Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Frederick was mocking, and the drawing room suddenly went chilly. The emperor looked stern momentarily, then quickly changed his face and sided with Lucius.

“Lucius has a cold personality, but it’s not like he doesn’t know honor. Can’t you tell when he entered the enemy’s army just for me? He risked his life protecting me.”

“Ah, of course, I know that. Who wouldn’t know amongst those who visited the Empire? I was even there when he received his knighthood. But I’m saying that honor has different faces, and he only seems to know one way but not the other. If he knew, then we wouldn’t be here like this.” Fredhi said.

How he looked at Deatrice after felt like he was saying, ‘If he knew honor, he wouldn’t have stolen my fiancé.’

Deatrice couldn’t bear Lucius hearing these remarks, so she stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask.”

The Emperor looked quite surprised as she kneeled on one knee.

“Speak.”

“Deatrice Fram Eliot requests a meeting with Prince Fredhi.”

She politely bowed while ignoring the stares of surprised people.

“I know it is rude to request a private conversation with a guest, but I think there was a misunderstanding regarding the treason that took place in Galaba two years when the duke’s family and the Prince got involved, so I believe we must resolve this. So for this, I request a meeting as a princess rather than Mrs. Eliot.”

“A misunderstanding between the Duke’s family and the Prince? Is that true, Prince? Do you want to meet her in private?”

Fredhi smiled.

“I’m not sure, but I think I should.”

“Deatrice.”

Lucius took a step forward. His voice was telling her that she didn’t have to do this, that she didn’t have to solve everything. But Deatrice held his hand tightly before letting it go.

She had to meet with Fredhi at some point anyway.

The private room for Deatrice and Fredhi was prepared quickly.

“So, what is this misunderstanding between us?”

Fredhi closed the door personally, sat on the sofa, and took out a cigarette. He waved his hand rudely at her.

“When the Duke attacked the Empire’s knight, I know from your perspective it was suicidal, but from mine, it wasn’t that bad. Is that the misunderstanding you’re talking about?”

“There is no misunderstanding. I just had something to tell you something.”

“Something to tell me…”

He examined her cold face, then let his cigarette burn.

“If anything, I had something to say. It was also me who told the Emperor first. I waited for the Emperor to tell his knight to hand over his wife.”

“…”

“And your husband, like always, would have accepted without resistance.”

He kicked his tongue like he missed a good show and looked arrogantly at her. His eyes longed for her approval, hoping she would realize how pathetic the man she chose was.

In the end, he didn’t change at all.

Deatrice realized after looking at his eyes. Fredhi accepted her request to meet her in private because he was being considerate to her, but rather to give the Emperor and Lucius even more considerable humiliation.

When she realized that the only reason why Fredhi came back to the Empire was because of revenge and ambition, Deatrice felt sympathy for him.

The Fredhi she saw at today’s ballroom felt pretty perfect that she didn’t feel like he was someone whom she had spent time with in the past.

But his true nature showed a desire for revenge, and when she faced it, she couldn’t tell him that she loved Lucius, so he shouldn’t interfere with their engagement. She still had the time when Fredhi put the sapphire ring on her finger in her mind.

“How… Have you been?”

Her careful question put down his guard for a bit. Fredhi looked at Deatrice with looking honesty, which was rare. He went back to that night when he owed her his life.

“I can’t say I’ve been well. I did miss death by inches a few times. I would’ve died if I didn’t find that sword.”

“Then that sword….”

“I know I exaggerated, but it was a coincidence. I almost died because of that sword. I was on the run from Galaba. But the Empire’s army and my father’s knights just won’t let me go. The knights you sent all died within the first month. I couldn’t understand at first. I thought I wasn’t being that greedy. I thought I was better between a talentless father and a brother who knows nothing but women. But I also realized that I wasn’t much different from them. Thanks to that damn Emperor and his change of heart…. I don’t have to explain how I felt. You also were ruined and were sold to that pathetic knight.”