Chapter 300: Chapter 300 : Responsibility (1)

Soon, news spread like wildfire across the entire Avaloria Empire.

A new king had ascended the throne.

The common people, who didn’t even know who it was yet, still let out a collective sigh of relief. In these brutal times, they needed a ruler more than anything—someone to stabilize the empire and calm the unrest boiling in every city, town, and village.

Yet deep down, everyone knew one simple truth.

Whoever took that throne would never match the former king.

Edward Evans Avaloria.

A monarch-rank powerhouse and the strongest in the empire’s history. But to the people, he had been more than just a king—he was their symbol of peace. The man who not only protected them from foreign threats, but watched over Avaloria as if it were his own child.

Now that symbol was gone.

In his place were left his three children… and the people knew none of them were worthy.

Joseph was trash—a spoiled prince who thought only of wine and pleasure.

Lucas always put his own gain above the people’s suffering.

And Charlotte, though kind, had shown no visible achievements that would make her fit to be queen in the eyes of the masses.

If they could choose, they would have picked Serena—Edward’s sister.

But Serena had publicly refused all claim to the throne.

That announcement had disappointed the public more than anyone could measure.

The empire’s economy was crumbling—something that had never happened under Edward’s reign. Diplomatic relations were collapsing, as neighboring nations refused to aid a sinking ship. Hunger was weaving its way into homes as supplies dwindled.

Meanwhile, the nobles and the rich had already written Avaloria off as doomed. They hoarded money and resources, preparing to flee to safer nations at the first chance.

For commoners, this was the darkest time of their lives.

They knew they were losing the war. Most of the southern territories were already gone—devoured by unknown enemy forces.

And yet, in the midst of despair, they clung to one small comfort:

Whoever ascended the throne would at least *try* to do something about it.

Probably.

In just three months, their lives had taken a complete 180-degree turn. Hope wasn’t just a wish anymore; it had become desperation. It had been too long without a king, and seeds of rebellion had already begun to sprout in the shadows.

Then, one day—

All over Avaloria, massive holographic screens materialized in the sky, floating over cities, towns, and even remote villages.

People stopped what they were doing and looked up, hearts pounding.

They were about to see their next hope… or the face of their doom.

—

In those gigantic holographic screens, the image that appeared was something no one could have imagined.

Inside the projection, a silver-haired boy—barely seventeen—was sitting stylishly on the former King Edward’s throne.

For a moment, the people thought their eyes were deceiving them.

Some rubbed their faces. Others blinked repeatedly.

Then, from somewhere deep in a crowded street, a voice shouted, “Wait! I know him! That’s the guy who killed that dark god’s avatar—Kyle—and saved us from the cult!”

Another cried out, “He’s alive…?! I thought he died in that explosion!”

Murmurs spread through the crowds like fire.

Alex Dragonheart.

Most of Avaloria already knew his name. The “monster,” the “hero,” the “madman”—stories about him had become common tavern tales.

But what they didn’t understand now was simple:

Why was he sitting on the throne?

Everyone held their breath as the silver-haired figure in the projection smiled slightly, as if he could hear their thoughts.

They waited for him to speak.

—-

In the throne room, Alex lounged comfortably on Edward’s throne. All over Avaloria, countless holographic screens hung in the air like translucent banners, each one showing him from the waist up.

Through them, Alex could also see the crowds—plazas packed with people, streets filled with merchants, soldiers, farmers, children—all staring at him with anxious eyes.

He straightened a bit in the seat.

“Hi, folks of Avaloria,” he said lightly. “The name is… Alex Dragonheart.”

A small ripple passed through the crowds. Many nodded—they already knew.

“But I’m sure most of you knew that already,” he continued. “So let’s keep this short. I believe in results more than long speeches.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“Three months ago,” Alex said, voice turning solemn, “our beloved and honorable King Edward passed away. He gave his life to protect this empire and its people from the cult.”

He looked down for a moment.

“His name will forever be etched in our hearts as the Hero King of Avaloria.”

Alex rose from the throne.

He brought his right fist to his heart and bowed his head slightly in salute.

The image of him doing so was projected across every holographic screen.

For a heartbeat, no one moved.

Then, one by one, the people of Avaloria copied him. In streets, alleys, farms, and markets, men and women, old and young, soldiers and beggars all pressed their fists to their chests and bowed their heads.

“To the Hero King!” someone shouted.

“To the Hero King!” countless voices echoed.

The chant rose like a wave.

“To the Hero King!”

“To the Hero King!”

For a full minute, Avaloria stood in unified silence, honoring the man who had once been its shield.

After that minute of silence, Alex lifted his head again and sat back down on the throne.

“Now,” he said, a faint smile on his lips, “I’m sure all of you are wondering the same thing.”

He paused.

“Why am I the one sitting here?”

He dramatically wiped the corner of his eyes with his fingers, pretending to sniffle. “After what happened, our wise and heroic king saw this coming. He knew we would need a new ruler soon. And as a genius ruler, he understood that his children… still lack experience and strength to carry the weight of a king.”

Alex sighed theatrically. “He often told me how I was his favorite person in all of Avaloria. His face would always light up whenever he saw me.”

Behind the throne, Alden, standing guard, coughed loudly.

“COUGH… COUGH…”

In Alex’s ear, from the small device he wore, Alden’s amused voice came through. “If Uncle Edward could hear you right now, he’d crawl out of his coffin, you bastard.”

Alex’s mouth twitched. He shot Alden a lethal side-eye.

Alden struggled not to burst out laughing.

’I’ll beat him later,’ Alex thought.

He refocused on the screens.

“So,” Alex continued smoothly, “as our king took his last breath in the arms of his sister, Serena, he told her this: until his children grow stronger and more experienced, reaching a new height… she should either rule in his place or choose someone fit to bear that burden.”

Alex spread his hands open.

“He even mentioned me as a candidate.”

“In order to fulfill her brother’s last wish,” he said, “Lady Serena chose me as the next ruler.”

All across Avaloria, people went silent again.

Serena von Crestvale was known. She had always been respected. For her to choose him…

Alex went on, piling on the story. “And coincidentally, along with Lady Serena, all the nobles of the empire also gave me their full support.”

He smiled. “If you don’t believe me, you can see for yourselves.”

The main holographic image shifted.

Now, on every screen, Serena von Crestvale appeared—standing with a calm, dignified posture. Her expression was serious, but the faint twitch at the corner of her lips almost betrayed her.

“I, Serena von Crestvale,” she said clearly, “confirm that my brother Edward’s dying wish was for the most capable candidate to lead Avaloria until his children are ready. I have chosen Alex Dragonheart as that candidate.”

She bowed her head slightly. “I will support him with everything I have.”

If one looked closely, one could see the strain around her eyes—like she was forcing herself not to laugh at the entire absurd situation.

The image then shifted again.

One by one, various nobles of Avaloria appeared on the screens—the present nobles as every marquise, counts, and barons. Each of them, with carefully controlled expressions, confirmed Alex’s words.

“We accept Alex Dragonheart as our king.”

“There is no better choice for Avaloria’s future.”

“His Majesty Alex Dragonheart has our full support.”

Behind them, barely visible, Alden could be seen in several feeds—standing nearby, hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword. Their fear was real, but they hid it as best they could under polished words.

When the images of the nobles finished, the holographic screens flickered back to Alex on the throne.

He managed to squeeze out a single glistening tear from the corner of his eye. “I’m… truly grateful for their support and encouragement,” he said.

Then he clenched his fist, eyes burning with determination.

“You don’t have to put blind faith in me,” he said. “But just like before, I will fight for you all—until death, if I have to.”

His voice grew sharper. “I will make sure our empire stands stronger than ever. I will crush the invaders who set foot on our land—those who killed our children, stole our wealth, and burned our homes.”

“Just thinking about it,” he growled, “makes my blood boil.”

He took a deep breath. “I know some of you must be thinking I’m young. But all these nobles, all these leaders, have placed their hope in me. I only ask for one thing—give me a chance too.”

He looked straight into the projection, blue eyes fierce.

“I will never let you down. I will fight for you, just like I did three months ago.”

All over Avaloria, the people went quiet.

Then, almost like a spark catching dry wood, hope reignited in their hearts.

“You have our full support!” someone yelled.

“I’ll give my life for you, Your Majesty!” another shouted.

Girls in the crowd squealed, hands to their cheeks. “Kyaaa! The new king is so handsome!”

“Marry me, Alex!” another voice shrieked.

Alex pretended to cry harder. “Thank you… thank you so much for your support!” he said, sniffling. “And please, you don’t have to shout my name so loudly—just because I became king doesn’t mean I enjoy attention…”

Realization dawned on the crowd.

They laughed, and then, like a tide, their shouts changed.

“Long live His Majesty Alex!”

“Long live the Dragonhearts!”

“All hail King Alex Dragonheart!”

Alex bowed his head slightly, still acting like he was barely holding back tears. “Thank you… I won’t disappoint you,” he said.

One by one, the holographic screens faded from the sky.

Elsewhere, in a massive villa’s grand hall…

A black-haired woman in her fifties sat on a sofa, staring at the place where the holographic projection had just vanished.

Alyssa exhaled slowly, speechless for several seconds. Then she turned her head toward the silver-haired girl sitting on the adjacent couch.

“Lily,” Alyssa said in a strained voice, “that was your dear brother… right?”

Lily gulped, eyes still wide. “I… don’t think so,” she said faintly. “The person on the screen sounded more like a corrupted politician just now.”

Alyssa pressed two fingers to the bridge of her nose. “Seriously… I take my eyes off him for one day… and he becomes the damn king of the nation.”

Despite her words, a small smile slowly appeared on her face.

“Come on, Lily,” Alyssa said as she stood up. “We’re going to meet our king.”

Lily immediately jumped to her feet, a bright, excited smile spreading across her face as she ran off to get ready.

Left alone for a moment, Alyssa reached into her pocket.

She took out a small photo—one of Selena—and a single tear slid down her cheek.

“Don’t worry, Selena…” she whispered. “Your student is doing too well.”

In her mind, she thought, ’I’m glad he finally woke up.’

Then she muttered under her breath, “Looks like that brat told Dr. Emma not to inform me when he did. Just you wait…”

—-

A/N:

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