by Yu Sakurai
Sumia’s latent Light Magic made people call her the second coming of the Goddess. She truly believed that her magic was unrivaled in power.
But Laetitia had shattered her light walls in an instant, then smiled over her like it was nothing.
“…How?” Sumia raised her voice. “How can you stand there and act so confident?!”
The dam inside her broke, and she unloaded all her emotions onto Laetitia.
“Something’s wrong with you!! Why are you always acting so cocky all the time?! Did you forget that I stole your fiancé?! He made a fool out of you in front of the whole world when he abandoned you! So why are you still…?!”
Sumia grit her teeth.
She had stolen the crown prince from Laetitia.
Sumia would be the crown princess—the highest title a woman could obtain in the kingdom.
She’d been completely victorious. She was the reigning champion in her battle against Laetitia.
She won everything. Laetitia lost. Until now, Sumia had believed those facts without an ounce of hesitation.
“So why are you still acting like this…?”
Acting like Sumia was the true loser.
Like she’d wandered down the wrong path and didn’t even realize it.
As she stood there, her heart filled with shame and regret, Sumia couldn’t help but wonder if maybe that was true.
◆ ◆ ◆
“…WHY? Didn’t you feel ashamed to have your fiancé stolen away…?” Sumia whimpered.
I thought about her question for a bit and decided to respond.
“I do feel a little disappointed in myself that I let you get so far… But, ashamed? No, I wouldn’t say so.”
“…What do you mean? Everyone watched me take him from you.”
Sumia clearly couldn’t believe her ears.
“In comparison to Prince Fritz, what do I have to be ashamed of?” I asked her resolutely. “He’s the man who let himself be completely fooled by you while he was still engaged to me, then ended it all without ever considering the consequences of his actions. I have no respect for him as a man or as a person. So no, I don’t feel ashamed to have been abandoned by someone like that…”
Sure, when he called off our engagement, I was shaken up in the moment…
But after calming down, I realized just how unfit he was to be crown prince.
Even though he was still my fiancé only a few days ago, now whenever I thought about Fritz’s personality and actions, all I felt was repulsed by the man.
“I have no intention of forgiving the two of you for what you’ve done to me… But in a way, I’m actually grateful. You’re the person who freed me of my obligations to His Highness.”
My only regret, and it was truly a painful one, was the trouble I caused Father by ruining my marriage plans.
However, the truth was still that I was enormously relieved to be free of Fritz. Until now, I’d respected him as the crown prince, and even cared for him as a person to an extent…but the way he treated me, that day I regained my memories, was all I needed to see of him to rid myself of that attachment.
“…I don’t believe you. I take your fiancé, and now you’re thanking me…”
Sumia was arguing back, but her voice had lost all force.
Perhaps she understood my logic more than she wanted to let on.
I had no reason to believe that Sumia truly loved Fritz at all. Her only interest was becoming the crown princess. The way she clung to Fritz and seduced him with her charming words were both just a means to that end.
She was also probably smart enough to understand exactly how foolish Fritz was.
Now that I thought about it, Sumia might be on the brink of a life of hardships, being married to a man like that.
The only thing he loved was Sumia’s disguise. He probably wouldn’t lose interest in her, so long as she kept up the act, but still, that wasn’t “true love” in any sense of the phrase.
On top of it all, as appealing as the title of crown princess seemed to look, nothing in life came without a price. Being the princess would mean years upon years of responsibilities that Glasses Creep and his family wouldn’t allow her to simply ignore.
All that was left for Sumia was to play out her life as the puppet princess with a man she didn’t even love. Deep down, Sumia might already be aware of that fate.
When I looked at Sumia, who was on the verge of tears, I couldn’t imagine anything else.
“My lady, it appears someone else has arrived,” Lucian whispered into my ear.
I glanced around at our surroundings and spotted a figure with glasses frames that lit up under the light of the moon.
It was Ilius, the Glasses Creep.
“Oh my. Good evening. What brings you here so late at night?” I asked with a smile.
“…Her. I’m just here to retrieve Sumia.”
Ilius pushed his glasses up and looked away from me to hide his expression.
“I shouldn’t have let Sumia get away so easily, but tonight’s events could have been avoided if you didn’t fall for such a stupid letter.”
“Oh, is that right? Well, I think you ought to keep a better eye on her, myself. You don’t want to ruin all the work you put into ending my engagement, do you?”
Ilius didn’t seem to want to take any responsibility, so I decided not to hold back with my response.
I knew he was smart enough to figure out what had happened between Sumia and me.
He understood the situation and still made no attempt to apologize to me. This is why he really earned the “Creep” in “Glasses Creep.”
On the inside, I was cursing those glasses of his to break into a million pieces.
Truthfully, he was only acting in his own best interests as a nobleman, but that didn’t make it any less irritating.
A good punch to those glasses would probably make a nice sound…
“Ilius, since you’re here, let me give you a present.”
“…Can I refuse? I already know I’m not going to like it.”
“That’s correct. Here’s your reward: a report that I think you’ll find very interesting.”
I took the paper from Lucian and held it out to Ilius. He reluctantly took it from my hand.
It was a copy of my investigation into Sumia’s background.
Ilius’s face soured as he quickly scanned its contents.
“…What is it you’re after? You want me to keep Sumia on a tighter leash so her past stays a secret? Is this a demand to keep you and your family out of all this?”
“You’re as quick-witted as always. Though, I’d also ask you to keep Sumia and Prince Fritz under closer observation. I don’t want them doing anything that could harm the kingdom.”
“…I can’t promise it, but I’ll let my father know.”
“I appreciate it.”
I smiled softly at him, knowing it would come across as menacing. Hopefully that would be enough of a warning for the Ilegar family.
Leaving the kingdom peacefully meant the royal family would be indebted to us. Even if Sumia took my place as the crown princess, she would have no way of hurting my family.
“…By the way, Ilius, may I ask you about something that’s still bothering me?”
“What’s that?”
“You chose to cooperate in the plot by faking Sumia’s past and helping her cozy up to the prince, isn’t that right? It only worked out because His Highness was even more foolish than you imagined, but it was a dangerous plan with a slim chance of success from the start. Why would you ever want to be a part of it?”
It never made sense to me.
Ilius was by no means a good person, but he was smart. I had no doubt he possessed a strategic mind. That’s why it was such a surprise to see him cooperate in setting Sumia up with Fritz.
I knew his family was likely the source of his orders, but I didn’t see how they could force someone like Ilius into participating in their plot.
“�
��What’s so strange about that? My father, the duke, asked for my help, and I had no good reason to turn him down.”
It didn’t feel like a clear answer, but I could tell I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him. He probably had his own circumstances to consider, and there was no way he would share that information with his enemy, so I decided to let it go.
“I see. That makes sense. I’m sorry I asked such an odd question.”
With that, I was ready to bid farewell to Ilius, who looked deeply uncomfortable, when…
“Are those hoofbeats?”
I could faintly make out the sound of hooves approaching our location.
The noise grew louder until its source was finally visible before us.
“The devil?!” cried Ilius.
The person who appeared, glaring down at us like a demon on his large black horse…
“Laetitia, are you all right?!”
…was none other than my father. Most certainly not the devil.
The moonlight cast that menacing face of his in heavy shadows. It was enough to scare even me, his own daughter, for a moment. Naturally, the others were even more frightened. Ilius was frozen in shock. Sumia was visibly terrified. Only Lucian was unaffected as he stood at my side.
Lucian’s truly cut from a different cloth.
I expected nothing less from my capable (future) butler.
After a bit of mental praise for Lucian, I turned to look up at my father on his horse.
“Why have you come here, Father? I thought you’d be working through the night.”
“How foolish you are!!” he barked back at me.
The anger on his face certainly did resemble the devil.
“What’s more important than my daughter’s well-being?! How could I go on living if something ever happened to you…?” Father yelled.
He let out a deep sigh as he rubbed his temples.
Rage, anguish, and relief—his exhalation carried traces of each emotion.
“…I sincerely apologize for worrying you, Father…”
“…You scared me half to death. How could you run out of the house in the middle of the night without telling me where you were going?”
“I didn’t want to cause any trouble for you. I thought Lucian and I could make do without your assistance, just this once…”
That’s why I left the mansion quietly that night, so as not to alert anyone. I thought I could finish conducting my business and make it back before Father even noticed I was gone.
“I’m so sorry. It was selfish of me to do this by myself…”
“…Don’t apologize, Laetitia. You’re not the person who owes me an apology here,” Father growled, taking his hands away from his face.
His face was back to its usual stern, intimidating expression.
“You’re the third son of the Ilegar family, and you’re His Highness’s new fiancée, Sumia. Do I have that right?”
Sumia shuddered to be on the receiving end of his piercing gaze.
“Just what’s the meaning of this? Calling my daughter out here in the middle of the night…”
The question was heavy with implications—as if their very lives depended on what answers they gave.
But Father was a government official, so of course, it would never actually come to that…
The fact that the idea even appeared in my mind was just proof of how frightening he presented himself.
“Lord Gramwell, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. We meant no harm toward Lady Laetitia.”
Ilius was the one who spoke, drawing Father’s eyes away from Sumia, who was still trembling off to the side.
Glasses Creep showed no hesitation on his face, though I’d expect nothing less from him. He responded to Father with flawless manners and carefully chosen words.
“You meant no harm? Then why did you call her all the way out here? What discussion has to take place in such an isolated area?”
“…Sometimes young people like to chat among themselves where they won’t be spotted by others.”
“They like to chat, huh? And you there, Sumia. Would you like to explain what happened to your hair? Did you do something to my daughter to make her strike back at you?”
“…!!”
Sumia turned her head, biting hard on her bottom lip.
Father let out a chuckle as he stared down at her.
“Hmph. When I heard you stole the prince away from my daughter, I imagined you’d be a fine young lady of good character, but now I see you for what you are… Ilegar boy, your father will be hearing about this, and I won’t back down until I receive an apology. But I’ll let you go for now. Take Sumia back to your home and start thinking of an explanation for your father.”
“…Thank you for your generous response.”
Ilius bowed and grabbed Sumia’s arm.
I could still see the regret in her eyes as they departed in the opposite direction of Father.
He kept his glare fixed on them until they were out of sight. He then dismounted the horse and stood before me.
“Laetitia…”
“Father…”
The moonlight illuminated us from above as we faced each other in silence.
After everything that happened, I could hardly bear to look him in the eye, but I knew better than to break his gaze.
“You still won’t come to me when you need help… I wish I was a more reliable father in your eyes.”
“That’s not it. I trust you, and I know more than anyone how reliable you are.”
“…I don’t want to hear your flattery. Ever since we lost Selina, your mother, I’ve struggled with how to approach you. That much is true.”
“No, Father. You’re the one who taught me what it means to be a noblewoman, and I know how much you’ve protected me throughout my life. You even helped me in my studies to become the crown princess.”
My father was always acting in my best interest. Though, it was true I’d always felt a sense of distance between us. After all, the man never so much as smiled…
But regaining the memories of my past life meant I now had a more objective view of parent-child relationships. I knew there was no reason to doubt the love my Father had for me.
“Laetitia, I’m blessed to have a daughter as bright as you…able to understand my feelings even when I fail to express them properly… That’s why I arranged for your engagement to His Highness. I thought it would be a good use of your talents…”
His expression stiffened. I imagined the look on his face could knock out a person all on its own.
“…And yet, that half-witted prince had the gall to break up with you and banish you from the kingdom in front of a crowd. I can’t believe it came to that… I’ll never forgive myself for betrothing you to a man like that.”
“Father…”
“I know how hard you’ve been working to become the crown princess, and all this time, I’ve never heard a single demand of yours. I’m sorry if it’s too late, but…if there’s anything at all I can do for you, I don’t want you to hesitate to ask.”
Father was serious. It didn’t seem like he would stand down until I made some kind of request.
“…I see. In that case, will you smile for me, Father?”
“…I don’t understand.” Father’s voice was low and serious. “Is that really what you want, Laetitia…?”
“Is something wrong with that? It’s not that I question how much you care about me, but I was hoping to see it in a more visible expression…”
“Er, I don’t…”
“Can’t you do it for me?”
“…Very well. Prepare yourself, Laetitia.”
Prepare myself?
I stared at my father, wondering what he could mean.
“!!”
Terrifying. It’s downright terrifying!
That was my immediate reaction to seeing Father smile at me.
Right…that’s a smile.
Logically, I knew he was smiling…<
br />
But the expression on his face was overwhelmingly intense. Frankly, it made him look completely evil. His already stony face was intimidating enough as it was.
The smile not only failed to soften his looks but somehow made him appear even more threatening. Father looked like he was hatching some kind of scheme. Any child who saw him like that would surely burst into tears.
“Father…y-your smile…”
“…Frightening, right? I know. I discovered long ago that I appear to be one of the worst smilers in all the world… When you were a child, I once made the mistake of smiling at you, only to have you burst into tears and start avoiding me for a while… I’ve been trying to prevent that from happening again, so I thought it best not to smile at all…”
“…I’m sorry.”
An apology was all I could muster in response.
I had just finished thinking about how his smile could make children bawl, but I had no idea that I’d been a victim myself… Children can truly be cruel creatures.
“So you’ve never smiled at me because you thought it would frighten me?”
The realization knocked the wind out of me.
Father was always an “awkward” man. He’d lost his wife, worked his fingers to the bone at all times, and struggled with how to approach his only daughter. I already knew all this…but now it felt different.
My father excelled as a public servant while struggling with his personal life. Sometimes both sides of him came out at once…
“That’s right. Your older brothers also warned me about how horrid my smile is… It’s always saddened me to know that you inherited my looks.”
“…Huh? Wait a moment. What are you talking about?” The response came out of my mouth automatically. It was completely unexpected. “I resemble Mother, don’t I? When I look at her portraits, it feels like I’m looking in a mirror.”
“…Your faces are similar, sure. You have Selina’s stunning beauty, but…when you smile, you look like me. I’ve seen it on your face many times.”
Are you kidding me?!
I whisked my hand mirror out of my dress pocket, eager to prove him wrong.
Thankfully, after I flashed a quick smile, the only thing I saw was the reflection of a blonde girl with a pleasant expression.
“Take a look, Father. How is this anything like your smile?”