sin..."
Mariabelle muttered emphatically.
If this is the reason why he killed the royal family ten years ago and tried to murder the king again now, it's too disappointing.
The people of the ancient kingdom left for the eternal land of everlasting spring in the east on a white ship, but only one princess, who pitied the powerless people who had been vassals of the ancient kingdom, remained in this land.
The princess became the last queen of the ancient kingdom and had five sons.
The four older sons were close, but the youngest was coarse, violent, and ambitious, and did not get along with his other brothers.
After the death of the queen, the oldest son was supposed to succeed her in the ancient kingdom, but just before he could take over the throne, he was killed by his youngest brother.
The remaining brothers mourned the death of their eldest brother, and the three of them joined forces to kill the youngest brother and dismember him so that he would not be resurrected forever.
It is said that the ancient kingdom was divided into three, with the kingdom sealing its head, the Galleria Empire sealing its torso, and the now-destroyed Holy Empire of Limenik sealing its limbs.
In other words, the only people who are clearly known to be descendants of the ancient kingdom are the royal family that ruled the kingdom and the imperial family of the Galleria Empire.
Organisations wishing to revive the ancient kingdom have appeared many times in the course of history.
They believed that the youngest brother, who was sealed away, would eventually be resurrected because he possessed divine power, and they worked in the dark to revive the ancient kingdom.
This was a ridiculous story that would normally be unbelievable, but in the course of history, they suddenly appear, sometimes misleading the powers of the time.
And the organisation, which is supposed to be destroyed every time it appears, has somehow been resurrected many times. After the destruction of the Limenik Holy Empire, the story goes that once the sealed limbs are freed and the rest of the body is released, the true king, who was sealed away, will be restored.
"There may be an organisation behind the scenes in the Republic. There is no such movement in the Empire, but let's be careful."
Renato gently patted Mariabelle's shoulder, which had stiffened after hearing Duke Danzel's curse-like words.
Under the palm of her hand, she could feel the strength slipping from her fragile shoulders.
"Well, Edward."
Frederick III, who had been watching the Duke of Danzel's back as he was taken away, slowly turned around.
"Yes."
"The decision had been made. And Annette, his adopted daughter..."
Frederick III's words were muddled, and Edward's body trembled.
The punishment that Frederick III has decided on is the maximum penalty. The family and the entire clan would be charged with the crime.
Naturally, Annette, Danzel's adopted daughter, was included in this group.
Edward turned his eyes to his father, as if he were desperate.
"If it had been normal, I would have charged her with being a member of the family, but since she has only been an adopted daughter for a short time, it would be too pathetic to charge her with a crime."
The king declared in an unusually firm tone while staring at Edward.
"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Your Majesty."
Edward, relieved with joy, bowed gracefully.
"But I cannot accept Annette as the Crown prince's consort now that she has returned to being a commoner. I will not allow Annette to be adopted by a nobleman again... Choose, Edward, true love or not."
After bowing, Edward was about to raise his head when his body froze mid-sentence.
The face, which remained slumped, showed no expression at all.
But his body was trembling fiercely.
True love...
Who could have predicted that the words he once said to Mariabelle would determine Edward's future as heir to the throne?
The king asked.
If he chooses Annette, he must renounce his throne.
Even so, with Danzel's downfall, the royal court is in for a rough ride. The war between the factions will be chaotic, and if he is going to choose a commoner's daughter as his queen, there will surely be someone who will be ambitious enough to choose his own daughter.
Therefore, Annette, a commoner's daughter, cannot become the crown princess.
If they wanted to be together, Edward would have to renounce the throne.
"But..."
As the only direct male heir, with no other male siblings, Edward thought that none other than himself would succeed to the throne.
Cedric, too, has the right to the throne, but he is the son of the king's brother, and if Edward were to have a son, he would lose his right to the throne. He had never been aware of them as heirs to the same throne.
I was proud of the fact that I alone was the rightful heir to the throne, and I had been working hard to make sure that I was the only one.
But there was only one thing.
I wanted to fulfil only one selfish wish.
I wanted to find true love and be united with Annette.
I wanted to show my sincerity as a partner who stood side by side with her as the crown princess, not as a shadowy presence like a concubine.
Why should he have to choose between true love and the throne?
Edward did not understand.