Lynette quietly looked down at the engagement document on her desk.
The finest parchment with edges decorated with pure gold.
Everything had been decided without her opinion being asked.
'We officially announce the engagement of Lynette Astraea and Raphael Ignatius.'
The King, the Academy, and the ministers,
All of them tried to decide her life as if it were a matter of course.
Lynette was dumbfounded, but it wasn't even worth clicking her tongue over.
Had they ever seen her as a person? To them, Lynette was an asset of the kingdom, a tool of The Academy, and merely a component to be placed according to the royal family's plans.
During her childhood memory of being dragged away from Liberon Ranch, Ethan's voice came to mind.
"Lynette, come back!"
"You must come back, I'll be waiting! I, we are your family."
"This is where you belong!!"
Lynette indifferently folded the scroll bearing the signatures of the King, the Elder of The Academy, and the Second Prince side by side.
The cold decree in her hand and the magic seal blooming on her wrist were unpleasant.
A small flame ignited at her fingertips and slowly burned the scroll.
The paper turned black and scattered in the wind, and even the pure gold decoration melted away meaninglessly.
In a corner, the royal messenger who had been waiting for Lynette's signature froze, unable to speak.
"Th-That, such blasphemy...!"
He reached out, but it was too late; all that remained on the floor was a pile of ashes.
"How can you do such a thing while receiving His Majesty's grace!"
Lynette calmly adjusted her collar and said.
"Report exactly what you saw."
The messenger's face turned pale. Few could remain calm after witnessing a document bearing the King's command being openly burned like this.
Eventually, the messenger turned and rushed back to the King in a flurry.
And that evening, Lynette stood before the throne for a private audience with the King.
From the high throne decorated with gold, the King looked down at her with an elegant smile.
"To hold the prince's hand with a ringed hand, to wear a gorgeous dress... and to head towards the position of princess, is it so distasteful?"
The King twirled the seal, embedded with a large jewel, in his hand and smiled leisurely.
"The position I offer you is one that all the women in this kingdom yearn for."
Lynette looked at him without any particular emotion.
"I do not desire it, Your Majesty."
"......"
The King's smile momentarily disappeared. She added without a moment's hesitation.
"Neither the position of princess, nor becoming a courtier. I have never wanted any position that is expected of me here."
The King slowly leaned forward from his throne.
"Then what does our Court Mage desire?"
Lynette continued coldly.
"To disappear from this place."
The King's eyebrows twitched minutely.
"Ha, you are the most valuable asset in this country. I promised you most things, but to wish for such an impossibility?"
"..."
The faces of the ministers gathered before the throne momentarily contorted. It was a statement that could not be spoken aloud, considering the King's dignity.
The King slowly tapped the scepter, the corners of his mouth lifting.
"It is well known that you are without greed."
He suddenly turned his gaze to the side and spoke to the ministers standing below the throne.
"The marriage with the Second Prince... well, since you have not yet come of age, let us take time to discuss it."
His following words were directed at the ministers, but his tone was also for Lynette.
"Since there are many incompetent ones who do not know how to save face and ruin things."
His voice was soft, but the ministers swallowed their saliva and cowered.
Lynette looked at them as if they were pathetic.
"If the matter is concluded, I will take my leave."
Lynette briefly bowed her head and turned around. The King's gaze turned sharp.
As she disappeared beyond the door, the King gritted his teeth.
"A fatherless girl, who roamed outside, dares to defy the King's will."
But he soon regained his smile.
"Call Raphael."
Shortly after the King's summons, a man walked elegantly under the golden chandelier.
In contrast to the King, who had white hair, Raphael's neatly combed black hair had a subtle gloss even in the bright light, and his sharp golden eyes were like small suns.
Resembling the best features of the King and Queen, with a prominent nose bridge, a soft curve of the mouth, and beautiful yet masculine features, he was undoubtedly called the most beloved prince in the kingdom. He was also the object of affection for noble ladies in high society.
Raphael Ignatius, the court's most perfect gentleman, walked through the corridor with an unwavering gait and knelt before his father.
"Father, you called for me?"
When Raphael knelt gracefully, the King looked at his dignified posture with a pleased expression.
Raphael's popularity in the kingdom was truly immense.
He was the man who made the fantasies of noble ladies come true.
He possessed noble lineage, impeccable appearance, innate dignity, refined manners, and a natural social charm that could melt hearts with a single word.
Raphael approached everyone with a soft smile, and in high society, his name was synonymous with romance.
"If I could dance just once with His Highness the Prince, I could die without regrets."
"When he smiled at me, my heart nearly stopped."
At any ball or banquet, the first invitee was always the Second Prince, Raphael.
Raphael received the attention of women, yet his reserved demeanor, not easily extending his hand to anyone, created another layer of charm.
Such a man stood before the throne, having received the King's summons.
Even in a navy tailcoat with luxurious velvet embroidery, the son was outstanding, appearing respectable even to the King.
"Who are you, Raphael?"
"A member of the royal family who carries out Your Majesty's will."
The King nodded with satisfaction at the dignified attitude, which was absent during Lynette's audience.
"Yes, my son. I have called you because I have something important to tell you."
"I will gladly listen, Your Majesty."
The King tapped his fingers and said.
"Lynette Astraea, you know her well, don't you?"
Raphael took a short breath.
The mere name made the palace buzz. The greatest talent in the history of mages.
A woman who would bring infinite value to the kingdom as a Court Mage and the bride-to-be the King had pushed for him to marry.
Raphael's golden eyes narrowed slightly, forming a curve.
"Of course."
"The woman I was going to give you refused the engagement."
Raphael smiled pleasantly at the first rejection he had ever experienced.
"...I see."
"She is too arrogant."
"......"
Raphael's smile deepened slightly. To avoid offending the King's temper, he had to protect himself from the fallout with the face of a kind handsome man.
"......What method do you desire?"
"A woman is easily swayed... play along with her. With the paltry name of love, so that she will willingly be bound to your side for life."
The King flicked his fingertips and added.
"If your child is born a mage while I am alive, I will make that child the King."
At those words, Raphael's eyes shimmered subtly.
Among the competitors vying for the throne, the King directly hinted at the possibility of the next King.
The achievements Lynette left behind would lead to his fame and power.
"How could you not have ambition?"
The King tapped the scepter as if no more words were needed.
"If that happens, who knows... if it is before your brother ascends the throne, taking the throne might not be difficult for you, Raphael."
Raphael bowed his head with a relaxed smile.
"I will follow Your Majesty's will."
The King, with a pleased smile, raised his hand and dismissed him. Raphael quietly turned and left the palace.
Raphael left the throne and slowly walked out of the hall. The moment the door closed, the soft smile disappeared from his face.
His gaze wandered along the dark corridor.
"If that happens, and before your brother ascends, taking the throne would not be difficult for you, Raphael."
The King's voice echoed in his ears.
The throne.
A legacy that any prince would covet.
But Raphael knew the King's temperament better than anyone.
The King was indeed his father, but he had never given him warm affection.
He always sought necessary talent and readily discarded the useless, his children being no exception.
Only the most outstanding would become King.
In the King's eyes, other children were merely puppets to be manipulated as he wished.
"......"
Raphael closed his eyes and opened them again.
The command given to him was absolute.
Lynette Astraea.
She would decide his rise and fall. Whatever she desired, the picture drawn by the King had to become reality.
Raphael slowly reached out and opened the door. Before him, under the dazzling sunlight, the court's garden spread out, with flowers blooming elegantly.
He picked a rose with his gloved hand.
"...This will do."
Holding a single, dazzling golden rose he slowly headed towards where she was.
Fortunately, captivating women's hearts was something he was confident in.