I Will Break Off the Engagement Because I'm Jealous - The Untalented Villainess Who Rejected the Prince Searches for a Safe Haven with the Cheat Heroine - Chapter 1.1

We live in different worlds. Though she had been reborn as a duke’s daughter, Emilia felt utterly crushed the moment she laid eyes on her.

Iris, daughter of Baron Fran—the true heroine of the otome game. On the very first day of entering the aristocratic academy, the instant Emilia spotted her walking through the main gate.

“Ah…………”

First, her voice failed her. Words of denial, petty malice, budding jealousy—all were incinerated by that overwhelming aura.

(Heh… so this is the world’s “protagonist.” So divine, it’s blinding.)

Deep in her heart, Emilia was on her knees.

(The game’s villainess is something else. We’re both Emilia, but I could never. To be jealous of that, to compete for His Highness—or maybe…)

Iris’s pink-tinged eyes turned toward her.

Their eyes met.

(Maybe I’ve gone mad. I can’t do anything but laugh now. There’s no way I can win. If she approaches Prince Sieg, I…)

A small pain bloomed in Emilia’s chest. At the same time, the tension drained from her shoulders and cheeks. Her face relaxed, and for some reason, she waited as Iris drew near. She watched, as if observing a moving work of art, as Iris performed a deep, graceful curtsy.

“Raise your head. I am Emilia, daughter of Duke Persicam. And you are?”

“Thank you for your kindness. I am Iris; my father is Baron Fran.”

The exchange of greetings flowed naturally. Grateful for her ducal and royal palace education, Emilia gave a deep nod.

“Very well. Here, we are fellow students. Let us strive together.”

“Iris, is it?”

From out of nowhere, someone appeared and cut between them… Emilia’s “prince,” slender and refined. Hearing his voice, which usually made her heart leap, Emilia now felt nothing but unease. Tension crept up the back of her neck as she silently acknowledged his presence and watched.

“I am Sieg. Pleased to meet you, Iris.”

Without waiting for an introduction from his fiancée, the prince took the baron’s daughter’s hand and gently kissed the back of it.

A murmur spread through the crowd that had gathered unnoticed.

(Why…)

Deep in Emilia’s chest,

something hazy and indistinct

rose to the surface.

☆　☆　☆

One night, sometime after entering the academy.

(…………In the game, Emilia couldn’t become engaged to Sieg-sama. She failed the consort training.)

Emilia walked quietly down the dormitory hallway, releasing a small sigh.

(But I survived. Even though I wasn’t granted any skills, I persevered with steady effort until the end.)

In this world, residents receive the blessing of the spirits when they turn ten. But Emilia was judged as “talentless” and scorned. Even so, aiming to become the consort of the second prince, Sieg… she clung to the royal palace’s consort training. While other young ladies drowned in their skills and self-destructed, the only one who remained until the end—was Emilia, alone.

(I thought I was safe now, Sieg-sama.)

Emilia clutched the brooch at her chest, embedded with a pink-tinged stone. It was the first gift the prince had given her, a piece made with a gem said to be nearly a national treasure.

Perhaps her efforts bore fruit; unlike in the game, Emilia received considerable attention from Sieg.

(He encouraged me, talentless as I am, and occasionally took me out to play. That day he suddenly sneaked into my room, I was truly startled, but…)

His innocent smile as he said, “I skipped studying because I wanted to see you,” was so endearing. She ended up letting him lead her out to play each time. Though she had to sacrifice sleep to make up for the lost study time… it never felt like a hardship.

I wanted to be with him forever.

(Even though I was always the one who got scolded later… it was fun. I never had moments like that in my previous life, either. Because no one ever paid me any mind. Yes, only His Highness looked at me. That’s what I thought.)

Encouraged by the prince, she continued her education for years. When the marquis’s daughter she had competed with stepped aside and returned home, Emilia was certain of her victory. Soon after, Emilia was chosen as Sieg’s fiancée. The prince giving her the brooch, their closeness, and her status as a duke’s daughter were the deciding factors. For a “talentless” person to marry into the royal family was unprecedented.

Emilia was overjoyed. She was sure this meant she could avoid the condemnation from the otome game. There was no need to be jealous of the heroine Iris, bully her, or keep pursuing the prince. Her future with Sieg was guaranteed.

Or so it should have been.

(Yes, it’s fine. Even with Iris here, it’s definitely fine.)

Iris had received the blessing of the skill “Talent” — “limitless growth through effort.” As she rapidly rose to prominence, many people—including the prince, of course—took notice. Emilia frequently pushed down the unease flickering in her mind.

Having descended to the second floor of the dorm, Emilia knocked on a certain door. Hearing the reply, “It’s unlocked,” she turned the knob and pushed the door open.

“I wanted to check something in the engineering book I lent you—”

Looking up, Emilia’s eyes widened.

“Hey, Emilia.”

The greeting reached her ears and registered in her brain a moment later. After blinking several times, Emilia quickly slipped inside. She closed the door, locked it from the inside, then marched over to Prince Sieg, who was sitting improperly on a desk by the window. His hand rested on the shoulder of Iris, who was flustered in her chair, and Emilia desperately tried to lower the trembling voice that escaped her lips.

“Your Highness…! This is the girls’ dormitory! Please leave at once! It’s almost time for rounds!”

As her own words left her mouth, Emilia felt the blood drain from her face. Meanwhile, the prince smiled as calmly or rather, as flippantly as ever.

“Your Highness, this concerns Iris’s future… and your own as well. Please hurry…!”

“What’s the matter, Emilia? It’s just like at the palace… I came to see you, you know.”

At Sieg’s lazy tone… the hazy feeling she’d once felt welled up again in Emilia’s chest. Unconsciously clutching the brooch, Emilia ignored the discomfort in her chest and let out a breath.

“If word gets out that a man has broken into the girls’ dorm, it could lead to deaths! Please, from your side!”

“Alright, alright. Well then, Iris. Good night.”

No sooner had he spoken than Sieg twisted around. He grabbed the window frame, leaped out, skillfully used a nearby tree branch, and landed safely on the ground. It was the same sight as when she’d seen him off after he’d sneaked into the palace—a scene she’d normally watch with lingering regret. But Emilia immediately closed the window, locked it, and drew the curtains.

“I-I’m sorry, Lady Emilia. Even though you have a fiancé, I tried to refuse, but…”

“There’s no need to apologize; the fault lies with His Highness. We can’t punish him, so depending on the situation, the dorm supervisor could be held responsible and executed. From now on, never open your window. And as a precaution, always keep your room locked.”

“G-got it. I’ll do that.”

Emilia gently stroked Iris’s stiffened shoulder. Perhaps her own tension had eased as well, for Iris’s cheeks relaxed into a smile.

The hazy feeling in Emilia’s chest…

(…………Huh?)

That thing that had clung inside her vanished in an instant. Turning back toward the beige curtains, Emilia tilted her head.

“Lady Emilia?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. So then—”

As she restated her original purpose, Emilia.

(Was that “hazy feeling” perhaps jealousy? But…)

Whispered inwardly to herself,

while watching Iris’s cheerful smile.