Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 55: Questioning Clarice’s Fate

Chapter 55: Questioning Clarice’s Fate

This world was originally an otome game centered around Liese as the protagonist.

After losing her mother to illness, Liese became an orphan, worked hard to educate herself, and eventually earned a scholarship to enroll in the royal academy—where she was meant to fall in love with various male love interests.

And then there was Cerios—the very reason her mother had died.

In the original otome game, Cerios was a corrupt noble who imposed heavy taxes, indirectly leading to Liese’s suffering. His arrogant attitude and overbearing personality made him despised by the other characters, and in the end, he was condemned and eliminated after becoming Liese’s enemy.

On top of that, every route had its own rival character.

Clarice, Prince Edward’s fiancée, played the role of villainess, standing in direct opposition to Liese.

Whenever Liese grew closer to Edward, Clarice would confront her, creating a classic conflict.

“Didn’t you learn that a lady should not casually speak with another woman’s fiancé?”

As the otome game heroine, Liese was naturally drawn to male characters, unknowingly closing the distance between them.

For three years, this conflict continued—until Edward, seeking an excuse to be rid of Clarice, accused her of bullying Liese and declared her unfit to be a noble, condemning her as the villainess.

“I changed the story when I saved Liese… and yet, Clarice still ended up being condemned. Is this the world’s way of forcing the original plot back on track?”

How could I stop this force of fate that had fallen upon Clarice?

I thought about Duke Everett. I had heard of him both in the royal capital and within my own territory, but I had never had much direct interaction with him.

The reason for that was obvious—Duke Everett’s household was unique within the kingdom.

Despite holding power second only to the royal family, they never openly flaunted their influence. Instead, they worked behind the scenes, maneuvering in ways that allowed them to gain substantial advantages without making their presence too obvious.

The Egrid family, for example, was officially under their guidance—but in reality, we were being stripped of our tax revenue.

And yet, Duke Everett was also the epitome of what it meant to be a noble.

Just observing Clarice at the academy made that clear. She carried herself with grace, always maintaining discipline as a true aristocrat should.

If her father, the duke, shared that same sense of nobility, then he would naturally value authority above all else.

“Lord Cerios, here is a detailed report on House Everett.”

I took the report Arnaud handed me and began scanning through its contents.

The document detailed Duke Everett’s activities and the numerous ventures his household had been involved in over the years.

The first thing that stood out was that House Everett prioritized personal gain over noble duty.

While their internal taxation system appeared normal, they imposed heavy tariffs on imported and exported goods from other territories—redirecting the profits entirely to their own lands.

This strategy allowed them to maintain an advantage over other noble families, always staying one step ahead.

Duke Everett also held significant influence within the Legislative Council, the governing body responsible for drafting key laws in the kingdom.

That influence stemmed from one simple fact—most nobles were indebted to him.

The Everett territory, vast and rich in resources, didn’t demand much in return for its loans. However, when it came time to wield their authority, no one dared to oppose them.

“…I see now.”

I muttered as I read through the report.

Everett’s power didn’t come from brute strength—it came from control.

They didn’t openly flaunt their authority but instead manipulated others from the shadows.

On the surface, they carried themselves as a prestigious ducal house. But beneath that refined image, they used financial power and taxation as weapons to bend others to their will.

Take the merchants operating within Everett’s territory, for example. They displayed an unnatural level of loyalty toward the ducal house.

The reason was obvious—stories of what happened to those who defied Everett were still whispered among them.

I set the report down on the desk and leaned back into my chair, deep in thought.

“That’s all of Emma’s intel. Now… how do I rescue Clarice?”

I recalled the way she carried herself at the academy.

Unlike her father, she possessed a strong sense of integrity.

Even as Edward’s fiancée, she upheld her position with dignity while staying true to her own beliefs.

But perhaps it was that very integrity that had put her in danger.

With her engagement to Edward annulled, Duke Everett’s carefully laid plans had been thrown into chaos.

“…He’s using his own daughter as a disposable pawn?”

A sharp frustration welled up inside me.

Everett’s ambition was clear—he sought to control the royal family from behind the scenes.

To him, the monarchy wasn’t something to serve or respect—it was merely a tool to be manipulated.

Securing Clarice’s marriage to Edward had been a critical step in that plan.

If she had become queen, the Everett family’s influence would have reached unprecedented levels.

But with the engagement broken, that ambition had been crushed.

“Even so, he’s already planning his next move.”

People like Duke Everett don’t give up after a single failure.

He would have already set new plans in motion. The key now was to figure out what they were before it was too late.

“Everett… what a troublesome opponent.”

But at the same time, this situation could be turned to my advantage.

If I could use his ambitions against him, I might be able to find a way to rescue Clarice.

Closing the report, I turned to Arnaud.

“Arnaud, I’m heading to House Everett. Instead of going in blind, I now have an idea of what Duke Everett truly wants. I might be able to use that to my advantage.”

“Understood.”

Arnaud gave a slight bow before exiting the room.

I leaned back into my chair, closing my eyes for a moment.

(Unraveling the true intentions of House Everett while protecting Clarice… It won’t be easy, but there’s no other choice.)

As I silently reaffirmed my determination, I began formulating my next move.

“May I?”

“What is it, Faina?”

“Lord Cerios… are you prepared to take Lady Clarice as your wife?”

“…What?”

I froze, completely caught off guard by her words.

“In this situation, Lady Clarice has been disowned and imprisoned because she acted for your sake. Even if you rescue her, what will happen to her afterward?”

Faina’s question was a logical one.

I was trying to save Clarice, but not with the intent of marrying her—only to repay my debt to her.

But what exactly did she expect from that debt?

What did Clarice truly want?

“To be honest, Lady Clarice asked me to keep this to myself… but she was truly happy to see how much you’ve grown, Lord Cerios. She only wished… that it had happened sooner.”

Sooner?

What did she mean?

Was she implying that things would have been different if I had been royalty?

But I had no way of knowing what the original Cerios was like before I reincarnated into this body.

“…Do you think Clarice wants me to marry her?”

“Yes! I believe Lady Clarice wants to be by your side, Lord Cerios. However… if you do not intend to marry her, then I also believe she would rather not be saved at all.”

Faina’s words forced me to confront my own feelings.

If I saved her, I had to decide—was it simply out of obligation, or was it something more?

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[Afterword]

Hello, this is Iko, the author!

That’s all for today!

If you’d like to give me a New Year’s gift, drop a ⭐️! LOL

Looking forward to it! LOL