Chapter 11

In the end, as expected, Mary and Patrick were engaged.

The news spread rapidly among the nobility, and the day after the two-day holiday, the Karelia Academy, which had just reopened, was abuzz with the topic.

As a result, Mary was congratulated and exposed to a sea of jealousy from morning, and by lunchtime, she had started to resent her father as the root of all evil. To the point where she even felt like praising the game’s Mary for boasting so arrogantly in such a situation.

It was that bad. She was constantly being approached from morning.

Considering the scale of both families, it was natural to be congratulated, and it made sense for people to try to curry favor, hoping that they might receive a good match involving both families.

But even knowing this, she was still exasperated.

Especially for Mary, who was known as an oddball for her un-ladylike behavior and kept her distance from others, this situation was unbearable.

Still, she managed to maintain her composure and finally welcomed the end of the school day.

Mary, who had received what might have been the hundredth or even the thousandth congratulatory message, was informed of a summons from Patrick.

"Lord Patrick wants to see me?"

"Yes, he says he wants to talk to you about something."

"Thank you for letting me know."

"No, it’s my pleasure. Congratulations on your engagement."

The girl bowed and left.

Mary sighed lightly as she watched her go, and when the crowd finally thinned, she got up.

Since it was after school, there were few people in the school, but Mary still received congratulatory messages as she walked down the hallway.

Of course, Addy was by Mary’s side. Although a servant should walk behind their master,

"Try being followed around by a man who’s a head or two taller than you. It’s nerve-wracking,"

Mary’s comment had led to Addy walking beside her as a matter of course.

"Well, how will he react?"

Mary’s muttered words made Addy look at her with a puzzled expression.

"React? So, it’s about that, then?"

"Considering the timing, it’s inevitable. The game’s Mary was rejected quite harshly, but let’s see how it goes for me."

Mary’s chuckle seemed almost cheerful, and Addy sighed in exasperation.

Patrick in "Dora Gaku" deeply despised the lady Mary.

Selfish, arrogant, and prone to tantrums when things didn’t go her way, she would immediately use her parents’ names to get her way. Patrick, who had high pride but put in the effort to match it, couldn’t possibly like such a "disagreeable lady."

Still, due to the relationship between their families, Patrick had always prioritized Mary, but being forced into an engagement, he finally decided to confront her.

Until then, he had obediently followed his parents and the family, but after meeting Alicia, he found what he truly valued and the person he should become.

Perhaps as a reaction to this, or perhaps due to pent-up frustration, Patrick’s attitude when breaking the engagement was particularly harsh. His furious outburst at the protagonist, who was cowering in fear, was so intense that even players held their breath.

—Because it wasn’t depicted in the game, the imagination ran wild, and at one point, it became a topic of discussion: "What could he have said to make her so angry?"—

He repeatedly accused the protagonist, saying, "It’s your fault!" and "You commoner!" Even when Patrick, who had followed, scolded her, Mary’s description of glaring at him was vivid and chilling.

So harshly was the villainous lady Mary rejected by Patrick.

And now, Mary was heading to her destination to receive that rejection.

"But, being rejected by a man I don’t even like is a strange situation, isn’t it?"

"Miss, you seem quite calm."

"Well, I have a pretty good idea of what he’ll say."

Mary’s wry smile made Addy narrow his eyes slightly... and then he suddenly stopped.

Mary, who was pulled to a stop, looked up at him and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Maybe Alicia will step back."

Mary tilted her head at Addy’s words.

Stepping back meant that Alicia would give up on Patrick, right?

But even when she heard this, a reason immediately came to mind, and Mary shook her head as if to say, "No way." The two were clearly in love, and besides, she had no intention of getting in their way.

"No way. Even without the game, the two are in love. There’s no reason for Alicia to step back."

"They are of different social standings."

"That doesn’t matter to Patrick."

Mary, who knew Patrick well, couldn’t imagine him giving up on something—especially someone he loved—no matter the social difference.

He appeared cool but had a heart that was hotter than anyone else’s. Once he wanted something, he would do anything and put in any effort to get it. Social status and class didn’t matter to him. If necessary, he would overturn everything. Patrick had the talent and ability to do so.

Even as she explained this, Addy’s expression remained tense as he muttered, "But..."

"I think Alicia will step back."

"Patrick himself wants it, and there’s no problem with that."

"But!"

Addy’s sudden outburst made Mary’s eyes widen in surprise.

"Even if she loves him deeply, she can’t bear to bring him down to her level. She would rather step back and let him be with someone who matches him in every way—someone who can be truly happy and receive everyone’s blessings."

Addy’s voice trailed off as if he had just realized what he was saying.

And in the end, the words he spoke,

"I want him to be truly happy."

were whispered so softly that they seemed like a soliloquy, fading away in his mouth.

"Addy, what’s wrong..."

"No, um... a friend of mine... a friend of mine is in love with someone of a different social standing. So..."

Addy, stammering, tried to explain, and Mary looked up at him curiously.

It was unlike Addy, who usually spoke firmly and even unnecessarily to his master. His gaze wandered, and finally,

"I’ll go buy some drinks."

he turned and walked back the way they had come.

Mary, left behind, watched Addy’s shrinking back in a daze. When she finally came to, she pressed her hand to her chest, still not fully composed.

"I, I was surprised..."

That was all she could manage to say.