The Past of Fiancée, Alice Valeriant

Upon witnessing the sight, Allen's brow furrowed, his gaze naturally drawn towards Julius, his expression filled with uncertainty.

Noticing Allen's reaction, Julius responded with a subtle smile and inquired, "What seems to be bothering you?"

Perched comfortably in his chair, Julius continued to pose the question, "Isn't this precisely what you've always longed for?"

"A few months ago, didn't you request that I arrange your betrothal to that girl, Allen?" He chimed in, leaning back and crossing his arms, scrutinizing Allen, who appeared bewildered.

Upon hearing this, Allen fell into a momentary silence, his mind striving to recall the instance when he uttered those words.

Gradually, his expression relaxed, and a smile graced his face as he shifted his gaze towards the paper.

"I understand now... It all makes sense," he murmured softly, then glanced at Julius.

"Well, I appreciate your endeavors." Allen stowed the paper away and expressed his gratitude.

However, Julius himself perceived no sign of joy on Allen's face but rather an indifferent expression that conveyed a sense of detachment.

It seemed as if he harbored no concern for or interest in the matter.

Julius found Allen's current demeanor rather perplexing, and an eerie aura seemed to emanate from him, making his indifferent expression somewhat unsettling.

It was as if the person standing before Julius was not his own son!

Narrowing his eyes, Julius attempted to discern if anything was amiss with his son, but he failed to detect any peculiarities.

With his keen observational skills, he was usually able to discern even the slightest shifts in someone's expression, enabling him to glean their thoughts.

Nonetheless, Julius couldn't discern any discernible changes in Allen whatsoever.

"Curious... Could I be mistaken?" He contemplated briefly but swiftly brushed aside his thoughts, unwilling to delve deeper.

The weight of his current obligations and responsibilities had already overwhelmed him, and he had no desire to add more to his plate.

As long as his son, Allen, didn't rise in rebellion or pose any harm to him, Julius remained apathetic.

All he could see were the potential benefits that lay ahead in the future.

Allen was well aware of Julius's suspicion regarding his altered demeanor, but he remained utterly unconcerned.

In his previous life, he had already undergone profound transformations and endured the harsh realities of strategic planning, wars, betrayals, and other painful circumstances.

His experiences ran deep, surpassing even Julius, who possessed more years of life experience, in terms of mental agility and strategic thinking.

Having encountered numerous individuals like Julius, whose motivations were primarily driven by profit and personal gain, Allen harbored no concerns about Julius discovering his rebirth.

Without further ado, Allen pivoted on his heels and casually waved his hand.

"Well then, I shall take my leave," he declared in an indifferent tone, and strode out of the room, leaving Julius behind, still fixated on him.

Observing Allen's departure, Julius shook his head lightly and refocused on his work.

...

Nonchalantly, Allen exited Julius' room and made his way elsewhere.

Without delay, he retrieved the engagement paper from his possession and directed his gaze towards the two names inscribed upon it.

"Allen Frey and... Alice Valeriant," he murmured, fixating on the woman's name.

A flood of memories from his previous life rushed back, overwhelming his thoughts.

Alice Valeriant, once his beloved fiancée, had been the one who betrayed him in that past existence.

Alice, being born into the noble Valeriant family, held equal status with Allen in terms of their familial standing.

However, their personal statuses differed significantly, as Allen was the heir to the family while Alice was the child of Duke Valeriant's second wife.

Alice's mother hailed from a lower-ranking noble family but possessed exceptional beauty that captivated Duke Valeriant, leading him to pursue her and eventually take her as his second wife.

The circumstances inevitably led Alice's mother's family to arrange her marriage to Duke Valeriant.

The intense affection Duke harbored for Alice's mother generated animosity from his first wife towards both the mother and daughter.

Tragically, Alice's mother met her untimely demise due to poisoning orchestrated by the Duke's first wife.

The execution of this nefarious act was carried out with such precision that all evidence linking it to the first wife was eradicated, leaving no conclusive proof of her involvement.

Naturally, the Duke, lacking concrete evidence, was unable to condemn his first wife, despite his deep conviction that she was responsible for the death of his second wife.

The incident intensified the first wife's mistreatment of Alice to such an extent that she suffered physical scars all over her body, enduring a life plagued by unrelenting abuse.

Duke Valeriant was well aware of the circumstances surrounding Alice, but he remained indifferent.

His affections were directed towards his wife, not his own daughter, despite their blood ties.

This dynamic persisted until Allen and Alice eventually crossed paths, marking the beginning of their relationship.

As Allen reflected on these events, his countenance revealed no trace of nostalgia; instead, an air of indifference shrouded his features.

"I don't understand why she betrayed me back then, despite how well I always treated her..." he muttered, his head bowed in contemplation.

"Nevertheless, one thing is certain: I have no desire to be associated with her anymore, be it as a friend or... as a couple!" Hatred filled his crimson eyes as he glared at the paper in his hand, his expression cold and detached.

"This marks the end!" With a wave of his hand, Allen conjured his fire magic, engulfing the paper in flames that swiftly consumed it.

Not even a trace of ash remained.

Having cleansed his palms, he proceeded forward, making his way towards the garden, determined to leave the thought of her behind.

However, his attention was immediately captured when he spotted a young girl, her head bowed with a sorrowful expression, near the garden.

Allen's eyes widened in astonishment as he recognized her, and he exclaimed, "It's her..."