The Reincarnated Villainous Noble Still Won't Try His Best!

Chapter 37 : Those Who Don’t Want To Be Loved

The dance with Lilia came to an end.

I had managed to dance in a way befitting a noble, if I do say so myself.

Lilia also had a deeply satisfied expression.

“That was wonderful, Marius-sama. You’re quite skilled at dancing as well.”

“You were beautiful, Lilia. As expected of the Third Princess.”

“What kind of compliment is that? It’s a bit odd… But I’ll gladly accept the first part, at least.”

She smiled as she said that — it was a smile I had seen countless times in the game.

It was supposed to be directed at the protagonist. Yet, here I was, the rival, being the one she showed affection toward.

I still wasn’t used to it. If anything, I felt a slight sense of guilt.

“Marius-sama? You suddenly seem a bit down… Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. I just got a little tired from the tension.”

“But the party has only just begun, right? If you’re already exhausted, you won’t last until the end. Please do your best.”

“Easier said than done… I’ve never been fond of these kinds of gatherings.”

“I heard you used to attend parties quite often, though.”

“That was in the past. Maybe it’s a reaction to that, or maybe it’s just part of growing up, but nowadays, I find noisy places exhausting.”

Of course, the real reason was that I had regained my memories of my past life.

But saying that out loud would be completely absurd — beyond absurd, really.

“So, you used to enjoy it, but now you find it overwhelming… I suppose that can happen.”

“What about you, Lilia? Do you enjoy parties? As a member of the royal family, I assume you attend quite a lot of them.”

“Well, yes. I don’t dislike them. If it’s a gathering among acquaintances, I’m happy to attend. But when it’s an obligation… I’d say I’m not particularly fond of those.”

“I see.”

“After all, they’re not very enjoyable. I spend the whole time just trying to act like a proper princess.”

“By that logic, this royal banquet must be one of those obligatory events for you. That sounds tough.”

“Oh, no, not at all! I’m really excited about today’s party! My heart is racing! I can confidently say this is the most fun I’ve ever had in my life!”

“Eh…? Why?”

“You don’t get it? You rarely attend these kinds of parties, Marius-sama. And tonight, my beloved fiancé is here, at an event that also serves as the announcement of our engagement! How could I not be thrilled?”

Lilia’s eyes sparkled like a child’s.

Well, technically, she was still a child, but right now, she seemed even younger than her actual age with how excited she was.

How could someone care about another person so much?

Someone as dull as me just couldn’t understand it.

That feeling she held—it was wrong.

It wasn’t something that should be directed at me.

One day, she would know what true love is.

And her partner in that love would be the protagonist. That had been decided from the very beginning.

So then, why was she so convinced that I was the only one meant to be her lifelong companion?

In my past life, breakups were an inevitable part of relationships.

Unlike in fiction, very few people stayed together until old age.

For every marriage, there were just as many divorces.

Because of that, I had come to believe that love was never eternal.

The feelings directed toward me were no different.

They were just fleeting emotions — something that merely appeared to be love due to various coincidental factors overlapping at the right moment.

Given time, she would come to realize it was just a misconception, that she had mistaken it for love.

I am not meant to be loved.

I must not be loved.

Because I am the rival character? Because I am the villain?

No…

It’s because, even if I am the villain, I am also a small person.

If the original Marius was a scoundrel, then the current me is just lazy.

Someone like me, with neither ambition nor a promising future, has no right to support or protect anyone. I don’t even believe I could protect someone.

Even the most average noble son out there is more respectable than I am — that’s what I truly think.

It doesn’t change.

Whether as Marius or as Shun Haiba, I have never had the right to be in love.

So please… just stop. Don’t come any closer.

Don’t shake my heart any more than you already have.

No matter how much I try, in the end, I’ll just throw everything away on a whim.

That’s the kind of person I am.

“…Even so, I can’t say I’m enjoying this.”

“Huh?”

I let go of her hand.

“I dislike the noise. Dancing is exhausting. Being liked by someone is burdensome. Expectations are heavy. That’s why I can’t enjoy this… No, I don’t want to enjoy it.”

“Marius-sama…?”

“—Just kidding. Anyway, let’s hurry to the staircase. If I remember correctly, the engagement announcement is supposed to happen after the dance, right? If we don’t move quickly, we’ll keep the other nobles waiting.”

Without waiting for a response, I started walking ahead.

“Ah… W-Wait for me, Marius-sama! I’m coming too…!”

Lilia called out after me.

If this were a proper engagement announcement, I should probably be holding her hand as we walked together.

But right now, I just wasn’t in the mood for that.

Ignoring her as she hurried after me, I made my way straight to the center of the hall, where His Majesty the King was waiting.

Damn it… I got a little too sentimental back there.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

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