The woman had a striking appearance with curly blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore an elaborate dress that seemed impractical for train travel. Yet it fit perfectly at the shoulders and waist, and every detail from her hat to her gloves was immaculately crafted.

Despite her voluptuous figure, she carried herself with elegance that prevented any hint of vulgarity. Compared to her, Aira, wearing ill-fitting borrowed clothes, felt truly childlike.

That woman had been about this age when she died. Feeling oddly dejected, Aira leaned back, trying to move out of sight. But her movement caused the newspaper she was holding to rustle.

The woman, who had been glaring only at Jens, turned toward Aira at the sound. She widened her eyes as if just noticing Aira’s presence, looked her up and down, then turned her slanted gaze back to Jens.

“After sending that kind of letter and slipping away like an eel, I never imagined I’d find you here on a date with some girl.”

“What do you want?”

“Ha.”

At his curt response, the woman placed her hands on her hips and glared at him again, seemingly exasperated.

“Surely your new woman can’t really be this little girl—is it actually Ranier Lüse?”

“Ms. Schedel.”

“Don’t call me that! I’m still your fiancée, after all!”

“Ex-fiancée. I received permission from your father to break our engagement. It’s already over.”

Aira’s eyes widened. Schedel was the current fiancée Jens had mentioned.

This woman?

Moreover, Ranier Lüse was the name of Jens’s wife from the previous timeline. So at this point, had he broken off with Schedel and switched to Lüse?

When did he get married again?

In the past, when she had come to the Republic, he was already married, and the time of his marriage was… four years from now.

She remembered Luten muttering that Jens had married quite late at twenty-eight, despite military men typically marrying earlier than civilians.

Jens had been even more famous then—famous enough for a king of another country to know about a single military officer’s marriage.

‘Lüse.’

Aira glanced at the folded newspaper. With the war against the Empire having ended recently, it was filled with naval articles.

The name appearing most frequently in the articles belonged to the man sitting across from her, but the second most frequent name was Lüse.

Current Naval General, presumed next Naval Chief of Staff, Commander-in-Chief of the Servolang Naval Battle, Roald Lüse.

Naval Major Laborde Lüse, advancing steadily though not as impressively as Jens, riding on his father’s name.

And the Naval General’s daughter, Ranier Lüse.

The future—or rather, past—wife of Jens.

And the woman standing beside them now was the daughter of Naval Lieutenant General Schedel.

With a somewhat cynical feeling, Aira looked up from the newspaper she had been studying.

For whatever reason, Jens had switched from the Lieutenant General’s daughter to the General’s daughter.

No, Jens’s private life was none of her business.

“Don’t be ridiculous! How can an engagement be broken without the consent of both parties?!”

The woman’s shrill voice rang in her ears. Jens sighed.

“What exactly do you want to say?”

A train attendant, responding to Jens’s bell, hovered uncertainly nearby.

But the woman paid no attention, barging in without permission, slamming the door shut, and pushing Aira aside to sit down.

Aira felt rather dumbfounded. The woman was treating her like she didn’t exist.

The woman’s carelessly spread dress touched Aira’s body. As she tried to move away uncomfortably, Jens gestured to her.

“Come here.”

Aira rolled her eyes as Jens pointed to the seat beside him.

Whatever they were discussing, shouldn’t she leave?

“Don’t be ridiculous. Little girl, get out.”

“Come here.”

She couldn’t understand why they were having this power struggle with her in the middle. Jens seemed annoyed but didn’t appear interested in fighting with the woman.

It was obvious whose instruction she should follow.

Aira stood up and sat next to Jens. He moved closer to the window to make ample room for her, then spoke.

“What rudeness is this? Why are you arbitrarily dismissing my guest?”

“Rudeness? RUDENESS? You’re the rude one! Did you really think you could break off our engagement with just a letter?”

“I believe I explained my reasons for ending the engagement sufficiently.”

“Do you think I’d believe that? Ranier is already going around talking like she’s your wife, right in front of me who’s been your fiancée for years! To throw away a woman like an old shoe for your career advancement…”

“Ranier? Wife?”

Jens tilted his head as if hearing this for the first time. His reaction only fueled Schedel’s anger.

“Ranier Lüse, the Naval General’s daughter! Do you think that position will last forever? Just wait. When my father becomes Chief of Staff, someone like you will—!”

“I don’t know that woman, so how could that be the reason for breaking our engagement?”

“Then go ask her yourself! She’s on the same train! I stormed out because I couldn’t stand it anymore, and to find you here—it’s outrageous.”

But Jens looked even more incredulous.

“I have no desire to do something as crazy as asking a stranger if she’s going to be my wife.”

Jens already seemed tired of this conversation.

“I’m sorry, but what I wrote in my letter stands. I must go to the Arctic for several years, making marriage impossible. I don’t even know when I’ll return. That’s why Admiral Schedel accepted my request to end the engagement.”

“Who would believe that? Even the newspapers are desperate to figure out what you’re plotting!”

Schedel pointed at the newspaper Aira was holding.

Aira felt strange. There was no deception in Jens’s voice. Besides, Jens was the type to speak directly rather than make excuses.

Come to think of it, truly.

“Why are you going to the Arctic?”

Jens turned to Aira. A faint smile appeared on his face.

“That’s—”

“My goodness.”

Schedel interrupted Jens with a shrill cry. He turned to her with an annoyed expression.

“What now?”

“I know painfully well that you’re not one to lie. So if it’s not really Ranier Lüse, then…”

“How many times do I have to say it’s not—”

“It’s this girl?!”

Aira’s mouth fell open at the rude expression. Well, her presence was somewhat awkward, but still.

“Watch your language.”

Jens’s voice sank to an icy tone. This was rare. He wasn’t one to easily show emotion. He rarely displayed disgust or anger as readily as joy and pleasure.

But his voice had clearly roughened. Schedel flinched at his tone, lowering her gaze, then sneered when she noticed the ill-fitting, loose shoes under Aira’s oddly-lengthed purple dress.

“To think you’d dress up and parade around with such a green girl. If you preferred younger women, you should have said so earlier, instead of making up nonsense about the Arctic.”

“Do my words sound so implausible?”

This was reaching dangerous levels. While Aira was wondering how to silence this woman, Schedel continued relentlessly.

“Well. Your parents also had quite the controversial age gap, didn’t they? Like father, like son, I suppose…”

Schedel’s unrestrained voice trailed off. Aira, who had been glaring at her, looked curiously at her suddenly cowering figure, then turned to Jens.

“Lieutenant Commander?”

She could only see half his face from the side. No, that still-life profile wasn’t one with readable expressions.

“No, I just…”

Schedel’s previously loud voice grew small. Jens, who had been sitting like an inanimate object, sighed deeply to regain his breath. Then he spoke coldly.

“Leave.”

“Lord Jens. I—”

“We’ll never see each other again. Let me be frank. Our engagement was a transaction between families, and I find such arrangements ridiculous in this day and age. My grandfather has now left marriage to my discretion, and Admiral Schedel has accepted my decision to go to the Arctic. Your opinion has no bearing on this matter.”

Schedel’s expression froze at his blunt words. Jens continued without hesitation.

“Just as neither your nor my wishes were considered in our engagement.”

“But—”

“Whether you believe it or not, my departure for the Arctic is decided, and I won’t return for at least several years. So don’t regret it later.”

Jens leaned back in his seat. It was the infinitely arrogant posture of someone who had jumped the tracks.

“Please leave. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you said today.”

“Ah…”

“However, you should apologize to my ward. Your attitude was excessive.”

Schedel flinched. Her uncertain expression turned fierce again.

“Ward?”

“What are you trying to say now?”

“Ha. Fine. I got too worked up over our engagement, which was merely a transaction between families. I’ll believe you’re determined to throw your life into a sewer or frozen sea. You’re the type of person who would do that, and I was a fool to fall for that vain Ranier Lüse’s words. But I can’t believe this ‘ward’ business.”

Schedel stood up abruptly and glared at the two sitting side by side.

“I’m sorry, but I have nothing to apologize for regarding that child. I think even an ex-fiancée who’s been jilted can say this much.”

“You still don’t believe me.”

“Why don’t you look at your reflection in the window if you don’t have a mirror?”

She spoke mockingly, then turned sharply.

“Well then, I’ll be going. Continue your date or don’t—whatever you please.”

“Really…”

“Ah, this isn’t why I took a train trip in the first—”

BANG!

SCREEEECH—

“AAAHH!”

With a tremendous noise, the train came to an abrupt halt. Violent shaking followed. Jens quickly pulled Aira into his arms while deflecting objects flying toward them from the sudden stop.

“W-what’s happening?”

Schedel, who had lowered her posture and protected her head with the quick reflexes befitting a naval officer’s daughter, raised her head with a whimper.