Chapter 7

9:00 AM.

I finally descended upon the battlefield known as the academy.

Dressed in a tight white blazer and a long skirt, I looked like a nun from some convent, but the light blue hair really stood out, so I guess it was fine.

Shido stood guard beside me, and when the young ladies saw him, they let out a chorus of "Kyaa!"

How could he be more eye-catching than me, the villainous lady!?

I glared at Shido, and he responded with a completely outward smile.

"What's the matter?"

"Ugh...!"

So cool!

But I can't be thinking about that right now.

Not wanting my blushing cheeks to be seen, I quickly averted my eyes from him.

"I should have come on the magic scooter instead of the carriage."

"No, miss. That would be dangerous in the city."

It's no wonder Shido stopped me.

The magic scooter I had built based on a moped concept floats and moves at 50 kilometers per hour.

It has terrible fuel efficiency, so only Shido and my brother can drive it, but with that, we could have come to school together on it.

I could have parked it at the back entrance and sneaked in quietly.

But because I arrived in a carriage from the front, Shido ended up being seen by so many students.

Although I feel a bit gloomy this morning, I am the daughter of the Marcus Duke family.

I must behave as a model lady in the academy.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

Amidst the attention, I straightened my back and walked confidently.

When I entered the classroom, I immediately saw my fiancé surrounded by young ladies.

I want to ignore him, but I have to at least greet him.

"Miss, good luck."

"Yes. I'm going in."

Shido didn't enter the classroom. After seeing me to the door, he left immediately to wait in my private room on campus.

I tried hard to suppress a sigh as I quietly approached Prince Baroque.

Ah, he's been pretending not to notice me this whole time, and it's so annoying!

I had a fleeting thought of headbutting him, but if I did that, I'd probably end up in jail for disrespect.

Reluctantly, I called out to Prince Baroque.

"Your Highness, it's been a while."

"Ah, you look the same as always."

The prince, wearing a pristine white blazer with golden trim, looked as handsome as ever. His red hair fluttered in the wind, and he certainly looked the part of a royal.

When he saw me, he greeted me with a clear sense of "I'm only talking to you because we're engaged."

"You look well... It's an honor to see you every day at the academy from now on."

The smooth social pleasantries that flowed from my mouth are a result of my upbringing as a duke's daughter.

"Hmm, I suppose so. Occasionally, we could have lunch together."

"Really?"

No, absolutely not. The prince, who took my social pleasantries seriously, suggested having lunch together, which was unusual.

If you only heard the words, he might sound like a kind prince who talks to his fiancée, but he had two young ladies with brown and blonde hair flanking him, and he was even hugging their shoulders.

He's not in the right mindset to talk to his fiancée!?

Those girls also showed no intention of leaving the prince, even though I'm his fiancée. If they keep this up, they'll just end up being discarded after losing their purity, and they really are quite pitiful.

To think that such a prince would be the next king is a sure sign of the country's downfall. No matter how large this country is compared to its neighbors, having a foolish king would be too dark a future.

Besides, as a character in a romance novel, he should have better taste in women. He's only charming on the surface.

"That uniform suits you quite well."

"Thank you for the compliment."

The way he looked me up and down made me feel uncomfortable.

I need to get away quickly. I really do.

"Excuse me."

I turned around, feeling that I couldn't stand to be around this lecherous prince for another second.

The prince, who had expected me to fawn over him, shot me a piercing glare, but I didn't care.

In the romance novel, he was supposed to be a prince with a bit of a reputation for womanizing, but this is way beyond that! What happened to the story where he reforms after meeting the heroine?

No way, I don't want to marry someone like that.

I need to find the heroine and use my family's influence to get her enrolled in the academy.

I won't become the villainous lady. I will live a peaceful school life as a well-behaved duke's daughter.

It's still possible.

It's not too late.

But a few days later, my plans crumbled in an instant.