Chapter 211 She Is About to Marry Friedel
But Selyma got angry. Although she didn't like Anne, those words had pleased her. She thought if Anne could keep shutting Princess Kirenya up, it would prove she had real skill. How dare the princess continue to badmouth Anne!
She stepped forward and blurted out without thinking, "Who says Anne can't find a man? She's about to marry Friedel, and they have a great relationship!"
These words shocked everyone.
Including Princess Kirenya, who even forgot Anne's provocative words for a moment, with only one thought lingering in her mind.
How is that possible!?
The noble ladies around also turned to look at Selyma, their eyes full of surprise and curiosity.
Wasn't this Selyma famously spoiled and willful, looking down on divorced and strong-willed women? Anne hit every one of Selyma's pet peeves, so why was she so proudly announcing this?
Not just these people, even Anne looked at Selyma with some surprise. She had refused to agree before, so why did she suddenly bring it up on her own?
A scheme? Anne immediately ruled out that possibility. Not that she trusted Selyma that much, but in Anne's view, Selyma probably wasn't capable of something that required so much thinking.
Had she accepted her? It didn't seem like it either. Maybe something Princess Kirenya said just now hit a nerve with Selyma, making her blurt this out impulsively.
Many people there thought the same, especially those noble ladies who had feelings for Friedel. They looked at Friedel and Anne in disbelief, unable to believe these two would end up together.
One was a prince, the other a divorced woman. What made her worthy? Just because she went to the battlefield once?
Especially Nina, who had been hiding behind Old Lady Titan crying sadly. Hearing Selyma's words, she couldn't hold back anymore and ran out, pointing at Anne's face and shouting, "How can someone like you, a piece of trash abandoned by my second brother, deserve to marry Prince Friedel? What makes you worthy!?"
Old Lady Titan was still in shock. She never expected that Anne, a woman kicked out by the Titan family, could not only become a duke but also marry a high and mighty prince. If Holden found out, given how much he regretted things now, who knows how heartbroken he'd be. She was so absorbed in worrying about her son that she didn't even notice it was her precious daughter Nina who had just spoken.
Friedel's face darkened. His cold gaze fixed directly on Nina.
"How dare you! Who allowed you to speak to the duke like that!"
"Who will become my wife is my business and doesn't require approval from outsiders."
He walked to Anne's side in a few steps, looked down at Anne's beautiful face, his expression softening, then Friedel gently took Anne's hand and announced to everyone, "My mother is right. I, Friedel Soth, am about to marry Anne Virlet. I've already informed His Majesty about this, and he has agreed."
Princess Kirenya glanced at Friedel and Anne's joined hands and frowned slightly. "How come I didn't know about this? And of all people, why must you marry a divorced woman? Isn't this embarrassing for you and your mother?"
Selyma had blurted that out impulsively just now and regretted it immediately. She didn't know what came over her, but she just couldn't stand how Anne was clearly popular, yet that black-hearted Princess Kirenya insisted on badmouthing her!
Besides, Kirenya and her daughter were rare worthy opponents in her life. The gap in status and position had left Selyma unable to speak her mind for so long. Now Anne wasn't afraid of them at all, throwing all those nasty words right back, making Princess Kirenya's face twist with anger. It made Selyma feel completely satisfied.
But even so, Selyma was very clear that deep down, she still wasn't quite willing to have Anne as her daughter-in-law.
However, now that Friedel had personally stepped forward to acknowledge this, if she contradicted him, he probably would be even less willing to talk to her. What's more, with this happening in front of Kirenya, if that poisonous woman saw their mother-son discord, Selyma would truly lose all face!
Thinking of this, Selyma simply raised her chin and spoke as if she didn't care at all, "Why should I feel embarrassed? She's both a duke and a knight commander. Can you find a second woman this capable in the Soth Empire?"
The ladies watching nearby heard this and showed expressions of sudden understanding. No wonder Selyma, who was always competitive and had extremely high standards, agreed so easily to Friedel and Anne's marriage. If you put it the way Selyma did, indeed no one could be more outstanding than Anne.
Some even couldn't help but exclaim, "Never mind the Soth Empire, there probably isn't anyone like her on the entire continent!"
"Exactly! Although Duke Virlet has been married before, Dr. Pascal just said that the blind second son of the Titan family never touched Duke Virlet. There's no issue with a previous marriage or children. Given Duke Virlet's status, she's qualified to marry anyone."
Friedel glanced at the smug-looking Selyma. Although he guessed that Selyma's move was to make up for her earlier impulsiveness, he didn't mind his mother announcing his and Anne's relationship early. After all, just moments ago, those ladies had been looking at Anne with such intense eyes. Although Friedel wasn't worried that Anne would be swayed by other ladies' sweet words and promises, he didn't like watching others try every way to steal away his fiancée.
Princess Kirenya saw the situation had completely turned against her and bit her lip unwillingly.
Aside from those who remained silent, everyone else who spoke showed more or less appreciation for Anne and discussed this suddenly revealed marriage. As for how much was genuine and how much was flattery due to the power shifts this marriage would bring, no one could say.
Anne turned to look at Friedel. Although she understood that Friedel holding her hand in front of everyone was to prove the marriage was real, her heartbeat still went out of control for a few seconds.
The man's hand wrapped around her slender one. Because of years of holding weapons, his palm wasn't as soft as those art-loving nobles', but instead covered with a thick layer of calluses. Being held by such a hand, Anne felt a sense of security, though she couldn't explain why. When Friedel turned back to look at her, his eyes gentle yet restrained, Anne's fingertips trembled involuntarily.