How could someone like that…

Watching Matteo’s retreating figure stomping the stone floor with both feet while huffing and puffing—exactly like an enraged wild boar—Adeline shook her head. She could see the impending downfall of Regenstadt.

Even among those who’d been mentioned as her potential matches, he was hands down the worst. Adeline swallowed the short sneer rising in her throat.

In truth, if one were human, one shouldn’t harbor such wicked thoughts toward a woman who’d been toyed with, but she truly felt grateful to Anna from the bottom of her heart.

If not for Anna, Adeline would have married Matteo the moment he graduated from the academy. Anna, who’d made her realize Matteo’s true nature, felt like a lifelong benefactor.

She resolved that she must not only protect Anna’s safety but also secure her future livelihood.

Now all that remained was cleaning up this situation. To protect both Anna and Belliche while creating grounds to break off the engagement, that was the only way.

After watching the direction Matteo disappeared, Adeline closed her eyes once and opened them, then raised her right hand high. Then she struck her left cheek mercilessly.

Smack!

The sharp sound of flesh splitting cut through the silence. But Adeline didn’t hesitate in what followed either.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Three more times in succession without pause to breathe. Like someone who’d lost their mind, she just kept striking her own cheek.

Her left cheek burned so intensely it went numb. For a princess raised delicately, it was pain intense enough to bring tears to her eyes.

No, it’s not enough.

Whether her lip or the inside of her mouth had split, she tasted the metallic tang of blood. But this didn’t seem sufficient. She resented her own weak strength.

How nice it would be if I could finish in one blow.

Sighing, she slapped her cheek again—slap, slap. But perhaps because she was too rushed, she accidentally struck at an angle and her ear went deaf.

That’s when it happened. From behind her came a low laugh followed by the sound of applause.

Ah, he hasn’t left yet.

She’d forgotten about Kailen’s existence, her attention stolen by Matteo. She’d also carelessly assumed Belliche would have left by now.

“The noble princess has quite a talent for staging.”

If she had to discuss how to handle this situation with Belliche anyway, now was actually the best time.

She straightened the hand clutching her swollen cheek and turned around.

“Thank you for helping, Belliche.”

“You use bolder tactics than expected.”

“…”

Adeline paused to choose her words, then opened her mouth. It actually worked out well since she didn’t need to explain at length. He seemed to have already grasped her intent.

“This incident originated from me. I’ll take measures on this end to prevent unnecessary damage as much as possible. Thank you again.”

Adeline’s brow furrowed slightly.

“…And I’m sorry. Perhaps… you might be summoned to an unpleasant proceeding. Testimony will be needed. About that, I’ll definitely make it up to you later…”

“You say you’re grateful and sorry, but your head is awfully stiff.”

It was the first time she’d heard so many improper remarks deviating from the academy’s internal regulations about mutual respect all in one day, and it was unsettling. However, excluding his tone, she agreed enough with the content itself, so Adeline bowed her head.

“I’m sorry. I transferred in midway not long ago, so I’m not familiar with the customs here. Please understand.”

“Sure, then.”

He straightened his posture after tapping the dirt off his shoe tip once against the stone floor.

“Let’s not interfere with what comes next and each handle things ourselves.”

Adeline’s eyes widened at his words drawing a line.

No, how do you plan to handle this? Do you even have a plan?

“Wai…”

She tried to ask one last question about whether there was a way to contact him outside regulations if the situation took an unexpected turn, but the words only circled around her lips.

“…t a minu…”

Before she could even spit out the first word, he turned and disappeared down the path leading to the conservatory.

Left alone in an instant, Adeline stood there dazed for a moment.

What kind of situation is this even?

His expression had been so composed it was hard to believe he was someone who’d just caused a major incident. So it felt like being under some spell. If not for her stinging cheek, Adeline would have almost thought the previous events were a dream throughout her walk.

* * *

Countless gazes followed her until she reached the dormitory. Though not one person approached to openly ask why she looked such a mess.

After arriving at her room and successfully soothing the still-tearful Anna before sending her away, she pressed an ice pack to her swollen cheek.

“Adeline!”

No sooner had she sat on the edge of the bed than someone burst in.

“Therese.”

In Adeline’s network where short and shallow interactions were the norm, Therese was one of the few she could call a friend.

“…Why does your face look like that?”

What happened? Don’t hide it and tell me. 

Therese’s face hardened as she urgently demanded answers, so Adeline told her to keep it between them for now—that she planned to break off the engagement. Along with a briefly summarized account.

“That bastard deserves to die. He’s a waste of air. How dare he lay hands on someone!”

“I’m satisfied with just breaking the engagement.”

“So, how are you going to handle the rest?”

Therese’s question about whether there were other matters to wrap up besides the obviously broken engagement contained many implications.

“Think of yourself before that girl Anna. Don’t be foolishly naive.”

Even if it’s not true, just suspicion alone could spread dirty rumors involving you. I’m worried Matteo might damage your reputation too. Such talk followed.

Finally, at Therese’s advice that apart from dealing with that bastard, wouldn’t it be better to wrap things up moderately without making a big fuss, Adeline smirked.

Because Therese was worrying unnecessarily. About things like marriage prospects being cut off.

But Adeline’s thoughts were completely different.

“If marriage prospects get cut off from this, that would be lucky.”

She could go without being tied to anyone for a while, so it was actually beneficial.

Therese didn’t return to her own room until late at night. Instead, she remained by Adeline’s side, mobilizing every curse word she knew to d*mn Matteo von Regenstadt. They were refreshing rebukes, like she’d entered and exited Adeline’s mind.

“I’m sleeping over.”

Then she claimed one side of Adeline’s bed and lay down. Though sharing a bed with someone was slightly uncomfortable, strangely it wasn’t unpleasant.

* * *

The entire Roenheim Girls’ Academy and Ehrenroth Royal Advanced Academy were turned upside down. Strict school rules existed between the two schools sharing some grounds. 

That said, there hadn’t been zero incidents spanning both schools until now. But since their founding, this was the first mega-incident involving a special admission student—namely, a foreign princess.

The principals and foundation staff immediately requested interviews. However, Adeline had filed for sick leave, so she notified them to proceed through the representative she usually brought along, stating she wouldn’t respond directly.

Her representative, Mrs. Pelle, was from Krauben and had been dispatched seven years ago to monitor Adeline’s life, protect and observe her, and mediate communication with her mother Luise.

Thanks to this, her mother also learned the full story of the incident. Including that she’d suffered terrible *ssault from her fiancé.

Her mother and Belmor Palace were enraged. Regardless of whether she held actual power, violence inflicted on a princess—the face of the nation—was an issue that absolutely couldn’t be covered up.

Meanwhile, Matteo had been summoned to his family home.

〈Even grinding you to death wouldn’t be satisfying enough, you bastard! There are limits to smearing sh*t on your father’s face! Fine, yes. I’ll kill you properly this time. Since I sired you, I should collect you with my own hands! Something like you has no value in living.〉

The Duke who said this couldn’t actually kill his son, but killed him about halfway. Then he sent a representative to contact the foundation and beg Krauben’s forgiveness.

The engagement was annulled, and she received a massive sum in compensation. Everything seemed to be wrapping up smoothly according to Adeline’s wishes.

But Matteo, who’d survived near-death, denied the *ssault charges. He had no reason to do such a thing, so what would he gain from it, he pleaded to his father.

〈Father, Father! Wait! Please listen to me. Why would I do such a thing unless I was insane? What benefit would I get! Look at my face. This nose! This nose bridge wasn’t from you hitting me—it was already like this when I came. You know three teeth fell out, yet how can you be so harsh only to me!〉

Then he finally dragged out Belliche and Anna’s names disgracefully.

〈And Anna. That wench was suspicious from the start. Belliche definitely put her up to it. Perhaps even Adeline might be in on it.〉

It’s all staged, don’t be fooled, I’m innocent—he clung to his father’s pant leg, insisting.