Damn bullshit… how the hell did I end up like this?
A boy slumped back on the oversized golden throne, legs dangling like a kid sitting on his dad's chair. The whole hall was dead silent, except for the faint sound of guards breathing behind their helmets.
Great. I'm sitting on a throne, surrounded by heavily armed knights, and I can't even touch the floor. Perfect image of authority.
I'm twelve, people! Twelve!
Okay, technically thirty if you count my past life—but still! Back then, I was just a high schooler who worked part-time at a convenience store.
And now I'm a king. A literal king.
Ha… ha… I'm so cooked.
I don't even know how taxes work! I wasted my whole life on games, anime, and cheap snacks. The only kingdom I ever managed was in a strategy game. How the hell am I supposed to lead a real one!?
Let's rewind a bit.
I died. Classic Truck-kun special. I was just minding my own business inside the convenience store, and bam—lights out.
Lucky? Yeah, right.
At first, things were fine. Fancy food, nice clothes, a warm bed. Then, when I turned seven, I remembered everything about my past life—all the anime clichés, all the "isekai protagonist" tropes. I thought I'd get some overpowered skill or maybe a god-tier sword.
Huh… nothing.
In this world, they test every child at age eight to find their magical attribute. I was excited. Maybe I'd get some hidden power that would shock everyone.
Instead… nothing. No light. No magic. Just a blank crystal and a disappointed crowd.
Lol. They called me a failure.
Fast forward a few years, and guess what? The Mariyan Empire—yeah, the giant, mage-filled powerhouse next door—decides to attack our tiny kingdom. Why? Because we have five gold mines. Five. Apparently, that's worth starting a war over.
The fighting started half a year ago. We lost half our army in the first month. And seven days ago… Father died in battle.
So here I am—Mr. King, age twelve, magically useless, socially awkward, and utterly unqualified to rule anything bigger than a video game guild.
And now everyone's looking at me like I'll lead the kingdom straight to ruin.
And honestly? They might be right.
It's easy to read that they don't like me. I am only here because the Mariyan Empire specifically wanted me to become king—maybe because they think if a child leads the kingdom, they can easily take all the benefits of mine without our interference.
Huh! It's not like we can do anything—all the mines are totally under their control.
An old priest stood beside the throne, reading solemnly from a long scroll—the kingdom's ancient coronation oath. When he finished, he rolled it closed and spoke in a clear, echoing voice:
"Let this be witnessed by all present. From this day forth, the prince shall be known as King Alan von Eidenhart, and may he lead this kingdom toward its destined future."
The priest bowed deeply, then stepped back.
Before I spoke, a faint shimmer danced through the air around me, and a faint, confident smile curved my lips.
Well… give me a report. How are things going in the Eidenhart Kingdom?
Wow. That was the first thing I said after becoming king. Smooth.
A man stepped forward—young, yet with the air of someone who had seen too much. Simple in appearance, but the strength in his posture made it clear he wasn't just any servant. He bowed low before speaking.
"Your Majesty, my name is Adwad Gray. I have been personally assigned by the Mariyan Empire to act as your bodyguard. My duty is to ensure that you lead this kingdom safely and that no harm comes to you."
The nobles froze, shock written all over their faces. Some opened their mouths, perhaps to challenge him, but quickly shut them. Defying him would be like defying the Mariyan Empire itself, and with the king just dead… no one dared.
I had never seen this guy before.
He…! I managed to let out a faint, awkward smile.
"Oooo… a guard from the enemy. Fascinating."
Adwad's voice was calm, almost casual.
"Your Majesty," he said, emphasizing the title carefully, "please understand: my assignment comes directly from the Mariyan Empire. My allegiance is to them, but my duty is to ensure your safety. The Empire does not see Eidenhart as a threat… at least, not yet."
So he's technically loyal to Mariyan, but right now he's my bodyguard. That's… kind of terrifying, but also… useful?
A few nobles tried to speak up, probably to challenge him or give "advice," but I didn't even look at them. Not today. I'm way too tired for this coronation drama.
I leaned back further into the throne, letting out a long sigh. Tomorrow, we sort everything out. I'll prepare—list out all the important things to discuss, plan strategies, and figure out what actually matters.
Yeah… everything. Tomorrow, we deal with everything.
The nobles fell silent, uncertain, while I let my exhaustion and defiance speak louder than any words could.