“I can’t take this anymore!”

A furious shout echoed through the glamorous venue where a party was being held to celebrate the end of the semester. The unexpected outburst caused the young men and women in attendance to fall into a silence.

Everyone murmured in hushed voices, trying to catch what was happening…

“Elizabeth von Blauvelt, I hereby annul our engagement as of today!”

“Pffftt!”

…a young man spit out his drink at the declaration

The red-haired young man—Randolph Victor—bent his large frame while holding a cocktail in one hand. He was coughing non stop.

(Did he just say… engagement annulment?)

Randolph took a small, deep breath to calm himself.

Once he steadied his breathing, he stole a quick glance toward the source of the voice.

His gaze was met with suspicious looks from others, even the people at the center of the whole sitation were looking in his direction.

Randolph hastily looked away, shrinking his large frame further.

With his towering height, he knew it was too late to hide entirely, but he decided to at least try to fade into the background.

“Elizabeth von Blauvelt, I hereby annul our engagement as of today!”

…The engagement annulment was declared for the second time, though now with noticeably less vigor, likely due to Randolph’s earlier reaction.

But as far as he was concerned, anyone making such a ridiculous announcement at a party like this was in the wrong.

Already blending in like part of the décor, Randolph decided to take another look at the scene.

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This time, he could see it more clearly—the commotion centered on a strikingly beautiful woman in a glamorous dress, standing amid a crowd, and an arrogant-looking man in front of her with his chest puffed up like he already won

(The woman… she’s the daughter of a marquis from this country, right? If I remember correctly, her name was…)

“Elizabeth von Blauvelt! Why don’t you say something?”

(…Right, that was it.)

With her platinum-blonde hair and deep blue eyes reminiscent of the ocean, she rarely smiled, earning her the nickname “The Ice Princess” among the student body, even more famous than her actual name.

Even now, as she stood under everyone’s gaze, she remained stoic, her face as unflinching as a steel mask.

The man smugly facing her was none other than the crown prince of this country—Edgar Roa Alexandros.

With his entourage standing behind him, Edgar stood with his arm around another woman’s shoulder

(She’s standing her ground…)

Though he admired her composure, Randolph felt only a flicker of interest.

Both Elizabeth and Edgar were high above him, people from an entirely different world.

Elizabeth, with the cool elegance befitting her title.

Edgar, rumored to excel in both academics and athletics, though admittedly a bit impulsive

The tension between them was suddenly broken by the girl Edgar was holding.

“Edgar, darling~”

The pink-haired girl sidled up to Edgar, her voice a cloying purr.

She wore a frilly dress with an overly revealing neckline, pressing herself against Edgar without any shame.

All of this was out of line for a noblewoman.

The frosty looks from a few other ladies made Randolph feel uneasy for some reason.

(What’s with that silly-looking girl?)

In stark contrast to Randolph’s dismay, Edgar seemed quite pleased with her, even adopting a protective stance.

And his entourage, too—none of them seemed about to scold the girl, who now looked at Edgar with wide, adoring eyes.

(Seeing this in real life, it’s absurd.)

Randolph let out a sigh while taking another swig of his cocktail.

A party to celebrate the end of the semester

A foolish prince and his followers

An opportunist but brainless girl.

A scenario he’d seen more times than he could count. And—

—“I’m annulling our engagement!”

That familiar phrase.

Randolph couldn’t help but think this scene was right out of a story he’d known all too well in his previous life.

Now that he realized that the engagement annulment incident was real, there was no reason for Randolph to stay here.

Grabbing a nearby sandwich, he quietly started to distance himself from the crowd that was now in a heated exchange about “all your wrongdoings” and “I’ll have you exiled from the country.”

Along the way, a guard at the entrance gave him a startled look, but Randolph simply offered a polite nod before hurrying toward a carriage waiting near the venue.

“Oh, Young Master Randy. Back so soon, are you?”

“Yeah. Got caught in a bit of a storm.”

Randolph—or rather, Randy—shrugged as the coachman as well as servant, Harrison, glanced back at the party venue with curiosity.

“Don’t bother. We’re outsiders, after all. And besides, as minor nobles from a tiny country, we’d be obliterated if we got entangled in a great nation’s internal troubles.”

Randy gave a wry smile, and Harrison replied with, “Understood,” as he snapped the reins to start the carriage.

Yes, Randy had no intention of getting involved. He couldn’t get involved. He was only here as a student, he’s just the son of a minor noble from a small country.

Were someone like Randy to step in, the situation would only worsen.

Elizabeth was a noble of a great nation and engaged to the crown prince. If people thought she was conspiring with a foreign minor noble, it would only jeopardize her position and trouble her family—and Randy’s family as well.

So, the only thing he could do was slip away before the drama spiraled out of control.

From the carriage window, Randy glanced back at the venue. It was peaceful enough that one would never know there was a commotion inside.

“Status, open.”

With a muttered command, a small window appeared, displaying his status. Just like a game from his previous life.

A man who’d died of overwork was now reincarnated into a world much like a game he’d once loved.

A common story.

This time, he would enjoy life.

Live a peaceful, leisurely life.

It was the usual plot—or so Randy thought…

“Of all things, it turns out to be a world from an otome game…”

With a deep sigh, Randy slumped back into his seat.

“It’s such a common story, though.”

Thus began the summer of Randolph Victor, age 17, as he came to realized that he was a mob character in an otome game world.