Chapter 1

"Break off our engagement, right here and now!"

In the grand hall of the academy, adorned with glittering chandeliers, the graduation ceremony had concluded. On the night of the ceremony, a graduation memorial party was held, gathering graduates, current students, their parents, and academy officials. The main focus should have been the graduates, who were to be celebrated.

However, at this moment, all eyes were on the second prince standing proudly on the stage. Surrounding him were four people: the prime minister's second son, the third son of the knight commander, the eldest son of the chief justice, and a charming underclassman with caramel-colored, loose curls, who was clinging to the prince's chest.

The princes, all of whom were graduates, were indeed the main stars, but the underclassman with loose curls was not a graduate and thus should not have been the main focus.

Then, a young lady stepped forward, pointing at the prince.

"Your Highness, what did you just say?"

Turning to face the prince, the young lady, his fiancée and the eldest daughter of a marquis, performed an elegant curtsy. She was known for her exceptional intellect, education, manners, and magical talent, always composed and never showing any cracks, making her the envy of the underclassmen and a model of ladylike behavior.

But now, she was being singled out by the prince, thrust into an unwanted spotlight, and exposed to the curious gazes of the crowd.

"Pretending not to hear is unseemly. I said I am breaking off our engagement!"

The prince raised his voice even more arrogantly, and whispers spread through the crowd like ripples.

"May I ask for the reason, just to be sure?"

The marquis's daughter, who appeared unperturbed, had a slight tremor in her hand holding the fan, but no one noticed.

"You! Haven't you been bullying her for a long time! We have evidence and witnesses!"

"But, I have never done such a thing—"

"Are you still trying to act innocent!"

"I cannot admit to something I did not do."

The prince, accusing, and the fiancée, denying, their claims were diametrically opposed and clashed head-on. However, rumors of her bullying the underclassman had already spread throughout the academy, and the prince's public accusation was making it seem like a fait accompli.

"Haven't you been jealous of her gaining my favor, damaging my belongings, tearing up her textbooks, and hindering her studies! Not only that, but you and your followers have surrounded her, insulted her, assaulted her, spread malicious rumors, and even tried to push her down the stairs!"

"But I have done none of those things."

"Stop lying!"

"That's right! I was so scared!"

"………Can you show me the evidence?"

In response to the marquis's daughter's slightly trembling voice, the prime minister's second son brought out torn textbooks, burned notebook fragments, and ripped uniforms, displaying them for all to see. The sight of these damaged items caused gasps from the crowd.

"………How do you intend to prove that I did this?"

"There are several witnesses! Isn't that right, everyone!"

The prince scanned the crowd, and a few students, all underclassmen and friends of the girl with loose curls, hesitantly stepped forward. They all looked uneasy, perhaps uncomfortable with the attention from the prince and the children of high-ranking nobles.

"………I—"

"Wouldn't it be better to admit it!"

"I was going to forgive her if she apologized, but it's sad that she won't admit it!"

"Oh, you are kind. But there's no need to forgive a woman who bullies someone like you."

The prince, who had been looking at the girl with loose curls with a sad expression, suddenly smiled warmly as she clung to him, her ample chest pressing softly against him, making his eyes droop even more.

"I expected you to deny it, but to be this stubborn—"

The prime minister's second son said with genuine disdain.

"Hah, what a 'model of ladylike behavior.' You are a shallow, despicable woman."

The knight commander's third son spat out, almost literally spitting if they weren't in the grand hall.

"Exactly. Leading a group to surround and harass one person is not befitting a princess who will stand above the people………hmm?"

The chief justice's eldest son, about to join in, suddenly paused, looking puzzled and tilting his head.

"What's wrong?"

The prince turned to look at him, his eyes saying, "Hurry up and condemn her."

"No, I just noticed something."

But with those words, everything in the room was turned upside down.

"Surrounding and harassing one person— isn't that exactly what's happening right now?"