I, the Villainous Prince, Buy the Ruined Villainess with Money - Chapter 4-5

Chapter 4: Heroine’s Perspective

…Amazing.

What was that magic?

As I watched from the window, Prince Alvis used magic to drive away what looked like enemies.

Why did he protect me in the first place?

Then Yorba, who stood beside me, looked deeply moved.

“It seems the young master has finally awakened.”

“What do you mean?”

“When he was little, the young master was very different from now. He was serious and kind. But because of all the scheming in the royal family’s power struggles, at some point he became arrogant and overbearing.”

“I see… So that’s how it was.”

“And thinking about it now, all of that might have been an act. To avoid the fight for the throne, he pretended to be incompetent and even changed his personality… That is our fault, for failing him.”

He certainly felt different from the Prince Alvis I knew.

Since we belonged to different factions, I never had much contact with him, but he was not the kind of person who would help others.

He thought he was the greatest and looked down on everyone else—the exact personality I hated most.

“…All of that was an act?”

“At least he has no reason to hide it now.”

“That’s true… But why reveal it at this timing?”

“I don’t know. Only… perhaps he could no longer stand to watch the current crown prince.”

My former fiancé, Crown Prince Kyle… He was a good person, for better or worse, yet he lacked confidence in himself.

From the time I was aware of anything, I tried to support him, but all of it apparently felt like a burden to him.

In the end, he fell for a cute girl and pushed me into breaking off our engagement.

That alone would have been bad enough, but because of it, my family was sentenced to ruin.

“That man… no, never mind.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. I’ve already put it behind me. Besides, you don’t need to apologize to someone like me.”

My home was gone, my family scattered, and to pay off debts I became a slave.

I was no longer of noble birth—just a living thing trying to survive.

I had prepared myself to be bought by Lord Guftaf, who had always looked at me with lewd eyes.

“No, no, you are the young master’s important guest.”

“Why did he save me?”

“We don’t know either. But I think he simply couldn’t leave you alone. After all, his own family fell apart too.”

“…I see.”

His mother came from a ducal house, a great noble family, but after giving birth to Prince Alvis she lived only for pleasure.

In the end she committed adultery and was banished from the royal family.

She had almost no contact with His Majesty and no full-blooded siblings for him.

In a way, he really was the same as me… My own family had been terrible too.

Bad enough that my parents sold me into slavery.

“Yet the young master never complained about it… He is a strong person.”

“Maybe he and I are alike… No, he is far stronger.”

I was raised to be the perfect fiancée for the crown prince and acted the part.

Perhaps he had been acting the role of second prince in the same way.

If he kept it up even while everyone mocked him.

“Come, let’s get you into the bath.”

“…Is that really all right?”

“Yes. Otherwise I’ll get scolded.”

“That wouldn’t…”

“The young master will protect you, so please feel at ease. The fact that he left you in the care of me and my husband—the only two people he truly trusts—is proof of that.”

That put me in an awkward position, so for now I decided to go along.

I was led into a large bathhouse and gently washed all over.

When that was finished, I was guided to the tub and, perhaps out of consideration, left alone.

In that moment—tears spilled from my eyes.

“Huh? Why… I thought I had already accepted everything.”

I had lost everything and decided I didn’t care what happened anymore.

My parents had vanished, my fiancé had abandoned me.

All that waited was to be bought by the filthy Lord Guftaf and die like trash.

“So… I still wanted to live… uuu… AAAAAH!”

My emotions exploded, and I cried out at the top of my lungs.

Inside the vast bathhouse, only that voice echoed back again and again.

—

Chapter 5: Deranged Villainess

After dealing with the enemies, I returned to the mansion and took a shower.

While in there, I thought about the previous life’s me inside and about Alvis.

“I had no hesitation in killing people… Alvis had his life targeted since childhood and had eliminated thieves. So in the end, the core is still Alvis.”

With the consciousness of my previous life’s me added to that, it led to who I am now.

Then values and personality were mixed in, making things a bit more flexible.

Even so, I do have memories of being a working adult in my previous life.

“It would be strange if my mental age didn’t go up with this.”

However, I had no experience with women… so that part might be age-appropriate.

Enough to fall in love with game characters, at least.

Who would have thought I’d reincarnate into the game my sister loved.

“Well, that’s about it… I don’t even know the game details that well. Just what my position was.”

I wish I’d paid more attention.

The one silver lining is that my sister’s favorite character was this Alvis.

I somehow dragged out memories from my previous life in my head.

“I think the villainess was in part 1, and I was the boss in part 2.”

The protagonist struggled to get engaged to the crown prince in part 2, right?

I got in the way, and the two of them fought against me.

Then I went out of control, lost my right to succeed the throne, and the crown prince securely gained a solid position.

He suppressed the opposition, the two got together, and it was happily ever after or something like that.

“It’s hazy, but something like that… Then it’s simple. I just shouldn’t get close to the protagonist and the crown prince.”

…I thought that, but it probably isn’t that easy.

The fact that I helped Yulia will spread to them.

If so, they might come complaining about this and that.

“Well, if that happens… I’ll face it head-on.”

I won’t forgive anyone who bullies my favorite.

And I don’t want to meet ruin.

I’ll somehow make both work.

With my thoughts settled, I got out of the bath… and Yulia was waiting.

“Lord Alvis… no, Master.”

“…What are you doing?”

I couldn’t help turning my face away.

Because… she was in a maid outfit.

What is that!? It’s insanely cute!?

Enough to make the previous life’s me pop right out.

“I am someone you bought.”

“I never asked you to become a maid.”

“Does it not suit me? As expected, I’m useless at everything…”

Then the light faded from her eyes.

Oh no! She’s about to fall into darkness!

Right, what she needs now is self-esteem.

“No! It suits you really well!”

“…Really?”

“Yeah, I make it a rule not to lie.”

“Hehe, I’m glad.”

When I glanced behind her, Sebas and Yorba were giving me big thumbs up.

Totally their doing.

Normally I’d yell at them, but those two raised me like parents.

So I can’t speak harshly… and honestly, good job.

“Ahem… So, what do you plan to do from now on? Have you thought about anything you want?”

“For now, I feel a bit refreshed after the bath… And like this outfit, I thought I’d like to take care of you.”

“Take care of me?”

What kind of reward is that.

My favorite character in a maid outfit taking care of me… outrageous!

No good! Having impure thoughts about my favorite is bad!

“You look stern… Do you hate it after all?”

“Hmph, do whatever you want.”

“Then I’ll do just that.”

I can’t help it; trying not to grin makes my face look stern.

My attitude is way too bad.

Both Alvis and my previous life memories are mixing up my emotions.

“Hoho, looks like things are settled.”

“This will make our jobs easier too.”

“You two still have plenty of work ahead. Yorba, teach Yulia the job.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll teach her. Yulia, this way.”

“Yes, please take care of me.”

I left Yulia with Yorba and took a breath.

Having something to do would probably help take her mind off things.

“Young master Alvis, good work.”

“It wasn’t much of an opponent.”

“But to think you were hiding that kind of power…”

“That’s nothing big either. I just didn’t use it because I didn’t need to.”

“I see… I stand corrected.”

Sebas seemed even more overly polite than usual.

Yorba’s acting strange too… odd.

“More importantly, look into the movements of the crown prince and his fiancée, and Lord Guftaf too.”

“As you wish… It’s been a while since I’ve stretched my skills.”

“Heh, I’m counting on you.”

Sebas used to be a secret agent and led that group.

Yorba was the same, and long ago both were my guards.

Now then, I’ll do my best so she can live in peace.