Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 32: The Start of a Suspicious Investigation

Chapter 32: The Start of a Suspicious Investigation

《Edward’s Side》

When I saw Liese run to Cerios, a bitter sense of discomfort spread through my chest.

Normally, she was kind to everyone, maintaining a respectful and polite demeanor, even toward me, the prince. Though she kept a certain distance, her behavior was always filled with an air of admiration.

Most noblewomen tried to flatter me, hoping to catch my favor, while commoner women kept their distance, intimidated by my status as a prince.

But Liese was different. She never resorted to flattery like the noblewomen, nor did she shrink back in fear like the commoners. She spoke to me naturally, with a quiet confidence.

I found those moments of conversation with her to be a rare and pleasant reprieve.

However, the moment Cerios was involved, her demeanor shifted. She faced me with an unwavering determination, her words carrying a weight of honesty that felt undeniable.

And yet, why?

Why does the contradiction between Liese’s actions and my distrust of Cerios linger so persistently in my mind?

“Your Highness, what do you intend to do?”

Beside me, Raul spoke in a low, frosty tone. His sharp silver eyes seemed to be replaying the events from earlier. With a faint sigh, he betrayed his own irritation, barely able to hide it.

It seemed Raul, much like myself, shared a similar struggle. He, too, had found joy in his conversations with Liese.

“Honestly, it’s puzzling. Liese defending him might just be because of their master-servant relationship, but is that truly her will? The sudden change in her attitude toward us feels unnatural.”

Raul nodded in agreement, his expression serious.

Earlier, Liese’s resolute stance had been undeniably admirable—graceful and worthy of respect.

But the extent of her loyalty to Cerios didn’t sit well with me. Why was it Cerios of all people?

“I can’t stand that guy.”

Gald muttered, crossing his arms with a frustrated scowl.

As the Marshal’s son, someone who prided himself on strength, Gald had likely found Liese to be an ideal sparring partner, both challenging and respectable. But Cerios, with his manipulative and underhanded ways, was someone Gald clearly despised.

“It’s weird, isn’t it? A strong woman like Miss Liese bowing to someone like him? There’s gotta be something shady going on.”

“I agree. I wonder if Cerios is using his wealth or holding her family hostage? It almost seems like he’s blackmailing her.”

Raul’s suggestion made me furrow my brow slightly.

“Blackmail…?”

It was plausible, I had to admit. But when I recalled Liese’s clear, unwavering gaze, I struggled to believe she was lying.

Even so, I couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that she might be under some kind of influence from Cerios. Something about this situation felt off, and I couldn’t shake the feeling.

“Think about our position here,” Gald continued, his frustration evident in his voice.

“It’s bad enough that he’s treating Miss Liese however he wants. But if we intervene and it causes trouble later, what then? What if we’re the ones who end up looking bad?”

“That’s true…”

I bit my lip, unable to deny it.

I didn’t know exactly what Cerios was doing with Liese, but the fact remained that he had called her away right in front of us. And she had gone to him without hesitation.

“Your Highness, what do you plan to do?”

Raul asked again, his calm, rational gaze fixed on me, waiting for my decision.

From his tone, it was clear that he was willing to help if I decided to take action against Cerios.

“…It’s only natural to be concerned about Liese’s well-being. If Cerios is involving her in something suspicious, we can’t just ignore it.”

Raul gave a small nod at my words.

“Agreed. That stance is fitting for a prince. However, directly confronting Cerios might not be the best approach. We’ll need evidence—something we can use to back our claims.”

“Evidence, huh…”

“Exactly. For instance, if we can catch him in the act of threatening her—”

“Do we really need to take such a roundabout approach?”

Gald cut Raul off, his tone sharp with impatience.

“Why not just confront him directly? Like, ‘Hey, Cerios, what the hell are you up to?’ And if he tries to weasel out of it, we’ll deal with him ourselves.”

Raul let out a deep sigh, clearly exasperated by Gald’s impulsive suggestion.

“That hotheaded attitude of yours is precisely the problem. Cerios is a noble, just like us. This isn’t a situation you can solve with brute force.”

“Then what do you suggest we do!?”

“…First, we need to understand the true nature of the relationship between Cerios and Miss Liese. Is she staying by his side of her own free will, or is there something else at play? That’s what we need to confirm before taking any action.”

Raul’s reasoning was sound. Before making any moves, we had to thoroughly investigate their connection.

“…I agree.”

I nodded. To truly understand Liese’s intentions, we needed to uncover Cerios’s motives and behavior.

“But we must approach this carefully. Instead of directly accusing him, we’ll gather information first. We need to know how Liese really feels about him.”

“Fine, I’ll go along with this plan. But just know, I’d much rather punch that guy square in the face.”

Gald grumbled in clear dissatisfaction but ultimately accepted our approach.

“Alright then, let’s start gathering information.”

Raul’s words solidified our shared objective.

We would uncover what Cerios was planning and the truth behind his actions. With that goal in mind, we resolved to take our next steps.

Between the three of us, our perspectives and emotions were deeply entangled.

Did Liese genuinely admire Cerios? Or was she being manipulated by something unseen? We still didn’t have the answer.

But there was one thing we were certain of.

“If he ever does something to make her cry… we will act.”

And when that time comes, Cerios, you will answer to us.