Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 27: Can I Be Confident? Or Should I Not?

Chapter 27: Can I Be Confident? Or Should I Not?

《Liese’s POV》

I was in my room, discussing the results of “our latest operation” with Faina.

The so-called “lucky accident operation” hadn’t been the only attempt. I’d also tried holding his hand unexpectedly and even hugging him suddenly. But none of it seemed to work.

“Haah… Am I just not seen as a woman by him?”

“I don’t think that’s true. Every little thing you’re doing is probably melting Lord Cerios’s heart bit by bit.”

I couldn’t help but sigh again. Without Faina’s encouragement, I might not have been able to keep going. Lord Cerios hadn’t shown the slightest sign of seeing me as a woman.

Even though I worked so hard, nothing had come of it except for him accidentally seeing me change. The changes I’d hoped for didn’t happen.

“Maybe nothing will work on Lord Cerios…”

Feeling a bit hurt by his lack of reaction, I still couldn’t bring myself to give up.

“Maybe the timing was just off.”

Encouraged by Faina, I began thinking of my next move.

At that moment, a face came to mind—that of Prince Edward von Luclair. Since we shared many of the same classes, I often saw him.

Prince Edward was elegant and approachable, frequently striking up conversations with me.

From what I’d observed, he seemed quite accustomed to dealing with women, as he was always kind and charming to the girls around him.

If something worked on Prince Edward, it might work on Lord Cerios too.

“…He might be the perfect test subject.”

With that thought, I decided to involve Prince Edward in my next plan.

The following day, during lunch break, I spotted Prince Edward walking alone in the academy’s garden. Steeling my nerves, I approached him.

Usually, he was the one to initiate conversation, but this time, I made sure to greet him first.

“Good morning, Your Highness Edward. Do you have a moment to spare?”

“Liese? It’s rare for you to greet me first. Good morning. Of course, I have time. What’s on your mind?”

As always, he gave me a warm and composed smile. His relaxed demeanor made me slightly nervous, but I pushed forward with my plan.

“Um… I wanted to ask you something about yesterday’s class.”

I stood close to him, deliberately keeping a smaller distance than usual. Tilting my body subtly toward him, I gazed up at him with a slightly shy, upward glance.

“Uh, um… something about class? That’s unusual for someone as bright as you. Oh, well, the kingdom’s history is indeed a subject nobles tend to excel in.”

As I moved closer and casually brushed my hair back, Prince Edward’s face turned bright red.

Faina had mentioned that the gesture of brushing back one’s hair was something men often found appealing. Since I didn’t want to reveal too much of myself to anyone but Lord Cerios, I figured this was a safe choice.

The prince didn’t seem to catch on to my intentions, but his gaze started darting nervously. I stepped a little closer.

“L-Liese, this is a bit too close…”

His voice trembled noticeably. That’s when I knew.

(This… this is working, isn’t it?)

I smiled softly, and his flustered reaction grew even more pronounced.

“A-Alright! I’ll answer any question you have!”

“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll come to you again if anything else comes up!”

I gave a polite bow and left the scene. When I glanced back, the prince was still standing there, his face red as he watched me leave.

(It works… it actually works!)

I clenched my fists in a tiny gesture of triumph and resolved to try this tactic on my real target—Lord Cerios.

Later that afternoon, I found him quietly reading a book in the library.

“He really is so dignified and handsome. Those sharp eyes and the aloof aura that keeps others at a distance… it’s what sets him apart from other men.”

Gathering my resolve, I approached him to put the plan into action.

“Lord Cerios, may I have a moment of your time?”
“Hm? What is it, Liese?”

The moment Lord Cerios looked up and met my gaze, my heart started racing. His calm expression unsettled me slightly, but I pressed on with the plan.

“I wanted to ask you about something from yesterday’s class…”

Just like with Prince Edward, I sat down beside him, leaning closer as I closed the distance. I tilted my head slightly, looking up at him with soft, upward eyes.

“Alright, which part?”

“Um… it’s about the assignment…”

I brushed my hair back deliberately, trying to emphasize the gesture, and even softened my voice to sound more endearing.

“Oh, the assignment. That’s simple. Look here, it’s this part, right?”

Completely unfazed, Lord Cerios pointed to a page in the book and began explaining in his usual calm tone.

“If you’re stuck anywhere, let me know. I’ll teach you properly.”

“…Thank you.”

Internally, I was stunned. This plan, which had worked so well on Prince Edward, had absolutely no effect on Lord Cerios. If anything, he responded just as composedly as he always did.

(Why… why isn’t this working!?)

Completely oblivious to my inner turmoil, Lord Cerios continued explaining the assignment in detail. Watching him, I felt tears threatening to spill.

That night, I reported the results of the plan to Faina.

“How did it go?”

“…It didn’t work at all on Lord Cerios. Prince Edward, who’s so used to women, blushed immediately!”

Still lying face down on my bed, I gave my report. Faina chuckled softly.

“Well, it’s not going to be that easy. Lord Cerios is truly oblivious.”

“I… I know that already. But… I still love him.”

I lifted my face and let out those fragile words to Faina.

“What should I do…? How can I get Lord Cerios to notice me?”

Faina paused, thinking for a moment, then smiled kindly.

“There’s no need to rush, Liese. Lord Cerios is probably overwhelmed with everything on his plate right now. He might not have the space to truly see you yet.”

“But I…”

It felt as though Lord Cerios was moving farther and farther away. He was so amazing, with women drawn to him, calling out to him, and yet still looking at me so gently.

“I understand how you feel. But why not wait a little longer until Lord Cerios starts noticing you on his own? In the meantime, it might be a good idea to work on refining your own charms.”

Faina’s words helped calm my heart, even just a little. If I didn’t rush and kept moving forward step by step, perhaps one day Lord Cerios would finally see me.

“…Thank you, Faina.”

“You’re welcome. Don’t hesitate to come to me whenever you need advice.”

With a renewed sense of determination, I resolved to think of another way to catch Lord Cerios’s attention.

(This time, for sure…!)

Clinging to that determination, I stood up once more.