Chapter 7

The Chancellor tilted his long index and middle fingers, which he used to mimic a fan, at a 30-degree angle to the right, and raised his little finger.

"‘Damn it’"

Then, just as Cornelia had done, he slowly placed his fingers on his neck.

"‘Kill’"

"Yes, it's fine. It doesn't mean taking a life, but rather in a social sense. By the way, didn't a broken fan fall after your daughter left? That means ‘Fall into hell’."

In the auditorium, countless broken fans were left behind, along with Cornelia's broken fan. I finally understood the meaning of those countless broken fans and let out a short scream, sitting down on the floor.

The Chancellor's expression vanished.

"Even though I, the educators, and everyone around us repeatedly told you to learn the fan language, you didn't learn a single thing... If you had understood it, you might have realized your mistakes when the young ladies made the fan poses. But even so, did you persist in your love...?"

"I, Mother said... that it's important to convey feelings through words."

That's right, the queen of this country said it.

"Huh? The queen just found the fan language troublesome and gave up on learning it. We have received apologies from the royal family of the Yuganta Empire, who have been indulging her as the youngest princess, for not being able to learn the fan language that should have been acquired as a royal. Did you really still believe the words she said to cover up her inability to use the fan language when you were young?"

Mother couldn't use the fan language?... To cover it up?

"Hey, Prince Altvalt. Did you dislike Cornelia so much? She was the daughter who was betrothed to you at birth. She has been working hard since childhood to stand by your side and support you. What did you find so disagreeable about her?"

Cornelia... beautiful and intelligent since childhood, always with a smile on her face. She could do everything better than me and was trusted by everyone... a frustrating girl who took away my confidence and made me suffer.

Yes, only Poala noticed my suffering heart, spoke kindly to me, and stayed by my side.

"Cornelia never noticed my suffering and never stayed by my side! Only Poala, only Poala noticed and stayed by my side!"

Yes, yes, it was all because of the cold Cornelia.

It's not my fault.

"Didn't Cornelia often stroke the back of her right hand three times with a closed fan, or open the fan with her left hand and place it on her chest?"

In the depths of my memory, the young Cornelia, who no longer moved her fan in front of me, but indeed often moved it that way when she was young.

"‘Are you okay?’, ‘You are wonderful’... Cornelia noticed your suffering heart.

As the Crown Prince, you and Cornelia cannot meet alone unless you wish to. She was conveying her concern and encouragement through the fan, worried that it might hurt or embarrass you in public... She wanted to stay by your side. But you forbade her from using the fan language, so she couldn't."

"Huh?"

I recalled the innocent, round-cheeked girl.

Cornelia, moving her small hand with the fan...

Her gaze...!

Ah, I was foolish to push away those gentle hands...

Even so, I...

"I want to be with Poala..."

"Yes, Prince Altvalt. Please do as you wish."

I could see that I was not reflected in the Chancellor's smiling eyes.

Ah, I see... I have been abandoned...

"This is by royal decree. Crown Prince Altvalt Solridia, you are stripped of your position as Crown Prince and disinherited. From this moment on, you and the baron's daughter Poala Helktra will be reduced to commoners. Your bloodline will not be allowed to continue."

The king's emotionless voice echoed in the office.

"I humbly accept the royal decree."

I quietly placed my hands on the floor and bowed deeply...

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I have uploaded the first and second parts of Crown Prince Altvalt's story.

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