“I think now is the right time to break off the engagement, as the marriage talks are still ongoing.”

“Why… is that?”

The prince asked Diana in a trembling voice.

Diana gazed intently at his golden eyes. A washed-out gold. Prince Raid was also mocked by the pale light, just like Diana.

The brilliant gold of the imperial family, which prides itself on being the pinnacle of the continent, proved their bloodline. Yes, like the Crown Prince who was called perfect.

This empire took it for granted that the Crown Prince, who inherited the superior bloodline, would become the emperor of the next generation.

The prince before her had a presence that was barely noticeable among the imperial people.

Diana spoke softly.

“I have someone I love.”

There was no lie. Diana used a trite but simple truth as the reason for her rejection.

“In a political marriage, love is…”

“Yes, it’s not necessary.”

“…”

Diana cleanly cut off Raid’s words. It was rude, but the prince quietly closed his mouth.

If he were any other royal, he would have been angry that the daughter of a ducal family dared to interrupt him.

The prince couldn’t say a word, as if being ignored was a daily occurrence for him.

“I’m not trying to argue about love. I’m not young enough to give such a romantic reason.”

“Then, why…”

“I think the ties with the imperial family through Vanessa Beatus are enough.”

“…”

“The reason is that I’m not sure if it will benefit the imperial family and the Beatus family to have more Beatus members.”

Her eyes, containing pink pupils, narrowed in an unusual way.

“Honestly, it’s all an excuse. I dislike this imperial family.”

“Pardon?”

What is this nonsense? Raid was dazed as if he had been hit on the head.

Did she just insult the imperial family? He didn’t even realize how strange it was because of her confident words.

“You dislike the imperial family?”

“Yes, Your Highness. That’s why I’d like to break off this engagement.”

“…That reason itself seems reckless, Young Lady.”

Although he spoke calmly, his pale golden eyes were swaying back and forth, looking pitiful.

“How many people do you think know about our engagement?”

“Doesn’t everyone who knows about it know?”

“Strangely, the news of our engagement hasn’t spread in high society yet.”

“…”

It was either not an important matter, or someone had blocked the information.

They had made sure that only those who knew would know. She didn’t know who it was, but even a young lady who only stayed in the mansion knew that fact.

She was talking about her information network. Even the youngest daughter of Beatus, who was said to have no abilities, was a Beatus.

Raid swallowed dryly.

“I understand what you’re saying, Young Lady. If we break off the engagement now, there will be no repercussions. However, I… no, this is not a matter for me to decide.”

He blurted out the words more clumsily in his confusion. The prince even looked anxious.

It was obvious where the anxiety came from. There would be retaliation for failing to carry out the imperial family’s orders.

“Your Highness.”

Diana inwardly thought Prince Raid was impressive.

Even Jamie, who was adept at acting and disguise, was fooled.

It was clear that Jamie would click his tongue, feeling sorry for the clumsy prince.

“I could have proceeded without meeting Your Highness.”

You had to survive.

“However, the reason I came to see and talk to Your Highness is not only out of moral obligation,”

Therefore, you had no choice but to thoroughly hide your true nature and hit rock bottom.

“But to make a proposal.”

All that acting was the prince’s way of surviving in the original story as well.

“This engagement is fake, something my uncle arbitrarily arranged.”

Diana got up from her seat. Raid’s gaze followed her.

“What if the real Beatus becomes Your Highness’s backer?”

She boldly extended her hand as if asking for a handshake.

“First, let’s try to become friends.”

As comrades struggling to survive. Diana swallowed her words and smiled brightly.

[This is the timeline separator]

The prince’s palace Diana returned to was desolate. From the beginning, there were few maids and servants assigned.

Raid quietly looked down at the hand that had touched Diana’s.

A strange sensation. When his hand touched Diana’s, his magic stabilized.

Everyone called him an incompetent prince, but he was still royalty.

He could be said to be exceptional in handling magic compared to ordinary wizards.

Although no one knew, he could detect subtle reactions that distinguished truth from lies through magic.

‘Honestly, it’s all an excuse. I dislike this imperial family.’

Thinking about those words again, which were such an intense truth, made him want to burst out laughing. The prince’s smiling lips deepened.

Diana Beatus. What an interesting young lady.

“Your Highness, are you thinking of canceling the engagement with the young lady?”

A trusted subordinate hidden in the shadows asked.

“Well, the young lady seems to want a friend, not a husband. I didn’t say I would allow it.”

At Raid’s ambiguous words, the subordinate closed his mouth. He was still thinking about Diana.

‘You know, right?’

‘Pardon?’

‘The first meeting wasn’t with me.’

Of course, he knew, but he didn’t expect her to point it out like this.

A young lady who even knew his abilities. If she couldn’t be dealt with, she had to be turned into an ally.

Raid’s eyes, as he brushed back his dark hair, emitted a deep golden color.

Not a pale, washed-out color, but properly revealing the imperial bloodline.

“Debir Beatus said the same thing.”

To think his younger sister would recite it verbatim.

‘What if the real Beatus becomes Your Highness’s backer?’

The wording was different, but the context was the same. Of course, it was a gold mine that had to be seized. But it was up to him to decide whether to follow obediently.

“You know what? Diana Beatus is Debir Beatus’s weakness.”

“How did you find that out?”

“That emotionless man reacts uniquely when it comes to his sister. Not letting his sister attend the banquet is one of the reasons, but still.

I don’t know why the sister he protectively kept away was in the North. Regardless of his intention, she has returned like this.”

‘I have someone I love.’

Someone she loves. Given that the young lady who only stayed in the mansion fell in love with someone in the North, it could be narrowed down to two people.

Felice Schwartz. Or, Rodrick Schwartz.

When his thoughts reached that point, Raid let out a hollow laugh. My, how impressive.

“Your Highness?”

“The young lady’s words about having someone she loves were not just idle talk.”

“What do you mean…”

“A prince without backing cannot confront the North.”

She was telling him to figure it out. Just take the hand she offered. It was a kind of warning.

Haha. Raid, who had been laughing, turned cold. It felt like his heart was on fire.

Yes, let’s change directions to survive for now.

In any case, this engagement was in the hands of the Crown Prince. He couldn’t do as he pleased even if he wanted to.

The prince was skilled at living while holding his breath. How could he die in vain now, after having lived like this?

The dazzlingly shining golden eyes gradually faded in color according to his will.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Miss, do you think the prince will accept your proposal?”

It was Jamie, who didn’t even use honorifics for the prince. He was clearly looking down on him.

She shouldn’t let her guard down. Because he was the prince who would be backed by her villain brother.

But she wondered if it mattered. In the original story, it was nothing but a death ending where everyone died.

The Crown Prince killed them all and took the female lead. But did the Crown Prince have that kind of power?

She remembered the big picture of the original story, but not the details.

“It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t accept the proposal.”

“Why?”

“I’ve informed him for now, so he’ll prepare accordingly.”

When the scandal with Rodrick breaks out, he’ll figure out how not to be harmed. A person whose life is threatened becomes desperate to find a way to live. Like her.

“Miss, are you going to attend this year’s New Year’s Festival? Zelony was bragging about receiving an invitation from the palace.”

“I have to attend.”

The New Year’s Festival, where all the nobles of the empire gather, will be held in a month.

Before that, a regular year-end meeting is held to report to the emperor. Many heirs, including the heads of each family, attend that meeting, which is like a year-end settlement.

The capital was crowded with nobles and their retainers who had come up early to attend the central meeting and the New Year’s Festival.

“Are you really attending?!”

Her attendance was unusual. The youngest daughter of the Beatus family, known to be virtually imprisoned in the mansion. It was extremely rare for her to attend a banquet.

“But Zelony intercepted the invitation sent to the family?”

She had already received an invitation. Along with a threatening letter about the political marriage from the North.

Usually, invitations sent to families only write the name of the family. They don’t specify individuals.

“I received a separate one.”

The imperial family was summoning her. Since they singled her out, she couldn’t be absent. Even without an invitation, she had to attend this banquet.

The female lead would appear. She had to see her with her own eyes. Both the female lead and the villainess.

“What about Sister?”

“She was rejected. She says she won’t meet anyone unless it’s a big event.”

“I see.”

She took a look at the palace where the future Crown Princess would be and got on the carriage.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What’s going on?”

The road leading to the Beatus mansion was congested and showed no signs of moving.

“I’ll go find out.”

Jane got out of the carriage.

“Miss.”

How much time had passed? Jane opened the door of the carriage.

“I think you’ll have to go and see for yourself.”

She got out of the stopped carriage and walked directly toward the Beatus mansion. As she got closer to the Beatus mansion, the gathered crowd and murmurs grew louder.

“What are all those?”

“Oh my. Look at those luggage carts. They’re full of jewels and furs?”

“I think they deliberately opened the boxes? To show them off.”

“That’s the Schwartz ducal family’s emblem, isn’t it?”

“What business does the North, who doesn’t even come to the central, have with the Beatus family?”

Diana couldn’t believe her eyes. The carriages of the Schwartz ducal family were lining up and entering the main gate of the Beatus mansion.

The procession caused a blockage at the entrance of the noble residential area.

She put strength into the front of her high-heeled feet and moved quickly. She crossed the vast garden courtyard after passing through the main gate.

Zelony, who had come out of the mansion, gestured wildly at Diana as if having a fit.

“Hey! What is all this?!”

She was about to say, ‘Why are you asking me?’ but closed her mouth.

“As I mentioned, these are gifts from the Duke of Schwartz to Lady Diana Beatus.”

“Head butler?”

“It’s been a while, Young Lady.”

The person greeting her with posture as stiff as a knight was the head butler of Schwartz Castle.