I Shall Break Off Our Engagement For You
[Chapter 32]
Translated by: ME
The academy's graduation ceremony was approaching.
The graduation ceremony would be held in the academy's auditorium in the morning and a ball would be held at the royal palace in the evening, joining with the boys' department.
There, the King and Queen would also celebrate their graduation.
Participation in the ball was for couples only.
It was customary for those who were engaged to go with their fiancés and those who were not to invite someone to go with them.
Felicia was going with Kevin.
She introduced Barney to Rachel, who didn't have a fiancé yet.
In fact, at the same time that Felicia and Kevin's engagement was being arranged privately, a marriage proposal suddenly arose between Barney and Rosemary. Kevin, as the Second Prince, could inherit the Erhardt family. Knowing this, Rosemary said she wanted to marry Barney.
They were ten years apart in age but it wasn't a bad match, so it was being considered quite seriously.
Rachel, rather than being reluctant, seemed happy when Felicia said that it would be fine with her.
[That would be a great help. I don't want to get married yet and I was dreading going to the ball with an unsuitable partner. If things are progressing with Felicia's younger sister, I feel much more at ease.]
Cathy and Brittany teased from the side, [If you keep saying things like that, you'll never find a good match,] but Rachel just laughed and said she was fine with that.
The two of them had found partners before anyone knew it.
Cathy, the heiress of a viscount family was taking in the son of an earl who was a member of the Royal Knights as her husband and Brittany, a baron's daughter, was also set to marry a young viscount.
[When all is said and done, everyone settles down where they're supposed to,]
The four close friends were chatting in the classroom where their last class was being held.
There was only a little time left to spend like this.
[Rachel, do you still want to work at the royal palace?]
Several years had passed since women had begun to be appointed as government officials.
There were opportunities, but there weren't many success stories yet.
[I might not be able to become a government official, but I'm hoping I can become a court poet.]
[You can do it, Rachel.]
[Yes. I'm sure you can.]
[The possibility of becoming a government official isn't gone either, you know.]
[Thank you,] Rachel said with a smile.
[So... ?]
The three of them looked at Felicia.
Because of the incident with Silas, they were a little hesitant.
[Felicia, what are you going to do?]
[I'm not sure if I should ask, but... I'll ask.]
[Yes, we'll ask. Because you've seemed so happy lately. You must have some good news, right?]
Felicia, after prefacing that it hadn't been officially announced yet, revealed to the three of them that she was engaged to Kevin.
Since Kevin was the Second Prince, the announcement would be made by the royal family.
A ball was also planned for that occasion.
There would be the academy's graduation party, followed by the ball, so they decided to wait a little while and make the announcement two weeks after the graduation ceremony.
[What!]
[That's amazing, Felicia!]
[With Prince Kevin!]
They all exclaimed in surprise and thanked their friends who said [Congratulations!] in unison.
[Thank you. But please keep it a secret for now.]
[Yes. We understand.]
[I think it'll be obvious at the graduation party, though.]
[That's already been taken into account, right?]
Felicia savored her happiness as she looked at the three of them smiling happily.
As she did so, she felt a little lonely.
Even after graduation, everyone would still be in the royal capital, and they could see each other anytime.
[Oh, isn't it about time for the announcement of the top students?]
The four of them left the classroom and headed to the bulletin board down the hallway.
There was already a large crowd gathered.
At the academies of the Kingdom of Auckland, the names of the top students were posted before the graduation ceremony and the homeroom teachers of each class awarded them with badges.
Only the top student went on stage on the day of the graduation ceremony.
[Felicia and Rachel's names are there. Rachel, you're the top student!]
[That's amazing.]
[Congratulations.]
[Cathy and Brittany are also among the top students in each subject.]
[We all worked hard, didn't we?]
A teacher, accompanied by a clerk, spread out a second sheet of paper.
Rachel, who had been chosen as the top student, seemed more interested in this paper.
The paper listed the names of the outstanding poets who would receive recommendations to the royal court.
If you wanted to become a court poet, you definitely wanted this recommendation.
Even if your name was on this list, only one or two graduates from the academy were newly welcomed into the royal palace each year.
But first, she wanted to stay on this list.
[It's here!]
Rachel shouted happily.
[Felicia too. And then, as expected, the usual people.]
The names of several people who often had their poems read as outstanding works in class were listed.
It felt very predictable.
However, Rachel frowned when she noticed one of the names.
[Maisie's name is there.]
The moment she saw that name, Rachel's face clouded over as if the wound in her heart that had finally begun to heal had been reopened.
[I still can't forgive Maisie.]
[...I understand.]
[I might never forgive her...]
Felicia nodded, saying [I understand] once more.
She understood Rachel's feelings all too well.
From the perspective of those around them, it might be something they felt they could just forget about.
They might think it was an exaggeration to be upset over someone simply imitating a little of their writing style or use of words.
But this dull pain would never disappear.
Perhaps only the person who had been wronged could understand, but it would never go away...
The thought that she hadn't written it to be stolen resurfaced every time she tried to write a poem.
The time that had been the most enjoyable was disrupted by hatred and resentment.
She would never be able to create with the same feelings as before.
Even if it was just a piece of writing to the person who stole it, to the person who was stolen from, it was the same as having the joy of creation itself destroyed.
Felicia suddenly thought that this might be similar to groping.
To the person who did it, it was just a prank.
But to the person who was groped, it became an unpleasant memory that they could never forget.
A dirty sensation that they remembered every time they were touched. It became a memory with the color of resentment and hatred that would stay with them forever, even if it gradually faded.
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