Author-san: This is the last volume, and we hope you will enjoy it.
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With great fanfare, the doors of the ballroom swung open and the royal family made their entrance.
His Majesty the King and Her Royal Highness the Queen entered, followed by the Crown Prince and Chris.
Chris was dressed in an all-white dress.
The simple design of her princess line dress accentuated her beauty.
As a princess, Chris does not have to wear a train like the nobles, so she strode in nimbly.
His Majesty the King, taking his place on the throne, motioned for his subjects to bow and had Chris stand beside him.
"I am happy to receive here today a person who has come of age," he said, "My daughter, Christina, has successfully reached adulthood. As a sign of her coming of age, I bestow upon her the crown tiara. Christina, come forward."
"Yes. Your Majesty."
Chris knelt before His Majesty the King and bowed.
Then, His Majesty the King placed the crown on Chris, who kneeled in front of him.
After that, the hall was filled with thunderous applause.
"Congratulations on your coming of age, Your Royal Highness."
In response to the congratulations from her subjects, Chris smiled and waved her hand. A princess smile.
"Congratulations, Chris. I congratulate you on the coming of age of my sister."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince congratulated Chris with applause, but his next words were followed by silence in the hall.
"I also have an announcement to make. Baroness Charlotte Campbell, this way."
"Richard! I did not permit you to speak!"
Charlotte, who had been seated at the end of the throne, walked majestically down the path leading to the throne, despite His Majesty the King's efforts to restrain her.
Her gait was as if she were about to start skipping.
When she came close to me, she smiled triumphantly.
After descending from the throne and welcoming Charlotte, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince took her in his arms and made a lofty proclamation.
"I, Richard Allen de Findalia, do hereby proclaim Baroness Charlotte Campbell to be the Crown Princess. Hence, I hereby declare my betrothal to her!"
"Richard! I do not approve of your betrothal to Baroness Campbell!"
His Majesty the King rebuked the Crown Prince from his throne.
"You dare to break the laws of the land again as you did two years ago?"
"Your Majesty. I am not breaking any law of our land. I am not breaking the law of our country, because Charlotte-sama is the owner of Light Magic. To welcome a bearer of "light magic" or "dark magic" into the royal family, as long as the royal family and the bearer themselves agree to the royal order or marriage, there is no need to go through the legal procedures."
This is true, but there is a caveat in the law.
It has not been applied for the last two hundred years or so because the owner of 'light magic' or 'dark magic' has not appeared. ......
"I am sorry, Your Royal Highness. That interpretation of the law is incorrect."
It was my uncle who objected.
"Prime Minister Paulford. What do you mean by wrong?"
The Crown Prince questioned Uncle with a skeptical look on his face.
"There is a caveat in the law that states that a person who possesses 'light magic' or 'dark magic' may be received into the royal family by marriage."
"What? A stipulation?"
"Joseph Marcus Wright. Bring me the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom of Findalia."
"Ye-s!"
The Prime Minister's aide, Marcus Wright, handed a thick book to my uncle.
That massive book was the Laws of the Kingdom of Findalia."
I learned it the hard way when I was educated as a queen. I have never forgotten it.
It seems that my uncle had anticipated this turn of events and had prepared the code in advance.
As my uncle flipped through the pages of the book, the crown prince stared at him with a puzzled expression.
"Ah, there it is. This is the clause. 'However, if any of the relatives on either side objects, it will not be accepted. In this case, His Majesty the King and Her Royal Highness the Queen have objected. Therefore, this engagement cannot take place."
"What!?"
That stipulation was a clause made by the Marion Fredericia sisters to the then king.
At the time, the second prince, who was an idiot, was persistently trying to marry Marion-san, so after the sisters fought him off, they protested to the royal family. And they made the stipulation clause as compensation.
I never would have thought that it would be used in my time as Marion-san's reincarnation.
Next to me, I could see Leon's shoulders shaking. He is probably laughing as he recalled those days.
"I am happy for you, Rio. The law that you made is now being put to good use."
I secretly stepped on Leon's foot, who was teasing me with telepathy.
"That's the way it is. Richard. Since this is a law that hasn't been used for two hundred years, I'll let it slide."
"But, Father! I love Charlotte-sama. I want to take her as my Crown Princess."
His Majesty the King restrained the Crown Prince who was still trying to insist his case.
"Shut up. Don't embarrass me any further. If you insist on accepting Baroness Campbell as your queen, we will discuss it. But I cannot approve the engagement here."
His Majesty the King then raised his royal staff.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I am sorry for the commotion. Please forgive me for all the commotion. It seems that the Crown Prince gets a little too carried away when he is in love."
His Majesty's witty apology drew laughter from the audience.
"I hope you enjoy this evening's ball. Music!"
As the music played, the dancers began to gather in the center of the hall.
"It's the same story as two years ago. The king is too soft on his son, even though he should abolish him."
While inviting me to the center to dance, Leon whispered to me in telepathy.
"It can't be helped. He is his only son. And he can't be so easily discarded."
"They have Chris, right?"
"His Majesty the King loves Chris very much. He doesn't want his lovely daughter to have to go through the hardships of carrying a whole country on her shoulders."
That is what His Majesty the King told me before I came back. That will not change now.
I hope she will live normally, to fall in love and marry the man of her choice. He wants her to be that kind of woman. ......
"But it will most certainly come to that. Chris must be ready for that."
"...... That's right. It's a pity. ......"
The first waltz began.
Leon's lead is easy to dance with.
Although there is a slight height difference between the two of us, it didn't bother me at all.
"Rio, you look very good in that dress. The dress suits you very well."
"What? I thought you were so engrossed in your food that you didn't notice."
"Mnh! It can't be helped. I was hungry."
I didn't expect a compliment in the middle of a dance.
"Yes, yes. Leon is more interested in food than romance."
Leon stared at me so intently that I couldn't help but be startled.
"That color is the color of my eyes. And Ivy, may I take that as your answer to my laurel?" (T/N below)
Leon also noticed the color of the dress and the significance of Ivy.
"I just wish you had told me a little earlier."
I huffed and turned my head to the side, and Leon giggled.
"I'm sorry about that."
The first waltz was about to end.
"The first waltz is almost over. Shall we continue to the second?"
"I think that would be fine since we are about to get engaged."
"I suppose so."
"Then, Katariona-sama. Will you dance the second song with me?"
"With pleasure."
But I could not dance the second song.
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TL: I hope you enjoyed this slightly dramatic and lovely chapter with our favorite duo. And happy reading like always everyone~!