Myrcella's eyes found me through the thinning crowd, and with what looked like the last bit of strength she had left after enduring all those endless congratulations, she slowly made her way toward me. Her steps weren't unsteady, but there was a faint heaviness in them, like each one demanded just a little more effort than the last.

"Phew… that was a little tough on me," she said, letting out a long breath as if she had been holding it in for hours. "I didn't think it would reach this point. Honestly, it's far more exhausting than I expected."

Her voice carried a mix of relief and fatigue, the kind that only comes after forcing yourself to stay composed for way too long. A faint smile still lingered on her face, though it looked more like habit than genuine ease.

"Well, you've been working yourself to the bone since yesterday," I told her, watching her closely. "So I guess it's only natural you'd end up feeling like that."

"Well, I didn't really have a choice but to keep going," she replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "If I didn't go through all of that, I'm sure a lot of people would've been disappointed that I didn't properly greet them."

That made sense. It wasn't just about showing up. It was about being seen, acknowledged, as well as remembered. Still, it sounded like she had pushed herself harder than necessary, like she was trying to prove something beyond simple duty. Maybe she was trying to win them over faster. Maybe she just didn't want to give anyone a reason to doubt her.

Either way, it wasn't surprising.

She was trying to secure support from every noble present. Right now, what Myrcella needed most wasn't just a crown. She needed backing. Real, solid backing. The kind that would hold when things inevitably got messy. If she was going to stand at the top, she needed something strong beneath her, something that could support the weight of ruling an entire kingdom.

It was kind of like a gundam, if you thought about it long enough. If she was the head, then the nobles would be the limbs. Without those limbs, the head wouldn't be able to do much on its own. With them, though, she could move, act, and carry everything that needed to be carried. Nobles, commoners, as well as the entire structure of the kingdom. Everything depended on how well those parts worked together.

"Making sure we leave a strong first impression on them is something we needed to do," she said, her tone steady despite the fatigue. "Otherwise, we'd just end up following in my father's footsteps."

"Well, I suppose you're taking every step possible to make sure history not repeats itself," I said.

While we were talking, the crowd around us continued to thin. What had once been a lively, crowded space filled with voices, laughter, and formal greetings was now slowly emptying out. Conversations faded, footsteps echoed a little more clearly, and the whole place felt like it was finally winding down.

One by one, they had all offered their wishes for the new king. Polite words, rehearsed smiles, annd carefully chosen blessings.

Some of them, though, didn't say much at all.

There were those who still didn't trust her, people who weren't convinced she could do a good job. They didn't make a scene. They didn't voice their doubts openly. They simply left.

That kind of reaction said more than words ever could about how it looked like it would take time before Myrcella could earn the full support of everyone. Trust like that didn't come easily, especially in a place like this.

Still, this was just the beginning. People who didn't agree with certain decisions or ideas would naturally hesitate. That was expected. It wasn't something that could be fixed in a single night.

Eventually, though, things would shift.

After some time, the celebration finally came to an end, and with it, a new age began for the kingdom.

***

After the celebration, Myrcella and I made our way back into the castle.

The place had gone quiet.

The noise from earlier felt distant now, like it belonged to a completely different world. The halls were calm, almost too calm, as if the castle itself was finally allowed to rest.

The Queen hadn't taken part in the celebration. She didn't know how to act in that kind of environment, so she chose to stay away. As for the heroes, they were probably already asleep, completely drained from everything that had happened.

Lilia was with us, walking at a relaxed pace.

At this point, it wasn't hard to guess where things were heading. The situation practically spelled itself out. Right now, I was about to have sex with the two of them.

Veronica, though, didn't seem interested in joining. That was her choice, and honestly, it wasn't something worth thinking too much about.

"So, how's your first night as king, King Myrcella?" Lilia asked.

"Well, it's honestly been more taxing than I expected," Myrcella replied, exhaling softly. "And that's saying something, considering I had already prepared myself for how exhausting this would be."

Her answer came without hesitation, like she had already accepted it as fact. Preparation only went so far. Reality always found a way to push a little further.

"Are you sure you can still go through with this, though?" Lilia asked, tilting her head slightly. "I mean, Leon is going to have sex with us, right? Don't you think you should rest a bit first so you can recover and have enough energy for tomorrow instead of going straight into sex?"

There was a hint of genuine concern in her voice, even if she tried to keep it casual.

"Fufufu, you seem to be worrying about me quite a lot lately," Myrcella said, a faint smile forming on her lips. "It looks like you've warmed up to me quite a bit."

That wasn't entirely wrong.

Lilia's attitude toward Myrcella had definitely changed. It wasn't as cold or distant as before. Maybe it was because they had been involved in those threesomes together that they had ended up bonding in their own strange way.

"Well, isn't it only natural for me to be concerned about the king's health?" Lilia replied. "You might not like me that much, but I'm actually loyal to the throne."

That was a solid response.

"You don't need to worry about me getting tired," Myrcella said. "Besides, it's not just the two of us, isn't it?"

Her gaze shifted forward, focusing on something ahead.

Someone stepped out from the shadows.

"Hello," Charlotte said.