Breaking Off the Engagement with the Demon King - Chapter 4
“Just as Kiara said… how disgraceful you are. To continue flaunting such shameful behavior even now.”
Into the hall, now blanketed in silence, walked a man with a look of disdain on his face.
It was none other than Prince Lars—the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Randall, elder brother to Kiara, and the man who was once meant to become Shou Rudel’s brother-in-law. He had the same striking golden hair and sapphire eyes as Kiara, a flawless beauty in his own right.
“…Lars… Your Highness.”
“Crown Prince Lars,” he corrected curtly.
At his arrival, the gallery stirred. Some stepped aside to clear the way, while others quickly straightened their posture and bowed their heads.
Although Kiara was a princess, she was still a student of the academy. Within its walls, all students were considered equals by the academy’s code, so formal courtesies weren’t required toward her.
But Lars had already graduated two years prior. As such, everyone except Kiara was expected to pay him due respect as the Crown Prince.
And yet, Shou neither flinched nor bowed. He remained silent, staring at Lars with a stony expression.
No… he was glaring.
Seeing this, Lars let out a small, unimpressed snort through his nose, before raising his right hand with a rehearsed smile and declaring:
“Everyone, be at ease.”
“Still the same uncouth mountain ape with no manners, I see.”
With a mocking smile, Lars—slightly taller than Shou—tilted his chin up, looking down as he spoke.
“Sorry ’bout my upbringing. But when it comes to people falsely accusing me of crimes I didn’t commit, I’ve never been quite sure how to properly show respect.”
Shou met Lars’ eyes head-on, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
The tension was thick—volatile—but the sight of two stunning young men locked in a staring contest was oddly captivating, and a few of the noble ladies in the audience sighed, mesmerized.
“To call our shadows incompetent, and on top of that, to act as though you’re the victim of false accusations—when in truth, you’ve simply refused to own up to your misdeeds… That’s not just insolence. It borders on treason.”
“Under normal circumstances, punishment would be inevitable. However, given your role in subduing the stampede, we’ll let it slide… this time.”
Lars shrugged theatrically, his words laced with affected condescension.
Shou let out a sigh and began, “Listen, you—”, but Lars interrupted, continuing without pause.
“Shou Rudel! Whether you were overwhelmed with duties or preoccupied with your trysts with Lady Marseille, the fact remains: you ignored Kiara’s letters. Do you have any idea how deeply that hurt her? Do you know how much pain she endured, waiting, only to learn of your betrayal?”
With exaggerated flair, Lars jabbed a finger toward Shou as if striking a pose.
The hall fell silent once more—but it wasn’t because his performance had stunned anyone into awe.
No, the atmosphere that now filled the room was something else entirely:
Exasperation.
Everyone present had come to a new realization.
Is this a family trait? they wondered. Are both siblings overly fond of theatrics?
Moreover, as neither Lars nor Kiara made any attempt to clarify the misunderstanding, the audience began to suspect that this entire incident had been a setup—that the conclusion had already been decided, and the rest was just them pushing through a script.
And perhaps… just perhaps… Shou was telling the truth after all.
Maybe he truly was being falsely accused.
Shou and Soa, whether out of shock or calculated patience, remained silent.
For now, it seemed they had decided to simply listen.