Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money

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Chapter 65: A Silent Scheme in Motion

《??? Side》

A cold, heavy silence filled the dimly lit room.

The flickering glow of a candelabrum cast long shadows across the broad table, illuminating the hardened expression of the man seated at its head. His voice was low and sharp as he addressed his subordinates.

“The first unit… was wiped out?”

“Yes, sir!”

“All they had to do was kidnap or assassinate Liese, the margrave’s servant! It was supposed to be a simple mission! And yet… a complete annihilation!? Who the hell got in their way!?”

The anger from receiving the report had yet to subside.

The first unit had been comprised of elite fighters—highly skilled men who shouldn’t have failed such a basic task.

And yet, they had been eradicated.

The implications were troubling.

Had the Margrave secretly deployed someone strong enough to take down his best operatives? There had been no reports of the margrave making any significant moves.

His private knight order should have still been stationed with him.

(Then who…?)

“Fine. It doesn’t matter who interfered. We won’t be backing down.”

Narrowing his eyes, he calmly interlocked his fingers, his subordinates listening with tense expressions.

“Deploy the second unit. Liese is still hiding within the duke’s territory. The moment you find her—eliminate her immediately. The longer we delay, the tighter the enemy’s net will become. Move swiftly.”

“Understood!”

With that, his men responded in unison before swiftly exiting the room.

♢

The next day, the second unit of assassins moved toward the duke’s territory.

Sticking to the shadows, they advanced through the forest in silence, systematically searching abandoned ruins and civilian homes where their target might be hiding.

They were highly disciplined and utterly ruthless—failure was not an option.

“If the intel is correct, we should reach the heart of the duke’s territory soon.”

Their leader spoke in a hushed, commanding tone. Under his orders, the unit split up and began sweeping through the area.

However, the deeper they ventured into the forest, the more unsettling the atmosphere became.

“…It’s too quiet.”

The wind, the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds—sounds that should have been there were completely absent.

Sensing danger, the assassins immediately went on high alert.

“Wait… Someone’s coming!”

The moment their leader gave the warning, soldiers from the duke’s forces emerged from the dense undergrowth, surrounding them.

“It’s an ambush! We’re completely surrounded!”

Before the assassins could react, a volley of arrows rained down upon them.

“Damn it…! It was a trap!”

The leader cursed as his men scattered, trying to fight back—but they were hopelessly outnumbered.

“Secure an escape route! We’re pulling back!”

He ordered a retreat, but the duke’s forces had already anticipated this.

“Don’t take them alive—kill them all!“

The soldiers’ orders were merciless, cutting off every possible escape. One by one, the assassins were cornered and struck down.

“Urgh… Is this… the end…?”

Fighting alone until the bitter end, the leader barely managed to hold his ground.

But in the next instant, a spear pierced through his chest.

His body crumpled to the ground—motionless.

♢

《Duke Everett’s Side》

A report detailing the latest incident arrived at my office.

“…So, they’ve made their move again. How foolish. Once wasn’t enough for them—they dare mock me twice?”

“They must believe they can take us lightly.”

My aide, André, remarked, standing before me.

I let out a quiet murmur as I skimmed through the documents in my hands.

“André, has Kiru’s so-called ‘suspicious unit’ been eliminated?”

“Yes, sir! The fools who attempted to infiltrate our territory have been dealt with. We’ve also reinforced our defenses to prevent any further incursions.”

Satisfied with his report, I nodded in approval.

“Good. This time, the enemy wasn’t just a simple group of assassins. They must have anticipated our response and planned their attack accordingly. However, that only means we were able to turn the tables on them.”

It was becoming clear.

Perhaps it was finally time to take action.

“What shall we do next, sir?”

That boy will be coming soon.

He should have accepted his fate, let himself be devoured quietly. Yet, he keeps resisting—like a foolish, stubborn child.

But then again, if he didn’t, this wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining.

“Find out who’s pulling the strings behind them. This matter must not be made public, but behind the scenes? I want everything stripped from them. Follow their tracks back to their den—take everything of value they have!”

“Understood!”

André responded with his usual composed efficiency.

“Also… keep an eye on Cerios von Egrid. That boy isn’t just some frontier lord. There are fools who are beginning to expect things from him.”

“As you command, sir.”

As André bowed and exited the room, I turned my gaze toward the window.

Reflected in the glass was my own face—stern and calculating as a duke, yet undeniably marked by the passage of time.

“…Clarice, let’s see for ourselves—just what kind of man you’ve chosen.”

The quiet murmur of my voice echoed softly through the empty room.

Bathed in the moonlight, I took a slow sip of wine.

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[Afterword]

Hello, this is Iko, the author!