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A coronation ceremony was held in the Kingdom of Tubant, and a new King was born.
His name is Sieg.
He is the son of the first King, Marius.
People eager to catch a glimpse of their new monarch flocked to the royal castle.
Sieg is an eighteen-year-old youth.
He is a fine young man with cool features inherited from his mother, popular among noble princesses.
King Sieg is adorned in golden armor and a red cape, wearing the golden crown that signifies his royal status and holding a scepter. This is the full regalia of a king, something his father, the previous King Marius, disliked and never wore.
Standing to his right is his younger brother, Fried, and to his opposite side is his sister, Nergal.
Fried is in formal attire, while Nergal wears a military uniform.
Her black hair, black eyes, and purple irises exude an aura of mystery, and her beauty is exceptional.
She is an princess who inherited not only strength but also beauty from her mother, thus drawing considerable attention. However, she is completely unfazed and bored.
She has probably stifled yawns hundreds of times.
She endures this only out of consideration for her father, who is present among the attendees. For Nergal, who deeply loves her father even as she has grown, nothing carries more weight than his reaction.
Their mother, Auraniess, is also present, but this is of little concern to Nergal.
Sieg has other siblings, but they are not participating today. This is to create a composition of two individuals assisting King Sieg.
“May the gods bear witness! Blessings upon the new King!”
The people chanted, expressing their welcome for the birth of the new king.
They do not know that the gods are merely evil deities, all of whom were destroyed by Marius. They do not know that Marius and Auraniess are the deities they should be praying to. Marius felt no need to state this aloud, and Auraniess was not the type to boast of her achievements.
After the ceremony, food and drink were distributed to the crowd, who celebrated with gusto.
“But, why is it that Marius-sama, while so young, passed the throne to Sieg-sama?”
“It seems he wanted to usher in a fresh, new era.”
“Hoh, that’s a noble thought.”
They conversed loudly, their voices overlapping and creating a din. They can be described as a group that places particularly high value on Marius. This is because they are aware that they are living safe, prosperous, and peaceful lives. This, in turn, is proof that the court officials who gathered under Marius’s name are properly managing the state. After all, with a King who can read minds and memories, they have no choice but to work diligently.
As for the second generation, Sieg, it’s not as if he will be an easier King to influence. This is because his sister, Nergal, is there. The princess of the Kingdom of Tubant, who can be said to have inherited almost all the strengths of her parents, is truly beyond compare.
It is said that she is too strong for both the Demonplay and the Gladiatorial Festival, and therefore not permitted to participate.
It is said that by the age of two, she was already stronger than the Demon Lord Zofi.
It is said that at the age of three, she knocked Auraniess down with a punch.
These and various other rumors circulate. Unfortunately, people do not take them entirely seriously, but they harbor a strange confidence that “if they are the children of those parents.”
In any event, the people are pleased as long as a dynasty that governs with good policies continues to exist.
Meanwhile, Sieg, who feels burdened with heavy responsibility, is not enjoying himself. He quietly sighs and drains the wine in his glass. At that moment, his sister Nergal approaches.
“What’s wrong? Brother Sieg? Are you letting your happiness slip away?”
Nergal thrust her breathtakingly beautiful face, even by her own brother’s standards, close to Sieg. Sieg subtly shifts his gaze away. While inwardly gritting his teeth at his sister’s indifference to her own beauty, a trait she inherited from their mother, he speaks differently.
“No, it’s just that this day has finally come.”
“Ah, you didn’t want to inherit the throne, did you?”
A hint of amusement flickered in Nergal’s eyes. She knew that both of her older brothers had lamented not wanting to inherit the throne. More precisely, they did not want to be compared to their overly great father. Marius, the legendary great mage who saved the continent and the world. That was their father.
Sieg and Fried do not dislike their father. It was pride and a source of boasting that everyone knew and revered his name. However, as they grew, the consciousness of **”I am different from my father”** developed, and it began to feel like pressure. It was not a concern during their innocent childhood when they knew nothing of it…
“I envy Fried.”
Sieg said this from the bottom of his heart. He believes his younger brother would understand his feelings. And he believes his beautiful sister before him would never understand. Nergal, whose obsession with her father has not waned even in adulthood, and is only intensifying, would surely be unfazed, no matter how much she was compared. Even if told, “You don’t measure up to Marius,” she would simply smile and affirm, “That’s right. Father is truly amazing.”
In fact, it might be more dangerous for her to interact with someone who makes harsh judgments about their father. Sieg remembers experiencing a violent chill all over his body when, at one time, he overheard someone harshly criticize, “Marius may be a hero, but he’s incompetent as a king. He’s a puppet of his wife and influential vassals.” At that moment, Nergal’s purple eyes lost their light, her expression became blank, and she exuded a killing intent so powerful it was as if natural disasters were occurring. The critic, who took the full brunt of it, teetered on the brink of death from that alone.
The person at the top of the “never make angry” ranking was Sieg’s sister.
“Then, you should just swap with me.”
“Don’t ask the impossible…”
Sieg replied with a weary expression to his sister, who casually made an outrageous suggestion. The succession of the throne couldn’t be so easily changed. If he were deemed unfit to be King, it might be different, but the reactions of his parents were terrifyingly formidable. Even if many desired to advance their careers under a young king, none would dare try to make him a puppet and seize power. Marius and Auraniess were that fearsome. More frightening than these two, however, was Nergal, who stood before him with an innocent expression.
Although she is a troublesome sister whose love for her father has become complicated, or rather, judging from her deep affection for her father, one can say she is family-oriented. “If anyone tries to plot anything against you, Brother, I’ll punch them to the far reaches of the stars,” she said with a smile. It wasn’t the first time she’d said this. If the recipient of the punch were physically robust, her words would be reality, not metaphor. She is an incredibly reliable presence, but at the same time, one cannot escape the worry that she might be going too far. That was the girl Nergal.
“Yeah, I’m counting on you.”
Sieg replied weakly, not entirely truthfully. His father, Marius, had told him, “Making use of Nergal is also your job.” Fortunately, she herself is willing to cooperate, and since she has grown and learned to hold back, it was by no means an impossible task.
“Then, first, let’s find you a bride.”
“…Hey, why are we going there?”
Sieg couldn’t help but ask, as his sister blurted out something completely unexpected. Nergal, for her part, tilted her head with a genuinely puzzled expression.
“Huh? Well, since you’ve become King, you need to get married and produce an heir, right? Father had eight children, so Brother Sieg should do about that many too.”
“Please stop, I’ll die.”
He pleaded earnestly. Marius was a mighty warrior who, in a single night, could entertain three succubi and multiple wives, satisfying them all. He couldn’t possibly do the same. If he tried, he might either become impotent or a complete wreck.
“Eh? Is something wrong with you…?”
Nergal looked overtly disappointed. It would be an exaggeration to say she was disillusioned, but she seemed to harbor something close to disappointment.
“Father is wrong about many things.”
If people knew Sieg’s words, most men in the world would surely agree. However, mercilessly, no one was listening to their conversation, and thus, no reinforcements appeared for him.
“But, either way, you have to get married eventually.”
“I know, but you’re being unusually persistent today.”
He felt a sense of unease towards his sister, who was relentlessly pursuing the same topic. Normally, she wasn’t so ill-natured as to insist on a topic someone wasn’t interested in.
“N-nothing specific~”
Nergal pouted her lips and gave him a meaningful glance.
“You think I’m still holding a grudge about you telling me countless times to try dating someone my own age? You think I’m not at all thinking it’s a good opportunity for some serious payback?”
She clearly intended to get payback. Sieg turned pale with fear. If Nergal were to go all out, he wouldn’t be able to stop her. Even their father, the only one who could restrain her, wished for his marriage and thus wouldn’t be of much help in this matter.
(This is bad, I feel like there’s no escape.)
He felt a stomach ache and desperately racked his brain. Then, he uttered a desperate retort.
“If you’re going to say that, then Fried…”
“He can’t possibly get married before the King, can he?”
His meager resistance was instantly crushed. A predatory glint even appeared in his sister’s violet eyes.
(This girl is smart too…)
Sieg groaned inwardly. At this rate, she intended to crush all his struggles. Is it that Nergal is terrifying because, unlike her parents, her mind races so fast? Marius once casually remarked that it was likely a result of being heavily influenced by El. She is a genuinely caring sister to her family and possesses the strongest combat power. She is truly a reliable presence.
(If only I could ignore her personality…)
Perhaps thinking this is what makes him her actual brother. His sister continued her verbal assault without reservation.
“Hey, hey, how do you feel right now? How does it feel to be told that you want to escape but can’t, having said that to your sister countless times? Hey, how do you feel right now?”
“…I was entirely in the wrong, please forgive me.”
Sieg chose to surrender immediately. When facing an opponent whom he was always losing to, his pride had no place.
“Very well.”
Nergal, seemingly satisfied with making her brother apologize, smiled triumphantly and ceased speaking. He inwardly muttered that she was indeed the number one person one should never make an enemy of. While he wasn’t so delicate as to be hurt if she spoke, there was a high risk that the attack, which had paused, might resume.
“Sieg-sama, Nergal-sama, what are you two discussing?”
Noble young ladies, judging that the siblings’ conversation had ended, approached and spoke. They likely lacked the courage to interrupt the exchange between the new King and his kin. They were all dressed in beautiful gowns and adorned with jewels. Their alluring figures were clearly visible, and it was a sight that a young man could only describe as a feast for the eyes. However, their beauty paled in comparison to Nergal alone. It was a brutally stark demonstration of a wall that cannot be overcome by clothing or accessories. However, Nergal had no intention of competing with them for beauty and quickly excused herself after a minimal greeting. Her desire for her brother to marry was genuine.
“Oh, Nergal is being persistent about me getting married.”
Sieg said, with a troubled expression, stating the facts. Even though she had moved away, Nergal’s hearing was sharp enough to know what he said. The new King, knowing this, couldn’t bring himself to lie and get away with it.
“Oh my, do you have someone particular in mind?”
Upon hearing his words, the young ladies became agitated, albeit within the bounds of grace and elegance. The position of the Queen was, for them, the most coveted thing. They held little desire for power, given the terrifying presences of Marius, Auraniess, and Nergal watching over them. Even setting that aside, the status of the King’s wife was extremely attractive to them.
“No, unfortunately, I don’t.”
This, too, was the truth. The young ladies felt relieved upon hearing this, and simultaneously, their competitive spirit ignited inwardly. Winning the heart of the young and promising new King was, arguably, the greatest goal in their lives.
“Well, I’ll need to get my parents’ permission, of course.”
He added this as a deterrent. The ordeal of the new King had already begun.
In later ages, King Sieg would be known as an extraordinary second-generation ruler. While many second-generation rulers who try to surpass their predecessors often fail, he was free from such sentiments. Moreover, he had a sister who would forcibly pull him back even if he strayed from the path. His policies merely continued those approved by his predecessor. So, why was he considered extraordinary? It was solely because he firmly held the reins of his sister, Nergal, known as the Weeping Empress.
“That power shakes heaven and earth, and distorts providence.”
With the power of his sister, sung of in such terms, as his backing, he admirably maintained world peace and order. Marius’s intended generational change was a success. At least politically.
