I Don't Want to Break off my Engagement... Translation

19. Decisive Evidence

Charm—!?”

“I can’t remember anything—!!”

I could hear the voice of a man.

In spite of Kevin’s words, my head was blank.

Charm’, it was a controversial spell, one that was even considered a taboo in this kingdom—and even other kingdoms of great power. As of now, only a very small number of people could use the art.

It was even more unbelievable that a girl so young possessed the ability to use said art.

I didn’t really understand, but 75% sounded very concerning.

Because ‘Charm’ was a taboo, there was hardly any information about it left. I could hardly judge whether this number was high or low.

Kevin spread the roll of paper, turning a deaf ear to the venue’s uproar. Then, he started reading aloud the charges of Baroness Schmia.

“—phantom time of 2652 years, November 3; a dispute between Viscount Harvin and Count Bralia—it resulted in the death of five people including the maids and his nephew, and also the fifth son of the Count of Bralia. Baroness Schmia was charged for inciting said incident. Also, the fifth son of Earl Bralia’s fiancée fell into the waterfall basin—which was also suspected as her doing.”

To let everything sink in, Kevin halted his readings.

Eh, eh…?

I was so confused, I could barely say anything coherent.

For her to incite such an incident …wasn’t surprising.

She probably charmed the man with that innocent act of hers. But, she also pushed the fifth son’s fiancee into the waterfall basin…?

My head stopped suddenly.

I grasped my fan and stared at Kevin. The surrounding noise suddenly felt like a lie.

As Baroness Schmia stared at Kevin, she became as pale as a ghost…

I thought she was foolish and lacking in common sense, but for her to commit murder…?

Maybe, maybe the whole ‘pushed-into-the-waterfall’ thing was an accident?

My back froze.

Was that the truth, though?

His Highness said he had all the evidence—hence, she truly did it?

My breath stilled as the air in the venue became heavier.

“—phantom time of 2652, November 5; Earl Juvy was suspected of incriminating documents. Involved in it, was Baroness Schmia. She tore apart the engagement between Earl Juvy and his fiancée. Later, the fiancée was sent by him into prostitution, and was confirmed dead the following day.”

“…”

Following Kevin’s words, she became even paler.

In a place where graceful melodies would usually flow, no fun atmosphere or shred of joy could be found. Could this place even be called a venue?

It was suddenly a place where murder cases were announced. I couldn’t hide my confusion and bewilderment.

I felt the temperature of the venue dropping even lower. Of course I wanted to escape from there.

But no one, not even His Highness or Baroness Schmia could stop Kevin from reading the scroll—Kevin continued—there’s still more—!?

“—phantom time of year 2652, the same day on November 5, Duke Ophelia attempted to murder his own fiancée, Countess Mival, by strangulation. Again, it was Baroness Schmia who incited the tragedy. The evidence lies in the letters she exchanged with him.”

“…”

…They were irrefutable evidence.

Baroness Schmia was truly evil.

For her to be someone who would go that far…

…I didn’t know if I could still consider her as a person anymore…

Never would I have guessed this development…

Sure, I really disliked Baroness Schmia, I didn’t want to get involved with her—but, who would’ve thought that underneath, she was someone capable of doing such things?

To go to such an extent, did she hold a grudge against the whole world, or something? Nothing else could explain her behavior.

My heart went cold every time I heard the names of those who had lost their lives from a while ago.

Baroness Schmia… at this point, I no longer saw her as someone who loved to seek attention from men anymore… She was just, ‘doom’—yes, that was the word.

It was as if she was trying to destroy the world.

If those things mentioned before were repeated, the kingdom would eventually collapse and the politics would be in shambles. I was glad something was done before it could lead to that…

…no, not really. After all, there were those who had fallen victim, already…

I gazed at Kevin. I unconsciously clenched my fist. I could feel my nails digging into my palm.

The pain made me regain my composure a bit.

Without a care, Kevin continued, and further added to the line-up of Baroness Schmia’s charges.

“Do you have anything to say, Baroness Schmia?”

I realized that the charges had finished being read out loud. However, by that time, I was already thoroughly exhausted. Overlooking the vicinity, the number of women was small. Perhaps they couldn’t stand the brutal cases and left the venue. Many of the remaining ladies had pale faces. No wonder. There were words that were hard to hear, and there was also the fact that it happened to the same sex.

Even though I was educated to not let my facial expressions reveal what I actually felt, my face must have been pale. There were so many brutal and grim cases.

Baroness Schmia, with her eyes lowered, was turning blue. She was trembling, she could barely afford to stand.

“I, I know nothing of the sort—!! As if I would know anything pertaining to that—!! I’ve only heard of it today—!! I don’t know—!! Those things don’t involve me—!!”

“But we have evidence.”

Kevin unfolded the documents, revealing an open letter contained in a clear, plastic, bag. There was also a bloodstained handkerchief. There were fine words written on the letter inside the plastic…

Kevin took it out with his white-gloved hand.

“How do you explain this?”

He said coldly to Baroness Schmia.

Baroness Schmia crumbled on the floor as she tried to regain her breath.


***T/N: Ooooh, a big grand reveal, it takes me aback, I never would’ve guessed this—YEAH, NO.
I NEVER WOULD’VE GUESSED THIS BECAUSE THERE’S NO BUILD UP PERTAINING TO THIS WHATSOEVER, DAMMIT!!!!!

YOU, YEAH, YOU, TIA ///SLAP HER WITH A SANDAL/// WHY ARE YOUR REACTIONS EQUALLY AS DUMB AS THE THOT!? HOW LACKING IN FORESIGHT CAN YOU BE!? A COMMON NOBLE GIRL WITH NO RELATION WHATSOEVER TO THE THRONE ACTING THIS SHELTERED I WOULD FORGIVE, BUT NOT THE FUTURE QUEEN. NOT, THE FUTURE QUEEN!!!! HOW COULD YOU NOT AWARE OF SUCH GRISLY MURDER CASES HAPPENING RIGHT IN THE NEIGHBOURING KINGDOM, WHAT THE F?

EITHER OUR PROTAGONIST IS JUST THAT UNRELIABLE OF A NARRATOR–I MEAN, GEEZ, THERE’S A LIMIT TO HOW UNRELIABLE YOU CAN MAKE YOUR NARRATOR BE–SHE’S THE SUPPOSED FUTURE QUEEN BUT SHE DIDN’T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE THE GIRL THAT RECENTLY VISITED HER TERRITORY MURDERED, LIKE, 812837831 PPL? DOES TIA HONESTLY THINK GATHERING INFORMATION AND NETWORKING ARE ONLY SOMETHING THAT YOU DO ONCE YOU BECOME QUEEN? THEN, WHAT A SHELTERED, PAMPERED LIFE SHE HAS BEEN LIVING.

Oh God, those reactions of her. 18 chapters of this story she hadn’t been giving a single fuck about what’s going on in her kingdom and relying on stupid gossips plus her presumptuous brain and you expect me to catch feelings that now she’s cowering for the sake of those fallen victims and feeling unease to be in her own kingdom and starting to see people in a different way? Bullshit!

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