I Will Not Accept It — Since He Said He Would Demote Me to Second Queen for the Sake of His Own Love, I Will Break the Engagement - Episode 9

I received word that the procedures for the annulment of my engagement had been successfully completed.

This meant my relationship with Prince Cariotte was now officially dissolved. An engagement that had lasted over ten years had come to an abrupt end. The life I had lived since childhood, raised as a “future queen” and believing that was my inevitable destiny had completely changed.

What would become of me now?

A heavy anxiety about my unseen future settled deep in my chest. The life plan I had built around becoming queen had crumbled in an instant. Faced with such uncertainty, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

But my resolve to do what must be done for the Rosewell family remained unchanged.

Following my father’s instructions, I was to remain quietly at the estate for the time being. Outings were to be avoided, and meetings with visitors kept to a minimum. My social activities were also to be suspended for now. After such a significant event as the annulment of a royal engagement, people’s stares and gossip would be inevitable, and reckless behavior had to be avoided.

All my daily queenly education sessions, which had filled my mornings and afternoons, were now canceled. Political science, economics, diplomatic etiquette, foreign languages, music, painting, dance—with these lessons gone, I had an abundance of free time. The days flowed by, quieter and longer than I had ever imagined possible.

When I had nothing to do, time seemed to crawl unbearably slow. Just sitting still made me feel strangely suffocated.

Thinking I needed something to occupy myself, I decided to review everything I had learned so far in my room. Politics, economics, the state of various nations, royal etiquette. I revisited it all to organize, consolidate, and solidify the vast knowledge in my memory.

The study’s bookshelves were packed with textbooks from my previous studies. Thick political science volumes, history books from various countries, explanations of economic theories. Picking them up again made me realize just how much I had learned.

Even though I would no longer be fulfilling the role of queen, I didn’t want this knowledge to go to waste. Surely, it would be useful somewhere, and forgetting it would be a shame. Knowledge was my asset and my pride.

As I focused on my studies, my mind gradually calmed. Acquiring new knowledge and deepening what I already had seemed to be a source of mental support for me. It was also a valuable time to sort through my confused emotions.

A few days later, new news arrived at the estate.

It seemed the annulment had caused significant changes within the royal family. A royal messenger visited directly and reported the detailed situation to my father.

Crown Prince Cariotte had been stripped of his right to succession.

I was astonished at such a drastic measure. The stripping of succession rights wasn’t something that happened often in royal history. Apparently, the annulment had had a much greater impact than I had imagined. I never thought the incident in the conference room would lead to such serious consequences.

Had his suitability as king been called into question? Or had there been strong protests from the nobility? In any case, there was no doubt that my annulment had caused significant ripples within the royal family.

Subsequently, the second prince, Prince Aldian, had been installed as the new crown prince.

Prince Aldian…

When I heard that name, something stirred faintly deep in my chest.

I had hardly ever met Prince Aldian directly. But I had heard his name and known of his existence since childhood, as he had often been mentioned in court gossip and royal information discussed during my queenly education.

He was reputed to be highly capable and skilled in political matters. I heard he genuinely cared about the people’s welfare and even personally inspected impoverished areas. He was also deeply learned, particularly holding unique views on economic policy.

However, he had rarely appeared in the public eye. He had remained in the shadow of his elder brother, Prince Cariotte, and wasn’t very prominent. Whether that was his own choice or imposed by others remained unclear.

Whether the rumors were true would likely become apparent from now on.

If someone as capable as his reputation suggested had become crown prince, the kingdom’s future might be secure. There surely wouldn’t be the chaos and rash decisions seen with former Crown Prince Cariotte. Thinking this, I quietly observed the situation, believing I would no longer be involved with the royal family.

I was curious about how the new crown prince would govern, but that was now an event in a world unrelated to me.

One afternoon, as I was going about my days with that thought, my father summoned me.

Knocking on the study door and entering, I found my father waiting for me behind his imposing desk. His expression was more serious than usual, and I sensed he had something important to discuss.

“A new fiancé has been decided.”

“Yes,” I replied, straightening my posture and preparing myself to listen with resolve. I had to brace myself. Whoever it was, I needed to accept it firmly.

Given that I had already had one engagement annulled, I was prepared for the conditions to be strict. Age-wise, I was approaching twenty, which was borderline for a woman in noble society, where marriages typically occurred in the late teens. As a daughter of a ducal house, my prospects wouldn’t be high.

It might be an older man. Perhaps a widower with children. Someone in a politically important position but with some character flaw. Or the heir of a high-ranking but financially struggling family.

Various possibilities raced through my mind, but no matter who it was, I had no intention of refusing.

An engagement decided by the head of the household, my father, meant it was beneficial for the Rosewell family.

As a daughter of the Rosewell family, I had a duty to serve my house. I couldn’t let all my previous education and investment go to waste. I had no intention of opposing the family’s decisions based solely on my preferences or emotions. I believed love could develop later, and I was prepared to work toward that.

Having resolved myself thus, I waited for my father’s words.

But the name that came next was one I had never anticipated.

“It’s Prince Aldian, the new crown prince.”

For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend the meaning of his words.

Prince Aldian? The new crown prince?

I instinctively stared intently back at my father, wanting to confirm I hadn’t misheard. But his expression was utterly serious, he didn’t seem to be joking.

“Truly, Prince Aldian?”

That I, who had already had one royal engagement annulled, would become engaged to the crown prince again? Moreover, to Prince Cariotte’s younger brother? Just when I thought my ties with the royal family were completely severed, I was to be bound to the heart of the monarchy once more.

Why would Prince Aldian choose a woman in my position? Was it political consideration? Or did he need a woman who had already received queenly education? Perhaps the royal family wished to restore relations with the Rosewell family.

Various questions swirled in my mind, but I accepted the engagement. That was my duty as a daughter of the Rosewell family.