Chapter 02 …
Which one of us is the one who needs to change their attitude?
She almost said it out loud, but somehow managed to hold herself back.
If Chloe argued here, he would only get more worked up and start shouting. That would be troublesome—and it would bother everyone around them.
(Well, it looks like most of them are just watching out of curiosity… or because they love seeing other people’s misfortune.)
Judging from how women were treated, this didn’t seem like a very good country.
Her father had probably told Kirif that she was an obedient, quiet daughter who would do whatever she was told.
Even now, many people in this country believed that women should obey men.
Her fiancé, Kirif, was that kind of man.
Even so, recently, under the leadership of the queen, women’s participation in society was being encouraged. There were even proposals to employ women not just as maids, but also as civil officials.
And yet, despite that, Kirif—the second prince, even if born to a secondary consort—turned out to have the same disappointing mindset as her father.
Still, since he was the one who proposed breaking off the engagement, she should take full advantage of it.
“Yes, I understand.”
With that, she stood up.
Chloe, who had been despairing with a look of anguish until just moments ago, suddenly stood with a bright smile on her face.
Naturally, the people around them began to murmur.
“What did you say?”
Even though she had simply accepted his proposal, Kirif flew into a rage.
“You dare defy me?!”
Defy him? He had said he wanted to break off the engagement, and she had simply agreed—so why was he saying something like that?
Chloe tilted her head.
She couldn’t understand the way he thought.
“I am merely following Your Highness’s words. If you say the engagement is to be dissolved, then I accept it.”
With that, she turned on her heel and left.
(Alright then. I’ll be busy from here on. I need to leave the estate before Father finds me.)
If he caught her, there was no telling what he might do in his fury. He might even order her to beg Kirif for forgiveness.
(I refuse. From now on, I’ll live freely.)
Before her past-life memories returned, Chloe had been far too obedient. Now, she believed she shouldn’t silently submit to those who mistreated her.
“Hm?”
Suddenly noticing something, Chloe looked around the hall.
She could sense magic.
Someone might be watching her.
It was something minor, but to the current Chloe, it was irritating.
“Disappear.”
With just that whisper, the magic dissipated like mist.
(Good. That’s better.)
After confirming that the surveillance was completely gone, she started running again.
There are three types of people who can use magic.
Those called mages are people born with magical power; they use magic with their own mana.
Those who don’t have magical power but learn magic and use magic stones created by mages as a medium are called magicians.
People born with magical power are very rare, so most magic users fall into this latter category.
And finally, there are witches.
A trait only women are born with—they possess magical power on a completely different scale than mages, and require neither spells nor mediums.
It is a power so strong that simply wishing can make anything come true.
Though Chloe didn’t know it, she herself was one of these “witches.”
That’s why ordinary magic would simply be blown away just by her finding it bothersome.
Behind her, Kirif—her former fiancé—was still shouting.
Even though she had granted his wish and ended the engagement, what was he so dissatisfied about?
(He’s so noisy… I have a lot to think about. I wish he’d just be quiet.)
The moment she thought that, everything around her fell silent.
Now she could focus.
(Good. First, I’ll return to the estate and prepare for a journey.)
Chloe got into the carriage of the Marquess Meltygal family and hurried back to the estate.
She returned to her room so quickly that even the butler and maids who came to greet her were startled, and she changed clothes in a flash.
Of course, she had already locked the door with magic so that the servants—who were essentially her father’s agents—couldn’t enter.
She threw off her party dress, opened the closet, took out a suitable bag, and began preparing for her journey.
“Hmm… these dresses all look so hard to move in.”
Though they were plain—likely by her father’s orders—they were still dresses befitting a noble lady. Not something one could casually walk around town in.
“Well, it can’t be helped. This will do.”
She changed into the simplest one, then gathered all the jewelry in the closet into a bag. She couldn’t survive long without money.
Though what she had been given was meager, selling them should cover her living expenses for a while.
Then, she climbed out through the bedroom window.
(Father, Brother—farewell. I hope I never see you again.)
Back when she was only Chloe, she had been terrified of her father and brother. Now, she felt nothing but anger at how unjustly they had treated her.
The same went for Kirif, her former fiancé.
They were all fairly handsome and confident—that only made her dislike them more.
(They should all just go bald. I hope they suffer from thinning hair for the rest of their lives.)
Imagining that made her feel a little better.
That she was a witch.
That her wishes could come true just by thinking them—
Chloe, newly awakened, still didn’t know this.
Her only regret was her mother.
(Mother, I’m sorry for leaving without a word.)
She had considered taking her along, but her mother was also someone who believed women should obey men.
Having been told that since childhood, perhaps it couldn’t be helped.
If Chloe hadn’t regained memories of her past life, she would have become the same kind of woman as her mother.
A bird raised in a cage since birth cannot survive outside.
No matter how much Chloe tried to persuade her, her mother would only say that she must not defy her father.
Praying for her mother’s happiness, Chloe decided this was where they must part.
