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 2.8

Red light streamed in from the west as the carriage advanced smoothly with almost no vibration or sound.

(To think I had feelings for such a terrifying person.)

Emilia was deeply dejected. She had taken off her shoes and was sitting with her knees hugged to her chest on the seat.

Quite some time had passed since they had shaken off Prince Sieg. There was no sign of horses chasing after them. Though she had emerged from the initial state of shock, Emilia had become somewhat sensitive to sounds and was still, pitifully frightened.

“…………I’m sorry, Iris.”

“Huh? Why are you apologizing, Lady Emilia…?”

When she couldn’t help but murmur this, Iris responded in a hushed voice. Sensing Iris’s consideration not to provoke her further, Emilia sniffled softly.

“…That kind of person. I tried to push him onto you. If you had arrived just a little later to the ball…”

Intense regret swirled within her chest. Thinking about the possibility that Iris could have ended up with Sieg, Emilia’s eyes welled up with tears. What she was referring to was her reflection on the drama of breaking off her engagement with Sieg. Emilia had arranged for Iris not to be able to attend the ball and manipulated things so that she herself would be denounced by Sieg. By keeping Iris away from the scene, she intended to leave open the possibility that after the engagement was broken off. Iris, as the game’s heroine, and Sieg would end up together.

But how foolish that had been. Seeing Sieg’s true nature, Emilia had been terrified and trembling.

“————It’s alright, Lady Emilia.”

At Iris’s strong words, Emilia lifted her face slightly from her knees and looked at her.

“As I said before. I dislike people who don’t make an effort. If His Highness were to approach me, I’d run away with all my might and if Lady Emilia were gone, I would have quit the academy.”

“Huh?”

Facing Iris who was laughing cheerfully, Emilia unintentionally raised her head completely.

“But, well, you. You accepted the brooch, didn’t you? Don’t you like him at least a little?”

“……………………Brooch?”

After falling silent for a moment, Iris murmured in response. Emilia stared at her chest area and nodded. Shining there was an accessory that was a “matching set” with Emilia’s.

“‘Tears of the Dragon Bird.’ When given from a man to a woman, it’s a confession of love based on the legend. You didn’t know?”

“————I didn’t. If I had known, I would have returned it.”

“Hmm…”

Tilting her head at Iris’s answer, Emilia rested her chin on her knees.

(She doesn’t know. Even though it’s quite famous. Wasn’t Iris’s father a former adventurer? I read in a book that it’s a story passed down among those kinds of people. I guess you can’t rely on that.)

Though it had been nearly two months ago, Iris had received that brooch from Prince Sieg. Emilia had happened to see it, and then immediately been ambushed by Iris happily saying ‘We match!’

If. If Iris had known about the legend. Then she would have been flaunting a token of love received from Emilia’s fiancé. Completely unable to understand what kind of nerve that would take, Emilia weakly shook her head.

(Well, it’s true that Iris back then didn’t seem like that at all. If she was that happy about it. Then she probably didn’t know.)

She felt like Iris was staring intently at her, but Emilia ignored it and buried her face in her knees.

(Now that I think about it, Prince Sieg. Why was he trying to kill Iris? It felt like he had some obsession with me… Isn’t it the opposite? Even though he didn’t love me at all.)

“…………Shall we stop the carriage? You seem tired, Lady Emilia.”

Iris murmured quietly, and Emilia felt the carriage slowing down.

“Huh? But…”

Voicing her doubt, Emilia felt a slight anxiety. Even though they weren’t being pursued now. She couldn’t be certain Sieg wouldn’t come.

“Either way, we won’t reach the duchy even if we drive until morning. My home is before that, but… It would be better to start driving again after it gets light. It would be a burden.”

“Burden? On the carriage?”

“No, on us. Spirit carriages move by absorbing the magical power of the people riding in them.”

“Wow…………Huh. Is it okay to ride in it, then?”

At Iris’s matter-of-fact response, Emilia added another question. Perhaps she had calmed down a bit while talking, as the tension had faded from her face.

“Apparently early spirit carriages were no good. The current ones are efficient, and you don’t feel like you’re being drained, right? But if we drive all night, we should get tired.”

“I see…”

The spirit carriage slowly came to a stop in the shadow of a grove of trees. With the red sunset blocked out, Emilia quietly sighed. Perhaps the burden had been greater than she thought, as her sigh was long and somewhat melancholy. But perhaps because she had talked with Iris a bit, her gloomy heart seemed to have cleared.

At least she didn’t feel “uneasy.”

“Let’s rest here today. As long as we’re inside the carriage, we should be safe for now.”

“Prince Sieg might again… oh, that’s right. The holy sword is here.”

Emilia cautiously looked at the back seat. The bare blade was lying under the seat. As long as that sword was here, she shouldn’t be stabbed suddenly with a sword while sleeping.

“Yes. So, it’s fine. There aren’t many things that can damage a spirit carriage.”

The petite Iris was stretching her body to the limit. She reclined the seatback and leaned into it. Seeing Iris’s relaxed appearance, Emilia also nodded and unfastened her seatbelt. When she reclined her seat slightly and leaned back, a deep, deep breath escaped her. The core of her head felt heavy and dull, and her eyelids drooped.

(So much happened today, I parted with Prince Sieg. Set off on a journey with Iris. Spoke with His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen. Was chased by Prince Sieg.)

Remembering Sieg’s terrifying expression, Emilia shuddered. Clenching her back teeth, she opened her eyes.

(From now on, I’ll be going to the empire with just Iris. I’ve parted with my family too.)

With complex feelings in her heart, she let out a thin, long breath. Emilia had received her final consort education in the royal capital and then proceeded directly to the academy. Therefore, she hadn’t returned to the duchy near the border for a long time. When she came to the royal capital, the duke and duchess had been busy, so she hadn’t been able to see them much.

(It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my fathers. I sent word ahead, but the carriage will probably arrive faster. Since it’s sudden, I’m sure I’ll surprise them.)

“First, let’s eat. When we sleep, we’ll recline the seats and wrap ourselves in blankets. We also have plenty of water, so if you need some, just say so.”

Iris sat up and called out to her. Looking over, Emilia saw that Iris was holding blankets. She tossed one over to Emilia.

“Oh? Where were they?”

Taking the blanket, Emilia spread it out and tilted her head. She hadn’t known where these blankets were in the first place.

“They’re under the back seat, but there’s more in there than it looks. Aiter’s skill is ‘Storage,’ so we’re well prepared.”

“Huh. Even spirit carriages have skills…”

It was a remark of surprise. While she herself, a human, was ‘skillless’ and had no skills at all, even objects and carriages could house spirits and be given power.

“Well, if a spirit resides in it. It can have any kind of skill.”

(Following that logic. Does that mean I’ve been abandoned by the spirits or perhaps could one come to reside in me later?)

While pondering this blankly, Emilia accepted the food and drinks that Iris brought out.

When she looked up, the setting sun was far in the distance.

The end of a day filled with great turmoil.

Was approaching, just a little more peacefully.

With this, Chapter Two concludes. We will proceed directly to Chapter Three, the Baron Territory Arc.