The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

In the winter when Dorothea turned 18, Raymond graduated from Episteme.

“Are you here to celebrate my graduation, Dorothea?”

Raymond, who had just turned 20, smiled brightly his cheeks blushing from the cold. A breath spread from his mouth.

Instead of answering, Dorothea put a bouquet of flowers in his arms.

“A flower on such a cold day! Dorothea, you said you don’t like picking flowers!”

Raymond said with an excited expression as he took the flower. He buried his nose in the flower, inhaled the scent with all his might, and smiled broadly.

“Thank you, Dorothea.”

Raymond never imagined that Dorothea would come to Episteme to congratulate him on graduation.

Over the years, he and Dorothea have grown closer, although there was still a bitter edge.

“I’m finally escaping this prison-like place. Oh yeah, did you know, Dorothea, I am ranking 32 in my graduating class!”

Raymond said proudly.

Dorothea had to admit, it was a good ranking. His ranking continued to rise right before graduation, and he achieved the place of being ranked 32 among graduates.

It was strange.

Obviously, he never made it into the top 50 before returning, and when he graduated, he’d be embarrassed to say his class rank.

“Well, compared to Theon, my rank are low.”

Raymond smiled and looked at Theon on the podium.

As the best graduate, he was preparing a valedictory.

Dorothea also looked at Theon.  His intelligent and serious eyes were still attractive. His white skin stood out against his dark hair.

‘He used to be that tall…’

It had been so long since Dorothea had seen the twenty-year-old man that his height was unfamiliar.

He was already taller than the professors.

After talking to the professors for a while, Theon’s eyes met Dorothea’s.

Dorothea flinched, and Theon smirked.

After visiting Friedia, Dorothea had grown distant from Theon, while Theon had grown affectionate toward her.

‘Is it good? The unrequited love remains as a close friend.’

‘lucky… I guess.’

While Dorothea stared at Theon, Raymond said.

“It’s very noisy over there. Everyone seems to be looking for a debutante partner.”

Raymond’s gaze turned to the group of people gathered behind Dorothea.

It was quite noisy among the young nobles, who gathered together like ants clinging to breadcrumbs.

It was a common sight at Episteme graduation ceremonies.

The biggest debut event held in Ubera, the Empire, was always held when spring came after the Episteme graduation ceremony.

It is customary for those who are officially debuting in the social world, as well as those who have graduated from Episteme, to attend the Debutante before going back to their hometown.

The Debutante Ball is not only a celebration of those making their debut that year.

The Debutante Ball is the largest of the year’s balls.

It attracts the attention of nobles and celebrities and allows young nobles to find suitable partners or make new connections.

For young nobles, it is the biggest event of the year.

For this reason, the Episteme graduation ceremony was also the place to find a Debutante partner.

This is because this graduation ceremony is the only big event where young nobles can gather before their debut.

“Dorothea, you’re debuting this year too.”

Raymond turned his attention back to Dorothea.

Dorothea is also expected to attend the debutante ball this year.

The nobles of Imperial Ubera usually debut around the age of 16 or 18.

Before returning, Dorothea could not find a partner and had to debut at 18, a little later than average.

‘At that time, my nickname was a socialite, a bastard, so there was no way anyone would want to partner with me.’

Dorothea recalled her memories before her return.

In her memory, the debutante was not a pleasant event. The only good thing about the Debutante was getting to partner with Theon. Except for that, everything was so bad that Dorothea didn’t want to go through it again.

“Dorothea, have you decided on your debut partner?”

When Raymond asked, Dorothea’s gaze turned unconsciously to Theon.

It had already been decided that Theon would be Julia’s debut partner.

‘I felt a strange feeling. The fact that Theon, who stood as my partner at the debutante before returning, would be by Julia’s side.’

‘But this must be right.’

‘My previous life was wrong.’

She remembered the eyes of the people she had met before returning. They looked at Theon next to Dorothea with pity.

They looked at him as if to ask how he’d gotten himself into such a nasty job.

And then.

[‘Honestly, Princess Dorothea has a soft personality. No matter how much His Majesty the Emperor left her behind, she’s a princess and she has that face.’]

[‘That’s the problem. She’s too arrogant and snooty to be a princess based on her face alone, and too dangerous politically.’]

While Dorothea was away, she heard what the nobles were saying to Theon.

They said there was nothing Dorothea wouldn’t do.

They weren’t wrong. At the time, Dorothea had a reputation for making enemies. To be close to her was to be an enemy to most of the nobles she didn’t get along with, and to Crown Prince Raymond himself.

It was an undeniable fact, but Dorothea was angry.

Dorothea sighs and tries to curse at them.

[‘If you want to insult my partner, stop.’]

As Dorothea was about to step out, Theon, who was with the nobles, opened his mouth.

At those words, Dorothea stopped at the place.

‘My partner…?’

[‘Wow, you still call her your partner? I always thought, but you have good manners, you are born a saint.’]

[‘Well, you’re having a hard time because you’re close to Raymond. It’s a good thing you’ve been so well-behaved tonight. I was so worried she was going to smash the wine tower.’]

The nobles smiled and gave words of comfort to Theon.

At that moment, Dorothea’s heart throbbed. She is a woman whom no one welcomes. Garbage that no one wants to have around because it smells bad.

And Theon, the good scavenger, takes out the trash for others.

‘Really nobody wants me, right?’

Dorothea clenched her teeth and held back the tears that were about to fall.

Then.

[‘It’s not hard work, I’m doing it because I want to.’]

Theon told them in a cold voice. Being friends with Raymond, he probably felt he had to protect Dorothea from the doubt. He wasn’t rude enough to stand by and let them insult his partner.

But Dorothea was stupid.

‘He wanted me. Because he wanted me.’

Those words were so desperate that her heart throbbed. Her heart throbbed, and the tears she had been holding back burst and she covered her eyes with her sleeve.

‘And I fell in love, not realizing it was the least I could do for my partner.’

Theon was kind to the end of that day.

He never felt forced to partner with Dorothea, and he respected Dorothea’s wishes.

It was the first time. someone so kind. The person smiles softly at Dorothea Milanaire. But Dorothea made a person who was so warm to cold.

So.

“I’m fine without a partner.”

Dorothea said dryly.

Then Raymond got angry as if it were his business.

“What are you talking about? How can you not have a partner for your debut? Have you not received your partner application yet?”

“yes.”

“I can’t believe it! Doesn’t everyone know that you’re debuting this year?”

“I still have time.”

“Still, it’s normal to have applications flooding in to be your partner from day one.”

She is the princess of the empire.

No matter how powerless and marginalized the princess may be, the Milanaire family is by no means a family to be ignored.

Even if Dorothea is despised, Milanaire is strong.

If a man partnered with Dorothea at this ball and even gets married,  he could become a member of the imperial family in the future.

“I can’t believe they let a pretty girl like you get away with this, if I weren’t your family, I’d ask you to be my partner right now!”

“Calm down, Raymond.”

Dorothea calmly stopped Raymond, who was angry.

Then.

“You haven’t found a partner yet, Princess Dorothea?”

An arrogant voice came from behind Dorothea.

Dorothea turned her head and she saw Nereus standing there.

In his hand was a thick application for a partner that he had received today. It looks like he’s proudly saying, ‘I’ve received a lot of partner applications’.

“Long time no see. Prince Nereus.”

Dorothea greeted him after she had not seen him in years.

He was still arrogant.

“If you haven’t found a partner yet, would you like me to be your partner, Princess?”

Nereus raised his nose and asked. He looked as if he expected Dorothea to stick with her offer.

Dorothea looked at his proud face and opened her mouth.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to just decide on a partner like this, no matter what.”

“Haha, what do you mean “just”. Still, you are a princess, so you have confidence.”

Nereus laughed.

He was the one who received the application for a partner from numerous Young ladies. He thought His offer was too good for Dorothea, who couldn’t even handle a spirit…

“No, I don’t want to be with you, Nereus.”

Dorothea frowned slightly as she watched him smirking.

Of course, if she takes Nereus as her partner, she won’t be ignored in her debut.

Even though he was annoying in many ways, he was an excellent partner, with a reputation among the nobility.

He’s a prince, he’s got good grades, he’s good-looking, and he also deals with spirits that most people can’t.

‘But I didn’t want to spend time with him throughout the debutante to get a plausible partner, which a lot of young ladies want.’

‘There’s no point in making a splashy debut.’

At Dorothea’s refusal, Nereus’ face distorted.

“You couldn’t get a better partner than me, could you?

Nereus replied, his lips curled into a smirk.

Displeasure, an unrelenting sense of superiority, a stubborn pride.

“If you’re so good, why don’t you partner with someone else?

* * *