Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 42: The King's Decision

Chapter 42: The King’s Decision

《Edward’s POV》

The sound of my footsteps echoed unnervingly through the halls of the royal castle. Each step felt heavier than usual.

I was walking with Raul and Gald, heading to report to my father.

I had lost the duel and was going to inform him of my disinheritance.

The weight of my own incompetence crushed me. I had lost shamefully in front of the people, and I had no intention of hiding the result.

Standing before the grand doors, I took a deep breath and knocked.

“Enter.”

My father’s deep voice echoed from within. Straightening my posture, I stepped inside.

The spacious office was quiet.

Seated at the long desk, the king showed no change in expression as I approached. The prime minister and the marshal were also present, assisting him with his duties.

“I have something to report to Your Majesty.”

The king gave a silent nod.

“Speak.”

I bowed my head and carefully chose my words as I explained everything—how I involved Clarice and the others in an attempt to condemn Cerios, how I accepted the duel, and ultimately, how I lost.

“…As a result of my defeat in the duel against Margrave Cerios von Egrid, I am prepared to accept disinheritance as per his demands.”

Once I finished, I lowered my gaze to the floor.

The king’s long silence felt like an unbearable weight pressing down on me.

♢

《Glen von Luclair’s Side》

I glared at my foolish son.

Edward’s defeat did not surprise me. However, seeing him acknowledge his mistakes and accept his disinheritance brought me a slight sense of relief.

But now that Cerios has already been disowned, if I were to cast Edward aside as well, my bloodline would end. More importantly, the queen would never allow it.

“Edward.”

I called his name quietly. When he lifted his head, his eyes were filled with frustration and determination.

“I understand that you lost the duel. I do not intend to overturn that fact. However, I also have no intention of disinheriting you.”

“W-What…?! But it was a formal duel! The other nobles witnessed it!”

Edward’s eyes widened in shock.

“Your actions were reckless. I won’t deny that. But the kingdom is already in turmoil. A conflict within the royal family that causes further division cannot be allowed. And above all, it was nothing more than a childish squabble between students. It can be dealt with.”

I rose from my seat, my voice firm and commanding as I continued.

“But—!”

“It is true that you are still inexperienced. However, instead of punishing that inexperience, I believe it should be nurtured.”

“…Father…”

Tears welled up in Edward’s eyes as he bowed his head.

“More importantly, Edward. Clarice, as your fiancée, should have been the one to stand by your side and protect you. And yet, what was she doing?”

“…That is…”

“Summon Lady Clarice here.”

At my command, the guards were sent to bring Clarice to the castle.

“By turning the crowd against you, she should have proven just how foolish your actions were.”

Edward was left speechless, simply looking up at me in silence.

After some time, Clarice arrived in response to my summons. She had already prepared herself to take responsibility for what happened after the duel.

“Enter.”

“At Your Majesty’s call, Clarice von Everett has arrived.”

“Hmm. Lady Clarice, Edward’s poor judgment in this matter may have been triggered by your testimony. In noble society, it is unheard of for a fiancée to publicly criticize her future husband.”

“T-That’s—!”

Just as Clarice tried to protest, I raised my hand, stopping her.

“I understand. I know that your actions were driven by a sense of justice. However, justice alone cannot govern a nation.”

I offered her a gentle smile.

“I understand that Edward is at fault in this matter. However, for the sake of this kingdom’s future, he must retain his right to the throne. Of course, if a male heir is born in the future, we may reconsider disinheritance. But for now, it cannot be done.”

“Then what about Lord Cerios?”

“Impossible. Once someone has been disinherited, they cannot be reinstated. I lost a son because of his failures.”

“But Lord Cerios—!”

“Enough!”

What does this girl know? She is becoming a nuisance.

“I want you to withdraw from your engagement to Edward. A formal decision will be made soon, but the Everett family will also face disinheritance.”

“Me… disinherited?!”

“Indeed. You may choose to enter a convent or live as a commoner. Consider it carefully—the decision has been made.”

Clarice clenched her teeth in frustration but turned and left without another word.

“Now then, Prime Minister Albert, I will leave the matter of your son in your hands.”

“Is that acceptable, Your Majesty?”

“If I am to protect my own child, it would be unjust not to protect yours.”

“Then, I humbly request the same consideration for my son as well. He may be a fool, but he is my only heir. Until another is born, please allow his status to remain.”

“…Very well.”

With that, the decision was made to put Raul’s disinheritance on hold as well.

“The prime minister is the cornerstone of this kingdom’s administration. It is only natural to hold you accountable for your son’s misconduct, but disinheriting Raul would have immeasurable consequences. I will grant him time for reflection. That is my decision.”

“Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful!”

I turned my gaze to Marshal Reinhardt, who stood beside Prime Minister Albert.

“And what about your son?”

However, when it came to Gald, Marshal Reinhardt showed no mercy.

“A marshal’s son losing a duel is a fatal blow to the military. The army is the backbone of this nation, and if its soldiers are allowed to suffer defeat, the kingdom itself will begin to crumble. Besides, I have three sons. Gald has always been the least capable. However, with his strength, he should be able to find his way elsewhere.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I have no objections. Someone must take responsibility. Above all, the Reinhardt family cannot tolerate a dishonorable coward who interferes in a duel. Gald will be disinherited. It is the best course of action for both him and the kingdom.”

“…I understand. My apologies.”

I bowed my head to Marshal Reinhardt.

With that, all decisions were made, and the duel’s outcome was finalized.

Edward would embark on a path of re-education. Clarice would be formally stripped of her noble status and disowned by the duke for publicly disgracing the prince.

Furthermore, since the duel was disrupted by Gald, Edward’s defeat would not be officially recognized.

As a result, the responsibility for the failure would fall solely on Gald Reinhardt, who would be disinherited.

He would have to start a new life as a commoner.

To settle the matter, the Luclair royal family, the Albert family, and the Reinhardt family would compensate Margrave Egrid with reparations for the trouble caused by their unworthy sons.

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[Afterword]

Hello, this is Iko!!!

We’ve reached 100,000 characters!

With this, we’ve met the submission requirements.

So, I’ll take a short break here, and in the next update, I’ll be posting a character introduction!

Just to let you know in advance, this story is entirely written on a whim—there’s no plot at all, lol.

So for now, I’ll leave you with a little teaser.

Volume 2 Preview!

“Since I received the compensation, I decided to buy the villainess with money.”

I hope you’ll continue to enjoy it!

And if possible, I’d love to add more sweet moments, lol.