Side Story 2

After destroying the administrator’s scenario, a month had flown by.

Escaping the clutches of that mad administrator was great, and the changed settings were a relief too.

Like Duke Ruthius being a doting father, and Alex being utterly smitten with his little sister.

Just one thing aside.

‘Why are all the people around me different from last time!’

Right now, I wasn’t the confined mad princess—I was Astell, the duke’s daughter raised with love.

With a different upbringing came different people in my life.

I’d never met Kaiel or Johan, but Elaine Roma and I had been close enough to visit each other’s homes since we were kids.

‘Elaine Roma as a friend? Who even buys that?’

And it didn’t stop there. I even had a fiancé.

‘What was his name again? Valtan? Bellan?’

That guy, whose name I couldn’t even recall properly, showed up out of nowhere spouting nonsense like he’d marry me if I handed over a gold mine, only to get dragged off.

I figured he was a total con man, but no—he really was my fiancé?

Turned out we’d known each other since we were little, and Astell had fallen for him first, leading to the engagement.

Duke Ruthius hadn’t approved of him but allowed it since I liked him.

‘Smart move keeping it from Dante.’

The guy had zero charm. None.

Just your typical noble young master, delicately raised in a marquis household. Nothing more, nothing less.

His face was decent enough, but after getting used to Dante’s looks, he might as well have been a squid.

In the end, we called off the engagement.

Nearly married into a crazy family—dodged a bullet there.

Just like that, I adapted to the shifted circumstances, much like when I’d first possessed Astell, pruning away any pointless ties.

Dante was in the same boat.

Of course, even with our packed schedules, we still met almost every night.

Dante wanted to marry me yesterday, if possible.

But in this world, Astell had never even crossed paths with Dante.

No matter how adored the crown prince was, would Duke Ruthius greenlight a sudden proposal?

So I’d convinced him: let’s craft the right opportunity and show everyone us naturally falling for each other.

That chance was today’s imperial birthday banquet.

* * *

Late afternoon.

Nobles poured into the imperial palace’s grand banquet hall.

Easily over a hundred strong, thanks to every provincial lord showing up to celebrate the emperor’s birth.

I entered the vast hall with my arm looped through Duke Ruthius’s. Alex followed with his partner in tow.

Surprisingly, it was the summoner Yulia.

The hunter who’d dogged my every step in the administrator’s scenario.

‘Her title was Zealous Follower, right?’

Apparently, they’d met at the academy.

No clue how a knight and a mage hit it off, but they made a good pair.

Once all the nobles had assembled, the emperor appeared alongside Dante and his brother.

“Honored guests, His Imperial Majesty has arrived! Please pay your respects!”

“Your Majesty! Congratulations on your birth!”

“Wishing you long life and prosperity!”

“Long live Emperor His Majesty!”

The emperor chuckled heartily, replying to each one.

As the birthday festivities kicked off in earnest, nobles lined up to offer their congratulations.

I hung back a step, watching the scene unfold.

‘How can things be this different?’

In the administrator’s scenario, he was a black-hearted villain I wanted dead. Now? A ruler revered by all.

That’s when my eyes met Dante’s. He gave a subtle nod.

I lifted my champagne flute with practiced calm, running through our plan.

Stroll through the hall, “accidentally” bump into Dante, spill the champagne on his clothes. Cue the spark of romance.

Clichéd, sure—but reliable.

Champagne in hand, I wandered slowly through the banquet hall. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the emperor; no one spared me a glance.

Dante was right on cue, chatting naturally with a noble at our agreed spot.

‘Why am I the nervous one here?’

I drew a deep breath and took a step—only for someone to seize my arm.

“We need to talk.”

I looked up at the intruder who’d appeared from nowhere.

My ex-fiancé. What was his name again?

“You sent a dissolution notice to our house?”

“And?”

“Who said you could break things off? I’m not allowing it!”

I shot an instinctive glance at Dante.

He was already watching from across the room.

His curious gaze locked onto my gripped arm.

In that instant, Dante’s face turned to ice.

‘Ah, we’re toast.’

“We’ve been tangled up long enough for the rumors. Wouldn’t be weird if there was a kid from us.”

Dante started heading our way, eyes fixed on me.

The nobles around him cocked their heads, then turned to stare.

Natural meet-cute? Scrapped.

I clenched my jaw and hissed under my breath.

“If you don’t want total humiliation, let go.”

“What?”

“Consider yourself warned.”

“You still haven’t learned, have you?”

He scoffed, irritation dripping.

“You think, sullied as you are, you can dump me and marry someone else?”

He leaned in close. His grip tightened viciously on my arm.

“I think she can manage just fine.”

A drawling voice cut in as the guy was yanked away from me. Dante had clamped onto his wrist and twisted.

Crack!

“Gaaah!! My wrist!!!”

Bone-snapping sound and all, the guy hit the floor rolling.

Nobles swarmed the wretch clutching his limp hand and howling. The emperor was right there too.

“Crown Prince, what is this?”

“……”

“Crown Prince!”

Even with the emperor barking, Dante clamped his mouth shut.

Explaining meant repeating the guy’s filth to me—and he wouldn’t.

‘He’s shaping up to be the mad crown prince who snapped an innocent noble’s arm.’

I remembered all too well: Dante from my past life, isolated, shunned by everyone.

After thirteen regressions, finally living beloved by the world—he didn’t deserve a stain from some lunatic.

I stepped forward, composed.

“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince simply aided me in my plight.”

“Lady Ruthius, I presume. What plight was that?”

“Regrettably, I recently ended my engagement. The young marquis was furious and came at me over it.”

I paused, raising my grabbed hand to sweep back my hair.

The emperor’s shocked eyes hit my darkening wrist.

“Lady, what happened to your arm?”

“The young marquis…”

Getting it instantly, the emperor scowled.

Onlooker nobles shot dirty looks at the man on the floor.

“Pathetic enough to flex on a lady?”

“No wonder she dumped him!”

“Tsk tsk, bleak future for House Lorenta.”

Amid the tongue-clicks stood a flushed middle-aged man. The guy’s father, no doubt.

The emperor raised a pitying hand.

“Imperial Guard, escort Young Marquis Lorenta away for treatment.”

The guards moved in sync, hoisting him up and out.

He wailed the whole way, but sympathy? Zero.

The emperor spoke gravely.

“Crown Prince, aiding one in peril merits praise. But violence? Poor judgment. Three days’ confinement as penalty.”

Dante stared at my wrist.

Flat, emotionless gaze—but it didn’t fool me.

That meant explosion imminent.

I scanned the crowd, then bowed steadily.

“Your Highness, thank you for saving me.”

“……”

“Your Highness?”

At last, Dante pried open his lips.

“Just did what was needed.”

“I’m sorry you got confined over me. I’ll repay this debt, I swear.”

“Really?”

“Yes…?”

Dante looked up. His frozen eyes gleamed with something scheming.

‘That’s his plotting look.’

Chill raced down my spine. Escape now.

“W-well, then I’ll withdraw—”

Before I could finish, Dante dropped to one knee before me.

“……!”

Emperor and everyone else gaped at his abrupt move.

Bathed in stunned stares, Dante calmly kissed the back of my hand.

“So, will you marry me?”