Chapter 1

I'm glad if you enjoy it.

Royal Lapis Lazuli Academy.

This is a place of learning for royal family members, nobles, and a select few commoners with magical abilities, aged 12 to 16.

Here, they study academics and social skills, and after graduation, they spend a year as apprentices in their chosen fields. Some become knights, others become maids, learning from their seniors to become fully competent. Young ladies who are betrothed spend a year at their future husband's house, undergoing bridal training.

—It was during an afternoon class when one of the students, a young girl, stood up from her chair with a loud noise.

Her name is Tiara Rose Lapis Clementine, the daughter of a marquis in this country and the fiancée of the crown prince.

The other students turned their attention to her, wondering what was wrong, but Tiara remained silent, breathing heavily and contorting her face in pain.

"What's wrong, Tiara?"

"..."

Hartnights, who is in the same class and is Tiara's fiancé, was the first to stand up and approach Tiara. Following him was a young lady who is close friends with her, looking worried.

However, Hartnights' call was in vain, and Tiara swayed on the spot.

Her honey-pink, fluffy hair danced, and her beautiful eyes were tightly closed. A scream immediately rose, but it was unclear which young lady it came from.

"No... I'm the villain..."

Leaving those words that no one could understand, Tiara lost consciousness...

◇ ◇ ◇

"Yay, new stills! Now Hartnights' route is completely cleared!!"

A scene of a young girl playing a dating simulation game came to Tiara's mind, her voice filled with excitement.

And the stage of that game was here, in the Kingdom of Lapis Lazuli.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Huh?" But her question was quickly answered, as a large amount of information flooded her mind.

—This is the information from my past life.

I have been reincarnated into the world of the popular dating simulation game, *The Ring of Lapis Lazuli*.

A fantasy dating simulation game reminiscent of the medieval era, with magic.

The target characters to pursue are the prince, step-brother, knight, magician, and the school's healer.

Tiara instantly understood this, and she also quickly grasped her own position.

She is the villainous young lady in this game, the one who hinders the heroine.

The heroine of this dating simulation game is the adopted daughter of a border baron. Possessing powerful magic, she became the adopted daughter of a noble family from a commoner background and transferred to this school in the capital.

The heroine transferred two years ago. Tiara, who remembered her past life, also clearly remembered her current life as Tiara.

Calculating the date, she realized that it was already too late.

Because today was the day before the graduation party, the final event of the game. At tomorrow's party, Tiara would be presented with a broken engagement by her fiancé, Hartnights.

Hartnights Lapis Lazuli Lactmoot.

The main target character of this dating simulation game and the first prince of the Kingdom of Lapis Lazuli.

Until he was paired with the heroine, he was the fiancé of the villainous young lady, Tiara.

"......Worst case"

Slowly opening her eyes, Tiara's voice, muttered softly, was supposed to disappear into the air. But there was a response to her voice.

"Are you awake? ...You can still rest. I'm arranging a carriage now."

"Huh? ...Prince Hartnights? I, um..."

"Seeing you faint like this is a first. ...Did you feel jealous because I was paying attention to Akari?"

"......"

Tiara swallowed the urge to respond to Hartnights' words. Although his words were rude, he was the crown prince of the country.

She was worried about what actions he would take, having been thoroughly pursued by the heroine. If she said something that offended him, he might accuse her of disrespect.

"...No. I'm not feeling well, and I've caused you trouble."

"After all, I am Tiara's fiancé..."

—After all.

Hearing those words, Tiara lowered her head. It couldn't be helped. After all, the current Hartnights was infatuated with the heroine, Akari.

—It's a name that sounds Japanese.

In *The Ring of Lapis Lazuli*, the player inputs the name. Therefore, the heroine doesn't have an official name. Since it's a game targeted at Japanese players, Tiara decided it must be a Japanese name.

"...Tomorrow is the graduation party, but I have some business to attend to. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to escort you to the entrance."

Hartnights, without showing any remorse, informed Tiara, who was still lying in bed.

With his golden hair and blue eyes, his appearance was praised by all, but now he showed a cold gaze. Seeing that Tiara didn't respond, Hartnights said nothing.

"......I understand. I will go to the venue alone."

After a moment of silence, Tiara spoke.

How humiliating it would be to attend a party without being escorted by her fiancé.

...But she knew. At the party where she would enter alone, Hartnights and the heroine would be waiting to start her condemnation event.

She had played the game many times and knew exactly how it would unfold.

The play route was the first prince of the Kingdom of Lapis Lazuli, Crown Prince Hartnights.

He was the most popular character, endlessly... adoring the heroine. With a gentle smile, he would whisper sweet words, and after the ending, they would have a grand wedding in the cathedral, which only the royal family could use.

Before meeting the heroine, Tiara was in the position of his fiancée. However, Tiara, determined not to let Hartnights go, would harshly rebuke the heroine.

Her condemnation would take place at tomorrow's graduation party.

—But, how exactly does she plan to condemn me?

Perhaps because Tiara's soul was reincarnated, she didn't seem to have done as terrible things as she remembered from the game.

Indeed, at the ball, she had warned the heroine, "It's not appropriate to dance twice with a man who isn't your fiancé."

When the heroine touched a man who had a fiancée, Tiara had told her, "That man has a fiancée."

Her tone might have been harsh, but it was common sense, and the young lady who was the fiancée of the man had looked worried.

As the daughter of a marquis who had been granted the title "Lapis," what was wrong with Tiara, a marquis' daughter, warning a baron's daughter?

Of course, if the positions were reversed, it would be a different story.

Moreover, Tiara's family had been granted the title "Lapis." There were only a few people in the country who could defy them.

The title "Lapis." Families that had made great contributions to the royal family were honored with the addition of "Lapis" from the Kingdom of Lapis Lazuli to their family name.

This was a great honor, not easily obtained. Therefore, the nobles who had been granted "Lapis" held the second most power after the royal family.

Following them were the dukes, marquises, counts, viscounts, and barons.

"You're surprisingly compliant."

Hartnights, surprised, looked at Tiara with wide eyes.

Tiara had always acted properly as a fiancée. She admitted that she had been harsh at times, but she had also been educated from a young age to become a queen.

She should not be looked down upon by those of lower status. Moreover, Hartnights, as the crown prince, should not act rashly.

Tiara had to excel in social skills and carefully monitor Hartnights' actions. Otherwise, he might go out incognito to the city, claiming it was for "social studies."

In the game, Tiara was portrayed as the villainous young lady. However, her harsh words were filled with love for Hartnights, the crown prince.

She only realized this after being reincarnated as Tiara herself.

—But, it doesn't seem like Hartnights understands that...

"I can't be selfish and cause trouble for Prince Hartnights."

"Usually, you would say it's improper not to bring a fiancé, right?"

"......"

—Why is he stating the obvious? This prince.

Even though he knows, he's still telling her to enter alone. It's unbelievable. Tiara was exasperated by Hartnights' behavior.

In the past, she would have certainly warned him. As a fiancé and as a crown prince, he should not act shamefully.

But now, it's different. Tiara, who had recovered her past life's memories, had already given up.

The ending tomorrow was a foregone conclusion. And from Hartnights' attitude, it was clear he didn't consider Tiara important.

Her voice wouldn't reach him now.

"Well, that's fine. It's better if you understand."

"Yes."

"Then I'll leave. I have an appointment I can't miss."

"Thank you for your concern about my fainting."

A servant opened the infirmary door, and Hartnights left, leaving Tiara alone in the room.

"...You even dismissed the servants. Of course, you couldn't say anything nasty to me otherwise."

In the quiet room, Tiara's voice echoed clearly. She sighed and pondered what to do next.

Should she skip the graduation party tomorrow? The thought crossed her mind but was quickly dismissed. It would be inappropriate for the daughter of a marquis who had been granted "Lapis" to be absent.

She didn't want to cause trouble for her parents.

"What happens to the condemned villainous young lady? ...Ah, right, she was exiled!"

In the game, there were no detailed descriptions of what happened to Tiara after her condemnation. But she remembered a line in the ending credits that mentioned her being exiled.

At least she wasn't executed. She felt relieved and thought that living abroad might be enjoyable.

Even as a marquis' daughter, being dumped by the crown prince would make it difficult to find a happy marriage. There would be many men flocking to her for her title and power, but she would refuse them all.

"Fall in love and live as a commoner abroad... Yes, that might be a happy life."

The words Tiara muttered were much softer than the stiff tone she had used with Hartnights.

—Besides, if I married a prince like him... I would definitely suffer in the future.

Tiara sighed again.

"I wonder what will happen tomorrow..."

She had her doubts, but she knew how it would unfold.

She decided to quietly accept the broken engagement and leave the party quietly. With this resolve, Tiara waited for the carriage to take her home.