Common Sense of a Duke's Daughter

Duke Daughter 71: Backstage From Another View 3

"Understood."(Dean)

I'm grateful for his concern. His words are irreplaceable.

"Do not worry. Everything that will happen from now on will go as I had planned. I've decided on this since the time the King and Lady Ellia began to shun us: I will never become like my father." (Dean)

"I am rather relieved to hear that."(Ludy)

Ludy breathed a sigh of relief.

"To begin with, you had no reason to worry. My determination becomes stronger when I see her."(Dean)

"Why?"(Ludy)

"An incompetent king will cause his people to die. Because my father was blinded by his love for my mother, he was unable to save her from insidious plots and became an empty shell when he lost her. I feel only pity for my father."(Dean)

That man became unable to move or think. He lost all will to live after Mother died, allowing Lady Ellia and her household of the Marquis Maeria to slowly gain control of the kingdom.

What was more foolish was that he married the woman who killed his beloved, my mother. He overlooked her crime and simply did as she bid him. In the end, he exiled me and Leticia from the palace. To him, my sister and I were just children living in the palace, unrelated to him.

If my grandmother did not take us in, then Lady Ellia would have already killed the both of us.

"The sight of her strong figure carrying the burden of the world on her shoulders but continuing to grow stronger has inspired me. That man who suffers from illness will eventually abdicate the throne. It is at that moment that I will use him to eliminate all of the parasites living off of this kingdom."(Dean)

I will send them to hell together. Ever since that time, I no longer feel any sort of family bond with him. For me, my little sister, Leti, is my family. That is why I have no qualms about using my own father, the King.

Oh… I see… I understand what Ludy was talking about… How I have grown soft… I finally realized during our conversation that I… was a cold person before.

I responded to nothing. I was never amused by or interested in anything. No matter how many people die in this country from either war or starvation, they were only just numbers to me. I felt I would always be this way. The only ones I would care about were Leti, Ludy, and Grandmother. I can understand why both have commented that I've grown soft.

In addition, I also realized how important she has become to me.

I began to laugh.

"I will not become like my father. My determination will never waver, because the person who I hold dear is someone who can never belong to me."(Dean)

"If your Highness wishes, the House of Armelia would be happy to arrange for her marriage. I think my aunt is pushing for this to happen. At some point, she will have to give up her position as lord to her brother."(Ludy)

It is as Ludy says. The Armelia household has Berne, who is meant to inherit the lord title… But I can imagine her response.

"What of it?"(Iris)

She would be unconcerned, as she also has the Azura Conglomerate and has established some aspects of democracy in the governing of the fief. As a result, whoever takes over would not matter to her. She will probably find something new to work hard on.

"I love her, but she is someone who should be free to spread her wings throughout the world. I do not believe a cage like the royal palace would suit her."(Dean)

That is the person I hold dear to my heart. The image of her standing tall, toiling, overcoming all obstacles in her way… Her eyes radiant and clear as the cloudless sky. The royal palace, with all its discipline and tedium, would make her lose that which makes her special.

"I will apologize to my grandmother later, but I have no intentions of taking her into the royal palace."(Dean)

"… Is that so…?" (Ludy)