Chapter 5

"You may go now." She asked them to leave. Didn't want them to see her mental breakdown in front of the door.

"Very well, My Lady." Akra and the rest obeyed. Stepped backward a few steps like they'd been taught before gradually turned their back to her after they were quite far from her and walked away in full seriousness.

All the happy chatting was gone the moment the lady wasn't in their presence so they could concentrate on doing their job.

She watched them go for a few seconds before she turned heel to enter the room that has one closed door while the other one opened to let anyone enter their whelm. Determined to mend her father's heart, she didn't straight enter, only listen to the topic that being talked about that sounded so serious. "Du- Duke. I'm sorry. I'm at fault."

She furrowed to hear a trembled voice made by Count Marlin. What did Marlin do to make her father so angry?

"Duke. We are at fault. It slipped off our tongue." This time it was Marquis Henry.

"Ye- yes. I agree. Such mistakes will never be repeated."

Was that Marquis Lyes?

The most competent politician that even received her father praised every time they met. Why does every important figure have a fret over this discussion? Has her father managed to be a total sadist?

"Duke Brice. We have beautiful different points of view regarding this topic. How about you let our poor Count go and discuss like a real gentleman?" The King however sounded weary.

Was the topic that serious?

Should she come back later?

"I don't care." But it seemed her father didn't want to back down.

"Duke Brice. I know you are infuriated but can you please release our poor Count? He is a devoted husband and father. He had mouths to feed unless you want to support his household." The King said off-handed, tired and didn't care anymore.

The situation was tight and no one dared to speak before the sound of loud coughing from Count Marlin filling the quiet room showing that he had freed himself from the tight neck choke.

What is so serious?

"Okay. Let me ask you once again. Is my Eli-"

BAM!

"No! Don't ask. This topic is subjective. We can't satisfy you as you want. We have our child to brag too." Cut King fiercely. "Will you listen to our bragging if we let you do such?"

The room fell silent again. And she has a gist of the problem now. Her father...

"The answer is so obvious, Your Majesty. My Elizebeth is the cutest in the world. What kind of blasphemy you commit in front of me?" His father didn't give up. Completely ignoring the king as he likes as usual. "Your snorty prince could never match up to my beautiful graceful pretty heaven maiden nymph angel Elizebeth." Retorted her father in so much arrogance.

Oh! My! God!

Her father pissed her off. How the heck could he shamelessly bragged her to the old dudes and in front of the king? Did he pride that matter?

And the answer was yes. The Duke wanted to win especially when it comes to his favorite child.

The king snorted. Pick one. Either she is heaven maiden, nymph, or angel.

"I will get my last laugh if your so beautiful graceful pretty heaven maiden nymph Elizabeth choose my snorty Prince. I will throw the flower to your head, Duke."

"Angel!" Her father corrected the King with a serious face. "You left an angel at the end. But your snorty prince would never get picked. My princess Elizebeth is too perfect even to waste her breath on your kid. Don't let them meet. I don't want your dirty son to come near my pure daughter."

'Oi! You are talking bad about King's child in front of King himself. Your word can consider treason, stupid father. Shut your mouth. I still want to live a long life. Don't drag me into your grave.'

She almost lost her soul listening to the childish argument that took place in the workplace during a working hour involving her.

King just could only laugh bitterly. A bit ticked listening to the rude rambling by his subordinate but could do nothing. The duke not only his subordinate but his powerful ally and his best friend.

No one could walk out alive after uttering such a word about his son, however, Duke Brice was exceptional and he intended to marry his son to his best friend's daughter just to have the last laugh. Watch him.

"If not my son, do you have a better candidate?" King testing the water.

"What nonsense are you spouting about? Of course, she has. I am the right candidate. The daughter's dream is to marry her father. Father is her first love. She will only listen to me as her first love."

And that time everyone realized one thing at the same time and couldn't help themselves but to mutter the same thing in their heart. That's including her.

'Wow. The duke is so delusional.'

'Aha aha aha', she laughed ironically. Just kill her already, please.

"Missing my daughter is bad for the heart. I can smell her rose flower fragment from the door."

Her father's word snapped her from reality. That's so weirdly accurate and she was in fact at the very place behind the closed door in her flower fragment. He'd just turned a total psycho. Was he that creepy before this?

"Duke! Your daughter is not here. Don't speak in psycho." The king didn't plan to play with his serious illness of missing a daughter anymore. His heart just wound over Duke criticizing his beloved son.

What's so great about having a daughter? Son's much better... but once again, Duke had three older sons before he had a daughter. Maybe a daughter brought joy to the household? Should he ask one to his beautiful wife too? Damn it. He was envious.

It was her cue to knock on the door and made her presence to be known to the people in the room. She could feel her presence was much appreciated the sooner she revealed herself.

In tiny knocks, she called for her father.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The environment became quiet as everyone waited for someone to make an appearance. She slowly peeked little by little revealing her half face to the people inside the meeting room.

"Fa... Father?" Said her in tiny. Watching people inside the room that held their breath because of shock.

"Oh... Oh Lord, is that our dearest Elizebeth?" King breathed and rose from his seat in reflex. The eyes were relieved to see someone that he's been waiting for forever. "Come inside, my pretty lady." Invited the King in a rejoice voice.

But she just shook her head timidly. Eyes back to her father who just sullenly looked at her. "Father..." Called her. "Hungry." She said shortly. The very signal that her father was waiting for forever.

Duke jolted from his seat. The message was well-received as he automatically rose from his seat, eyes watching her still.

"Really?" The voice was sweet, contrary to his usual voice towards anyone in general. The only voice he ever used in front of her and her mother. "Do you still hate me?" Asked him without caring about the spectators around him who were watching them in amazement.

"No. Never." She shook her head again.

"Really?" Her father asked in amusement.

She nodded, still showing her half face.

Her father pondered a bit, just considering the number of minutes before he put his infamous fatherly smile that everyone witnessed only in front of his daughter. "Okay, come here." He stretched his hands. The smile stretching across his face.

"Uwaaa~~ our cold Duke put a sinister smile." King covered his mouth in a scandalous look.

Ignoring him, the duke trotted to his daughter and crouched down with one knee on the floor to embrace his daughter that complied in a small squeal.

"Father!" She ran towards her father and threw herself in her father's arms and held herself happily.

"Are you hungry?" His father kissed her head.

"Erm!" she hummed.

"How is your tummy?"

"Tummy hurt." She decided to come clean. The very first time she acknowledged her pain willingly that made her father frown for a second time.

Her father made a pity face and noise. "Still want to eat?"

She nodded.

"Okay, let's go." Her father turned to his subordinates.

"Just go. We will rest while waiting for you." King gave him approval. Sitting at his seat wearily. Sincerely be grateful to Elizebeth who came to the rescue.

"Where do you want to go, baby?" Duke was practically sprinted, asking his daughter softly to the ears.

"The annex. The attendants are already preparing." She wrapped his tiny arms around the duke's neck.

"The annex." Repeated duke as he leaped to the destination and pointedly ignoring the wary eyes that were looking at his way.

"It has a beautiful view, they said." Chirping her.

"Really? Must be fun." The duke entertained his daughter with the hint of a satisfied smile. Truth to his wife's words, his Elizebeth came crawling to him. This was great.

"Yes." Elizebeth rested his head on his father's shoulder and huffed tiredly. Mission accomplished. She just saved the ministers' misery.