Though the knowledge came from the novel, I explained it as though I had overheard it by chance. I detailed the plan for tomorrow’s condemnation.
My father’s refined face twisted into a mask of fury. His voice was low and seething, like something crawling across the ground.
“That brat—how dare he mock our house, the Marquisate, to this extent?!”
As my father simmered with rage, I spoke calmly.
“Father, please compose yourself. If we don’t act carefully, the Third Prince will become a burden that the King forces upon us, claiming it’s to take responsibility for dishonoring me.”
In the novel, the Third Prince’s punishment was to marry Sherilia as a form of restitution. It wasn’t an apology or repentance—it was like being dragged into hell itself. Just imagining it made my stomach twist in pain.
“Considering the King’s cunning, that scenario is highly likely. But I cannot condone a marriage that will make my beloved Sherilia unhappy! I turned a blind eye to his mistress, thinking it could be overlooked. But framing you with false charges and cutting your hair, which is the pride of a woman? Unforgivable!”
Looking into my father’s angry eyes, I said,
“Father, I have a plan.”
He gazed into my emerald eyes.
“If there’s a way to avoid making that wretched prince my son-in-law, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“We can let tomorrow’s plan proceed, but with a twist. I will allow him to cut my hair.”
My father’s face fell, but I pressed on.
“Here’s the key. Father, you must appear alongside the King at just the right moment—and turn the tables to accuse the Third Prince.”
I outlined the evidence of the Third Prince’s infidelity and misconduct that my father already possessed. I asked him to gather additional proof to refute the false charges against me by tomorrow.
“It’s a race against time. Strike first, leaving no room for the royal family to counter. Secure the annulment of the engagement immediately, and then take your time pursuing the Third Prince’s responsibility.”
Smiling, I added,
“The knights who will hold me down, the chancellor’s son who will cut my hair—they are nobles. Their families won’t escape responsibility either.”
“But Sherilia, your beautiful hair—”
“I’ve had enough of the Third Prince. If losing my hair means losing him, it’s a price I’m willing to pay.”
“Still—”
“Please, Father. I don’t want to marry the Third Prince, no matter what.”
When I clasped my hands together in a plea, my father let out a low groan.
“You’ll call off the engagement and create a substantial debt of gratitude with the royal family, the Commander of the Knights, and the Chancellor—all for the price of a single strand of hair?”
“…You do realize that it’s difficult for a young lady with short hair to marry, don’t you?”
My father, unable to easily reconcile his emotions, clenched his teeth and fists. Regret swirled within him—if only he could have rejected the engagement with the Third Prince from the start.
I chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, Father. I’m planning to propose to Ludovice myself. After all, Ludovice is my sun.”
[In the novel, Sherilia endured an unhappy marriage, but Ludovice, her childhood friend, secretly supported her from the shadows. After the Third Prince’s untimely death, Sherilia eventually remarried Ludovice, who had remained single until then. And Ludovice—]
“Ludovice…” My father furrowed his brow deeply before reluctantly nodding. “If it’s that man, then perhaps.”
He added, “I’ve been in covert contact with Ludovice all this time. He’ll gladly assist in turning the tables on the Third Prince.”
Placing a hand on his chest to steady his simmering anger, my father straightened his back, taking on the air of the marquis and beginning to weigh his options rationally. His mind raced, seeking the best course of action.
“Very well, Father. Let us prepare our countermeasures against the Third Prince’s schemes.”
Father and I exchanged thin, knowing smiles—the kind that only nobles could master.
Time was running short until tomorrow’s showdown. Seeds that aren’t sown won’t grow. We had to act efficiently and ensure our victory.
Next, I penned letters to my friends, Annamaricia and Cerisean.
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