Chapter 12: Not Fat and Ugly
Stuart did not like Bianca, the fiancée his family had chosen for him. Though he had braced himself for a political marriage, he did not want Bianca, a neurotic, nagy, fat, and hideous fiancée.
No matter how great her family’s reputation was, wasn’t there a better choice?
And above all, she was a brainy girl who was always at the top of her class, but it made him sick and tired. She was cocky. Rather than being intelligent, having a pleasant face would be much preferable.
In this respect, Flora was just right for being cheerful and lovely, and not so good at studying.
Nonetheless, being tied down to a fiancée was a bitter experience. Therefore, he lacked the desire to be engaged to Flora as well. Whether it was a tea party or an evening party, being escorted by his fiancée was uninteresting.
Besides, Flora’s family was an upstart aristocracy with no lineage. She was not a good match for him.
His household, though, was in an uproar when they discovered that Bianca, whom they had assumed to be dead, was alive and being sheltered at a monastery.
His parents regretted that they had ended his engagement prematurely.
“Stuart-sama, I heard that Lady Bianca has returned.”
The two walked arm-in-arm down the hallway. In the academy, Flora never left Stuart’s side, apart from class. Even during lunch, they were together. The two made their way to the terrace of the café.
“Oh, what a surprise! How unbelievable that she survived the fall from the balcony onto the precipice! What a tough fellow she is. It isn’t just for show that she was fat, huh? Did all that extra flesh act as a cushion to save her life?” he sneered.
“They say that since she can use wind magic and water magic, she must have had the blessing of the spirits,” Flora said, seemingly down.
“She’s too lucky.”
He was amazed that the ugly ones have a strong life force. Flora shivered next to him.
“What’s the matter, Flora?”
“I think Lady Bianca holds a grudge against me.”
“Why? Did something happen? I don’t think she has any memory of it right now.”
Flora shook her head in a lovely gesture.
“No, not yet, but… since we were dating when Stuart-sama was still Lady Bianca’s fiancé, if the current Lady Bianca finds out about that… she might do something to get back at me.”
That was well within the realm of possibility.
“Don’t worry. Whether she is furious or otherwise, our engagement has long since been called off. She doesn’t have that right.”
Stuart despised the fat Bianca. Even walking around with her was embarrassing.
“But, um, I heard she has returned as a great beauty.”
Flora looked uneasy.
“Didn’t she just look pleasant after losing all the weight because she was so hideous before?”
“I suppose that’s true. Everyone is overreacting and making too much of a fuss.”
Flora seemed to be talking to herself. However, she has heard rumors that Bianca had lost weight and has gotten more stunning. Perhaps confirming this would be a wise idea.
Then a slender, attractive girl with lustrous blonde hair came from behind them. Was there ever such a strikingly lovely girl in this academy? Stuart was involuntarily transfixed.
Flora subsequently tugged on Stuart’s arm.
“What is it, Flora?”
“Please don’t look at anyone except me.”
Her gaze contained a hint of flirtation, and her cheeks puffed out.
“It’s a misunderstanding. I merely thought I had never seen this girl before.”
“So you’re planning to call out to her like that again?”
Not a fan of being bound and still eager to have fun, Stuart found Flora’s jealousy to be more depressing than endearing.
He noticed the girl with the rare vermilion eyes a few seconds later. Weren’t those the colors of the Kesler family. Bianca?
Urgh always these ex-fiancés 😒 and just say you can’t commit to just one person you bastard. Anyway, an amazing chapter! Thank you!