I've Suffered for Five Years, Now It's Your Turn. ~The Crown Princess Has No Intention of Forgiving~ - Episode 30

“Father, please think carefully about why you are standing here. Do you truly understand the weight of the words Mother — no, Camilla just spoke to you?”

I looked up at my beloved son, Luans, standing before me. At this tribunal, I was being questioned while the gathered nobles and commoners stared at me harshly.

The royal family’s disgrace, and Camilla’s testimony just now, had stripped me of almost all my authority.

“…So that was Camilla’s true feelings.”

“Father, answer everyone honestly. What did you do? And tell us everything about how you tried to use Princess Filia.”

Faced with Luans’ pressing questions, I had no choice but to tell everything. I realized hiding it now was pointless. After being despised by my own son, I had no pride left to protect.

“When I was young, my father fell ill suddenly, so I had to be crowned king quickly, and the duties were overwhelming.”

“…”

“While I was buried in work, Queen Camilla skillfully gathered support among the nobles and social circles, but… she didn’t cooperate with government affairs.”

“You could have relied on your officials or the chancellor.”

“As a newly crowned king, showing weakness like that would be unacceptable. I had to appear strong and couldn’t rely on others.”

“So it was just for appearances, wasn’t it, Father?”

Luans’ harsh words were true. I felt inferior watching Camilla succeed in the social world while I struggled with my workload. Because of that, I couldn’t ask for her help. And that led to what happened next.

“In those exhausting days, when I was emotionally worn down, Camilla’s maid… encouraged me.”

“…”

“She crossed the boundaries of status and devoted herself to supporting me. She was kind and sincere… she became my emotional support.”

“So you slept with the maid?”

Murmurs rose from the audience. Their eyes no longer looked at me as a king, but with scorn.

“That’s right. I came to love her deeply. But Camilla found out. I was immature then and had no choice but to consult my still-living father.”

“…”

“Wishing to somehow fix the situation, my father, valuing the royal family’s position above all, erased the maid without telling me.”

My father’s decision was cruel, but it preserved the royal authority. I have anger and complaints about him, of course. But this tragedy was of my own making… so I chose to live bearing the pain of losing the one I loved.

“So you committed adultery, yet the monarchy continued without punishment, Father.”

“Yes… but she left one last hope — you, Luans.”

The crowd gasped when they learned Luans was born of a mistress.

“The woman I loved died, but she entrusted the child she bore on her deathbed to a doctor. When I learned that, I didn’t want to lose you, Luans.”

“…”

“When Camilla suggested pretending you were her child, I was glad — but that was her own form of revenge. She oppressed you, and I wasn’t allowed to object.”

“So that’s why you used Princess Filia’s situation to your advantage…”

I nodded and confessed everything. While handling state affairs, I discovered Camilla’s embezzlement. Digging deeper, I learned she was conspiring with Erik. I chose not to expose it directly but planned to let Filia accuse them and reclaim power within the palace.

All of this was…

“Luans… it was to keep Camilla from revealing you as my illegitimate son and to make you the perfect king.”

“…”

“I had no choice. I wanted to protect the son of the woman I loved — my beloved son — from a harsh fate!”

I pleaded desperately, trying to make them understand my pain and struggle. There was no other way. What other choice did I have?

“No ‘no choice’? Your Majesty Harvin, this is the result of your own making!”

“!”

Princess Filia, who had been silent until now, shouted at me. Her gaze was as sharp and strict as when we first met, piercing my heart.

“You never once tried to atone for your sins… and created the current corruption of the royal family.”

“T-That’s not true… I did it for Luans!”

“Your selfish distortions dragged me into this. You trampled on the authority of our Silvan royal family.”

Following Filia’s words, the nobles’ voices grew louder. The commoners looked at me with disdain and disappointment.

“I’m not claiming to speak for Camilla, but His Majesty Harvin is also responsible for causing a serious international crisis with our Silvan royal family.”

Filia loudly declared this to everyone gathered at the tribunal.

“Therefore, I propose that His Majesty be severely punished… on behalf of the Silvan royal family.”

At her words, the nobles’ mocking, scornful, and contemptuous looks grew worse. My authority — everything I had built — crumbled. The status and honor of the Harvin royal family I had protected… all destroyed because of me, because of me.

“Father… You knew everything and silently allowed it, even using a foreign princess. No one can accept you continuing as king. That’s the consensus.”

What hurt me most, what tore my heart apart, was that even Luans — my beloved son, the child of my beloved — looked at me with anger.

“I’m… different. That’s not true, I just—”

Despised by my beloved son Luans, the judgment that would end my reign as king was decided. I could only drop to my knees and groan.