Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 28: Witnessing Liese and the Prince

Chapter 28: Witnessing Liese and the Prince

《Cerios’ POV》

I spent most of my academy life diligently learning about land management and the politics of the kingdom, gradually catching up on the knowledge expected of a noble.

In my free time, I often immersed myself in related books at the library.

With no prior knowledge of this world or experience managing a territory, there was an endless amount to learn. Along with etiquette, swordsmanship training, and even horseback riding, which had become an enjoyable way to unwind, I was making steady progress.

“Faina, how’s it looking?”

“Quite impressive, Lord Cerios. You’ve improved a great deal.”

Even when riding with Faina during horseback training, I’d become stable enough to stay perfectly balanced in the saddle.

However, amid this routine, one thing weighed on my mind.

That was… Liese.

Recently, her behavior had been strange—too deliberate, almost calculated. It felt like her actions were purposeful… but I couldn’t figure out why.

What I did know was that her behavior was leaving me perplexed.

One day, as I passed her in the hallway, she suddenly let out a small cry, “kya!” and stumbled.

I instinctively caught her before she could fall, but in doing so, my hand accidentally brushed against her chest.

“Sorry, Lord Cerios. My foot slipped…”

“That’s unusual. Be more careful.”

Her face turned bright red, and she looked up at me with teary eyes. I tried to maintain my composure, but the soft, fleeting sensation I felt in my hand lingered in my mind.

If it had only happened once, I might have dismissed it as an accident. But she kept repeating these “coincidences.”

In the garden, she tripped, flipping her skirt and landing on her backside. In her room, she orchestrated a situation where I walked in on her mid-change, exclaiming “kya!” while exposing her bare legs.

“This is strange. Definitely strange.”

No matter how much I told myself this, I couldn’t understand what she was thinking. Still, I couldn’t help but ponder the reasons behind her behavior.

And then, one day, I saw something.

“Good morning, Your Highness Edward. May I have a moment of your time?”

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

I spotted Liese approaching Prince Edward, greeting him with an unusual cheerfulness.

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

She leaned closer to him, looking up with those captivating, upturned eyes. Her expression was charming—enough to make any man fall for her.

“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.”

Liese brushed her hair back as she leaned closer to Prince Edward. His face instantly turned bright red.

Watching their seemingly close interaction, I felt a tightness in my chest.

At the same time, a realization struck me.

Her actions toward me were just practice for Prince Edward.

She must have figured out that her master wouldn’t make a move and decided to test her approach elsewhere.

“Haha, I almost misunderstood.”

That afternoon, while I was reading in the library as usual, Liese came over.

“Lord Cerios, may I have a moment of your time?”

“Sure, what’s wrong?”

She sat beside me, as close as ever. Handing me a book, she said, “There’s something about class I didn’t quite understand…” So I opened the book and started explaining.

It became clear—she was doing the same thing she’d done with Prince Edward.

Her voice had a soft, almost playful tone. When our eyes met, she gave me an upward glance paired with a sweet smile.

Any other guy would have fallen for it instantly. Did she know the effect she had? Her natural talent and beauty as the main heroine were almost intimidating.

Though I maintained a calm exterior, internally, I was shaken.

“Lord Cerios, I can’t thank you enough for teaching me so thoroughly.”

“Don’t worry about it. This is nothing special.”

Liese stayed silent for a moment before suddenly saying, “Then, could you explain another part as well?” She opened the book further, her hand lightly brushing against mine.

“…Liese, what’s wrong? Your hand is trembling.”

“N-No! It’s nothing!”

Her face turned bright red, and I let out a sigh.

(Damn it, she’s just too cute…)

That night, I found myself alone in my room, lost in thought.

She was probably using me as practice to get closer to Prince Edward. But one thing was becoming increasingly clear: Liese was even more adorable than ever before.

Too adorable, in fact. At this rate, my heart wouldn’t survive much longer.

Honestly, I wished she’d just charm the prince already and get together with him. Worst case, I could arrange for her to be adopted by a duke or marquis family to pave the way for a royal marriage.

“Sigh… if this doesn’t get resolved soon, I’m the one who’s going to lose my composure. Our main heroine is just too adorable—it’s really becoming a problem…”

Muttering to myself, I began planning for tomorrow.

If she tried to pull another one of those “coincidences,” I needed to figure out how to handle it. I had to stay calm and make sure I didn’t get swept up in her pace.

…Though, the truth was, I wasn’t confident I could keep my composure. And that was my biggest problem.

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[Afterword]

Hello, it’s Iko, the author.

That’s it for today!!

Thanks to all of you, we made it to #2 in the daily rom-com rankings! Thank you so much!!