I Was Framed, Now I'll Take The Throne

And then finally, the day of the celebration arrived.

From the very early morning, the entire Exelio estate was already wide awake. Rows of servants lined the hallways to make sure that everything was perfect as it is.

The entire Exelio estate looked almost unrecognizable compared to its usual appearance.

Massive white and silver banners carrying the Exelio crest were displayed across the mansion’s walls and gardens. Fresh flowers bought directly from the capital decorated nearly every corner of the estate, filling the air with a soft fragrance.

Even the fountains outside had been redesigned temporarily for the celebration. Crystal lanterns surrounded the pathways leading toward the mansion’s ballroom. Those lights will make the entire estate glow beautifully once evening arrives.

Meanwhile, the ballroom of the estate was even more overwhelming.

Numerous large crystal chandeliers were placed on the high ceiling of the ballroom. They lit the hall brightly. Countless long banquet tables filled with luxurious dishes stretched across one side of the ballroom while a group of musicians softly played elegant music at the side of the stage.

Servants in uniform continuously moved around while carrying trays of wine and expensive desserts prepared specially for the occasion.

The whole setup didn’t look like any other noble banquets. Instead, it now looked like a whole royal celebration. Though it was not that surprising at all because, after all, the host herself was a princess.

Outside the mansion, countless carriages continuously entered and left the estate grounds while soldiers directed the arriving guests properly. The scale of the celebration was far larger than what Lionel and the guests expected.

One by one, luxurious carriages carrying nobles from different regions of the Empire began arriving outside the estate gates.

"The Count and Countess of Brielle have arrived!"

"The House of Norvain has arrived!"

"The Marquis of Veltrion has arrived!"

The names of influential noble families continuously echoed throughout the entrance hall as servants announced their every arrival loudly.

Countless noblemen and noblewomen entered the mansion while dressed in extravagant formal attire. Expensive jewelry shimmered in the lights while elegant dresses swept across the floor gracefully.

At the same time, whispers quietly spread among the guests.

"So this celebration is truly for the young son of the duke?"

"I heard he officially entered the Imperial Army."

"Wasn’t he still too young?"

"Did the princess really personally prepare all of this in only five days?"

"As expected of the Exelio family..."

"This is so extravagant!"

Meanwhile, upstairs inside his room, Lionel was standing silently while staring outside the window.

From there alone, he could already see the endless line of noble carriages arriving one after another.

This is way too much.

Even he was beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed by the scale of the celebration his mother prepared for him. In the past, he attended countless banquets too, but never really for himself.

Remembering that, he felt a wave of regret.

I guess I should be thankful that my mother is still here and can prepare this

Just then, several servants entered the room carefully to pick him up.

"Young Master," one maid bowed politely. "Her Highness is already asking for you downstairs."

Lionel let out a sigh before fixing the sleeves of his formal coat one final time. His dark blue coat was adorned with jewels, and the trim of the cloth was something he had never seen before.

After fixing his formal coat one final time, Lionel glanced at the maids and nodded. He soon left his room together with the servants.

When he looked at them, he noticed that even the servants’ uniforms were dressed more elegantly than usual because of the event. It seemed like his mother arranged for everyone’s clothes just for this ball.

I wonder how much my father spent on all of this... Since everything was a rush, he knew it cost a lot.

As Lionel walked downstairs, the faint sound of music and conversations from the ballroom slowly reached his ears.

Soon enough, he finally arrived at the side hall, leading to the ballroom’s back entrance. In there, his parents were already waiting for him.

The moment Lionel saw them, he unconsciously paused for a second. His mother, Princess Elara, looked absolutely stunning tonight.

She was wearing a long silver-white gown decorated with countless delicate blue gemstones that shined beneath the lights whenever she moved. The sleeves of the dress flowed elegantly down her arms while layers of expensive fabric trailed softly behind her.

Around her neck rested a beautiful sapphire necklace that perfectly matched her outfit. Her long hair had also been carefully styled with intricate silver ornaments, making her already noble appearance look even more regal tonight.

Meanwhile, beside her, stood his father, Duke Arden.

Unlike his usual military appearance, tonight he was dressed in an elegant dark blue coat embroidered with dark silver patterns along the collar and sleeves. A cape rested behind his shoulders while the Exelio crest was pinned proudly near his chest.

The two of them genuinely looked like the perfect noble couple one would see.

For a brief moment, Lionel could only stare quietly at them. Even after living two lives, he still found it difficult to deny how extraordinary his parents looked together.

Soon enough, Lionel approached them before bowing properly.

"Mother. Father."

Elara’s eyes immediately softened after seeing him fully dressed. Honestly, Lionel himself looked exceptionally handsome tonight. His hair had also been fixed properly today, giving him a more refined and mature appearance compared to his usual self.

Elara looked at him proudly before smiling beautifully.

"Are you ready, my dear?"

Lionel straightened himself afterward before nodding calmly.

"Yes, Mother."

"Good." Elara looked clearly satisfied. "We’ll make our entrance shortly after the remaining guests arrive." She paused for a moment before glancing at the tall windows on their side.

"Aside from that, the crown prince will also be arriving tonight."

"My uncle?" Lionel’s eyes widened slightly.

He knew that with his weak nature, the Crown Prince rarely attended noble gatherings personally unless they were highly important occasions.

"How about my cousin? And the crown princess?"

Elara looked at him, a smile still on her face.

"They will also be here."

"..." For some reason, he had a bad feeling about it.