Chapter 3

My house is located not far from the royal castle. If I take a carriage, it will take less than ten minutes to reach the mansion, and it’s only a few minutes from the gate to the entrance hall.

-- From here on, it’s a race against time!

I rushed into my room and started stuffing money and sellable jewels into a bag. I then discarded the dress that was a bit difficult to take off by myself and slipped into the plainest dress I had. It was the plainest among my clothes, but it was still quite elegant...

"Leaving the clothes for tomorrow, what else do I need..."

Muttering to myself, I looked around the room, which was primarily pearl white, with sepia and old rose tones. The room, with its calm color scheme, featured a luxurious canopy bed, a medieval European-style table, and a sofa, making it a bit of a pleasure just to look at. However, since this game is set in a fantasy world, it’s not exactly the same.

"Ah, I don’t have time for this!"

It might be reassuring to have a few healing potions, I thought, when the door to my room suddenly opened, and my parents rushed in.

"Charlotte, is something wrong?"

"Aren’t you with Prince Ignatius tonight?"

Seeing their daughter, who was in a plain dress and hurriedly packing, they blinked in surprise. They thought I was at a ball with Prince Ignatius, so it was natural for them to be shocked, especially since I was usually escorted home. They probably thought I was with Emilia right now.

My father, Theodor Cocorara, and my mother, Angela Cocorara, are both key figures who have dedicated themselves to the country and are people I respect. That’s why they decided on my engagement to Prince Ignatius for the sake of the country. My father has hair similar to mine, a milky white blonde, but as the head of the knights, he is muscular—no, robust. He is also 180 centimeters tall, making him quite large.

My mother, on the other hand, is a former belle of the social scene, known for her deep rose-red hair, which is like a gem, and her excellent figure, which could captivate not only men but also women.

For a moment, I thought about what to do, but the events of the ball would soon reach their ears.

"I’ve been told to break off the engagement and leave the country by Prince Ignatius, so I’m going out."

-- I told them honestly.

There was no point in hiding the truth, and I hadn’t bullied the heroine, Emilia, so it was better not to complicate things with other stories.

My father was the first to react to my words.

"Really...? That prince said such a thing to my dear Charlotte?"

My father, clearly angry, cracked his knuckles. From the outside, he looked quite terrifying.

"Well, what an undisciplined child."

My mother sighed softly and shrugged. She didn’t seem as surprised as my father, so she might have predicted this to some extent. My mother always seems to have a lot of information...

"We can’t just sit here! Matthew, prepare the horses immediately! Right now!!"

"Ah, Father...!"

Ignoring my calls, my father called for the butler and stormed out of the room with incredible speed. It was like a bear charging, and there was no stopping him. My mother followed, saying, "What a man," and probably headed to the king at the royal castle.

"......"

After some thought, there was nothing I could do.

There was no way I could catch up to my father on horseback. Moreover, how many knights could keep up with the head of the knights when he was serious? ...I doubt I would need all ten fingers to count them.

"I’m leaving the house too."

After all, I’ve been exiled.

-- However, just because I’ve been told to leave the country doesn’t mean I have to. My parents have stormed the royal castle, and it’s clear that Prince Ignatius is in the wrong.

Probably, setting aside the game’s scenario, a reconciliation is possible. But I don’t want to make up.

Because I can’t follow this prince anymore.

So, I decided to leave the country as the scenario dictates.

The heroine game’s happy ending credits are probably already rolling.

"But... after the ending, there’s no such thing as a scenario."

In other words, I can do whatever I want.

What I want to do now is adventure. And to see and enjoy the scenery of this world. I want to feel this world, which VR couldn’t fully reproduce, with every inch of my skin.