I Became King by Following My Little Sister's Advice. Now the Princess I Forced to Marry Is Giving Me Death Stares, What Should I Do? - Chapter 05: We Won, Moa

Chapter 05: We Won, Moa

With the defeat of Duke Cordelick, a major aristocrat, many noble families swore allegiance to the new government. 

The Cordelick duchy, which had tried to invade the royal capital, was demoted to a County, though the family itself was allowed to continue.

They had to pay most of their amassed wealth as reparations, and the duke’s nephew inherited the title.

“Crushing the nobility is easy, but since we are few in number, we need to keep some of them alive to manage the territories.”

Moa Arlengs explained in her room after handling the post-battle affairs. 

Though it was called her room, it was actually the former king’s chamber, now shared by the Arlengs siblings as their bedroom. 

The room, once filled with luxurious furniture and ornaments, was now simpler. 

Most of the items had been sold to fund the new government.

“The duke’s son was as worthless as his father, but his nephew was a decent person. So, he has taken over.”

“Um… is the duke’s son okay with that? I bet he’ll complain…” 

Van asked hesitantly. 

The Arlengs siblings sat across from each other, enjoying afternoon tea. 

Moa was relaxed, but Van looked anxious and uneasy. 

Despite having been a fierce warrior in the recent battle against a duke, he seemed like a different person now.

“It’s unfortunate, but he can’t complain now. The duke’s son was given money and exiled, but he was attacked and killed by someone.”

“Killed?”

“Yes, it seems he was hated by the people he oppressed. They beat him to death, and his body was found in the river.”

“…”

Van looked sympathetic. 

Moa thought his kindness was endearing.

(Well, he wasn’t the only one who died.)

Most of the duke’s family, including his wife, son, daughter, and high-ranking officials, were all killed. 

The ones who killed them were people oppressed by the duke’s family and the families of those who died in the recent battle. 

While these people were killed by the new government forces led by Van, Moa spread the information that Duke Cordelick’s reckless actions led to their deaths. 

This shifted the blame from the new government to the Cordelick family.

(They must be satisfied having killed the duke’s family. They won’t hate my brother.)

Even if it was only a few people, Moa didn’t want her brother to be hated.

Deeply loving her brother, Moa skillfully redirected the hatred away from him.

“Many nobles have submitted to us, and we now control most of the former Aidron Kingdom. It’s time to decide on the ‘king’ we’ve been postponing.”

“Do we really have to decide that now?”

“Of course. We can’t go on without a king or even a new country name for too long.”

Moa’s declaration was sharp.

The Aidron royal family had been overthrown, and the new government established, but a new king had not yet been chosen. The rebel leaders were still running the government through a council.

“Can’t we just keep deciding things together? I don’t think we need to force a king…”

“That won’t work, Brother. In the future, a council-based government might become normal, but that’s a long way off. Even though the internal chaos has settled, it’s too soon to leave politics to the people when neighboring countries could invade at any time.”

“Even so… I still don’t think I can handle being king.”

This was why Van was so hesitant. 

Moa had strongly recommended Van for the new king. 

As the leader of the rebellion and a central figure in the new government, it was a logical choice, but Van was overwhelmed.

He had always had a low opinion of himself despite his abilities.

He believed he was too weak-willed and slow-thinking to be king and had always argued against it.

“Aren’t there more suitable people than me? Like… Eustace or Lloyd?”

Eustace and Lloyd were Van’s deputies in the new government.

Eustace handled military affairs, while Lloyd managed internal administration, supporting Van.

“Those two also want you to be king. They only cooperate because of you, but they are like oil and water. If one became king, the other would do everything to sabotage him. Do you want to start internal conflicts in the new government?”

“Um… then…”

“Of course, Princess Medina is also not an option.”

Moa, anticipating her brother’s thoughts, warned him.

“Many people still harbor strong resentment towards the Aidron royal family. If Princess Medina, as a surviving member of the royal family, became the next ruler, it would surely cause chaos.”

“Uh…”

“The Aidron Kingdom must disappear. We need to change the name and create a completely new country. Otherwise, this nation cannot move forward.”

“…”

Van said nothing more. 

He had no personal ambition for power or status, but he did want to help people and improve the world. 

That was who Van Arlengs was.

“…Alright. If you insist, I’ll become king. But will everyone follow me?”

“At the very least, the people will be happy. You’ve always fought for them.”

Van had been fighting for the people since his days as a knight. 

He had defeated bandits and monsters, repelled invasions, and protected the land. 

While the king and high nobility never acknowledged him due to his lower status, the people he saved remembered his deeds.

“Even so… only the commoners and lower nobility will follow. The high nobles might pretend to, but they’ll secretly try to bring you down.”

“Then what should I do…?”

“You need a compelling reason that the high nobles can’t defy. An unbreakable shield.”

Moa said with a smile, clasping her hands together. 

“You should marry Princess Medina. Even if it’s by force, take her as your wife and secure your position.”