Chapter 38

━━Bell has someone she likes…?

As I stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking about that, I heard the sharp sound of glass shattering.

Wondering what it was, I moved my hand to get up from the bed, only to find that the sheets were already burning.

At the edge of my vision, my right hand was crackling with bright lightning.

“……”

A flash of light darted across my field of vision, and the wind whipped around the desk. The carpet was torn in several places, and countless slash marks appeared across the walls.

It had been a long time since I had lost control of my power like this.

My emotions were running too high, and I couldn’t do anything about it.

Every bit of this was Bell’s fault. It was because Bell had said something like that.

‘Why don’t you forget about me, even if it’s only for now, and enjoy your youth?’

“……!”

The bookshelf began to shake erratically.

Calm down. Calm down. I’m not a child anymore. I should be able to handle my own emotions.

‘Have you fallen for someone?’

‘No……’

The moment I sucked in a short breath, the bookshelf exploded.

I take it back. Bell was different.

Whenever it came to her, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to calm my mind.

‘I’m sure that once we enter the academy, there will be someone more suitable for you than me.’

I loved Bell, so why was she recommending other women to me?

Was I really that insignificant to her? Was I really the kind of man she wouldn’t mind marrying off to some other woman?

I didn’t want to acknowledge that thought.

If I admitted it to myself, it felt as though my five years of love for her would fade away, leaving behind nothing but despair, anger, jealousy, and madness.

I didn’t want to hurt Bell.

Yes. That was how it was supposed to be.

……Did I really feel that way?

A shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively trembled.

I was questioning myself.

Was this really okay?

Wouldn’t it be fine to take her by force?

If I simply took her away, she would be mine.

I had the higher position in terms of power, and if I truly wanted to, I could even use magic.

I had a fair amount of confidence and pride in my magical power and skills. Even among the royal family, my magical reserves were exceptionally large, and I could use so many different types of magic that I couldn’t count them on one hand.

I’d studied that much, but I also undeniably had talent.

Then, with this magic……

I could survive with the vast amount of magic at my disposal.

Kidnapping her would be child’s play. If that made me a criminal, I could simply flee. As long as I could use magic, I wouldn’t need fire or water. I could even build a wooden house deep within the forest.

If I told her to throw everything away and run away with me, would she follow me?

How happy would I be if she took the hand I offered without hesitation?

As I thought about it, another thought suddenly occurred to me.

Wasn’t I simply afraid of being alone?

It wasn’t as though I was lonely.

I wasn’t exactly satisfied with my current situation, but it wasn’t as though I was dissatisfied with it either. Honestly, I didn’t care about any of it. It had nothing to do with me.

But Bell was different.

I wanted her by my side. I wanted us to love each other.

It wasn’t as though just anyone would do.

It was because she was Bell.

Why couldn’t she understand that?

I loved her so much. I thought about her so much. Yet none of it reached her. She didn’t understand.

It was so empty, so infuriating, so bitterly frustrating.

And despite loving her this much, she didn’t just fail to notice me—she was going to fall for another man.

Why? Why, why, why, why?!

What’s wrong with me?

If there’s something you don’t like about me, I’ll fix it.

I’ll become the kind of man you like.

I’ll be kind to you. I’ll cherish you. I’ll give you enough love to drown in.

Why won’t you look at me?

I’m right here.

Call my name.

And Bell already had someone she liked.

She had barely had any contact with the nobles around her, so when had she even had the chance to fall in love?

The more I thought about it, the more it felt as though everything in front of me was being dyed bright red.

I won’t let her go.

No way.

She was the only woman I could love.

I could bind her, lock her away, and make her mine. She wouldn’t need to meet anyone else. She could spend all her time thinking only about me.

I didn’t need anything else.

I didn’t need anyone in this world except Bell.

Why, when I loved her this much?

Don’t mess with me.

I was the one who fell in love with Bell first.

I was Bell’s fiancé.

There was no way I was going to let some stranger steal her away.

“━━Kill him.”

The light shattered with a sound like a tapping knock.

I should kill him.

Get rid of anything in the way.

Disappear from Bell’s sight.

That’s right. I could tie Bell down here.

If I chained her up so she could never leave again……

No, I wanted something heavier than chains.

Something that would make sure Bell could never leave me……

Ah, that’s right.

We could have a child.

If I got her pregnant, then once she had a child, she wouldn’t be able to leave anymore.

Then━━━.

As I thought of one mad thing after another with my deranged mind, I felt something wet on my cheek.

Wondering what it was, I wiped it away, only to find droplets of water on my hand.

They kept spilling out, one after another, without stopping.

I realized that I was crying my eyes out.

“Eh?”

The surprised sound escaped me involuntarily.

No.

No, that’s not right. I know that.

If I did something like this, I could have Bell’s body, but I’d never have her heart again.

She would surely look at me with hatred in her eyes.

Her smile would disappear, and she’d slowly break down.

I could never regain the trust I’d lost.

Any sense of satisfaction would last only for a moment.

After that, there would be nothing but emptiness.

A loveless union would only leave me feeling lonely.

Besides, I wasn’t confident that I could love a child who had been forced into existence.

If I only cared about Bell, I’d probably make my own child suffer the same way I had.

No.

That wouldn’t do.

I had to make her heart mine as well.

The root of all this was that Bell believed there was no love in our engagement.

The fact that she never blushed when I told her I loved her and always gave me an awkward smile was proof enough.

I had to make her understand that I was serious.

I had to convey my feelings skillfully, casually, just enough for her to vaguely sense them.

I had to make her recognize that I loved Bell and make her conscious of it.

Nothing could begin until I did that.

It would be fine.

I was good at playing the fool.

I’d thoroughly study the kind of men Bell liked, then make myself into her ideal man.

But then what?

What if she fell in love with someone else before she realized my feelings?

Just imagining it sent a chill through me.

I couldn’t forgive it.

And once we entered the academy, the possibility would only increase.

St. Polhymnia Academy.

The largest high school in the Vermelio Kingdom, where every noble was required to attend.

Once they turned fifteen, all noble daughters, sons, and even adopted children had to enroll.

Moreover, within the academy, all differences in social status were supposedly disregarded. Even commoners could attend if they possessed a special ability.

Outside the academy, I could exercise the authority of a prince.

But once inside, that authority wouldn’t apply.

However, that was merely the official story.

In reality, once members of the royal family enrolled, they were practically forced to become the heads of an organization called the Student Council.

If I remembered correctly, my older brother had done it as well.

They held more authority than the teachers, and with no headmaster present at the school, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this organization effectively controlled the students.

After all, it was organized by members of the royal family.

Without considerable authority, they wouldn’t be able to maintain their dignity.

The children of nobles were separated from their parents for three years.

They weren’t allowed to bring maids and had to handle everything on their own.

It was an important period meant to encourage the independence of those spoiled, arrogant nobles.

Independence, control……

Honestly, none of that had anything to do with me.

I didn’t care.

But the fact that we would be isolated was very interesting.

Bell would come into contact with other men.

But conversely, that meant I would have plenty of opportunities too.

If I took control of the academy’s power……

If I could truly control the students……

Everything would be in the palm of my hand.

Yes.

Even Bell.

A shiver of pleasure ran through me as it filled my heart.

It was perfect.

This year had been prepared for me.

So I could build the stage where I would make Bell fall.

“Schwarz.”

I called his name briefly, and Schwarz, who had been waiting outside the room, quickly entered.

He glanced at the wrecked room and I could tell that he gave a small sigh.

I didn’t pay it any attention and calmly issued my orders.

“Tell the nobles around the royal capital not to have any contact with my fiancée whatsoever. Any family that makes an unnecessary move is to be crushed.”

“As you command.”

First, I would cut off her contact with other men so she wouldn’t become interested in anyone else.

I’d quietly surround her with obstacles and leave her with nowhere to run.

Even then━━━.

Even if I did everything I could, there might still be things I couldn’t obtain.

She was a human being, after all.

Getting another person to act exactly as I wanted would be exceedingly difficult.

I lowered my gaze and raised the corners of my lips.

Even so, that was fine.

If she wanted to resist, then she could resist.

If she didn’t want me, she could try to run.

Before she knew it, her path would be blocked, and her voice would reach no one.

I was capable of going that far.

If she was going to become another man’s woman, if she was going to go to another man……

I’d break her myself.

Hurry.

Hurry and fall this far with me.

The moment I break Bell will be the moment I break as well.