Bad News from the Queen

New Zealand, Isle of Wight.

The first meeting of the Lower House went smoothly, but that didn't make Arthur happy. News had come from Queen Victoria, and Her Majesty the Queen's health was deteriorating rapidly, not even expected to last until winter.

Arthur had anticipated this situation, but he couldn't accept it.

In recent years, Queen Victoria's health had been declining, and some political affairs had been transferred to the Crown Prince.

Furthermore, she had recently experienced the grief of losing another child. Although Queen Victoria presented a strong front, Arthur knew deep down that the departure of Duke Arthur had dealt her a tremendous blow. What kept Queen Victoria going, besides Arthur and the other princes and grandsons, was her remembrance of Prince Albert and her deceased son. This was also why Queen Victoria had traveled all the way to the Isle of Wight.

Upon receiving the news, Arthur urgently dispatched a warship to the Isle of Wight to visit the Queen.

After a journey of two full days, Arthur finally arrived at the Isle of Wight, where Queen Victoria resided.

Arthur was greeted by Princess Beatrice, who was also his aunt.

Seeing Arthur, Princess Beatrice's eyes welled up with tears. She said to Arthur, "Arthur, go. Your grandmother is waiting for you."

Entering a room that was not lavishly decorated, Arthur immediately saw Queen Victoria lying on the bed.

Compared to when they last met, the Queen had visibly lost a lot of weight, her eyes were sunken, and she looked more than ten years older.

"Arthur! My child, come here to your grandmother," Queen Victoria said with surprise, immediately spotting Arthur as he entered the room.

"Grandmother!" Arthur responded, stepping forward and taking the Queen's wrinkled hands.

"Arthur, how have you been in Australia during this time? Are you adapting well?" the Queen asked, stroking Arthur's forehead with a smile.

"I'm doing very well, Grandmother. Thanks to the Guard Army you gave me, I was able to smoothly take control of all of Australia. Now, under my guidance, Australia has established a Dual Monarchy government, elected a Lower House, and is preparing for the election of a cabinet," Arthur replied with a smile.

"Hmm, a Dual Monarchy? Are there no opponents to you within the government?" Queen Victoria, who had been listening quietly, asked with some surprise upon hearing Arthur mention "Dual Monarchy."

"As it stands, no. The former prime ministers of the various colonies did not have military power, and I also gave them positions in the interim cabinet. To date, there are no officials who have explicitly opposed the national system," Arthur replied solemnly after a moment of thought.

"Hmm, have you left the Guard Army in Australia?" Queen Victoria asked again.

"Yes, Grandmother. Although I have ensured, through speeches and various policies, that most Australians support me, I have kept the Guard Army in Australia just in case," Arthur nodded again and said.

"Well done. As a ruler of a country, no matter how smooth your environment, you cannot lose the last shred of caution. Your reforms in Australia proceeding smoothly is a good thing, but it is also a bad thing. While everything appears to be going well now, just as you intended, if an accident occurs, no one can guarantee where an opposition will emerge from in which state," Queen Victoria nodded with satisfaction, finally concluding her series of questions.

"It's good that you've come at this time, Arthur. Some new servants arrived from the mainland a while ago. You and Louise live in Australia and need more servants to take care of your lives. When you return, take some more chefs, doctors, and servants with you. As the ruler of Australia and a member of the Royal Family, you mustn't lose face in this regard," Queen Victoria said, as if remembering something.

"Yes, Grandmother." Looking at Queen Victoria's earnest expression, Arthur couldn't bring himself to refuse.

"Grandmother, how have you been feeling recently?" Arthur quickly changed the subject, beginning to inquire about Queen Victoria's health.

"Just as you see, Arthur. I'm old now and can't move around much. I had wanted to walk on the beach by the sea, but I lost my strength just outside the manor, and my legs hurt constantly. But perhaps it's for the best; maybe I'll see your grandfather and father sooner," the Queen sighed in frustration when talking about her health, then seemed to accept it, speaking with a hint of teasing.

"Don't say that, Grandmother. You'll surely live to be a hundred, and I'll bring your great-grandchildren to see you then," Arthur quickly stopped Queen Victoria's despondent words, comforting her with a smile.

"Heh~" Queen Victoria chuckled and shook her head, but didn't continue her topic.

"Grandmother, shall I take you for a walk around the island?" Arthur stood up, intending to take Queen Victoria for a stroll on the island and to lift her spirits, counteracting her dual physical and mental decline.

"Alright, let's go to West Beach. Albert and Arthur liked it there too," to Arthur's surprise, Queen Victoria did not refuse but nodded with a smile.

While Princess Beatrice helped Queen Victoria into a wheelchair, Arthur beckoned Doctor Makoto, Queen Victoria's personal physician, and quietly asked, "Doctor Makoto, how is Grandmother's health, really?"

Doctor Makoto glanced around, carefully stepped back a few meters, and then whispered, "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen is not suffering from any illness, but that is precisely the problem. All diagnostic results indicate that Her Majesty is at the twilight of her life, and her bodily functions are nearing their end. Conservatively estimated, Her Majesty can only last until autumn."

Last until autumn, and it was already early summer, the beginning of June.

This meant Queen Victoria had only about three months left to live. Although shorter than in historical records, after the additional grief of losing a child, this was a relatively reasonable outcome.

Although he had anticipated it, Arthur's heart sank when he heard Doctor Makoto's words, plunging into the depths of despair.

"Is there no other way, Doctor Makoto?" Arthur asked, unwilling to give up.

"No, Your Highness. Her Majesty's body is undergoing normal aging. With current medical technology, we are completely helpless," Doctor Makoto shook his head again and sighed.

I apologize to everyone. I suddenly realized I've been dragging things out lately. This chapter was originally supposed to be about the Lower House meeting, but after careful consideration, a meeting would take several chapters and be both tedious and boring. So, I've urgently pushed the plot forward, and we'll soon be entering the main storyline of national development. I ask for your support!