Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

"Your Majesty, what do you mean by those words? You are telling the public that we are engaged?" Penelope asked, her face etched with concern.

The king was quick to notice her facial expression. He furrowed his brows and asked. "Why? Is there something the matter?"

As soon as he asked that, the grand door of the throne hall opened. Penelope and Alexander glanced over their shoulder and saw a person that is familiar to the two.

"Father?" Penelope uttered.

"My dear Penelope, good to see you back here at home." Penelope's father said coolly as he walked forward. Once he was at a certain distance from King George, he gracefully bowed his head down. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry if I was late, there was an argument that broke down in the parliament and it took time to settle the dispute."

"No, you are right in time, Benjamin, I just told them about the engagement."

"Is that so, Your Majesty? Then I'm delighted to hear that. I always knew that my daughter is up to the standard of the royal family. Her beauty, compassion, skills, everything about her is unrivaled. She will make a good queen of the British Empire, don't you agree, Your Highness?" Benjamin said as his gaze flickered to Alexander.

"Lady Ascart is a treasure to me, Sir Benjamin. She is the most beautiful, wise, and talented girl that I have ever known in my life."

As Penelope was hearing the conversation, she couldn't help but feel cornered, like a fish in a barrel. What is this? They are all mutually agreeing to make her the Crown Princess, a title that she doesn't like.

"Father, Your Majesty, if I may protest, there is something that I want to confess to the two of you," Penelope said, her voice grim.

A heavy silence fell upon the throne room as Penelope took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, a testament to the emotional turmoil brewing within her.

"Your Majesty, Father, I must be honest with you both," she began, her voice wavering slightly. "I cannot accept this engagement, for my heart does not belong to Prince Alexander. I cannot, in good conscience, become the future Queen of the British Empire when my love does not lie with the man who would be my husband."

As her words reverberated through the hall, the King's face registered shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. Benjamin, too, appeared taken aback, his mouth agape as he stared at his daughter. Alexander, however, remained composed, his countenance a mask of cool detachment.

Penelope pressed on, her voice now laced with urgency. "Your Majesty, Father, I have already shared my feelings with Prince Alexander. I told him that I could not reciprocate his affection and that I could not bear the thought of being coerced into a loveless marriage."

The King leaned forward on his throne, his brow furrowing as he tried to comprehend the revelation. "Lady Penelope, are you certain of your feelings? You must understand the gravity of your words, and the impact they will have on the future of the empire."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand the consequences," Penelope replied, her voice resolute. "But I cannot deceive myself, the prince, or the people of this great nation. It would be a disservice to all, and I believe that our empire deserves a queen who truly loves her king."

Benjamin, still reeling from his daughter's confession, turned to face Alexander. "Your Highness, if I may ask, what are your thoughts on my daughter's revelation?"

Prince Alexander, his stoic expression unchanging, took a moment before responding. "Sir Benjamin, it is true that Lady Penelope has shared her feelings with me. I am deeply saddened by her decision. To think that she would replace me with an Albian."

Both Benjamin and George's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"An Albian, you say?" King George uttered, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Your Highness… what do you mean?" Penelope stammered, caught off guard by Alexander's sudden revelation.

"It's true," Alexander began, his voice steady yet laced with a hint of betrayal. "It was during our time at the hospital in the Ottoman Empire. Lady Penelope showed a keen interest in the manufacturer behind the AN-M1 rifles. Once I shared that information with her, her demeanor shifted quite unexpectedly. Later, we visited Avalonia, and after I struck a deal with Mr. Nielsen, the Albian in question, Penelope confessed to me that she did not harbor any romantic feelings for me. I cannot help but suspect that her heart has been stolen by that Albian."

The atmosphere in the throne room grew tense as Alexander's words hung in the air. Penelope's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and indignation, while King George and Benjamin exchanged uneasy glances.

King George cleared his throat and leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Lady Penelope, is it true that your affections lie with this Albian man? Have you allowed your heart to be swayed by someone from a group so often subjected to discrimination?"

"That is just mere speculation, Your Majesty," Penelope lied, deep inside, she always loved Poul, even beyond death. He was the man who stole her heart in her past world. And now that he is here, she will do whatever it takes to reunite with him. But for now, she must lie, as this will be confusing to King George and her father.

They don't know that Poul is her boyfriend from her original world that died and transmigrated here. So it won't make sense if she confesses the truth to them.

Penelope's eyes darted back and forth between the king and her father, knowing that the truth would be difficult, if not impossible, to explain. She swallowed hard and continued with her lie, her voice barely audible.

"Your Majesty, my feelings for Mr. Nielsen are based on friendship and mutual respect, nothing more. I understand the difficulties that the Albian people face, and I have always believed in fighting for justice and equality. However, my reluctance to marry Prince Alexander is not due to any romantic entanglement with Mr. Nielsen. My heart simply does not belong to the prince, and I cannot accept a life where I am forced to pretend otherwise."

As Penelope spoke, she felt the weight of her words and the secret she carried about Poul. She knew that she would do anything to be with him, but the path she had chosen was fraught with obstacles and potential heartache.

"Penelope, even if what you said was true, I will never accept your decision to not marry the Crown Prince. You were born to do just that!" Benjamin said sternly,

Father, please understand," Penelope implored, her voice filled with desperation. "I cannot live a life of lies, pretending to love someone I do not. If I were to marry Prince Alexander under these circumstances, I would bring nothing but unhappiness to both of us, and that would not serve our nation well. Please, consider my feelings."

Hearing that coming out from Penelope's mouth made Alexander's cool mask shatter gradually, his heart ached as he listened to her earnest pleas. The woman he loved was rejecting him repeatedly, and the pain he felt was almost too much to bear.

But he did not let his sorrow show, he contained it within him.

"What more do you want from me to consider, Penelope? I agree to let you practice medicine even though that is not a suitable job for a noblewoman, and now you are asking me not to marry the Crown whom I have been working on my whole life to ensure your future? Is this how you repay me for my sacrifices?" Benjamin's voice was filled with disappointment and anger, as he struggled to accept his daughter's decision.

Penelope's eyes filled with tears, her heart breaking at her father's words. "Father, I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused you. But I cannot live a life that is not true to my heart. I want to find my own happiness and not just fulfill the expectations placed upon me. Please, try to understand."

King George, having observed the exchange, sighed deeply. "Sir Benjamin, I can see the sincerity in your daughter's eyes. As a father myself, I understand how difficult it must be for you to accept her decision. But perhaps it is time for us to consider the possibility that the happiness of our children is more important than the traditions and expectations we have placed upon them."

The king turned to Alexander, his eyes filled with empathy. "My son, I know this must be difficult for you as well. But if Lady Penelope's heart is not with you, then it would be best for both of you to part ways. We will find another suitable match for you, one who will truly love and support you."

"There's no other woman out there like Penelope…" Alexander murmured under his breath.

"What did you just say, my son?" George inquired.

"I said there's no other woman out there like Penelope!" Alexander raised his voice, his face betraying his anguish. Realizing he had lost control of his emotions, he bolted from the throne hall.

"Alexander!" George called out, but it was to no avail; Alexander had already disappeared from the room.

Outside, Alexander staggered forward, clutching his chest with trembling hands. "I cannot accept this. I refuse to accept it. Penelope is mine and mine alone! I will never allow another man to be with her."