I Got Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble, and When I Tried to Create an All-Male Academy to Avoid a Bad Ending, for Some Reason the Gender Ratio Reversed? - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Marilyn Lily Crystal

【Side: Marilyn Lily Crystal】

I hated how I looked.

This face that was just too perfect — I couldn’t stand it, seriously couldn’t stand it.

I know it sounds weird to say that about myself, but it’s the truth, so whatever.

Born with features that were way too symmetrical and this light-blue hair.

Just that was enough to make everyone stare. They’d throw affection or jealousy at me without me asking. That was my whole life.

The life of Duke’s daughter Marilyn Lily Crystal.

—Even though I never wanted any of it, not even once.

And the most miserable thing that happened because of this appearance… was that the crown prince fell for me at first sight.

“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Marry me in the future.”

“I want to make you mine.”

At first I thought it was just polite talk. Thought he was joking.

But the moment the engagement talk actually came up, I knew what my fate was gonna be.

There’s no way I could refuse. There’s no way I could go against the crown prince.

I was just gonna live the rest of my life as his wife, obeying him, that’s all.

—There was no way in hell I wanted that.

Even though I knew it was impossible, I fought back with everything I had.

I turned down the engagement. I wanted to live freely.

But the more I refused, the more obsessed he got with me.

“You belong to me. I won’t allow you to disobey.”

In the end he just forced it through anyway and I became the crown prince’s fiancée.

After that we met a few times.

In one word — he’s a textbook piece of trash.

Born with power, lives however he wants, thinks everything should go his way — the very picture of a corrupt noble.

He’d grab my hand by force, treat me like an object instead of a person. Probably thinks I’m some beautiful doll or something.

I hated that crown prince more than anything in the world.

—I couldn’t take it anymore.

Honestly? I wanted to kill him. Thought about doing a double suicide or something.

But if I did that, it wouldn’t just be me — the whole ducal family would get crushed. We’d all get executed together.

I don’t have any special feelings for my family anymore — they didn’t protect me from him in the first place — but even so, I didn’t want to drag everyone down with me. That part pissed me off.

What the hell am I supposed to do with this burning feeling?

Is it hatred? Despair? Resignation?

I didn’t even know anymore… but there was one thing I was sure of: I couldn’t keep going like this.

That’s when it happened.

I found out the academy was going to change.

I didn’t know all the details, but apparently they were getting rid of the power-based system and switching to a merit-based one.

I thought the crown prince and the other nobles would obviously oppose it, but turns out the academy director went all out — the marquis house pulled some crazy strings and forced it through.

I didn’t really care about meritocracy or whatever, but I thought… this might be my chance. Something could actually change.

If strength mattered more than status, then maybe I could be free. A place where I wouldn’t be tied down by noble connections or power.

If there was a place like that, maybe I could do something. So I decided to cross-dress.

I disguised myself as a guy, pretended I was only into girls, and enrolled in the academy.

Just to put even a little distance between us.
Just to create even the tiniest escape route.

I wanted people to think “oh, he’s not interested in men at all.”

—Looking back now, it’s honestly kind of hilarious.

The crown prince didn’t give a damn that I was cross-dressing.

He kept coming at me anyway. Tried touching my body, tried sneaking into my room at night.

When I refused, he threatened to ruin the ducal family.

It was awful. Nothing changed at all in the end.

Still… I hated it. I hated him so much I couldn’t stand it.

So I did everything I possibly could.

I didn’t give in to the threats, I refused to sleep with him, I even talked to the academy director.

I convinced my father and had the ducal family officially request to cancel the engagement.

I even told him straight to his face how I felt.

“I hate you.”

I said it knowing I might get killed for it, and I laughed right in the crown prince’s face.

“Shut up. You’re already mine — it’s been decided.”

But nothing changed.

If anything, his obsession just got even stronger.

—This is impossible.

So I gave up. I was exhausted.

Tired of thinking. Tired of fighting back. Tired of living.

—So I decided to just end it.

That’s why I jumped off the rooftop.

※

“So? There’s nothing you can do about it, right?”

After I finished telling her the whole story, she let out this tired, resigned little laugh.

Yeah… she’s right. This isn’t something you can fix easily.

When royalty is involved, even the marquis house’s power is basically nothing.

If I tried to do something alone and it reached his ears — straight to doom ending. I’d probably get executed just like in the original story.

In other words, I was completely cornered. No way out.

“I’ve only got two choices left. Become the crown prince’s wife… or die here.”

Her voice was completely flat. The voice of someone who’d already given up on everything.

“That’s way too extreme.”

I couldn’t help but butt in.

But she just shook her head.

“There’s nothing else.”

“…………”

“I don’t want anything else.”

She let out a long breath. Then she spread both arms wide and looked down at the ground from inside the fence.

“I’m tired of thinking. So I decided to die.”

“……………………”

“But if I just die like that, it won’t feel satisfying at all, right? Might as well die where everyone can see it. End his obsession in the worst possible way. That’s the best revenge I can get. So don’t get in my way!”

It was the most miserable choice imaginable.

There’s no other path. She couldn’t choose anything else.

That’s absolutely wrong. No — she’s not the one who’s wrong. The situation that forces her to choose this is what’s wrong.

“……………………”

If I just leave her here, she’s really gonna jump. Right in front of me. She’s gonna take her own life.

I have to stop that no matter what.

But at the same time… I get it.

Getting involved with her leads straight to my doom ending. No matter how things change, I’ll probably end up with the same fate as the original. If I only cared about saving myself, the smart move would be to just look the other way.

In other words — letting her die is the best option.

—Fuck that.

There’s no way I could do that.

If I abandon her here, I’ll become a real villain. Exactly the same as the crown prince.

—No, I already basically am.

No matter how much I change my actions, the core doesn’t change. I was a villain from the start, and I’ll keep being one.

That’s who Orufusen Starz Island is.

“I’m a villain.”

“…What?”

When I spoke, Marilyn looked at me suspiciously.

“The villain who lays hands on the crown prince’s fiancée even though he already has someone he loves… and ends up getting executed for it.”

Yeah. That’s exactly what Orufusen is.

So I’m gonna act just like the original.

An arrogant, selfish bastard who’s always surrounded by women, constantly going against the kingdom, and finally gets executed as a villainous noble.

“…Did you lose your mind?”

“Maybe.”

But I didn’t stop talking.

“So leave it to me.”

“…Huh?”

I took a slow breath, then said,

“I’m Orufusen Starz Island. Eldest son of the marquis house. Womanizer.”

I said it half-mockingly, then flashed a deliberately bold, fearless grin.

She’d just asked me earlier to marry her.

Of course I knew it was a joke. She only said it because she knew it was impossible — she was basically taunting me.

But I’m gonna take her up on it anyway.

If she’s the one proposing, then accepting it is exactly what a villain noble would do.

I dropped to one knee, took her hand, and while acting confident, I spoke the words boldly and shamelessly.

“If you really want to become my wife… then I welcome it.”

“…Huh?”

Marilyn’s eyes went wide in disbelief. Like she was looking at something impossible.

Even so, she didn’t say anything — just kept staring straight at me. Never looked away once.

And I wasn’t planning to look away either.

I already knew there was no turning back from this point. No going back.

I had zero intention of backing out.

—Whether what waits ahead is salvation… or doom.

No one knows how this ends yet.

But when it comes to keeping women around me… no one can beat me at that.

That part, at least, was certain.