Reincarnated as a Villainous Duke (37) Who Gets Condemned by His Daughter ～I Stopped Acting Like a Villain, Yet My Daughter Keeps Becoming the 'Ice Lady'～ - Chapter 09: The Crown Prince's Inauguration – Part 1

Chapter 09: The Crown Prince’s Inauguration – Part 1

There were still a few days before the “Presentation Ceremony” at the royal castle. Until then, we would be staying at the ducal mansion in the royal capital. Since I brought servants from our main estate, everything was running smoothly. Forsina, experiencing this for the first time, seemed to be enjoying herself. I made sure to take her sightseeing around the capital and, of course, subtly worked on raising her affection level.

Before I knew it, the day of the “Crown Prince’s Inauguration” had arrived.

This was the moment when the storyline of the original game, “Orlea Old Stories”, officially began. Though, in the game, things really kicked off only after the royal capital was invaded and conquered by the demon army.

As a duke, I wasn’t particularly nervous about going to the royal castle. Still, I felt a strange mix of excitement and tension while sitting in the carriage. Seeing an old game screen wouldn’t usually move me much, but experiencing it in real life was a different story. Plus, I was inhabiting the role of a mid-level boss, after all.

The royal castle was the familiar medieval fantasy style. Looking at it now, I could see that it matched the one from the game almost perfectly. Though, of course, the real thing was far more detailed and grand.

As Forsina and I stepped out of the carriage in front of the entrance, attendants guided us into the reception hall. The knights and servants waited outside, instructed to stay alert. After all, if things followed the game’s storyline, an “event” was about to begin.

Inside the reception hall, many nobles were already gathered, chatting amongst themselves. As soon as I entered, members of the Blaumont Duchy faction came to greet me—two marquises and six counts. Nobles ranked below viscount were not invited to this event.

I exchanged a few polite greetings with them. They all complimented Forsina’s beauty, and it was clear their praise wasn’t just empty flattery. Many of them had daughters of similar age with them, but, to be honest, none could compare to Forsina. It wasn’t that the other girls lacked charm; it was simply that Forsina was the main heroine of the game, a character crafted with the love of her creator.

As I finished my round of greetings, someone else approached us. It was an elderly man, dressed in an exquisite noble outfit that immediately marked him as a high-ranking noble.

He had slicked-back hair, mostly black with streaks of white, a prominent hooked nose, and a noticeable mole beside it. His eyes gleamed with a cunning, almost sinister sharpness. Though not quite as tall as me, his build was surprisingly robust for his age.

He looked like a villain through and through, yet in the game, no matter which route you took, he always cooperated with the protagonist until the end. The internet was full of comments like, “How is there no route where this guy betrays you?!”

I gave a respectful bow to the old man.

“Oh, Duke Gentronov. It has been a while. I’m glad to see you are still in good health.”

“Hohoho, and it is good to see you well, Duke Blaumont. I hear you are managing your lands even better than your predecessor. A most commendable thing, indeed.”

“Thank you. I’m amazed by your tireless efforts for the kingdom. Your dedication is truly inspiring.”

“Hoho, well, we Three Great Dukes are the pillars of this nation. It’s not enough to just oversee our own lands. You’ll understand this more as time goes on, Duke Blaumont.”

“I hope to. By the way, Duke Gentronov, did you bring your granddaughter with you today?”

“Yes, she’s the same age as the crown prince who is being inaugurated today. If I remember correctly, your daughter is as well, isn’t she? Now, Marianlotte, come here and greet Duke Blaumont. He is one of the Three Great Dukes.”

A girl stepped out from behind Duke Gentronov.

She was a beautiful girl with long golden hair styled into twin side buns and gentle purple eyes. Like Forsina, she was 14 years old, though her figure was a bit more developed.

This was Marianlotte, a girl whose beauty was leagues beyond the average noble daughter. As expected, she was one of the main heroines of the original game “Orlea Old Stories”—a classic heroine type who specialized in healing magic.

She gracefully stepped forward and bowed.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Duke Blaumont. I am Marianlotte Gentronov. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”

“I am Mark Stewart Blaumont. Your grandfather has been of great help to me. I hope we will get along well. Forsina, greet Duke Gentronov.”

At my cue, Forsina stepped forward and elegantly bowed to Duke Gentronov.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Duke Gentronov and Lady Marianlotte. My name is Forsina Blaumont. I have often heard of your distinguished reputation from my father. Please, let us be acquainted.”

Seeing Forsina’s refined greeting, Duke Gentronov’s eyes widened slightly. Well, anyone would be surprised to see a girl who could rival his prized granddaughter in beauty.

If things were following the game’s setting, Duke Gentronov intended to have Marianlotte marry the protagonist, Prince Roax. Naturally, that made Forsina a potential rival. It was no wonder Duke Gentronov was paying such close attention. Judging from his reaction, he was clearly wary of Forsina—just as expected.

I wished I could tell him I had no such plans, but he probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.

“Hm, Duke Blaumont, your daughter is truly impressive. It seems she’ll be quite the match for Marianlotte.”

I didn’t want this to turn into a competition, but when I glanced at Forsina and Marianlotte, they were both sneaking glances at each other, clearly aware of one another. In the game, there were scenes where they got along well, but I wondered how things would play out in real life.

This was amusing in its own way—as if I were seeing the behind-the-scenes interactions of the game. As a player, I would have been controlling Prince Roax at this point, but in the game, this scene wasn’t accessible.

After a while of small talk with Duke Gentronov, an attendant approached us.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the preparations for the ‘Crown Prince’s Inauguration’ are complete. Please follow me to the venue.”

It seemed things were finally about to begin. The opening event of “Orlea Old Stories”—which also served as the game’s tutorial—was about to unfold.