Chapter 2

As Axion approached adulthood, there was almost nothing about him that Evelyn liked. Even now, it was obvious he couldn’t wait to leave this place. Not that she cared, of course. The real problem was that his indifferent attitude extended to the story’s female lead as well.

‘Is this why he’s stuck as the ‘regretful second male lead’? The kind that can’t ever be redeemed?’

Evelyn let out an irritated sigh through pursed lips and glared at her fiancé.

“I don’t like you. I really, really don’t like you.”

As if he wasn’t the least bit surprised, Axion pulled up one side of his mouth in a smirk.

“That’s great. I don’t like you, either.”

Crackle—

An invisible spark crackled between them. It was always like this. Every time they met, all they did was bicker about everything. 

‘Whatever. Soon it won’t matter anymore.’

Because as of today, Evelyn Inevasel was finally going to free herself from this tiresome engagement. Steeling herself, she asked in a determined voice.

“Axion, you know your coming-of-age ceremony is coming up, right?”

He nodded calmly, as if he’d already guessed where this was going.

“Is this about the brooch? I’ll send it over to the marquis’ residence soon.”

In the Baltian Empire, it was customary for women to craft jewelry using brooches gifted by their male partners during the coming-of-age ceremony, but she couldn’t care less about such traditions. Maybe back when she still cared about her reputation, but not anymore.

“No, you don’t have to do that.”

“Yeah, I’ll send it over soon… What?”

Axion’s brow furrowed slightly, as if surprised by her unexpected answer. Evelyn ignored his questioning gaze and continued shyly.

“I’ve been thinking about our relationship.”

For a fleeting moment, her fiancé’s expression turned uncharacteristically serious. Well, of course, the person who hated this engagement as much as she did was him.

An unusual silence settled between them.

Then Evelyn’s green eyes sparkled, and she gave him a bright, almost cheerful smile.

“Will you… break off our engagement?”

At that moment, the violin music that had been playing softly in the background suddenly stopped, and the sunny sky darkened as if clouds had rolled in just for them.

As she shrugged her shoulders lightly, Axion’s eyebrow arched.

“Why are you suddenly doing something you never did before?”

To be fair, she’d never brought up breaking off their engagement before, so his surprise made sense.

However, that was only because she had just been waiting for the right moment, because she valued her life. Once the original story began, she’d only get in the way and be the first to die by Axion’s hand. Now that she’d saved up enough to live on her own, there was no reason to stay by his side any longer.

“Well, it’s not like either of us wants to get married, right?”

“….”

Yet for some reason, a cold, tense air seemed to hang around him.

“Relax your face. I’ll explain everything to the Duke and Duchess.”

When Evelyn chirped brightly, as if telling him not to worry so much, Axion pulled up one corner of his mouth in a smirk.

“No, I’ll tell them myself.”

“Will you? Then I’ll leave it to you.”

For once, they were actually agreeing on something, and Evelyn flashed him a smile brighter than usual. Maybe, after ten long years, this was the first time she and her fiancé had actually agreed on something.

Or so she thought.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

“My lady, hurry and get up!”

Evelyn stirred groggily as her personal maid’s urgent voice jolted her awake early in the morning.

“Yaawn. What’s the matter?”

Yawning softly, she slowly blinked up at Larie. The maid, looking oddly flustered and excited, suddenly shoved a crumpled newspaper at her.

“You should’ve told me something like this!”

The newspaper, which seemed like it had just been printed that morning, was wrinkled from how tightly Larie had been gripping it.

‘What on earth is all this about?’

As Evelyn took the paper and read the enormous headline splashed across the front page, her green eyes widened noticeably.

“What is this nonsense?!”

She’d only just woken up to find a breaking news headline plastered everywhere, announcing her marriage to none other than her sworn enemy, Axion Valentino.