"I will excuse myself to call him, your majesty."
His Majesty allowed Matias, who turned around, to approach the door of the room.
When Matias opened the door from the inside, it was Rodrigues who stood holding Mr. Keith there. The one-eyed man was still trying to escape. Making Rodrigues work hard enough to keep him safe.
"Bring him in, Rodrigues!"
Rodrigues dragged the steps of Mr. Keith who was in front of his body, so that he would immediately enter His Majesty's study. While the palace guards who had also been standing in front of the door, only glanced when Matias asked Rodrigues to enter.
For the umpteenth time, Prince Edmund was made to widen his eyes. How shocked he was to see the figure of the man who was stepping before them.
"This is Mr. Keith, my lord. The tax office worker, the one in the that picture."
"You don't want to introduce yourself, Mr. Keith? It seems that you are not impatient to be here. Why do you want to leave in a hurry?"
"No, Your Highness. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
"Forgiveness? What did you do wrong?"
Mr. Keith looked down in shame, feeling awkward in his current position. He was really scared, imagining the punishment he would have to receive.
"Alright, Mr. Keith, please answer each of my questions honestly!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Since when have you been making and printing fake tax bills?"
"It's been quite a while, Your Majesty. About a year and a half now."
"What? How did the people ask for your services to make tax bills that are bigger than they actually are?"
"By word of mouth, Your Majesty. Usually, people who already know my work I do will promote my ability to falsify tax bills."
"Is it true that my son protects your crimes?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
"How much profit did he demand from you?"
"Thirty percent of the wages, which I received from an insider, Your Majesty.
His Majesty paused, he sighed and looked at his son who could now only look down in resignation.
In that moment of silence, Matias showed the tax bill from last month's estate tax bill with two versions. One version that Mr. Carlos had gotten from Mr. Benedict's hand, and the one that Mr. Carlos got from the archives.
Again, His Majesty could only shake his head as he looked at the two tax bills.
"This paper was obtained by Mr. Carlos from the hand of Mr. Benedict, who said this letter came from the tax office. While this paper, Mr. Carlos borrowed it yesterday from the archive building. This is the original, Your Honor."
"How can it be that in one period, you made two bills with much that are vastly different, Mr. Keith? You're really outrageous! You're messing up the system!"
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty." he pleaded with trembling.
His Majesty rubbed his face with one palm. He expressed his gratitude to Matias and Rodrigues who had been so bravely investigated and uncovered this case. He would consider a suitable punishment for Mr. Keith.
A few minutes later, all that was left were His Majesty, Prince Edmund and a male assistant trusted by His Majesty. Mr. Ruddy.
"What are you doing with the archive building, Edmund?" while clutching his chest, His Majesty continued to question his son.
"What do you mean?"
"If Mr. Keith has been falsifying bills since a year and a half ago, it means that you have known and protected him for that long."
"No, father! I only got to know him earlier this year."
"Can I take your word for it? You are greedy, Edmund. Arrogantly you gave refuge to that villain, do you think that people are so afraid to touch you? Because you are the son of a king. All copies of the original tax bills are neatly stored in the archive building. It was you who sabotaged the archive building with that explosion, Edmund?"
Prince Edmund began to tremble, he couldn't say anything else.
"You have stepped on my head Edmund! I will order them to send you to live in exile. I am still kind enough not to send you to the dungeon. Stay in exile, until you truly realize your mistake. And return with a clean heart. One more thing, before I die... I will pass my throne to my brother. Your uncle Hendrick, is more than worthy to succeed me."
"Father???"
"There will be no proposal! I will cancel your wedding plans. That girl won't like a fool like you."
"Ruddy!"
"Yes, your highness."
"Conduct a massive tax audit on all private and government-owned companies. At the same time in the plantations. Trace all fund flows if you find insiders playing like Mr. Benedict. Investigate all workers in the tax office! And you Ruddy, immediately meet Mr. Carlos at the wine estate, ask him to hand over Mr. Benedict to you. Deal with the man I'll take care of Mr. Keith myself."
"Yes, I understand your majesty."
His Majesty left his study and Prince Edmund was alone there. His steps were halted by the appearance of Princess Nicole before him.
"Father! What's wrong, Father? I saw Sir Matias here. He left in a hurry."
The questioner could only answer with a sigh, his majesty reluctant to open his mouth. With both hands tied behind his body, he continued his steps. Passing by his daughter's body.
Not long after, Prince Edmund also stepped out of the room. Again, Nicole's daughter asked.
"Brother....?"
"You know what Nicole? That boy you have a crush on has ruined my life! If you still pursue him... I will never think of you as my sister anymore."
Princess Nicole frowned in disbelief. "What do you mean, brother?"
And Princess Nicole was left behind for the second time. Prince Edmund had walked away from her presence.
The atmosphere of the palace at the end of the afternoon was eerily quiet. His Majesty and his guards had left the palace after the commotion that had occurred this afternoon in His Majesty's study. Prince Edmund shut himself in his room. Princess Nicole, along with her personal maid, chose to be busy with picking cherries in the courtyard beside the palace.
The queen, meanwhile, was sobbing in her room. She was still thinking about Prince Edmund who was involved in the tax fraud case. The Queen was unable to hold back her tears, when the king took the time to tell her briefly about what was happening. And of his decision to send his son into exile.
Of course, all this clearly affected the empress's psychological state. As the woman who had given birth to and raised Prince Edmund, she felt devastated by the decision her husband had made. On the other side of her heart, the queen was very disappointed with her son's behavior.
The son she had brought up with an excellent upbringing had tarnished the face of his parents. A potential heir to the throne that they had hoped for, had been unmasked.