Chapter 845: 442 Confrontation

While a certain prince had just kicked the Queen's iron-plated head flying and then instructed the guards to open the door and invite thieves in, "Princess Veronica" had already found the old king, who was reading in his study, accompanied by the Queen's attendants.

"Hmm?"

Noticing the familiar figure outside the study door, the old king, whose entire body was covered in rust spots and whose glass eyes had taken on a cloudy hue, frowned and said:

"Did I not order you to be locked up for a week? Who let you out?"

"Mother let me out."

The princess outside the door elegantly bowed, her green glass eyes full of gratitude as she said:

"Because I knocked over a cabinet and made some noise, Mother worried I might have been injured inside, so she had someone let me out."

Mother?

After hearing the princess's explanation, the old king's brows not only did not relax, but furrowed even tighter.

"Veronica."

After calling the princess's name, the old king, who was sunbathing by the window, placed the scroll in his hands on his lap, then asked with an unhappy expression:

"What exactly do you intend to do?"

"Father?"

The princess outside the study door raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked, somewhat puzzled:

"I haven't prepared to do anything; why would you ask such a question?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, the old king did not answer immediately; instead, he waved his hand at the attendant behind him, signaling him to turn the front of his wheelchair toward the door, facing the princess outside the study.

Immediately, the old king, with his back to the sunlight, raised his head. On his iron-plated face, heavily marked with rust, two cloudy gemstone eyes stared at the princess like a hawk, speaking word by word:

"You have never called her 'Mother' before!"

"Is that so..."

The princess at the door blinked, her clear and bright gemstone eyes meeting the old king's gaze as she smiled and said:

"Things are different now and then. The next king can only be Watching Watching Qiaoshuya; I no longer have any possibility of inheriting the throne and will be married off far away.

For a princess like me who is married far away, whether life is good or bad outside depends on the kingdom's attitude toward me. To avoid losing support from the kingdom after being married off, of course I must start to curry favor with Mother and Watching Watching Qiaoshuya."

"..."

After listening to Princess Veronica's answer with a frown throughout, the old king's sense of strangeness did not disappear; instead, it grew even more severe.

Although the current situation was as Veronica described—a princess married far away without the kingdom's support would certainly not have a good life, so she indeed should try hard to build a good relationship with Watching Watching Qiaoshuya and his mother—but...

Is this something Veronica would do?

Looking at the princess who still smiled in the face of his questioning, although no matter how he scrutinized her, she was undoubtedly his daughter, the old king simply could not convince himself, always feeling that something was not quite right.

The Veronica in his memory, although not the type with an inflexible character, was actually extremely stubborn in many ways, with a temper far more stubborn than she appeared.

If she could understand such matters and was willing to bow to the Queen and Watching Watching Qiaoshuya for the sake of living better in the future, why did she not bow to me earlier?

If she was willing to abandon those boring notions and continue to fulfill her duties as a princess, always putting the royal family first, then my throne would certainly be hers; Watching Watching Qiaoshuya would not have even a shred of a chance!

"You are not Veronica!"

After gripping the armrest of his wheelchair tightly, the old king narrowed his eyes and asked with a sinister expression:

"Speak! Who exactly are you!"

"Father?"

The "princess" outside the study blinked, saying in surprise:

"What are you talking about? How could I not be Veronica? I am your daughter!"

"No!"

The old king refuted without hesitation:

"Veronica is far more arrogant than you; although she always maintains politeness in daily life, she has never looked down on the Queen, nor has she ever looked up to Watching Watching Qiaoshuya.

A person like her, if for her absurd ideals, might temporarily compromise, but would absolutely not bow to someone she fundamentally looks down on just to live better in the future!"

"Father, you truly misunderstand."

Looking at the old king before her who was full of vigilance, the princess at the study door sighed and said:

"People always grow up... The me of the past was indeed like that, but the me now has figured it out.

Although Watching Watching Qiaoshuya and Mother's abilities are nothing to speak of, behind them stand the support of the Minister of Finance and yourself, so I should give them the respect they deserve.

So now, I am not respecting them themselves, but rather respecting the things that support them... If I put it this way, can you understand what I mean?"

"..."

People always grow up...

After hearing Princess Veronica's defense, a hint of hesitation flashed in the old king's eyes; after a long silence, he seemed convinced, his straightened spine relaxed slightly, and he leaned back onto his wheelchair again.

"Pity..."

After shaking his head slightly, the old king on the wheelchair sighed with a weary expression:

"Now everything is already destined; I cannot change it even if I want to... Whether in ability or character, how can Watching Watching Qiaoshuya compare to you? The heir I favored most has always been you; if only you could have grown up a bit earlier?"

"Father..."

Seeing the genuine regret and sigh on the old king's iron-plated face, the princess outside the study pressed her lips together, then walked into the study with some agitation.

"It is not too late!"

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

"You are the only king of this nation; as long as you are willing, it is never too late!"

"I..."

Seemingly somewhat moved by the princess's words, the old king, whose back was no longer as straight as in the past and who leaned weakly against the backrest, sighed:

"Whether you or Watching Watching Qiaoshuya, you are both my children; since I have already promised him... Hmm? Watching Watching Qiaoshuya?"

Seeming to have discovered something momentous, the Old King stared at the doorway with eyes full of shock, his face a mask of confusion as he said:

"Were you not in a meeting at the Council? How did you return so suddenly?"

Watching Watching Qiaoshuya had returned?

Hearing the Old King's words, Princess Veronica's expression faltered slightly; she then instinctively turned her head to look toward the door.

Yet in the instant she turned, the Old King, leaning against the backrest, suddenly produced a large-caliber nail gun from beneath the wheelchair seat, aimed it at the Iron Princess's occiput, and without hesitation raised his arm to fire!

"Bang!"

Caught completely off guard, the Iron Princess was struck by the immense force from her occiput and thrown face-first to the ground; before she could even rise, the Old King behind her, his face cold, raised the gun and fired again.

Four gunshots rang out—bang, bang, bang, bang. The Iron Princess's right knee joint, which shimmered with metal, was first deformed by the impact, then pinned firmly by four nails; unable to rise, she collapsed back to her knees, having completely lost the ability to move.

"Someone!"

Handing the nail gun to the attendant behind him, the Old King on the wheelchair raised his hand, rusted yet astonishingly steady, and pointed at the fallen Iron Princess, shouting:

"Seize her for me! And send someone to Veronica's room... No! First find Wang Hou and see if Wang Hou is still alive!"