I Think My Fiancé Has Regressed

Chapter 2: I am destined to break off my engagement (2)

I walked out of the Academy building and into the carriage that was waiting for me.

The other students had already left, and the only coachman waiting for me was a member of House Anastasia.

Alex would sleep in his dormitory, and when he woke up, he’d make his own way back to the palace tomorrow morning.

Tonight’s ball is the last event of the year, and the Academy is on vacation until the following March.

As it was, today was supposed to be my last day of attendance.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Derek, Alice.”

I hadn’t come out in a while, so of course they couldn’t go back to the manor either.

I stood in front of the carriage and gave a quick apology to the two people who were waiting for me.

“We’re fine, please come upstairs and rest, my lady.”

“You’ve been through a lot, Arianna.”

I was helped up by Elise and quickly laid down inside the carriage.

Warm cushions, as if warmed by someone’s body heat, immediately wrapped around me.

It was getting cold, so it was a nice gesture on her part.

“Thank you, Elise, you’re warm.”

I’ve been told a few times not to thank people for things like this, but it’s harder not to say something, so I always let it slide.

The carriage started, and I leaned back comfortably against the moderate vibrations that rattled my body.

After what must have been ten minutes, a question flew out of Elise’s mouth.

“How did things go with Prince Alexandros?”

“Alex?”

It must have been a big deal in her mind, because she was the first one to ask, even though she’s usually quiet.

She had witnessed Alex’s collapse in real time along with me, so it’s no wonder she’s concerned about him.

“They said it was a mild stroke, and he was up and about in no time.”

“…….”

“I even made sure he was awake, and the priest said it’s not a rare thing….”

It wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, but Elise’s expression remained ethereal.

“Is that all?”

“What?”

“Prince Alexandros, he said something before he collapsed, didn’t he?”

What he said before he collapsed…ah.

‘I apologize for disappointing you so far. I will never betray my betrothed, Arianna, again, and I ask you to forgive me for my past misdeeds.

Ariana has been my fiancée since the moment we met, and I can’t let a bitch like you sneak in between us.’

Come to think of it, I’d forgotten in the hustle and bustle, this was also important to me.

“Are you going to take him back, Ariana?”

“Um….”

I don’t know if it’s a different outcome from the original game or not, but it’s something I need to think about carefully.

For now, I think it’s best to wait and see what happens.

Well, maybe. Maybe it’s information overload and that’s why he said what he said.

“What choice do I have? I have to do what Alex says.”

“What are you going to do about your temporary home on the outskirts?”

“Leave it alone for now. You never know when Alex might change his mind again.”

“So if Prince Alexandros does change his mind and divorce you again, you’ll move back there and live in seclusion?”

“Uh…I suppose so?”

Even though I was only in my second year, I did have some knowledge from my time at the academy.

If I could make a living practicing magic in a town where the cost of living was low, I could at least support myself.

“Lady Arianna, it may be unseemly for me, your servant, to say this, but….”

“Go ahead.”

“Lady Arianna, you need to be a little more assertive.”

“…What?”

Be assertive, when have I ever not been?

“I’m always trying to keep my cool.”

“I don’t mean that in that way, I’m just saying that I don’t want you to be so blunt.”

“What do you mean, I’m too blunt?”

“You have a tendency to make and break connections when it comes to Prince Alexandros, don’t you?”

“I used to…me?”

Admittedly, there was a point where I was a little more flexible when it came to Alex.

After all, he’s the main character of the original game, and I’ve known him since childhood, so I’ve gotten to know him pretty well.

I think I was trying to be as observant as possible and act as much as possible, which might have felt like that to other people.

“If you keep coming out with that attitude, that you can do this or that, Prince Alexandros might start to think of you as a convenient woman he can always go back to.”

“You’re being harsh.”

“And what he’s about to do isn’t much different from that. A man who left his fiancée alone for two years and cheated on her with another woman, can you guarantee you won’t do the same thing again?”

“Well, I don’t know. Because Ms. Sierra’s case is a special case….”

“A commoner who can use magic? If that’s all it takes to get his attention away from Lady Arianna, there are plenty of other situations that could come up.”

That’s not the special case I’m talking about.

I meant that it would have been easier for Alex to be swayed by Sierra, given that she was the main character of the original game, Academy Light Romance, and Alex was her target but I can’t explain this to Elise, so I’m at a loss.

“I’m inclined to agree with you, Ms. Elise.”

“Even Derek….”

“I don’t know the details of what went on around you like Miss Elise does, but from what I’ve seen so far, I can sense that his attitude toward the young lady has changed, whether you like it or not.”

“…….”

“I didn’t say anything because I was afraid the young lady had done something wrong, but from what I’ve heard from Miss Elise today, I don’t think so.”

Even Derek, who was sitting in the coachman’s seat and driving the carriage, had joined in the conversation.

“I realize that the young lady’s heart is the most important thing, but I think you need to think this through a little more carefully. Even if you really want to forgive him, I don’t recommend that you do it right away, as if you’ve been waiting.”

“…….”

“This might be a little harsh, but it can make you look like an easy person. The young lady doesn’t deserve to be treated like that, even if he’s the next king.”

“Oh, okay, I’ll think about it.”

I don’t remember the two of them ever disagreeing this much. Was this a problem that was going to get this bad?

“If Ariana chooses to live a life of seclusion on the fringes of the kingdom, like you said before, you don’t have to worry, I’ll be happy to follow you.”

“What, what?!”

“The same is true for me, my lady.”

“And you, Derek?”

While I appreciated their seeming loyalty, it was an awkward comment to make.

“He, that’s a no-no!”

“Ariana, I don’t mean that in an empty way, I mean it in a sincere way….”

“I can’t feed three people on my own, I can’t even afford two people’s salaries!”

I had purposely made my residence in an area where the cost of living was low, but if I hired a servant and a coachman, I’d be broke!

“…….”

“….”

“…Did I say something strange?”

Suddenly speechless, the two of them could only shiver as they avoided my gaze.

* * *

~After a hectic day, the next morning dawns~

“…there really is another day.”

I started the day feeling a little scared, like I was stepping into uncharted territory for the first time.

Ariana, the game’s villain, had left the ball last night, never to be seen again.

All I know is that my younger brother, who has been hoping for my downfall since the breakup of our engagement, used it as an excuse to kick me out of the family.

I don’t know what happened to Ariana afterward, only that she disappeared.

“…I won’t be kicked out, will I?”

The breakup of the engagement is a blip on the radar, but that’s not a relief.

Having already been victimized by the “game system” once, I have to tread carefully, even on falling leaves.

As soon as I changed into my going-out clothes and opened the door, the person I most dreaded seeing appeared in front of me.

“Ah, sister.”

I never would have thought that things would go the way they did so quickly.

I have to hurry up and get ready, I can’t make a mistake and get kicked out without anything….

“What, what, big sister, why are you hiding when you suddenly see my face?!”

“Pfft, if you’re going to kick me out, give me an hour, I’m not ready yet!”

“What kind of bullshit are you talking about this early in the morning? I want to talk to you, so open the door!”

Luckily, I quickly realized that my brother wasn’t up to it yet, but breakfast time that day was a little slow.