Chapter 28 Anna still looked uneasy . " If the king is made a fool of like this , he may well fly into a terrible rage . When that happens , will he blame Prince Frederick for all this ? " The Duke of Blackmoor's household had always been loyal and heroic , and now their line was dying out . So , even if the king was angry , he probably wouldn't truly punish them . However , someone had to bear the brunt of his wrath . " Of course not , " Ruth said with a sneer . " When Fred kneels before his father and honestly explains how Freya won great merit by turning against her father's remaining loyalists , it will be clear that bringing her back to the capital was only to compensate her . " It's Selena's own pride that won't let her accept this . But as an honorable man , Fred doesn't want to make a fuss or argue with a young lady over this matter . And in the future , he will be even more protective and caring toward Selena . The king will be pleased to hear such words and proud to have raised such a magnanimous son . " Either way , it will be obvious that Selena and Sebastian are childish and stubborn for causing all this trouble . The king will se see clearly that Sebastian is narrow - minded and unfit for greatness . Once Fred and Selena marry , the king will find an excuse to place the Campbell Regiment under Fred's command . " By then , the Duke of Blackmoor's family would truly fall into complete ruin , and all their power would belong to Frederick . Anna still felt worried . " But you promised Lady Campbell that Ms. Talmar would suffer tonight . That unruly girl is Prince Frederick's beloved now . Are you not afraid this will hurt his feelings ? " " Once the dust settles and Fred marries Lena , I'll explain everything to the king . I'll tell him Freya acted for the good of the people and earned her honor by turning against her own blood . But now , she is an orphan with no family and utterly devoted to Fred , " Ruth replied with careless ease . She smiled confidently . " I'll secure her the title of a secondary consort . Fred will be grateful to me for that . Why would he be angry ? " Anna's eyes lit up immediately . " You truly have a way with these matters , my lady ! This plan is more than perfect , it kills three birds with one stone ! " Selena and Frederick would still marry , while Freya would become a secondary consort . Most importantly , the Campbell Regiment's hundred thousand troops would end up under Frederick's command . This scheme was flawless ! Just as Selena stepped out of Harmony Palace , Sally hurried over to meet her . " My lady ! " Selena frowned at the sight of her , asking , " Why are your eyes red and swollen ? Have you been crying ? " " They were unbearable ! " Sally's voice cracked with frustration . " You have no idea what they said to me just now . T - they actually said ... " " They said that while I was at the military camp , I shared a tent with Prince Frederick every night . They also said the soldiers could even hear my shameful cries from outside , didn't they ? " Selena finished for her . Sally stared at her , stunned . " My lady , how did you- " Selena's expression remained flat . " Rumors are more terrifying than any blade . Their intentions are far too malicious . If I show fear , I'll be playing right into their hands . " " So , you're saying that ... Lady Ruth arranged all this ? " Sally whispered , careful not to speak too loudly in the palace for fear there might be people listening nearby . 1/2 Chapter 28 +25 BONUS But she was furious , and burned with a desire to tear Ruth apart with her own hands . " The women in the harem are truly ruthless devils ! With just a few words , they can ruin a person's entire life . Don't their consciences ever bother them even a little ? " she ranted . " If they had a conscience , they wouldn't dream up such cruel schemes , " Selena replied coldly with a scoff . " When we return , reassign the household staff who care for my grandfather . No one is to come near him except those you trust completely . " " Understood , my lady , " Sally answered quickly . Selena looked up at the distant palace walls . The courtyard stretched deep , and the walls reached up high , almost seeming to touch the clouds . Inside those walls , buildings gleamed with gold and emerald . However , who knew how many dirty hearts they concealed ? Selena's gaze grew colder by the moment . " The more you back down from some people , the more reckless and cruel they become . If that's the case , then why should I hold back for anyone ? "