Chapter 57
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 57
* * *
The carriage ride back to the Manor after the eve celebration was heavy with my father's displeasure.
Father was staring at me with a piercing gaze, but I did not shy away from it.
"Well then, let's hear it."
I organized my thoughts before speaking to my parents.
"On the day I attended the banquet that the Crown Prince invited me to, the Duke of Maxius Duchy told me he wanted to reconcile with me."
"What did you say?!"
"Belita, what do you mean by that!"
"That shameless Duke!"
Unable to contain his anger, Father struck the carriage seat with a loud thud.
"That audacious fool, I'll—"
"Dear, let's hear the rest of what Belita has to say first."
"Of course I refused. I told both of you as well, but I have no lingering feelings or attachment toward him whatsoever."
"Good, well done."
Father's expression softened at my answer.
"However, the Duke did not give up even after I rejected him. Despite telling him repeatedly that I could never accept and that he should abandon his efforts, he simply would not listen."
"This is absurd! Now, of all times! What does he expect to accomplish now!"
Mother grabbed Father's arm and gave me a look encouraging me to continue.
"His persistence was so relentless it was astounding. On the day I visited the Crown Prince's Palace regarding the Orphanage project, he was waiting for me there as if he knew I would come. He seemed to anticipate my arrival."
"Ha!"
"That day too, he was trying to force me to change my mind, but fortunately Aiden Byon arrived to meet the Crown Prince. And he helped me escape from the Duke's grasp."
"Aiden Byon, you say?"
"Yes. Later, when I visited to inquire about Aiden's sister's health, I saw him again and thanked him. I asked if he would dance with me at the eve celebration, anticipating that the Duke of Maxius Duchy would certainly try to harass me again."
After meeting Cain at the Crown Prince's Palace, I hadn't actually seen Aiden Byon when I visited to inquire about his sister's health, but the story needed to make sense this way.
Besides, if I mentioned that I had met him separately rather than during the visit, Father would be even more furious.
"Ahem."
I could gauge Father's mood just from that sound.
This particular cough did not carry the weight of extreme anger or displeasure.
Rather, it suggested discomfort about something inconvenient.
"Then there must be other noble families. Why specifically Aiden Byon?"
"Because he is Aiden Byon."
"What do you mean by that?"
"There are only three Duke families in the entire Empire."
"That's right."
"Besides our family, only the Byon Family can stand against the Maxius Duchy. And conveniently, there's the unmarried Aiden Byon in the Byon Family."
My words carried considerable merit.
If the person I had put forward as a shield against Cain Maxius were a nobleman of lower rank, he would have scoffed at me.
Moreover, Cain Maxius had unilaterally broken off his engagement with Adela.
This meant he might harbor some sense of debt toward the Byon Family.
Given his temperament—and judging by how he treated me—it seemed unlikely, but any ordinary person would naturally feel obligated.
So I concluded my argument by painting a convincing picture that he couldn't afford to treat the Byon Family carelessly.
"Our daughter is truly clever."
Mother nodded after hearing my response and praised me.
Father, on the other hand, did not readily agree.
It was the sharp intuition of someone standing at the very pinnacle of power.
'What argument should I drive home?'
As I was pondering what to say to fully convince Father, he spoke first.
"The atmosphere between you two seemed rather unusual."
"Pardon?"
"When you two danced together."
"We simply had an ordinary conversation."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, and wouldn't it be more discourteous to treat coldly someone who helped me?"
"Hmm, I suppose that's true."
"Exactly."
"So you've properly severed ties with the Duke of Maxius?"
"No, he's the same as ever when I saw him today. It's so frustrating I could go mad."
"You should have told us unconditionally."
"The broken engagement from two years ago, and anything involving him—I didn't want to worry you and Mother anymore. I wanted to resolve it myself. That's why I did it. I'm truly sorry."
No one knew better than I how much my parents had worried when I was broken off from my engagement two years ago.
So I didn't want my parents to experience that worry again.
"I will handle the Duke of Maxius. So don't worry anymore, and don't grow too close to the Prince of Byon either."
"Father, you will?"
"Yes, I am your father as you say. What father would sit idle when his daughter is suffering? And that man—in any case, he is unforgivable."
"Father...."
Now that my parents knew, it seemed better to accept Father's help.
And though I didn't know what method Father would use to deal with Cain Maxius, I had complete faith in him.
"Thank you. And I'm sorry for causing worry again."
"You've done nothing wrong, so don't bow your head."
"That's right, Belita. You've done nothing wrong. So hold your head high."
"Yes, Mother and Father."
After finishing my conversation with my parents that day, I returned to my room and, for the first time in a long while, could stretch out my legs fully and sleep soundly.
* * *
My condition was at its peak when I woke this morning, buoyed by the anticipation that the worries which had plagued me would soon vanish.
The equestrian tournament began today.
The equestrian tournament was divided into separate competitions for men and women, and today was the day of the preliminary round featuring noble ladies.
After changing into my riding attire to participate in the preliminaries, I stepped outside the Manor.
There stood a sleek chestnut horse waiting for me, its eyes bright and attentive as it gazed in my direction.
"Hello, Porta."
Porta was the name I had given to this horse, my companion for the equestrian tournament.
It was derived from the first word of "Porta Devia," a phrase I had learned in Peorat.
'Porta Devia.'
Strangely, those words lingered in my mind, circling endlessly through my thoughts.
Perhaps it was because the meaning resonated so deeply with my heart.
'Today is the day of life's greatest happiness'—the sentiment stirred my spirit with both exhilaration and tender anticipation.
I had chosen the name Porta for my horse specifically to symbolize our shared victory and happiness in this tournament.
I stroked Porta's neck, establishing a bond between us.
"Let's do our best together. You understand, don't you?"
At my words, Porta released a cheerful snort in response.
After petting Porta a few more times, I climbed into the Carriage nearby.
"Let's go."
With my command, we set off toward the Arena.
* * *
A massive circular arena capable of accommodating tens of thousands stood a short distance from the Imperial Palace.
The equestrian tournament was held there, positioned approximately forty minutes' journey from the Manor.
Upon entering the arena, I felt the tournament's popularity viscerally—even for the preliminary rounds, the spectator stands were nearly packed to capacity.
When I made my way to the practice ground situated in a secluded corner away from the main arena, Porta was already there, waiting for me.
I climbed onto the mounting block.
Then I placed my right foot into the stirrup and swiftly hoisted myself onto Porta's back, taking hold of the reins.
The premium saddle provided an excellent riding feel.
"Miss, please be careful!"
"Mary, have you ever seen me fall from a horse?"
I had fallen off once in Hemoa, but that was something only Aiden and I knew.
"Still. You must always be cautious, and then cautious again."
"I understand."
"Then I'll be over there, so please call if you need anything."
I nodded slightly, then applied pressure simultaneously to my leg against the horse's body and to the hand gripping the reins.
"Let's go."
At my signal, Porta gradually picked up speed and galloped forward.
After some practice, my turn finally arrived.
Porta and I stepped out into the arena.
"Woooow!!"
The roar of the crowd from the spectator stands crashed down upon me with deafening intensity.
The previous competitor's match had just concluded.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org