Chapter 393
In the Royal Garden, countless rare peonies were vying to bloom.
Layer upon layer of petals, having soaked up the warm sunlight, glowed with a rich, almost fiery intensity.
The air hung heavy with a cloyingly sweet fragrance. Clusters of young noblewomen gathered, casting demure smiles beneath lowered lashes as their eyes flitted with subtle, unspoken glances.
Among them, the most eye–catching were Natasha and Freya.
Natasha was dressed in fitted martial attire, her long hair pulled back into a simple ponytail–no makeup, по
She moved and spoke with bold, sweeping gestures, utterly unrestrained.
It was a manner more befitting a man than a lady.
At her approach, the noble young ladies all shied away in distaste.
Freya, clad in plain robes, her face sallow and haggard,
would gasp for breath after just two steps.
She looked so sickly, it seemed she might collapse in the garden at any moment.
Freya pressed a handkerchief to her mouth, her frail frame convulsing with violent coughs.
The Queen sat in her golden court robes, her natural regal bearing undeniable.
jewelry.
A composed, gracious smile played at her lips as her gaze, mellow as polished jade, slowly swept across the blooming faces of the noble maidens assembled before her.
Her fingertips lightly tapped the rim of a jade cup. Though her voice was not loud, it carried clearly to every young lady present as she spoke. “The scenery is particularly lovely today, and seeing you all, as radiant as flowers, truly delights this Queen. Fermin now shoulders the burdens of the state, and he needs an attentive companion who understands and supports him-”
The Queen paused mid–sentence.
Just then, Freya leaned against the tree in a coughing fit, her hands trembling as she unfolded her handkerchief.
There, stark against the white fabric, spread a fresh stain of blood.
The Queen’s heart skipped a beat, a flicker of panic crossing her face.
‘So Kurtis’s granddaughter is nothing but a sickly weakling?‘ she thought, curling her lip inwardly.
“Useless wretch.”
“Can’t even hold on to the good fortune right in her hands.”
The Queen then turned her gaze to Natasha.
She saw Natasha in martial attire, speaking with Fermin.
Her expression softened. ‘At least Fermin is taking the initiative. Securing the Minister of Finance’s allegiance would serve us well,‘ she thought.
But before the Queen’s smile could fully bloom, Natasha landed a punch squarely on Fermin’s chest.
The Queen’s face drained of color as rage flared within her.
How utterly insolent,‘ she thought. ‘How dare she strike Fermin in public?”
Just as Fermin was about to summon Natasha for questioning, he forced an awkward smile.
Rubbing his sore chest where she had struck him, he gave Evelyn a formal bow and said, “Evelyn, your martial prowess is truly unmatched. I concede defeat most willingly.”
“What is the meaning of this?” the Queen asked her attendant.
The attendant leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Evelyn declared that if anyone could best her, she would willingly hand over her prized thoroughbred.”
Fermin was a horse enthusiast, and his stables were filled with prized steeds.
Yet not a single one could truly be called a legendary steed.
Evelyn had somehow acquired one, and Fermin coveted it immensely.
He wanted to see this legendary horse, so Evelyn seized the opportunity to propose a wager. if he could defeat her, the horse would be his.
Fermin was brimming with confidence–he didn’t believe for a moment that he could/lose to Evelyn,
and he was certain that marrying into Fermin Manor was every noblewoman’s dream.
So he readily agreed to Evelyn’s terms.
But within three moves, Evelyn had sent him flying.
The Queen’s face instantly clouded over.
‘A sickly weakling and a mannish brute,‘ she fumed inwardly.
“What good would it do to bring them into Fermin Manor?”
“Would we be constantly nursing one with medicine, or just sit back and watch Fermin get beaten black and blue?”
The Queen’s face darkened, and the entire room held its breath.
Although Fermin had lost face, he dared not show his displeasure in front of so many people, for fear of being called petty. Forcing a smile, he addressed the crowd, “No harm done, no harm done. It was merely a friendly sparring. I didn’t expect Miss Beren to be so formidable.”
Natasha, without a hint of false modesty, acknowledged with a smile, “You were too kind.”
This sight made the Queen knit her brows tightly. ‘Natasha,‘ she thought decisively, ‘I will never allow her to enter Fermin Manor.
The Queen swept her gaze around the garden and spotted Evander.
The Queen glanced at Natasha again. With her mannish, tomboyish look, she actually seemed a perfect match for that bookworm, Evander.
Just picturing Evander’s delightfully chaotic household, the Queen felt her earlier gloom melt away.
15:28 Tue, 22 Jul •
Chapter 393
At the mention of “side consort,” Arthur’s brow relaxed.
The Queen’s smile faltered for a moment. ThinArthur disapproved of the match, she quickly adjusted her tone and said, “If Your Majesty is displeased, this humble consort shall continue searching for more suitable candidates.”
Arthur raised a hand, signaling the Queen to stop.
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