Maria gets publicly humiliated by a prince she never knew was engaged to her, and instead of crying about it, she decides to become the most insufferable, competent, chaotic force in that kingdom until someone actually wants to deal with her. The romance doesn't start when she's desperate, it starts when she's winning. Every suitor who shows up thinking they're rescuing a sad noblewoman gets absolutely outmaneuvered by a woman who was already fine, who just wanted the option to choose for herself.

Maria "Mimi" Annovazzi, a martial prodigy from a renowned ducal family, spends her life training to inherit the duchy until the arrival of a younger brother makes her unnecessary as heir. With no good matches left at home, she transfers to the royal academy of a neighboring kingdom to find a husband, helped by her friend and distant relative Aida. At graduation, Renato, the future crown prince, mistakes Mimi for Aida, his fiancée, and publicly ends an engagement Mimi never had. Worried about the scandal, Mimi asks Renato to help her find a suitor, unaware that her cheerful nature and fighting skill have caught his eye. The result is a comedic fantasy romance.