Chapter 388

Evelyn pleaded with Pamela for a while longer, but the princess still wouldn’t budge.

Enraged, Evelyn laid down the law. “If you insist on this, I won’t try to persuade you any further. But let me be perfectly clear.

“If Fermin divorces you or you leave him, you are never to set foot in the Beren Manor again. The Beren family has no daughter like you.”

“Mother?” Pamela exclaimed, her face a mask of utter shock. She had never imagined Evelyn could be so heartless.

Evelyn let out a cold, disdainful snort and swept out.

Pamela slumped into the chair, utterly defeated. ‘Was I truly in the wrong?’ she wondered.

At the Xander Manor, Athena was reviewing the household accounts when, suddenly, a tall figure strode briskly through the main entrance.

Xander entered with a dark expression. As soon as he stepped inside, he dismissed all the servants from the courtyard.

Athena’s expression froze momentarily as Xander was already standing before her.

“What’s wrong?” Athena asked in surprise.

Xander slammed down into the chair, his face dark with rage. “The Queen has been scheming all along—she wants Fermin to take concubines, and now she’s set her sights on Freya and Natasha.”

With a forceful thud, Athena slammed the counting board down onto the table. Her face hardened as she demanded, “Is this true?”

Xander’s brows knitted tightly in anger. “Thanatus had someone relay the message. There’s no way it’s false.”

“The Queen sure knows how to scheme,” Athena hissed through gritted teeth. “Grandfather has just been reinstated, and the Beren family controls the Ministry of Finance.

“Now she’s trying to tie the Perkins Manor, the Xander Manor, and the entire Ministry of Finance to Fermin’s faction for good.”

‘How utterly shameless,’ Athena seethed inwardly.

Athena stood abruptly, her face dark with cold determination, and stalked toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Xander asked urgently.

“The Perkins Manor,” Athena said tersely.

“I’m coming with you,” Xander said.

When Athena and Xander arrived at the Perkins Manor, they found Kurtis pacing anxiously inside, his grizzled beard framing a face turned livid in the flickering candlelight.

A flicker of surprise crossed Kurtis’s face as he saw them. “What brings you two here?” he asked.

“Grandfather, we already know everything,” Athena said softly, her heart aching for the elderly man who shouldn’t have to deal with such matters at his age.

Kurtis’s voice was as weathered as an ancient pine. He waved his hand dismissively and said, “The Queen’s scheme is clearly meant to drag the Xander Manor into this mess as well.”

As soon as Freya becomes Fermin’s concubine, both the Xander Manor and the Perkins Manor will inevitably be forced to serve as his political backing.

Whether Athena liked it or not, she would be forced to dance to the Queen’s tune.

Chapter 388

The flickering candlelight reflected in Athena’s eyes, revealing a turbulent undercurrent.

Athena turned to Kurtis and said, “We’re just secondary in all this. It’s Freya I’m really worried about—she’s fiercely strong-willed. If anyone tries to force her into marriage, there’s no way she’ll go along with it.”

Freya, a true daughter of a military family, had inherited Kurtis’s unyielding spirit and principles from a young age.

A daughter of the Perkins family would rather die than be a concubine.

‘Don’t be fooled by the grand title of secondary consort,’ Athena thought bitterly. ‘In reality, it’s no better than being a common concubine.’

Besides, they were all well aware of the Queen’s true intentions.

The only reason to take a secondary consort was to produce an heir.

If she were to bear a son, the child would be placed under Pamela’s care, forcibly separating mother and child. They might even go so far as to dispose of the mother while keeping the child.

Such ruthless tactics were nothing new in noble circles.

Kurtis slumped into his chair with a heavy sigh. “How could I bear to let Freya suffer such indignity?” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

By the end, his voice choked up completely, and he couldn’t utter another word.

Athena thought for a moment, then suddenly said, “Grandfather, I’ve got a plan.”

Kurtis leaned in with interest. “Oh? What stratagem do you have? Let’s hear it.”

Athena said, “Why don’t we turn their scheme to our advantage by petitioning His Majesty to have the imperial court host a matchmaking party for all eligible noble maidens?”

A spark ignited in Kurtis’s eyes at Athena’s words.

Kurtis couldn’t help but slap his thigh and exclaimed, “Exactly. Why didn’t I think of that? Every few years, the court holds a so-called flower-viewing party—under the guise of admiring flowers, but in reality, it’s a matchmaking event for young ladies of noble birth.

“If we can get His Majesty to host the party first, the Queen’s entire scheme will be completely thwarted.”

Xander nodded in agreement. “An excellent strategy. There’s no time to lose—I’ll head to the palace at once.”

Kurtis waved his hand dismissively. “This isn’t for you to handle—it has to be me. His Majesty has always felt indebted to the Perkins family. If I go and leverage that connection, we’ll achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

Athena and Xander exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.

“There’s no time to lose, Grandfather. You should head to the palace tonight,” Athena urged.

Kurtis nodded and rose to his feet. “I’ll head to the palace at once.”

Athena and Xander both exhaled in quiet relief—fortunately, the Queen hadn’t yet had the chance to bring this matter before His Majesty.

Xander thought to himself, ‘Otherwise, things would have gotten much more complicated.’

The night watch drums sounded in steady succession.

In the Hall, the censer exhaled wisps of aromatherapy. Arthur, in his brocade robe, sat poring over official memorials.

Chapter 388

In the flickering candlelight, Arthur’s face betrayed unmistakable weariness.

With a weary yawn, he set his brush back on the stand.

At once, palace maids stepped forward to knead his shoulders and give him a soothing massage.

Arthur half-closed his eyes in contentment.

Just then, Thanatus’s voice sounded respectfully in his ear. “Your Majesty, Kurtis requests an audience.”

“What does he want at this hour?” Arthur wearily opened his eyes. His first instinct was to refuse the audience, but thoughts of the debt he owed Kurtis made him relent. “Show him in,” he commanded.

Before long, Kurtis was ushered into Arthur’s presence by Thanatus.

Kurtis was in a deep bow, his voice reverent. “Your humble servant pays homage to Your Majesty.”

Arthur gestured hastily. “Kurtis, please dispense with the formalities.”

Thanatus helped Kurtis to his feet and then to a seat, bringing him a cup of coffee before respectfully stepping aside.

The candlelight flickered across Arthur’s face, deepening the weary lines etched into his features. Kurtis couldn’t help but notice with quiet surprise. His Majesty’s complexion looked dull and sallow, far less healthy than his ruddy countenance, even at his advanced age.

Being King was no easy burden.

“Kurtis,” Arthur asked, a gentle smile playing on his lips, “what brings you here at such an hour?”

An apologetic expression appeared on Kurtis’s face as he offered Arthur a slight smile. “Your Majesty, when your humble servant returned to the capital, you once graciously inquired what compensation I desired.

“At that time, I truly sought nothing. But now, there is one matter for which your humble servant must trouble Your Majesty to intervene on my behalf.”

“Oh? And what matter brings you here?” Arthur inquired, well aware that Kurtis had always lived an austere, principled life, scorning material wealth.

Arthur truly couldn’t fathom what Kurtis could possibly be asking for.

Kurtis gave an embarrassed smile and respectfully replied, “I have three sons; my eldest is already married. However, his daughter remains unwed to this day, largely due to our family’s past misfortunes.

“I was hoping to seek Your Majesty’s gracious favor in helping her find a suitable match.”

“Ah, so that’s it.” Arthur burst out laughing. “I thought you were coming to me with some grave affair, but it’s nothing more than a trivial matter. Which young man has caught your eye?”

Kurtis said with a humble smile, “Your Majesty, you misunderstand. How could I presume to choose anyone in particular? I have no specific candidate in mind. It would be improper to trouble Your Majesty to such lengths for my granddaughter alone.

“Instead, why not host a grand matchmaking party, inviting all eligible noble ladies and gentlemen to attend and let them choose for themselves?”

Kurtis looked expectantly at Arthur. “What does Your Majesty think?”