I Was Happy to Be Dumped by My Fiancé, But Something Seems Off - Episode 13

“Oh dear! What a misfortune~”

When we arrived at the cathedral, Inanna was waiting for us at the entrance, having anticipated our visit. The place was bustling with people hoping to catch a rare glimpse of the High Priestess. She wasn’t wearing her usual custom-made, revealing priestess outfit, but rather the formal High Priestess robes. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she appeared before everyone in those bold High Priestess robes that showed off both her chest and legs.

The priests formed a protective shield and cleared a path for us to reach Inanna. After thanking them, we were led inside with Inanna at the front. When we were shown to the High Priestess’s chambers, she patted the space beside her on the spacious sofa, but I sat down with some distance between us. As I explained what had happened along the way, she giggled while telling me she’d mostly figured out our purpose for coming.

“Our purpose?”

“Yes. Didn’t Bertina-chan mention it too? The reason for making Clarissa-chan her adopted daughter.”

“You’re seriously going through with this pseudo-parent-child relationship?”

I thought it was going too far just because she liked my brother. If Clarissa became my brother’s adopted daughter, wouldn’t that mean Agnes could no longer call herself her mother? With a smile, Inanna denied this. “No.”

“What’s important is making Clarissa-chan an adopted daughter~”

“Isn’t that because you want them to have a pseudo-parent-child relationship?”

“This is just my speculation, but I think there’s a possibility that Clarissa-chan might be Crow-kun and Agnes-chan’s child?”

“Whaaat?!”

The completely unexpected statement made Bertina drop her ladylike mask and bare her raw emotions, immediately making her feel embarrassed and shrink back. Inanna laughed for a different reason and asked Argent, who was standing by, for his opinion.

“What do you think, Demon Prince?”

“Hard to say. I just confirmed that Clarissa has no special powers.”

“Huh?”

While looking into Bertina’s round amethyst eyes, Argent explained that when Clarissa kissed him earlier, he had been checking whether she possessed any special abilities. The result was negative. It became clear that the affection shown by the Annaloro family members and the Crown Prince toward her was genuine.

“So that’s why you let her kiss you so easily…? How ridiculous.”

“You think there was another way?”

“Of course, there was!”

“It was the quickest method.”

“Oh, please.”

Because of that, unnecessary trouble had arisen. Bertina made Argent lean closer, pulled both his pale cheeks with her hands, then turned to face Inanna. She left Argent alone, rubbing his cheeks as if they hurt.

“Why do you think Clarissa is Father and Aunt’s daughter?”

“Let me ask you this instead. Why don’t you think so, Bertina-chan?”

She wished Inanna wouldn’t answer a question with another question, but being asked directly, Bertina had to admit that after repeatedly witnessing their abnormal doting behavior, it wouldn’t be strange if that were the case.

“Even though those two are unusually close as siblings, if you ask me whether they possess the kind of abnormality that would cross that line. I don’t think so.”

“They might have surprisingly crossed it already.”

“Regardless of Aunt, it’s hard to imagine Father doing such a thing.”

When it came to relationships with women, aside from her aunt, there were absolutely no rumors about him being involved with anyone else. From their daughter Bertina’s perspective, her parents’ marital relationship was extremely good. While her mother was deeply in love with her father, she had heard from the butler long ago that her father himself had fallen in love with her mother and proposed.

“The High Priestess’s words have some merit. I can understand Bertina’s doubts as well. Even if Clarissa were truly their child, it would be unnatural for the Duchess Annaloro or Duke Moldio not to have noticed.”

“Maybe they’re permitting it?”

“I’ve heard humans detest incest, but is that not the case?”

“It’s unforgivable. But listening to Lady Inanna and Argent, I’m starting to think the suspicion might be true.”

If that were the case, then the biggest question remained about her father and aunt’s relationship.

Whether the very people who should be questioning it the most were actually accepting their relationship – this needed further investigation.

“Bertina-chan, will you stay at the cathedral tonight? It must be difficult to go back, right?”

“That’s true but I’ll return home since it seems going back will only create more trouble.”

“Then maybe I’ll come along too~ If there’s nothing special about Clarissa-chan, then the possibility of it being Agnes-chan becomes greater~”

• 〇●〇●〇

After leaving the cathedral, we didn’t head straight home but stopped by several shops before returning. When we got out of the carriage, the butler informed us with a flustered expression that her father, aunt, and Clarissa were waiting in the drawing room. He added that even her mother and brother were present. No doubt Agnes had exaggerated what happened. Tension gripped Bertina, but Argent was by her side, so she would be fine.

Though she hadn’t gotten out of the carriage yet, High Priestess Inanna was with us. She said she would get out when the timing was right, so Bertina entered the mansion first and went to the drawing room where everyone was supposedly waiting.

Before Bertina could even open her mouth after appearing, her father strode over and raised his hand, swinging it down with force. Argent instantly pulled Bertina back, allowing her to avoid the fierce slap, though she never expected him to resort to violence immediately.

Her father lost his balance from the excessive momentum and fell to the floor, with her mother rushing over in a panic. How utterly foolish.

“Bertina! How dare you dodge! You should know exactly why you deserve to be struck by your father!”

“I have no idea.”

“Wha-”

Bertina glanced at Clarissa and Agnes. Agnes was glaring at Bertina with resentment, while Clarissa looked somewhat pale. Bianco, sitting nearby, also had a pale face. Bertina tilted her head, wondering why.

“Bertina!!”

Her father’s angry voice echoed from where he sat on the floor.

“I heard from Agnes! That your servant laid hands on Clarissa!!”

“He did not. When Clarissa sprained her ankle and couldn’t move, he picked her up to move her elsewhere, and then Clarissa kissed Argent.”

“Clarissa is crying and claiming your servant forced himself on her!! Don’t spout such transparent lies!!”

So if Clarissa said it, it was truth, but if Bertina said it, it was lies. No matter how much truth she spoke, those who adored Clarissa wouldn’t listen.

Her father stood up, gently refusing her mother’s helping hand, and glared down at Bertina with furious intensity. Bertina met his gaze defiantly.

His rage seemed to be mixing with frustration, but that wasn’t her concern.

“Clarissa says she’ll forgive everything if you hand over that servant to the Moldio ducal house. Quickly surrender your servant to Clarissa.”

“I refuse.”

“What did you say!? I’m telling you to hand over the servant who assaulted Clarissa!!”

“And I’m telling you I refuse. Argent is not a servant employed by the Annaloro ducal house. He serves only me – he’s my servant alone. Even if you are my father, I won’t tolerate any interference regarding Argent.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to!!”

“Well, there’s only my father before me at the moment?”

“~~~!!”

No matter how loudly he yelled, no matter how he tried to intimidate with sound, no matter how he wielded his authority – she would not hand over Argent. She had promised to take care of him until death when she found him. Even if Bertina would die first given their differing lifespans, they had both decided to stay together until the end.

Her mother, flustered, ordered Bertina from behind her father to surrender Argent to Clarissa, but she absolutely refused.

“Brother, please calm down. We were too hasty ourselves. Bertina-san and that servant have been together since childhood. Of course, she would resist if told to separate from him so suddenly.”

“Agnes, my anger at seeing dear Clarissa harmed will not subside!”

“Thank you for caring about Clarissa so much. But I don’t really like things being too scary.”

Agnes stepped gracefully into the center of the conflict, touched her brother’s shoulder as he breathed heavily with anger, and pressed her cheek against his arm.

“Bertina-san. That servant of yours, he’s just an orphan with unknown origins, right? There should be no problem giving him to Clarissa. The royal family will prepare a new servant for you.”

“Have you forgotten yesterday’s events? I was disengaged by His Highness.”

“Ah, that? Today, your father interceded with His Majesty and made sure the Crown Prince properly retracted it. A discussion venue has been arranged for later. There, the Crown Prince will apologize to Bertina-san, and arrangements have been made for Bertina-san to move into the palace.”

“……”

Matters were being decided without Bertina’s knowledge in places she knew nothing about. Though she doubted the prideful Riet would retract statements once made, if the opponent was the king and the head of the Crown Prince faction nobles, Duke Annaloro, he might indeed yield.

Agnes’s gaze smoothly shifted to Argent.

“You don’t really think you can remain as the servant of someone who will become Crown Princess forever, do you?”

“I will follow the young lady’s wishes until the end.”

“Bertina-san will have the Crown Prince. You’re no longer needed. We’ll formally employ you as Clarissa’s servant in the Moldio ducal house. If you’re employed personally by Bertina-san, you probably don’t receive much salary, do you?”

“Pardon? I don’t have many material desires, so I’ve barely touched the salary the young lady gives me.”

In truth, she didn’t pay him any salary. She just bought whatever he wanted when he needed it. Agnes seemed to want to win Argent over, but it was clear she was growing frustrated with his complete lack of cooperation. Her father nearby felt the same.

Then Clarissa, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up and came toward them.

“Bertina, big sister! Release Argent and give him to me!!”

Argent-kun!?

The moment Bertina and Argent’s inner voices overlapped in shock.