Chapter 1. The Engagement’s Annulment

“Lorona Ruth, I thereby annul my engagement with you.”

The girl shifted her gaze towards the man who had made that heartless declaration from the stage. As she did, her expression remained unchanged.

In the luxuriously decorated hall, the peaceful atmosphere that had lasted undisturbed vanished without a trace.

At the grand graduation ceremony being held at the Royal Academy of the Kingdom of Nirna, the various graduating students and their guests were gathering.

The young man on the stage was Velbutte Nirna.

He was the crown prince of the kingdom. He had fiery red hair and jewel-like azure eyes. His figure was majestic, he couldn’t be seen as being 19-years-old.

He had graduated from that academy that same day and had just given a greeting on behalf of the graduates.

The girl confronting that domineering Velbutte was none other than Lorona Ruth. She was the daughter of Count Ruth.

With clear violet eyes and a dignified expression on her face, she looked mature.

Clad in a bright red dress, she left her thin nape exposed with how her silver hair was tied up. Her appearance exuded a bewitching charm unimaginable from an 18-year-old.

When silent, her beauty gave the impression of being a human-sized doll.

On behalf of the students, she had been invited there to also give a message.

Lorona and Velbutte had been engaged by the royal family and the count family ever since they were young.

“Velbutte, in a place like this… how terrible! My poor older sister!”

The girl who stood beside Velbutte shouted.

She was Lumina Ruth, a pretty girl with fluttery, wavy, candy-colored hair. Her eyes were the color of melty honey. The girl had just had her debutante the other day, and she was none other than Lorona’s sister.

Lumina’s eyes began to overflow with tears as she uttered words of concern for Lorona. However, her lips were distorted—probably because she could no longer conceal her joy.

Those surrounding them watched the scene with anxiety and half-interest towards what had begun.

Lorona lowered her face, seemingly in thought about something. Regardless, her expression didn’t convey any emotions.

“…Understood.”

She answered quietly before proceeding to bow her head deeply. Turning around, Lorona left the two.

Her eloquent and unrelenting movements as she lifted the hem of her dress gave her the appearance of a dignified actress on stage.

“—Hey! Aren’t you going to ask why I’m annulling our engagement!?”

“…Older sister?”

Velbutte and Lumine seemed to be a little disappointed by Lorona’s attitude, she was being too nonchalant. They immediately raised their voices.

Lorona, who stopped her feet, slowly turned around. Velbutte, who looked impatient, purposefully cleared his throat.

“It seems that your status as my fiancée has gotten into your head, to the extent that you steadfast ignored your dignity as an aristocrat and involved yourself in unscrupulous business practices. Not only that, you’ve also been bullying your own sister, Lumina, solely because her mother isn’t an aristocrat. Your lack of morals make you unsuitable to be the future queen of this kingdom.”

“I see.”

“…That’s right. Do you have anything to say?”

“None.”

Velbutte didn’t seem to have had enough, yet. Nevertheless, Lorona offered him no chance to revel on the situation. Lumina also looked anxious.

“Is there anything else? I’ll leave the procedure for annulling the engagement to you.”

“Oi!!”

Since she didn’t have time to listen to anyone, Lorona left the venue.

From a mere glance, it was as if Lorona was the one who had annulled the engagement.

Velbutte, having been left standing there, was confused. In the end, he screamed in distress, “You insist on putting up a front!”

The turmoil of the annulment between the crown prince and the countess at the graduation ceremony of the royal academy became breaking news within the kingdom that day.

However, immediately after that, a more shocking event would come up.

The death of Countess Lorona Ruth.

This was a story in where the fates of those who lost their central gear are swallowed by an overwhelming tide.

***T/N: I want to invent a new nickname for the prince, but the ass’ name is already pretty self-explanatory.