Beachside Conversation

Arthur wanted to ask a few more questions, but when he saw Queen Victoria already seated in a specially made wheelchair with Princess Beatrice supporting her, slowly making her way over, he tactfully shut his mouth.

Although Queen Victoria's poor health was an unspoken fact throughout the British Empire, discussing her illness in front of her would inevitably sour the Queen's mood and might even worsen her condition.

"Come along, Arthur. This is the best time of year to enjoy the sea views, and the weather is just right." Queen Victoria seemed to be in high spirits. Pushed by Princess Beatrice, she came before Arthur and spoke with a smile.

"All right, Grandmother." Arthur obediently followed her.

Because the weather had been colder before, Queen Victoria had come to the Isle of Wight without ever truly taking in the scenery by the sea. She had only caught a hurried glimpse before settling down at the estate for an extended stay.

Although the estate was also where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's family had once lived, in Queen Victoria's heart, it could never evoke as many memories as the beach.

Beneath the crimson dusk, waves crashed against the reefs and sent up layers of spray. Under the sun's rays, they formed a dazzling rainbow. Queen Victoria had once stood in a place just like this, spending the happiest days of her life with Prince Albert and several of her children.

Perhaps because she was revisiting an old place, Queen Victoria's complexion looked much better than it had while lying in her sickbed. Not only did she appear rosier, but most of her former vitality had returned as well.

"Arthur, come take a walk with Grandmother." Queen Victoria rose from her wheelchair and beckoned to Arthur, then slowly walked toward the beach.

As Queen Victoria drew closer and closer to the beach, her feet gradually sank into the sand. Ordinarily, each step should have grown more difficult, but Queen Victoria seemed to be getting more and more at ease.

Arthur hurried after her and took Queen Victoria's arm.

The grandmother and grandson walked aimlessly along the beach like that, without servants to support them or guards standing watch.

"Arthur, there is something I've kept in my heart for a very long time. I've thought about it for a long while, and I feel I must tell you." After a long silence, Queen Victoria finally spoke.

"Grandmother, please tell me. Arthur is listening." Arthur nodded solemnly and replied to Queen Victoria with a smile.

Whatever Queen Victoria had kept from Arthur, he knew she had only done it for his sake.

"Arthur, the matter of your father's assassination was investigated and resolved long ago. But because it involved royal secrets, the results were never made public. In fact, aside from me, no one else knows the findings yet." Queen Victoria stopped walking and turned to look at Arthur. With great solemnity, she said, "Do you know the real reason?"

Arthur shook his head. Other than the wealth and territory he had inherited from his father, he had no influence whatsoever in the United Kingdom. Naturally, it had been impossible for him to identify the culprit behind Duke Arthur's assassination in such a short time.

"Alas!" Seeing Arthur shake his head as she had expected, Queen Victoria let out a heavy sigh, then said with regret, "Your father was assassinated by the forces of your own uncle, Edward. The reason I didn't tell you before was, first, that I feared you would lose your reason after learning the truth, and second, that I feared you would fall victim to another attack. So I could only keep it from you for the time being. I've deceived you for so long. You won't blame Grandmother for that, will you?"

Arthur was stunned for a moment, then immediately came to his senses and answered decisively, "Of course not, Grandmother. How could I blame you? I know everything you did was for my sake. Under those circumstances, learning the truth would only have harmed me."

Seeing that Arthur did not blame her, Queen Victoria affectionately stroked his forehead before saying, "The moment I first learned the truth, I wanted nothing more than to strip Edward of his title at once and make you Crown Prince. But reason told me I couldn't do that. For one thing, stripping the Crown Prince of his position without any justification would cause the royal family's prestige to plummet and might even threaten its survival. For another, Edward's influence has already sunk deep roots throughout the United Kingdom, and I can't uproot it all for you. Under these circumstances, even if you inherited the British throne someday, I fear you wouldn't be able to hold it securely after my death. Fortunately, you proposed going to Australia. It was a blessing in disguise, allowing you to escape danger and putting Grandmother's mind at ease."

Hearing Queen Victoria's words, Arthur's heart was filled with emotion. Although Queen Victoria wielded considerable authority in the United Kingdom, the Crown Prince could not simply be stripped of his position at will.

The fact that Queen Victoria had considered abolishing the Crown Prince under such circumstances was enough to show how deeply she truly cared for Arthur.

"Alas, it was all that damned throne's fault. But I remember my father once saying that he clearly had no interest in that damned throne." Arthur sighed as well, speaking with slight helplessness.

In Arthur's rather hazy memories, he remembered that his father, Duke Arthur, had cared for him deeply. He had also said on numerous public and private occasions that he had no interest whatsoever in that damned throne.

One could only say that Crown Prince Edward had indeed been blinded by power and profit, choosing to disregard even his closest kin.

Yet it was impossible to deny that if Duke Arthur had not died, then for Arthur to inherit the title, he would either have had to wait until Duke Arthur stepped down or obtain the title through war.

Whichever method he used, developing his territory after acquiring it would have been far too late.

"Arthur, I hope you can set aside your hatred and devote your energy to developing Australia. As things stand, Edward has already gained the support of a great many nobles and factions in the United Kingdom. His inheritance of the throne is already a foregone conclusion. Compared with the British Empire, Australia looks like an egg striking a rock, both now and in the future. Edward will receive his comeuppance, but I hope you won't fall into the whirlpool of hatred either. For now, taking care of your mother and your two younger sisters is what matters most." Queen Victoria sighed, then said to Arthur with a solemn expression.

Looking at that face, almost identical to that of her beloved son, Queen Victoria truly did not want Arthur to be dragged into the whirlpool of hatred and provoke Edward when he knew perfectly well that he could not possibly stand against the British Empire.

"I understand, Grandmother. I won't do anything irrational. I'm the Duke of Australia now, and my focus is on developing Australia." Arthur nodded as he spoke.

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