Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
The biggest reason she clung to was that Rafael aimed to elevate Sophie, thus erasing Freya’s achievements and declaring in advance that she would receive no credit.
But Sophie was here, laying everything bare and dissecting it piece by piece.
Freya had no place to hide. She could only shuffle to the door, curl up there, and mutter, “No, it wasn’t like that.”
then
Sophie stood before the memorial plaques, her figure shadowed by the candles behind her, making her expression indistinct.
Her voice was soft and haunting as she said, “Freya, you’re still alive. You should be grateful.
“Yet, my family will never return, all because of you. Tell me, is it a wonder that I hate you? I’ve endured for so long. I didn’t want to harm you, but why did you come to me? You achieved merit at Victory Pass. Before the truth reached me, even if you and Blake had married, I would have respected you for being a woman willing to fight for the kingdom.”
Sophie slowly approached, her shadow completely enveloping Freya as she continued, “But the truth is so ugly, isn’t it? Your achievements came at the cost of my entire family being wiped out. Yet, you still have the audacity to flaunt your success in front of me, talking about how you disdain women struggling to survive in the household.
“You claim to be so skilled and noble, so why did you scheme to retain my dowry? Your greed for credit is ugly, and your greed for wealth is even uglier-far more so than your face now.”
Freya was supporting herself with both hands on the ground as she sobbed uncontrollably.
*Stop, please stop… Don’t say anything else…”
Sophie bent down, a mocking smile on her lips. “Can’t you take it? You looked down on women who fight for men, so why are you here today? To ask me to tell Lady Viola not to marry Blake? You’re fighting for a man now, Freya.
“You can’t stand the thought of Lady Viola marrying Blake. Now, you know that your so-called love was nothing but a joke. You acted so grand in front of me, but now you’re just a mess.”
Freya’s lips moved, trying to argue, but she was reminded of the recent argument she had with Blake, which had been because he was going to marry the third lady of the Earl of Silverstone’s family. Sophie’s gaze grew colder. “Freya, remember this well-my family died because of you. You should be thankful that I come from the Duke of Northwatch’s family. If not for my family’s values, I would have flayed you alive and ground your bones to dust.”
She opened the door, revealing that the snow outside had grown heavier, blanketing the ground with fine, salt-like flakes. The snowfall raining down from the overcast sky intensified, swirling faster and thicker. “Pay for the vase, then leave Don’t come back. If you do, I’ll kill you,” Sophie declared, her voice colder than the snow outside.
Freya trembled. At that moment, she felt true fear.
Sophie’s words carried a murderous intent that was impossible to mask.
Shakily, Freya stood up and reached out uncertainly. “I don’t have any money on me.
“Frederick,” Sophie said calmly, “Go and have the accountant draft a promissory note for fifty silver coins. Have Freya put her fingerprint on it. Tomorrow, send someone to collect the money.” Frederick’s eyes darkened as he nodded and left.
Freya stumbled out of the sanctuary hall and leaned against a pillar in the corridor, taking deep breaths. She was shivering from the cold wind, but fine beads of sweat covered her forehead.
In her current state, she felt utterly defeated, and her heart was numb. At times, she wanted to regain her former authority before Sophie, but she couldn’t even straighten her back.
The snowflakes drifting before her seemed almost invisible. Her mind was flooded with images of the memorial plaques, the bloodshed at Northwatch Estate, and the horrifying thought of Sophie’s fifth sister- in-law crawling, bloodied, towards her son.
Freya’s gaze seemed to stretch farther, beyond the capital city, all the way to Victory Pass and Fawnrun City. She saw the civilians who had died beneath her soldiers’ slaughtering blades, their screams echoing in her ears.
She could hear the curses of that Westhaven royal youth. Even as they cut him countless times, he continued to curse.
Why had she remained indifferent then, and even found it exhilarating?
Freya couldn’t bring herself to meet Sophie’s gaze, as cold and sharp as a blade. Every word Sophie spoke was unpleasant to hear, yet not a single one was untrue.
Freya had been desperate to achieve something. After the battle at Victory Pass, she believed she had. succeeded, and that she had done so with exceptional merit. No longer just the daughter of an old soldier, she was now a general in her own right.
She looked down on everyone and felt superior, but deep down, she knew she was still insignificant. Otherwise, with her accomplishments, she wouldn’t have been relegated to the position of Blake’s secondary wife.
Most people wouldn’t have accepted such a fate.
Freya’s acceptance was driven by two reasons-her deep affection for Blake, as well as the realization that, without her achievements, she would never be able to reach the heights of the Jaffe family. She dismissed the trivialities of domestic struggles, claiming she wanted women to excel on the battlefield, contributing to the kingdom through war and conquest. She said these things to Blake, who believed them and looked at her with admiration.
Needing Blake to see her as different, she achieved this by sleeping with him before returning to the capital, securing her place in the Jaffe family.
Though Sophie had been Blake’s primary wife back then, Freya hadn’t considered her a threat. Sophie was just a highborn lady, obedient to propriety, governed by rules, and overly demure. Boring, really.
But Sophie’s substantial dowry and her management of the household finances meant that Freya could focus on her career. With a solid position, even as a secondary wife, she could overshadow Sophie, the so-called primary wife.
Who would have guessed that Sophie was not a mere docile cat but a patient and calculating tiger? As Freya’s thoughts drifted, Frederick returned with the promissory note and a stamp pad. He handed them to her and coldly said, “Put your fingerprint here.”
The promissory note for fifty silver coins was a humiliation to Freya. She glared at Sophie, but the moment their eyes met, an inexplicable shiver ran through her. She didn’t dare delay, hastily pressing her fingerprint onto the document before stumbling away.
Frederick put the promissory note away and looked at the young woman leaning against the corridor wall. The coldness in her eyes had vanished, leaving only heartbreak.
Frederick tried to comfort her, “My lady, don’t be upset. Indifference is the strongest armor-no one can hurt you.”
Sophie shook her head, her eyes lowered as she spoke softly, “Frederick, I’m fine. I was just thinking about how lively the house used to be when everyone was still here.” Frederick’s mood grew somber. The past was irretrievable.
Northwatch Estate was now a shell of its former self. The title remained, but the people were few.
Sophie didn’t let herself dwell on the past for long. She quickly lifted her head and left.
She returned to Amethyst Hall to be with Ryan, knowing that such a commotion would have reached him. After all, Freya’s cries had echoed through the corridors as she was dragged away.
Sophie expected Ryan to be frightened, but upon entering Amethyst Hall, she found him in the small study, writing diligently. His face was calm, and the desk was covered with sheets of paper. Lulu and Joy stood nearby, attending to him.
At the sound of his aunt’s footsteps, Ryan looked up and greeted her cheerfully, “Aunt Sophie.”
His voice was still somewhat hoarse, and he could only manage short sentences before becoming strained. However, he was putting in great effort, and Sophie believed he would soon speak as fluently as anyone else.
“What are you writing?” Sophie asked with a smile, walking over to him. She gently ruffled his hair and leaned in to inspect his work. “Your writing looks better than before.”
Ryan was not just practicing writing, but also working on his wrist strength. His hand tendons had been. injured, and writing was the best exercise for recovery. Rafael had always insisted on this kind of practice for that reason.
Ryan set down his quill and placed his hands on his neck. His expression was earnest, his eyes resolute.
“Aunt Sophie, in the future… I’ll protect you!”
Sophie was momentarily stunned, then a smile spread across her face as she continued to ruffle his hair. She hadn’t cried in front of the memorial plaques of her parents, but Ryan’s words brought a lump to her throat.
Though Ryan might not fully understand the situation, he could tell there was discord and had a strong desire to protect his aunt.
Two days later, Frederick arrived at Valor Estate with two guards in tow.
Since Freya returned home the previous day, she had been suffering from a high fever. She had called for a physician that night and taken medicine. Though she managed to sleep, her nightmares persisted. Only today was she starting to feel a bit better.