Breaking Off the Engagement with the Demon King - Chapter 5

This is a farce…

As the royal siblings carried out their one-sided public denunciation, many among the audience—the so-called gallery—found that whatever excitement they had felt at first had long since vanished. Their gazes now were cold, disillusioned.

Engagements among nobles—especially those involving royalty—were not things that could be broken lightly.

Such unions did not affect only the individuals involved, but carried far-reaching implications for the greater nobility and the nation itself. Even if Shou truly had been unfaithful, as Kiara claimed, that alone would not justify dissolving a royal betrothal so easily. There were formalities, unspoken rules, and proper decorum that could not be ignored.

And yet, to the eyes of the gallery, Kiara and her brother were doing precisely that—trampling those formalities, trying to force the annulment through sheer momentum.

To force the unreasonable is to trample reason itself. Perhaps that too is a privilege of royalty.
But royalty are meant to be models for the nobility.
And in the realm of political marriage, a single misstep in conduct can have grave consequences.

What Kiara had done, however, was the exact opposite.
It was as if she were saying, “Behold, this is the perfect example of what not to do.”

Her actions lacked the poise and discernment expected of one in her station. She had shown no understanding of the etiquette all nobles must observe, and her behavior had revealed a stunning lack of elegance and forethought. As a result, many in the audience found themselves not only disappointed—but openly scornful.

Still, not all present shared in that sentiment.

This is fine…

That thought flickered in the minds of another group within the gallery—those who held titles of Earl or higher.

They had never approved of the engagement between Shou and Kiara. And while they may not have agreed with the method, the result—a broken engagement—was something they welcomed.

After all, Kiara was a princess of exceptional beauty, praised even by foreign courts. She was compassionate, beloved by the people, and hailed as one of the kingdom’s greatest treasures. (Though after today’s display, her image was sure to suffer.)

To them, the idea of marrying off such a prized royal to Shou Rudel, the “savage mountain ape” of the frontier—as many of the central aristocracy secretly viewed him—was nothing short of a disgrace. There had always been a faction that resented the union.

Yes, the Marquess of the Frontier played a critical role in protecting the kingdom from external threats.
But entrusting the nation’s princess to a man of such lowly birth and rough manners?
Unthinkable.
Let the bumpkins marry among themselves, they thought.

And so, these nobles now saw an opportunity in this farce.
They would support the annulment.
They would assist in breaking off the engagement between Shou and Kiara.

If the engagement is broken… then perhaps the next suitor should be… ‘him’?

Surely we can find a more suitable match abroad—one that benefits the nation far more.

Anyone would be better. Just not that mountain ape from Rudel.

Thus, within the crowd, a web of thoughts and motives began to shift and stir.

And soon, the situation would enter its next stage.