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 4.6

The rope wouldn’t come undone—that was where Emilia’s focus lay. She couldn’t care less about Bubaldia’s so-called “Emilia True Feelings Show.” Somehow, she alone seemed to be trapped, and she was more concerned about the situation outside than herself. Iris from earlier, Kismort near her, the family and servants still trapped in dreams.

And eventually, he would come—Prince Sieg.

(I must leave this place before Lord Sieg catches up and head to the Empire. I cannot remain in this ducal household.)

Before falling asleep, Emilia had been disowned by her father, Mentor. Yet, in Kismort’s skill earlier, Mentor had clearly shown deep affection for Emilia.

(There must be a reason I’m being disowned. And it means, “I must leave the duchy and the kingdom as soon as possible”…! For my father, who loves me, to make the decision to cast me out from the family—this is serious!)

Looking back, Mentor’s face in the reception room had been filled with anguish. So had her brother Cycle and mother Clarice. The conclusion of “disownment” that they, who love Emilia, reached after much suffering. She couldn’t let this go to waste. Emilia trusted their feelings and steeled her resolve.

(Probably, I must be disowned and leave the country before Prince Sieg appears at this ducal residence and meets me! First—)

Her eyes gleaming, she glared at the woman fidgeting as she watched the screen—the assassin, Bubaldia.

(Escape from this woman with the ridiculous fashion sense’s skill. If I get out of here, I’ll probably return to Kismort. Then I can defeat her and free everyone from the dream!)

“Well, well, it’s coming into view. Now then, who should I start with?”

The hazy image of Emilia on the screen began to clear.

(She called it “Dream Image”… The skill’s effect is first to capture in a dream. Then a screening of true feelings, huh? She said it herself, but… the fact that she bothered to tie me up means that originally, in this dream, I should be able to move freely. On the other hand, she herself can probably create ropes and chairs and do pretty much as she pleases.)

Emilia cautiously observed Bubaldia and her surroundings.

(I’m starting to see several key “quirks.” First, that vomit-like fashion. Then, that high level of self-display. Loyalty to Prince Sieg. The core is probably the psychology of wanting to know others’ true feelings. Kismort seemed less about knowing true feelings and more about harboring illusions about true feelings themselves. What Bubaldia thinks people’s true feelings are—that’s important.)

The maid was smirking.

“First—Lord Cycle.”

With a whisper, she switched the image. Under a tree with falling leaves, before the young Emilia stood her brother Cycle, still a child but with a dignified appearance.

(Eh, could this be—)

That scene was undoubtedly from right before Emilia went for the princess selection. At that time, rather than the unseen prince, Emilia certainly…

“I’ll become big brother’s bride!”

Had held innocent affection for her brother.

“Ngh.”

(So embarrassing—!)

Emilia blushed, nearly laughed, her face instantly turning bright red. Her whole body grew unbearably itchy, her breathing grew ragged. It felt as if sweat was gushing from every pore, her eyes darted about, she wanted to hide and trembled violently.

And then—the blood drained from her face.

“………… You noticed, huh? Not bad, young lady.”

Bubaldia muttered in a low voice. Emilia couldn’t stop her face from turning pale.

(This skill! It really exposes true feelings! But that’s not all, what is this intense mental attack?! I can’t defend against it!)

Her reaction was abnormal. Even if he was family, Cycle was relatively distant. And this was probably a weaker true feeling about him. The strongest feeling she had for Cycle was that earlier “proposal” from childhood. Just having that exposed forced an intense reaction from Emilia, as if her heart were being directly scorched.

When Kismort exposed her, there was certainly shame. But this was on a completely different level.

(If, unlike with Kismort, some deeply malicious feeling is exposed! What will happen to my heart!?)

She might writhe in agony and die from her own heart. A strong sense of crisis settled in Emilia’s chest.

(I was mistaken! The dangerous one is this woman, Bubaldia! The enemy isn’t Kismort, it’s this maid! If I let her do as she pleases, it’ll be just like with Donixbarret—she’ll cause fatal damage!)

“That’s right, that’s the look. Indeed, I’ve received orders from Prince Sieg to delay you. I want to be useful to him. But—”

“I can’t stand any of the people by Lord Sieg’s side! How dare they be there instead of me! Especially you, Emilia Cramens! I’ll never forgive a woman with such lame fashion!”

Bubaldia flaunted her apron dress, pointing sharply at Emilia.

“Wear the clothes I made! Or else writhe in agony and die!”

(Donixbarret’s entire being was loyalty to Prince Sieg. Bubaldia is different. Her fashion sense—no, this outwardly manifested true feeling is her core! The garish interior of people themselves! Bubaldia is a woman who affirms the filthy insides of people like sewage! If I were to die and His Highness showed intense emotion—even if she were killed, she would die in ecstasy!)

Though she wanted to criticize the woman’s clothes as vomit-like, Emilia held back. Trading insults would be dangerous.

(What do I do? Angering someone like this would be counterproductive! She’d just kill me right now and be done with it! Buying time… I have to play along with her original purpose of buying time! But—)

“Now then, next is your mother… no, not her.”

Emilia quietly glared at the maid drawing things out. She braced herself with all her body and soul.

(Can I endure it? Me?)

“Your father—Duke Persicam, Lord Mentor.”

It came. What appeared was—

‘Father, I, Emilia, am happy—!’

‘Emilia, you mustn’t do this…!’

Emilia couldn’t bear to watch the image for even a moment, desperately looking down. But the scene flooded directly into her mind. Of course, it wasn’t something she remembered. It was probably something she might have harbored someday a strong desire. Something she had discarded long ago, yet familiar—the “raw emotion itself.” Emilia herself no longer felt that way. If asked whether she found her father attractive as a man, she would say yes, but she loved Sieg, had her heart broken by that love, and changed. But.

Being shown this past transgression, hearing the voices.

Her heart was being eroded.

“Quite the taste you have, young lady.”

The moment she heard Bubaldia’s words. She felt as if blood spread out in a rush—the metallic smell spread from her nose and the back of her mouth. She strongly felt something sticky deep in her eyes, deep in her ears, or at her fingertips and toes, under her back and buttocks, from her bound arms and legs.

(Blood!? Capillaries rupturing, bleeding! This is—”shame”! Having Bubaldia see this exposed, raw heart! It’s becoming an attack!)

A shiver ran through her. Not fear. It was closer to chills. More than just injury, for a moment she glimpsed “death”… such a strong shock had been delivered deep into her body.

(Impossible, I can’t, endure this…)

The light in Emilia’s eyes vanished.

Her mouth fell half-open.

“Okay, that’s enough.”

Her breathing returned.

“It’s fun, but we already saw this part earlier. Just as expected not fun.”

Though taunted, Emilia desperately panted, trying to steady her breathing.

But if it was like this already.

Next would be.

“What you didn’t show earlier. That side seemed to be holding onto something quite passionate, suffering, weren’t they?”

“Stop, it.”

She was certain.

(It’s over. I will, come to an end. If that is seen.)

Her feelings toward Iris. In Emilia’s heart, there was no answer regarding those true feelings. She thought it was just friendship. But there was definitely something there that shouldn’t be seen.

If Bubaldia saw that.

Surely Emilia, as a person.

Would meet her end.

“Kukuku, come on, project it! ‘Dream Image’! I’ll cover your raw true feelings with shame!”

“Stop it—!”

On the screen.

Light, spread.

“Hey, what is this?”

Beyond the light, images seemed to be flowing.

Voices seemed to be sounding too.

But for some reason, everything.

Was “hazy.”

“What is this, I can’t see anything—! Damn, damn! Unforgivable, I can’t forgive this!”

Bubaldia thrashed about, pounding on the screen.

“Don’t hide it—! I hate hidden things the most! How can I forgive this! How can I forgive something this terrible! I’ll definitely destroy it! That’s right, if I first mess up the young lady’s heart—”

Tears streaming, frothing at the mouth, she continued pounding on the screen.

She turned around.

And finally saw Emilia, standing right beside her.

“How, why!? What about the ropes!? When did you cut them, how!?”

“…I thought I wanted to cut them, so I could. That’s all. You.”

When she thought of cutting, a sword of light appeared.

With it, she cut the ropes and the chair.

Stepped up.

Wanted to see that sparkling “haze.”

“You’re in the way.”

“Gyah!?”

She roughly swung the sword of light she held in her right hand at Bubaldia in front of the screen. Then Bubaldia was splattered with ink-like rainbow light, stumbling as she fell to the other side of the screen.

“See, if you’re there you can see it, right? Take a good look. At my true feelings. My raw heart—”

Emilia coldly declared. Spoke rapturously. Watching the hazy scene, listening to the hazy sounds.

With affection, with frustration.

“—At my ‘haze’! Look at it to the very depths, Bubaldia—!”

She gazed at that heart shining even brighter.

“Stop it—! What is this!? This isn’t a human heart!? It’s ugly! It’s beautiful! Don’t show me this! People’s insides aren’t this beautiful—!”

From beyond the screen, a voice of despair echoed.

“Aaaaahhhh stop it… the light, the light is burning, my head, my eyes.”

Bubaldia in the light trembled for a while but.

“Aaaaaaaaaa—……………………”

Made a sound like sand crumbling.

And then moved no more.

(Not a human heart, huh. That’s right. Because this is a spirit’s—)

It was jealousy.

The target was Prince Sieg.

The reason because he acted tyrannically due to his position as prince.

But the root wasn’t some minor injustice.

Simply because he was a prince.

Simply because he was a conquest target.

That he could have her jealousy toward such an existence.

“Now then, let’s leave the country, Iris. Then at last, you will be my—”

Emilia too stepped forward, toward the other side of the hazy screen.

Her figure vanished.

And the human’s dream ended.