My Engagement was Cancelled so I will stop Pretending to be a Fool

December 24, 2021 graverobber.kun

The news that Olivia and Cyrus’s carriage was attacked by a band of bandits reached the capital.

Alan’s face immediately paled after he heard about it.

According to the report, Cyrus was injured but Olivia seems to be safe. However, this news is still deeply upsetting for Alan.

“Is Olivia safe?”

The fact that she’s safe didn’t settle in even after the messenger repeated his report twice.

In the end, the messenger had to loudly and firmly repeat it again.

“Miss Atoir is safe and they will be back here in three days, sir!”

After that, the messenger quickly left the room before Alan could stop him.

Left behind in his room, Alan paces around the room like a caged beast.

“Please calm yourself down a little, Your Highness.”

His aide, Bucks cautioned him in a tired voice.

“Both Olivia-sama and His Highness Cyrus are safe, sir. There’s no need to worry anymore.”

“I got that already!”

No, you don’t get it at all——-Bucks sighs.

Thinking that he should leave Alan alone for the time being, Bucks tried to exit the room but he halted his steps when he opened the door.

“…..Ahh, Your Highness.”

Bucks found Tiana in front of him. It appears that he opened the door when she was about to ask permission to enter.

“What!”

When Alan shouted back in frustration and found Tiana standing behind Bucks, his eyes were tinted with a little puzzlement.

“Umm, Your Highness Alan…….”

Tiana seemed to be a little frightened at Alan’s appearance and her voice seemed quieter than usual.

“Did something happen…….?”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about me. More importantly, do you need something?”

Tiana’s head jerked back at Alan’s frosty tone that she’s never been subjected to before.

“N, No, it’s nothing.”

“Is that so. I’m a little worked up right now. Sorry, but can you leave me alone for a while?”

Receiving such cold treatment from Alan, Tiana was stunned but Bucks used that chance to half-push her out the door and shut it behind him.

Seeing Tiana still staring blankly at the shut door, Bucks speaks to her with a little apologetic tone.

“My apology. I think that someone will notify Tiana-sama soon but in short, we’ve just received the news that Olivia-sama’s carriage was attacked by bandits——ah, of course, Olivia-sama wasn’t injured but as you can see, the news is still quite upsetting to His Highness.”

Tiana dejectedly headed back to her room in the castle.

When she returns to her room, the paperwork which she thought that she has already taken care of had piled up again so her mood soured even more.

She was told that she’s free until her evening lesson and thought that she could spend her time chatting with Alan but she found him in a bad mood. Moreover, the cause of his bad mood was Olivia——-this is the worst.

(No matter what happens to Olivia-sama, it shouldn’t concern His Highness Alan anymore right! He has me after all. No one would care if Olivia-sama died anyway.)

And it’s not just today either, Alan has been acting strange of late.

Recently, it felt like Alan has gotten more and more interested in the matter concerning Olivia.

A while before, she heard from a maid that Alan was alone with Olivia in the library. The LIBRARY. Leaving Olivia aside, Alan was in the LIBRARY? Alan who has never been the type of person that cares about books?

No matter how she thinks about it, that was no coincidence. It was natural to think that he was there to see Olivia.

(Why! Even after I embarrassed her in front of Prince Edward! His Highness should have been disappointed in her back then right? Why does he still care about her!?)

Alan should already realize how much of a fool Olivia is compared to the smart Tiana. Even the paperwork he gave her was taken care of in no time. The princess education might not even be necessary for her in the first place. After all, that abominable teacher, Wattle, has completely disappeared from her sight. Isn’t that proof that Tiana is already well-educated enough?

“Don’t tell me, it’s still not enough?”

Tiana bites her nail.

Perhaps, she still hasn’t sufficiently proven Olivia’s foolishness to everyone yet.

Certainly, she was surprised when Olivia suddenly spoke Prince Alan’s native language at the party but that was surely just a [fluke]. Something like that, if Tiana put a little effort into it, she should be able to do the same in no time.

Then how can she sink Olivia’s reputation more than this? Surely, if she can prove that Olivia is a fool that is beyond saving then Alan would stop caring about her.

After thinking up a plan while biting her nail, a grin appears on Tiana’s face.

“I’ve got a good idea now. As I thought, I really am a genius.”

After returning from Deborah, Olivia intended to go inform the king of what they found but she was surprised when she was instead escorted straight to the audience room.

When she entered the audience room with Cyrus, she was met with the King, the Queen, the Ministers including Count Lemone, along with Prince Alan, Tiana, and her father Duke Atoir.

The people present here made her think of the time when her engagement was annulled. What’s different this time was the presence of Cyrus next to her.

Holding Olivia’s hand, Cyrus looked up at his father who’s sitting on the throne.

“What is going on, Father.”

Hearing that, the King deliberately shrugged.

“Fumu. I haven’t been told the full detail yet but according to Miss Lemone, it seems that we have a serious diplomatic issue to discuss today, isn’t that so?”

The King glanced at Tiana.

Tiana pushes her chest out and directs a triumphant smile at them. Alan who’s standing next to her on the other hand seems to be confused. It appears that he wasn’t told the specifics either.

This time Cyrus shifts his gaze to Tiana.

“Miss Lemone. We’re tired because we have just returned from our trip. Since you called us here immediately after we got back, you must have a good reason for it right?”

Cyrus’s tone was harsh.

“Of course.”

However, Tiana replied with a grin on her face.

“Since the other days, when Prince Edward visited us, it has always been on my mind. Do you remember? The thing he said about the tax revenue of the town near our border.”

Hearing that, Olivia involuntarily locked eyes with Cyrus.

Olivia and Cyrus headed to Deborah to investigate that very matter. However, they have to wonder what Tiana [found out] from that [smile] of hers. At the very least, this is not a matter where she should be smiling about.

Olivia glanced at the king. As usual, she couldn’t tell what he’s thinking as the King stayed silent with a faint smile on his face. Next to him, the queen also has the same faint smile. It made her think that the two are very similar as a person.

“So, may I ask what you found?”

After Cyrus asks her to explain with the intention to hear her out first, Tiana enthusiastically answers.

“Yes! At that time, I was thinking that it’s strange. Do you remember, Your Highness Cyrus? Back then, Olivia-sama spoke using the language of Philarush. Why did she do that? It’s simple, Olivia-sama is the culprit behind the tax-siphoning of the town in question! Since it would be inconvenient if we find out, she was making an excuse to Prince Edward in a language that we don‘t understand!”

Hearing Tiana triumphantly says that, Olivia was completely stunned. Even Alan has an awkward expression to Tiana’s extreme leap of logic.

The King and the Queen were still smiling but the ministers all looked confused——except for one.

“Allow me to say this, I do have some understanding of Philarushean language and there was nothing suspicious about Olivia’s conversation with Prince Edward at that time.”

“Oh my! Cyrus-sama! So you are going to protect Olivia-sama!?”

Tiana deliberately said that in a loud voice.

When Olivia and Cyrus looked at each other again, the King joyfully opened his mouth.

“That’s what she said, Olivia. Do you have anything to say?”

Looking back at the King who now has an evil smile on his face, Olivia instinctively wanted to sigh.

And she was intending to discreetly [talk] about this matter with the King in private first too—–

(Really, I didn’t intend to denounce him in front of such a large crowd though……..)

But with the situation being what it is, there’s probably no other choice.

Giving up, Olivia opens her mouth.