Chapter 44

Returning to the academy, Elina felt a sense of returning to her daily routine. Lectures, dance lessons, and exams—each day passed in a flash. It felt as if the nearly week she spent at the castle had been a dream.

On this day, she returned to her dorm room and finished her report assignment while sipping the tea that Sara had prepared. Even though she had reports to write almost every day, it wasn't particularly burdensome. She felt that she could spend her time more leisurely at the academy than before. There was only one reason for this: she wasn't going to the castle.

"Hmm..."

"Miss, is something wrong?"

"Recently, I've only been going back and forth between the school building and the dorm, hasn't it? It's a bit..."

"Perhaps you should prioritize your duties as a student for a while. If you don't go to the castle, you won't be able to see Prince Alvis, will you?"

"Yes... but it's not just that. I haven't seen the princess or the queen either."

After affirming, she hastily added, but Sara was smiling broadly. It was clear that she had been seen through. Elina sighed again.

"The other day, I received a letter from Prince Alvis. It said that he would be going on a job outside the capital, though it's still near the capital."

"...That is worrying."

"He didn't tell me the details or when it would start, but..."

Alvis was a former knight of the royal guard. Before becoming the crown prince, he had been involved in monster hunting to protect the capital. Going outside the capital might not be a big deal for him, but it was unknown territory for Elina. She could only imagine.

"It might not be that dangerous, but the area outside the capital isn't safe, is it? I hope he doesn't get hurt."

"Miss..."

She lowered her gaze to the cup and murmured. The crown prince was the most protected person in Rubelia. If anything unexpected happened, he would be the first to be protected. However, given Alvis's character, it was unlikely that he would run away alone. Elina was worried that he might get injured, as he did during the incident. The reflection of her face in the water was not a pleasant one.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Elina signaled to Sara, who went to open it.

"Miss Elina, it's Harbara."

"Harbara?"

The voice belonged to her classmate and friend. When Sara opened the door, Harbara, who had changed from her uniform into casual clothes, was standing there. Her long, platinum blonde straight hair was tied up but flowed gracefully with her movements. She was elegant and pure. Moreover, as the daughter of a marquis, she had been a party to the annulled engagement, which had been a source of heartache for her, just like Elina.

"I thought it would be better to come now rather than after dinner. Actually, I received something from my family. I wanted to give it to you, Miss Elina."

"Thank you, Harbara. I appreciate it."

Sara took the box from Harbara's attendant. The marquis of Lanzel, Harbara's father, governed a territory known for its fruit production. Beauty products like perfumes and soaps were also made there. Elina had used products from Lanzel, and Harbara knew this.

Harbara sat next to Elina, and Sara prepared tea. While drinking tea, Elina enjoyed the conversation with Harbara.

"This time, there are also some prototypes. If you could, I would like to hear your thoughts on their usability."

"Sure. Thank you as always."

"Using your products is a form of advertising. I am grateful for that. However, it feels a bit uncomfortable to be using them..."

"Hehe. If I can be of help, it's fine."

"Thank you, Miss Elina."

Unlike Elina, the annulment of Harbara's engagement was not entirely positive. Not only as a marquis's daughter, but also as someone involved in product development. Traditionally, noble-born women were expected to enter a household and produce an heir. Working outside the home was not allowed.

Harbara, despite her appearance, had a rather proactive personality. She was not shy and did not hesitate to speak her mind, even to men. She would challenge anyone if she disagreed with them. One of the few men who could tolerate her was her former fiancé. They had been childhood friends, and he understood her character, leading to their engagement. When it was annulled, even Harbara was deeply saddened for a while.

Thinking about that time, Elina believed that the current Harbara, despite not being ladylike, was better.

"Still, Miss Elina, you are really humble."

"Eh? Is that so?"

"I think you could be a bit more arrogant."

"Um... I've been told that before."

"Miss Elina is too kind. Even then... No, I shouldn't say anything about that time..."

The "that time" Harbara recalled was likely the engagement annulment scandal at the party. Elina was the only one who was criticized, but it happened at the school party, and Harbara was there. However, she could do nothing. The opponent was the crown prince, and no one could object on the spot. It was a situation where no one could do anything but accept it. There was nothing kind about it. However, Harbara seemed to have something to say to Lillian.

"Not only was she too close to someone else's fiancé, but she even kissed everyone there. It seems she didn't initiate it, but..."

It was true that Lillian didn't initiate it, but it was still highly inappropriate to kiss multiple men. Since they stayed together afterward, it wasn't forced. Harbara was hurt by this as well.

"Being alone with someone who has a fiancé is unacceptable. If I were still at the school, I would have hit her. That's my only regret."

Lillian and the others were not mentioned at the school. Their enrollment was annulled, and all traces of Lillian's attendance were erased. Gerald and the others were treated as dropouts. In the noble society, dropping out of school was a stain. This closed the path for them to live as nobles. As a result, Gerald and the others were demoted to commoners, which might have been better for them. However, this was something Harbara, who was saddened by the annulment, couldn't say.

"Still, it might be better for Miss Elina now."

"Eh...?"

The topic shifted to Elina, making her tense.

"Since your engagement to the current prince, you have been smiling more."

"That... might be true."

Among the young ladies whose engagements were annulled, Elina was the only one with a new fiancé. Harbara and the others were still affected by the annulment and couldn't move on to new engagements. The early engagement had left a deep scar.

Elina's engagement had been arranged since she was young, but it wasn't like the relationship Harbara and the others had. She couldn't feel more than duty and responsibility about getting engaged and married. Even so, she was hurt and sad. Harbara and the others were even more so.

"I didn't understand him at all. If I had a relationship like Harbara and Land, the outcome might have been different... But I was disliked, and it might have broken down eventually even without her."

"Miss Elina..."

Elina didn't blame everything on Lillian. The breakdown of her relationship with Gerald was partly her fault. She had been depressed and withdrawn. However, Elina recovered faster than Harbara and the others because of a good encounter.

"The fact that I can smile more now, as you said, is thanks to Prince Alvis. He has been very considerate of me, even though I became his fiancée suddenly. He is very kind and gentle... and sometimes a bit troublesome."

"Eh? Miss Elina?"

"He doesn't realize how important he is or how precious he is. I think he is also a bit clumsy."

When Alvis was injured, all the royal guards were worried. The doctors frequently checked on him, and the attendants were often sleep-deprived even after he woke up. They tried to keep it from the public, but if it had been announced, the duke's family, including Alvis's parents and siblings, would have visited.

Elina had seen him try to move despite his injuries, and everyone around him had warned him. As the second son of a duke, his role was to replace the first son. The same was true for Elina's family, the Lithard dukes. In any noble family, if the first son had an heir, the second son's role would change.

Changing such ingrained thinking was not easy. Elina had heard from her father that Alvis had a typical second son's mindset. This was the part that needed the most education, more than imperial studies. Elina smiled, remembering her father talking about Alvis.

"I realized that I admire Alvis. We haven't spent much time together, but I want to be by his side, even with his risky tendencies. I'm sorry... I am."

"There's no need to apologize. You have been enduring for a long time. It's different, Miss Elina."

Elina felt guilty for feeling happy, but Harbara denied her thoughts.

"At the school, Miss Elina was always strong, even before that girl enrolled. You couldn't speak up against the royal family, which was frustrating."

If it were just a noble, there wouldn't be many higher-ranking noble heirs than Harbara. In the school, only Gerald and Elina's older brother were higher in rank and status.

"I always thought that a man who doesn't even greet his fiancée is not fit to be a man."

"Thank you, Harbara."

"So, if Miss Elina has a good relationship with the prince, it's good for us too. Especially if the prince is someone Miss Elina likes, it's even better!"

Harbara's eyes sparkled, and she grabbed Elina's hands. Elina was taken aback by the sudden action.

"Miss Elina, please continue to share your stories. We want to hear your love stories now, after all the ones you've heard from us."

"Um, I don't think they're very interesting."

"There are many mysteries about Prince Alvis, and I've only seen him at social events. I think everyone feels the same way. So, Miss Elina is a valuable source of information."

"Information about Prince Alvis?"

"Let's spread the word that Miss Elina and Prince Alvis are getting along well in the school. That way, the rumors about our annulled engagements will eventually disappear."

Rumors still circulated in the school, though not as much for Elina, a duchess. Nobles loved rumors, especially women. The annulment scandal was less interesting than the crown prince, Alvis.

"But it might bother Prince Alvis."

"Hehe, I see. Then let's share it just among ourselves."

"That's fine..."

"Thank you, Miss Elina... You are really adorable."

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing."

The spread of rumors was prevented, and the sad atmosphere around Harbara disappeared. Elina felt relieved.