Volume 5 Chapter 56, Part 2 No One is Unharmed
"Neither my father nor I had any expectations for Arthur. When I met him, I was surprised that we got along, so I thought, 'Well, that's fine.'"
"But I ended up tearing the two of you apart."
Catherine bowed her head, and Airen responded with a wry smile, saying, "It's not like we were that close."
"Even if I thought we got along, the other person probably sought something in you that I didn't have. I also share the blame for not being able to meet that."
"That's not true──"
Airen silently shook her head at Catherine, who had raised her voice in surprise.
──"Don't say any more."
Understanding Airen's feelings from her expression and pressure, Catherine also looked down in silence.
Airen bears no fault.
Anyone can see that Catherine and the deceived Arthur are to blame.
Yet, Airen wants to place blame within herself.
It's not some *weak excuse* like, "I was at fault too, so let's call it even."
She understood it was a political marriage.
She had no interest in it from the start.
All of that is likely true.
However, it is also true that "we surprisingly got along."
That's why what lies deep in Airen's eyes is a hint of fear.
She won't admit it.
She doesn't want to admit it.
No matter how much it was a political marriage, she cannot accept that she, who has done no wrong, lost to a petty girl.
So she wants to place a fault within herself that shouldn't exist.
That is Airen's last refuge.
Without that, she wouldn't have fallen behind a mere girl.
It's a baseless refuge.
And that refuge completely distances Airen's heart from the concept of love.
If something similar happens again, she won't be able to recover.
There is no strong Airen, known as the [Frostdance Princess].
There is only a hurt girl.
The magnitude of what she has caused.
And Catherine, who is tasting the cost of the hurt she caused, shrank even smaller as she said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. It wouldn't have gone well even without you."
Airen shook her head with a smile, but it was very painful to see.
(It's a wall taller than the [North Wall]...)
In a completely twisted atmosphere, Randy stole a glance at her classmate, Miranda.
It seems Miranda also noticed Airen's despair and fear, making a rather bitter face.
After all, she just blurted out, "I can't get married anymore."
By now, Miranda is probably deep in a self-reflection session in her mind.
That said, there's no time to indulge in Airen's complicated views on love or Miranda's self-reflection.
What thry want to ask Rolf and Airen is about what comes next.
(I'm really sorry, but...)
Randy quickly turned his gaze to Cedric, who showed a face like, "Huh?"
In this atmosphere, you want me to cut in?
Randy nodded at Cedric's expression.
Under Randy's pressure, Cedric sighed as if he had given up and opened his mouth.
"Airen. I understand your feelings, but... is the reason you can't break off the engagement related to the absence of Lady Waldner and your brother?"
At Cedric's words, Airen flinched and gave him a weak smile, saying, "As expected."
(I knew it...)
It seems Randy and Cedric's predictions were correct.
The reason Waldner has remained silent amidst all that scandal.
In reality, Rolf could have barged in and punched Arthur.
In fact, Rolf remained silent with his arms crossed while listening to Airen and Catherine's talk.
Moreover, he was digging his fingers into his arms.
Such a man took no action amidst that scandal.
No, the fact that he couldn't act made Randy and Cedric exchange glances again.
"Your Excellency... may I ask why you conducted this meeting over dinner?"
Under Cedric's direct gaze, Rolf let out a big sigh and looked up.
"Our Waldner family has been *under attack* from an unknown force for several months."
"Attack?"
"Unknown...?"
Nodding at Randy and Cedric's words, Rolf continued.
"A group calling themselves [Pilgrim of Truth], an unknown organization."
Everyone gasped at the heavy voice.
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