I! Cleaner!
Chapter 184 - 184: 0159 Right up my alley_2

*Yes... No matter where you go, you will have a good life, but... will you be happy?*

After looking at the princess, whose face was smiling but whose eyes seemed calm and indifferent, the middle-aged noblewoman couldn't help but grit her teeth and then lowered her voice to ask,

"Your Highness, do you really have to marry outside the country? Can't you stay? Even... even if it's with the Duke of Lionheart?"

"It's not a matter of whether I want to get married or not, but rather what my father thinks, because from the beginning, this kind of thing was never up to me to decide."

Upon hearing the middle-aged noblewoman's inquiry, the princess raised her eyebrows slightly, then spoke calmly,

"After failing to seize the Department of Finance, my father may seem to have stepped back, handing over the royal family's manpower to me, but he has never given up the idea of completely controlling the kingdom.

And to control the kingdom, it's nothing more than legislation, personnel, military power, and financial power. Joshua's mother happens to be the Minister of Finance's sister, so after a few years when he grows up, as long as they agree to let him inherit the throne, it's very likely that the Minister of Finance will support the royal family.

Moreover, by that time, no matter if my reforms succeed or fail, they should thoroughly anger the old nobility and the Lower House. Father only needs to announce the cancellation of my eligibility to inherit the throne, marry me off to another country, and he can easily quell everyone's anger.

By doing so, he can take over most of the power I've seized from the old nobility at the lowest cost, gain strong support from outside the kingdom, pave the way for Joshua's succession, and turn the Minister of Finance to the royal family, thereby completely controlling the Department of Finance.

Haha, just a failed marriage of the eldest daughter can bring so many tangible and intangible benefits. Knowing my father, he would never let such an opportunity pass."

"This... how can this be?!"

After listening to the princess's deductions, the middle-aged noblewoman couldn't help but stand up abruptly, her eyes filled with anger as she said,

"You've done so much for the kingdom over the years! Even if His Majesty doesn't let you inherit the throne in the end, he shouldn't treat you like this! And besides, if it were someone else inheriting the throne, it would be one thing, but Prince Joshua, he just... well... it's just too much!"

"This isn't a matter of being excessive or not."

Princess Veronica shook her head, smiling as she said,

"As the king's daughter, before I was even born, I already had everything that ninety-nine percent of this country's people dream of, but as a cost, I also lost some things.

Besides, you actually don't need to feel sad for me. I've only lost the right to choose my marriage, but Joshua is truly the pitiable one. Due to father's overindulgence, Joshua has even lost his mind. Isn't he worse off than me?"

"At a time like this, how can you still crack jokes?"

Seeing the princess seemingly accepting her fate and even having the mood to joke with her, the middle-aged noblewoman couldn't help but stomp her foot,

"Your Highness! Why aren't you angry at all! Are you really going to accept it just like that?"

*"What else can I do if I don't accept it?"*

Hearing this, the princess's eyes flickered for a moment and then she replied calmly,

"If I want to reject such a future, should I immediately overthrow everything and make every effort to connect with the old nobility? Or should I try to lean towards the Prime Minister in the parliament and let those so-called 'economic bills' that wantonly exploit ordinary people pass?

Or perhaps offer a bounty and hire someone to assassinate my brother? Or should I launch a coup, lead the military into the royal palace, and personally hang my father on the gallows?"

...

*Seeing the princess's expression calm to the point of indifference, with eyes revealing deep fatigue, the speechless middle-aged noblewoman felt a lump in her throat, and her vision suddenly blurred.

She had looked after the princess for so many years, and as a child, she used to be a very lively child, always playing wildly in the royal palace garden, often getting covered in dirt, and never feeling sad even when being scolded, her face always carrying a sun-like brilliant smile.*

*After growing up, although she still liked to smile, unknowingly, her smile changed in nuance, smiling gently, helplessly, self-deprecatingly, and wearily... as if she no longer smiled genuinely from the heart like when she was young.*

*In her memory, when was the last time she saw such a brilliant smile? Three years ago? Five years ago? Or even longer?*

"Oh dear! Look at you! Getting all worked up just talking about it!

What I just said were all guesses, and even if it happens, that's a long way off, and besides, there might be other opportunities in these few years~"

Seeing the noblewoman whose eyes were slightly red after hearing her words, with her mouth beginning to uncontrollably curve downwards, seemingly wanting to throw herself over and cry on her shoulder, the princess couldn't help but smile and then teased,

"For instance, if the Duke of Lionheart is charmed by seeing me one day and against all family pressure, proposes to me with the entire Ryan family as a dowry, then the situation would be completely reversed.

Facing the opportunity to completely control the Department of Road Administration and the military, father might arrange for Joshua to marry a female monkey and then kick him across the sea, welding the throne onto my behind~"

"Pfft!"

Hearing the princess's cold joke, the middle-aged noblewoman couldn't help but burst into laughter, uncharacteristically disregarding etiquette, she reached out and pinched the princess's waist, her eyes still red as she complained,

"How dare you say that! The Duke of Lionheart hasn't even turned twenty this year, and you are already twenty..."

"Oh no!"

Seeing that some of the kingdom's top secrets were about to slip from the middle-aged noblewoman's mouth, the usually composed princess finally panicked, rushing to cover her mouth, gritting her teeth and threatening,

"We agreed not to talk about this! If you dare mention it again, I'll take you with me to marry across the sea! And tie you to a fishing rod to catch sharks on the way over!"

"Mm... I won't mention it! Is that not enough? You... please move your chest a bit... you're suffocating me..."

...

The two inside the carriage seemed to have reached some kind of understanding and avoided discussing future marriage topics, instead playfully sparring in a relaxed manner.

Meanwhile, the carriage adorned with the lion insignia at the rear, after a pause of over twenty minutes, finally resumed its movement, swiftly passing through the path cleared by small merchants, carrying a reluctant duke towards the end of Redwood Avenue to the Ryan Manor.

Once that excessively luxurious Heart of Lion carriage departed, the two inside the double-wheeled carriage calculated the time for the succession ritual, realizing they were almost late for the opening. They then moved from the cargo path to the noble-exclusive avenue.

With the coachman continuously accelerating, the sightseeing double-wheeled carriage sped along, its wheels nearly falling apart, barely entering the gates of Ryan Manor before the sun fully rose.

"It's alright, we made it! It just started!"

Stepping down from the carriage using the footstool, handing a maid the invitation with a false identity, and seeing the manor's main building door still open, the princess, eager to watch the spectacle, quickly lifted her skirt and sprinted off, with the middle-aged noblewoman persistently advising her to slow down.

"I'm going ahead! Hurry up a bit too!"

"You! Wait!"

Seeing the princess running hastily with skirts lifted, her run still noticeably "magnificent" despite the covering cape, the middle-aged noblewoman couldn't help but stomp her foot in frustration, wishing to pull her back for several etiquette lessons.

But as Princess Veronica ran further and further, worried her identity might be revealed, the middle-aged noblewoman could only let out a helpless sigh or two, then followed suit, lifting her skirt and running after her, breathlessly reminding her,

"Vi... Vinnie! Posture! Mind your posture... huh?"

Seeing the princess suddenly halt by the door, standing there dazedly, the middle-aged noblewoman felt a chill of fear, thinking that Princess Veronica's identity had been exposed, she hurriedly rushed over to help cover up, only...

"Slap!"

From inside the main hall, came an incredibly loud slap.

The arriving middle-aged noblewoman watched with horror as the newly appointed duke, who should have been receiving guest congratulations, single-handedly lifted Prince Joshua, spat harshly on his swollen face, and coldly sneered,

"Trying to prevent me from becoming this Duke? Okay! You better make good on that!"

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