Chapter 169: Between Us
Frederick’s eyes widened slightly as his fixed gaze finally shifted, though his body remained still. His serious expression faltered, just for a moment, revealing a flicker of shock—like all the hope he once held had been shattered into pieces.
He had heard the rumors back in the village, but he chose not to believe them. Many had told him about it—about her. That Roselina was getting married to the king. But he refused to accept it. He knew her too well.
So when he was assigned to her, and her name was mentioned, he thought it had to be a coincidence. A cruel trick of fate. Surely the world was playing a prank on him. And even when he entered the dining hall, he didn’t look at her directly. But he could feel it—her warm, familiar aura. Still, he held on to denial.
Until she said his name.
And in that moment, all the hope he’d been clinging to shattered completely. His heart broke, but somehow, he kept his expression intact—masking the pain within.
At last, Frederick Rowls spoke, his voice laced with respectful restraint.
"I apologize for the delay in my response... Queen Roselina."
His words were careful, professional—almost too formal. It was the first time he had spoken to her like that, with such distance.
She wasn’t surprised, not really. You couldn’t blame him. This—this cold courtesy—was exactly what she had half-expected. Yet she did not know that he would be this... this way.
She fell silent for a while, lost in thought as she tried to process everything. Who would have thought the day would come when Frederick would speak to her with such distance?
There was a time—when she truly believed they would end up together. After all, he was the only one she had ever spoken to so freely, so comfortably.