I Got My Engagement Annulled… Even Though We Were Never Engaged - Chapter 20

When I returned carrying two griffin corpses, just as expected, all the servants screamed.

Bale looked exasperated and held his head, saying, “Weren’t you supposed to go gather ingredients for medicine?!”

If you don’t quickly dissect animal-type monsters, they’ll spoil, but when it comes to griffins, dissection is no easy task.

Father does have experience dissecting monsters at the magic potion research institute, but nothing as large as a griffin.

As a result, Lord Fevan took charge of the dissection, with Father assisting.

I wanted to help too, but dissection is quite gruesome, and perhaps noticing my hesitation, Lord Fevan stopped me.

He told me I must be tired and should rest, so I was sent to bed early, but when I woke the next morning, Lord Fevan and the others were still dissecting in the garden. Since it’s a valuable monster, they seem to be carefully dissecting it to avoid wasting any materials.

“It’s fine to dissect them, but at that level, no one around here will buy them. You’ll have to take them to the royal capital. I doubt even he would ask for all the materials, and if you don’t sell what you don’t need, it would be a waste. Actually, wouldn’t the national research institute want to buy them~?”

Griffins are the kind of thing that only get hunted maybe once every few years. If the research institute hears about it, they’ll probably insist on having them no matter what.

“…The royal capital.”

“Since it’s perfect timing, why don’t you take the griffin materials and return to the royal capital?”

“But that…”

“You’re worried about the rumors, but if you’re with Lord Fevan, they’ll eventually die down.”

“Mother, do you want me to get engaged to Lord Fevan?”

“That’s for you to decide, but it wouldn’t be too late to judge after you understand what kind of person Lord Fevan is, right?”

In other words, she probably wants me to face Lord Fevan a bit more.

I gaze out the dining room window at Lord Fevan and Father working in the garden.

Lord Fevan is a good person.

He considers my feelings and suggests we start with a trial period.

I’m sure there’s no other man who would say such a thing.

That’s precisely why I’m afraid I’ll be drawn to him if we’re together but there’s also a part of me that wants to know more about him.

“Why me…?”

“My, how self-deprecating. I can’t believe you’re my daughter. Have more confidence.”

Mother pokes my cheek with a squish and laughs.

“You seem to unconsciously compare yourself to Beatrice, but Beatrice has her good points, and Adeline has hers.”

Mother said something similar to me that day when she gave me the glasses.

To my sobbing self, Mother said, “You have many wonderful qualities of your own.”

Then she handed me the glasses and smiled ruefully, saying, “Someday, you’ll understand what I mean. Until then, well, wear these. They should help you calm down a bit.”

I gently touch the frame of my glasses.

Lord Fevan, working in the garden, notices Mother and me and gives a small wave.

Waving back at him, I decide to be just a little bit brave.

—That evening, I gave him my reply: I’ll try dating you on a trial basis.