Chapter 207 What If He Likes Me?
"Yes, and that's not even counting my father and brothers. Just the enemies I killed on the eastern battlefield alone outnumber everyone in this manor right now. But so what? They were all enemy soldiers. If we let them run wild, the Soth Empire's interests will suffer and our people will die. You live your wealthy lives in safe territories, hosting parties like this, wishing you could drape yourselves in even more jewelry—do you really think that's something you're entitled to?"
She turned to look at Lucida, whose face was flushed with shame and anger. "No one should have to sacrifice themselves for others as a matter of course, but my father, my brothers—they all fought to protect the peace of the Soth Empire, including my family."
Anne paused and took a deep breath. "What happened to the Virlet family—it was all retaliation brought on by conflicts on the battlefield. We were all protecting this country. But you, Lucida, and Princess Kirenya—in your eyes, is my family's death just something that should be expected? Do they have no merit at all? Do they only deserve to be the butt of your jokes and insults?"
"You...!"
Having just managed to skirt around this topic, Anne had now dropped such a heavy accusation on them. Princess Kirenya noticed the nobles around them looking serious again, and she knew that if she didn't handle this well, word would reach the palace soon enough.
But before Princess Kirenya could say anything more, a deep, pleasant male voice rang out.
"Regarding this matter, I think I really should have a good talk with my brother the King."
Princess Kirenya's face turned ashen. She didn't seem particularly welcoming of this unexpected visitor. "...Friedel, you're here."
"What Duke Virlet just mentioned—it's all a misunderstanding."
The nobles also gave him simple courtesies. "Good day, Prince Friedel."
But Friedel ignored Princess Kirenya and instead turned to look around at the nobles with their various expressions. "Is that so?"
Silence fell all around. No one dared to speak, including those nobles who had seemed angry earlier—their expressions had now changed to hesitation and contemplation.
Everyone knew that Prince Friedel had entered military training early on, and later directly succeeded Duke Skoda as commander of the Lion Knights, guarding the eastern battlefield until now.
In this eastern campaign, Prince Friedel was the overall commander of the military camp and the person with the greatest military achievements.
Moreover, Prince Friedel and the current King Rolf were very close brothers, so his words carried significant weight with the King. Therefore, if they spoke up now and were presented as evidence before His Majesty, it required careful consideration.
Friedel wasn't in a hurry. His cold gaze swept over everyone present, pausing slightly when he saw Selyma. "Mother."
Seeing Friedel arrive and even greet her specifically, Selyma couldn't have been happier.
Especially since Friedel had immediately embarrassed Princess Kirenya—this delighted Selyma, who often suffered under the princess's attitude. She didn't even mind that Friedel was speaking up for Anne.
Still, she glanced at where Friedel and Anne were standing. Good—they weren't close together, so others wouldn't be able to tell these two were planning to marry.
As for those noble ladies and young misses, their gazes toward Friedel were much simpler.
For no other reason than Friedel's face. Even before he went to the military camp, he had already become the dream lover of many noble young ladies. Now, after being stationed at the border for several years, the border winds had made his features even more striking and his angles sharper, though his bright blue eyes and golden hair remained as they had always been.
Those ladies with unmarried daughters immediately turned their attention to Selyma. If they remembered correctly, Prince Friedel was still unmarried and hadn't been engaged to any young lady. Such an excellent and handsome man, and a high-ranking prince at that—they couldn't let him go to another family so easily.
Nina especially—from the moment Friedel appeared, her eyes couldn't leave him.
Although with her family background, marrying a noble prince was impossible, Nina had always been good at fantasizing. Especially after seeing such a handsome man as Friedel, she felt he was the person she was meant to meet when she ordered this dress. If Friedel could see her and be willing to dance with her, Nina believed there was a good chance he would fall in love with her and be willing to marry her.
Though this was Nina's first time seeing him, she'd heard that Friedel was the current King's closest brother. As long as Friedel asked His Majesty, even if his mother was unwilling, she would surely be able to marry him.
With such fantasies, Nina couldn't help but straighten her chest and push forward a step, looking at Friedel with eyes full of expectation, hoping only that her destined prince would fall in love with her at first sight, as she had with him.
Like her mother, Lucida didn't particularly like her cousin Friedel. She disdained to look at Friedel's cold and arrogant appearance, her eyes scanning around before finally stopping on Nina's shy, longing face.
"That woman, what's with that expression of yours?"
Lucida pointed at Nina and sneered. "Don't tell me you've fallen for Friedel?"
Saying this, Lucida glanced at Friedel. That was indeed an extremely handsome face. If not for her mother's situation, Lucida might have had a decent attitude toward him just for that face. But Friedel represented King Rolf's faction, and King Rolf always favored Duke Skoda and the Virlet family behind him, so in Princess Kirenya and Lucida's eyes, he wasn't anything good either.
Nina hadn't expected Lucida to expose her feelings in front of everyone. She was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, but couldn't help looking up at Friedel. Seeing that Friedel was also looking at her, she immediately lowered her head with a flushed face. "Someone as handsome as Prince Friedel, of course I..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but even her visible ear tips had turned completely red.
Nina suddenly remembered her mother saying Princess Kirenya loved playing matchmaker. If she showed her feelings for Prince Friedel now, perhaps the princess would help bring them together.
However, what Nina didn't expect was that instead of hearing Princess Kirenya's teasing voice, she heard Lucida's merciless mockery.
"Haha, you actually dare to say it out loud?"