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~

“Welcome, Haru-sama. We’ve been expecting you.”

When I arrived at the Chevalier townhouse, Sandra greeted me at the entrance.

But… was my fiancée actually an angel? No, wait, maybe a goddess.

I mean, seriously. She was wearing a silver-white dress so radiant it was almost blinding. I could barely even look straight at her.

How was someone this breathtaking not a heroine of EnHaza?

I guess that was for the best. It meant she never got touched by that scumbag Wilfred, and instead ended up as my fiancée.

“Thank you for inviting me today. I’ve been looking forward to this with all my heart.”

“Oh, my…”

…Yeah, that was a total lie.

While I was thrilled to see my beautiful and beloved fiancee, just the thought of facing the Duke Chevalier has had my stomach in knots for the last ten days.

Still, if it meant I got to see Sandra smiling at me like that, cheeks faintly red with joy, I’d tell a thousand little lies like that one, no problem.

“Come now, Father and Mother are waiting for us inside. This way, please…”

“Ah, w-wait, before that!”

I took out the sapphire ring I’d prepared.

“Um… th-this is, well… y-you and I are engaged, and since you’re my fiancée, I thought, um, that… well…”

Oh come on, brain!

The speech I’d practiced so hard for this moment was completely gone. I was such a loser.

“U-uhm! I’d like you to wear this ring!”

I blurted it out, skipping everything I’d planned.

Well… that was what I wanted to say anyway, so I guess it was fine…

No, it totally wasn’t fine. I completely ruined the atmosphere!

But…

“For… for me…?”

Sandra’s face turned crimson to the tips of her ears.

I nodded vigorously. At least my feelings got through…

I swallowed hard and took her left hand.

“Ah…”

Then gently slipped the ring onto her slender ring finger… wait, ring finger!?

“W-wah!?”

“Haru-sama… I’m so happy… truly, I’m so happy…”

Sandra threw herself into my arms, burying her face against my chest. Her shoulders trembled a little, suggesting that she was crying.

“I-I’m glad that you like it.”

“Of course I do. I couldn’t be happier.”

When she lifted her face to look at me, her sapphire eyes were brimming with tears, sparkling so beautifully that I thought I might drown in them…

“Ahem!”

“Huh!?”

…And just like that, Cedric interrupted us, ruining the moment.

◇

“…You could have just waited inside like a normal person.”

“You two were taking so long that I came to check.”

As we walked down the corridor, Sandra gave him the iciest glare imaginable, while Cedric awkwardly looked away.

Don’t even try to fool me, man. I’d seen that smug little grin when he’d interrupted us. He’d totally done that on purpose.

“Come along now. Father and Mother have been looking forward to this.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Finally, we arrived before the room where the Duke and Duchess awaited.

I straightened my back, trying to look composed, but my throat was dry as sand and I was sweating like crazy.

“Haru-sama, there’s no need to worry. My father… well, let’s leave him aside for now, but my mother truly has been looking forward to meeting you.”

I knew she meant that to reassure me, but this information was actually putting me under pressure. What if she was disappointed when she saw me?

And then…

“Oh my! Welcome, Prince Harold! I’m Norma, such a pleasure to meet you.”

“Ah… I’m H-Harold! I’m honored to be invited today, uh, I mean, to your home!”

Sandra’s mother greeted me with a beaming smile… But when I introduced myself to her, my voice inadvertently raised and I stumbled, making for a terrible first impression. What a pain.

“Oh, please don’t be so nervous. Now, this way, if you would.”

“Y-yes, thank you.”

I followed Lady Norma and took my seat.

“…”

…And there he was.

Duke Chevalier himself, arms crossed, was glaring straight at me with the most intimidating scowl I’d ever seen.

To make matters worse, Cedric had taken a seat beside him, both of them staring daggers at me like a two-man firing squad. Stop. Looking. At me.

“Father, Brother, why are you giving my Haru-sama those looks?”

“Huh!?”

The instant Sandra smiled sweetly and spoke in that chillingly polite tone, the color drained from both their faces.

It seemed these two couldn’t stand up to Sandra. As expected, my fiancée was the strongest in the Chevalier family.

“Now, now, dear, once you have children with Prince Harold, you’ll understand. So don’t make such a scary face.”