Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"All these are false attempts to hide the responsibility. Even if we believe for a minute that duke Thawyne had not changed the kids, that would not change the fact that Leo is not the heir of duchy.

Since there is no one to take the responsibility of the dukedom, I request the royal family to be fair and take the dukedom in their hands like they have done with other noble families.

And I would even request you to strip off the title of commander Leo since a commoner can not hold the post of a commander in 1st order of knights.`` The man bowed his head as he finished talking and George nodded his head.

Though William had brought many witnesses and friends to prove that he had not swapped the kids. Taking the duchy till his daughters get married would be a great result too.,

Since Eli was going to marry Andrew anyway, he could use this excuse and name Andrew as the heir of the duchy.

Since Andrew was his pawn anyway, he would take full control of the duchy and would make sure no child of the Thawyne family would ever be able to compare with the royal Abella family.

As long as he could get rid of Leo, he would do as he wished and no one would be able to stop him.

"Do you have anything to say about the result, William?" asked George in a compassionate voice as he stared at him with a  worried look.

Everybody could feel how much care the emperor showed for his brother. They praised him in his heart.

William started at Leo and Evan but could not respond, that was the main reason he wanted them to marry as soon as possible.

Even if he would say that Leo was going to marry Evan and be the heir of the duchy again, it was only a matter of future that could not be used in present.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. As long as his kids are happy and healthy and with him, he does not care about the position anymore.

As long as he could have a roof and live with them happily, though he would lose his title of archduke, he still would have money, a palace and other things.

It's just that he would remain as a rich commoner and would not be able to use his second name.

Thawne, the name with a rich history and grand feats would end today. Would his ancestors forgive him for this folly?

Just as he took a deep breath and stood up, Leo followed suit and stood up.

"I understand that I did not have a son to be the heir and my daughters are not married, yet I am still fit to handle the seat.

If I do not have a competent son in law to take my position when I retire, then I will pass my position to the royal family.

But I request that you give me enough time for that. I am not that old that I would not be able to look after the affairs of my estate!" His majestic aura and strong authority could ot be challenged.

Not a single person in the room would say that he was old and incompetent when it comes to handling matters. He was one of the best in the empire.

If the nobles face any problem like taxation or draughts in the boundaries of the empire, he was the one to be contracted rather than his majesty.

If he would be stripped of his title, they would have nowhere to go.

As much as nobles were jealous of power and authority, no one could deny that they needed him. If he would not be a theater, they were not sure if the empire would run smoothly.

And once he would lose his title, he would not be able to interfere in any matter of the empire as a commoner.

They all felt a dilemma while choosing his fate. Looking at the hesitation in the eyes of nobles, George's fingers clenched inside his pocket.

If William became successful in swaying the heart of the nobles they would resent him further when he would go against their will and would make sarcastic comments later.

"Haven't I handled all the matters in a good manner? I did not think I should retire this soon." William spoke with an air of arrogance in his voice. When it comes to work, no one could be as meticulous as him.

"You are not understanding the situation, are you? You have done a great sin by abandoning your own daughter.

Even if you were not the one who had swapped her, there was no denying that you hid the matter after knowing the truth.

You tried to manipulate both of them into thinking they love each other and get married to each other so that your position and heir would not change.

You have betrayed the empire, the trust of people in you and moreover to your family.

I know that they have forgiven you because you didn't want to harm anyone. But that didn't mean that Evangeline never felt resentment for you.

That did not mean Elizabeth and Evelyn never thought about what else their father was hiding from them.

That did it mean Leonardo never felt that he was used because you needed an heir. Or else you would have left him and brought your daughter back the moment you come to know the truth.

You have broken their faith in you.

Do you think nobles would be able to come to you without a doubt that you might be hiding other things in your dealings.

You may not have aged, but you have lost the trust others had on you. You have lost their faith.

And if you let you continue such a strong position in the empire, I would be restless thinking how you are going to manipulate the truth and would you even present the situation truthfully to me!"