The Crown Prince's Scheme
4. Elena Parau. The eldest daughter of the Parau Duke's family, a noblewoman engaged to the empire's Crown Prince. Her fame spread across the continent, matched by elegant speech and manners befitting her stunning looks and lineage. The jewel and future of the Parau Duke's family, called ice for her beauty and cool demeanor. Yet, she had been publicly dumped right in front of everyone.
Now just a 19-year-old girl.
"Haa..."
Elena Parau sat in the middle of her dorm room with the lights off, tilting her glass. Her hand trembled. No matter how roughly she breathed, her mind wouldn't clear.
Since enrolling in the Academy, Elena felt pressure beyond anything before. Eyes followed her everywhere. She'd always drawn stares, but this was on another level. All because of the label: the woman dumped by the Crown Prince.
She'd expected it to some degree, but this was excessive. The moment she showed any weakness, it felt like she'd plummet off that cliff. Even her exhales had to carry grace and poise, or not just her, but her entire family would be looked down on.
Dozens, hundreds—from morning till night. The second she stepped into the dorm hallway, they stared.
"This is fucking dogshit."
She couldn't help the curse slipping out. She wanted to run. But there was nowhere to go. No one in the world didn't know Elena Parau's face. Not even the Parau estate felt like home anymore.
What the hell did I do to deserve this one-sided breakup...
A noble house was a den of power struggles; her stepmother had subtly tried to pin the blame on her.
"Bullshit."
How long did she have to walk this tightrope? A month? A year? Maybe forever. The label of "the woman dumped by the Crown Prince" wouldn't fade easily.
Her breath felt like it would stop. Thinking that, the liquor in her glass looked insufficient, so Elena tilted the bottle again.
Her thoughts and worries wouldn't stop. She couldn't sleep without pouring booze into her brain to break it. That's how Elena passed out.
But morning.
Came.
In an instant.
Blithely piercing the thick curtains.
"..."
Elena found herself sprawled on the sofa. Why were nights so short? If they were a month long, would everyone forget about her? Useless thoughts filled her head.
Ah, no good.
Elena dragged her sluggish body up and prepared for school again. She brushed her long silver hair, straightened her tie. Checked her shirt for wrinkles. "Hoo..." Tested for lingering booze breath. Spritzed perfume, fixed her makeup. Deep breaths in front of the door.
This door led to hell every day. She didn't know when hell would end; all Elena could do was don a thick mask and endure.
"...Fuck it, bring it on."
Elena Parau. The Parau Duke's jewel and future. A woman like a massive iceberg that wouldn't crumble under ordinary hardship.
Nights are always just a tad too short for us. Sunlight mercilessly shoves out the darkness, and suddenly, the despair of heading to school looms before me.
"Ugh, fuck, I don't wanna go."
I shoved my feet into my uniform pants, unleashing the universal student complaint.
Getting tangled with Elena Parau is inevitable. She started talking to me first.
Living as an extra no one even knows exists? That went out the window the moment I handed her that drink.
I'll need some power.
Not that I'm planning to dive headfirst into the main plot and cause chaos. Nah, I'm aiming for side character status: cracking jokes around the protagonist, banging whoever, then bolting at the first sign of real danger. After everything wraps up, pop out from somewhere clapping, "You're our village hero!" As other key characters steal the spotlight, my role fades naturally, until at the end, folks go, "Wait, was there a guy like that?"
That's my ultimate goal.
Should've learned swordsmanship when they told me to.
Old saying: listening to your parents never hurts. In 19 years, I hadn't heard a single main or even side character's name. Figured I was born in a different timeline from the protagonists.
But nope. Turns out, it was just me skipping every gathering for 19 years straight, grinding nothing but running practice.
Banquets? Parties? Socials? Aside from the enrollment celebration the other day, zero attendance.
You might think it's lame for a count's youngest son, but my parents spoiled me rotten as a kid.
This is half their fault, honestly.
They babied the baby too much. If I ever have kids, I'll raise 'em harsh. Force 'em to stand right after birth like gazelle fawns, toss 'em off cliffs like lion cubs. Not abuse—love to keep 'em from turning out like me.
Ah, already here.
Spouting nonsense made the boring walk to school fly by.
"Ah."
The moment I pushed open the grand hall's massive doors, golden hair caught my eye. A handsome guy surrounded by crowds, flashing a fake smile. Even if you didn't want to look, that overwhelming presence drew gazes.
The Crown Prince stood there.
The other two must be in different classes...
The Academy's freshman class totals 100. First-years must take mandatory magic and swordsmanship, split into two classes of 50 each. No dodging the protagonists in those.
At least no Elena or Rehen. Lucky break.
This was good fortune. Imagining the Crown Prince and Elena in the same class? Nightmare fuel. Picture sitting through lessons sandwiched between exes just two days post-breakup. What did the other 48 do to deserve that?
They won't even know I exist anyway, so just stay quiet.
Plus, unlike Elena or Rehen, I was a total stranger to the Crown Prince. Not ideal, but a decent Plan B...
"Good to see you, Artel Young Master."
What the fuck, this psycho's greeting me?
"..."
I froze, swallowing the curse about to burst out.
What? Why's this asshole talking to me?
But seriously, what the hell?
...Maybe 'cause I'm not just some regular famous guy?
Lately, even upperclassmen and professors whispered, "Oh, that's Ram Artel."
The count's reclusive youngest son finally emerges after 19 years! And he looks decent! Did that reach the Crown Prince's ears?
"...An honor, Your Highness."
I bowed neutrally. I don't know noble etiquette well, but surely being greeted first by the Crown Prince is an honor?
"Rehen told me about you yesterday."
A chill killing intent leaked from the Crown Prince's eyes.
Ah.
Not an honor at all.
"Don't get too chummy with Rehen."
For a second, veins bulged on His Highness's cheek. Haha, looks like the prince is the jealous type. If I were a female reader, I'd comment something like "Kyaa, our prince's jealousy is so cute!" But nope, I'm the male side character this novel dumped me into.
"Can you manage that?"
The Crown Prince extended a hand, shadows lifting from his face like a halo.
"Your humble servant."
"Haha! No need for such formality—we'll be seeing each other for four years."
This fucker was glaring like he wanted to kill me a second ago, now playing jolly?
"Oh, and Rehen mentioned... you and the lady are pretty close."
? Why bring up Elena now?
Breakup brag? Is this dude actually insane?
"Sorry to drop this out of nowhere, but pass on my apology to the lady."
The Crown Prince flashed a benevolent smile, spouting that shameless line.
I could only glare, speechless.
"Ah."
I got it now.
For the Crown Prince, the broken engagement wasn't great PR. Intent aside, it looked like he'd dissed the heads of both families. He was probably on thin ice with the emperor right now.
What he needed was justification. "I didn't love her, so we broke it off." Romantic and rational... but to this era's politicians, the dumbest move ever. No doubt he'd fallen far in the succession game.
He needed more than "one-sided breakup plus love" for legitimacy.
Pretty petty tactic.
Ram Artel is the Academy's entertaining sideshow. No politically savvy person would touch him with a ten-foot pole. Hearing that guy was hanging with his ex-fiancée? The Crown Prince must've seen a golden opportunity.
"The lady has unique tastes, huh?"
Count's family trash Ram Artel, and Elena hanging with said trash. He wants to frame us together.
[She never suited the Crown Prince anyway.]
[That marriage was doomed to fail.]
That's the narrative he's spinning: find love, minimize political damage.
Just play along, say sure.
I know that. But.
Life ain't always about the "right" choice. Purely, it pissed me off.
"I can't do that."
"..."
Rumors among students? Whatever. Not aimed at me, and why care what strangers who've never spoken to me yap about?
But.
Getting openly treated like an idiot to my face? That's different.
"You two sort your own mess. Why drag me in?"
You cocky little shit.