#82
“Isn’t the crown heavy?” the king asked, leaning towards Enrique’s ear while watching the joyful dancers. Though modest compared to the royal crown, the weight of the crown prince’s coronet wasn’t just physical. It carried the weight of responsibility and duty.
“Not at all,” Enrique replied with a smile. The king’s eyes seemed a bit complicated.
“Are you alright with having no other choices from now on?” the king asked again.
“I have no regrets,” Enrique answered without a hint of doubt in his voice.
By being crowned as the prince, Enrique had secured his position as Shamier’s heir. This meant he could only become the future king of Shamier, nothing else. For instance, following Anture to Ruben and becoming his empress was absolutely impossible. And if Shamier were to fall, he would have to share its fate. Of course, Enrique was willing to accept all of this.
Nobles lined up to congratulate Enrique and swear allegiance to the future king. With each oath of loyalty, Enrique felt more tightly bound to Shamier. After the endless stream of congratulations and loyalty oaths, it was finally time for the foreign envoys. Naturally, the first to step forward was Lord Theovan from Ruben.
“I sincerely congratulate you on your coronation as crown prince. May glory be with Shamier.”
“Thank you,” Enrique nodded slightly in response. Then he added, “I hope to hear good news from your country soon as well.”
The good news from Ruben would obviously be about Anture’s appointment as crown prince. Presumably, if he led this war to victory, Anture would be recognized for his abilities as a prince and be smoothly appointed as crown prince.
As Theovan stepped back, envoys from other countries offered their congratulations. Enrique responded to each of them sincerely. Envoys from all neighboring countries were present, except for two: Monta and Baron.
‘Has the news of Ruben and Shamier’s alliance already leaked, or was it deliberately spread…?’ Enrique pondered, staring at the dancers.
The agreement hadn’t even been signed yet. The fact that Monta and Baron didn’t even send congratulatory envoys meant they were already hostile to Shamier.
‘Whether they participate in the war or not, the engagement is as good as broken,’ Enrique thought, wondering how to process this fact. But he didn’t need to ponder long. If the engagement with both countries was almost certainly off, Shamier needed to ally with Ruben even more. With the huge benefits from both countries gone, the only way to fill that void was to devour Monta through war.
Enrique had no intention of going down in history as a king who merely managed to lead the country. Shamier had to prosper greatly in his generation. Or at least, he needed to lay a solid foundation for the child in his womb to make Shamier shine brilliantly. That was the meaning and mission of Enrique’s life.
‘You shine so brilliantly there, Anture. I will shine brilliantly here,’ Enrique inwardly murmured to Anture, who was undoubtedly showcasing his prowess as a prince of a great power since returning to Ruben.
*
After the grand coronation ceremony, news of the war began to spread in earnest throughout Shamier. Meetings continued daily, but instead of discussing alliances or participation in the war, they now focused on the aftermath.
Meanwhile, Lord Theovan, representing Ruben, and the ministers meticulously reviewed and debated the contents of the agreement. Every word had to be free of potential future issues. What was certain was that Ruben and Shamier would form an alliance and participate in this war.
“Please entrust me with the position of commander-in-chief!” Duke Duvain, Kisha’s husband, exclaimed with shining eyes. For a young alpha, the thought of a war where he could distinguish himself must have been exhilarating.
“I also wish to join the campaign.”
“As do I.”
Nobles of young and middle age all expressed their desire to participate. Initially, Ruben had only requested the cavalry unit they had sent as a gift and for Shamier to keep Monta in check. But now that participation had been decided, everyone wanted to join.
Enrique, seated next to his father, surveyed the nobles with their gleaming eyes. Their enthusiasm was becoming excessive. It seemed necessary to cool them down a bit.
Creeak-
As Enrique stood up, all eyes in the conference room focused on him. He exchanged a glance with his father before turning back to the nobles. Then he spoke slowly.
“The direct deployment for this war should be limited to just the cavalry unit initially requested by Ruben.”
“But Your Highness!” Duke Duvain, at an age where his blood was boiling, started to object. Enrique raised his hand to stop him and continued.
“Our role in this war is clear. While Ruben faces both Monta and Baron, we are to keep in check the countries that might stab them in the back. And to act as bait to divide the forces of Monta and Baron. These are our two main roles.”
Enrique paused there and looked at his father. When their eyes met, the King of Shamier nodded in agreement.
“Therefore, our participation should be limited to the cavalry unit, and all other Shamier forces should be concentrated on other border areas to provide ironclad defense. We must especially prepare for the high possibility of Monta and Baron dividing their forces to invade Shamier.”
As Enrique spoke, those who had been eager to participate fell silent, lost in thought. Most of these were lords with their own territories. The role of lords in border areas was particularly important. Simply defending their own territories properly would be an enormous contribution.
“But Your Highness, Shamier must also achieve some recognition-worthy merits in this war. It won’t be easy to gain credit for Shamier’s contribution with just the cavalry unit participating,” Duke Duvain said.
Enrique nodded. “Given Ruben’s request, I believe we will have opportunities to contribute. However, what we lack is a face to represent Shamier’s military strength. We need a figure to showcase that Shamier is giving its all. That’s why I, as the crown prince of Shamier, intend to lead the cavalry unit as commander-in-chief.”
“Enrique!” The King of Shamier exclaimed urgently before Enrique could finish. The reactions of others were not much different.
“Your Highness! That’s absolutely out of the question. This is direct participation in war. We cannot expose Shamier’s heir to such danger!”
“That’s right. Moreover, Your Highness is currently with child. Leading an army while pregnant! It’s absolutely unacceptable!”
“Enrique, this absolutely cannot happen.”
Everyone voiced their opposition in unison. This was the reaction Enrique had expected. He calmly placed his hand over his father’s, whose surprise was evident.
“Father, Ruben has already decided to conquer Monta and Baron this time. They will mobilize significant forces. Our participating cavalry unit is, in a sense, a symbolic presence to establish a justification for the compensation Shamier will receive later. To gain proper justification with a small force, it’s most appropriate for me, the crown prince, to participate directly in the war.”
“You’re pregnant!” The King of Shamier raised his voice for once. Deep anxiety flickered in his eyes. Enrique fully understood his father’s concern. He had already lost two sons to war. There was no way he would send his last remaining heir to the battlefield again.
“That’s right. Participating while pregnant is unthinkable. Moreover, the child in Your Highness’s womb is of precious status, destined to be the crown prince’s heir. It’s also a child with Ruben blood. This is absolutely impossible!”
Everyone vehemently opposed. But Enrique’s resolve was firm.
Shamier’s cavalry unit, sandwiched between Ruben’s large army, would have a presence as insignificant as dust. But if Shamier’s crown prince personally commanded them, it would be a different story. The direct involvement of the country’s precious heir would symbolize Shamier’s full commitment.
“I’ve long since entered a stable period of pregnancy. I’ve also received the doctor’s assurance that riding a horse won’t be a problem. In any case, I’ll merely be a symbolic presence, not directly participating in battle on horseback. I promise I’ll just maintain my position in the rear.”
“Enrique, still, there’s always the possibility of unforeseen circumstances,” the King of Shamier said, gripping Enrique’s hand painfully tight. Enrique smiled gently to reassure his father.
