This Novel is not my Novel

...I heard a knock.

I checked the clock, and it was exactly 2 PM sharp.

Rather than saying Vigdís was punctual, it would be more accurate to say she had procrastinated because she didn't want to come and only arrived at the very last moment.

"Oh! She's here, she's here!"

"Come in, come in~!"

For some reason, the senior research students warmly welcomed Vigdís.

They didn't just make a fuss verbally, but even opened the door for her themselves.

"E-excuse me..."

With a tense expression, Vigdís cautiously entered the research lab.

Was she flustered by the unexpected welcome?

Or had she misunderstood, thinking the senior research students, like Tryggdrik, were excited to torment her?

"So you're our junior's fiancée?"

"She certainly is pretty."

"But in my eyes, Senior Blida is prettier."

"W-what are you suddenly saying?!"

It wasn't anything new for the two senior research students to act lovey-dovey, so I could let that slide.

But Senior Blida's remark, "She certainly is pretty," bothered me a little.

Because it sounded as though she thought Karvaldr had become obsessed with Vigdís and isolated her in order to monopolize her beauty.

'What kind of misunderstanding is that?'

I swallowed a sigh and handed the three iced Americanos I had just made to the professor and the seniors.

With the hope that they would drink them and please stay quiet.

Did my feelings get through to them?

Or did they realize they were only making Vigdís even more nervous?

Whatever the reason, thankfully, the senior research students stopped talking to Vigdís.

'I deliberately called her here so Vigdís wouldn't be scared, but it seems to have had the opposite effect.'

The senior research students were probably trying to lighten the mood, so I couldn't really blame them.

I sighed inwardly and decided it would be best to quickly send Vigdís into the professor's private room.

"Vigdís. We'll talk in there, so go in first."

"Yes?! Ah, yes..."

"Yor, go with her."

"Myang!"

Thinking her tension might ease a little if she watched the cute baby familiar's antics, I had Yor follow Vigdís.

After one person and one dragon entered the separate room and closed the door...

"Junior, do you usually treat your fiancée with that kind of expression and tone?! That's why she's scared."

"Yeah, exactly. I understand wanting to look cool in front of your fiancée when you're young, but you're too cold! Don't you know gentle men are the trend these days?"

The senior research students opened their mouths again after having stayed silent earlier.

Only then did I realize I had never properly shown them Karvaldr's usual attitude.

Though I had tried my best to act within Karvaldr's setting...

'Still, I never acted out Karvaldr's arrogance and condescending nature. I was afraid their attitude toward me would change.'

Was it a mistake to choose this place for the meeting?

As I thought this gloomily while making coffee for myself and Vigdís, the senior research students began speaking in careful, soothing tones.

"It's not that we think you did anything wrong, junior. We just thought that if you started treating her kindly from now on, you could maintain a good relationship with your fiancée..."

"That's right. Since you're handsome, junior, just showing a little kindness would be enough."

"Of course~!"

"Um, senior? Wasn't this the moment where you were supposed to say, 'In my eyes, you're more handsome, Elska'?"

"Junior Karvaldr is incomparably more handsome than someone like Elska. So don't lose hope!"

"......"

What in the world is wrong with these people?

It seems they've forgotten that I told them I would only maintain the engagement until my fiancée could establish a foundation independent from her family.

Or perhaps they think I'm tearfully giving up on her because Vigdís keeps being afraid of me, so they're trying to encourage me.

Recalling how overly welcoming they had been toward Vigdís, the latter seemed highly likely.

I want to clear up the misunderstanding right away, but since someone is waiting for me, I'll have to put it off until later.

"I understand very well that you two are deeply interested in my relationship with my fiancée. Still, I would appreciate it if you did not eavesdrop on our conversation. If you have any questions, please ask them later. I will answer faithfully within the limits of what I can answer."

"E-eavesdrop?! We would never, ever think of doing that!"

"Of course~!"

Those reactions were far from trustworthy.

I looked at Professor Radvisin with an expression that said, 'I'm counting on you,' and he nodded with an expression that said, 'Just trust me.'

Reassured by his dependable appearance, I entered the professor's private room.

No sooner had I stepped inside than I heard the sound of a chair scraping as Vigdís stood up from her seat.

Her face was still tense and stiff.

Judging by Yor's listless "Meow...", the plan to ease Vigdís's tension with her antics seemed to have failed.

But it didn't matter.

Even if Vigdís was wary of me, that didn't mean we couldn't have a conversation.

I did what I could. Let's find meaning in that.

"Sit."

At my words, Vigdís pulled the chair back with a scrape and sat down again.

I barely glanced at her as I placed the tray I was holding onto the table.

Of the things I brought on the tray, my portion was only a cup of Americano.

One cup of milk and one plate of donuts were for Yor, while one cup of Americano and one plate of donuts were for Vigdís.

After distributing the food and placing it in front of each of us, I spoke.

"Eat."

I wonder what kind of 'got this while passing by' level of tsundere line this is, but I have no intention of playing that sort of character.

If she was uncomfortable accepting food from me, she didn't have to eat it.

I had merely replaced the words that would normally express that consideration with Karvaldr's tone.

Trying hard not to feel embarrassed by the words that had come out of my mouth, I sat down across from Vigdís.

Until now, I had only glanced at her in passing without properly fixing my gaze on her, in order to show that I had lost interest in Vigdís.

This was the first moment I was truly facing her properly.

Her blue-black hair was cut into a sharp bob, and within her long, upturned fox-like eyes were gray pupils.

Below them were a smoothly raised bridge of the nose and downturned corners of the lips.

Looking only at those features, one would think she gave off a confident, strong-willed, or cold impression, but...

'She looks incredibly gloomy.'

Her hunched shoulders, the dejected expression fixed on her face, and her frightened eyes.

Her timid demeanor completely overwhelmed her natural presence and created a pitiful impression.

To put it simply, she looked so pitiful that it naturally stirred sympathy.

"This will be the last time I call for you. Most likely, we will never speak face to face like this again."

We were not in a position to exchange small talk and ask each other how we'd been.

This was my first time truly speaking with her, and from now on I intended to distance myself. Vigdís was extremely reluctant to be around the original owner of the body I now occupied.

So I got straight to the point.

With the meaning that she could rest assured, because I would no longer torment her.

But no sooner had my words ended than Vigdís's pupils shook violently, and despair spread across her face.

"D-don't tell me... the proposal written in the note, is it... about breaking off the engagement?"

Her trembling voice sounded as though she were begging me to reconsider.

If the engagement were broken, she would no longer be able to attend the academy, nor would she be able to wield a sword.

Though she feared Karvaldr's obsession, it could not compare to giving up her studies.

"Actually, I had a feeling... that it might come to this... Since I kept avoiding you, you must have been displeased... On the first day of swordsmanship class, when you spoke to the professor, you didn't use my nickname, 'Disil,' when referring to me, which must have been a warning. And yet, since I didn't come to you and beg..."

With a face that looked ready to burst into tears, Vigdís began listing what she believed were her offenses.

I had deliberately avoided meeting her for three weeks since the start of the semester in order to lower her guard.

Unfortunately, it seemed those three weeks had only increased Vigdís's anxiety.

'This isn't because of Karvaldr, but because of Count Sjalfráði, who broke his child's spirit and restricted her from doing anything.'

He was the complete opposite of Karvaldr, whose father showed no interest in him no matter what he did.

That's probably why the two of them could have gotten along well, comforting each other's wounds.

If only Karvaldr hadn't viewed Vigdís as a tool to fill his loneliness and had instead treated her as an individual.

"I-I'm sorry..., sob..."

"That's enough apologizing. Read this first."

As though submissiveness had become a habit, Vigdís tried to apologize while struggling to hide her resentful expression.

I quickly cut her off, took out the paper and pen I had prepared beforehand, and handed them to her.

Tears had already welled up in Vigdís's eyes, so I considered handing her a handkerchief as well, but...

'Let's not do anything unnecessary. It would be troublesome if she started treating me warmly, like Reisir does.'

I fiddled with the edge of the handkerchief in my pocket, then let go of it and picked up my ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) cup of warm coffee instead.

Meanwhile, Vigdís rubbed her eyes with her sleeve before unfolding the paper I had handed her.

"Break... engagement... contract...?"

"I've only written clauses that won't disadvantage you, so if you have something to say, read it first and speak afterward."

To become frightened at the mere sight of the words "breaking engagement" without even reading the contents.

I deliberately clicked my tongue with a "Tsk!" and urged Vigdís to read the contract document.