Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Eldest Daughter of the Rozier Family is Crazy (1)
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As soon as we entered the drawing room and sent the servants away, Lady Elena Rozier suddenly kicked off her shoes and sprawled out on the sofa.
At first, it was a bit hard to even grasp what was happening. So I just stared at her blankly, and then came her brazen follow-up remark.
"What are you staring at like that? I told you to just get comfortable, didn't I?"
"...I don't quite understand what you mean, Lady Elena. I'm simply here to discuss our engagement. I don't find it particularly stifling or anything..."
"What nonsense. You took one look at me and thought, 'This woman seems boring as hell. If we marry, she'll just give me the cold shoulder during government affairs and won't even put out at night.'"
"I never thought anything like... Ah, no! Duchess, you mustn't use such vulgar language!"
"I know that. I'm just being casual because it's you. We're breaking up today anyway, so no need to be so stiff with each other, right?"
"...I have no idea what you're talking about."
...Was Lady Rozier perhaps under some delusion about her position?
Seeing her casually pick up a magic book upside down and start reading it with an expression of utter composure unbecoming a prince's fiancée, I began to feel a growing sense of absurdity.
"To begin with, I just like to get annoying things over with quickly."
"...Pardon?"
"We're fated to break off our engagement when you graduate from the Academy anyway. Instead of dragging it out with fiancée lessons and watching other nobles' reactions, wouldn't it be better to just annul it from the start? Besides, Cedric, you don't really fancy me that much, do you?"
"...I've never thought that."
"I've been this relaxed with you, and you still won't loosen up. You're so damn stubborn."
...True, until just a moment ago, she hadn't exactly been to my liking. Just as she said, I'd thought she seemed boring, that she wouldn't fulfill her wifely duties properly...
But seeing her sprawl out so blatantly like this sparked a contrary interest. Especially since, just five minutes ago, she'd been playing the perfect lady to the letter.
"What do you mean by breaking off the engagement? Why would we be fated to end it when I graduate from the Academy?"
"Because once you enroll at the Academy, you'll fall for some commoner girl and stop paying attention to your original fiancée—me."
"...That's an absurd hypothesis. Who told you that?"
"It's not something I heard; it's how the story goes. If I had to say... well, since I created the story, it's something I heard from my past life self."
"...Your past life?"
"...Ah. This is getting annoying to explain."
Lady Rozier furrowed her brows in a rather rude expression, even in front of the First Prince.
And then she launched into a rambling explanation, starting with how she was reincarnated.
She claimed she'd originally been a man, that this world was from a 'Romance Fantasy Game,' that she'd been in charge of the story when she got into a car accident, and woke up as Lady Elena Rozier.
...My honest impression was that the eldest daughter of House Rozier had gone mad.
"You just thought the eldest daughter of House Rozier is crazy, didn't you?"
"...No, I didn't."
"You can't hide it on your face, dude. Your tells show when you lie because of your habits."
"...We've only just met. How would you know my habits, Lady Elena?"
"Because I set them up. Want me to tell you more? Like the diamond-shaped mole on your left heel? Or how you can't taste sourness, so your favorite fruit is lemons?"
"......"
I might need to revise my assessment from simply a madwoman.
Even if her claims were nonsense, the details coming from her mouth proved she had exceptional information-gathering skills at the very least.
Whether that came from House Rozier's power or her own abilities, I couldn't say.
"If you still don't believe me, want me to keep going? You've never tied your own shoelaces since birth because you've never worn shoes yourself..."
"...Enough. I believe you."
"You're saying that just to shut me up, right? Whatever. I just need to say my piece."
"......"
They said people from House Rozier were tight-lipped by nature, valuing silence as refinement.
She really deviated from expectations in every way. Her insight was remarkably sharp for a mere seven-year-old girl.
"Anyway, dragging out this engagement will just make breaking it off more complicated later. Even for you as a prince, having a broken engagement on your record won't help politically when you marry that commoner girl."
"...I don't understand why you keep assuming we'll break up, Lady Elena."
"It's not an assumption; it's the original story. I was in charge of the story."
"...I don't even know what this 'Romance Fantasy Game' you mention is. What does 'story lead' mean? Are you a novelist?"
"...Ah, right. Ugh, explaining this is such a pain."
...Another vulgar word.
Yet somehow, as I grew accustomed to her speech, it didn't grate as much.
Watching her stay so consistently like this actually piqued my interest a bit.
"Basically, a Romance Fantasy Game is like a novel in this world, but one where the protagonist chooses branches—like an interactive romance novel..."
From her somewhat lengthy explanation, it seemed this world was one she'd created in her past life as a novelist.
Thus, she claimed she could predict events as if prophesying. The branching probably meant there were alternate manuscripts replacing parts midway.
'Like when the nursemaid would change the ending of old tales sometimes.'
I didn't fully understand yet, but I decided to interpret it that way and move on. No one from my world could make sense of Lady Rozier's claims anyway.
According to her, in the 'game,' I meet a commoner girl at the Academy, fall for her, and break off the engagement with Lady Rozier.
...No matter how I thought about it, that part didn't make sense.
"No matter how I think about it, I can't understand. Why would I abandon you for a commoner woman?"
"Because that's the story."
"There has to be a reason at least. Do you really think I'd fall for a commoner without cause, as a royal?"
"That commoner girl was your type. She had a purity and free spirit you couldn't find in noble ladies, hot emotions you'd never felt from the ever-businesslike, loveless Lady Rozier always at your side like clockwork. It was the first time you felt interest in another person amid your boring royal life."
"...I see."
The first time I feel interest in another person... that might actually be right now.
I wasn't sure about purity, but she was certainly free-spirited, and while love was debatable, she wasn't businesslike and rote at all.
I couldn't say hot emotions were surging for this woman... but my heart was definitely racing quite a bit.
"And honestly, I'm not thrilled about engagements either."
"...Pardon?"
"I told you. I was a guy in my past life. From my position, being engaged and marrying a man—how could my stomach not turn?"
"Well... if what you say is true, I suppose so."
...Frankly, this claim was the hardest to believe. Reincarnation itself, and that she'd been a man.
Even assuming reincarnation exists, I was certain she hadn't been a noble, man or woman. Otherwise, she wouldn't sprawl sideways on the sofa, avoiding my eyes while talking.
-Crunch!
"Mm, so... since we're breaking up anyway, it's easier to annul the engagement from the start rather than... *munch munch*..."
She wouldn't flip pages with one hand while grabbing a cookie with the other, or mumble with food in her mouth.
But after hearing her story, her actions now seemed oddly calculated.
...As if she was deliberately acting uncouth to make me lose any romantic interest.
'Keeping her around would at least prevent boredom.'
I wasn't sure about romantic appeal yet, but as a friend, she'd make a good partner.
Of course, a prince and lady meeting frequently could stir rumors, so maintaining a proper relationship was necessary.
Keeping her as my 'fiancée' would let me visit Lady Rozier often without issue.
And if that commoner girl she mentioned truly appears at the Academy later... we could break it off as she said.
...Honestly, it still sounded unrealistic.
"I've fully understood what you've said, Lady Elena."
"You didn't fully get it, but you faked understanding well enough? You grasped the big picture and skimmed the unimportant bits."
"...Yes."
No point hiding my true feelings from this woman, so I gave a straightforward answer and got to the point.
"For now, let's proceed with the engagement as planned."
"...What? Did you actually understand what I said? I told you I'm not doing this engagement with a guy..."
"Calm down, Lady Elena. I'm not saying this out of any romantic feelings for you."
"...Then."
"Our marriage talks were agreed upon between the royal family and House Rozier, not us. Canceling it on a whim because we don't like it would just cause more hassle later."
"Breaking up at the Academy would be even more..."
"And considering our positions, staying engaged is actually better than breaking it off prematurely."
"...Huh?"
"You were a man in your past life, right? Even if we break up, it'll only be temporary. You'll still face endless engagement talks with other nobles' children. Are you going to fend them off like this every time?"
"Well, until it sticks."
"In that case, staying engaged to me would be more convenient. With me as your fiancé, you won't have to deal with other nobles' advances until Academy graduation, right?"
"...Does that work?"
"And I won't have to worry about other ladies until I meet that commoner you mentioned. It's good for both of us, isn't it?"
"A sham engagement? It doesn't sound bad..."
As the talk turned serious, Lady Rozier suddenly closed her book and sat up properly.
My suspicion that she'd been deliberately acting uncouth to deter romance solidified a bit.
"...I have conditions."
"Pardon?"
"First, since it's a sham engagement, no unnecessary physical contact or shows of affection—ever."
"...First implies there's a second?"
"Second, even if no one catches your fancy by Academy graduation, we break up no matter what."
"......"
"Swear to those two things, and I'll accept your sham engagement proposal."
...Her arrogant tone, as if she held the upper hand, rubbed me the wrong way a little.
"Very well. I accept those terms."
At least, it'll be far more enjoyable than getting engaged to some ordinary noble lady.