It's Not Like I Want to Play the Role of a Misunderstood, Good-for-Nothing Prince in a Villainess Story! - Chapter 15 – Welcome Party, First Half

“Tonight, a party will be held. Everyone, please be sure not to be rude.”

After breakfast, Father said that while looking at everyone’s faces.

In the end, Misty came every day after that, and there was no talk at all about the engagement.

I didn’t ask either though.

How far has the discussion progressed, I wonder?

“Um, Father.”

While I was internally restless, Tigos spoke up with determination before me.

“What is it?”

“What happened with the engagement talk to the Claudia marquis house?”

“Nothing in particular. Why?”

“No…”

Tigos glanced at me.

He undoubtedly knew that Misty had been coming to my place every day.

I understand why he’s curious.

That said, her coming to my place was just to thank me for helping her before, with no special intent, I think.

But Tigos was probably curious.

“I hear Lady Misty has been coming to the palace often lately.”

“Hmm…”

Father exhaled once, then looked at Tigos and then me.

“Zeke.”

“Y-yes!”

“You seem quite close to Misty Claudia.”

“I don’t know if we’re close. She’s just helping with dance practice.”

“…”

Father stared at me intently.

“I hear you clashed with Elliott.”

“Just a little.”

“I see… Sebastian.”

“Yes.”

Sebastian poured tea into Father’s empty cup.

He took a sip of tea.

Father looked at Tigos and me with a cheerful smile.

“I love you both. No parent doesn’t love their children. However…”

Suddenly his expression disappeared, and he looked at us with serious eyes as if glaring.

“I am the king. Sooner or later I must decide a successor. The order of succession is determined, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ultimately choose someone without ability. Even if they’re my real son.”

“…”

Probably, if Tigos and I lacked ability, he’s saying the next king position might go to Elliott who’s below us in succession rights.

“Live each day with diligence.”

“Yes, sir.”

The palace hall was gorgeously decorated.

Luxurious food, room decorations—a grand welcome venue.

The lined-up nobles came not just from the capital, but apparently big shots with territories in the provinces too.

Clothing and daily necessities made from cotton—Seiran Kingdom’s specialty—were in very high demand.

Plus, if the Seiran royal family’s opinion of you was good, you could gain advantage in negotiations with merchants, so many nobles wanted to at least have their faces remembered.

Though such things had nothing to do with me.

As I savored food I couldn’t normally eat, a drink was smoothly placed beside me.

Nice timing.

I gladly took it and drank it down.

Phew, delicious.

“Good grief, please don’t collapse from choking.”

“Yeah… wait, huh?”

Looking, the one who brought the drink was Rubert in gorgeous attire.

“Why are you here?”

“Sebastian prepared it. Well, I am a former noble.”

“I see. Then eat lots too, Rubert. You can’t eat food like this often.”

“True, even in Lindl there’s nothing like this.”

He shrugged while looking at the food.

Come to think of it, wasn’t Rubert a noble in Lindl Duchy?

In the game it’s about half a year to the ending, so even if he became a companion, he’d say his job was done and return home, but at this rate this guy won’t return.

We basically poached him from Lindl Duchy—won’t we get in trouble?

Even though he apparently doesn’t get along with the current duke, he’s supposedly Lindl Duchy’s foremost knight.

The party progressed, and all that’s left is dancing and greetings in the latter half.

I wonder if I can dance successfully…

As my turn approached and I got nervous, it happened.

“How beautiful!”

“Hm?”

At a somewhat high voice, I stuck out my face while chewing chicken, and a boy about my age was kneeling and holding a woman’s hand.

“Delicate hair like silk, jewel-like eyes, porcelain-white skin, a bell-like voice—truly a goddess who appeared in this world! Please exchange engagement vows with me.”

What tooth-achingly sweet praise.

The boy had brown skin, silver-white hair and eyebrows, and yellow eyes.

An incredibly handsome boy.

Though we met for the first time, I’d seen him.

He was the Seiran Kingdom’s First Prince, Toprak Seiran.

One of the romance targets in the game PriLove, with the alias “Desert Noble.”

He’d become quite a tall handsome man in the future, but his height wasn’t very tall yet.

Incidentally, the one being hit on was my angel, Misty.

Could it be that Misty, aside from appearance, basically has a constitution where all romance targets like her?

“Please wait!”

While desperately moving my mouth trying to swallow the chicken to somehow intervene, Tigos stepped between the two before me.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Tigos Carlaan.”

“Oh, I hear you’re the prince of Carlaan Kingdom and the excellent one.”

Hm? That tone sounds like there’s also one who’s not excellent.

How offensive—I must correct it immediately!

But the food in my mouth won’t quite… just a bit more, a bit more.

“Zeke-sama.”

“…Thank you.”

“No problem.”

I washed down the food still in my mouth with a drink from Rubert.

Phew, refreshed.

“She is Lady Misty Claudia, daughter of the Claudia marquis house of Carlaan Kingdom. I’d like you to refrain from addressing her.”

“Hmm, but why? She doesn’t have a fiancé, does she? Or are you the fiancé?”

“That’s… not yet… different, but…”

Perhaps because it wasn’t officially decided, Tigos stammered.

“If it’s different, then I should be able to address her. Right?”

“But… um…”

“I’m a prince of Seiran. I don’t think you’re in a position to criticize my actions?”

Tigos’s voice became inaudible.

“Now, Lady Misty. First, would you dance to one song with me?”

“No, I…”

Misty tried to gently refuse, but Toprak gently grasped her hand to not let her escape.

“You’re lovely even when bashful. But, please…”

“Wait a minute!”

I pushed through the crowd and jumped to the front.

“Please release that hand.”