Chapter 35 The sharp voice of chamberlain Andrew Smith cut through the hall, making everyone at the banquet immediately lower their heads and kneel one by one . " Greetings , Your Majesties ! " The king , Wilfred Lancaster , had arrived ! Frederick's heart clenched with fear . He yanked Freya's hand away and hissed , " His Majesty is here ! If you don't want to die , get down on your knees right now ! " Freya had never seen the king before , but seeing everyone kneeling made it clear that his rank far exceeded Frederick's ! So , no matter how bold she was , she wouldn't dare cause a scene in front of him . Seeing even Frederick drop to his knees , Freya quickly followed and murmured , " Greetings , Your Majesty . " However , she forgot to pay her respects to the queen , Adelaide Beckett . More importantly , Freya didn't hold the women of the royal harem in any respect . They had clawed their way to their positions by using men's weaknesses , and Freya had never respected women like that in her life . She didn't glance at Adelaide , but the latter's eyes lingered on her for a long moment . " Frederick , what's going on ? " the queen asked . AT Ruth , who had come with them , was the first to notice the bloodstains on her son's neck . She also saw Freya's tousled hair , which was a clear sign of a struggle . Her heart sank . Great ! Ruth hadn't even made a move yet , but this foolish girl was already causing trouble for herself . She felt a flutter of unease as her eyes landed on Selena not far behind them . 41 AY 1 Though Selena's hair was slightly disheveled , she did not look defeated . In fact , the faint messiness somehow made her appear all the more delicate and charming . What on earth was going on with these three ? Once everyone had paid their respects to Wilfred and Adelaide , they quickly stepped back to make way . Frederick still had the wound on his neck , and the queen had just called him out by name . There was no way to back down now . " Your Majesties , I- " Before Frederick could finish speaking , Selena calmly'stepped forward and dropped to her knees with a sharp thud , not far from Frederick and Freya . " Your Majesty ! " " Lena , what is the meaning of this ? " Having watched Selena grow up , Wilfred had always held a certain fondness for her . She had always been well- mannered , gentle , and remarkably beautiful . Though he had been displeased when she insisted on breaking off her engagement , he had not yet come to despise her . Selena shuffled forward on her knees , head bowed low . " Your Majesty , I am innocent . I have been falsely accused of defiling the military camp with my wickedness . I humbly ask the queen to summon a palace matron to verify my honor , " she said , her voice soft but steady . 1/2 Chapter 35 +25 BONUS " What ? " Wilfred and Adelaide both gasped , nearly losing their composure . To call for a matron to verify her virtue was a tremendous humiliation for any woman . What could have driven this delicate girl to endure such disgrace ? Wilfred's expression darkened . " Frederick , explain yourself . " To cause such a scandal in front of everyone was utterly disgraceful ! Having only just heard the rumors himself , Frederick didn't quite know how to respond . If he explained , his father would just see it as him getting tangled up in some silly drama , like he had nothing better to focus on . But staying silent wouldn't get him past this moment either . " 3 1 In the end , Frederick had no choice but to tell the truth , saying , " I don't know what this is about . I've only just heard the rumors concerning myself and Lady Campbell . It's nothing serious . " 15 す 。 1 Y D H 5 17 E The Ruth's expression was complicated as she quickly stepped forward to smooth things over . " Sounds like just a little disagreement between young ladies . Such trivial matters need not trouble you , Your Majesty . Let them settle their differences quietly once they return home . " She moved to help Frederick to his feet . S 2 Q N + + X 14 AU Unexpectedly , Selena shuffled forward again on her knees . She straightened her back , her eyes steady and her voice firm . M " Your Majesty , there are rumors accusing me of having corrupted the military camp over the years . Such accusations threaten not only my honor but that of the Duke of Blackmoor's household . It's far from the trivial matter Lady Ruth says it is . If I can't prove my innocence today , then I'm ready to die right here , in front ofNI everyone . " 4 軍 2/2 Chapter 36