Happy Valentine"s Day everyone! Hope your day is filled with love~ ❤ Or chocolate, at the very least. ?

"Why……!? Why are you telling me to throw away the sword……for it to be none other than Father to be the one saying that!"

I rebuked Father.

However, Father"s expression did not change one bit.

"Why, you ask……you are the [Daughter of a Marquis], you know? You naturally have the duty to engage in a political marriage."

It was an incredibly calm tone of voice.

Having him say that in such an exceedingly natural manner conversely caused me to be at a loss for words.

"It was unnatural up until now. For a Marquis" daughter to be allowed to wield a sword up until now was strange…….from now on, it will be good for you to learn the knowledge of a lady for your future husband"s family."

"I don"t want to……! I…I……"

"This has already been decided! I will not allow any objections!"

When I still tried to oppose him, Father let out an angry bellow.

Seeing Father"s fury in something other than training, my thoughts came to a complete stop.

"……we will be meeting face-to-face with the Armelia Ducal House in one week."

Leaving those words behind, Father left.

I, who was left behind, stood there in a daze for a while.

However, eventually all the strength left my whole body, and my waist let out as I sat down.

……I didn"t understand why at all.

Father suddenly summoned me, and then told me that I was to be betrothed to the eldest son of the Armelia Ducal House.

When I tried to laugh it off, wondering just what kind of joke he was saying, he responded with a serious face, telling me that it was "A decided matter".

On top of that, I was told that as a "Marquis" daughter", and the "Future d.u.c.h.ess", from here on out training with the sword would be forbidden.

……really, just why in the world have things turned out like this?

Clattering, something inside me began to crumble.

Up until now……even if I advance forward on my decided path in order to fulfill my goal, in the end that path collapsed.

……it"s as if that goal itself was an illusion, in the way simply disappeared.

Even so, I didn"t want the effort I had put in moving forward to go to waste, and absolutely did not want to be the one denying myself……and because I had thought that, I was able to bring up my courage.

However, this was wrong.

At all times, the path that I headed on was one I chose of my own will.

The path to the future that I should precede on was selected by none other than myself.

……even though I thought that Father had also approved of that freedom.

Otherwise, I probably would not have been able to take up the sword.

Because like Father said, that was something impossible for a "Marquis" daughter" to do.

Right now, the sword that I felt pride in……and more importantly, even the freedom to choose my future has been stolen away from me.

……precisely because I had held such dreams and freedom, such hopes for the future, the despair of having that taken away was huge.

"Ah…ah……aaAAAaAAHHHhhh!"

Feeling as if I was about to be crushed by the weight of the despair, I immediately screamed with all my heart.

……why, why, why, I wonder?

Why has it become like this?

What did I do wrong?

Is it because I was allowed to do as I pleased?

Is it because I saw a dream?

……or was everything wrong from the start?

Naturally, there was no person around to answer the questions of my internal monologue.

The resentment that had no outlet to be released upon ate into my heart.

As if to vomit out that burning feeling, I continued to scream at the top of my lungs.

……and then, around the time my voice had completely dried up.

I shakily stood up.

The inside of my head was completely white, as if I had just run with all my might.

Still absentminded, I unconsciously returned to my own room.

Softly, I propped my hand against the window.

……it was like the time after I found out that the target of my revenge had disappeared.

The cool sensation transmitted from my fingertips calmed down my heart a little.

At this rate, will I just close my eyes like I did at that time?

Will I desire to isolate myself from everything, not wanting to see or hear anything?

……no.

Because I still want to see my dream.

Although I still may have not chosen what path I hope to head on……the moment I give up on looking for a dream, that path will have truly collapsed.

On that day, at that time……did Rui not tell me to continue to try struggling?

I clenched my fist tightly.

And then, I took my beloved sword that had not yet been confiscated as it had been left in my room, and from there exited the room.

Though the inside of my head was still in chaos, I erased my presence while quickly escaping from the mansion.

And then I cut across the garden, and headed not towards the main gates, but the gate used for servants.

After just a little, I"ll be in the outside world……and then, as I looked at the gate that gradually increased in size as I approached it, I suddenly thought to myself.

By no means was I currently acting on any kind of plan……this current scene was a result of me letting myself go on impulse.

……if a young girl like me were to go outside like this, just what will I be able to do?

That question arose inside my mind.

However, I soon swept that question into a corner of my mind.

……because the one thing I didn"t want to do was to give up and let my legs come to a stop.

That is why in the end, I had no choice but to continue marching forward.

First I"ll sneak out of the mansion, and then I"ll think about what to do afterwards……I thought.

"……to think that you would really try to escape……"

My legs came to a stop in astonishment at the familiar face that greeted me just before the gates.

Just why is Father in a place like this?

His actions that seemed as if he had read through my own sent me into an daze.

……and that was fatal.

Even if I fight him seriously, I could only win against Father one out of three times.

Despite that, if I were to fight him in such a slack state, it was only a matter of course that my sword was easily repelled.

On top of having my sword repelled, it was confiscated. That huge failure once again caused my heart to feel a heavy despair that weighed on it like a boulder.

"……now then, Melly. Return to your room. No matter what you think, you will not be able to overturn this decision."

Like that, I was dragged along like a criminal being taken in by the police, and returned to my room.