Chapter 442

“Hmm?”

After noticing the familiar figure outside the study door, the old king, whose body was covered in rust and even his glass eyeballs had taken on a cloudy hue, couldn’t help but furrowed his brows and said:

“Didn’t I order you to be locked up for a week? Who let you out?”

“It was Mother who let me out.”

The princess outside the door elegantly bowed slightly, her green glass eyeballs filled with gratitude as she explained:

“Because I knocked over a cabinet, making some noise, Mother worried if I was injured inside, so she had someone release me.”

Mother?

After hearing the princess’s explanation, instead of relaxing, the old king’s frown deepened.

“Veronica.”

After calling out the princess’s name, the old king who was basking in the sun by the window placed the book in his hands onto his knees. His expression turned displeased as he questioned sternly:

“What exactly are you trying to do?”

“Father?”

The princess outside the study door raised an eyebrow in surprise, somewhat confused as she counter-questioned: “I haven’t prepared to do anything, why would you ask this?”

“…”

Upon hearing this, the old king didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he gestured to the servant behind him to turn his wheelchair around to face the door, directly opposite the princess outside the study door.

Then, with his back to the sunlight, the old king lifted his head. On his iron face heavily marked with rust, two turbid gemstone eyeballs stared at the princess like a hawk, saying slowly and deliberately: “You’ve never called her ‘mother’ before!”

“Hmm… is that so…”

The princess at the door blinked, her clear and bright gemstone eyeballs meeting the old king’s gaze as she smiled and said: “Things are different now. The next king can only be Joshua, and I have no possibility of inheriting the throne anymore. I will also be married far away.

And whether a princess married far away lives well or poorly depends on the kingdom’s attitude towards her. To avoid losing the kingdom’s support after marriage, of course, I should start courting favor with Mother and Joshua.”

“…”

After listening to Princess Veronica’s response throughout, the old king’s feeling of strangeness didn’t disappear; instead, it grew more severe.

Although the current situation was indeed as Veronica said—without the kingdom’s support, life for a faraway princess wouldn’t be easy, so she should indeed work hard to build a good relationship with Joshua and his mother—but…

Would Veronica actually do something like this? Looking at the princess who still smiled despite being questioned, although she was undoubtedly his daughter, the old king couldn’t convince himself. He always felt something wasn’t quite right.

The Veronica in his memory, while not entirely inflexible in character, was stubborn in many ways, much more obstinate than she appeared. If she could come to terms with this matter and bow down to the queen and Joshua just to live better in the future, then why didn’t she bow down to him earlier? If she was willing to abandon those silly notions and continue fulfilling her duties as a princess, always putting the royal family first, then the throne would definitely be hers, and Joshua wouldn’t even have a chance!

“You’re not Veronica!”

Gripping the armrest of the wheelchair tightly, the old king narrowed his eyes, his expression dark as he demanded: “Speak! Who exactly are you!”

“Father?”

The “princess” outside the study blinked, surprised as she asked:

“What are you talking about? How could I not be Veronica? I’m your daughter!”

“Not right!”

A person like her might temporarily compromise for her absurd ideals, but she would never lower herself to someone she looked down upon just to live better later!”

“Father, you really misunderstand me.”

Looking at the wary old king in front of her, the princess at the study door sighed and said:

“People always grow… the past me was indeed like that, but the present me has come to understand.

Although Joshua and Mother have insignificant abilities, they have the support of the Minister of Finance and you. So, I should give them due respect.

So currently, I am not respecting them themselves, but respecting what supports them… Can you understand what I mean?”

“…”

People always grow…

After hearing Princess Veronica’s defense, a flicker of hesitation crossed the old king’s eyes. After a long silence, he seemed convinced. The stiff posture relaxed slightly as he leaned back into his wheelchair.

“Unfortunately…”

Shaking his head slightly, the iron-faced old king on the wheelchair sighed wearily: “Everything is already set, I can’t change it even if I want to… In terms of ability and character, how can Joshua compare to you? My preferred successor has always been you. If only you had matured a bit earlier, how great would that have been?”

“Father…”

Seeing the genuine regret and sighs on the old king’s iron face, the princess outside the study pressed her lips together, then stepped into the study with some excitement.

“It’s not too late!”

Looking at the old king in the wheelchair, Princess Veronica earnestly said:

“You are the only king of this country. As long as you’re willing, it’s never too late!”

“I…”

Moved by the princess’s words, the old king, whose back wasn’t as straight as before and leaned against the backrest, sighed:

“No matter you or Joshua, you’re both my children. Since I’ve already promised him… Hmm? Joshua?”

Seemingly realizing something significant, the old king looked at the door with shock and asked in confusion: “Weren’t you supposed to be at the parliamentary meeting? Why did you suddenly return?”

Joshua returned?

After hearing the old king’s words, Princess Veronica’s expression froze momentarily, then instinctively turned her head to look toward the door.

But just as she turned, the old king leaning against the backrest suddenly pulled out a large-caliber nail gun from under the seat of the wheelchair. Without hesitation, he aimed at the back of the iron princess’s head and fired!

“BANG!”

Caught off guard, the iron princess was knocked flat on the ground by the massive force at the back of her head. Before she could get up, the old king behind her coldly raised the gun again and shot.

With four loud bangs, the metal right knee joint of the iron princess, first deformed by the impact, was then firmly pinned by four nails, causing her to collapse again on her knees, completely losing her ability to move.

“Someone!”

Throwing the nail gun to the servant behind him, the old king on the wheelchair, lifting his hand which was full of rust marks but still surprisingly steady, pointed at the fallen iron princess and ordered: “Seize her! And send someone to Veronica’s room… No! Go find the Queen first, check if the Queen is still alive!”

(End of Chapter)