HTNSA 12

Chapter 12

The reason she had called off the engagement was perfectly reasonable.

So reasonable that no one could criticize her for it.

“She lost everything because of me and grew up suffering all these years. I don’t want to hurt Rosia any longer.”

It was exactly the kind of decision Ayla would make.

Needlessly proud. Stubbornly principled.

And that was precisely why it was so frustrating.

Judging from the way Ayla acted back then, she definitely still has feelings for me.

Kadin had thought she would always be within his reach.

Now that she suddenly wasn’t, he found himself growing anxious.

Still, he believed she would eventually change her mind.

There’s no way a girl who spent her entire life as the noble daughter of a ducal house can adapt to an ordinary life.

Everything would change.

Her standard of living would decline.

The way people looked at her.

The way they treated her.

Eventually, unable to endure it all, Ayla would have no choice but to come back to him.

And just as he was thinking that, a woman entered the garden.

“Ayla?”

But the moment Kadin saw who it really was, his face twisted in disappointment.

“Ayla? Who exactly were you waiting for?”

The person who had entered the garden was not Ayla.

It was her friend, Freya.

Freya frowned irritably.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been waiting for Ayla this whole time?”

Kadin answered coldly.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Do you have any idea how humiliated I was today because of you?”

He had already heard what happened earlier.

Freya bullied Ayla, was it?

She had been the one to start the confrontation, yet somehow she was claiming to be the victim.

Just thinking about Ayla being mistreated made Freya seem even more unpleasant.

Keeping a stern expression, Kadin asked:

“You used to be Ayla’s closest friend. Yet you seem completely unaffected by everything that’s happened.”

“Oh, I was.”

Freya curled her lips.

“But that was when Ayla was the daughter of House Blanche. I have absolutely no interest in her anymore.”

Kadin knew Freya had always harbored a deep inferiority complex toward Ayla.

The only reason she had hidden it was because Ayla’s status had once been higher than her own.

Now that Ayla’s a commoner, she’s finally showing her hostility openly.

Freya muttered with a scowl.

“It already annoyed me enough that a mere commoner had been above me all this time.”

Then a certain person came to mind, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

“Oh, right, Kadin. Have you met Rosia yet? She’s such a sweet girl. She seems obedient too.”

“…”

“You’ll be engaged to her soon anyway. You should start getting close to her. We can’t let your connection with House Blanche disappear over something like this. Though, of course, Rosia will have to work hard before the others truly accept her.”

Kadin’s expression hardened.

He had also assumed that after his engagement to Ayla was canceled, he would naturally become engaged to Rosia.

I know that… but I don’t like it.

Ever since he realized Ayla had rejected him because of Rosia, even hearing Rosia’s name irritated him.

Moreover, Kadin knew exactly why Freya was trying to push the engagement forward.

She dreamed of marrying Crown Prince Darian Celestia, the first in line to inherit the throne.

There were not many noble families in the Empire worthy of forming ties with the Imperial Family.

Because of that, Freya constantly kept watch over any noble ladies who might become rivals.

Her dream was to stand in the most prestigious position in the Empire.

If she marries the First Prince, becoming Empress would come naturally.

The Second Prince, Adolf, was the son of the Imperial Consort.

Compared to Darian, whose mother had been the Empress, his legitimacy was weaker.

There was also a princess born to the former Empress, but due to her poor health, she rarely appeared in public.

Kadin sneered.

“You seem awfully concerned about me. What is it? Feeling threatened by Rosia already?”

Freya frowned.

“If you already know, then cut ties with that commoner already. What if Rosia starts worrying about whatever is going on between you and her?”

Get rid of Ayla?

Kadin scoffed and replied sharply.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Kadin… what exactly are you thinking?”

“Freya, don’t cross the line.”

With those words, Kadin left the garden.

Since Ayla wasn’t coming to see him, he decided he would go see her instead.

He simply couldn’t believe Ayla was capable of cutting off her feelings for him so suddenly.

Maybe she only suggested breaking off the engagement to get my attention.

If that was the case, then her gamble had succeeded.

Because lately, Kadin found himself thinking about her more and more.

“Excuse me, but do you know where Ayla went?”

“K-Kadin? Ayla, you mean…”

Kadin stopped students from the Department of Magic and questioned them about her whereabouts.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long before someone knew the answer.

“Oh, I saw her earlier! She went into the infirmary.”

“I see. Thanks for telling me.”

Going to the infirmary during lunch break.

He could already imagine exactly what state Ayla was in.

She’s probably crying. The others aren’t treating her the way they used to.

Sooner or later, Freya would start openly bullying her.

Kadin knew very well what happened to those disliked by nobles.

The arrogant commoner in the Department of Swordsmanship was proof enough.

Just look at that famous Felix. The outcome is obvious. What a foolish choice.

Hoping Ayla would quickly wake up to reality, Kadin pushed open the infirmary door.

The moment he entered, he saw her.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her face so brightly that it seemed to melt into her skin.

She was always that beautiful.

But at some point, Ayla had started looking like someone constantly being chased by something.

She had lost her charm.

At least, that was how she used to be.

Yet over the past few days, she had changed.

Oddly enough, despite becoming a commoner, she now seemed more confident than ever.

A beautiful smile curved across her lips.

Who is she smiling at like that?

Kadin followed her gaze.

And there he saw someone he had always looked down upon.

Felix.

The commoner swordsman.

She was smiling at that commoner?

In an instant, anger surged through Kadin.

Suddenly, he remembered what Ayla had told him.

“I need to know my place now. It’s heartbreaking, but I’m no longer of a status that allows me to be with you.”

Could it be…

Was this what she meant by knowing her place?

Breaking off her engagement with him and then immediately spending time with some commoner?

Furthermore, the two of them were standing close enough together to easily invite suspicion.

Seeing them like that, jealousy began boiling inside him.

Did they know each other before? No. If they did, I would have known.

To Kadin, Ayla had always been someone who would remain by his side.

No matter what he did, she would never leave him.

That certainty, once so solid, now felt as though it were crumbling apart.

Unable to hold back any longer, Kadin finally spoke.

“What exactly are the two of you doing?”

“Kadin? Why are you here…?”

Ayla turned toward him in surprise.

Kadin pressed her aggressively.

“I asked what you’re doing here with him.”

Ayla blinked, looking back and forth between Kadin and Felix.

A moment later, she seemed to understand exactly what misunderstanding Kadin had fallen into.

Calming herself, she thought:

This actually works out perfectly.

After all, I’m planning to spread rumors later that Felix and I are dating.