Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 26: Operation Lucky Accident

Chapter 26: Operation Lucky Accident

《Liese’s POV》

No matter how hard I worked—whether it was in academics, combat, or even my appearance—all to gain Lord Cerios’s approval, nothing seemed to change. Instead, I just kept getting attention from other male students while Lord Cerios showed no signs of noticing me.

“What should I do, Lord Cerios…?”

I muttered softly, burying my face in my bed.

Ever since the academy life began, I had acted with Lord Cerios in mind. But to him, I was still nothing more than his “attendant.”

It’s true that I’ve come this far thanks to his guidance, but I wanted him to see me as more than that—just a little, at least as a “woman.”

But Lord Cerios was so focused on his studies and learning about territory management that he didn’t seem to notice me at all.

Yet, every now and then, I’d catch him chatting happily with Lady Clarice or a few other women. Whenever they spoke with him, they seemed genuinely delighted, and Lord Cerios—completely oblivious—had no idea they were interested in him.

“Why am I the only one who ends up feeling jealous? What does he even think of me…?”

As I pondered, a knock came at the door.

“Liese, do you have a moment?”

“Faina! Yes, please come in.”

Faina was a senior maid at Lord Cerios’s estate, the one who taught me the ins and outs of my duties. She was a calm and reliable presence.

As Lord Cerios’s personal maid, she often listened to my concerns about him.

I knew Faina also held feelings for Lord Cerios, but she never expressed them, believing it wasn’t her place as an attendant. Even so, she encouraged me, reminding me that I was chosen by him and should do my best.

“How are things lately?”

Faina smiled gently as she looked at me, still sprawled across my bed.

“…Lord Cerios doesn’t pay me any attention.”

“Fufu, I was actually asking about the academy.”

“Oh.”

“But that’s fine. Lord Cerios has always been a bit dense when it comes to people’s feelings. There was even a time when he acted a bit reckless and thoughtless. Still, at his core, he’s very kind and treats women with great respect.”

Faina knew Lord Cerios better than anyone.

I lifted my head and decided to ask her what I’d been struggling to figure out—how to get Lord Cerios to see me as more than just his attendant.

“I want him to notice me more… but I have no idea how to make that happen.”

Faina nodded thoughtfully, taking a moment to consider, before finally speaking.

“Let’s see… It’s hard to just come out and say, ‘Please see me as a woman!’ Even I wouldn’t be able to do that if someone told me to.”

“T-That’s impossible! If he rejected me, it’d be so bad.”

“True. In that case… how about creating an opportunity to ‘accidentally’ show Lord Cerios your feminine side?”

“Accidentally… show him my feminine side?”

I tilted my head, confused by her suggestion. Seeing my reaction, Faina elaborated further.

“For example, you could stage a small, lucky accident. Something that might catch Lord Cerios off guard and make him notice you in a different light.”

“Do you really think something like that would make him notice me?”

“It’s worth a try. After all, if you don’t do anything, nothing will change.”

Reluctantly, I agreed, feeling a little more convinced. Together, Faina and I began planning the first “accident.”

The idea was simple: in the hallway, I’d pretend to lose my balance, and Lord Cerios would catch me.

After classes ended, I waited for the right moment, watching for Lord Cerios as he walked down the hallway.

“Alright, let’s do this,” I muttered quietly to myself. Then, I intentionally shifted my weight to fake a stumble… or so I thought.

“Kyaa!”

Instead of a subtle misstep, I actually ended up losing my balance more than I expected. But—

“Whoa, are you alright?”

Strong arms held me securely. In front of me was Lord Cerios, looking slightly surprised. The firmness of his grip and the faint scent of him made my body flush with warmth.

“Sorry! I slipped…”

“That’s unusual. You’re usually so careful, Liese. Be more mindful.”

Lord Cerios smiled gently and let me go without saying anything more.

(This won’t work…! He didn’t react at all! If anything, he’s treating me like a child!)

I decided the next plan needed to be bolder. This time, I would intentionally fall and reveal a bit of my legs. Other men often cast glances at my chest or legs, but Lord Cerios had never shown such interest. Perhaps if I showed him, he’d finally notice me.

When I spotted Lord Cerios in the academy’s garden, I walked near a bench and deliberately stumbled.

“Kyaa!”

I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

“Liese!”

Lord Cerios rushed over immediately. I landed on my backside, and my skirt had flipped up. This was definitely not part of the plan!

But then, I noticed something. Lord Cerios’s gaze had briefly shifted downward. My heart skipped a beat as I realized it.

(…Could he have seen under my skirt!?)

“Are you alright? Did you hurt your leg?”

Lord Cerios didn’t seem particularly affected, offering me his hand as if nothing had happened. My face burned with embarrassment as I quickly adjusted my skirt and took his hand to stand up.

“I-I’m fine! I’m so sorry!”

“Be more careful. I’m glad you didn’t get hurt. Are you sure you’re not overworking yourself? If your leg hurts, I can take you to the infirmary.”

“No, I’m really fine!”

“Alright, then.”

Lord Cerios spoke with genuine concern, but that was it. No further reaction.

The final plan was one Faina had suggested with great confidence: “This will definitely work.” The idea was to have Lord Cerios walk in on me while I was changing.

By orchestrating it so that he entered the room while I was in the middle of changing, he would surely start seeing me as a woman.

This plan required Faina’s help. She would guide Lord Cerios to the room where I was, setting the stage perfectly.

I undressed, leaving myself in just my undergarments, and deliberately left the door slightly ajar, waiting for Lord Cerios to arrive.

Soon, I heard footsteps approaching. Faina knocked on the door, and the door slowly opened

“Eh!?”

Pretending to be caught mid-change, I froze as I was in the middle of removing my uniform.

“Hey, why ar—!?”

Lord Cerios’s voice trailed off as his eyes met mine. My body stiffened, unable to move.

“L-Lord Cerios!?”

“…!”

His face turned bright red as he quickly averted his gaze.

“S-Sorry!”

He stammered, slamming the door shut in a flustered panic.

Outside, I could hear him scolding Faina, but for the first time, Lord Cerios had looked at me and turned red. Success!