Chapter 7
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 7
No matter how I looked at it, Mother seemed to have something she wanted to say, so I carefully asked her about it.
Mother paused for a moment before speaking in a voice heavy with concern.
"Belita... are you truly alright?"
"Pardon?"
I looked at Mother.
Her face was filled with sorrow.
"Are you really alright?"
From her repeated question about whether I was alright, I realized Mother had been worrying about my heart, which she believed had been wounded by the broken engagement.
"I will be... won't I? I will be alright... Mother."
Since it wouldn't make sense to claim I was fine right now, I chose my words carefully to ease her concerns as much as possible.
"Belita..."
I offered Mother a weak smile as she gazed at me with pitying eyes.
And I sensed that the moment to say what I had been waiting for had finally arrived.
All this difficult acting until now had been for this very purpose.
I carefully observed both of them before opening my mouth.
"So... would it be alright if I left the Capital for a while?"
I was thinking of leaving this place temporarily.
The original story had already begun, but since I had broken my engagement with Cain Maxius, I no longer needed to live like Belita in the novel.
However, I was still a young lady of the Duke's House, so my position meant I would inevitably encounter them frequently.
Because of this, if I made a wrong move, I could find myself entangled in the original story once again.
But that was absolutely out of the question.
Having escaped the original story, I had no desire—not even if I died and came back to life—to return to it.
So I wanted to leave this place and return only after the original story had ended, to begin everything anew.
"Leave? The Capital?"
"Yes. I wish to leave this place, which holds so many memories with the Duke, and take time to think about how I will live going forward."
"Is it truly so difficult?"
"... I want to forget. I will try my best to forget. But right now, facing not only the Duke but also those who will whisper about me behind my back seems far too painful..."
"Belita, you did nothing wrong! So stand proud—"
"Dear."
Mother cut off Father's words sharply.
Her voice was so resolute that I could sense her strong will to let me do as I wished.
"Very well. Do as you see fit."
"My lady!"
The words of permission had been spoken.
But Father grew excited and raised his voice, unable to simply let me go.
"Dear, let Belita do as she wishes. Our daughter needs time. Let's give her that time."
Mother, however, methodically persuaded Father with her reasoning, and eventually he surrendered.
"Belita, don't concern yourself with anything here and do as you please. But you must return, understood?"
Ah, I felt as though I might truly shed tears.
To be loved so deeply, to have parents who trusted and supported me so completely.
'So this is what parents are.'
"Yes, I will certainly return. Please don't worry. I'll come back stronger than ever, so I can forget everything and begin anew."
And I vowed that when I truly returned, I would become their genuine daughter—not some performance.
* * *
Days later, we formally completed the annulment proceedings, and I legally received Grens as my own.
My parents insisted that since I had earned it, it belonged to me, so they transferred the territory to my personal ownership rather than the House of Fire's.
Thus, within mere days, I became one of the wealthiest individuals in the Capital—indeed, in the entire Empire.
With my preparations for departure complete, I exchanged final farewells with my parents before the carriage.
"You must travel safely."
"Yes, Father, I will."
"Belita...."
Though Mother had granted my wishes, worry clung to her features like a shadow she could not dispel.
"Mother, please don't worry so much. You know me."
I answered cheerfully and embraced her tightly.
"I'll return safely. You both must stay healthy."
With those parting words, I boarded the carriage, and Mary followed me inside.
Due to my insistence on traveling with minimal company, only Mary, my attendant, and William, a knight, would accompany me.
I had heard he possessed the finest swordsmanship among the House of Fire's knights.
Moreover, as a member of the House of Fire, I possessed talent not only in wielding flame but also in swordplay.
While not quite at Belita's level, I had trained frequently since my possession, so protecting myself was hardly difficult.
The carriage departed.
William rode alongside on horseback, keeping pace with us.
"Miss, where shall we go first?"
The moment the carriage passed through the Manor's main gate, Mary spoke to me.
Her voice brimmed with anticipation and excitement.
"I'm not certain yet. I'd like to go wherever my feet take me."
Though I said this to Mary, my true intention was to visit Grens first.
I was desperately curious whether the diamond mine truly existed in my newly acquired territory, and if so, what it looked like.
While I wasn't particularly materialistic, the mere thought of a place overflowing with diamonds—something I'd never witnessed—thrilled me beyond measure.
However, Grens was located far away, requiring days of carriage travel to reach from here.
Since I would visit other places along the way, my words to Mary weren't entirely dishonest.
"You know, Miss, I'm so excited."
Mary clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with pure delight, and I found myself smiling softly at the sight of her innocent joy.
"You're that happy?"
"Yes, very much so. This is my first time traveling this far."
"Mine too. I'm thrilled as well."
"Miss, but I...."
Mary's radiant smile vanished in an instant, her expression darkening suddenly.
She clearly had something she wanted to say, but hesitated, unable to voice it.
"Are you... truly all right?"
But then, as if steeling herself, she asked me about the broken engagement.
"I'm fine. Or rather, I will be fine, so don't worry."
Though the engagement was broken and I had left the Capital, I could tell myself everything was over—but I had to be cautious for a while longer to ensure nothing went awry, even in the smallest detail.
Most importantly, I was now someone who had just been abandoned at the altar.
Since I still needed to play the role of someone bearing the wounds of heartbreak, I answered with a composed yet sorrowful smile.
If I acted as though the broken engagement didn't trouble me at all, Mary might grow suspicious.
Of course, I didn't think she would gossip about it to anyone, but caution never hurt.
"I'm relieved. I was worried you might remain melancholy for a long time, Miss...."
"Then make me laugh, won't you?"
"Yes, Miss?"
"Can't you do that much for a sad Miss?"
I tossed a jest at Mary to dispel the heavy atmosphere.
"Of course. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Miss."
Mary then stood up with a solemn expression, apparently determined to actually make me laugh, and began preparing to do something.
"Never mind, Mary. Let's just enjoy the view outside instead. Look over there!"
I took her hand and pulled her to sit beside me.
Together, we gazed out the window and chatted at length.
* * *
The carriage raced onward, passing through the Capital of Harn before arriving at Peorat, a town on the outskirts.
Balteus, the nation where I resided, was a vast empire situated at the heart of the Continent, and true to its enormous landmass, the Capital itself was remarkably expansive.
Because of this, it took an entire day of travel by carriage just to escape the Capital and reach Peorat.
As dusk fell, we determined that continuing further would be unwise, so we decided to rest at an inn for the night and depart the following morning.
Shortly after, the carriage came to a halt before an inn whose exterior was unmistakably refined and elegant.
I dragged my weary body inside.
Though I had never visited another inn, this expensive establishment was notably quiet and free from the usual clamor.
I climbed the stairs, traversed a long corridor, and entered the room where I would spend the night.
The chamber, considerably smaller than my room at the Duke's House, contained only the essentials—a bed, a table, a chair, and a bathroom.
Mary followed me in and assisted with the unpacking.
"You must be hungry, yes? I'll fetch dinner right away, so please rest for a moment."
With that, she left and soon returned carrying food.
"Let's eat together."
"No, I couldn't! I'll eat downstairs, so please dine at your leisure."
I invited Mary to join me, but she firmly declined.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org