One Week Before Enrollment - The Broken Engagement
Knock knock knock.
"Father, it's me."
In front of the Grain family mansion's master's study, where silence hung heavy, a polite voice echoed softly.
"It's Elisha. I heard you had something important to tell me."
Elisha Grain appeared to have business with her father, Philip, the head of the family.
"Come in."
After a short knock and announcing herself, a low, subdued voice came from beyond the door.
Creak—
"Please come in, Lady Elisha."
As soon as he spoke, the door opened from inside, and the housekeeper escorted her.
If there was anything off from the usual, it was the housekeeper's unusually disciplined and serious demeanor.
"I'll go in."
Passing the housekeeper who held the door, she stepped into the room and soon faced her father, seated on the guest sofa.
"Elisha, come on in. We might be talking for a while, so make yourself comfortable on the sofa opposite."
He was already brewing black tea for her, as if he'd been waiting.
"Yes."
At her father's words, Elisha took careful steps, light yet weighted by the solemn atmosphere.
Click—
The sound of the door closing rang out. Likely the housekeeper waiting at the entrance had shut it.
"…."
The master's study grew even more solemn.
Elisha didn't know the reason yet, but she instinctively gritted her teeth at the palpable formality.
"What is it?"
Seated opposite Philip, Elisha sat primly, facing him directly.
"…."
After a brief silence that made her swallow dryly—
"Have some tea."
As if delaying the main topic, Philip poured the fragrant black tea steeped from the leaves into a cup and handed it over.
"Yes, thank you. I'll enjoy it."
Her throat had gone a bit dry from the heavy mood, so Elisha accepted the cup and—
Slurp—
"…."
—sipped calmly.
"There's nothing else, but… I called you because of our ties to the Stenman family."
"Eek?! Cough—!"
At the single family name from Philip's lips, Elisha choked on her tea mid-sip.
"Cough, cough…! Why bring up that family, Father…."
The Stenman family. To Elisha, they were bitter enemies.
No matter that she'd been forced into a connection with their son at her father's request—she'd always despised being linked to such a wicked, ruthless house.
"Is something wrong…?"
Elisha wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, worry creasing her brow.
Even if it was a political marriage, she'd been cold to Arnold for five years straight. What if that had stirred some backlash from the Stenmans?
"No… nothing like that."
But Philip shook his head, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"…."
Come to think of it, it was odd how he'd approached her so steadily despite five years of her hatred. She set down her teacup with that thought.
Even an ordinary person would turn bitter under constant loathing, let alone someone wicked.
Yet Arnold had persisted with Elisha. Though now it was far rarer than at first….
"Then what is it?"
Still, Elisha showed no regret. They'd lived like strangers anyway—no need to hear his hated voice constantly. That's how she'd rationalized it.
"Ah, before that… Oliver, would you step out for a moment?"
"Yes."
Before saying something crucial to Elisha, Philip sent the housekeeper out.
Click—
With the housekeeper gone, only Philip and Elisha remained in the study.
"Elisha… this might be hard to understand, but hear me out."
Philip slowly opened his mouth, finally ready to reveal why he'd summoned her.
"How about considering marriage with him seriously—not just as a political arrangement?"
He hesitated, as if conflicted, but ultimately shared his wish with Elisha.
"What?!"
But… perhaps predictably, Elisha's eyes widened in shock at her father's words.
"Why?! What reason could you possibly have for thinking that now?!"
Her father knew well how much she rejected Arnold.
Yet here he was, urging her toward marriage. It wasn't just her dislike—it baffled her that her father, who understood their dynamic, would say this.
"I hate it…! Absolutely not! What's your basis for even suggesting this?!"
Elisha protested fiercely.
She'd planned to refuse from the start, but she asked anyway, hoping for some justification.
"That's… hard to say. Just know your father cherishes you and reached this decision after much deliberation."
Sensing his own awkwardness, he dabbed the cold sweat beading on his forehead with a handkerchief.
"It doesn't make sense from the start! You know how much I want nothing to do with him."
Without even a plausible reason, Elisha pressed Philip.
"Even looking at mutual benefits… a mere engagement is enough…."
"Elisha—"
Philip's lips, tightly pressed, parted as he called her name.
"That—"
He'd meant to keep it hidden, but after much internal struggle, he seemed ready to reveal the truth.
"To start with… our engagement to the Stenman nobility, especially that young master, was an extremely wise choice."
"It propped up a family that was barely clinging to its name, heading toward slow decline."
"Thanks to it, we're not just out of crisis—we might even be more prosperous than before."
As he explained the gains from their Stenman ties….
"And above all… Arnold is—"
The moment he moved to reveal his secret—
Thwack!
Elisha slammed the table and shot to her feet.
"Is that true?!"
Her demeanor shifted from dissatisfaction to childlike excitement, eyes sparkling as she stared at Philip.
"Then… let's cut ties with the Stenmans right now!"
Without letting him finish, she started pushing for annulment.
"What? W-wait, Elisha… calm down first and let me finish—"
"No, didn't you promise? Once the family's situation stabilized, you'd end it immediately!"
He tried to calm his agitated daughter, but Elisha cut him off, unyielding.
"So… Elisha—"
Moreover, his past promise left Philip even more speechless.
"But didn't you say back then? You hated the idea too, but for the family's sake, just endure a little longer."
In her eagerness to be rid of Arnold, Elisha's pleas turned into declarations.
"That's true, but…."
"Then…! We'll annul the engagement with Arnold. I'll handle the procedures, so don't worry!"
Unable to contain her excitement, she bolted from the room before he could wrap up.
"Elisha, wait…!"
Click—!
Philip tried to stop her but failed.
He called after his daughter urgently, but her elation seemed to drown out his voice.
"……."
He stared at the door she'd left through, his body stiffening like frostbite.
"Ahh, can't be helped…."
In the end, Elisha had gone off to sever ties with the Stenmans.
"She's always been like this… even when excited, it wouldn't hurt to hear someone out fully."
The reason Philip regretted it so deeply… was that Elisha was throwing away a golden opportunity herself.
"…."
Five years ago… he'd witnessed it.
The true nature of the Stenman heir, whom he'd assumed wicked.
A sincere heart for others, selfless enough to forgo immense wealth and honor—he'd seen it with his own eyes.
That's why… he'd thought a man like Arnold was worthy of entrusting his daughter to, and said as much.
"No idea now…."
By guarding that secret, he'd ended up neither here nor there, on the verge of spilling the truth when she fled.
"My daughter… I hope you make a wise choice."
Alone in the room, Philip gazed into the void, picturing her face.
"Since it's come to this… I'll keep the secret a bit longer, as promised to him."
With a sigh laced with mixed emotions… he slowly sank into the sofa.
"Master, a carriage from the Grains just arrived at the main gate."
"Hm? Got it. I'll go check."
On this peaceful, leisurely afternoon, someone from the Grain family had arrived unannounced.
Well… it was obviously Elisha.
"Arnold."
"It's Elisha. What brings you here?"
And his guess was spot on.
"Haven't you visited twice this week already?"
The surprise was that Elisha, who usually showed her face only minimally, seemed different today.
Some important business, maybe?
"Yeah, but this is the last time."
Her cryptic words were followed by a scroll densely packed with text handed to me.
[Engagement Annulment Contract]
"Huh…?"
At first, I thought I'd misread the bold title at the top.
"This is it for us. Things have changed."
But her words confirmed it wasn't a mistake.
"Suddenly…?"
This was off-script, leaving me quite flustered.
"Yeah, I've already told my family. Don't worry."
An annulment now… it'd diverge from the game's plot a bit.
Elisha was Arnold's fiancée but meant to become the protagonist's ally.
If it went through like this, the story would veer off.
"Hmm, alright?"
But… maybe it was fine?
It was early, sure, but for the harem route, Elisha had to break it off eventually.
Looking ahead, it didn't seem like a big issue.
"Got it."
She hated Arnold so much anyway… forcing it felt wrong. Letting her have her way seemed kinder.
"Here—"
I infused mana into the signature on the annulment contract she handed over.
This world's annulment method was unique.
With mutual consent, holding identical contracts for two months officially dissolved the marriage bond.
The scrolls were specially enchanted against falsehoods.
"Done. I'm heading out now."
(By the way, I knew this from playing the game. To cancel, just destroy both copies.)
"Bye."
Judging by the mood, cancellation seemed unlikely.
"Heard the Grain ties are breaking?"
"No way… really?"
News of the annulment spread quickly through the mansion.
"He looked uneasy lately…."
"Yeah, even if it seemed political, they barely met like a couple…."
"Word is they straight-up hated each other?"
The mansion buzzed with chaos.
"…."
Still, no major issues.
As mentioned, Elisha and Arnold were splitting anyway—for the harem route, even more so.
Though since they'd decided unilaterally, meddling from others might arise.
"Annulment? Good riddance. They were useless anyway."
"Dear, don't say it like that. Still… not exactly welcome."
But with family head Gregory and mother Stella accepting it… at least our side was fine.
"Master! Is the annulment rumor true?!"
(Oh, side note.)
"Yeah."
"I see… figures…! She was always so cold to you—I knew it'd end like this!"
"But Ailie thinks it's fine! A woman who only hurts Master is better gone—I thought so all along!"
"If you're sad, I'll comfort you plenty! Ailie's always ready~?"
For some reason, Ailie looked happier than ever upon hearing about the annulment contract.