I Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble, Nothing More Than the Hero’s Foil: Since the Hero Can Only Bring Misery to My Favorite Heroine, I’ll Use My Game Knowledge and Over-the-Top Effort to Rewrite the Scenario and Make Her Happy. - Chapter 18

[Elise’s POV]

Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the air, and the carriage toppled over.

The horses neighed in agony as a massive jolt of pain and shock coursed through me.

“Kyahhh! W-what’s happening!?”

If it hadn’t been for the protective magic on the carriage, I would have been seriously injured.

Desperate to understand what was going on, I crawled out of the overturned carriage.

“Hyah-ha-ha! Elise! How dare you reject my proposal!? I, the great Gordon, deigned to love you, and you had the audacity to turn me down!?”

Standing before me was an enraged young noble, surrounded by a large group of rough-looking men.

“Gordon!? Was that explosion your doing!?”

Gordon was the eldest son of Count Orchival, a neighboring lord.

He had once proposed to me, saying, ‘Elise, you are so beautiful!’ but since he wasn’t my type, I turned him down immediately.

Now, here he was, accompanied by what looked like nearly a hundred thugs, surrounding me menacingly.

“That’s right! You think you can reject me, the magical prodigy!? Just because you’re a little cute, you think you’re all that? Well, I hired these bandits to teach you a lesson! How do you like me now, huh!? Understand my greatness yet!?”

“Gordon, are you insane!? My father won’t stand for this! You’ll start a war with the Schwarz family!”

“Ha! A war? I don’t think so. There won’t be any witnesses left. I’ll sell you off to a slave trader, and no one will ever know!”

H-he’s serious?

I felt a chill run down my spine as I stared into Gordon’s bloodshot eyes.

“Elise, run! Gyaaah!”

The guards and coachmen were overwhelmed by Gordon’s thugs, beaten mercilessly.

I never thought anyone would dare attack the daughter of the Schwarz family in our own territory.

“Hyah-ha-ha-ha! This is amazing! Nothing beats holding the life of a woman who dared reject me in my hands!”

Gordon tilted his head back, laughing maniacally.

“Gordon! We’ve got another prize here!”

“Hyah! Can I have some fun with this one?”

“Wait… isn’t this the exiled fake saint, Selvia? What’s someone like her doing in a fancy dress?”

As Selvia crawled out of the carriage, Gordon’s group turned their leering gazes toward her.

“Stop it! This girl is my brother’s fiancée!”

“Elise, please don’t worry about me. You’re the one in danger. Stay back!”

I stepped in front of Selvia to shield her, but she seemed determined to stay strong for my sake.

“Your brother’s fiancée? Oh, please! I heard from my father, who’s in the royal family’s good graces, that you were ordered by Prince Leon to mistreat this girl. And yet here she is, being pampered by you? Hyah-ha-ha! What a joke! Defying the royal family, are you!?”

Gordon laughed like a lunatic.

“This is my chance! With this justification, I can crush the Schwarz family and take over their lands! Justice is on my side!”

“Stop it! If you do this, so many innocent people will suffer!”

“Who cares!? I only care about myself! Hyah-ha-ha!”

What… What is this madness?

It felt like the ground beneath me was giving way, dragging me into despair.

We had only just begun to feel like a real family, working toward happiness together.

And now, the people of Schwarz territory would be dragged into this mess.

“Oh, Elise, are you crying? Hyah-ha! Let’s begin the revenge party! Do what you want with the fake saint—I’ll have my fun with Elise!”

“You’re so generous, Gordon!”
“We’ll follow you forever!”

Gordon’s declaration sent the thugs into fits of laughter.

“Is that all you have to say? If you intend to harm Elise and the Schwarz family, I won’t hold back,” Selvia said firmly, fixing her gaze on Gordon and his men.

“Wait, what are you saying, Selvia? You only know Petit Fire! You can’t seriously think you can fight them, can you?”

I knew Selvia had been practicing magic, but there was no way she could take on Gordon and his gang.

Has she gotten overconfident from helping Cain with his monster hunts?

This is bad!

“Hyah-ha-ha! Petit Fire? A little weakling like you wants to stand against me, the magical prodigy? Don’t make me laugh!”

Gordon roared with laughter.

“Here’s a deal, Elise. Say, ‘I love you, Gordon,’ and kneel before me. Do that, and I might let you live as my mistress. What do you say?”

“As if I’d ever love you! My brother Cain is strong! He’s been defeating high-level monsters left and right. If you lay a hand on us, he won’t stand for it!”

“Cain, huh? I’ve heard those rumors, but they’re just lies, aren’t they? There’s no way a weakling like him could do that. I’ll tear him apart right in front of you!”

At that moment—

“No one insults Brother Cain in front of me! Albidus Fire!”

“Wha—!? Gyaaaah!”

Selvia cast what I thought was Petit Fire, but the result was a massive inferno that turned the area into a sea of flames.

“What… What is this power?”

Gordon and his men screamed, rolling on the ground in panic. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

This level of wide-range, high-powered fire magic… even court magicians would struggle to pull it off.

“What’s this spell!? And with no chant… Impossible!”
“Kill her! Kill the fake saint!”

But Gordon’s gang, now enraged, rushed at Selvia all at once.

“Fine. No more holding back…”

Just as Selvia braced herself, one of the thugs let out a scream and went flying through the air.

“Huh?”

“Selvia! Sister Elise! Are you okay!?”

“Gyaaah!”
“What the—!?”

One by one, the thugs were sent flying as if an explosion had gone off.

Standing amidst the chaos, cutting through the thugs like a storm, was…

“Cain!?”
“Brother Cain!”

My beloved brother Cain stood before me, scattering the attackers effortlessly.

What? I knew he’d gotten stronger, but not this strong…

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!”

The men surrounded Cain and swung their axes, but with a single swing of his sword, Cain sent them all flying.

His power was on another level.

“Who are you!? Do you know who I am!? I’m Gordon Orchival!”

“I’m Cain Schwarz. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten my face, Gordon.”

“W-what? You’re that Cain? You’re completely different!”

“You dared to threaten Selvia and my sister. Prepare for hell!”

Cain raised his sword, looking unbelievably cool.