Chapter 1
My Way, Anywhere
Isekai Mage & Me: Beginnings
“Lady Monica d’Ou Lancest, I hereby terminate our engagement.”
Hubert glared at his fiancée, Monica, with a mixture of disgust and triumph. Liliana, the lovely girl beside him, smirked cruelly at Monica.
People generally saw Monica as a calm, quiet, and unassuming young woman. Surprisingly, she remained composed even after the public humiliation of her broken engagement.
“Has the King been informed?”
Hubert spat out, “That’s none of your concern. I will seek my father’s permission and inform His Majesty. Our engagement is over. I have Liliana, the love of my life. Nothing will interfere with our love.”
“So it seems. ... I understand. I take it that everyone here is a witness to this. As of this moment, Hubert, the next Duke of Dotori, has broken off our engagement. Considering Lady Liliana, his decision to break off our engagement is absolute and cannot be retracted. Am I correct in this understanding?”
“Correct. We are strangers now. Do not address me again.”
The graduation party was in full swing when the incident happened. The King and Queen were absent, away on a celebratory trip to a neighbouring nation. Similarly, the Duke and Duchess of Dotori and Monica’s parents, the Count and Countess of Lancest, were also away.
The two princes, standing in for the king, gave their speeches and promptly left.
A public engagement breakup was unprecedented in this conservative country, and everyone was shocked by the audacity. No one there was in a position to reprimand Hubert for his rude behavior. Everyone was riveted, waiting to see what would happen next.
“Hubert, thank you for everything. Perfect timing. I wish you and Lady Liliana all the best. I, Monica, will never see you again. And ...”
She calmly smiled and thought.
No one will understand this word, ’Osu’. I know that, but today, right now, I want to say it. To declare that I am who I am.
A strong glint entered Monica’s eyes, then immediately a wild voice rang out, so loud that the hall shuddered.
“I will live freely from now on! Then if you will excuse me. Osu!!”
The next moment, Monica turned on her heel and dashed out of the hall. A noblewoman would never have run, that is considered utterly unladylike for a noblewoman. For a moment, stunned silence filled the hall.
“Today is a celebration for all of you. Enjoy the rest of the evening.”
The second prince returned, signaling the music to resume.
People enjoyed the party again, and Hubert and Liliana started dancing. With their past resolved, Hubert and Liliana smiled happily at the start of their new life together.
The second prince ordered his men, “An incident has occurred. Silas, keep an eye on Lady Monica for the time being.”
Monica returned hastily to the Count Lancest’s mansion, and ordered the butler not to let anyone in until morning. In her room, she quickly retrieved the travel bag she had secretly hidden under her bed.
Ready to go, she put on commoner’s boy clothes. Then she put a letter on the desk to her parents, which she had prepared in advance. She thanked them for their care and asked them not to look for her, as she planned to stay quietly in a remote nunnery.
Now is the perfect opportunity to escape. Honestly, I could never marry such a shallow, philandering fool. Thank goodness Hubert broke off our engagement in public. This family will be perfectly fine without me. I’ll return the favor someday.
Activating her invisibility spell, Monica grabbed her travel bag and slipped out.
Although the towns in this country are relatively safe, drunks still roamed the downtown streets at night. She kept herself hidden, smelling the common food and hearing the hustle and bustle of the evening crowd, as she made her way to the outskirts of town.
“Where are you going? Lady Monica d’Ou Lancest.”
Monica was startled when a voice suddenly called out to her from behind.
“Lady Monica, I am Silas Dorn, a subordinate of the Second Prince of Lute. We have met several times at the royal castle. As you know, I am a first-class mage. Unfortunately, you cannot escape me.”
When she turned around, there stood a tall man with long black hair, a neat face, and sharp eyes, the best mage in the kingdom.
Monica immediately decided that there was no fooling him and broke the invisibility spell.
She was standing in front of Silas, and she responded, “Good evening, Mr. Dorn. What can I do for you?”
“Where are you going dressed as a commoner boy?”
“I’m going to a nunnery in Kakan to find some peace and quiet.”
“That’s not believable. Tell me the truth, and I might let you go,” Silas said in a bored tone.
Monica thought silently for a moment and then began to speak.
“I’ll speak frankly, then. I don’t think the nobility is right for me. I got lucky with Hubert breaking things off, but they’d just set me up with someone else, right? You know, that’s the way a nobleman lives. I have things I want to do, and today seemed like the perfect time to leave.”
“I’m curious about how you speak. But tell me, how does a noble lady intend to survive alone, without servants? You’ve no skills for earning money or defending yourself, have you?”
“Oh, thank you, but you don’t need to worry about me. I have been preparing for this day for a long time. I’ve been training my body, I can use magic to a certain extent, and I have some money. I’m not an ordinary noble daughter, so I’ll be fine.”
Silas raised an eyebrow at Monica’s casual tone, surprised by her unexpected boldness.
“If you want, I can show you the proof.”
to be continued
Thank you so much for reading‼
