Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Don't You Want to Meet My Fiancée?
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Don't you want to meet my fiancée?
A few days had passed since enrolling in the academy.
Life here was far more peaceful than I'd expected.
The students weren't causing any major incidents, and classes proceeded ordinarily.
I hoped it would stay this peaceful forever!
But not everything was perfect.
First, the academy classes.
I'd figured they'd start light since they catered to a large group of students, but...
Even accounting for that, they felt lacking.
"...Now, this is the upper guard, one of the basics of Imperial swordsmanship. The key to this stance is— Ah! Lady Dominica has it perfectly!"
Who would've thought they'd spend days just on basic stances?
It felt as deflating as entering a computer science program and hearing, "This is how you click."
Aren't basic stances something you learn right after taking your first steps?
Everyone here grew up in noble families; they must've all trained similarly.
On top of that, the instructor kept praising me every time he taught something, which felt awkward.
'What is this, some isekai protagonist getting applause for walking on two legs?'
He was probably just wary of the Dominica name, but flattering me wouldn't get him anywhere.
No matter how great the family, unless you're the heir, you leave after graduation and find work just the same.
And that wasn't the only uncomfortable part during class.
"Hmph!"
"Ah, Rodwell next to her has great form too! This incoming class is on another level! We can move on soon!"
Whenever I got attention, Rodwell beside me would glare daggers and try to keep up.
He burned with rivalry like I was his lifelong nemesis.
It left me baffled every time.
'Why on earth is he like this?'
Didn't I tell him to get along during the Laura hunting incident?
So why was he glaring like he wanted to devour me, instead of warming up?
Did the Paella family have some grudge against Dominica?
I looked into it later out of curiosity, but nothing like that.
It was 100% pure personal grudge.
'What the hell did I even do?'
I felt unjust enough to jump in frustration.
And the saddest part? Rodwell, with his attitude, was the closest thing I had to someone without reservations.
I sighed inwardly at the students around me keeping a subtle distance, stealing glances.
'Some look familiar from the salon...'
Yet they still kept that distance.
Building bonds with them would take considerable time.
I tried tossing a casual compliment at Rodwell, the least distant one.
"Impressive stance. Solid fundamentals."
"..."
Instead of replying, he furrowed his brows and stared.
The praise backfired; now it was practically a death glare.
Seeing that, I felt downcast.
'They said frequent compliments improve relationships.'
When would I build a network at the academy?
It'd take quite a while, no doubt.
And that wasn't the only issue.
Another problem concerned Laura—
Not that something happened to her.
Nothing happened to Laura.
That was the problem.
'Why isn't anything happening?'
This was a romance fantasy novel.
Shouldn't men flock to her through chance encounters even if she did nothing?
Or her femme fatale charm drawing guys who'd heard the rumors...
I couldn't detail it without knowing the novel, but something should've happened.
Yet nothing did?
This was a huge problem.
It meant the story events piling up later instead of building gradually now.
And what happens when romance fantasy plots pile up...?
I didn't want to imagine.
Mulling it over, sudden realization hit.
'Ah, neither's happening.'
The answer was in my questions.
First: Chance encounters drawing men.
That requires Laura wandering alone.
But her current situation?
Kiara's glued to her side by default; otherwise, she's with me.
Hardly any alone time.
Maybe just in her dorm?
But even in trashy romance fantasies, male leads don't barge into dorms from day one hunting the heroine.
That'd make them stalkers, not love interests.
No reader buys that.
Second: Men drawn by rumors of her allure—
Even less likely.
Laura's stunning, but she doesn't exude femme fatale vibes.
She's a kind girl.
Though a bit sensitive for some reason.
And that's because...
'She's stuck with me.'
Why flaunt deadly charm with her fiancé around?
To her, I'm her fiancé.
Someone she'll marry after a normal life together.
I know that's not happening, but to her, it is.
Realizing this shocked me.
'I was the problem?'
I'd anticipated issues like this.
That's why I entered the knight faculty to separate from her,
And assigned Kiara to anxious Laura.
All to create a bond of friendship, not love.
A tie that could break painlessly upon true love.
I thought that was enough.
The story would flow without me.
Vague old memories supported that.
'In the original, it probably progressed with the fiancé in tow.'
I only realized it was a romance fantasy after meeting Laura.
Pre-story foundations unchanged—
We'd done the engagement ceremony recently before academy, so original likely started engaged too.
No romance fantasy breaks an engagement days after.
But despite that certainty, anxiety crept in.
'Wait longer? Or take action?'
I agonized over it—
And finally confessed to Nicholas.
We'd bonded over chess bets at the salon, meeting often to play,
Sharing personal talk too.
Not quite "My fiancée isn't meeting guys; what do?" level, but close.
So I rephrased the question.
Nicholas, pondering the board, tilted his head.
"When things don't go as planned, what to do—that it?"
"Yeah."
He frowned thoughtfully, then blurted,
"Better to do something, right?"
"Why? Could make it worse."
"Sure. But you said there's no guarantee sitting idle improves it?"
True.
Hence my worry.
I nodded; he answered clearly.
"Then acting eases the mind at least, no?"
"...!"
"Fail and fix the cause; idle fail leaves only regret. Just do it."
I admired his response.
Straight to the heart!
No wonder nobles hire mages for advice.
I nodded inwardly.
'Yeah, better to act than not.'
Situation already off-script; idling worsens it.
Better handle now than later.
Decision made, new worry arose.
'But what and how?'
Issue: Fiancée not meeting men.
Precisely: 'Romance heroine fiancée not encountering romance heroes.'
What to try without knowing who they are?
Frowning anew at this, I watched Nicholas groan at the board, deep in thought.
'Romance hero type.'
Handsome, capable, obsessive over Laura.
A novel-perfect guy...
'...Like the one right here?'
I don't scrutinize men's looks, but—
Nicholas was handsome.
Host club material; he'd be rich by now.
Skilled too.
Not from the Magic Tower, but street mage with fame proves talent.
Empire's vast.
Eccentrics without power don't gain rumors.
And obsession with Laura—
'Haven't met her yet, so who knows.'
What? It fits too well?
Hidden genius mage trope? Perfect match.
I addressed the guy still pondering the board.
"Nicholas."
"What now? Messing my concentration—cheating—"
"Don't you want to meet my fiancée?"
"Pardon?"
Nicholas's face screamed, 'What nonsense is this?'