Chapter 3

Olrene trembled and knelt on the spot.

She placed her hands on the floor, and then—

“What are you doing there!?”

This voice echoed in the room, and Olrene, looking very different from a moment ago, turned her head towards the source of the voice with a delighted expression.

“Prince Louis…!”

Olrene called out his name in a high, fawning voice.

With his wavy golden hair and slender, well-built figure, he was the kind of man everyone thought was handsome.

He was the First Prince and the First Heir to the throne, Prince Louis.

Ah, it was such a good moment.

Well, it’s fine, I’ve vented my frustration quite a bit, and there will still be a chance to get back at them.

But now…

“Oh, Prince Louis, good evening.”

I greeted Prince Louis with a smile as if nothing had happened.

“Is it you again, Asaria? I thought you’d finally shown your face, but you’re causing trouble again.”

Prince Louis didn’t even return my greeting, just looked at me with disdain.

He then stood next to the kneeling Olrene, took her hand, and helped her up.

“Are you alright, Olrene?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Prince Louis…”

They looked into each other’s eyes, ignoring me.

I’ve seen this scene many times before the regression; I’m so tired of it.

“Prince Louis, I haven’t caused any trouble.”

“Then what was all that commotion just now? Why was Olrene kneeling in front of you?”

“Lady Olrene was rude to the Duke’s family, so she knelt to apologize. I didn’t force her. Isn’t that right, Lady Olrene?”

“...Yes, that’s right.”

Lady Olrene nodded, her face slightly pale.

“Why did something happen that made Olrene apologize to Asaria?”

“It’s partly due to Prince Louis’s foolishness.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because Prince Louis, despite having me as his fiancée, invited Lady Olrene to this party privately.”

Prince Louis glared at me.

He does have a good face, though.

But now, even looking at this face is starting to irritate me a bit.

“Poor Lady Olrene. If she hadn’t been invited by the Prince, she wouldn’t have insulted the Duke’s family.”

“Did you make Olrene do that just because of something like that?”

“I said I would forgive the insult with an apology. Isn’t that generous?”

“You’re being too presumptuous, Asaria.”

“I’m just being firm as a member of the Duke’s family.”

I kept smiling, not backing down from Prince Louis.

The one who’s wrong is him, so I’m just saying what’s right.

“And Prince Louis, shouldn’t you let go of Lady Olrene now? It’s very improper for a man with a fiancée to touch other women.”

In the middle of the party, with so many people watching, it’s surprising that he can still be so close to Olrene despite having a fiancée.

“Lady Olrene, shouldn’t you step back? This is the Duke of Spencer, my fiancé.”

I said this to Lady Olrene with a smile, and she flinched and tried to step back.

But Prince Louis put his arm around her waist and held her close.

“Olrene, don’t listen to that woman’s nonsense. I’m with you.”

“Prince Louis…!”

Oh dear, they’re looking into each other’s eyes again.

To them, I’m just a side character, a tool to deepen their love.

Indeed, before I died and before the regression, I always played this role.

But I won’t be a side character anymore.

“Prince Louis, you’re choosing Lady Olrene even though you have me as your fiancée?”

“You’re causing too much trouble. Even as a Duke’s daughter, you’re going too far.”

“Hmm, is that so? Then let’s formally break the engagement later.”

“What…?”

Prince Louis was surprised, not expecting me to bring up the topic.

Since he dislikes me, the idea of breaking the engagement has already been discussed.

He might think it’s a good thing because he wants to break the engagement.

But…

“If we break the engagement, you won’t be able to call me Prince Louis anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? Because I, from the Spencer family, one of the Four Great Dukes, am engaged to you, you became the First Heir to the throne, Prince Louis.”

“No, that’s ridiculous…!”

“It’s not a lie. If we break the engagement, you won’t be the Prince anymore.”

This is all true.

Among the Four Great Dukes, only I can be engaged, and the other Duke’s daughters are already engaged to other men.

So, if we break the engagement and he tries to engage with another Duke’s daughter, it won’t be possible.

Before the regression, why was it okay for Prince Louis to break the engagement with me?

It was because I, though I didn’t really like him, repeatedly acted in a pitiful way to avoid being dumped.

This behavior spread among the royal family and other nobles, and my reputation declined.

So, the royal family accepted the idea of breaking the engagement, and even if he broke it with a Duke’s daughter, he remained the First Heir.

Furthermore, when he engaged with Lady Olrene, who was one of the few known Holy Maidens, there were no issues.

But now, I haven’t caused any major problems, and Olrene hasn’t done anything as a Holy Maiden.

If we break the engagement now, Prince Louis will no longer be the First Heir.

“I don’t mind either way, Prince Louis. If you choose Lady Olrene… hmm, what will you do?”

“Grr….”

“L, Louis….”

Prince Louis is the First Prince, but the Second and Third Princes are very capable.

Without the Duke’s support, Prince Louis can’t remain the First Heir.

He’s struggling, his face twisted in indecision.

Olrene looks up at him anxiously, but…

“I’m sorry, Olrene….”

“Ah….”

Prince Louis let go of her and stepped back.

Ha, of course, the feelings he has for Olrene are just that.

Olrene, looking sad, glares at me.

“Lady Asaria, is it proper for a Duke’s daughter to threaten Prince Louis with the power of the Duke’s family? I wouldn’t use power to threaten or restrict men like that.”

Oh, you’re still defiant, aren’t you?

Are you trying to say you’re a better and kinder woman than me?

But it’s laughable.

“Lady Olrene, you’re mistaken. It’s not that you ‘wouldn’t,’ it’s that you ‘can’t.’ You have no power.”

“...Even if I had power, I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

...Huh?

What is she saying?

Two years later, Olrene, who became Prince Louis’s fiancée, used her power to have me executed.

Of course, it’s not related to the current Lady Olrene, but from my perspective, it’s hypocritical.

“Hmm, don’t worry, Lady Olrene. You’ll never have that kind of power, so you don’t need to think about it.”

“...”

That’s right, you’ll never have it.

Because I won’t allow it.

“So, Lady Olrene, how long do you plan to stay here?”

“Huh?”

“Prince Louis, as my fiancé, did you invite Lady Olrene to this party?”

I asked with a smile, and Prince Louis looked down.

“See, Lady Olrene, no one invited you, the Baron’s daughter, to this party.”

“S, such a thing…!”

“You should leave this way. Be careful.”

Lady Olrene glared at me the whole time as she left the party.