Chapter 7

The Heroine of a Regret Novel, Yet Not Sad at All!

“Wow. My fist is crying.”

It was almost strange that she hadn’t realized it sooner.

Kadin was truly a complete bastard.

Ayla ground her teeth.

To make matters worse, after that day, relentless bullying began at the Academy.

‘Because I became a commoner and supposedly didn’t know my place.’

Simply because she had dared to shove the great noble Kadin and reject his “generous” offer, she had become the public enemy of every student.

This time, Ayla decided she would show them exactly what it meant to know her place.

‘Tomorrow, no matter what, I’m going to break off the engagement.’

Since they had been engaged for fourteen years, figuring out where Kadin would be was easy.

Ayla decided to settle everything quickly and cleanly.

There were always crowds of friends around Kadin.

As one of the Academy’s most famous figures, countless people lingered around him, hoping for a chance to exchange a few words.

That day was no different.

His friends kept glancing toward him.

“Kadin, would it be alright if I asked who that lady you greeted earlier was?”

After finishing their morning training session, they had happened to run into Young Master Kedrick.

With his sharp features and cynical personality, Kedrick was someone every Academy student found intimidating.

The young duke had been accompanied by a woman with dark pink hair similar to his own.

Kadin had approached them without hesitation and greeted them.

“Greetings, Young Master Kedrick. If it isn’t rude of me to ask, this lady is…?”

Before Kedrick could answer, Rosia smiled brightly and responded herself.

“I’m Rosia Blanche.”

“Ah, I thought so. I am Kadin of House Leight.”

After exchanging introductions, the two continued chatting pleasantly for a while.

But anyone could see that there was something unusual about the atmosphere between them.

Kadin’s friends knew he already had a long-standing fiancée, which only made the interaction more puzzling.

“That woman introduced herself as Rosia Blanche. Did the Blanche family have another daughter besides Lady Ayla?”

“Maybe they brought in someone from a branch family because Ayla couldn’t use magic.”

As his friends began speculating wildly, Kadin firmly corrected them.

“That’s not it. Rosia is the real daughter of House Blanche. She’s a direct descendant.”

Since the truth would soon become public anyway, Kadin spoke casually.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Rosia is the real daughter? Then have they been hiding her all this time?”

“They say the children were switched. I only learned about it two days ago myself. The Blanche family contacted ours immediately after confirming the truth.”

Shock spread across his friends’ faces.

“My goodness. So that’s what happened. Everything makes sense now. That’s why Ayla never had any magical talent.”

“I can’t believe something like that happened. Lady Rosia must have suffered so much all these years.”

They cautiously watched Kadin’s reaction.

However, Kadin simply continued reading his book as though nothing mattered.

Seeing no response from him, his friends became even more excited and continued talking.

“Honestly, Ayla’s magical ability was terrible for someone who was supposed to be a Blanche.”

“She couldn’t even sense mana.”

After chatting for a while, curiosity about the future got the better of them.

One of them carefully asked:

“Kadin, then what will happen to Lady Ayla now? Since she’s not actually part of the ducal bloodline, she can’t remain the duke’s daughter anymore, can she?”

“I wonder what House Leight has to say about it.”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

“Thinking about it? Does that mean you plan to continue the engagement?”

A slight frown appeared on Kadin’s face.

The garden instantly fell silent.

Looking at the boy who had asked the question, Kadin spoke coldly.

“You talk too much.”

“S-Sorry, Kadin.”

A heavy silence settled over the garden.

Then suddenly, someone broke it.

“Isn’t that Ayla over there?”

At one boy’s words, everyone’s gaze turned toward the same spot.

There stood Ayla, dressed in a neat white dress as the cool autumn breeze brushed against her.

With measured, elegant steps, she walked directly toward Kadin.

“Kadin, I need to speak with you.”

Kadin sighed upon seeing her.

‘Did she come running here the moment she heard I’d arrived?’

She was probably extremely anxious.

Her family had cast her aside, and now she faced the possibility of losing her engagement as well.

‘Is that why she came to the Academy before the semester even started? To see me?’

The thought made him smirk.

Standing before him, Ayla was as beautiful as ever.

‘She always looked somewhat lifeless, but whenever I encouraged her, color would return to her face. I liked that.’

Kadin loved Ayla’s fragile beauty.

Her face.

Her noble and dignified character.

Even her delicate personality.

‘Predictable and easy to handle. Not particularly exciting, but ideal marriage material.’

Thinking that, Kadin calmly sipped his tea.

In many ways, Ayla had been exactly the wife he wanted.

Even her lack of magical ability—a shocking flaw for someone believed to be a member of House Blanche—had been something he was willing to overlook.

But all of that depended on one assumption.

That Ayla belonged to House Blanche.

Now she was a commoner.

And he was a man who could never marry a commoner.

Nodding gently, Kadin spoke.

“Very well. What is it you wish to discuss?”

Ayla immediately answered.

Her expression remained calm as always, but the end of her voice trembled slightly.

“You’ve heard the news, haven’t you? That I’ve become a commoner.”

For some reason, something about her felt different.

Kadin stared at her for a long moment.

Eventually, he sighed.

For now, he decided to reassure her.

“That’s true. But I still love you.”

The surrounding nobles widened their eyes.

Kadin’s words were that shocking.

He rose from his seat and took a step closer to Ayla.

In his eyes stood the same delicate woman he had always known.

Her beautiful pink hair flowed down to her waist.

Her golden eyes resembled the color of the topaz set into the pendant hanging around her neck.

That necklace was a gift he had given her long ago.

‘As expected, she’s such a boring woman.’

Did she have no pride?

She had become a commoner and stood on the verge of losing her engagement, yet she was still wearing that necklace.

The reason she had deliberately worn it today was obvious.

‘She’s begging me not to abandon her.’

He couldn’t make a commoner his wife.

But there were plenty of other ways to keep her close.

“However…”

Ayla cut him off while looking directly into his eyes.

“Wait. Before that, listen to what I have to say first, Kadin.”

Kadin blinked in surprise.

Something about her tone was different from usual.

He was accustomed to hearing only Ayla’s gentle and accommodating voice.

This was unexpected.

Then a shocking declaration reached his ears.

“I want you to break off our engagement.”

“What?”

Before he could even react—

Ayla suddenly removed the necklace from her neck and neatly placed it on top of the book he had been reading.

“I’ll return your gift as well.”

A cold silence spread across the table.

Those who had been preparing to mock her immediately shut their mouths.

The same was true for Kadin.

He stared blankly at the necklace lying atop his book.

Then Ayla’s voice rang clearly in his ears.

“Now that I’m a commoner, I probably won’t even be able to speak to you after today.”

Officially, Academy rules stated that everyone was equal.

The purpose was to allow students to exchange opinions freely regardless of status.

But in reality, that equality only existed in front of professors.

Ordinary commoners at the Academy couldn’t even approach nobles unless they were exceptionally talented.

So Ayla’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

Kadin looked at her in disbelief.

“Ayla, I told you I don’t care that you’ve become a commoner. Of course I can’t marry you, but if we find another way to stay together, then certainly—”

“So what you’re saying is that you want me to become your mistress?”