Misjudged Lord C5 Bread of Allegiance

Kael sat upon his throne, gazing out at the applauding nobles and officials before him.

Their voices mixed with the thunderous clapping, a performance of loyalty and praise—one that meant nothing to him.

In his golden eyes, they were nothing more than parasites—heavily taxing the poor while eagerly whispering about war with neighboring kingdoms. Not once had they shown a hint of concern for the ordinary demons who suffered under their rule.

'If anyone should be applauding and hailing me,' Kael thought coldly, 'it should be my subjects—not them.'

Still, he played his role.

The moment the crown was placed upon his head, he raised his hand, and the hall fell into silence.

All eyes were on him.

Even his sister, Dianne, sat still, her scarlet gaze unreadable, awaiting his words.

Kael took a moment, appearing deep in thought.

Then, after a few seconds of quiet, he spoke.

“Before I share what is on my mind, I would like to thank everyone who attended my coronation.”

The nobles smiled, clearly flattered. A few even chuckled softly, nodding in approval.

A brief round of applause followed before dying down once more.

Then, Kael smiled. A rare, almost warm expression.

"The moment the crown touched my head, I understood the weight of my responsibility."

His voice was steady, commanding.

Raising both hands slightly, he continued.

“To carry the burden of ruling the land entrusted to me. To be a king who thinks not just for today—but for the future of his people.”

A subtle tension flickered through the room. The nobles exchanged glances.

Kael continued his speech, his words measured and deliberate.

Then—his final statement fell upon the room like a thunderclap.

“Many rulers believe a throne is made of power. Of wealth. Of fear. But a throne that does not serve its people… is nothing but an empty chair.”

The entire hall paused.

For a brief moment, even the nobles found themselves lost in thought.

"A ruler who does not understand the hunger of his people will one day find himself abandoned by them."

His golden eyes swept across the room, piercing into the very souls of the gathered nobles.

"A throne without bread… is a throne that will soon find itself without a ruler."

The weight of his words hung heavily in the air.

From his seat, Duke Veyrin arched a brow, his mind rapidly dissecting the statement.

'Is he saying that weak rulers will fall?'

Not only Veyrin, but many others in the room caught the deeper meaning behind Kael’s words.

Duke Thalric sat in deep thought. 'He wants to be the king the people desire. He wants to be the True Demon King—to rule the entire demon realm.' His fists clenched slightly. 'By speaking of hunger, he’s telling us that he understands not just the people’s suffering, but our ambitions as well. He will do everything in his power to fulfill his role and become the ruler we’ve long awaited.'

Even his daughter, Thea, was caught in her own thoughts.

'Bread… He’s offering them bread to satisfy their hunger.'

It wasn’t just literal.

'The bread represents power, conquest, the satisfaction of their desires. If he provides it, the people will never abandon him. Just as food keeps the body strong, he will feed their ambitions and ensure their loyalty. This is the foundation of his rule—sustenance in exchange for devotion.'

She exhaled slowly.

'As expected of the genius prince… He has a way with words.'

Throughout the hall, nobles and ministers alike fell into silent contemplation, each interpreting Kael’s speech through their own perspective.

Meanwhile, Dianne, seated quietly, allowed herself a small, fleeting smile. She didn’t overthink Kael’s words like the others.

'If Father were alive, he would be proud. He would be happy knowing Kael is fulfilling the dream he never achieved.'

Then, suddenly—Kael clapped his hands.

Servants entered the room, carrying trays.

The assembled nobles and ministers turned with anticipation, expecting lavish dishes of roasted meats, exotic wines, and decadent desserts fit for a coronation.

But when the trays were presented before them, the room fell into stunned silence.

Dark bread. A bowl of soup.

That was it.

The tension in the hall shifted, mixed emotions flashing across the faces of the gathered nobles.

Some felt insulted but dared not show it. Others hesitated, trying to decipher the meaning behind such an unusual meal.

Kael, unfazed, took his portion and ate without hesitation, sipping his soup without concern for appearances.

While many exchanged uncertain glances, a select few—like Thea—remained composed, focusing on the deeper meaning behind the meal rather than its simplicity.

'Bread and soup… That’s what soldiers eat before battle.'

Her breath hitched as realization dawned.

She turned her gaze toward Kael, her heart beating faster.

'Is he… Is he telling us to prepare? To brace ourselves like soldiers?'

'For his goal of becoming the True Demon King? To unite all the kingdoms?'

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

She reached for the bread, her fingers tightening around it.

'If that’s what he’s saying… then we must show our loyalty. Without hesitation. Without regard for appearances.'

Without a second thought, she tore a chunk from the bread and bit into it.

The nobles around her stilled. Some even flinched at the unsightly display. But none dared to voice their thoughts aloud.

After all, this was Duke Thalric’s daughter—a seasoned warrior and combat prodigy. If she deemed it acceptable, then it couldn’t be taken lightly.

Thea had expected the bread to be bland, tough and flavorless like most bread in this world.

Instead, the moment it touched her tongue, her eyes widened slightly.

It was soft. Flavorful.

And when she sipped the soup, it complemented the bread perfectly.

She muttered under her breath, "This is no ordinary bread..."

One by one, the others followed. Nobles hesitantly picked up the bread, taking tentative bites—only to find themselves equally surprised.

The texture was unlike any bread they had eaten before. It was nothing like the stale, dense loaves they were accustomed to.

And just like that, the tension in the room shifted once more.

Kael finished his portion, watching as the nobles ate with varying degrees of intrigue and acceptance.

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

'Good... Looks like they like the Roggenmischbrot from my previous life.'

The bread of this world was crude—bland, hard, and poorly made. But with his modern knowledge, making superior bread was easy.

And most importantly, he had saved a fortune.

The treasury had enough gold and silver to fund an extravagant feast for the nobles and officials, but Kael couldn’t shake the feeling that it would have been a complete waste.

Instead of serving them lavish meals, he had given them bread and soup.

A simple meal. A statement.

He wasn’t afraid of offending the nobles. Even if this bread tasted far superior to what they were used to, it was still just bread and soup—a meal fit for commoners, not high-ranking officials.

But their opinions didn’t matter.

He no longer had to care.

Before, he had been just a prince, expected to bow his head to the expectations of others.

But now, he was king.

He might not hold absolute power yet, but he was the dominant demon in this kingdom.

He waited for the nobles to finish their meal, observing them closely.

Then, to his surprise, a beautiful woman suddenly stepped forward.

She kneeled on one knee before him, her expression unwavering, her voice ringing with conviction.

"I accept the Bread of Allegiance that Your Majesty has offered—and now, I pledge my allegiance to the king!"

A flicker of surprise crossed Kael’s face.

His gaze lowered to the kneeling figure before him—Thea Velmoran.

The daughter of Duke Thalric.

The room fell into silence as everyone watched the unexpected scene unfold.

Kael’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.

'What is she kneeling for? And what does she mean by the Bread of Allegiance?'