Volume 1 Chapter 5 Elizabeth - Engagement Cancellation And The Crimson Savior
The moment she was told about the engagement cancellation, her mind went blank. She had always thought she was devoted to His Highness.
There were things she could have done better, but she had worked hard in various studies to become a suitable queen and had taken strict etiquette lessons to be a fitting partner.
It felt like everything she had done for him was being denied, and at that moment, she truly felt like she was breaking apart.
Her knees felt like they would give way.
Anger surged within her.
Shame washed over her for being exposed.
But she managed to stay calm, thanks to a guy. Inside the carriage heading abroad, she suddenly remembered the red-haired man. She recalled how he had dramatically spat out his cocktail when the engagement was announced.
That unexpected interruption had helped her regain herself. At least, that's what she believed.
So, instead of causing a scene, she was able to quietly observe the situation with composure.
A carefully planned scheme to trap her.
A trap laid out knowing her every move.
She had sensed it vaguely, but it must have been set up long ago. She didn't understand why Miss Evans, known as the Saint, would go to such lengths. Perhaps it was to weaken her family, the Braubelg family, which had grown too powerful in the royal family's eyes.
She didn't know. It should have been a beneficial engagement for the royal family by tying them to her strong household.
The only thing she understood as she calmed down was that resisting would not improve her situation. Just like before... yes, it was the same as when Miss Evans first ensnared her.
That day on the staircase landing, she had approached her suddenly. When Miss Evans tried to touch the precious brooch her mother had given her without permission, she had firmly told her, "Step back." That's when Miss Evans lost her balance and fell down the stairs.
Fortunately, she wasn't hurt badly, and since she could use healing magic, everything turned out fine. But somehow, it was claimed that she had pushed her. Despite her desperate explanations, it was decided that she was the one who hadn't reflected on her actions.
From then on, she was accused of bullying Miss Evans and breaking her things. No matter how much she protested, she couldn't overturn the testimonies of witnesses who seemed prepared to back Miss Evans.
And in the end, it always ended with Miss Evans saying, "I was at fault too," which calmed the situation. She had even heard that some people started calling her the "Villainess" behind her back.
...Villainess.
Ah. What an ironic term. If there was a story where Miss Evans was the protagonist, she might indeed be the villain.
So, if she had resisted at that moment, she would have been insulted for not reflecting on her actions, and the drama of Evans would have begun. That would have played right into their hands. If that were the case, she would be used as a weapon to weaken her own family.
So... to avoid causing trouble for her father and mother, she accepted all the blame and chose to be exiled alone.
As a daughter born into a noble family, she was prepared to be treated as a political tool. However, the ones who could pull that trigger were not His Majesty, nor His Highness, or even Miss Evans. Only her father and mother had that right.
If she was to be used as a tool by His Highness, or if she was to be used as a weapon to weaken her family, she would willingly choose death.
...No, that wasn't true. She was just tired.
She had worked hard, sacrificing herself for His Highness and the country, but it felt like none of that was understood.
She hadn't lived up to her father and mother's expectations.
She was called a villainous noble lady.
What was this? Was she really a villainous noble lady after all?
She had pushed her efforts for His Highness onto others.
While saying it was for her father and mother, she had run away.
Thinking about it, she was indeed a proper villainous noble lady. She didn't know who had said it, but it seemed they had seen through her true nature. If she ever met that person, she would like to talk to him a little.
With a heavy heart filled with resignation and self-deprecation, the one who cared for her as she swayed in the carriage was Rita, who had taken care of her since childhood.
She really wanted to apologize to Rita. She wanted to express her gratitude. Because of her, Rita had gotten involved. Rita had said she would follow her. But it was unthinkable for a noble lady to bow her head to a servant.
If she was forgiven, if she could safely reach another country, she would tell Rita her thanks. And she would give her as much pay as possible and let her go. That way, she could go from being a villainous noble lady to a normal girl.
And if possible, she wanted to thank that red-haired guy too. Because of him, she hadn't lost her pride until the very end.
As she was thinking about such things, she suddenly realized that the two of them were being attacked by the knights she thought were protecting them. They dragged them out of the carriage, saying that it was no longer a kingdom.
Since she had only learned basic defensive magic and not aggressive magic to become a queen, she was easily overpowered. She didn't mind dying. But her pride... the pride he had helped her keep... Just as she thought to grab a nearby stone, an unexpected intruder appeared again.
A tall young man with long red hair tied back──
He was the same person who had barged in during her crisis before, but for a moment, she couldn't recognize him.
He was completely different from the person she knew.
At the academy, he stood out because of his height and hair color, but as far as she knew, he only had a polite and gentle demeanor. So, she was surprised when he spat out his drink, and it helped her regain her composure.
But what was this... the person who appeared before her was not the same as the one from the academy.
He was dressed in travel clothes, not a uniform.
He had a massive sword that matched his strong physique.
His rough aura.
His rude way of speaking.
None of it seemed like the behavior of a well-mannered noble son. It would be more believable if he were called a notorious criminal with a bounty on his head.
Yet, when he appeared, her heart felt warm.
Why was it that her heart stirred at the sight of his confident, fiery red eyes, even as she was tormented by resignation and self-deprecation?
She didn't understand. But, embarrassingly, the stone in her right hand felt proud at that moment. For the first time, she realized her heart was screaming that she didn't want to give up yet.
So, when the great magician named Eleonora entered her body, she managed to not lose herself. Of course, it was also because he had knocked Eleonora out.
The next time she became aware, she was on a bed. It was not exactly comfortable. The ceiling was old and stained. She was wearing a ready-made nightdress.
The unfamiliar, unrecognizable sensation harshly confronted her with reality. Still, she felt she could stand up again, thanks to him.
He bowed to the servants, yet carried himself with dignity, a young man with a strong sense of self. She couldn't help but feel a shameful interest in him, someone so different from herself.
Maybe he could accept her, the one who was exiled, and the unstable her who held the ancient great magician's soul.
But when it came time to talk about it, she ended up lying to him.
It was true that she wanted to help Eleonora. She had been trapped like her, falsely accused of being a witch and sealed away. She knew this was true because she carried her soul.
That's why she wanted to help her. If she did, maybe her heart, which had been looked down upon as the villainess, would feel lighter. But what about him...
She wanted to hope, yet doubted. She hated her own ugly heart. Still, she really didn't want to be abandoned by him here. So, she lied.
──That I was abandoned by the world.
In reality, she hadn't been abandoned at all. She had abandoned her own world. While saying it was for her family, she had run away from them.
Did Father feel disappointed in me?
Does Mother resent me?
Is Brother angry with me?
She didn't know. But since she couldn't go back, she had to live alone, no, with her.
Fortunately, Sir Randolph and his father were kind people. This time, she had to do her best not to be a burden. That would be her way of repaying the debt to him for saving her.
And hopefully, one day, she could apologize for lying to him──
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