Chapter 12: One Who Tells of Despair│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com

“So here’s to celebrating what’s to come for you.”

“””””Cheers.”””””

The emperor’s speech kicks off the graduation ceremony.

If it happens as in my dream, it should happen when everyone is dancing and the mood is high.

That is, until then, I can have fun with Nadia.

“Fufu, this food is also delicious.”

“Really?”

Nadia hands me a caviar-topped cracker, which I pop into my mouth.

“! Delicious!”

“Fufu, Isn’t it?”

Nadia bursts out laughing at the sight of me.

It never occurred to me that I could have such a joyous graduation celebration.

Following that, I continued to enjoy food-related conversation with Nadia.

“Oh, the music…”

A song began to play in the hall, as if to invite everyone to dance.

“Would you like to dance with me, Nadia?”

“Yes… I’d be delighted.”

I knelt, took her slender hand in mine, and asked her to dance; she agreed with a slight blush on her cheeks.

We followed the other students to the center of the hall.

“All right, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

We all dance together.

It was a great time, and I loved Nadia so much that I wanted to whisk her away while we danced…

But the fun ended when the song ended.

“Ivan, would you like to dance again after a short break?”

“Sure, I’ll dance as many times as Nadia wants…”

“I’m so happy…”

Nadia leans against me, her eyes moist, satisfied with my response.

Until yesterday, I would have kept a safe distance from her and held back.

But I don’t have to wait any longer.

So.

“…”

“Can we just stay like this for a little while longer…?”

“Yes…”

Nadia’s fragile body was in my arms.

Her breath, her lovely indigo hair, and her thin white neck are all right next to me.

‘Sigh’, Nadia, I love you.

more than any other person in the world.

But it’s about time.

“Ladies and gentlemen!”

The Crown Prince cries out in the middle of the hall, clutching the lousy woman next to him.

Naturally, just like in the dream.

“I have someone here who, unfortunately, must be charged with a crime on this fine day! Step forward! Carina Oliveira!”

“…”

Lady Carina, who had been summoned, looked at the Crown Prince silently… She emerged and fixed her gaze on the lousy woman.

“For the past three years, you and the other ladies here have humiliated Aria at every opportunity—there is no doubt about it!”

“…Yes. I personally disciplined that unprincipled girl over there for committing lewd and indecent acts against His Highness Emilio and the other noblemen without regard to her rank!”

Lady Carina takes pride in saying it as if it were natural to her.

She is correct about the lousy woman, but Lady Carina is also very bad.

She has just lost her fiancé, the Crown Prince, so it’s understandable that she would be so harsh on her.

I can’t, however, forgive them for dragging Nadia into such a ridiculous bullying situation.

“Emilio… I…”

“Aria…”

The lousy woman clings pitifully to the Crown Prince, her shoulders shaking and her eyes welling up.

The crown prince cradles her in his arms, a worried expression on his face. What exactly is this farce?

And then

“You people! Is that what noble ladies do?! You should be ashamed!”

“That’s right! I doubt they have the same red blood as we do!”

“After all, that’s all they are!”

“…Hmph.”

Donato and the prince’s cronies line up shamelessly to protect the lousy woman, even though they are not summoned.

“Nadia Jest, please come forward as well!”

With great importance, Donato calls Nadia.

exactly as in the dream.

“You don’t have to listen to him, Nadia. Please remain by my side.”

“Fufu… No, I’m not sure what he’ll say, but I’m not going to run and hide.”

Nadia takes a step forward, chuckling.

“No! Please do not leave!”

In a last resort, I begged her.

by any means necessary to prevent that dream from becoming a reality

“If that’s the case, will you come with me, Ivan…?”

Nadia asked, her indigo eyes moistened.

All I could do in the end was listen to her words.

“Thank you…”

She smiles as she stands in front of Donato.

Donato’s face looked terrible as he looked back and forth between me and Nadia.

That’s probably why he despises us so much.

Because his pride as the son of a border count has been harmed, and because Nadia, his fiancée, is now with me.

And he let herself be carried away by that lousy woman.

That’s why I’m at ease with Donato’s lethal stare.

This is evidence that Nadia has chosen me.

…and I’m pretty sure I’ll end up in the labyrinth as well.

All I have to do now is be determined.

The other cronies then called out the name of their fiancée, and here we are, the fiancées, including Nadia, and me, six in total.

There are six of them on the other side, including the Crown Prince, the lousy lady, Donato, and the cronies. As luck would have it, we’re tied.

And then

“I declare in the presence of so many witnesses! I call off my engagement to the wicked Carina Oliveira!”

“Donato Hymes, also break my engagement to Nadia Jest! “

“Me too. I can’t be with a woman with such an ugly heart.”

“Me too… I believe you should be a cheerful and kind girl like Aria.”

“…I don’t need to say anything else.”

When these idiots announced that they had called off their engagement, Lady Carina and the other fiancées were all shocked.

They probably never thought they would be the ones to break off the engagement in such a public place.

In my dreams, I saw this scene numerous times.

And it’s happening right in front of my eyes right now.

In the midst of all of that

“Ivan, my engagement is now broken off.”

“Yes…”

Nadia was the only one who showed me a long-awaited smile.

That;s right…

From this moment on, she belongs to no one.

At that moment

“How dare you do such a thing in my presence?!”

The horrifyingly low voice of the person who informed me and Nadia of our plight echoed down the hall.

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