Chapter 4: “She Really Broke Off the Engagement, And Now You’re Not Happy?”

As soon as those words left Viel’s mouth, it was like a boulder dropped into a still lake—
The entire banquet hall rippled with shock.

The nobles, who had been casually sipping wine or exchanging small talk, immediately paused and gathered around.

“Your Highness, please reconsider! The Raven Marquis is a pillar of the kingdom. This could be a serious offense!”

“The Marquis’s reputation is impeccable. Shouldn’t such a matter be reported to His Majesty before any rash announcements? If this damages trust between sovereign and subject…”

“Marquis Raven is…”

The words sounded like polite persuasion, but with every sentence, Viel’s expression darkened.

All they talked about was Marquis Raven, over and over.

Did they forget who was standing right in front of them?

She was the Crown Prince—or rather, Crown Princess—of this kingdom!

So what if she broke off an engagement?

The marquis was still just a vassal.

Was she supposed to bow to her like a subject to a superior?

And besides…

Viel wasn’t even a man.

This engagement was doomed from the start.

A princess marrying the marquis’s daughter?

The Empire would laugh themselves silly!

As for the marquis herself—

Just wait.

Once Viel took command of the military, these idiotic nobles would finally understand:

Marquis Raven isn’t irreplaceable.

If that woman could win war after war with her insane luck and reckless strategies, then Viel—who had studied military theory since childhood—would definitely do even better!

The Empire’s generals were nothing but paper tigers anyway.

The murmurs of the noble crowd finally pulled Irene back to reality.

Wait… what just happened?

Why did her beautiful fiancée suddenly dump her in front of the entire court?

“V-Viel, are you… joking? Please tell me you’re joking, right?”

This wasn’t funny at all!

But when she met Viel’s gaze, she saw no trace of warmth or playfulness.

Only an icy sharpness that pierced straight through her chest.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Viel said coldly.

“Today, in front of all the kingdom’s nobility, I—Second Prince Viel Theresia—officially announce the annulment of my engagement to Irene Raven! You are all witnesses!”

Her voice echoed across the banquet hall like thunder.

Her chest rose and fell slightly, clearly holding back suppressed emotion.

The more the nobles tried to dissuade her, the more determined Viel became.

What?

Is the royal family now beholden to the will of a mere marquis?!

“Absolutely ridiculous!”

Irene stepped forward, lips twitching slightly as she tried to reason with her fiancée.

“Viel, you shouldn’t believe in rumors so easily…”

Now she finally understood what this was about!

It must’ve been those exaggerated rumors about her leaving the adventuring party—blown completely out of proportion.

That’s just how rumors worked: the more they spread, the wilder they became.

Viel was still young, maybe too easily swayed…

“Just rumors, huh? Not trustworthy?”

Viel’s brow arched, her delicate pink lips curling into a cold smile.

Then she called out:

“Someone—read Miss Irene Raven’s glorious deeds aloud for everyone to hear!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

A female officer in full dress uniform stepped forward, unrolling a long scroll with an audible snap.

She cleared her throat and began reading the charges—each more scandalous than the last.

The nobles leaned in, shocked into silence as the list continued:

“Why did the party’s treasury disappear overnight?

Caught frequenting gambling dens—blood-earned funds blown on drinking, pleasure, and dice!”

“An entire tavern reserved for three days… to hear dwarves sing romantic ballads?!”

“What dark truth hides behind the mysterious thefts of undergarments within an S-rank adventuring party?

Was it just innocent mischief—or an unspeakable obsession, steeped in yuri-scented perversion!?”

“A rising star’s sudden downfall—thanks to the acidic tongue of a certain noble heiress!”

“While teammates bled on the battlefield, someone’s popcorn bucket was allegedly larger than the monster’s head! What burst wasn’t just corn—but the blood pressure of her comrades!”

The officer paused, visibly trembling.

Tears welled in her eyes—whether from fear, emotion, or just sheer disbelief was unclear.

“The decay of morality… the distortion of humanity…”

“I have never in my life seen someone so utterly shameless!”

The nobles collectively gasped in horror.

Meanwhile, Irene stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded.

“Wait—I mean, okay, yes, some of that did happen, but that’s not how it went down!!”

“I swear I’m being framed—don’t slander me like this!!”

“Th-These are all just street gossip!” Irene protested in a panic.

“Your Highness, how could you take them seriously?”

“Hmph. Gossip?” Viel scoffed, raising her chin proudly.

“What if those rumors came from your own teammates?”

Her words struck Irene like a bolt of lightning.

In an instant, her face drained of all color.

An F-rank leech vs. a group of kingdom-renowned S-rank heroes who’d saved the nation multiple times—

It didn’t take a genius to know which side public opinion would favor.

Irene staggered slightly, reeling from the betrayal.

So that’s how it is.

They resented her that much?

All this time, she thought she was being considerate—that quitting the team was for their benefit.

But those arrogant protagonist-types probably just wanted to kick her out all along.

She was just the extra weight slowing them down.

An awkward silence settled over the ballroom.

Just then, Cecile Raven stepped forward and cleared her throat.

With her back straight and voice calm, she addressed Viel.

“Your Highness, is there truly no room for reconsideration in this matter? Shouldn’t this be brought to His Majesty first—”

“Marquis Raven,” Viel interrupted crisply, “Father is currently bedridden and has entrusted state matters to me. There’s no need to bother him over something this trivial.”

Her tone was firm—unyielding. Not even Cecile could argue.

The marquis’s lips moved slightly.

She looked into Viel’s eyes for a moment, her expression unreadable… then sighed in silence.

Turning to her daughter, Cecile’s voice lowered, eyes half-lidded.

“You’ve brought shame to the family name. Go home and reflect on your actions.”

“I never expected you to be some prodigy… but even the most talentless child should understand the basic moral code.”

Irene’s lips parted.

“You—”

“You’ve disappointed me.”

Even you…?

Mother…?

Irene bit her lip, hard. But she didn’t respond.

Because she knew—no matter what she said now, it would all sound like excuses.

Explaining is just defending.

Defending is just denying guilt.

Let them think what they want.

So what if the engagement was off?

She was a nobody.

A useless daughter.

A pretty face with no future.

In this world where power ruled everything, someone like her had no place.

Maybe… maybe her mother had already given up on her long ago.

This whole disaster—quitting the party, the rumors, the humiliation—was just the final excuse.

The daughter of the kingdom’s most fearsome war hero… and she’s a helpless weakling?

How can someone like that inherit the title of Wuhou?!

Adventure companions? Hah! What a joke!

“Fine! I get it—I’ll leave, alright?!”

Irene spun on her heel, turning her back on them all.

Just then, the great chandelier above the ballroom flickered violently—

CRASH!

With a thunderous crash, it came loose and smashed to the ground—narrowly missing Viel’s head.

Gasps and shrieks filled the hall.

But Irene didn’t even glance back.

She strode toward the exit with long, defiant steps.

Only her maid, Laila, hurried to catch up behind her.

And then came the murmurs—those grating, gleeful whispers from the sidelines.

The noble daughters—so often jealous of her title or beauty—now seized on her downfall like piranhas in bloodied waters.

Their snide voices were like blades at her back.

“Laila, we’re leaving. First thing tomorrow, we return to the old baronial estate on the frontier!”

Yes.

She was done.

She would lie flat, eat well, sleep long, rot in peace.

Being a useless noble parasite suddenly sounded like freedom.

“…Yes, milady.” Laila sighed quietly.

What could she say?

In her eyes, the young lady certainly had flaws…

But to be humiliated like that, in front of everyone—it was just too cruel.

And her so-called companions?

They’d gone too far.

But Laila’s voice was too small to be heard here.

Just as Irene placed one foot onto the carriage step—

“Wait!”

Viel’s voice rang out behind her.

Irene pulled aside the curtain of the carriage with a sharp motion, glaring down.

“What is it now, oh noble Crown Prince?”

“Come to humiliate me further?”

Her golden eyes were sharp with hurt and defiance.