Chapter 127 The Nonexistent Answer
Anne looked at Holden coldly. "I didn't come to the Eastern battlefield to make you and Candy regret seeing how excellent I am. I chose to go to the battlefield for myself, for my family. As for what you think after seeing me, that's not something I care about."
"I said it a long time ago - you're not worthy."
Holden had been happy at first that Anne was willing to talk to him so much, but the more he listened, the colder his heart felt. By the end, he finally understood that ever since he made his mistake, Anne had never cared about him again.
Perhaps she had genuinely married him once, but everyone has to pay the price for their choices - Holden chose Candy and was destined to lose Anne. And while Candy kept saying Anne came to the battlefield to seduce Holden and compete with her, the truth was Anne never thought about competing.
In her heart, there was only duty and honor.
Holden stared blankly at Anne, feeling only wronged and unwilling. Why did Anne make it sound so easy, as if all the mistakes were his alone? What he said wasn't wrong either. If Anne hadn't hidden things from him back then, if she had told Holden about being skilled in swordsmanship, he definitely wouldn't have let her leave!
As for Candy, if Anne really minded, he could just keep it physical—assuming Anne was still his wife and nothing had happened between them.
Now that the mistake had been made, how could he get an answer that didn't exist?
Anne felt annoyed seeing Holden's lost expression. She was really sick of Holden's self-righteousness, and even more sick of his and Candy's baseless targeting.
What right did he have? Just because of those three years, because they used to be married?
But they were already divorced, with a royal decree personally issued by His Majesty the King, declaring that Anne and Holden, the Virlet family and the Titan family had no relationship whatsoever!
They had no right to criticize anything anymore!
Thinking this, Anne walked to the nearby horse area. Milton was quietly eating grass, and sensing Anne's approach, just swished his tail.
She pressed her face against the mane on Milton's neck. The familiar feeling swept away all the frustration in Anne's heart.
Anyway, Holden had nothing to do with her anymore, and shouldn't affect her mood no matter what.
Thinking this, Anne felt much better. She mounted Milton's back and headed toward the military camp.
She had gotten a lot of information from seeing Saslov today, and Anne needed to go back and think it over carefully. Besides, with Holden there earlier, there were some questions she couldn't ask directly. Going back to find Friedel now, she might still get some of the answers she wanted.
Holden remained standing in place, staring blankly at Anne's departing figure, not knowing what else he could say.
Maybe as Anne said, he really had no right to demand that Anne tell him everything, because the one who betrayed this relationship first was himself. But the unwillingness in his heart was still unbearably bitter, and then there was Candy...
Thinking of Candy, Holden closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
Holden could feel that his feelings for Candy weren't what they used to be, but to say he didn't love her didn't seem right either.
With Candy captured and her fate unknown, Holden was too confused to forget about her and talk romance with Anne—asking that one question earlier was already enough.
He sighed deeply.
If what Anne said was true, and the people from Zotfort would send Candy back after getting their revenge, how long would that take?
A week, half a month, a month? Or half a year, a year?
If it took longer, Holden couldn't guarantee that after he returned to the Titan family, his mother wouldn't demand he forget Candy and marry a new wife. What kind of woman would that be? A proud noble lady like Anne, someone like Candy, or plain and ordinary like his sister-in-law Trion?
Holden felt helpless.
The wind picked up, blowing against his half-dry clothes, cold to the bone. Holden realized that maybe he'd been too lost in thought - he hadn't even noticed when the sun had set. Now night had fallen and it was pitch black all around.
Staying out on such a night, especially at the border, Holden couldn't guarantee it was safe. He finally got up to find his horse and headed back.
When he returned to the military camp, he heard that the military report from the Eastern battlefield, along with the short-term peace treaty signed with Saslov today, had already been sent back to the royal capital.
Maybe in a while, they would receive news from the royal capital telling them all to return.
By then, His Majesty the King would also reward them according to their military achievements, and those with outstanding performance would have the chance to receive land grants and noble title promotions.
When Anne got back, she wanted to find Friedel to ask about Candy and Zotfort—she felt he must have inside information, otherwise how could he be so certain?
But when she arrived at Friedel's tent, she heard he had gone elsewhere. Anne had no choice but to return to her own tent.
Cynthia and the others were resting in the tent. Seeing Anne return, they immediately gathered around to ask about the situation.
Anne briefly described what happened today. When they heard that Holden was still constantly asking about Candy's whereabouts, Samira sneered. "He seems so devoted now, but why was he staring at Anne all those days before?"
Duncan curled his lip—he really disliked Candy, especially since she was always badmouthing his friend. "If you ask me, instead of letting her be captured, it would have been simpler if she'd just died on the battlefield."
"It's just a shame that I was surrounded by so many enemy soldiers and couldn't get away, otherwise I would have secretly taken care of that woman!"
Anne sighed helplessly. "Her life can't be lost at our hands. Besides, the people from Zotfort have a grudge against her and won't let her off easy."
"But we can probably guess now that Candy and the others should be in the Drogo Mountains. The problem is they stretch for hundreds of miles, and the border section between the Soth and Viller Empires is the most dangerous part. We can't just search aimlessly."
Cynthia snorted coldly. "Who wants to look for that woman? Better to just let her die in the mountains, so when she comes back she won't still have that poisonous mouth, unable to say a single decent word."
Morris looked thoughtful though. "I always feel it's not that simple. I don't want to be so blunt, but Candy is a woman, taken away by a group of soldiers, and if they have a grudge against her, maybe..."