Chapter 8 The Second Prince’s Circumstances (Garrett’s POV)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Graduation Day. Garrett’s POV
On the morning of graduation, I was walking toward the girls’ dormitory with my usual student council friends. My job was to go get my fiancée, Rebecca.
Rebecca and I got engaged just before we started at the academy. It was when we were fourteen. Everyone knows that royals do not get to marry for love. My older brother, Ethan, is the crown prince. He is three years older than me. His engagement was already set with a princess from the Kingdom of Shium. My engagement to Rebecca was political too.
Rebecca is the eldest daughter of the Howard family. The Howards are loyal servants who have helped the crown since the kingdom was first founded. Over their long history, the Howards have given the kingdom more than one queen. And not just through political marriages either. There were many passionate love stories between Howards and royals too. Even though they are one of the most important noble families in the country, they do not seem very interested in court power struggles. Actually, it may be because of that that they avoid them. They tend to stay away from high government jobs. The current Marquis Howard has a position in the foreign service. But he spends most of his time on his own lands, saying he needs to manage the estate.
Everyone knew the Howards had a daughter. But unlike other nobles, Marquis Howard never came to the palace bringing his daughter to win favor with the royal family. So when people found out that the “child” he had been taking on his many diplomatic trips was not his son David, but Rebecca, the shock was huge. She had been quietly building diplomatic connections and knowledge the whole time.
Rebecca Howard’s charm and intelligence became the talk of foreign dignitaries. And that part hurt, really. After my father and mother talked to her directly, they were completely charmed. They were determined to make her their daughter-in-law.
But Marquis Howard was not happy about it. Everyone knew he spoiled his daughter. There were even rumors that he grumbled, “If I marry her into the royal family, I will hardly ever see her.”
Whenever the palace invited them for a meeting with me and my brother, his answer was always, “I am very sorry, but my daughter is not well.” And if we made up an excuse about inspecting his territory, he said, “My apologies, but my sister is sick in bed. I have left the estate to visit her.” It was almost certainly on purpose that he was avoiding us.
My father kept pushing the marquis. He was determined not to let a daughter like that go to another house or another country. My mother, on the other hand, asked her close friend, the Marchioness Howard, for help. Around that time, an engagement was suggested and then finalized between my brother, the crown prince, and a princess from the Kingdom of Shium. So they managed to make the marquis settle for the crown prince. Which meant me.
So that was how I ended up engaged to a girl I had never even met.
When I finally saw Rebecca, she was even more beautiful than the rumors said. Her hair shone like silver thread. Her violet eyes were so deep that even the finest amethyst looked dull next to them. And those eyes were full of intelligence that she could not hide.
No matter how beautiful she was, and even though I knew this was for the country and was my parents’ decision, I did not like feeling like I was being looked down on just because I was royalty. But her honest gaze and polite behavior soon made me feel ashamed of my small anger.
We were fourteen back then. We both knew this was a political match. We liked each other well enough, but it was more like friendship. Like siblings, or like comrades who trust each other. It never turned into what people call “love.” And honestly, we were both fine with that. Ours was a calm, businesslike relationship between a man and a woman.
Evan and Brandon were standing in front of the girls’ dormitory. It was clear they were in a good mood. They would be escorting their own partners today. Evan would go with his fiancée, Samantha-sama, and Brandon would go with his girlfriend, Sophie-sama. The only one who looked unhappy was David. He was stuck with Charlotte-sama.
As soon as I stepped through the entrance, a voice called out:
”Garrett-dono! There you are!”
Charlotte-sama? What is she doing here?
”I just could not wait to see you, Garrett-dono! It is such an honor to be escorted by Denka himself!”
Honestly, I thought, here we go again. Rebecca had warned her. She had advised her. I had even made my own dislike clear, in words that anyone with sense would understand. And yet Charlotte-sama twisted everything to suit herself.
There was no doubt that in her mind, the simple fact that I was here to escort Rebecca had become, “He really wants to escort me.”
I am sure my face was twitching. But there were other students in the entrance hall. This was graduation day. It was a day for memories. I could not cause trouble. So with reluctance, I gave Rebecca’s escort to David.
My brother, who adores his older sister, was going through a particularly bad stage of being a teenager. He tried to keep a serious face, but a poorly hidden joy was leaking through. Honestly, it was a little creepy.
Later, I apologized to Rebecca for the mix-up with who would escort her. She was, as always, more mature than her years. She just gave a soft smile and forgave me.
The graduation ceremony went well without any problems. Then the dance party began.
Charlotte-sama, to give her credit, seemed to respect the graduates. She stayed calm until I finished my dance with Rebecca. I let my guard down. Surely, I thought to myself, she would not do anything strange in front of Kokuo Heika.
But then her turn came. She moved forward with endless energy. I managed one dance, barely hiding my annoyance. As I moved to let go of her hand, it was then that she grabbed my sleeve with shocking strength and demanded another dance.
”One more dance is a fiancée’s privilege. You understand, don’t you?”
Then she let go of my sleeve. Instead, she pressed her face, which was red with emotion, against my chest.
Wait. How did we get here?
Marquis Howard was watching the dance floor like a hawk. He was ready to pull his daughter back at any wrong move from the prince. I had received strict orders from my parents and my brother to never let Marquis Howard’s daughter slip away. I had not made any big mistakes so far. Nothing that could be used as a reason to cancel the engagement.
But this was bad. I tried to push her off, but she held on like someone who had never heard the word “gentle.” While I was struggling, it was then that the next song started.
After that, it was a nightmare that I was awake for.
Rebecca had kindly tried to make things better. But her kindness was cruelly stepped on. Charlotte-sama kept making false accusations.
I opened my mouth to tell Charlotte off for her behavior. But it was Rebecca who struck back first, and faster than me.
In the end, it was Rebecca who took apart Charlotte’s accusations one by one. It was a funny scene, and the crowd enjoyed it.
Charlotte’s talk of canceling the engagement was completely made up. But it was not entirely wrong. There were… reasons. We were already planning to end the engagement in about a year. The groundwork was being done quietly behind the scenes. That thought flashed through my mind. And when it came time to deny it, I was a moment too late.
That one moment cost me everything.
It must have been then that Rebecca made up her mind. I am not going to be his wife. And then, at the end of the comedy, she delivered the final blow.
”I cannot, in good conscience, claim to be worthy of a prince’s consort. The wise Garrett-dono must have seen it all along. I take to heart that he did not deny the dissolution of our engagement. Therefore, I humbly accept this annulment and shall retire to my father’s estates to live quietly.”
The guests had been watching with barely hidden cruelty. They had been waiting for a consort position to open up. Now they let out sighs of admiration at Rebecca’s clever reply and graceful exit. At the same time, they were panicking. Could their own daughters possibly fill her shoes? Meanwhile, the parents of sons had stars in their eyes. I could feel them trying to get into a good position, all trying to catch Marquis Howard’s attention.
The formal cancellation of the engagement would still take some time to finish. I should have denied it right away. I regretted it, but it was too late. Marquis Howard was annoyingly good at getting things done. He would definitely take his daughter back from the royal family.
And this year, Rebecca would make her social debut. Not engaged to anyone.
”My parents are going to have a lot to say. My brother? He will probably kill me. Hah.”
I could already see it. My parents yelling at me. My brother, his handsome face twisted into a demon’s mask, giving me a beating with his fists.
Surely even my brother would avoid hurting me in front of God. I found myself wondering, with nothing better to do, where the nearest temple was. And for a while, I let myself drift in that pleasant escape.
Notes:
• Garrett – Blond-haired, blue-eyed second prince of Rendel, strikingly handsome, engaged to Rebecca Howard. Student at Royal Lemres Academy, possesses earth-affinity magic. Self-described wimp compared to brother Ethan, the crown prince. Dependable, stable, gentle, often taciturn. Struggles with passivity, conflict avoidance. Initially resentful of Rebecca, grows to respect her. Silent during confrontation, fails to deny engagement dissolution. Uses dry humor to cope. Sends daily apology flowers, requests fake engagement.
• Rebecca – Seventeen-year-old eldest daughter of Marquis Howard, protagonist and first-person narrator. Silver hair, amethyst eyes, sharp intelligence. Fiancée to Prince Garrett, top student at Royal Lemures Academy, seeks to dissolve engagement. Temporary villainess, oversees “Shadow,” a group of former “Darkness” operatives. Composed, strategic, and competitive. Emotionally guarded, hides deep loneliness beneath exterior. Uses formal dialogue with casual internal monologues. Navigates aristocratic politics with wit and patience.
• Ethan – Crown prince and Garrett’s older brother by three years. Engaged to a princess from the Kingdom of Shium. Stern and demanding, known for physically disciplining Garrett when displeased. Handsome face that twists terrifyingly when angry.
• Marquis Howard – Head of the Howard family. Holds a position in the foreign service but prefers estate management. Famous for doting on Rebecca. Strategically avoided palace meetings to prevent Rebecca from being married into royalty. Reluctantly agreed to Garrett as a “compromise.” Known to be infuriatingly competent.
• Howard – Marquis Howard, Rebecca’s father and Howard family head, shrewdly manages domain yet indulges her unusual requests; reluctant about her royal marriage. Her mother supports with exasperated tolerance toward daughter’s demands.
• David – Heir to Marquis Howard, 15, fire element trainee at Royal Lemres Academy. Rebecca’s younger brother; capture target with romance status “?”. Student council core member, friend and future aide to Garrett. Strong sister-complex; outwardly polite to Charlotte but privately hot-tempered, clicks tongue in irritation. In insufferable adolescent phase yet deeply adores sister. Escorts Rebecca after Garrett accompanies Charlotte, barely concealing glee at the trust.
• Marchioness Howard – Marquis Howard’s wife and close friend of the queen. Enlisted by the queen to help secure Rebecca’s engagement to Garrett.
• Charlotte – Baron Silver’s daughter, self-proclaimed heroine. Pink-gold hair, pale skin, aquamarine eyes, pale pink lips. Raised countryside, free-spirited but brash, entitled, childish. Views self as Garrett’s rightful fiancée. Accuses Rebecca of harassment at graduation ball to force annulment. Delusional, calls self saint, lacks social awareness. Exposed as false accuser, transferred to Temple of Ariana for re-education. Bears grudge, plans mercenary attack using Garrett’s funds. Connected to underworld merchant.
• Samantha – Lady Samantha, Evan’s arranged fiancée, stands beside Rebecca and testifies she witnessed the drink-spilling incident, providing supportive testimony. Evan cherishes her but fears she may misunderstand his interactions with Charlotte. She is escorted by Evan at the graduation ball.
• Brandon – Lord Brandon, aged 17, third son of Viscount Garcia, Assistant Captain of Royal Guard and member of student council core. Fire-element swordsman, knight trainee with Baxter Knights. Dating Lady Sophie Clost, Baron’s daughter. Friend and future aide to Garrett. Anxious about misunderstandings with Charlotte, physically restrained her during accusation. Complains of stress-related stomach pain. Seen in high spirits at graduation ceremony. Reputation jeopardized by unfolding events.
• Sophie – Lady Sophie, Brandon’s girlfriend, is a dormitory resident who testifies on Rebecca’s behalf after witnessing the dress incident. Good-hearted, she consulted Lady Rebecca about it and is unable to stand by quietly. Escorted by Brandon at the graduation ball, she is someone who might misinterpret his relationship with Charlotte.
• Evan – Son of Count Hawk, 17, Vice-Commander of Magic Corps and triple-element warrior (Water, Earth, Wind). Secured position in 2nd Special Cavalry Unit. Student council core member, friend and future aide to Garrett. Engaged to Lady Samantha Lott by family arrangement; genuinely cares for her. Listed as capture target but distances himself from Charlotte’s claims, complaining of her excessive physical contact. Seen in high spirits at graduation.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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