The Young Lady Whose Engagement Was Annulled Decided to Observe What Would Become of the Kingdom thereafter - Chapter 18

Even those who usually wouldn’t dare step foot into the office had gathered. Several nobles stood lined up, sweat beading on their foreheads. Their expressions were a mix of anxiety and fear.

“Your Majesty, please, forgive him!”

The nobles all bowed their heads at once. These were men who normally wore their status on their sleeves with pride. To see them lowering their heads like this—it was almost comical.

“Forgive him? What nonsense!”

I slammed my desk. A dull thud rang through the room along with the feel of solid wood under my hand.

“No matter the circumstances, those two will be executed. That decision will not change.”

The young man who was with Amaryllis—he was apparently the second son of a prestigious noble family. For someone of noble bl00d to lay hands on a woman destined to be queen was utterly outrageous. Their guilt had already been confirmed. All that remained was to decide how to carry out their execution.

“Please, reconsider.”

“If you have him executed, it will cause internal division. This punishment will sow resentment among the people. To avoid that, I urge you to—”

“I don’t care about such trivialities.”

I spat the words with a cold sneer.

“What matters most right now is that the woman committed the crime of betrayal. She deceived me, the king. And a foolish man was complicit in it. That’s all there is to it.”

There was no doubt that Amaryllis’s betrayal was the worst offense. But the young man who touched her was equally guilty. Did he have no pride as a noble? Even if Amaryllis seduced him, he should have rejected her. Any noble would know she was to be queen.

And if he was the one who made the first move—then it’s even less forgivable. And Amaryllis, for accepting it…

Either way, it was a deliberate act. They deceived me—the king—and looked down on me.

Their disgraceful conduct warrants death a hundred times over. That’s why the execution must proceed without fail.

“But Your Majesty…”

One of the nobles, still kneeling, spoke with a trembling voice. Still they press on?

“Their mistake was just a lapse in judgment, a youthful indiscretion. This all happened from a fleeting moment of weakness—”

“Whether it was a lapse in judgment or not doesn’t matter! What they did is the truth. And that act is absolutely unforgivable!”

As I stated this harshly, fear flickered in the nobles’ eyes. But at the same time, I could also see resentment. They were the ones at fault, yet they looked at me with dissatisfaction. I am the king.

“The execution will take place in one week. Begin preparations immediately. I will hear no further pleas regarding this matter.”

Once I declared this, the nobles finally left. But their faces were clearly reluctant, disgruntled even. It was most displeasing.

A few days later, while I was in the middle of my official duties, the royal guards burst in, looking flustered.

“Your Majesty! We have an emergency!”

“What is it?”

“Lady Amaryllis… has escaped from the prison.”

“What!?”

At that report, I leapt to my feet. The sound of my chair toppling backward echoed through the room.

“She escaped? How?”

“The details are still under investigation, but we believe she had help from the inside. She escaped the prison late at night and is believed to have fled the capital with her accomplices.”

“Unbelievable…”

Not long after, the investigation revealed the full picture.

The cell had been unlocked by someone during the night, and Amaryllis escaped with the man she had been having an affair with. There were multiple collaborators. They had evaded the night patrols and even had horses prepared. It was clearly a well-planned escape.

First my father, King Garland, was allowed to flee—and now Amaryllis, too? There’s no way this is all just coincidence. Someone is orchestrating this. Someone among the nobles is trying to shake the kingdom from beneath my feet.

“Again… We let them escape again!?”

My roar echoed through the office.

“I sincerely apologize.”

The official in charge of the prison, trembling as he gave his report, bowed deeply. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

“During the night patrol, the cell was locked. But during the morning check, it was already empty…”

The more I heard, the angrier I became. Nothing but excuses for letting her escape—saying the guards were understaffed, that the key management was sloppy. In the end, it all came down to negligence.

“You are unfit to remain in your post. As of today, you are dismissed.”

“S-Such a punishment is too—”

I declared his dismissal. As the man began to protest in a quivering voice, an unexpected voice rang out.

“C-Coward!”

The voice came from the corner of the office. A young royal guard who had been stationed near the door. His eyes burned with fury.

“What did you say?”

I turned to him, shocked at his sudden outburst.

“You push the blame onto your subordinates… But isn’t Your Majesty the one who is truly incompetent!?”

The room froze at the guard’s words. No one spoke. It was as if time itself had stopped.

“You… What is your name?”

I asked quietly. I had no interest in the name of such a man, but I asked anyway.

“Lloyd.”

He answered without fear. In fact, his eyes were defiant.

“Seize him.”

The moment I heard his name, I gave the order.

“Throw this insolent dog into the dungeon. And investigate his ties with Amaryllis and the escaped noble’s son.”

The surrounding guards quickly moved to apprehend Lloyd. He didn’t resist—on the contrary, he looked straight at me with a gaze full of challenge as he was taken away.

What is happening here, really?

The memory of someone once telling me “You’re just a figurehead” surfaced. I shook my head. That can’t be. I am the king. I am not being manipulated by anyone. I make my own decisions.

And yet… why even the royal guards now turn against me?