“This mark appeared on the back of her hand a short time ago, which I took as a sign to firm my resolve. You understand what this means, don’t you, Emma…? In any case, you’ve been blessed with both beauty and brains, so you don’t need me to be happy. But Annette…she’s different from you, and I have to protect her. I must.”
I can’t believe Annette’s the next time traveler… And all of a sudden, Emma understood. It was so simple, she was surprised it had taken her this long to suss out the truth. Oh, I see. They’ve always loved each other.
Her gaze turned toward Annette. Annette continued weeping because she couldn’t stop this disaster from occurring. There was a space between her friend and Bernard, just enough to fit one person. Emma. That space had always belonged to her.
Was I the nuisance then…? The reality that her existence had been a hindrance to the two of them shocked Emma more than Annette being the next time traveler. She felt paralyzed and enraged. In the next instant, as she stared at Annette sobbing in Bernard’s shadow, Emma’s anger fizzled out.
Her newfound calm only provoked another question she couldn’t answer. Why did Bernard have to call off their engagement so publicly? Everyone here had chosen to attend the party, expecting a celebration. When she thought about how uncomfortable they must all be feeling now, she wanted to disappear in shame.
Which brought her to this farce itself, taking place on an isolated balcony located within such splendid grounds. Well, it should have been isolated were it not for the raptly attentive gallery they had unfortunately attracted. Logically, Emma knew that if she meekly accepted the dissolution of her engagement and withdrew from this impromptu stage, the crowd would disperse, and things would return to some semblance of normal.
Is that what I really want to do, though? Emma shuddered, caught between her welling fury and the need to maintain her ladylike pretense. Before she could say or do anything else, a familiar voice interjected from behind her.
“Lady Emma, what is this commotion?”
“Oh, Victor, I mean, Your Highness.”
It was Victor, the second son of the king. He strode imperiously through the throng of people to reach Emma. The same age as the trio, he had also been part of their cohort at the Magic Academy. But, due to his lofty station, he had only ever interacted with Emma, especially since her work had thrown her into constant contact with him by way of his father. Aware of his standing in comparison, Bernard abruptly stiffened, his expression uneasy. No longer did he play the tragic hero.
“Well… Just the small matter of dissolving an engagement.” Emma murmured quietly to Victor, trying to keep the situation from getting further out of hand. Though she also recognized that her restraint was meaningless at this point.
“A small matter of canceling an engagement?!” Victor’s eyes popped wide open. He kept his volume low in consideration of her, but regrettably, his stunned expression gave the game away. Even at a distance, those in attendance understood the gist of the situation.
“There have been quite a few misunderstandings. In short, he… Lord Bernard, son of Count Sagden, will not marry me.”
All Emma wanted to do was give free rein to her anger and spill every sordid detail. By sheer force of will, she curbed the nasty urge, instead providing the prince with an atrociously brief summary.
“Surely you jest, Emma? Except your expression makes it clear you’re telling the truth. The royal family won’t interfere if you both agree to call off the engagement. But. There is no denying that Count Sagden was elevated to his current rank solely on the basis of his son’s engagement with you. Naturally, I hope your father is prepared to relinquish the title with this news, Lord Bernard. Not to mention the ethics, or more accurately, the lack thereof, in your actions. As I recall, you recently entered government service as an apprentice, yes? I don’t foresee success in your career moving forward, good sir.”
For some reason, Victor declared this in a ringing tone that echoed throughout the venue. He projected loudly enough for his voice to carry all the way to the main hall, where the king was chatting with a few important individuals. They undoubtedly heard everything he said, just as he intended.
The prince’s assertion rendered the three of them mute while simultaneously focusing the audience’s attention on Bernard. He curled in on himself, his self-aggrandizing air fading so rapidly that it was almost surreal. Then, nervously, tentatively, he responded to Victor.
“As you can see, Your Highness, Lady Annette is the next time traveler. So, um…I presumed it wouldn’t present a problem as such, if I, uh, wed her instead…”
And the light dawns. He just wants to marry someone who has an affinity for time magic. I doubt the lady herself even matters.
Now she understood why Bernard deliberately broke off their engagement here. With the royal family present, he thought he could maneuver another elevation in title for his house by marrying Annette, the next one to take on the mantle of time traveler. He had foregone seeking an audience with the king through official channels and instead staged this abhorrent act.
His blatant disrespect in so many ways was astounding. Greater than her own pain, indignation and dismay burned inside her at Bernard’s lack of common sense and consideration. She suspected Annette and Bernard’s earlier lovers’ quarrel had been an attempt on her friend’s part to stop his foolishness. Clearly, his deluded self-righteousness had won.
But the worst thing about all of this? The fact that Emma couldn’t forgive herself for not realizing sooner what a conceited, empty-headed young man she’d been engaged to. Her anger, temporarily abated, bubbled up once more. She looked down in an effort to regain a measure of calmness. Except that what entered her field of vision was the light pink dress she wore.
I wouldn’t be caught dead in a dress like this!
Emma heard something snap inside her mind.
“You imbecile.”
“Emma…?”