Chapter 29: Cedric’s Declaration.

The soirée was nearing its end, and the atmosphere in the hall had softened.
The chandeliers had been dimmed slightly, bathing the room in a gentler glow.

Tonight had truly been wonderful, especially the dance with Cedric.

(Just remembering it makes my heart race…)

His hand resting lightly on my waist, guiding me perfectly to the music.
Cedric’s dancing was flawless; his lead was so smooth it felt like floating.
Dancing under the gaze of the entire hall had been a little embarrassing, but far more than that, it had been pure happiness.

After the dance, several young ladies approached him.

“Lord Cedric, won’t you dance with me next?”
“No, I have a wife.”

He refused them outright.
The girls walked away looking disappointed.

“You could have danced with them, Cedric. It’s fine.”
There’s no rule saying a married man can’t dance with other women; in fact, most people here were doing exactly that.

“No. I simply don’t want to.”

When he put it that way, I had nothing more to say.

(I’m sorry, girls…)

But honestly… I was a little happy.

“Everyone, please gather in the center.”

The emcee’s voice rang out, and the crowd began moving toward the middle of the hall.

“We will now announce the top student of each year before the long vacation.”

Ah, right—there was that tradition.
It existed in the original game too.

“First, the first-year valedictorian is His Highness Prince Ensio Weiss!”

The petite, adorable silver-haired prince stepped forward, cheeks pink with embarrassment.
He bowed shyly to warm applause.

“Next, the second-year valedictorian is Lady Emilia Crown!”

Emilia walked forward with a beaming smile, pink hair swaying.

(Emilia’s second-year valedictorian?)

Impressive for a transfer student.
As expected of the heroine. She must have worked hard.

“And finally, the third-year valedictorian is Lord Cedric Gilbert!”

Thunderous applause and admiring glances turned our way.

“Go on, Cedric.”
“I’ll be right back.”

I watched his retreating back and suddenly realized something.

(In the original game…)

The third-year valedictorian at this point was supposed to be whichever third-year capture target the heroine was closest to: Noah, Prince Leonard, or Cedric.

But Cedric and Emilia clearly weren’t close.
If the story had followed the game, it should have been Noah, the one she seemed closest to now.

I glanced at Noah. He was watching Cedric with a faintly frustrated expression.

(It seems… because I changed the story, things are diverging from the original.)

“Then, a few words from each valedictorian.”

Prince Ensio stepped up to the magical voice-amplifying device (basically a microphone from my previous life).

“U-um… I, well…”

Visibly nervous, the shy prince still did his best.

“I-I’d like to thank all the teachers who support me… and my older brother… I’ll keep working hard so I won’t bring shame on them!”

Cute cheers erupted around the hall.

“As expected of Prince Ensio…”
“So adorable…”
“Legal shota is divine today too…”

I blinked at the phrase “legal shota.”

(…So this world has otaku too, huh.)

A tiny sense of camaraderie bloomed inside me.

(Though saying it out loud in public is a bit much…)

Next was Emilia.

She gave the perfect honor-student speech with a radiant smile.

“I owe my position to the wonderful guidance of our professors. Thank you so much.”

Then, after a deliberate pause, she added,

“And… there was also a kind senior who tutored me.”

Her gaze slid meaningfully toward Noah.
He flushed slightly, looking both embarrassed and proud.

(Ah yes, that tutoring event. It raises affection points.)

Finally, Cedric’s turn.

He took the magical microphone and surveyed the hall.
For a moment, his blue eyes found mine.

(What will he say? Something about balancing studies and ducal duties?)

Half excited, half nervous, I watched,

and the very first words out of his mouth were:

“I have absolutely no intention of ever divorcing my wife, Amelia.”

“…Eh?”

A silent “huh?” escaped my lips.
I felt the entire hall do the same in perfect unison.

I could only stare up at him, wide-eyed.
He continued, perfectly serious, without a trace of embarrassment.

“Lately I have heard baseless rumors circulating about my wife.”

His voice was calm, but fury simmered beneath it.

“As head of House Gilbert, I will not tolerate any slander that tarnishes her honor.”

The tone was mild.
But what lay beneath was a blade of ice.

“I have already identified the sources of these rumors. Appropriate measures will be taken.”

The announcement was delivered so matter-of-factly that the adults in the crowd began to murmur.

“Just gossip, surely?”
“He’s actually going to do something about it?”
“For the duke to go that far over rumors about his wife…”

Shock, confusion, and a thread of fear rippled through the hall.

(He’s… really going to do it?)

He had said it before, smiling: “I’ll crush their entire houses.”
I had thought it was at least half a joke.

But the way he just spoke, he was completely serious.

Cedric set the microphone down as though nothing had happened and descended the stage, walking straight back to me.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Amelia.”
“…W-welcome back.”

My voice trembled; I could hear it myself.

Whispers rose around us.

“That lady is…”
“She doesn’t look that much older…”
“But to declare his love so publicly…”

They could gossip all they liked. I wanted to sink into the floor.

And yet,

“I have absolutely no intention of ever divorcing my wife, Amelia.”

Those words, spoken so clearly in front of everyone, refused to leave my mind.

He had declared it here, in a public venue with even royalty present.
That effectively made divorce all but impossible.

Short of me actually embezzling funds and getting executed like the original villainess, there was no way out anymore.
And I have zero intention of embezzling anything; I’ve spent these years specifically to avoid that route.

But now… divorce has truly become impossible.

“Amelia, are you all right?”

Cedric leaned in, worried.

“I-I’m fine! Just… a little surprised.”
“Should I have warned you first?”
“N-no! But… was it really okay to say something like that?”
“Is there any problem?”

He looked genuinely puzzled.

“But for the head of a ducal house to go that far for his wife…”
“It’s only natural. You are the most important person to me.”

Another devastating line.
My face grew even hotter.

(He really…)

The rest of the ceremony continued, but honestly I barely heard it.
I just stood beside Cedric, feeling everyone’s eyes on us, doing my best to keep breathing.

Yet strangely, it didn’t feel unpleasant.
If anything, I felt… protected.

Cedric had gotten angry on my behalf.
He had declared it publicly, for my sake.

That made me truly, deeply happy, even if it complicated things.

(My favorite—no, Cedric—is absolutely the best…)

Holding that thought close, I welcomed the end of the party.