Consider the following excerpt from a satirical short story:
"In the self-proclaimed Kingdom of Mediocrity, citizens were awarded medals for each day they avoided doing anything remarkable. Achievements were measured by the number of hours spent lounging on the couch and consuming processed snacks. Those who dared to excel were seen as a threat to public harmony and were promptly ostracized. The king, a proud champion of the ordinary, announced new penalties for those who strived for greatness: a week of mandatory mediocrity training to re-align their aspirations with the kingdom's values."
Based on this excerpt, which of the following best represents the irony presented in this narrative?