I Was Happy to Be Dumped by My Fiancé, But Something Seems Off - Episode 5

The palace, famously known as the White Palace, was entirely white no matter where you walked. On sunny days, you could lose yourself in the adorable chirping of little birds, but unfortunately, today’s rainy weather meant they couldn’t be heard. As if the rain were expressing her gloomy mood on her behalf, the sky was gray, and the palace interior felt strangely dark. As someone destined to become the Crown Princess, Bertina was acquainted with many of the castle’s residents. A knight who knew today was her tea day with the Crown Prince guided her to the salon. Walking alongside Argent, she muttered her true feelings under her breath in front of him, and he chuckled softly.

“Your true feelings are leaking out, Bertina.”

“Well, it’s the truth.”

“Let’s see how it goes first.”

“What if His Highness is waiting there alone?”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to show my face. Since you’ve been summoned, it’s only proper to observe etiquette.”

“That’s the last thing I’d expect to hear from you, Argent.”

“I won’t deny that.”

They were about to reach the salon where the Crown Prince was waiting. Her gloomy mood only intensified, and she couldn’t help but feel the sound of the rain grew louder as well.

The salon the Crown Prince favored didn’t suit her tastes at all, with its rose-themed decor. The carpets, wallpaper, furniture engravings, and even the patterns on the tableware were dominated by roses. She tilted her head, wondering if he liked roses. She hadn’t heard that the King or Queen had any particular fondness for them. The only possibility she could think of was that it was because Clarissa liked them, but then she remembered Clarissa preferred tulips. She recalled it instantly because she saw the Crown Prince’s parents and brother gift Clarissa loads of tulips every year for her birthday.

Lost in thought, she arrived at the salon. Just as the knight raised his arm to knock, laughter spilled out from inside. Bertina, filled with intense anticipation, asked the knight to step aside and gently opened the door. Peeking through the crack, she saw Riet and Clarissa inside sitting right next to each other.

She asked the bewildered knight to pretend he hadn’t seen the scene inside and cheerfully left the salon behind.

Once inside the carriage, she finally headed into town for some shopping. Bertina was in such high spirits she felt like humming, eagerly waiting to reach the town.

“That Crown Prince is such a fool.”

“Indeed. If he wanted to make fun of me, he should’ve at least kept his voice down.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“You wouldn’t understand, Bertina. You’re not interested in the Crown Prince, are you?”

“No, I’m not. Should I be the one to tell Father about breaking off the engagement?”

“That might be quicker.”

If Riet wasn’t going to announce it, the fastest way would be for Bertina to tell her father herself, let his fury run its course, and secure a declaration of severance. Once shopping was done, she decided she’d plan her strategy. For now, her mind was busy deciding what to buy.

• 〇●〇●〇

When it came to the most prosperous town in the kingdom, that would be Felicita, located right at the foot of the royal castle. It attracted many tourists from other countries, and during festivals, it bustled with crowds every year. More people meant a higher incidence of incidents. In Felicita, numerous knights constantly patrolled to maintain the town’s security. Bertina, entering a café with Argent, finally rested her tired feet and breathed a sigh of relief.

By the time they reached town, the rain had stopped. Riding high on her good mood, she’d gone overboard, hopping from shop to shop for hours until her feet ached. She’d arranged for her purchases to be delivered to the ducal estate later.

She ordered two cake sets from the waiter and sipped the tea that arrived first.

“I’m exhausted.”

“Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Very much.”

“Good.”

“His Highness is probably either having fun with Clarissa and forgot he called for me, or the two of them are cursing me for not showing up.”

“Calling for you but inviting Clarissa instead the Prince must be pretty desperate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even though he told you he’s breaking off the engagement, you’re acting completely normal, so he’s panicking.”

“???”

She understood less and less, a flurry of question marks flying through her mind. Argent explained that Riet, thinking Bertina would be cornered and driven to despair if the Duke found out about the broken engagement, was waiting for her to come to him for help. Bertina’s jaw dropped in astonishment, and though she hurriedly closed her mouth, she shook her head at Argent’s unbelievable reasoning.

“What’s wrong? Are you too tired?”

“No? The Prince is…—Oh.”

“?”

Drawn by Argent’s wide-eyed stare behind her, Bertina looked in the same direction.

Freezing was only natural.

Standing behind them was Riet, who she thought would either have forgotten about her or be mocking her in the salon right now. His eyes held a quiet fury. When her amethyst eyes met his violet ones, he glared intensely, and she glared right back. It seemed he had no guards with him. With a chestnut-brown wig and commoner’s clothes, he appeared to be keeping a low profile.

“……What do you want?”

She was conscious of using the lowest tone she’d ever mustered, surprising even herself with how deep it was. Argent looked shocked too.

“……”

Riet seemed taken aback by the strong rejection and anger in her voice, a hurt expression crossing his face. Though filled with countless questions, she asked again.

“What business do you have with me?”

“……Do you know what day it is today?”

“It’s the day for tea with you. What of it?”

“……I heard you came as far as the salon. I was waiting for you. Why didn’t you come in?”

“Hah?”

She couldn’t help but let it slip out. The force behind it made her voice too loud, drawing stares from other customers, and she shrank back. She’d never normally do something like that, and embarrassment took over, turning her face red. Reluctantly, she glanced at Riet, expecting a mocking expression, but instead, he looked utterly stunned. Thrown off by his unexpected reaction, Bertina shook her head and returned to her usual assertive self.

“I suppose you’re disappointed your plan to mock Clarissa and me fell through.”

“You didn’t come in because Clarissa was there?”

“May I ask why I should willingly march into enemy territory where people are just waiting to make fun of me?”

“E-enemy territory…? Y-you think of me as that kind of person?”

“Don’t you? Have you forgotten how you kept telling me, right in front of Clarissa, that I’m not cute enough and that I should learn from her charm, over and over until my ears are calloused?”

When she pointed out that their banter was so in sync people would think Riet was more a member of the Annaloro family than she was, his glare intensified. When she asked what he’d come for, he simply replied that he’d come to take someone back.

Who? —Bertina.

She let out a deeply exasperated sigh in Riet’s direction just as the waiter brought their two cake sets. Riet, who’d sat down midway, only ordered coffee. Though annoyed by his obvious intention to stay, her mood improved as soon as she saw the cakes on the table.

“This looks delicious! Let’s dig in right away, Argent!”

“Yeah.”

Bertina started eating her cake, completely ignoring Riet. She was moved by the deliciousness of the fruit cake loaded with her favorite whipped cream, her deep amethyst eyes sparkling. Argent, who’d been on the receiving end of that radiant beauty many times, agreed about the cake’s tastiness and stole a glance at Riet.

“……”

Riet was frozen, watching Bertina radiating pure happiness as she ate her favorite treat. His violet eyes held deep sorrow and affection.

The gaze he turned from Bertina to Argent was filled with intense jealousy and anger.

Bertina wasn’t looking, so she didn’t notice Riet’s heated stare fixed on her.

It was the same even when Clarissa was around.

Sighing as if he couldn’t help it, Argent reached out and wiped a small bit of whipped cream from Bertina’s cheek, then licked it off his fingertip with a flash of his tongue. Bertina showed no sign of embarrassment, simply thanked him, and turned her attention back to the cake.

The one who couldn’t take it was Riet.

Called sharply by name, Bertina furrowed her brow as if remembering he was there.

“What is it? You’re still here? Why don’t you find another seat?”

“Are you openly cheating in front of your fiancé?”

“That’s strange. Shouldn’t our engagement be broken off? You’re the one who said it, have you forgotten?”

“……”

Riet fell silent whenever an inconvenient point was raised. The one thing he never forgot was to glare. Just receiving that intense stare was draining.

In the past, she’d nearly broken-down countless times, each time venting to Argent to calm herself down. She’d been so happy to be freed from those negative feelings after the engagement was broken.

“If you’re talking about cheating, what about you, Your Highness, neglecting your fiancée to spend all your time with another woman? You called for me, yet there you were, having such a lovely time with Clarissa.”

“……Clarissa showing up was unexpected. I don’t recall inviting her. I was waiting for you.”

“If you were waiting, then you could have sent her away, couldn’t you? If you’d been alone in the salon, I would have at least greeted you.”

“So, it’s fine as long as Clarissa isn’t there?”

“More importantly, if you and I have broken off our engagement, please don’t summon me again.”

“……”

Again.

Riet didn’t only fall silent when things became inconvenient for him. He also went quiet when Bertina rejected him. Occasionally, he’d look deeply wounded—why was that? Having been raised with extreme care and indulgence since birth, Riet had very little experience being rejected by others.

This was precisely why Bertina, who’d rejected him repeatedly, wasn’t viewed favorably. She was aware of it herself, but after seeing him flirt with Clarissa right in front of her time and again, and being constantly compared to her, her desire to be liked by Riet had greatly diminished.

“Your Highness, the King and Queen are aware of the broken engagement, correct?”

“……Yes. Discussions are underway between the Duke, His Majesty, and Her Majesty about making Clarissa an adopted daughter of the Annaloro ducal house.”

“……”

Finally, Bertina had to struggle to hide her joy. She had no lingering attachment to a family that didn’t love her or to her fiancé. The only one she’d take with her was Argent, whom she’d picked up like a pet. She fought desperately, desperately, to suppress the grin threatening to spread across her face, forcing a solemn expression.

“I see… In that case, all the more reason for you not to be here. Why don’t you return to Clarissa?”

“The Duke… he said if he makes Clarissa his adopted daughter, he’ll send you to a convent. He says you have no value if you don’t become Crown Princess.”

“As far as I’m concerned, if I can get away from a father who has no value as a parent, I’d call that lucky.”

“Wh—!?”