Stopping at the door of the study, Jenkins took a deep breath, thought about what he should say for a while, and practiced with a ferocious expression on his face before knocking on the door.
Immediately after knocking on the door, he was allowed to enter. The sound insulation effect of the huge study room is very good, but because there are only two people in the room, it is empty and deserted.
The old man wearing a wig was sitting on the sofa reading a book. Jenkins glanced at the cover of the book. The title seemed to be "Purity Forever: The Glorious Nobles of the Hikari Empire". Behind her was a nervous young maid. Seeing Jenkins walk in, the maid walked out consciously to prepare tea.
"I didn't expect you to come back to see me. Today is your birthday, right? Happy birthday to you."
Everyone seems to know that today is Jenkins' birthday, but only Jenkins himself doesn't care.
"Just dropping by to see."
He put the cat on the arm of the side sofa and sat down himself.
"So what's the situation now? You're under house arrest?"
"do not you know?"
"Why would I know... I understand what you mean, but in fact, after I left here yesterday, I didn't ask anything here again."
He said, and then looked around:
"So, this should be house arrest."
"The church still doesn't want to do anything to me. I have already apologized and told what I know, and promised to list the organization named [Tree House] as a wanted criminal in the country, so it will probably be here tomorrow. back to normal.”
The old man's tone was flat, as if he was commenting on the words and deeds of passers-by who he didn't want to do at all. Thinking of what she had done, of the seven innocent lives lost and of Sigrid's near murder, Jenkins felt disgusted by the conversation he had chosen.
"So that's the end of the matter?"
He took the teacup handed by the maid, but only put it on his mouth, and then put it back on the somewhat low mahogany coffee table.
"Then what else do you think?"
Queen Isabella asked, glanced at him, and then turned her gaze back to the book in her hand:
"This world is never fair, and not every crime needs to be cleaned up. You have to realize this, Jenkins."
Jenkins snorted and didn't comment on this sentence, so there was silence in the study for a while, and Jenkins asked again:
"About Sigrid..."
"That's a good girl. Since this matter can't be done, I will naturally not go to trouble her. Your church should strengthen the protection of her. I think the organization called Tree House should not only want to They have to cooperate with me to arrest her. They have other purposes, which is obvious.
I will make it up to her and leave her something in my will. "
After a pause, he continued:
"My dowry is all left to her, and there is also a part of my personal property. These have nothing to do with the royal family's property, and I can dispose of it myself. Jessica does not lack these things, and I don't think you want my things, so Leave it to Capet..."
She twisted her fingers and turned the book to the next page. The sound of the page shaking was even louder than the two of them talking.
"As for the throne..."
She volunteered to talk about the issue, but there was nothing for a while. It wasn't until Jenkins thought that the other party had forgotten to continue talking that the old man continued slowly:
"Since you already have the next queen of the North Kingdom as your wife, don't compete with Jessica."
Jenkins tries to keep the sneer off his face, which isn't easy.
"I know you're laughing at me in your heart, because even Jessica herself would want you to be king... Young people's self-righteous love... But what about your decision? Do you really want to be king, Jenkins? Although you think I'm Working with that organization was a bit of a dizziness, but sometimes I can see things clearly."
She was about to continue flipping through the book, but suddenly stopped, and looked up at Jenkins through the dark red framed reading glasses. Obviously this action is like a kind grandmother observing her grandchildren, but the expression on her face is a bit harsh:
"Jenkins, do you really want to be king?"
"I… "
Lying at this time is meaningless. As for whether he is willing to be the king, Jenkins now cannot give a negative or positive answer. He knew he was going to do it, and he was willing to do it, but in fact he didn't really want to do it.
"Whether I am willing to be the king of Fidetictli or not, that position cannot be someone else's. And are you questioning me? No, you chose to declare war on me, and I have to fight, this is the reason now .”
"Is it really?"
The old man lowered his head to look at the paper in his hand again. After a few seconds, he remembered that he was about to turn the page, so he started to turn the page again. At the same time, the words in his mouth did not stop:
"I respect Middleton's lineage, and I will never declare war on you. I did this wrong, but I never thought of hurting you, I never thought... If you know that you and Capet have such a deep relationship Feelings, maybe I will choose another idea... But, frankly speaking, you are really not the heir I want to choose."
This is probably the first time she has said this to Jenkins openly and honestly.
"I don't deny that you are excellent, and you are a gifted person. You are very smart and talented. But you are not suitable to be a king. I can see that you hate responsibilities that do not belong to you, and you hate being controlled, and you are not bad enough, not cruel enough .”
When talking, his eyes are always looking at the book on his knee through the pair of reading glasses:
"And you don't understand politics at all. You didn't grow up in that environment. It's different from learning etiquette from girls. Some things can't be learned through tutoring... For the good of everyone, I don't choose you, I Choose Jessica."
Jenkins rarely deceived himself, so he could admit in his heart that what the other party said made a lot of sense. But what makes sense is not necessarily right. He understood this very early on:
"You talk so much, do you want to convince me just by words? No, you treat me like a teenager..."
"Then, if I can make a condition for you to voluntarily give up the throne... I don't need to look up to know your expression now."
She was right, Jenkins didn't need to look in the mirror to know what his expression was.
"I don't know what it means, and I don't believe it. What I want is power. Can you offer something more powerful than power?"
He leaned back slightly, closed his eyelids slightly, put his left hand on the armrest of the sofa, rested his right elbow on the armrest on the other side, and pointed his chin with his thumb.
"Of course I will satisfy you—if you are willing to give up the throne to Jessica, then I don't mind if you marry her and then actually manipulate and control the country as a prince. As the price for you to give up the throne, I am willing What you pay is for the peaceful transfer of all power in this country, and no one will object to your control here in the future. You, will become a king without a crown."
After being silent for a while, Jenkins didn't expect to hear such words. He thought that the old man in front of him told him to give up just to annoy him.
After thinking for a few seconds, he understood the full meaning of this condition, but he did not give an answer, but asked in surprise:
"If I agree, doesn't it mean that you have given everything, and Miss Windsor has nothing but the throne itself? Are you really willing to do this? What good will it do you?"
"Benefits? Little Jessica got love, and there is a qualified king on the throne of Fiddlesticks. I have fulfilled my wish and let her name be imprinted in the history books. This is the benefit."
Her voice was flat, and Jenkins believed she would reply in the same tone if they were discussing interior decoration.
"This proposal is very tempting, isn't it?"
Seeing that Jenkins didn't answer, the old man said again. She has never looked at Jenkins' expression since she lowered her head, but she seems to be able to know his psychological changes at any time, and guide his thinking with appropriate words.
"this… "
It's tempting, of course, Jenkins never wanted to be a king, all he wanted was the power, and he wanted to use it to save the world.
"I have promised to marry Dolores Stuart."
So he planned to delay for a while, now he couldn't give an answer, this answer was too important, he couldn't make a decision by himself. As ridiculous as it is, he admits it's a good deal.
"Don't try to delay, Jenkins. Didn't I know that the Mihail girl and the Hessa girl had moved into your house long ago? Didn't those two navy generals allow their daughters to be your mistresses?" ? You have already thought about what to do, am I right? Don’t use Stuart to prevaricate me, it’s meaningless.”
Sure enough, she seemed to be able to see through Jenkins' thoughts. Jenkins suspected that this was some special item that the other party had not found in the church, but in fact he knew in his heart that this was the intuition of an old man who had lived too long.
"I can't give you any answer now, and I don't want to have peace talks with you who have done that kind of thing."
He pretended to be very calm and said, but felt the touch of different degrees, the cat knew that Jenkins was not calm.
"Because you think I'm despicable, agreeing to my terms is equivalent to compromising with a very despicable person. Your self-esteem can't accept this kind of thing... Oh, Jenkins, it's time like this, don't you still want to play tricks?" Is the child having a temper?"
She said this sentence with a smile, and then suddenly closed the book in her hand with a snap, and put it on the sofa cushion beside her.