The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 16: Astrid Swears

Leopold wasn’t in a good mood.

He didn’t know why.

Actually, that wasn’t true. He knew.

It was the way everyone—both male and female cadets alike—kept staring at Astrid.

‘That’s definitely it,’ he thought.

He didn’t like it. Specifically, he didn’t like how the male cadets were looking at her.

He could admit it plainly—he didn’t like it.

He could also admit this much: he didn’t like Astrid.

No, perhaps “dislike” wasn’t strong enough. It might be more accurate to say that he hated her.

It hadn’t always been that way.

When they were younger, they’d gotten along well. In fact, back then, he’d been genuinely happy at the idea that Astrid—beautiful even as a child—would be his future bride.

But everything had gone wrong ten years ago.

It had started with him, but Astrid’s response hadn’t been great either. Their relationship had grown strained, and by the time adolescence hit, they had escalated from simple dislike to something close to mutual contempt.

Now, as fate would have it, they were attending the same academy together.

That only soured his mood further.

And yet, despite all of that, watching the gazes of the other male cadets fixate on Astrid was thoroughly unpleasant.

To be honest, it pissed him off.

What bothered him even more was Astrid’s reaction.

Even as she drew all that attention, she didn’t react. Her expression remained unchanged, her attention fixed on her textbook. Her snowy white skin and mint-colored eyes stayed cool and indifferent.

As usual.

Seated behind her, Leopold could only see her back.

Her long silver hair, tied and braided in a simple, elegant updo, traced a clean line down her back. Below that, the smooth line of her pale, slender neck was exposed.

Her neckline… her neckline…

“Cadet Leopold.”

“What?”

Snapped out of his thoughts, Leopold’s voice came out sharper than intended.

It was Akemilla’s voice that had called him, but Leopold’s training as the crown prince allowed him to quickly mask his surprise.

“Cadet Leopold, you’re engaged to Cadet Astrid, aren’t you?” Akemilla’s tone was playful but probing.

“Not yet.”

At those words, Astrid’s posture shifted ever so slightly.

But it was so subtle and so brief that neither Akemilla nor Leopold noticed.

“Not yet?” Akemilla’s head tilted curiously.

“Exactly what it sounds like. We’re not engaged yet. It’s just an agreement between our fathers. Neither of us has consented to it.”

The engagement between Crown Prince Leopold von Einthafen and the Northern Duke’s daughter, Astrid von Miterien, was widely known throughout the empire.

Akemilla knew that too.

She’d only brought up the topic to make small talk, but to her surprise, she’d stumbled upon something interesting.

“So it’s not official?” Her eyes gleamed with intrigue.

Her gaze softened, and her smile curved just a bit wider.

“Astrid, I know you’re listening. Why don’t you say something?” Leopold’s voice carried a hint of frustration.

But Astrid didn’t respond.

She didn’t even turn around.

Her eyes remained on the textbook, focused and uninterested in the conversation behind her. She looked like someone telling the world to talk all it wanted, she’d just ignore it.

Seeing that, something inside Leopold’s chest flared up.

“So, it’s not official,” Akemilla’s voice chimed in again.

That was the moment it all went wrong.

Leopold’s notoriously short temper—one that had gone unchecked throughout his upbringing as a crown prince—combined with Akemilla’s innocent prodding to create a dangerous reaction.

“That’s right. It’s not official,” he said, his formal tone vanishing entirely.

His temper, usually held back by duty and decorum, finally broke free.

“The reason I’m here at the academy is to find a more suitable fiancée. If there’s a lady more fitting than the Northern Duke’s daughter, I’ll gladly take her as my bride instead.”

The ripple effect of those words was immediate.

‘You bastard.’

Astrid had heard every word.

She had ears, after all, and Leopold’s voice hadn’t been quiet.

If there was one thing she could say for certain, it was that she hated Leopold.

Not in the personal sense—not because she’d seen him as a person or truly known him—but as a marriage prospect, he was the worst possible choice.

To be honest, she didn’t want to marry anyone.

That’s why she’d chosen the academy in the first place.

Her plan had been to formally enroll, then scour the academy’s library from top to bottom, searching for a way to return to her original world.

Things had gone off track, but she’d still follow that plan.

Even if everything had been derailed, she’d adapt.

She’d get back on track and leave this place behind.

Saying such things in front of the person involved—what on earth was Leopold thinking?

Astrid already knew he was childish after the capital trip, but this was too much.

She wasn’t expecting the treatment of a fiancée, nor did she want it. She’d been planning to reject the engagement herself.

But there were still lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

“One of the reasons I’m attending the academy is to find a more suitable partner. If there’s a better lady than the Northern Duke’s daughter, I’ll gladly take her as my bride instead.”

Leopold’s voice echoed clearly.

Her fingers, which had been lightly holding the textbook, clenched tighter around its edges.

“Oh my, is that so?”

Akemilla’s sly, smooth voice followed.

Her tone carried an undercurrent of excitement, as if something amusing had happened.

“In that case, can I apply to be a candidate for Crown Princess too?”

Sure, go ahead.

Astrid’s lips twitched as she stared at her textbook.

Hadn’t she already given up on being the Crown Princess herself?

If Akemilla wanted the role, she was welcome to it.

Her eyes moved over the page of the textbook. It was filled with explanations of weapon types like swords, greatswords, spears, rapiers, and bastard swords, along with notes on their respective battle roles and specialties. But not a single word of it registered in her mind.

“Yes, that’s possible, Lady Akemilla.”

Throb.

Something inside her chest surged.

She couldn’t leave it at that.

“Cadet Leopold.”

Astrid slowly rose from her seat.

The sudden motion drew the attention of the other cadets.

“Is she going to hit him?” one whispered.

“Well, he’s asking for it, honestly.”

“She’s not going to kill him, right?” another muttered.

Astrid ignored the murmuring around her.

“If you want a Crown Princess, pick whomever you like. I’ll be rejecting this engagement as well. It’s perfect timing. I’d already decided I had no intention of marrying you anyway, so do as you please.”

Her voice was cold and clear, carrying across the room.

Leopold looked up at her, his eyes widened in surprise.

Astrid could feel the irritation bubbling within her as she gazed down at him.

His face, which she’d once considered handsome, now seemed infuriatingly annoying.

“A-Astrid?”

“How many times do I have to tell you to add ‘Cadet’ to my name?!”

-Bang!

Overcome with frustration, Astrid slammed her hands down on the desk.

The desk, unable to withstand her raw strength, cracked with a sharp sound, then split clean in half.

-Crash!

The two halves of the desk collapsed to the ground with a clatter.

“The academy isn’t the imperial palace, and you’re not the Crown Prince here. If you want to be treated like a Crown Prince, go back to the palace. Got it, you brat of a prince…”

She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing into cold slits.

There was one more thing she had to say.

One more thing, and she’d feel better.

“You bastard.”

Silence fell over the training hall like ice.

—

Astrid had no intention of attending the next lesson.

She left the training hall without a backward glance, wandering aimlessly.

By the time she stopped walking, she found herself in a small grassy area.

It was a circular rest garden, with blooming flowers in a round flower bed at its center. Benches surrounded the garden, offering a peaceful place to sit.

Astrid dropped onto one of the benches with a long, weary sigh. Tilting her head back, she gazed up at the sky.

‘Why couldn’t I hold back just a little longer?’

She’d caused a massive scene on her first day of training.

Ditching the afternoon class on the first day, too. Unbelievable.

She’d never had such a short temper before.

So why?

Why had she been so angry at something she’d already planned to reject?

“Squad Leader?”

“…?”

She hadn’t expected to hear herself being called by that title here.

When she turned her head, she saw a man with his eyes drawn into gentle arcs, waving at her with a casual smile.

“…Cadet Astein? What are you doing here?”

“This is our training area. I’m skipping class for a bit. Are you skipping too, Squad Leader?”

“Skipping on the first day…”

She’d been about to say something scolding, but she held her tongue. She wasn’t in a position to criticize anyone right now.

“Well, this must be fate,” Astein said, plopping down beside her without waiting for an invitation.

Of all the benches in the area, he had to sit on this one.

For a moment, she thought of telling him to move, but she let it go.

Astein didn’t seem to care either way.

“Want to skip class together, Squad Leader?” he asked with a grin.

Astrid had thought he was a model student.

Apparently, she’d been wrong.