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Even as Gerard thought that, he felt a faint unease.
Cedric felt the same.
He tried to rationalize it to himself.
"It's okay, brother. This is for both Rosia and Ayla. Everyone needs to accept the reality that she's back."
"Yeah. You're right."
Gerard nodded with a troubled expression.
As they walked in silence, the two arrived in front of the office before they knew it.
Gerard took the lead and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
At the permission from inside, he opened the door and entered, where Calios was looking down at documents with a troubled expression.
Gerard paused, assessing the atmosphere, before speaking.
"Is Mother alright?"
"She collapsed. She told me not to visit her for a while. She seems very angry with me."
Calios's face was dark as he answered.
"But it couldn't be helped. As long as Ayla is around, Rosia can't become a perfect member of the Blanche Noble house."
"Ayla was very involved in the Noble house's affairs."
"Many of the servants followed Ayla. There were a lot of complaints that she was strict, but..."
As Ayla had managed the Noble house for a long time, her influence on the Noble house was by no means small.
A moment of silence flowed between the three men as they recalled this.
It was Cedric who broke the silence first.
"But... is Ayla really gone?"
Just then, a carriage could be seen leisurely leaving the mansion beyond the window.
Calios sighed and nodded.
"Yes, she left a while ago after saying goodbye. With the dormitory application in hand."
At those words, Gerard let out a faint sigh.
The image of Ayla with a sad expression kept popping into his head.
"Someday, Ayla will understand our feelings. Once Rosia establishes herself as the Princess Consort of the Blanche Noble house, she'll come back."
"That's right, she won't be able to endure it for long anyway. In this situation, where else can she go and live comfortably if not the Duke's family?"
Cedric distorted his face.
"Besides, it's obvious how Kadin, her fiancé, will react when he hears the news. He'll probably try to break off the engagement with Ayla."
He had been dissatisfied with Ayla's fiancé from the start.
He was worried that Ayla might rely on him because she was having a hard time, only to be hurt again.
Seeing that Cedric, the second son, still seemed to have lingering feelings for Ayla, Calios coldly cut him off.
"Even so, that's Ayla's burden to bear now. She's no longer a member of our Noble house."
Gerard and Cedric flinched and looked at their father.
Sometimes, their father, despite being family they had lived with for over a decade, could feel chillingly cold.
Even if she wasn't a blood relative, Ayla had been a part of the family for a long time.
Had their father already abandoned all attachment to her?
"So, don't worry about Ayla anymore, and help Rosia adjust to this house."
"...I understand."
"Yes, Father."
The two bowed their heads obediently and quietly left the office.
Ayla arrived at Riod Academy in just one day.
Perhaps because of the application with Duke Blanche's autograph, her dormitory assignment was made quickly.
Ayla's eyes widened as she entered the dormitory.
The assigned room was wider and better than she had imagined.
'Wow, it's as good as my room? As expected of Riod Academy. Everything is top-notch since nobles also stay here.'
The Imperial Riod Academy was mainly attended by royalty or nobles and was famous for its expensive tuition.
Perhaps that was why.
The dormitory building was as large and magnificent as a mansion, and the furniture in the room was all top-notch.
The Blanche Noble house's belief that Ayla, who had lived a luxurious life, would not be able to live comfortably away from the Duke's family was wrong.
The corners of her lips were hooked.
'Compared to working as a reenactment actor and doing a side job, this is a blessing.'
Back then, she had lived in a semi-basement studio apartment.
Ayla immediately threw herself onto the fluffy bedding.
Closing her eyes with her body wrapped in the blanket, she felt like she was in heaven.
'Once I graduate from the academy, my success is guaranteed. Since I know the original story, there are endless ways to make money.'
Ayla's goal was to become completely independent from the Blanche Duke's family.
Coming to the academy was essential to create that stepping stone.
She closed her eyes and organized her thoughts.
'The first thing I need to do.'
First, she had to break off her engagement with Kadin, her fiancé.
The reason was simple.
'He'll send me a letter of annulment soon anyway. And he'll want to get engaged to Rosia.'
Therefore, Ayla decided to strike first.
Before he demanded the annulment, she planned to demand it first in front of the academy students.
'The semester starts in a week.'
Kadin, who belonged to the Swordsmanship Department, stayed in the dormitory because of swordsmanship training.
So he should be at the academy by now.
According to the original story, he would accidentally run into Rosia, who had come to take the transfer exam, around this time.
'Kadin probably started planning to break up with me and get engaged to Rosia from then on.'
Ayla chuckled softly as she thought that far.
'In the original story, I only go to Kadin after hearing the news that we might break up.'
The second rule of a regretful female lead.
The protagonist begs for love from a man who doesn't even love her.
Not knowing anything, she desperately clung to Kadin.
She thought he was the only one left for her.
Kadin gave Ayla severe humiliation.
Closing her eyes, strangely, every detail of the original story came back to her mind.
"Ayla, what brings you here?"
Hair as black as the night sky, and eyes as red as molten lava.
Even a well-trained and firm body, befitting a member of the Swordsmanship Department.
Kadin was still more attractive than anyone else.
Anyone in the world who saw Kadin would have no choice but to fall in love.
Just like Ayla fell in love with him.
"Kadin, are you thinking of breaking off our engagement? Because I'm a commoner now."
"I still love you."
Hearing Kadin's answer, Ayla let out a sigh of relief.
She thought she had lost everything, but it wasn't true. She still had Kadin.
'Yes, now I only have Kadin.'
In a situation where even her family had turned their backs on her, only Kadin remained by her side.
Then, unbelievable words reached Ayla's ears.
"But as the Heir of the Marquess family, I can't marry a commoner. I've decided to get engaged to Rosia. You were a noble once, so you'll understand."
Ayla's ears went numb at Kadin's words, and she lowered her eyes.
Her chest was so tight that she couldn't even speak.
What did I just hear?
Seeing Ayla like that, Kadin reached out his hand.
Then, he fiddled with the necklace around her neck and smiled.
"By the way, you're still wearing the necklace I gave you."
It was a shockingly beautiful face. But now, it only felt eerie to Ayla.
"Ayla, how about becoming my mistress when I become the Marquess? It seems like a good choice for you, a commoner."
The friends who were listening to their conversation all started laughing at once.
"Pfft, hahaha. Look at that shocked face."
"I guess she expected Kadin to maintain the engagement."
"How shameless."
Their laughter pierced Ayla's heart. Ayla got angry and pushed Kadin away.
Kadin raised one corner of his mouth at Ayla's reaction.
He shouldn't have said he loved her.
If he had said that he didn't need her anymore because she was now a commoner, she would have accepted it.
That's how Ayla's heart was shattered.
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