It's Not Like I Want to Play the Role of a Misunderstood, Good-for-Nothing Prince in a Villainess Story! - Chapter 77: The Noble's Setback

Toprak’s Perspective

The scenery seen from the palace was a vividly golden world as far as the eye could see.

The Seiran Kingdom is a great nation located in the southern continent.

A vast desert stretching endlessly.

Go a bit further in, and during the day the scorching sun steals your moisture, while at night the endlessly cold air takes away all your body heat.

Towns are far apart, and camels carry cargo along pathless, dust-swirling roads.

That was everyday life in the Seiran Kingdom.

It’s a harsh environment, but thanks to the water at scattered oases, people gathered to create temporary bases, forming large groups, and the wandering desert peoples each created nations that were unified into one—thus the country of Seiran was founded.

I was born as a prince of such a nation.

From a young age, I was instilled with pride as a prince and raised as Seiran’s next king.

Furthermore, since I could do anything well, I started slacking off on sword and magic practice.

I was conceited.

Given the size of my country and that I was its prince, I thought I could do most things even though I wasn’t an adult yet.

At the very least, I thought there was no one my age superior to me.

Then one day, I visited a friendly nation for the first time, called out to a beautiful princess who captivated my eyes for the first time, and I learned defeat for the first time.

I’ll never forget the opponent’s name.

Zeke Caarlaan.

According to rumors, a dull older brother inferior to his younger sibling.

A selfish prince who had his sword and magic teachers taken and made no effort at all.

A spineless person who didn’t fight back despite having everything stolen by his brother.

That’s what I’d heard, but the rumors were different from reality.

The guy before my eyes protected his betrothed behind his back, looked straight ahead, and was a splendid prince wearing an air befitting Caarlaan royalty.

Completely different from me, who made a slip of the tongue and earned unnecessary hostility.

After returning to my country, being reprimanded by Father was a shock, but I was even more ashamed of myself.

To think there was such a guy my age.

From then on, I desperately trained in the swordsmanship and magic I’d been slacking on.

Apparently I had talent, as my abilities grew rapidly, my body grew large similarly, and before long I came to be called the Desert Noble.

Being called a noble didn’t feel bad.

But every time I was excessively praised, what crossed my mind was that guy.

“As expected of the Desert Noble, so cool.”

No, that guy’s face was good too.

“There’s no one who can match the prince’s handling of sword and magic, is there?”

I wonder—it wouldn’t be strange if that guy had learned to handle both better than me.

“You don’t need to push yourself so hard every day, do you?”

That guy must be doing even more.

I couldn’t get him out of my head.

So before entering school, I told Father—

Please let me attend school in the Caarlaan Kingdom.

And so I went to the trouble of preparing a house in the Caarlaan Kingdom and came to Caarlaan’s school.

To meet that guy.

Wondering how splendid a person he had become.

That’s what I thought, and yet—

I was stunned when I gathered information.

When I went to the palace to greet them, Zeke happened to not be there, but according to Halt Caarlaan-sama’s story, Zeke’s current situation didn’t seem bad.

Yet Zeke’s reputation was far below imagination.

I heard mountains of bad rumors.

Then I had them put me in the same class as Zeke at school, so I observed him.

Well, he had no spirit.

He didn’t seem popular, and things didn’t seem to be going well with his betrothed Misty Claudia either—they didn’t make eye contact and had few conversations.

Despite being antagonized by some guy named Levin Lindol, he made no attempt to deal with it.

What the hell happened to that guy?

I didn’t want to think it, but had I surpassed him at some point?

If so, what was all my effort until now for?

The meaning of me coming to this school…

I surpassed the guy I had as my goal… so why can’t I be happy at all?

Should I steal Misty Claudia, who had become even more beautiful than back then, from that guy?

…I’m not feeling it.

Melancholy days continued since enrolling.

However, Zeke, who should have been quiet, finally moved.

Zeke easily defeated the arrogant sword teacher whose words and attitude I thought were excessive.

He was suspended, but it was like him to have results outside my expectations, just like back then.

After that, when I thought he’d returned to school again, apparently in the dungeon during adventure training, he broke the limbs of dozens of scoundrels with one hand and made them disappear from school.

Of course that guy had to be like that…

On the day I heard that story, I returned to the mansion and was nodding alone in my room.

Then when I thought Zeke, who had been resting from injury, came to school after a long time, he was in a tense atmosphere with Levin Lindol for some reason.

Our seats were far apart, so I eavesdropped, and apparently he was called out to the back of the school building after school.

How reckless, picking a fight with that guy.

While thinking that, I suddenly considered something.

As the same classmate, shouldn’t I be the one to pick a fight with that guy for the first time?

Give the first strike to that cocky Levin? Me, Toprak Seiran?

After school, I watched Zeke and Levin leave, waited a while, then stood up.

That’s right—I, who acknowledge Zeke as a rival more than anyone, must not fall behind that guy.

I immediately ran to the back of the school building.