The Talentless Wicked Prince Wants To Survive ~ The Only Way For Me, Reincarnated As The Punching Bag Third Prince In A Romance Smartphone RPG, To Live Is To Not Break Off My Engagement With The Duke’s Yandere Daughter Who’s Stronger Than The Heroine~ - Chapter 64: There were indeed people who saw me for who I was

“Hmph… that scum only gets fired up at times like this. Well, he’s just a petty small-timer after all.”

Glaring at Wilfred, who was dancing with Christia in the center of the hall, Sandra spat out those words.

Her evaluation of Wilfred was so harsh it made me think he might have killed her parents or something, not that I’d ever feel sympathy for him.

“Sandra, please stop looking at that guy.”

“Huh!? T-that’s not it! The one I’m always looking at is you!”

When I pretended to sulk a little, Sandra hurriedly gave her explanation.

What’s this? Even her flustered look was super cute.

“Ahaha, I’m just joking.”

“Ah… g-goodness. How cruel.”

“S-sorry!”

This time, she was the one who puffed her cheeks and turned her face away, reversing our roles.

Yeah, overdoing it really wasn’t good…

“Fufu, that’s payback.”

She turned back toward me, stuck out her tongue just a bit, and smiled mischievously.

Yikes. My beloved fiancée was too cute.

“…Looks like the first dance is over.”

“Then it’s our turn next.”

“Yes!”

Taking her hand, I headed with her to the center of the hall.

Others too were joining the dance circle with their partners… but…

“Huh…?”

Lorenzo and Carla also joined the dance.

But her expression looked troubled, even reluctant.

“Huh!?”

“…Haru-sama. Please refrain from letting your eyes wander to another woman while dancing.”

“Ah, ahaha…”

Sandra, pouting, lightly pinched my back, and I gave a wry smile.

Yeah, I’d better focus properly on dancing with her.

To the rhythm of the music, Sandra and I stepped lightly.

My dancing still hadn’t improved at all, but thanks to her leading, I hoped it at least looked decent.

At that moment…

Thud.

“Oh my, pardon me.”

The ones who bumped into us were, of all people, Lorenzo and Carla.

Unlike Lorenzo, who offered a cool-toned apology, Carla looked genuinely sorry.

“No, please don’t worry about it.”

Bumping into someone while dancing wasn’t unusual, so there was no need to mind it.

Besides, since I was bad at dancing, I didn’t have the composure to think about anyone else.

So I turned back to Sandra and focused on the dance once again… but…

“Earlier, I was terribly rude.”

Right after the dance ended, Lorenzo came up to talk to me. What a pain.

“Really, I don’t mind at all, so please enjoy the party…”

“That won’t do. I have offended His Highness Harold, the Third Prince. Such a thing cannot possibly be overlooked.”

Ugh… persistent, wasn’t he. I seriously didn’t want to get involved with the mastermind of Christia’s scenario.

Then…

“Y-Your Eminence Salvatori! We must be going! I cannot stay away from the Saint’s side any longer.”

“H-hey now…”

Perhaps trying to be considerate, Carla took Lorenzo’s arm and tried to lead him away. Honestly, that helped me a lot.

In this case, I’d ride the momentum all the way.

“That’s all the more reason we shouldn’t detain you. We’ll take our leave here.”

“Excuse us.”

Sandra and I bowed, and quickly left the spot.

“Haah… that was troublesome.”

“Yes. But that lady… Lady Carla, was it? I’ve come to think a little better of her.”

As I sighed and sought agreement, Sandra nodded and softened her expression.

Maybe it was good that her impression of Carla had improved after all.

“I shall take my leave here. Everyone else, please enjoy yourselves to the fullest.”

After that, the party went on without incident, and King Eival, in high spirits, left the venue a bit early.

For the first day at least, it was passable. Not that I actually did anything.

Or so I thought.

“Your Highness Harold, thank you for your hard work today!”

“Thanks to you, everything went smoothly! We’re grateful!”

“Ah…”

The clerks and servants who had managed the party came all the way to me while smiling, offering words of appreciation and thanks.

B-but really, I didn’t do anything at all…!

“Fufu… there are those who truly understand. They know how much care you, Haru-sama, have put into welcoming the delegation from the Holy Kingdom.”

“Ah, ahaha…”

Before regaining my past life’s memories, I, Harold, had just wanted my mother to acknowledge me, never caring about those around me, only ever gauging Cardis’s mood.

But after my memories as Tachibana Haru had returned, after I’d learned of the worst possible future, met the woman I’d loved in my previous life, and saw all her different expressions… I’d been able to change this much…

“Haru-sama…”

“Y-yeah…”

Even though she had just wiped away the tears running down my cheeks, Sandra’s face shone with such joy that I couldn’t stop crying once again.

Truly… my beloved fiancée was the best.