All Chapters of Provoking a Graceful Bloom: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

Wilfred didn't respond immediately. He had much to consider.Though Sebastian had never heard Selena speak of this matter before, he understood her intentions the moment she voiced them. He quickly stepped onto the stage and knelt beside her."Your Majesty, I humbly request permission to lead the Campbell Regiment to the Southern Frontier, to defend the lands of Aurensia!"Wilfred's brow furrowed in thought.However, Ruth suddenly smiled and said, "The Southern Frontier is far away. If General Campbell goes now, who knows when he might return? But Lena has reached the proper age for marriage. Perhaps it would be wiser for General Campbell to wait until Lena is wed. Once she has someone to care for her, he can depart with fewer worries."She turned to the king, her smile softening even more. "What do you think, Your Majesty?"Wilfred considered her words and merely nodded.Ruth was just about to continue when Adelaide interjected, "Indeed. The Duke of Blackmoor's family is loyal

Frederick didn't even know what he felt.It was some time before he spoke in a low voice, "Lena and I grew up together. My feelings for her have always been akin to brotherly affection."Once, he had been completely convinced that he loved Selena. But Freya's presence had changed everything. Suddenly, life seemed fresh, exciting, and thrilling in a way he had never known in his twenty-some years.A beauty like Selena was a rare treasure indeed, but a soul as fascinating as Freya's was unparalleled.Ruth snorted. "If it is merely brotherly affection, why were you so distracted that you lost the match today?""It was simply because my skill was lacking—""Nonsense! You and the Dawnmerian prince were evenly matched. It was Selena's deliberate actions that made you lose."Frederick stared, astonished. "You mean... Lena did it on purpose?""Of course she did!"Frederick was just a military man. Back then, with Selena as his strategist, all he needed to do was focus on fighting and

In the end, Freya was persuaded to return.But tonight felt different somehow. She let Frederick stay in her chambers."Frederick, I don't want to be apart from you tonight."Once she closed the door, she faced him and slowly removed each layer of her clothing.Frederick stiffened, heat rising to his cheeks. "Fey, didn't we agree that we'll wait until we're married?"As a prince, he could have given in, of course. How many men of royal or noble blood had women in their lives once they came of age? But having known Selena for many years, Frederick had grown accustomed to keeping himself disciplined and honorable around her.Perhaps Selena's character wasn't flawless, and she was always scheming in some way. But in this, her virtue was impeccable. She never let him touch her, and had made it clear that they must wait until their wedding day. Frederick's habit of keeping himself chaste had been instilled in him by her.Even with Freya, though he sometimes got so angry that he rippe

No one, not even those closest to him, truly understood why Elias had proposed to Selena.Unable to contain her curiosity, Lilia asked, "Elias, did you know Lena before all this?"He shook his head.Lilia pressed on, "Then, why ask her to marry you? She looked positively terrified of you!""Lady Campbell is a true beauty. In all your years in Dawnmere, have you ever seen a woman fairer than she?" Elias gave a faint, almost amused smile. "A beautiful lady is a desirable match for any gentleman. Is it any wonder that I wish to marry her?"Lilia blinked in disbelief. "You're hardly the sort to chase after beauty. If you were, none of the women sent to you would have been returned untouched."Indeed, there had been no shortage of lovely young ladies paraded in front of Elias, each with their own charms. Some were full-figured, while others were slight and delicate. Regardless, he had never so much as glanced at them.So, Lilia couldn't help feeling that it was rather odd for her bro

Yuvan stood outside the window, speaking in a low voice, "My lady, something happened at the palace tonight. It seems Prince Elias was injured and had to be carried back inside."Selena's heart tightened. "Someone tried to assassinate him?"Elias currently resided in Concord Palace. Though it lay near the outer edge of the grounds, it was still very much within the palace walls. That someone could attack him there meant Aurensia couldn't escape blame.Yuvan continued, "The details are still unclear. I heard he was carried in from outside. Earlier, Mr. Walsh and the others pursued whoever was responsible. After nearly half an hour, they returned with Prince Elias.""Has His Majesty sent anyone to investigate?"Yuvan shook his head. "No."Selena frowned. "No?"It was such a serious matter. Why hadn't Wilfred sent someone to investigate?"On Prince Elias' side, no one has been held accountable. He claimed he was injured by accident and asked His Majesty not to make it public. Few