Chapter 3 Part 3
More precisely, I planned to subtly involve Hyle in breaking off the engagement with Abel.
That way, no one could say the engagement between Hyle and me was ‘sudden’.
“Is a third party’s evidence needed for breaking off an engagement?”
“It’s not that… as you’ve heard, I have a precedent of having my petition for breaking off the engagement rejected by the Grand Temple.”
Hyle, who had been quietly listening to my words, casually asked if that was true.
Though he seemed to have heard it in passing since rumors were so widespread in the capital, he apparently had no interest at all and didn’t know the full story of this incident.
In fact, someone of Hyle’s position could have easily known all the circumstances if he had just shown a little interest.
I knew he wasn’t interested in politics, but to think it was to this extent….
Still, this is much better than those who stake their lives on power.
“It’s true. It just fell through because Abel blocked it.”
“What do I need to do?”
“What else? You already said it.”
When I answered with a smile, Hyle’s face wrinkled with obvious refusal as he caught on to what I meant.
As mentioned earlier, my engagement breakup with Abel had failed.
Therefore, I was still the Crown Prince’s only fiancée.
Proposing to me, the future Crown Princess, was already an enormous matter, but the title of a scandal between Houses Laté and Feros would clearly cause unprecedented waves.
And those ‘waves’ were exactly what I was aiming for.
The reason Abel got engaged to me in the first place was for the power stability from the union of the Imperial Family and House Laté, and the public support and trust gained from it.
In other words, it meant he cared tremendously about his public image.
Especially now, Abel was gaining massive popularity for his image as a devoted lover towards me.
For me, since my image was already set as a villainess, I didn’t care what people said.
But could Abel, who had built up a clean image, really withstand such an intense scandal involving none other than House Feros?
At present, relations between House Feros and the Imperial Family were quite poor.
On the surface, House Feros seemed to bow their heads obediently under the Imperial Family, but looking deeper, they were like a tiger and lion baring their fangs, ready to clash at any moment.
From House Feros’s perspective, they naturally couldn’t like the Imperial Family, who had openly united with their enemy House Laté and now tried to manage the Grand Temple.
Likewise, the Imperial Family couldn’t help but dislike House Feros, who still stood tall under the name of ‘God’ despite the Grand Temple’s changed influence.
And caught between these two was House Laté – in other words, me.
In this situation, Hyle’s proposal would be like throwing a signal flare for full-scale war right in the middle of the implicit power struggle between the Imperial Family and House Feros.
Abel, having already gained what he wanted, had neither reason nor justification to maintain our engagement to the point of all-out war with House Feros.
If Hyle and I got engaged after breaking off my engagement with Abel, various rumors about the scandal would quickly die down, so that aspect wouldn’t be a problem either.
After hearing the background of my request, Hyle pressed his forehead and heaved a deep sigh.
Anyway, from the moment he made the contract with me, my ‘request’ didn’t give Hyle the option of refusal.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it will cause an even bigger uproar. The broken engagement, the new engagement, everything.”
He seemed to have already noticed that his opinion wasn’t being asked, and added these words with a serious face.
Of course, I was prepared for that.
Given who we were dealing with, it would be difficult to expect just a moderate commotion.
“There will be a big uproar at first, but Abel will eventually have to let me go. He’ll want to avoid all-out war with House Feros too.”
If Abel assessed the situation well when House Feros got involved and quickly backed down, this might end easily.
Until now, he might have stubbornly maintained our engagement while spouting nonsense about finding me interesting, but once practical interests got involved, even Abel couldn’t persist.
“This won’t be a good rumor for you either.”
“Do I look like someone who cares about such things?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Hyle’s words.
Who’s worrying about whom right now?
If we were to compare losses, House Feros, who would make the first move with the proposal, would face the most trouble.
Of course, it would be quickly resolved once Hyle and I got engaged, but still.
“There must be ways to resolve this quietly, why create such a commotion?”
“There’s always a reason. For instance, grand reasons like Abel not letting me go.”
When I answered simply to his question, Hyle’s expression filled with doubt.
Seeing him, I just gently raised the corners of my mouth.
There was always a reason why trashy morning dramas had high ratings.
No matter how obvious and common a love triangle might be, when it involved people of unrealistic social status engaging in love and war, it became incredibly entertaining for ordinary people to watch.
Abel was sensitive to appearances and would only take action when provoked publicly like this.
I was just using that fact.
“Are you two in a contractual relationship?”
“No, not anymore.”
I wonder what expression Hyle would make if I told him the real reason why the engagement breakup with Abel failed?
Suddenly I’m curious.
“Does this mean the Crown Prince is sincere about you?”
“I don’t know about that, but he says I’ve become interesting.”
“…Interesting?”
His slightly furrowed brow, showing his lack of understanding, was quite a sight to see.
I willingly reached out to smooth his brow and showed an affectionate smile.
“That’s definitely a disbelieving face. Well, I didn’t particularly want to believe it either…”
As Crown Prince, Abel was a man quite capable of maintaining his poker face, never losing dignity and authority no matter the situation.
Praised as a future wise ruler, he absolutely didn’t have the low-class image of using people for entertainment.
But Hyle slowly nodded.
“I believe it. The Crown Prince always pursued what interested him, even as a child.”
“…As a child?”
Wait, you two knew each other since childhood? Yet he wouldn’t even make eye contact with me when we were young….
“I often entered the palace with my father.”
Good heavens, to think they were childhood friends.
This was something I hadn’t known since their relationship wasn’t deeply covered in the original work.
Two people with completely opposite personalities knowing each other since childhood – then it’s not strange that Hyle would know Abel’s true nature.
“Somehow, I feel like you two must have fought terribly every time you met.”
Abel, who smiles to your face but bares his teeth behind your back, and Hyle, who always deals with others honestly but lacks tact and is direct in everything.
They really don’t match at all.
Of course, the male lead and second male lead can’t have the same personality for story purposes, but this is almost as incompatible as House Feros and House Laté?
But there was no answer from Hyle.
Did they really fight? Did I ask something I shouldn’t have…?
“Hyle?”
“We didn’t fight. However…”
After pondering for a moment, Hyle continued in an awkward tone.
“There were His Majesty’s orders. To spar with the Crown Prince whenever we met.”
“…Don’t tell me, sword fighting?”
Hyle’s head dipped slightly at my question.
Then I instinctively knew. Abel must have been beaten by Hyle almost daily.
Abel was far from skilled at swordsmanship.
His abilities, devoted to administrative duties, were purely academic, like a liberal arts major in Korean terms.
In contrast, Hyle was… well, if I had to compare, he’d be like a gifted student in both arts and athletics?
People even said it was a shame that Hyle was a Marquis rather than a knight.
Anyway, Hyle was a man of many talents. That’s why he was called overpowered.
The reason he was the second male lead was… compared to Abel, his ability in romance was completely rock bottom.
There was this unfortunate story about how he was insufficient to capture the female lead’s heart.
In any case, it seemed Abel grew up getting beaten under the pretext of sparring whenever Hyle entered the palace.
No wonder their relationship wasn’t good…
Thinking about the terrifying training sessions Abel must have endured with the merciless Hyle, I quickly understood their distant relationship.
“Would you like to wash up? If you want…”
Thanks to treating his wounds, the bleeding had stopped, but separately from that, Hyle still carried a fierce smell of blood.
The mixed scent of blood from unknown sources was growing more intense as time passed.
After removing the magic shackles from Hyle’s neck, I showed him to the bathroom and placed prepared men’s clothing on the bed.
“I’m more anxious than I expected. Is it because there’s no time…?”
Though I had maintained a composed facade while explaining the plan to Hyle, in reality, it was quite difficult to remain calm as someone facing death.
I had to break off the engagement quickly before Abel fell in love with Tia.
Otherwise, Fergio would kidnap Tia just like in the original story.
Even if things followed the original plot, I couldn’t rashly be confident in my ability to prevent Tia’s kidnapping with my own power.
So it was important to prevent that crisis from happening in the first place.
“Unless Abel truly likes me, which is unlikely… this matter should be resolved well.”
Then Abel would be happy with Tia and peace would come.
I really hope it turns out that way.
