Astin is a man made of nothing but bluff.
That was Azelin's firm assessment.
Azelin, who had been waiting in the reception room until a moment ago, heard whispering in the hallway.
What she heard was such an absurd story that it could make one burst into laughter.
-Did you see it yourself? Young Master Astin defeated thirty knights?
-I'm telling you! If you don't believe it, ask the people involved yourself. You're getting along well with Garten, aren't you? Go ask him.
-Oh, you. Why bring that up all of a sudden?
A ridiculous rumor that Astin had won consecutive victories against thirty knights.
'I'm speechless.'
Azelin scoffed from behind her fan.
He knows that Azelin admires knights.
So it was obvious he had planted shills in the hallway.
Astin was a man who always bragged with his own mouth.
He was a troublemaker skilled at spreading lies and tearing down others' reputations.
Now he had no shame and was even mobilizing his subordinates to stage a farce.
He freely resorts to fabrication and lies to hide his incompetence.
There was no way she did not know Astin's shallow nature.
And even now.
"Oh. Your mask is thicker than your makeup."
He speaks of things he barely knows as if they were facts.
"You really are... an incorrigible liar."
He was the same man as ever.
"It was always like this. You were the one who inflated yourself with absurd boasts and tore others down by inventing scandals that did not exist. Does that fill your petty pride?"
When she got this genuinely angry, Astin quickly tucked his tail. And that was not all.
He would wag his tail sweetly, saying he would give anything to have what he wanted.
Azelin assumed he would surely do the same this time as well.
"I have endured everything until now, but this time you have crossed the line. I cannot overlook any act that sullies my honor any longer! Apologize formally and beg for forgiveness!"
"Enough."
Valdemar, who had remained silent, raised his hand.
Azelin shrank back at his imposing air.
"Raising your voice any further would disgrace the honor of both families."
Azelin glared at Astin through gritted teeth.
If it were as usual, this was the moment he should have tucked his tail first and clung to her.
But Astin was dryly digging in his ear.
"Young Lady Azelin. You are my son's betrothed. The mere fact that you had a secret meeting with an outside man is enough for Kardenos to make an issue of it."
An engagement is not a private affair of love between two people. It is a pledge imbued with the prestige of both families.
If the Young Lady secretly had a private meeting with another man.
If the affair Astin spoke of was truly real, Azelin would have to pay the price.
Scrape-!
The chair legs dragged across the carpet and let out a grinding sound.
Azelin's bloodshot eyes glinted ominously.
"It seems conversation will no longer get through. I will take my leave for today."
Azelin gave Valdemar a stiff nod.
As she tried to turn around, she stopped in front of the two.
"But I must say one thing as well. The insult I suffered here today will not end as a matter between just the two of us. The price for insulting the eldest legitimate daughter of Rosenthal. You should also worry about friction between Kardenos and Rosenthal."
"We shall do so."
Even if she is the eldest legitimate daughter, she cannot make threats against a Head of Household. Their levels are simply not comparable.
Nevertheless, Azelin showed no sign of regret. Her face was rather refreshed.
After all, her father, the Head of Household of Rosenthal, valued his daughter more than the family.
"Hmph-!"
Azelin left the reception room coldly.
Slam-!
Beyond the door, the sound of heels echoing down the marble hallway gradually faded.
The reception room looked as if a storm had swept through it.
Valdemar turned his gaze first and looked directly at his son.
Complex emotions filled his raptor-like eyes.
"Astin."
"Yes."
"What you just said, is it true?"
If his revelation was a reckless outburst born of temper, Astin would face great trouble in high society.
As Azelin warned, the Rosenthal family would not stay quiet.
Whether true or not, it had already become a mess entangled with the fate and honor of the families.
Even under Valdemar's questioning, Astin calmly sipped his tea.
"There is no need to trouble yourself to find out."
Clink-
He lightly set the cooled teacup on the table.
Astin murmured in a low tone.
"Because before long, that bastard will come to us on his own feet."
"That bastard?"
"I mean Julian, whom Azelin treasures like gold. She will come here holding his hand, all friendly."
Valdemar's brow furrowed.
Azelin, who had just been calling it slander, would bring that man here?
"Are you saying you will have Julian give false testimony that it is groundless?"
"No. He will admit everything."
"...Admit it?"
Tap- tap-
Astin tapped the table with his index finger.
"Azelin will run straight to Julian. She will tell him she has been caught and ask what she should do."
-Julian, please don't do this. Our love must stop here. My betrothed is Kardenos. If our relationship is exposed, they will not stay quiet.
-I cannot do that. How could I hand you over to a coward hiding behind his family's power?
-What exactly are you going to do?
-In the name of the Goddess of the Moon, I will challenge the heir of Kardenos to a duel. If he knows I am a fallen noble, Astin will accept. He is a man made entirely of bluff. He will beat me black and blue in front of you and try to win your heart.
"Julian will challenge me to a duel. He will tell me to stake the breaking of my engagement with Azelin as the prize."
Under imperial law and even in sacred chivalry, the loser of a Duel of Honor must submit to the winner's demands.
It means that if Astin loses, any justification to bind her with the engagement will disappear.
There would be almost no lingering trouble.
Bards' ballads, salon scandals, opera plays, romance novels.
In the current imperial capital, forbidden love that could not be realized was a hot trend.
In such a situation, a knight from a fallen noble family actually defeats the heir of a prestigious family in a duel and wins love?
It was the romance of the century that would stir not only high society but the entire imperial capital.
Such a romance story would become their reputation, and reputation would flow into the family's prestige as well.
'This damn Romance Fantasy.'
A ridiculous romance turns a family engagement into a scrap of paper.
This world was not a Romance Fantasy for nothing.
"A baseless assumption. That will not happen."
When Valdemar clicked his tongue, Astin shrugged.
"Let us see. How it will turn out."
***
A secluded old-building classroom at the Imperial Academy.
Under the sunlight seeping through the window gap, Azelin was in the man's arms with a pale face.
"It was in front of the Head of Household of Kardenos. That braggart said such a thing in front of the Head of Household!"
Azelin told him about the humiliation she had suffered in the reception room yesterday.
Her voice was trembling emotionally, unlike her usual self.
After hearing the full story, Julian's face hardened stiffly.
Soon a certain resolve filled his eyes.
"Astin. That scoundrel of a young master has finally crossed the line."
"What should we do now? If Kardenos makes an issue of this, I will have to go to my father..."
"There is nowhere left to retreat. If we just let him do as he pleases, things will go exactly as Astin wants."
Julian gently wrapped his arm around Azelin's shoulders.
"I will challenge that bastard to a duel myself."
"Julian, no. He may be Astin, but he is Kardenos. If his family retaliates..."
"Don't worry, Azelin. I have a plan for everything."
Deep confidence spread around Julian's mouth.
"It is a sacred duel staked on the name of honorable chivalry."
After that, Julian explained his plan, citing imperial law and chivalry.
Hearing that, Azelin stopped crying and nodded.
"I trust you, Julian."
Bang-!
Just as the tender atmosphere was ripening, the closed door burst open noisily.
It was definitely locked, though?
The two who had been embracing quickly pulled apart.
"Aaaagh! Please hide me!"
The girl who entered with silver hair flying was the student Lucia.
She scrambled under the empty teacher's desk, panting roughly.
So it was none other than Lucia who had broken open the locked door.
Then it is not strange. Despite her frail body, her physical strength overwhelmed even the head instructor.
Azelin snapped irritably.
"What kind of disgraceful behavior is this, bursting in suddenly? Is someone chasing you?"
"Yeah! They really are chasing me! Not just one, but three!"
Azelin let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.
"His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, the Empire's foremost merchant guild master, and the second son of the Northern Grand Duke?"
"I'm telling you, yes!"
"Those big shots are chasing after you because they like you, and you're running away? You really are too blessed."
"That's why it's more of a burden! I just want a normal school life, but they won't leave me alone!"
Lucia whined while clutching her head.
Azelin inwardly admitted it as well.
From watching her all this time, she did live a tiring life.
Peek-
Lucia poked her head out and glanced outside.
After confirming no one was coming, she smoothed down her startled heart.
"Whew... Thank goodness. But Azelin, is it okay for you to be here alone with Julian? Don't you have a fiancée"
A question that hit the mark right away.
Azelin did not change her expression at all and raised her chin.
"Don't misunderstand. Senior Julian and I are merely friends."
"Right. She asked me to teach her Swordsmanship."
"Oh, is that so...?"
Lucia nodded a couple of times.
A strange awkwardness remained on her face.