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 2.3

Emilia had broken off her engagement, impulsively quit the Royal Aristocratic Academy, and decided to study abroad at an imperial university. The one who invited her was Iris, the heroine and daughter of a baron.

The two girls, dressed in travel clothes and carrying slightly oversized bags, walked through the city after leaving the royal castle. They were traveling separately from the servants who were handling various procedures for them. The servants would go to the duchy by carriage, while Emilia and Iris were headed for the empire. But Emilia—

(——! I can’t believe it’s actually true)

Her face paled as they approached the carriage guild.

“……We can’t use the carriages. That would take too much time. We’ll need to buy or borrow horses somewhere…”

“Ah~… Could they have already left? The ones heading north. In that case—”

Iris, walking beside her, said:

“Lady Emilia, you’re looking rather glum. Let me show you something nice.”

With that, she led Emilia away.

“Something nice? Where are we going?”

“Along South Street. Near the edge of the slums… Consider it a surprise.”

“I see… Then this way, Iris.”

Emilia, walking with her hat pulled low and her face mostly downcast… furrowed her brows, gritted her teeth, and quickly scanned the streets. She took Iris’s hand and slipped smoothly into an alley. After turning several corners, they easily emerged onto another street. Carefully checking their surroundings, they ducked into another alley.

“Near the slums, you say. Let’s take some shortcuts.”

“Lady Emilia, you’re quite familiar with these streets…?”

“I’ve been dragged around here many times before.”

She’d been taken to all sorts of places by Sieg—far from what one would expect of a prince and a lady’s rendezvous. She’d never actually entered the slums, but she had passed through this area before. Emilia moved southward using several parallel streets, weaving through back alleys as she went.

When they emerged onto a slightly larger street:

“Even if they’re shortcuts… why do we keep going into back alleys so many times?”

When Iris asked, Emilia let out a small sigh. The slight perspiration she felt was unpleasant, but she kept walking without wiping it away. Spotting something perfect for her explanation, she lowered her voice.

“Iris. Don’t turn around, and don’t make a sound. Look at the right-side shop window.”

Beside her, Iris seemed to be doing as told. Emilia also saw the boys reflected in the glass. They were wearing academy uniforms with jackets draped over them, running around.

“They’re pursuers.”

“——!?”

Iris instinctively covered her mouth. Waiting until she saw Iris lower her hand, Emilia took her hand again.

“How can you tell?”

“With them looking around so suspiciously, it’s obvious they’re searching for something. And I’ve seen those faces around His Highness before. Their targets are probably you and me.”

“Do you think they mean to take us back?”

At Iris’s whisper-like voice, Emilia recalled Sieg’s face. Until just a few hours ago, he had been her beloved prince. But in reality, he was a fool drowning in his position as prince. It was unforgivable.

A muddled feeling swirled up from the depths of her chest, and Emilia gritted her teeth.

(I thought it might be possible. But to actually send pursuers after us and to deploy such a large number at that. Hmph. Just because he’s the prince, so many people are chasing us… How enviable.)

According to what the king and queen had said earlier… that power was merely temporary. Like a bonfire to attract problematic individuals, an illusion the royal family merely overlooked. The thought of people being moved by such a thing seemed ridiculous. And that she had loved the prince at its center was pathetic.

(As for me… I haven’t been able to see Father or Mother for so long! While he was so cherished by both his parents! And yet Sieg, that person…!)

The muddled feeling in Emilia’s chest—

The one she named jealousy.

Warped.

“Lady Emilia?”

“……We should assume they mean to take us back and make sure we aren’t caught.”

Hearing Iris’s question, Emilia pulled herself together. She forced a smile.

“They don’t look like they’re here to give us farewell presents, do they?”

“…Indeed not.”

“——Iris. This way.”

Spotting the boys hiding their uniforms, the two dashed through back alleys again. Those who appeared to be under Prince Sieg’s command were everywhere. Shaking them off, Emilia and Iris made their way toward the outskirts of the royal capital.

“Even the carriage guild right after leaving the castle was ambushed. But are you sure about this direction, Iris? Do you have some plan for horses?”

“Something even better, Lady Emilia.”

The “something nice” she had mentioned earlier. Emilia couldn’t imagine what it might be and simply quickened her pace. Originally, she had planned to split from the servants, sending the luggage and servants by carriage while she went on horseback. But going along with Iris’s suggestion, while shaking off their pursuers, they had ended up near the edge of the city. They were still within the city walls, and it wasn’t quite the slums yet, but the further they went, the more desolate the scenery became.

(We can’t possibly leave by carriage now, so I have no choice but to rely on Iris. But I wonder if this will be alright. The more time we take, the higher the chance we’ll be found. If that happens, we won’t even be able to leave the royal capital, let alone reach the empire.)

Suppressing her anxiety, Emilia tightly gripped the handle of her bag. Though they could no longer see their pursuers, her palms were damp with sweat, and she was breathing heavily from tension.

(This area is the industrial district. I can see chimneys over there. I haven’t come this far very often. Beyond here is the actual slums.)

Looking around, she could see somewhat grimy houses, shops, and offices along the street. But a few blocks away, several large brick buildings stood. As Emilia was looking around, she saw Iris sharply turn a corner. Emilia hurried after her. Then—

“Uncle! Bring that thing out!”

In a manner unbefitting a noble lady, even from a poor baronial family, Iris called out to someone. The place appeared to be the entrance of a medium-sized factory or warehouse.

“Oh? Iris. Got kicked out of the academy and doing a moonlight flit?”

“Nothing like that. Is this enough for the settlement?”

Iris was conversing with a man who might have been a receptionist or gatekeeper. She seemed to be paying him several silver coins.

“Hmm… Should be fine. This way, it’s parked out back.”

(Parked? Something better than a horse, she said. Don’t tell me she has a carriage? Iris. Why here of all places?)

Led by the portly gentleman, they went through a narrow passage beside the building, heading deeper inside. The smell of dampness and something like mud was somewhat strong, and Emilia grimaced. After walking a short distance, they came to an open area. Instead of grass, bare ground spread out before them.

“A carriage or rather, a car?”

There were no horses, just a single car sitting alone.

“……………………A car!?”