Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 37: Facing the Three Fools

Chapter 37: Facing the Three Fools

“Well, well, Prince Edward von Luclair. We haven’t had much interaction at the academy, have we? What brings you here today? And gathering such a large crowd—it feels like an event is about to start.”

I kept my tone polite as I knelt on one knee, placing my fist in front of my head in a gesture of respect.

“Don’t feign ignorance. You know perfectly well why you’ve been summoned here.”

“Do I? I haven’t done anything, as far as I’m aware.”

I stood slowly, tilting my head as if genuinely confused.

“Your words are meaningless. Cerios von Egrid, today, we will deliver judgment upon you.”

Edward’s voice rang out, cold and commanding. The gazes of the gathered nobles grew even sharper, their scrutiny like a blade.

“Judgment? And on what grounds?”

I deliberately maintained a calm demeanor, questioning him with an even tone. But Edward’s gaze didn’t waver. His words, though quiet, carried a heavy weight.

“First, we address the failures you’ve committed as a lord. Your policies of heavy taxation, the ruthless treatment of your people, and your negligence in allowing bandits to run rampant—leading to the deaths of countless citizens of the kingdom. And lastly, using your wealth to rescue Lady Liese from her suffering, only to exploit her gratitude by working her to the point of collapsing.”

Every accusation Edward listed was undeniably tied to the mistakes I had made in the past.

“If someone like you continues to act as they please in the frontier, it will disrupt the entire kingdom’s order. As a member of the royal family, I cannot allow that.”

A member of the royal family, huh? The moment Liese’s name was mentioned, I clenched my fists tightly.

“Let me correct one thing, Your Highness. She didn’t push herself because of my orders. It was her own decision to work hard. Don’t twist the facts.”

As Prince Edward faltered and stepped back, Raul stepped forward with a cold smirk.

“Twist the facts, you say?! The fact remains that she collapsed with a fever, doesn’t it?!”

“The son of the oh-so-clever Prime Minister can’t even grasp this? Her hard work was her own choice. Don’t misunderstand it as something I ordered or demanded for my sake! That’s what I meant.”

“Of course, her effort was genuine! But you bought her with money! Can you honestly say she had the freedom to choose for herself?”

A murmur rippled through the gathered nobles at Raul’s pointed words.

“What you think doesn’t matter to me. Our relationship is one of master and servant, and it’s none of your business.”

“Master and servant? You use those words to justify controlling someone’s life?”

Raul’s mocking tone stirred something in my chest, an uneasy frustration bubbling within me. Noticing my reaction, Gald stepped forward, seizing the moment.

“Cerios, you’re just using her hard work to prop up your position. If you truly wanted to save her, you should have stopped her before she collapsed. More importantly, you should have given her freedom—not as your servant, but as a fellow student.”

Those words cut deep, striking right at the heart of my doubts. Images of Liese collapsing flashed through my mind.

(Freedom as a student, not as a servant. If I did that, our relationship as master and servant would cease to exist entirely.)

But I wasn’t about to back down here. I met their gazes head-on.

“She chose to stand by my side of her own free will. That’s something people like you, who wrap yourselves in superficial goodwill and feel satisfied, could never understand.”

At my words, Gald’s expression hardened, and Raul let out a quiet, mocking laugh.

“No matter what you say, it doesn’t change anything.”

Edward’s voice cut coldly through the tension.

“Your actions placed a burden on Lady Liese. That is the only truth.”

“And we’re here to protect her from you.”

“She is a valuable citizen of the kingdom, while you are nothing but a disgraceful outlier—an incompetent noble responsible for misrule!”

(…I see. I thought this felt familiar. This is like one of those judgment events in a reverse harem route, where the heroine’s relationships with multiple men lead to conflict. But this is an academy where we’re supposed to spend three years together, and Liese hasn’t been tied to anyone romantically. So why is this happening?)

From their words and attitudes so far, I finally realized the truth: they weren’t here for Liese—they were here to bring me down, using her as an excuse.

“I doubt you’re truly acting for her sake.”

My sarcastic remark made Edward’s brow furrow slightly.

“Cerios, stop trying to justify yourself. Your mistakes won’t disappear, and you must take responsibility for them.”

Edward’s final words sounded like a declaration of my guilt, as if the judgment had already been decided.

(How do I get out of this?)

Feigning composure, I searched for my next move. 

What were they planning? How much freedom of action did I have here? One thing was clear—they had already prepared extensively to corner me.

But I had come here determined not to let this so-called “judgement” play out the way they intended.

“Responsibility? Then let me ask you, Prince Edward. You say you’re here to condemn me. But how does a prince, who hasn’t even been appointed crown prince yet, plan to hold me, a Margrave with noble status, accountable? If anyone could question my actions, it would be the Everett family, whose lands neighbor mine and who have supported me in many ways. But here and now, there is no one with the authority to condemn me!”

In the original otome game, Cerios was far more reckless, continuing his misdeeds even after entering the academy.

His actions were so outrageous that the king himself would eventually hand down judgment.

But the current me has reformed my territory, corrected the misrule of the past, and even eliminated the bandits.

Now, I focus quietly on my studies at the academy.

If there was ever a reason to be judged, I’ve already taken steps to address it, starting with the moment I purchased Liese with money.

“So, this is how you immediately resort to using your authority as a shield. Lady Clarice.”

At Edward’s call, Clarice emerged from the crowd, along with two other noblewomen.

“Yes, Your Highness? You summoned me?”

“Indeed, Lady Clarice von Everett. Lady Astarcia Duran. Lady Mireille Grantz.”

“Cerios! These women are not only our fiancées but also include a member of the Everett family, whom you claimed to rely upon. They will now expose your wrongdoings. This is the end for you.”

Edward’s smug expression as he looked down at me was almost infuriating.

The three noblewomen, poised and composed, stood silently with their eyes closed, awaiting Edward’s signal to speak.

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[Afterword]

Hello, it’s Iko!

The story is reaching its climax, but that’s all for today.

Merry Christmas!!! I’ll go to sleep dreaming of bookmarks and star ratings as presents from you all!!!

Goodnight! (๑>◡<๑)