The Marquis' Daughter, a Research Enthusiast, Fails to Notice Her Junior's Devoted Feelings After Her Engagement is Broken. - Chapter 1.2

I first met Lady Frederica when I was twelve, and she was ten.

My name is Emil Fitzgerald. I came to the Kingdom of Razafest as an exchange student from my homeland, the Duchy of Viehert.

That evening, a royal banquet was being held, and I was among the attendees. The event was rumored to double as a selection process for the First Prince’s fiancée.

All around the ballroom, young noble girls, many even younger than me, watched the prince with wide, hopeful eyes, eagerly chasing after him.

“What a hassle…”

I observed the scene with detached amusement. Though I wasn’t particularly interested in such affairs, I couldn’t help but sympathize with the prince. Back in my own country, I too would eventually be pursued by noblewomen, whether I liked it or not.

That was when I noticed a girl crouching near the window, as if hiding from the event.

She was not participating in the royal engagement competition, which immediately caught my attention. Out of curiosity, I decided to approach her.

She was muttering to herself, seemingly lost in thought, as she used a small twig to scribble equations onto the ground.

“What are you writing?”

Startled, the girl jerked her head up—and in that instant, I froze.

Her long, wavy amethyst-colored hair shimmered under the soft glow of the lights. Her porcelain skin appeared almost translucent, and her ruby-red eyes burned with intelligence and intensity.

I was instantly captivated.

For a moment, I could only stare, completely entranced. However, she simply glanced up at me with mild disinterest and spoke.

“I’m calculating mana vibrations. If you don’t understand, could you go away?”

Her blunt and unrefined speech was hardly what one would expect from a noble lady.

“Ah… Something about magic activation chants being a form of vibration? That the meaning of the words doesn’t matter, and that even nonsensical sounds can be used to cast spells?”

I didn’t want to admit my ignorance, so I strung together whatever fragments of knowledge I could recall from my tutor’s offhanded lectures.

“Exactly! That’s right!”

Her eyes lit up with excitement as she leaned forward eagerly.

“By converting those sound frequencies into signals, we can enable magic activation without verbal chanting! That breakthrough also made it possible to layer multiple complex spells, advancing the field of magical engineering!”

“People used to believe that chanting had intrinsic meaning, but that was just a rigid misconception! That’s why no one in the past ever realized the truth—this is an incredible discovery!”

Her entire body trembled with enthusiasm, and as she spoke rapidly, she seemed to glow with excitement, illuminating the space around her.

“Are you studying magical mechanics too?!”

Her gaze sparkled as she looked up at me, her demeanor completely transformed.

At that moment, I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me—what had I just done? I had spoken so casually, despite having only the barest understanding of the subject.

“No… I was just pretending I knew. I’m sorry. My teacher mentioned it once in passing during a lesson…”

I admitted my ignorance, expecting mockery, but instead, she simply grinned and eagerly asked which academy I studied at.

I honestly answered that I was from a school in a neighboring country.

“I’ve heard that magical mechanics is flourishing in the Duchy of Viehert! I’d love to visit someday… though I doubt I’ll ever get the chance. I probably won’t be able to leave this country.”

Her enthusiasm waned as her gaze dropped to the ground. She resumed scribbling equations, her expression tinged with resignation.

“Why not? You could always study abroad.”

“Do you even know what tonight’s party is for?”

“Uh… to select the First Prince’s fiancée…?”

“Exactly. And I’m already set to be his bride.”

“Huh? But… the selection hasn’t been made yet, has it?”

“It’s already decided. This whole event is just a formality. Marriage is dictated by our parents, but for the sake of appearances, we must go through this charade, as if we’re ‘getting to know each other’ naturally.”

She let out a deep sigh.

In the very moment I fell in love, I also learned that she was already engaged.

“That’s why I probably won’t be able to study abroad. Also… women aren’t exactly encouraged to pursue magical mechanics. I have to give up everything and prepare to stand beside the prince, smiling for the rest of my life. It can’t be helped.”

“But… becoming the Crown Princess is every noblewoman’s dream, isn’t it?”

“Maybe for others. My father thinks so too—that it’s my happily-ever-after. But I don’t want to be Crown Princess. I just want to keep researching magical mechanics and exploring the laws of magic. This is the worst day of my life.”

Her eyes, once so full of life, dulled with resignation.

I had just witnessed something extraordinary—her brilliant, passionate expression when she spoke about magic.

And then, before my eyes, that radiance disappeared.

I wanted to see her shine again.

Desperately, I searched for the right words to say.

“Um… Have you tried negotiating with your father?”

“Negotiating?”

“Yes, for example… What if you told him, ‘If I master my studies and etiquette lessons quickly, can I use the rest of my time for magical mechanics?’”

“…Hmm.”

“If you produce undeniable results, no one will be able to argue against you. It won’t be easy, but… It feels like you’ve already decided your own limits before even trying.”

“Decided my own limits…?”

“Yes. You keep saying, ‘It can’t be helped.’ Just because you’re going to be the Crown Princess doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice yourself completely. Why not try to find a way to do both?”

She blinked in surprise, as if she had never considered the possibility.

“You could incorporate magic formulas into your embroidery lessons or refine spellcasting techniques while studying music. Even while learning academic subjects, you could find ways to connect them to magical mechanics. There’s nothing wrong with fulfilling your duties while also pursuing what you love.”

“Doing both… at the same time…”

“Exactly! Just like you said earlier—break free from fixed ideas and change the world!”

A spark of excitement gradually returned to her eyes.

“Yes… Yes… You’re right. Maybe I’ve been trapped by my own preconceptions.”

“I’m studying abroad here for now, but once I finish my education back home, I’ll return! Then I can teach you what I’ve learned about magical mechanics from my country!”

“That’s true… If I can’t study abroad, then you can come to me!”

“Yes! Exactly! So don’t set your own limits and give up—let’s study together!”

Her eyes lit up, brimming with newfound hope.

“Yes…! Yes…! You’re right!”

She clenched her small hands into fists, her determination renewed.

“Maybe I’ve been deciding my own limits without realizing it. I’ll convince my father and make him acknowledge my studies! Thank you, um…”

“My name is Emil Fitzgerald! Remember it!”

“And I’m Frederica Lorenz. It’s a promise—we’ll study together in the future!”

She extended her pinky finger, and I eagerly linked mine with hers.

At that moment, when Frederica smiled, I fell in love all over again.

After completing my short-term study in Razafest, I returned home to Viehert and threw myself into studying with relentless determination.

I had always been a capable student, but aiming to reach a level where I could discuss magical mechanics with Frederica was a monumental challenge.

At sixteen, I planned to enroll in the Razafest Royal Academy, only to discover that Frederica had already skipped grades and graduated, moving on to become a researcher at the Ministry of Magic.

I hadn’t expected her to graduate early, but the thought that she must have successfully negotiated with her father to secure her studies filled me with joy.

Determined to catch up, I skipped grades as well, graduating a year later. Then, I spent another year writing research papers, securing a recommendation for the Ministry of Magic’s research division.

Six years had passed since that day.

And finally, at long last, I was about to step into the same research lab as Frederica.