Chapter 1

"Sylvie Wilhelms! You have acted arrogantly, wielding the authority of a duchess's daughter. Despite being the Great Saintess, you have pushed most of your work onto other saintesses, and furthermore, you have harassed Mira here. This is not befitting of a Great Saintess or a mother of the nation. Therefore, I declare the annulment of our engagement."

In the grand hall of the academy, resplendent with decorations, the Crown Prince, who had arrived escorting a different woman rather than his fiancée, the Duchess's daughter Wilhelms, announced this as soon as he saw her.

Today is the graduation party, and the Crown Prince is not supposed to be the only star... Well, the other young nobles seem excited about what is about to happen...

"As you wish, Your Highness Cedric."

With porcelain-like skin, shimmering golden hair, and deep green eyes like jewels, her face, which had shown almost no emotion during her time at the academy, now bore a refined smile.

"You are breaking the engagement, do you understand that!?"

"Hehe, no, Your Highness. To put it simply, it means 'unilaterally canceling the promise of marriage,' right? Is there anyone who doesn't understand that?"

Tilting her head, the Duchess's daughter spoke in a clearly mocking tone. No one had ever seen her like this. Sylvie Wilhelms, the Duchess's daughter, was known for being unobtrusive, not saying unnecessary things, and keeping a low profile. Of course, she had never acted arrogantly, and she had never been this bright and cheerful.

Perhaps because the Duchess's daughter showed no signs of being flustered, the Crown Prince seemed to be the one who was flustered.

"Y-Yes, it's your fault. You are admitting to everything, right?"

"Yes, I do recall acting arrogantly and harassing everyone."

The grand hall, filled with tension, was silent. Did she just say 'everyone'?

The Crown Prince, looking triumphant, received her words, but the baroness standing next to him looked visibly flustered.

"Then, I will decide to break the engagement at this moment. I have already obtained the approval of the royal family and the duchess's family. The compensation will be sought from you personally, not the duchess's family. And your punishment has already been decided."

Ah, this is supposed to be a graduation party to celebrate a new beginning, yet one lady's life is about to end. Even being born into a privileged duchess's family... life is unpredictable.

"Let's sign the engagement annulment documents first, to avoid any last-minute protests. You have them prepared, right, Your Highness?"

...It's strange, she's supposed to be cornered, yet why is she so positive?

"What! You're the one protesting!! Of course, I have them prepared. Bring the documents here."

Straightening her back, she walked gracefully like a gentle breeze, took the pen, signed, and straightened her posture again. Everyone was captivated by the lady's beautiful, elegant movements. After both signatures were complete, the Crown Prince held the document high.

"At this moment, the engagement with Sylvie Wilhelms, the Duchess's daughter, is annulled. And I, the Crown Prince, am now engaged to this beloved Mirabelle Lemoine, the Baroness. Although Mirabelle does not have the power of a saintess, she helps in the temple and is beloved by the people. She is trusted by other saintesses and is a pillar of support for my heart. Mirabelle, from today, you are my fiancée, the future queen."

The two smiled at each other. The lady, with tears in her eyes, buried her face in the Crown Prince's chest. The other young nobles cheered and applauded. It was like the beautiful ending of a story.

And Sylvie Wilhelms, the Duchess's daughter, clapped loudly with a smile.

...

As the applause gradually faded, the murmurs grew louder as she continued to clap, saying, "Oh, how wonderful."

"...Why are you clapping?"

"Don't you know the meaning of applause? I am blessing the two who love each other. I had no interest in you, Your Highness, so I am truly happy that you have found someone you truly love."

"What! ...No, forget it. It's just your last act of defiance, right? Now, I will announce your punishment. Expulsion from the duchess's family, exile from the country, and payment of compensation..."

"Ah, Your Highness? Excuse me, may I speak?"

"What! Whatever you say now won't change your punishment!"

"Exile is no problem for me. However, I wonder if you truly understand the extent of my harassment..."

"The evidence is all there, and I have a full understanding. What do you mean by 'understanding'? Don't make me laugh!"

"Hehehe. Then, Your Highness, shall we check the answers?"