My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 3

If Lucas had seemed indifferent when entering the engagement hall, he now made it abundantly clear that he disliked and was thoroughly displeased with his fiancée.

“In the name of the gods, the engagement ceremony between His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of the Tern Empire and Lady Astel is hereby concluded.”

Confetti erupted from the guests’ seats, and flower petals rained down from the second floor, yet only icy tension flowed between the newly engaged pair.

“If I’d known you were such a towering woman, I should have included a kneeling ritual in the ceremony.”

Amid the noise and celebration, Lucas’s words were directed solely at Serena. She could no longer hold back and retorted instantly.

“If I’d known His Imperial Highness was so small, I would have worn lower heels.”

A silent, unyielding clash sparked between them like a sudden volley of spikes. Unfortunately for Lucas, he was still looking up at Serena.

“You dare… call me small?”

His black eyes flared with sudden anger, as if her careless remark had struck a raw nerve. The sharp upward tilt of his eyes, rimmed in darkness, looked genuinely menacing.

“Well… yes, more so than I’d imagined.”

At Serena’s honest reply, Lucas scowled deeply and glared at her.

“I don’t care for women as tall as you either.”

In her past life, such words would have wounded her deeply. But now—

“I agree entirely.”

“What?”

Lucas raised one eyebrow.

“This engagement doesn’t please me either.”

Serena offered an elegant smile, her lips painted in soft pink.

“I’ve never cared much for men smaller than myself.”

“So you’re saying… I’m—?”

Instead of answering his awkward question, Serena merely smiled. Standing there glaring at her, Lucas suddenly looked even younger and more childish.

“Hmph. Fine. We’ll postpone the oath of the kiss until our wedding day. Until I return to hold the ceremony, your status as Lady Astel shall remain exactly as it was yesterday.”

The boy’s lips twisted into a peculiar smirk, revealing a cold sneer.

“That is, if the day of our wedding ever comes.”

His voice dropped low and quiet, almost threatening Serena.

Yet that sharp-edged threat couldn’t mar Serena’s smile in the slightest.

Fortunately, he wasn’t an important figure in her life.

They would marry someday, but nothing resembling a true marital bond would ever form between them—that much was clear from this very moment.

Still, considering the troubles Serena would face because of this brief encounter, she felt no inclination to go easy on him, child though he was.

“If that day ever comes… well…”

Serena deliberately bent her waist to bring her ear level with his.

“I hope Your Highness will have grown taller than me by then.”

For an instant, Lucas looked flustered—but before he could utter a word, Serena flashed a triumphant smile.

Straightening her back, her smile radiated such haughty grace that, to Lucas at this moment, she truly seemed quite tall.

“You’ve gone beyond mere unpleasantness—you’ve made me furious. You’d best never speak to me so carelessly again.”

Though Lucas’s words brimmed with anger, Serena paid them little mind.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

If they were destined never to grow close, it was far better to give up early and live comfortably. Perhaps because she’d already died once, she no longer wished to beg for anyone’s affection or force herself to fit someone else’s standards.

Besides, life was overflowing with brilliant things—what did it matter if her future husband remained cold toward her forever?

“…Hah!”

Though their exchange had been private, no one missed the sight of the Crown Prince turning away abruptly with a resentful expression.

“Hmph.”

Naturally, his future Crown Princess was no less formidable—she turned her back just as sharply and let out a quiet scoff.

No matter that he was only fourteen; the fact that someone so much shorter than her was throwing a tantrum made it all the more ridiculous, and she felt compelled to respond in kind just to feel satisfied.

“This has to be the worst day of the year.”

Fortunately, the maids assisting with the ceremony sensed the chill in the air and quickly ushered Serena away.

“For once, I agree with Your Highness completely.”

But there was no silencing the future Crown Princess—she had her say to the very end, leaving the Crown Prince’s face flushed red as the engagement ceremony somehow concluded.

The first impressions exchanged between the fourteen-year-old Crown Prince and the eighteen-year-old Lady Astel at their engagement were utterly terrible—and their future relationship promised to be just as awful.

“Oh dear, oh dear.”

“Already….”

Years later, nobles who had attended that day would unanimously recall it as a remarkably childish engagement, utterly mismatched in dignity.

“Who’s supposed to be heading off to the battlefield again?”

“He certainly looks valiant enough, doesn’t he?”

“Oh my, you really shouldn’t say such things.”

Though veiled behind fans and fine garments, a few mocking remarks carried clearly—but thanks to the Emperor’s stern gaze, no blood was shed.

“Hmm, everyone, please mind your words.”

At the Pope’s admonition, the gathered clusters of nobles gradually dispersed.

“Hmm… was an engagement ceremony always meant to feel like this?”

The Emperor, arms crossed, frowned as he recalled the two who had turned away after a quarrel too petty even for coldness.

“Marriage has always been full of bumps and bruises, hasn’t it?”

Duke Roger, Serena’s father, remarked calmly despite having witnessed everything.

“You’re quite right, Duke. There’s no marriage in this world without some battle. Then, shall we raise a toast to the fulfillment of our agreement?”

“I was planning to depart for the west immediately…”

“Nonsense. Share a drink with me tonight and tell me about your travels. It’ll be perfect if you leave after seeing the Crown Prince off tomorrow morning.”

With no further excuse to refuse, Duke Astel nodded. The Emperor then cast aside all formality and, as they had done on battlefields long past, linked arms with him and walked away side by side.

Regardless of how the two principals felt, the political marriage arranged between the Emperor and Duke Astel had successfully taken its first step—and nothing mattered more than that.

[This is the timeline separator]

The Emperor and Duke Astel immediately agreed to keep the two apart for the time being. Thus, Serena could return straight to the ducal manor and was excused from attending the Crown Prince’s departure ceremony the next day.

“M-Milady…”

Anna, who hadn’t spoken a word in the carriage, finally managed to address Serena after she’d changed clothes.

“You must be exhausted today. You hardly know each other yet, and people’s words are so…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Surprisingly indifferent, Serena reached for a glass of water on the table and drank it down thirstily.

“Well, maybe it’d be better if I went to the battlefield instead of him.”

Recalling the boy’s sharp, furious glare, she could only think he had an impossible temper. But being so small, could he even properly wield a sword?

“Besides, even if I’m a bit tall, he was exceptionally short, wasn’t he?”

The Astel line had always produced many warriors, and Serena’s own father was famed for his imposing stature.

“No matter that he’s four years younger—even in a sword fight, I’d clearly win. It’s not my fault; it’s because His Highness is so slight.”

Though she claimed not to care, the few remarks she’d overheard from the guests clearly annoyed her, and she redirected her frustration toward Lucas.

“His Highness is still growing, so…”

“He was shorter than his aide standing beside him. Aides are usually the same age as their lords—who’s he trying to fool?”

“He’ll grow quickly. And this campaign won’t last long—you’ll see each other again in a year.”

That wasn’t true.

According to her memories, Lucas wouldn’t return from the battlefield until he was twenty.

Even then, it was only because he’d stubbornly insisted on staying, refusing to return to the palace despite the Emperor’s wishes.

Perhaps one reason for his refusal was the existence of a fiancée taller and more impudent than himself.

“We don’t know when he’ll come back.”

Even if he did return, their relationship wouldn’t change much. Even years later, when Lucas became Emperor and Serena Empress, there would still be nothing between them.

“We’re only engaged—my status hasn’t changed yet.”

Of all things, she was certain of this: she must cherish the present. There were far more fulfilling things to do than wait six years for a meaningless fiancé.

“Father has entrusted me with managing a territory.”

Unlike during the engagement ceremony, Serena’s eyes now sparkled with anticipation and joy.

“Really? Wasn’t that just a ceremonial remark?”

“It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that I’ve been given a chance to do something.”

Though Serena’s life path had already been set, how she chose to walk it remained hers to decide.

[Meanwhile, the Empress of the Empire had married well past the usual age for brides, but the coldness between the imperial couple left little hope of producing an heir. Naturally, the nobility and the royal court began searching for a new candidate for Empress.]

In the original story, Serena’s life was described so simply. Her relationship with the boy she’d met today would remain frosty for life, and the delayed wedding was entirely due to his late return from the battlefield—but to any reader, it seemed as though the Empress herself was somehow at fault.

“Please rest well tonight.”

“I will. I have plenty of time.”

Serena had no need to rush.

“Tomorrow, I’ll organize Father’s study and set up my own workspace.”

“Tomorrow?”

But she had no intention of delaying either.

“Yes. Since he’s finally entrusted me with a territory, I ought to do something with it.”

Serena smiled, full of vitality.

No matter how fertile and prosperous the territory had been for generations, Duke Roger had always been away on travels—surely there were many things needing Serena’s attention.

“Yes, I’ll inform the Chief Steward.”

Anna nodded, assuming Serena’s sudden change of mood was just post-ceremony irritation.

Six years later—no one could have foreseen how greatly Serena, as acting Duchess, would transform everything.

Not even Serena herself.