Chapter 2

……I can't keep up with this farce any longer.

After all, this is just a place for Lord Ed and his merry companions to vent their frustrations.

And a place to justify her as a victim.

Once I find myself in this situation, I can no longer avoid being confined to my home.

……There's nothing more I can do here.

The rest is whether or not I can avoid being confined to the church, but that depends on negotiations with my father.

To reiterate, there's nothing more I can do here.

"……I don't think I'll be seeing any of you again. So, I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye. Thank you all for everything. I am deeply grateful for the time we spent together as fellow students in this academy and for all the kindness you have shown me. Good day."

I probably won't be entering society again, and I won't be returning to this academy.

"iris, wait……!"

I was just about to leave on a good note, but Lord Ed stopped me. He really can't read the room……Why did I ever like a guy like this?

"Before you go, apologize to Yurii."

Really, why did I ever think I liked a guy like this for even a moment?

Oh, I thought I misheard and couldn't help but pause awkwardly.

As a duke's daughter, am I supposed to apologize to a baron's daughter in front of everyone? I want to challenge her loudly.

……This isn't just about my pride.

Just a daughter, yet a daughter.

My actions have a significant impact on the Duke's family and, by extension, the noble society.

In other words, if I apologize, it means the House of Armeria, the Duke's family, is bowing to a baron's family.

It's unprecedented for the leading Duke's family to bow to a baron's family, and it would leave no standing ground for Marquises and Earls, not just me.

It could even lead to the rise of new nobles and the collapse of the noble power balance.

Oh, have I really become so love-struck?

Moreover, are you, my ex-fiancé, the one to say this?

Put your hand on your heart and think carefully!

……This sentiment isn't just mine; it seems the other students, who were just spectators, also felt it. The atmosphere, which was tense like a bed of needles, has softened, and I can feel a sense of sympathy directed at me.

……I might not want to miss this opportunity.

"……I will not apologize. I acted according to my own principles. Even if it leads to my downfall, I will not bend."

I hint at the resolve behind my actions.

"……Lady Yurii. What more do you intend to take from me? My fiancé, my status……"

Here, I let a tear fall. I feel like a tragic heroine.

Oh, the tide of the situation is turning in my favor.

I was completely the villain just a moment ago, but now it seems I've left an impression that there's room for leniency.

"But, what makes me who I am is mine alone. My pride is one of them. Apologizing means trampling on myself. So, I will not apologize, and I will not let you take anything more from me."

I verbalized my anger from before I regained my memory……Oh, I feel so much better.

With such a clear mind, I left the room.

Lord Ed still looks dissatisfied, and the heroine in the center of the storm looks bewildered.

Once I left the scene, I went outside the academy.

……It was a risky move to trust my well-prepared brother, but as expected, he had already sent a messenger home, and a carriage was waiting for me.

I got into the luxurious carriage with the House of Armeria's crest, alone.

……My belongings will probably be collected and returned home or disposed of later.

I looked out the carriage window at the school building I had just left.

……So, this is goodbye to the academy.

I won't be coming back here.

Whether I am stripped of my status and confined, or even if I win a different outcome, my father will ensure I am removed from the academy.

I sighed.

The farce is over.

Up until now, I have followed the story.

There is no script for what comes next.

And most importantly, the next step is the final showdown with my father. I'm more nervous now than I was before.

As my mood grew heavier, the carriage slowly made its way to the Armeria family's residence in the capital.