Fiora sat in the waiting room with her maid standing quietly behind her. She had prepared herself for this meeting. Even if there were consequences for what she was about to say, it was better to end things now. She did not care if Edsel knelt before her and begged.
She sighed softly.
She knew the kind of person he was. Obsessive. Prideful. Unable to accept rejection.
"My Lady, do not worry. I am right here. If that child tries anything again, I will put him in his place like last time."
Fiora allowed herself a faint smile. Elena had always been fearless when it came to Edsel. She insulted him openly, and he never dared retaliate. In truth, Elena had shielded her more than once from his temper.
The door slowly opened.
Edsel stepped inside, properly dressed, composed, and calm.
Fiora rose to her feet.
"Edsel…"
"Lady Fiora, greetings."
He looked at her directly. Fiora Alastair truly was beautiful. Her blue hair framed her face elegantly, and her eyes carried both pride and strength. Now he understood why the original Edsel had become so infatuated with her, he offered a polite smile.
Fiora hesitated.
Something about that smile unsettled her. It felt different. She shook the thought away, convincing herself it was only her imagination.
Elena bowed stiffly, clicking her tongue under her breath when she saw him.
Edsel walked forward and took the seat opposite Fiora.
"Please, sit down. Let us discuss this properly."
"I am not here to chat, Edsel Domitius."
He paused, then calmly crossed his legs. This was exactly how the original storyline unfolded. She would attempt to break the engagement. He would interrupt her in desperation. He would be humiliated once again.
How embarrassing.
"I understand," he replied evenly. "But sit down first. I have something to say as well."
Fiora frowned in confusion but returned to her seat. She wanted to hear what he was planning.
Edsel folded his hands together.
"First, I sincerely apologize for insulting you and challenging you to a duel in front of the entire academy. My behavior was shameful. Please forgive me, Lady Fiora. I will not repeat such actions."
Elena scoffed loudly.
"What kind of apology is that?"
Edsel's gaze shifted slowly toward her. Fiora remained silent, looking away.
Interesting. Was this maid always the one provoking him? Feeding the flames?
"Fiora," he said calmly, "what is that thing standing behind you?"
Fiora's eyes widened before she could respond, the atmosphere shifted. A suffocating pressure filled the room.
Killing intent.
It was sharp and Cold enough to make her skin prickle, was he always this frightening?
"Young Master Edsel, let us be clear," Elena snapped, forcing herself to stand firm. "You are not worthy of my lady."
Edsel tilted his head slightly.
"~Oh?~ Is that so?"
Before Elena could react, a hand closed tightly around her throat, In the blink of an eye, Edsel had crossed the distance and slammed her against the wall with enough force to rattle the frame.
"ELENAAA!"
Fiora shouted in shock. She had not even seen him move. Now he stood behind her, gripping Elena effortlessly as the maid struggled to breathe.
"Stop this at once!"
Edsel tightened his grip around Elena's throat. Her hands clawed at his wrist as tears streamed down her face and her skin was turning purple from lack of air.
He smiled faintly as he watched her struggle.
Fiora's hand immediately moved toward her sword, ready to unsheathe it. Edsel's eyes snapped toward her.
"The moment you touch that sword, consider it a declaration of war against the Domitius family. I am sure you are not foolish enough to make that choice."
His voice was calm, but the warning was absolute.
Fiora froze.
Her maid was seconds away from losing consciousness in front of her, yet she could not move recklessly. A clash between noble houses was not something she could trigger on impulse.
"Please…" she whispered, her voice tight with restraint.
Edsel released Elena without another word and the maid collapsed to the ground, gasping violently for air.
He returned to his seat as if nothing had happened.
Fiora rushed to Elena's side and checked her pulse. She was still breathing, but dark bruises had already formed around her neck. A faint chill lingered in the air.
Ice magic.
What kind of training had he undergone in just a single night?
"Well then," Edsel said casually, crossing his legs. "Sit down, Fiora. You said you had something to discuss."
Fiora stared at him.
This was not the same person.
The Edsel she knew was prideful yet desperate for her approval. He would shrink whenever Elena insulted him. He would lose his temper like a child when things did not go his way. He had been emotional and predictable but now the boy before her felt colder and Dangerous.
"Who are you?" she asked quietly.
He raised a brow.
"Hmm? I'm your Edsel, Your fiancé. The same boy you defeated and humiliated in front of the academy. Were you expecting me to kneel and beg at your feet, Fiora?"
Her eyes hardened.
"You dare insult me and then attack my maid after calling me here? Such behavior is unacceptable. I will not tolerate it."
"Well," he interrupted smoothly, "your maid insulted a noble to his face while you stood there and watched. Do you not understand basic etiquette, or should I remind you of the difference in our ranks?"
Fiora clenched her fists.
He was right.
An insult toward him was an insult toward the Domitius household. In the eyes of nobility, that was a serious offense but this was not the Edsel who used to overlook such things for her sake.
What changed him?
Silence stretched between them. Then his tone shifted slightly.
"Now that we understand each other, let us discuss this marriage. I assume you do not wish to continue this engagement."
That caught her attention and she slowly returned to her seat.
"You are correct. I do not wish to continue it. But why this sudden change? Were you not the one who claimed you would stand by my side forever? You were never someone who gave up easily."
Edsel nodded, acknowledging her suspicion.
She still believed he was acting out of wounded pride. That he was trying to reverse psychology her.
How shallow.
"I realized something after our duel," he said calmly. "I am not the kind of man who can fulfill the role you desire. As you said, I am pathetic."
Fiora frowned, confused by his bluntness.
"That is why we will end this engagement properly," Edsel continued calmly. "Both our families agreed that in exchange for political support, my family would hand over the Glacial Vein Method to improve your mana circulation."
"And?" Fiora replied coldly. "We both already know that."
Edsel smiled faintly.
"You are right. My family believes it is simply a fair exchange to improve your sword magic. But tell me, Fiora… do you not think your family has been hiding something? A small secret of yours?"
His gaze lowered slightly toward her arm.
"For example, your right arm is—"
"Do not say it!"
She shot to her feet, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists.
"How do you know about my arm?" she demanded, her voice sharp and furious.
Her reaction was satisfying.
In the original storyline after the broken engagement, Fiora had been praised as a prodigy. She was called the Rapier Princess because she could wield both fire and ice magic through her blade. Many noble families sought alliances with the Alastairs because of her potential. She was considered the pride of her house.
But the truth was different.
Her right arm was deteriorating.
In the game, the pain eventually became unbearable. She was forced to sever her own arm to survive. After that, she lost the title of Rapier Princess and became known as the One Armed Princess, reduced to a minor figure who barely appeared in the story.
And now, he had just exposed the one thing she feared most. For a moment, Fiora looked shaken.
Edsel watched her carefully. He had just positioned himself as a threat not only to her but to the entire Alastair family. He would need to handle this carefully and inform his father soon. But first, he wanted to see how she reacted.
He stood up slowly and Fiora instinctively stepped back.
"Tell me who told you," she demanded. "Do not tell me you planted spies in our estate."