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 3.9

After the envoys, Donixbarret and his party, had departed.

A father scolding his daughter who tried to become a hostage, a daughter angry at her father who tried to sacrifice himself. After watching their exchange and embrace with warm eyes.

“My apologies, Baron Fran.”

Emilia began, addressing Zlight.

“I acted selfishly. I turned away the envoys and put your household in danger.”

“Not at all, Lady Emilia has no need to apologize! That promise-breaking bastard…!”

Iris was flustered beside Zlight. But the baron himself shook his head.

“Iris, that’s not it. Lady Emilia, I accept your apology.”

“Father!?”

Ignoring Iris, Emilia nodded and spoke again.

“I will do everything I can. I’ve heard that your barony has deep connections with my ducal house. In that case, I will inform my father that the demand for the person of the head of House Fran was made ‘not by royal command, but by the prince’s own will,’ and ask him to take action.”

“I don’t understand politics. We’ll consult among ourselves here too, but I humbly request your assistance. Even if I were to return my title and go back to some corner of the duchy like in the old days… it wouldn’t be troublesome.”

“If that were to happen, it would be troublesome for the ducal side. Later, when people have returned, please send someone to the ducal house. I will write a letter.”

“Right. Everything from start to finish, you have our gratitude.”

Emilia’s family home, the Persicam Ducal House had long been in opposition to the Oren royal family. They weren’t in open conflict, but the overly large ducal house was attempting to become independent. For the kingdom, there was no benefit in allowing independence, so they opposed it. But the ducal side had already gained enough power to forcibly stand on their own.

With this in mind, Emilia intended to have the ducal house protect the barony. Her goal was to prevent Prince Sieg from meddling with her family. An ordinary house would refuse out of fear of the royal family, but her family’s circumstances were different. And the Persicam Ducal House was beyond Sieg’s power to handle. As long as they could protect House Fran, there would be no further worries.

“Now, from here on, allow me to speak as a parent.”

Zlight said, straightening his posture. His gentlemanly appearance, with a bit of dirt on it, somehow looked proud.

“Thanks to your wise decision, my daughter Iris’s life has surely been saved. If you hadn’t secured my release, this child would have made some mistake somewhere.”

Glancing at Iris, she slightly averted her gaze. She had probably considered something like launching a night raid on Donixbarret if Zlight had been taken away… that’s what her expression suggested.

“Though I should be expressing my gratitude, I have an impertinent request.”

Zlight. Iris’s father.

Majestically. Or rather, earnestly.

Bowed his head deeply.

“Please, please. Take good care of Iris. Lady Emilia.”

“Father…”

Looking at Iris’s slightly flushed face and Zlight’s somewhat thin crown, Emilia smiled.

“…I’m the one being protected by Iris too. We’re in this together.”

“Thank you for granting my request.”

Zlight raised his head. With a very satisfied expression… Emilia felt her chest warm slightly.

At the same time, for some reason, a “muddled feeling” swelled.

“―I heard.”

Suddenly, a mysterious voice interrupted. Looking around, several people were hiding in the shadows of pillars, watching their situation. One of them, a muscular woman, stepped forward… and stared intently at Emilia.

“I don’t know what happened, but you’re entrusting Iris to her!? And for that Iris to fall for someone, what kind of amazing man―”

The woman gasped.

“……..Could it be, a wo, man?”

She pointed. Emilia was in travel clothes, not wearing a skirt. Her hair was neatly tied up and tucked entirely under her hat. She wore no makeup… if anything, Iris looked more feminine.

“I am Emilia Cramens, daughter of the Persicam Ducal House. Are you perhaps… Iris’s mother?”

“And a noble lady!? Good grief, Iris! You’ve landed quite the big fish, haven’t you!?”

“Mother!? That’s enough!”

Iris intervened. The woman who was apparently her mother laughed heartily for some reason and was slapping Iris’s back with loud thwacks.

(What a formidable woman… but more importantly, me)

Watching the three family members exchange embraces.

(Why was I seen as being in the ‘Iris’s lover’ position…?)

Emilia tilted her head slightly.

☆ ☆ ☆

“Heeh. So, you deliberately let them escape?”

Emilia, who had been invited to the spacious dining hall, was talking with Iris’s mother, Rekka, over a meal. Dozens of adventurer-like men and women were watching the two from another table. Iris and Zlight were among them.

“Yes. While disposing of them would buy us time, if the envoys don’t return, an army will come next. But if the envoys return late, even if delayed, we can buy a little time. Since they’re returning with a master who lost his spirit, it should take quite a few days, you see.”

“So during that time, you plan to arrange something with Duke Persicam. Even if we ask the Duke to deploy troops, that would take time too.”

Rekka spoke admiringly. She was poking at the meat on her plate with a fork, tossing it into her mouth without concern for manners.

“I see, as expected of a Duke’s daughter… a woman who was almost Queen. You understand the situation as if you were watching from the heavens.”

Emilia was praised but didn’t feel good about it. She inevitably lowered her eyes, and her concerns showed on her face. The fact that she had selfishly stepped away from the path to becoming Queen… brought a pain to the depths of her chest as if a wedge had been driven in.

“My daughter and husband are safe, and I’m satisfied with that. This debt of gratitude―I won’t forget.”

Spoken brightly and calmly, Emilia raised her face.

“Rekka, san.”

The formidable woman’s face was serious. Though her posture was relaxed, just looking into her eyes revealed strong will and sincerity.

“Our party, the Blaze Brigade, recognizes Emilia Cramens as one of its members. When you’re in trouble, we’ll definitely help. We have members in pretty much every country, so feel free to rely on us.”

(Huh. They were such a major adventurer group…? Iris’s family has too many mysteries… I can’t believe this is the heroine’s family home.)

If Zlight was the head of a baronial house, Rekka was the leader of an adventurer group (party). The “adventurer” system based on the Spirit Church also served as a receptacle for ruffians and was established in every country. Even so, a group operating across nations should be extremely rare.

“Well then, regarding the kingdom, are you two heading to the Empire as you are?”

Suddenly, Rekka asked lightly. Emilia thought for just a moment, then shook her head.

“After speaking directly with my father, we will go.”

“What about the point of ‘running away’?”

This “running away” probably referred to the two fleeing abroad while leaving behind the trouble involving Prince Sieg. Interpreting it that way, Emilia furrowed her brows slightly.

“If we remain in the kingdom, the problems will intensify. On the other hand, if we go to the Empire, the situation becomes more complex, expanding the moves Prince Sieg has to make. Even threatening the ducal house would no longer have meaning…”

“And it’s difficult for the royal family to arbitrarily establish connections with foreign countries. So, while all that’s happening, the King reprimands him and the plan falls through, huh?”

“That’s exactly the aim.”

King Aed and Queen Carmelina approved of the broken engagement between Sieg and Emilia. If Prince Sieg’s movements to reclaim Emilia or harm Iris became large-scale, they were in a position to stop it. The fact that they’re doing nothing now is because Sieg is being given enough rope.

However. Until Sieg is cornered and makes flashy moves, we have to handle the countermeasures ourselves. Otherwise, it’s possible that sacrifices could come from our families. Remembering the earlier exchange with the envoy Donixbarret… Emilia steeled herself.

“But what about the possibility that the Empire might hand you over to the Prince?”

“Leaving me aside, I don’t think they’ll let go of Iris. That place…”

Emilia dug up memories of the Empire from the depths of her mind. Honestly, since her reincarnation, she hadn’t heard much about that country. But since the second game in the otome game series was set in the Empire, she recalled some of that story.

“It’s a country of skill supremacy.”

“Exactly. That’s why I didn’t really want to let you go there.”

Rekka sighed worriedly. Indeed, if the “Maiden of Ten Thousand Talents” Iris were to go, she might even be celebrated. People’s worth was determined by the superiority or inferiority of their skills, apparently affecting jobs, status, and even imperial succession rights.

“Rather, I’m more worried about you, Emilia, being ‘talentless.’ Will you be alright?”

Receiving unexpected words, Emilia gasped.

“It’s the talent status system, wasn’t it? But they wouldn’t deny foreign status, would they?”

“Well, yeah. But you’ll be discriminated against.”

Hearing it said so casually, Emilia felt somewhat anxious. In both her previous life and current life, “discrimination” hadn’t been something close to her. But even in the kingdom, commoners and nobles were treated very differently, and in the Empire, that would probably manifest through skill differences. Of course, in the Empire, Emilia would be on the side being discriminated against.

“Even with discrimination, it shouldn’t be that terrible… but what I’m worried about is whether you’ll be able to do anything you want there. Well, Iris has various things. Research is more active in the Empire than in the kingdom.”

Rekka said all in one breath, then took her cup and gulped down its contents. Anticipating the next question, Emilia also swallowed hard.

“What about you, Emilia?”

“I――――”

About to answer “I don’t know.”

At the corner of her eye.

Iris.

Appeared.

“I want to be of help to Iris.”