I! Cleaner!

What? You want to kill all the royal family?!!!

Upon hearing the words of "Princess Veronica," the old King finally couldn't hold back, his eyes widening as he angrily rebuked:

"How dare you?"

"Why wouldn't I dare?"

Seeing the old King in front of her, no longer maintaining his lofty demeanor due to her words, "Princess Veronica" couldn't help but curl her lips, expressing delight yet regret as she said:

"As expected, in your heart, what's most important is always 'the glory of the royal family' and 'the sovereignty of the King'—things like that. I, your daughter, have never been within your consideration.

Hmm... but it's not that I've never been there. When Mother was not sick and could still help you like Joshua's mother did, your paternal love towards me was real."

Looking at the old King, who was angrier than when she had beheaded him, the Iron Princess couldn't help but shake her head, coldly summarizing:

"But once Mother passed, and my maternal family's resources were drained dry like the Ryan Family now, completely losing their value, I, a daughter who couldn't provide any resources, was no longer qualified to receive paternal love.

You were a decent father and never stingy with your affection. It's just a pity your affection was conditional, requiring me to first submit my value."

"You?"

After listening to "Princess Veronica's" analysis of this father, the expression of the old King on the ground slightly froze, then he asked with doubtful eyes:

"You... how do you know these things? Are you really Veronica?"

"Father, I've said so many times, I am Veronica!"

Looking at the old King, still skeptical, the Iron Princess sneered:

"However, I am not your loving daughter who cherishes family ties. Although I hate to admit it, strictly speaking, I should be considered the dark side she voluntarily suppressed."

"What do you mean?"

"It means I am the collection of those thoughts she doesn't want to acknowledge."

The Iron Princess looked down upon the old King, her face devoid of expression, and said:

"Have you never wondered why your daughter seems to never show any negative emotion?

When she lost her mother and needed comfort the most, being neglected by you, she never complained; She did her utmost to be a good princess but hardly received any praise, she never felt too disappointed.

Though fully supporting the royal family, she was still provoked by her stupid brother and criticized and reprimanded by an even more foolish stepmother; she never cursed them with resentment.

Even when you expressed the intention to strip her of her years of efforts and marry her off, her first reaction was to find a solution rather than having a big fight with you... don't you find it strange?"

"I..."

"No more 'I', you should truly thank me for having such an excellent daughter.

Seeing the old King somewhat shocked, with guilt flashing in his eyes, the Iron Princess shook her head:

"Since she picked me up six years ago and kept me in her bedroom, the hope that I represent—changing the Kingdom and ensuring tragedies do not recur—became her inner reliance.

Over the years, she has felt anger, she has complained, but those surging negative emotions, that resentment and unwillingness were suppressed by the hope and ideals I represented.

But those impulses and malice she suppressed with reason never simply disappeared upon seeing me. She endured you for six years, and all the suppressed feelings accumulated in me over these years.

When you confined her to her bedroom, all these things accrued over six years finally surpassed the limits her reason could suppress. As her inner resentment grew beyond kindness and reason, that's when I had to suppress her!"

"..."

So... it was the incident three days ago that triggered Veronica, becoming the last straw that awakened the anomaly in her bedroom?

After listening to the Iron Princess's tale, the old King's face couldn't help but show deep annoyance, he looked at the "daughter" in front of him, murmuring with regret:

"If... if only I had known earlier..."

Hearing the old King's words, the Iron Princess briefly paused, a hint of struggle flashed in her emerald glass eyes, yet…

"I shouldn't have confined you in the bedroom!"

"..."

Indeed, someone like you is wholly impossible to feel regret.

After a moment of speechless silence, as if something that had been tethered broke suddenly, a humane smile appeared on the stiff iron face of the "Princess."

Subsequently, her twisted leg joint, hit by the nail gun, weirdly restored, even gained a touch of non-metallic softness and agility, suddenly adding a trace of human essence.

"Thank you, my father."

After moving her joints, now much softer and hardly different from a human's, the Iron Princess smiled and said:

"Sorry, I deceived you earlier. Actually, I am not Veronica, but I am indeed an anomaly revived by her repressed dark side."

"???"

Looking at the angry and shocked old King on the ground, the Iron Princess, increasingly human-like, thanked him with a smile:

"As a direct descendant of the Thirteen Royal Families, Veronica's will is far more resilient than I expected, even now preventing me from completely killing you.

If it weren't for you, personally killing her last bit of innocence, I fear I would still be entangled with her for a long time, even potentially suppressed by her, failing to kill all the royal family.

Haha, looking at it this way, you are truly my father, as without you, I probably wouldn't be born at all. And to thank you for your kindness to me…" Love$ thi&s* st-o&ry?- Show sup%po%r-t@ at M!V*2-LE^M%PY$R.$

Within the old King's remorseful expression, the Iron Princess once again raised her ceremonial sword, swinging it down directly.

"I will give you a painless end!"

...

Could it be… I was really wrong?

Looking at the "Princess" with eyes no longer hesitant, the old King's jewel-like eyes finally showed lingering regret as she swung the sword toward his forehead with a smile.

If… if I could have been better to Veronica, if I could have cared for her a bit more, even… even trusted her a bit, would the situation now be different?

But… everything is too late now…

"Bang!"

Just as the old King, full of remorse, looked at the descending ceremonial sword, prepared for death in despair, the window beside them suddenly exploded, a surging airflow enveloping shattered window frames and glass shards, crashing directly into the study.