CHAPTER 05
“Katrin Elemore… As Your Highness, who attended the Academy with her, already knows.”
Standing in the government office garden dressed as a gardener, Caron pretended to shiver as he spoke.
“She’s one of the Empire’s worst troublemakers.”
“…”
Ethius’s brows remained firmly furrowed.
His icy blue eyes held a trace of irritation, as though merely thinking about her was a nuisance.
Caron continued.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that even among the nobles of the Emperor’s faction, everyone quietly avoids her.”
Her atrocious personality was famous throughout the Empire.
Perhaps even beyond its borders.
“And yet she’s so incredibly beautiful that any man who doesn’t know better ends up approaching her or asking her to dance…”
“…But every single one of them meets a miserable end.”
Glancing around, Caron leaned closer and whispered into Ethius’s ear.
“For example, five years ago, the prince of the Kingdom of Riyette foolishly asked her to dance. She ripped off his wig in front of everyone and humiliated him. Duke Elemore managed to smooth things over, but it nearly turned into a diplomatic incident.”
The prince of Riyette had been an arrogant fool who hadn’t even bothered to pay Ethius the respect he deserved.
He’d sneered, asking why he should bow to a prince who was nothing more than a figurehead.
“I can’t even imagine how ambitious Philios Regalo must be to have won over Lady Elemore.”
Philios…
The man Katrin had chosen as a substitute after being rejected by Ethius.
If Katrin Elemore had been the greatest female villain at the Academy…
Philios had been infamous in an entirely different way.
His womanizing knew no boundaries.
Teachers.
Students.
Even the headmistress.
“Well, I suppose that’s why he’s able to stay by her side while constantly catering to her moods.”
For a brief moment, Ethius recalled the sight of Katrin smiling confidently with her arm linked through Philios’s.
It hadn’t been a pleasant sight.
Caron continued.
“At any rate, it’s unfortunate that the revolutionary army’s confidential documents have ended up in the hands of someone as unpredictable as Lady Elemore.”
Not long ago, thanks to the traitor’s confession, they’d learned that the documents had been sold to the late Duke Elemore…
And were most likely now in Katrin Elemore’s possession.
Those documents were the revolutionary army’s greatest secret.
The lives of countless comrades depended on them.
A single leak could destroy the revolution that was now so close to success.
“Still, if there’s one hopeful piece of news…”
Caron smiled faintly.
“They say House Elemore has changed somewhat since the Duke and Duchess’s funeral. Lady Elemore suddenly announced plans to establish an orphanage.”
“And she hasn’t left the estate even once since then.”
At those words, Ethius’s blue eyes darkened.
“It seems that even someone like Katrin Elemore was shaken by her parents’ deaths.”
Katrin Elemore—
The woman who had thrown her weight around while sheltered by the Emperor’s right-hand man—
Now locking herself inside the mansion…
“Continue monitoring her movements.”
A cold voice slipped from between Ethius’s lips.
“If she appears to be a threat…”
“…Eliminate her.”
Caron’s fingertips twitched.
A chilly breeze swept through the garden, stirring Ethius’s black hair.
***
Philios stared at me as though someone had struck him over the head with a hammer.
His lips trembled.
“Katrin… what are you talking about?”
“…Are you feeling all right?”
“Yes.”
“Katrin Elemore is feeling better now than she has at any point since the day she was born.”
Hearing my calm reply, he frantically searched my face.
“Is this because of those women who just left?”
“Come now. What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“Were you really that kind of woman?”
With one hand pressed against his forehead, he looked utterly bewildered.
Rather than trying to soothe me, he’d chosen to attack my pride.
The original Katrin hated nothing more than being treated as though she didn’t understand something.
That’s why whenever Philios said things like—
“Normally, women in healthy relationships don’t concern themselves with their lover’s interactions with other women. Jealous obsession is something only pathetic women do.”
—Katrin would pretend to agree and act cool about it.
Even though she was clearly miserable inside.
But…
I wasn’t the original Katrin.
“No.”
“It’s simply that…”
I looked directly into Philios’s well-groomed face.
“…you’re ugly.”
“…?”
His eyes shook violently once again.
“…W-What… did you just say?”
“I meant exactly what I said.”
“I can’t stand ugly men.”
Then I stood up.
There was no point wasting my breath trying to explain his faults to someone so full of twisted logic and stubborn self-righteousness.
“Katrin!”
Philios jumped to his feet.
“Farewell, ugly man.”
I gave him a slight nod before turning on my heel and walking out of his office.
Ah…
That felt amazing.
I’d officially informed him face-to-face that our engagement was over.
All that remained was sending the paperwork.
If Heros questioned me…
I’d make something up.
Katrin Elemore’s reckless behavior surprised no one.
The only unusual part was that, until now, Philios Regalo had somehow escaped becoming one of her targets.
“And honestly…”
“He really is ugly…”
“…Compared to our Ethie.”
To think she’d been rejected by Ethius…
Only to end up dating a piece of trash like this.
And she actually expected Ethius to regret losing her?
That was practically blasphemy.
She owed Ethius ten apologies.
No—
A hundred.
After leaving the government building, I strode straight ahead without hesitation.
Suddenly—
A rough hand grabbed my wrist from behind.
I was spun around violently.
Standing there, breathing heavily, was Philios.
His face had turned deathly pale.
“…Y-You…”
“…called me ugly?”
I calmly nodded.
“Yes.”
His voice exploded with rage.
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
“I’m handsome! My own mother always said there isn’t a more handsome man than me!”
“And you’re saying you’re breaking off our engagement just because you don’t like my looks?”
“You think that’s even possible?”
Come to think of it…
He’d been a complete mama’s boy too.
Every other sentence out of his mouth was, My mother says…
“Under Imperial law, an engagement may be dissolved without the other party’s consent if it’s necessary to protect one’s physical well-being.”
“…?!”
I placed a hand dramatically against my forehead.
“I recently developed an allergy to ugly men.”
“If an ugly man touches me…”
“I become dizzy.”
“I have trouble breathing.”
“My stomach turns…”
“…and I feel like throwing up.”
“Urp.”
I even covered my mouth as though I were about to vomit.
His face turned redder and redder with fury.
That should finally make him give up bothering me.
Ugly idiot.
Just as I turned to leave once more—
“You damned woman!”
His arm suddenly shot upward.
What…?
Does this jerk actually hit women too?
I’d always assumed he was a coward who couldn’t even kill a bug himself and had to beg servants to do it.
As I instinctively stepped backward, thinking that one punch would certainly end the engagement for good—
A hand suddenly appeared from nowhere.
It caught Philios’s descending arm with brutal force.
“…”
I’d reflexively closed my eyes.
Slowly…
I opened them.
Standing before me was a broad back clad in a military uniform.
Black hair that remained flawlessly dark even beneath the brilliant sunlight.
A cool, refreshing scent drifted toward me.
Then…
Those icy blue eyes slowly turned to look at me.
A perfectly sculpted nose.
A sharp, elegant jawline.
Ethius.
“…!”
My heart skipped a beat.
