Rhea was happy. "For real? Then I—"

Before she could finish, Fred said, "Remember, you can go anywhere you like, except out. If you do, I can't promise your safety." He patted her shoulder.

Rhea's mood dampened. For a moment, she thought she could come and go as she pleased. On second thought, however, she knew he was right; Alexander and Cameron would catch her if she left.

Thinking of her uncle, Rhea recalled her parents and the raided research center. After escaping the Russell Residence, she'd seen people removing belongings from her parents' house. Overhearing onlookers, she learned her father had been arrested and her family had lost their home.

Although she resented her parents, she was still upset by what had happened. How could Cameron do this to them? Her parents had treated Anastasia like a princess, yet Cameron had sent Fabian to jail and shattered her family. For this, Rhea vowed revenge.

"Is there a problem?" Fred noticed her silence. "Well, you can try to leave. I won't stop you—"

"No, it's not that. I was just thinking."

In a good mood, Fred asked, "Oh, what about?"

Rhea shook her head. "I just thought it a shame the research center was raided. If our plan had succeeded, at least half of Hyderland's population would have been injected with the drug. Such a pity."

Surprised, Fred raised an eyebrow. He thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, if the plan had worked, wouldn't that disturb you? You're a Hylander, after all."

"Why would it? What does it have to do with me?" Rhea replied instantly. "As I said, I studied abroad when young and spent more time in Yudonia than Hyderland. To me, Yudonia is my homeland."

Fred gazed at her appraisingly and clapped. "Well said. It is indeed a shame the research center was raided, but what matters now is my experiment. As long as it succeeds, we can always build new labs."