Genius 19

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Chapter 19. Heroic Prince

"So, who are you? What's your title?" 

Suddenly appearing at the party was the second prince, Aster. The first person he addressed was the man who had desperately pleaded with Katia earlier about their engagement.

"Y-yes! I am Karl von Hartnett! An Earl!"

"I see. And what were you about to say?"

Disinterestedly brushing off the introduction he had asked for himself, Aster pressed on, confronting the Earl.

"Are you suggesting that my breaking off the engagement with Katia was a mistake?"

"No, no, absolutely not!"

Sweating profusely, the Earl vigorously shook his head, his voice trembling.

"Then why were you so desperate to secure the engagement with Katia? Why go to such lengths for a woman I deemed worthless? What value did you see in her to pursue her so fervently?"

"I-I just thought that..."

"What?"

"Rumors say Katia has overcome her greatest flaw of not being able to use bloodline magic! Thus, becoming a truly perfect Duchess! Please, please forgive my impertinence!"

Terrified, the Earl prostrated himself before Aster.

Observing this with a cold gaze, Aster exhaled disdainfully.

"...Very well. Unlike me, you all are swayed by immediate gains. That's why I had to come here to set things straight."

His words were cryptic, but Aster's tone and demeanor suggested forgiveness. The hopeful Earl raised his head.

"S-so, then..."

"But."

However, Aster's demeanor turned cruel once again.

"You have committed a crime. You were swayed by rumors and dared to suggest that my breaking off the engagement was a mistake."

"! It's a misunderstanding! Your Highness would never make a wrong judgment!"

"No, you intended to. You truly believed it from the bottom of your heart, always doubting me."

Even if Hermes overheard, the latter part sounded like baseless accusations. However,

"T-that's right, Your Highness!"

"He indeed often behaved suspiciously towards Your Highness's actions!"

"He must have had treacherous intentions!"

The nobles around, without a hint of doubt, sided with Aster's words.

"Th-that's preposterous!"

"As expected, my eyes do not deceive me."

"Your Highness, it's a misunderstanding, please—"

"Deal with it later. Take him away."

With a smug smirk, Aster casually ordered the guards who were patrolling the party. Though confused, the soldiers couldn't defy royal orders, leading the repentant Earl away.

Judging by the Earl's demeanor, his fate was likely severe.

Aster, who decided such a fate for such a ridiculous reason, turned towards me.

"Well then. It's been a while, Katia."

"...Yes, Your Highness Aster."

"You seem rather confident. Did gaining some false power make you so reluctant to lose the seat of being my fiancée?"

(...What?)

Hermes raised an internal question.

It was the same as before. Without any doubt, he confidently stated things that were clearly absurd from Hermes's perspective.

"...I understand your concern, Your Highness. However, it's not a false—"

"Oh! Concern? You always twist words to suit your convenience and manipulate things to your advantage!"

"..."

"But it's too late; I will never reinstate our engagement!"

Interrupting Katia, Aster continued his tirade.

"Because I've found someone else! Someone far superior to you, someone worthy of my true affection! ...Come forth, Sara."

"...Yes."

After grandly announcing, he turned his gaze backward. Emerging from the crowd was a girl about the same age as Hermes, Sarah.

With her pale blond hair, deep sparkling blue eyes, long eyelashes, and plump lips, she exuded a gentle and distinctive beauty.

Wrapped in a white dress resembling layered feathered robes, she possessed an unusually varied physique for her age, akin to a fairy if Katia was one; she resembled an angel, an incredibly beautiful girl.

"Sara von Hartman. The new lady to be engaged to me."

The room buzzed with commotion.

From the reactions, it seemed the engagement news was being announced here for the first time.

"She is the eldest daughter of the Hartman Baron family. While her family status may be lower, that's trivial. She possesses beauty and kindness that Katia lacks, and above all—she has magical talent far surpassing Katia's!"

"...Sara."

Ignoring Aster's introduction, Katia looked at Sara.

It wasn't a hateful gaze; rather, there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

Hermes, curious, asked, "Do you know each other?"

"...Yes. We were in the same class at school."

"Oh... Katia."

Sensing Katia's gaze, Sara lifted her head and approached with a somewhat guilty expression.

"Katia, um... I am..."

"Sara, are you sure about this?"

While Katia left an aura of concern, she deliberately spoke in a stern voice.

"Becoming His Highness's fiancée, it's not just a glamorous title. Are you prepared to accept everything that comes with it?"

"Well, that's..."

"Stop, Katia!"

Just before Sara could respond, Aster interjected, shielding Sara.

"Hmph, you're quite cunning. —Nobles, did you hear? She was like this even in school!"

Aster embraced Sara and loudly spoke to the crowd, seeking validation.

"She envied Sara's magical talent despite lacking her own, using her status for insidious bullying! She hid it well, but I saw through it! ...Right, Sara?"

In a manner of seeking confirmation, Aster gently addressed Sara.

"I-I am..."

"Don't worry, you have nothing to fear. I'll protect you."

Though Sara hesitated in her words, she closed her eyes tightly as Aster whispered something to her.

"...Yes, Your Highness said... so."

In a barely audible voice, she agreed.

"...Sara."

"You spoke the truth well. This is her true nature, noble ones!"

Drowning out Katia's melancholy murmur, Aster shouted.

"I saw through her true nature early on, broke off the engagement, and expelled her from school! Yet, she still shamelessly struggles!"

"...!"

"Awaken, foolish nobles! Are you to believe that a flawed lady like her, labeled incompetent by my judgment, suddenly awakened her talents? It's impossible; she must have used some foul means!"

"That's... indeed..."

"The only confirmed information is that she brought back an ancient magical artifact."

"Anyone lucky could do that; perhaps we were deceived..."

As Aster's impassioned speech continued, the nobles' reactions gradually shifted.

Furthermore, as if on cue, a guard burst into the grand hall.

"U-urgent news!"

Amidst the stir, the sweating guard exclaimed,

"A large magical beast has appeared near this venue!"