Chapter 1

"I will not marry a detestable witch. The only one I love is Emeralda."

A strong voice echoed through the grand cathedral.

The crown prince of this country, Rain Mysteria, glared at me and pulled the maiden beside him closer. She was a delicate girl with fluffy mint-green hair.

Taking advantage of the fact that my face was hidden by a pure white veil, I let a small smile play on my lips.

I never imagined I would be betrayed by my fiancé right before the wedding ceremony...

It’s ridiculous, really. It seems that even if the "original story" doesn’t follow the script, this scene remains unchanged.

I knew there was no love. It was the same for both of us.

This marriage was arranged by our parents, not by us. It was decided even before we were born.

Today was the first time we met.

We had exchanged letters a few times a year, but they were all bland and formulaic. Moreover, I hadn’t received a reply for the past year, so I didn’t bother to write anymore.

Given the situation, it wasn’t surprising that Prince Rain might have someone else in mind.

But when I turned sixteen, a messenger came to me and left a letter with the royal crest. It contained the date of the wedding ceremony, the preparation funds, and the confirmation of the dress size.

Even without love, the prince was willing to marry.

I decided that I had to respond to that.

But the result is as you see.

It’s too miserable.

Called to the capital alone from a remote village, I changed and put on makeup without even greeting the royal family, and entered the grand cathedral in grand style. As soon as I met him, I was rejected by the groom himself...

Objectively, it’s a terrible situation. I think I have the right to be angry, but I wonder...

The grand cathedral fell silent.

The gathered nobles were frozen like they had been struck by lightning. It’s no wonder.

No one would have expected the prince to take such a bold action at the wedding ceremony.

"Y-Your Highness, do you understand what you are saying!"

The first to regain composure was the prime minister, who was overseeing the ceremony.

"Your marriage to Lady Sonia is a testament to the alliance between His Majesty the King and the red-cold witch, Aronia Carnelian!"

This happened twenty years ago.

The elite witches led by the beautiful witch Jebra attacked the capital of Mysteria.

Helpless against Jebra’s seasoned magical attacks, the knights serving the country fell one after another.

Jebra took the head of the previous king and seized the throne, declaring loudly,

"From now on, Mysteria will be a country of witches. No one will be allowed to harm us."

Just as the capital was taken over by the witches and it seemed that Mysteria’s history would be erased, a young witch betrayed her companions and killed Jebra.

That witch was the red-cold witch Aronia Carnelian—my mother.

Incidentally, my mother was Jebra’s last disciple, but her magical talent was said to be outstanding even among her peers. The other witches immediately submitted to her.

My mother demanded that the throne be returned to the royal family and that a peace treaty be signed between the Kingdom of Mysteria and the witches. As a symbol of friendship, it was decided that the children who would be born would be married to each other.

That’s me, Sonia Carnelian, and Prince Rain...

Indeed, I’ve heard that there are many who are negative about the prince marrying a witch as his main wife. They resist the idea of the royal bloodline being mixed with that of a witch.

However, my mother was the savior of Mysteria.

Aronia’s name is known throughout the continent as a symbol of a good witch, and she is highly popular among the people. Many mourned and grieved at her death two years ago, and even now, her grave is overflowing with red flowers.

The marriage of the prince, who will lead the next generation, and the daughter of the deceased savior should be blessed by the majority of the citizens.

Most importantly, by marrying into the royal family, many witches will become allies of the Kingdom of Mysteria. Although the relationship with neighboring countries is currently good, it’s uncertain what will happen in a few years. The people will feel reassured with me near the center of the kingdom. I saw it on the way here—many people gathered in the capital to celebrate our marriage, creating a festive atmosphere.

...This place is also becoming a kind of festival, in a way.

"Please reconsider, Your Highness! If you welcome Lady Sonia, our country’s future will be secure!"

"Who is that girl! It’s outrageous for a prince of a country to act on personal feelings!"

"This is a serious matter! If you retract your statement, do it quickly!"

The officials were in a great state of confusion, appealing to Prince Rain.

No, I don’t think it’s possible anymore.

This disgrace in front of the dignitaries of various countries... no amount of words can fix it.

Well, this prince didn’t reject me because he has a woman he likes. He’s being bold because he believes he has a justifiable reason.

The prince seems to have a charismatic presence. When he raised his hand to stop the commotion, the noisy scene instantly quieted down.

Everyone was captivated by his blue eyes.

Hmm. I have to admit, he is the most beautiful man in the kingdom. His perfect appearance makes everyone fall in love. It’s a bit regrettable that he can’t be my husband.

Hehe, but it’s fine.

I have a different goal.

Shifting my gaze slightly to my target, I saw that he was also looking at me.

His golden eyes burned with hatred.

His hand was on the hilt of his sword, and he was as tense as a taut string. If I made any strange move, he would close the distance and attack in an instant.

...Ah, how wonderful. I get goosebumps just seeing it in person.

It’s not good to stare, even through the veil. My plan might be exposed. I should listen to the prince’s words properly.

"The alliance with those who threaten the kingdom is meaningless. This marriage was all planned by the red witch."

The prime minister gasped at the prince’s words.

"W-What do you mean...? What did Aronia do..."

"Aronia was the one who, twenty years ago, incited her master Jebra to attack this capital. The betrayal of her companions and the murder of her master were all part of her plan. She played both the instigator and the extinguisher of the attack. We were deceived. This is the testimony of several of her senior disciples. It’s undeniable."

This is what they call a "double agent" in another world.

Quite a devious thing to do, Mother.

"Why would she do such a thing?"

"Obviously. To become a savior and secure her position in Mysteria. Aronia, who lived in the shadows of the world as a witch, desired status and honor. To achieve this, she even plotted to murder her master. It’s a truly terrifying woman. She also planned to take the throne and directly rule the kingdom, but her father saw through it and prevented it. ...Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?"

The current King of Mysteria, who had been observing the situation from the back, neither denied nor confirmed it. He kept his mouth tightly shut and stared at his son with sharp eyes.

...A cool and charming person. His composure in this situation, not showing any signs of anxiety or fear, suggests he has a strong character.

I feel more regret at not being able to become his stepdaughter than at not being able to marry the prince.

"But Aronia didn’t give up. She tried to gain power by arranging the marriage of the children to be born as a testament to the peace treaty. As a consequence of her betrayal, or as a punishment from heaven, Aronia herself died of illness... Sonia Carnelian. The fact that you came here today suggests that you are continuing your mother’s will."

As I tilted my head slightly, the prince’s brow furrowed. He’s quite intimidating when he’s angry.

"It’s not just about Aronia. The recent series of cruel and bizarre incidents in the kingdom... the involvement of witches has been revealed one after another. Some of the captured criminals even claimed they acted on your orders. What are you planning..."

I met Emeralda during the investigation of those bizarre incidents and fell in love with her, right?

Good for you. Congratulations.

I was thinking about it so casually.

Beside Prince Rain, Lady Emeralda was watching the scene with bated breath. Her eyes were filled with certainty.

"Absolutely, Lord Rain and I are right. The one in front of us is a bad witch."

What a hateful girl. Does she think she’s the heroine of the story?

Sorry, but in this world, there is no predetermined protagonist.

"Answer me, greedy witch! What is your purpose for being here!"

Finally, I’ve been called out.

Then I have to answer. The audience seems to be expecting it.

But I won’t follow the script.

Today, I will completely change my fate.

"...I came here to marry under the alliance between the King of Mysteria and my mother Aronia. I have nothing to do with the crimes you mentioned."

I was satisfied with the cool voice that came out as I had planned.