Princess Mulesina nodded repeatedly. She had long despised the Lorenzo Kingdom's nobles who professed loyalty while working against the crown and lining their own pockets. She simply had not found an opportunity to deal with them. Now that they had stepped forward of their own accord, this was the perfect chance to "trim the ranks and improve efficiency."
Cyrabelle was secretly delighted. At least the two Calamity-Rank Strong Ones agreed with her. She turned to Prady XIV.
"All right!" Prady XIV smiled helplessly and spread his hands. "Perhaps I really am not suited to being king. In that case... Cyrabelle, my niece, I'll leave the kingdom and the Prady Lineage in your hands."
Cyrabelle's eyes lit up. She had not expected it to be so simple, and she looked around at everyone, almost at a loss.
Prady XIV reached out and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. Do what you think is right. I may not agree with your ideas, but as the kingdom's future grand duke, I'll help you the way Grand Duke Mora helped me. Cyrabelle, remember this: no matter what happens, the family and I will always stand behind you."
Prady XIV—or Grand Duke Prady, as he would be called from now on—felt lighter once he had decided to step down as king. He no longer had to agonize over competing interests or make the final decision. All he had to do was follow the new queen's orders.
And so, in a change that might have seemed almost childish, or at least remarkably hasty, the Lorenzo Kingdom passed its crown to a new ruler.
The existence of Calamity-Rank individuals meant that kings and emperors did not command quite such exalted authority or status. Only somewhere like the Divine Eagle Empire, where the emperor's position and personal power were