Until the Exiled Duke’s Daughter, Wilhelmina, Becomes Happy

Chapter 89: The Audience Room 4

In the end, as rewards or compensation that the kingdom can offer, neither I nor Lex can propose anything that we can say is acceptable.

The maximum that can be offered to Lex, who is a commoner, is up to the count. That can be said to be an exceptional offer, but from my former position, it is clearly a lower rank.

Regarding the idea that by marrying me to the royal family and separating me from Lex, he can be made a count, I have already dismissed it with a single kiss.

In other words, it’s a dead end.

“You …! You repay the kindness I raised you with enmity?!”

A roar from Duke Periknen. I see, you use sympathy this time? I don’t think it’s the best way to appeal to the emotions.

“I do feel gratitude … I mean, I did. Even if he was a father who was devoted to his mistress and her daughter and despised me, Jurremi, and even the government.

Then I turned around.

“But the Duke and I are no longer a father and daughter.”

“Certainly, the relationship has been cut. You are no longer Periknen, but still, the relationship as father and daughter has not changed.”

A sigh.

“I thought so at first, too. But you adopted Miss Ina, who caused me to be banished, and in the end, the Duke who was once my father never saw me in banishment, did he? So you can’t ask me to continue to have feelings for you.”

“I-I did not help you because I have no love for you, but because of the agreement I made with His Highness Elias.

His Highness frowns. Well, there must have been such a secret agreement.

He did, after all, expel me with nothing but the clothes I was wearing, didn’t he? But…

“Neither Duke Periknen nor the person sitting on that throne helped me. However, Duke Periknen did not even try to look at me, who was abandoned. If he had looked, he should have noticed. That we, the A&V company, started up, and opened a branch in Periknen Territory, sent researchers to the dungeon, and hired adventurers in the territory.”

“In my territory?!”

See, you don’t know after all.

“Of course, there hasn’t been anything like my subordinates carrying out illegal activities in your territory, but because you left it unattended, you ended up in a disadvantageous position. It was something that neither the government nor you had any interest in. It’s just a case of reaping what you sow.”

Periknen Duke turned bright red and tried to draw his sword from his waist, but was stopped by the guards.

I faced towards the throne.

“Indeed, I apologize for what I have done to you.”

The Emperor declared it heavily and showed the maximum apology he could make as a king, with his jaw being pulled.

I just said that there was no support from His Majesty.

“I accept His Majesty Vainamo III’s apology. However, I can’t find any value in that apology. My honor won’t be restored by making such a statement in this anonymous place, and in the first place, it was a year late to apologize. Everything is too late now.”

It’s late, too late. Instead of apologizing when my honor was being tarnished, what’s the point of apologizing when my value or danger has increased?

His Majesty also sighed heavily.

I am sure he understands. He understands that his former decision to pretend that I had never happened has now come back as a blunder.

At that time, His Highness won the favor of public opinion and held on to the support of the Duke of Periknen, even moving The Cardinal.

He straightens his posture again and releases his voice.

“Mrs. Vilhelmina Peltra. I understand your dignity, but let me say this. You are not so stupid that you do not understand the meaning of rebelling against my order to surrender Alex Peltra’s technology.”

A threat from the king. With reason, it’s stopped, with feelings, it’s not moved, and apologies are late. But if it’s judged that leaving this technology in the opposition is not an option, then there’s no choice but that.

I answer firmly and with pride.

“I cannot go against the king’s decision. I have to pay respect, of course… normally.”

“Do you think you’re an exception?”

“No, isn’t it His Majesty himself who says that it’s okay not to follow the king’s decision?”

“What…?”

I point to His Highness Elias with a fan.

“His Highness Elias, who is standing right there, also said that disrespect to His Majesty is not tolerated. But if that’s the case, why is that thing still with its head and body?