King Arlond: "We have a matter to discuss, Raidan."
"What is it?"
Arthur: "We are planning to make adjustments to the law. Do you have any ideas? As for now, we lack direction."
"Hmm."
"First, we establish the Royal Ritual."
King Arlond: "Ritual?"
"Yes. First, if any family wants to oppose the royal family's decisions or reclaim the throne, that house will send their youth against the royal youth for a mock battle. If the royals win, then the royal decision is acted upon. If they lose, it won't be. Secondly...no physical contact between opposite genders. A man can't touch any woman except his wife. Also, communication between the two genders should be kept to a minimum."
Arthur: "So men aren't allowed to talk to women?"
"Not precisely. If they are teammates, comrades, fellow workers...and I am talking about communication outside the family chain."
"Also, minimize the nightclubs in the kingdom."
Elilia: "You're asking for a lot. Now every house will send their youth."
"And this brings us to the point—my party and my siblings."
"We're going to show them who's boss."
Arlond: "That's quite the change in laws."
Chival: "I see. In this way, you're going to shut down anyone who opposes you and keep the country's women and men clean for their mates."
"Oh, and also, a man can't marry more than four wives, and the marriage age begins at 18."
Arlond: "So you're limiting the harem...oh...no...you're removing the harem and limiting the number of wives."
Chival: "In this way, there won't be unmarried men. Great thinking, my lord."
Arthur: "I accept these changes. Does anyone have any complaints?"
The silence dominated the room.
Queen Alicia: "In this case, let's act upon it."
KNOCK...KNOCK...KNOCK
King Arlond: "Enter!"
A young woman stepped inside, her movements graceful yet urgent. She wore the formal attire of a royal attendant, though it was clear she had dressed in haste. Her eyes immediately found Raidan, and without hesitation, she knelt.
Mirla: "Please forgive me. Once I heard that the third prince had returned, I came in a rush."
She knelt before me like a loyal soldier. But why do all people in this world kneel like that though?
Mirla: "Please forgive me. If I hadn't left my duty of being your maid, you wouldn't have tasted this suffering."
"You left your duty to serve me as a maid. What's the meaning of this?"
I looked at my family.
Queen Alicia: "Mirla was supposed to be your appointed personal servant, but Ashia came and begged to take the duty. Mirla accepted on one condition—that she would become your personal servant at the age of 11."
"I see. So you're supposed to be my maid."
Mirla: "Yes. Please forgive me."
"One question. What is the possibility that you also won't betray me?"
Mirla: "What? Betray?"
"Let me say this in another way. Can you prove your loyalty to me?"
Mirla: "Yes. Well...I don't know how to do so. But I would never betray you."
I smiled.
"Raise your head. You carry no fault. If my spiritual skill had sensed even a whisper of ill will...the air around us would feel very different."
Mirla: "How lucky I am to serve a lord as merciful as you. I swear an oath of loyalty to you, my lord, for eternity, and devote everything I can for you."
"Uhh...g-great. Can you prepare my belongings that are in our party base? Oh, and bring my party's things also."
Mirla: "Yes, I will bring them right away and set up your room."
King Arlond: "Raidan! Iris! Get dressed in your royal attire."
Iris: "Why?"
King Arlond: "We're going to attend a ceremony to announce the return of the third prince and to announce the new rules."
Chival: "While we are at it, I would like you to join the Royal Academy Ventra next year."
"No problem here. Iris?"
Iris: "Sure thing."
Chival: "Then it's settled. I will take responsibility for your administration and everything."
"I guess I'll give you the okay, but do you have that type of authority?"
Chival *laughing*: "I am the Academy teacher, and at the same time, its principal."
"So you're the association chairman, an academy principal, and a teacher at the academy. That sounds like a pain in the ass."
Mirla: "My lord, the citizens have gathered around."
The people had gathered around the Ceremonial Balcony. We stepped out of the Ceremonial Chamber onto the balcony.
King Arlond: "Citizens of Vorlad, thank you for gathering here."
Chival: "I would like to announce two things: the identity of the demon slayer and the return of the fallen prince."
Chival: "To be precise, they are the same person. Raidan—he's the Monarch Before His Time. He who the world deemed to have fallen has returned to be THE DEMON SLAYER, THE ONE WHO ROSE BEFORE THE DAWN. The third prince, Raidan, has returned."
Citizens cheering happily:
"I knew it!"
"He is alive!"
"He also slayed that S-rank demon!"
"He has a bright future!"
"Long live the Third Prince!"
"Long live Vorlad!"
"Long live the Third Prince!"
"Long live Vorlad!"
"Long live the Third Prince!"
"Long live Vorlad!"
King Arlond: "Now."
King Arlond: "First, we announce the Royal Ritual that will take place on the last day of each year. Whereas if anyone wants to stand against the royal family, take the throne, refuse a decision made, or challenge a law, they will compete in a tournament. If the royal family wins, no change will occur without their will. If they lose, they will hear the request and take it upon consideration. Second, no physical contact is allowed between different genders if they aren't married or if they are outside of the family chain. Third, men are allowed to only marry up to four women. Lastly, the number of nightclubs will be reduced by 75%, and orphanages and churches will be built in their place."
Queen Alicia: "Defying the new second and third laws will result in one of the worst sanctions."
King Arlond: "You're all dismissed."
The next day...
Chival: "Arlond, looks like about 13 noble houses have sent requests to hold the tournament to remove the new laws, and some want to take the throne."
Arthur: "I thought so. Something like this was going to happen."
Elilia: "That won't be a problem. As the ritual is held, we are simply going to display the almighty power of the royal family so no one opposes us again, right?"
"You're brilliant as ever, sis. You saw right through me."
"And in the end, in the far future, the ritual might be used to test the strength of the new ruler or make the royal family more concerned about specific demands."
Chival: "So your team is made up of: Princess Elilia, Prince Arthur, Prince Raidan, Princess Iris, Wayla, Neco, and Marny."
"Yes."
"Let us stand victorious, ahead of the dawn's awakening."
Iris: "We will. Aren't you the Monarch Before His Time, He Who Rose Before the Dawn?"
"Oh...let us rise like the sun that rises no matter how dark the world is enveloped."
Arthur stepped forward, drawing his blade slightly, letting it catch the light.
"Then let them come. Let every house that doubts us see what it means to stand against the bloodline of Vorlad."
Elilia smiled, a rare flash of steel beneath her usually gentle demeanor.
"Thirteen houses? That's barely a warm-up."
Wayla crossed her arms, water rippling faintly around her wrist.
"If they want a demonstration, we'll give them one they'll never forget."
Neco and Marny exchanged glances, then nodded in unison.
Marny: "We're ready."
Neco: "Let's make it quick."
Raidan looked at each of them—his siblings, his party, his allies. They stood together, not just as royals or adventurers, but as something more.
A force.
A statement.
"Then it's decided," Raidan said, his voice steady. "When the ritual comes, we show them exactly what it means to challenge the throne."
Iris grinned. "And we do it without holding back."
King Arlond watched from his seat, a faint smile crossing his face. For the first time in months, he felt something he hadn't allowed himself to feel.
Pride.
"Go," he said simply. "Prepare yourselves. The kingdom is watching."
As they left the chamber, the weight of what was to come settled over them. Thirteen noble houses. Dozens of warriors. All of them eager to prove the royal family weak.
But they didn't know.
They didn't know about the Arc Monarch.
They didn't know about the bonds forged in fire and blood.
They didn't know that the fallen prince had returned stronger than anyone could imagine.
And by the time the ritual ended, they would understand one undeniable truth.
The dawn had risen.
And it would not be stopped.