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 36
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- 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 36 - The Tables Turn—Prince Leon Falls into Despair Due to Cain's Strategy
(Prince Leon’s Perspective)
“What is the meaning of this!? Why is Fernando being hailed as the Hero Who Slew the Undead!?”
I had been enjoying an intimate evening at my mistress’s residence when an urgent summons from the Chancellor rudely interrupted me.
To my utter disbelief, I was informed that the 15,000-strong undead army threatening the capital had been completely annihilated—by none other than Viscount Fernando’s forces.
I had been eagerly awaiting Fernando’s humiliating demise, and yet now, this unthinkable turn of events had unfolded before me.
To make matters worse, a grand victory banquet was to be held at the palace in his honor.
Despite my confusion and irritation, I had no choice but to attend.
“HYAAHAHA! Prince Leon, this is truly a glorious day!
The Ochival-Fernando alliance has utterly crushed the undead horde!”
The moment I stepped into the banquet hall, I was greeted by the sight of an overly smug buffoon—Gordon of the Ochival family.
The fool had clearly convinced himself that he was the night’s main attraction.
“Y-You insolent fool! Have you forgotten our secret pact!?
I explicitly forbade you from assisting Fernando!”
My anger erupted in an instant.
Were it not for the setting, I would have had him executed on the spot.
“Secret pact? What ever do you mean, Your Highness~?
Ahhh, could it be that petty little revenge scheme you wanted to pull off because Selvia rejected you? BUHIYAHAHA!”
“HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME!? UNFORGIVABLE!
Royal Guard, remove this man immediately!”
Gordon had gone too far.
I had tolerated his nonsense up until now, but this was an insult I could not ignore.
It was inconceivable that this imbecile, commanding only a hundred cavalry, had somehow arrived in time to reinforce Fernando and played a pivotal role in the undead’s defeat.
“Prince Leon, the times have changed.
I fear you no longer! HYAAHAHAHA! Ohhh, this wine is exquisite!”
“What… What did you just say!?”
Just as I was about to demand an explanation, another unwelcome figure approached—Viscount Edward Fernando.
He smiled pleasantly, but there was an undeniable sharpness in his gaze.
“Your Highness, I see you’re quite tense. But please, do remember—the Chancellor has declared this evening a night of amnesty.
Since we are all celebrating, surely a little indiscretion can be excused, no?”
“Viscount Fernando!
Y-Yes, your recent victory was truly remarkable. I must commend myself as well—for it was I who wisely appointed you as the commander of the expeditionary force!”
I forced myself to praise him.
A night of amnesty, was it?
What a joke.
He had embarrassed me in front of the nobility, and now I couldn’t even reprimand him!?
Outrageous.
Yet, with so many eyes upon me, I had no choice but to play along.
“Ah, I am most honored, Your Highness.
However… there’s been a rather curious rumor circulating among the nobility.”
“A rumor, you say?”
“Yes. It was brought to my attention by Lord Gordon.
Apparently, some believe that Your Highness only ordered me to lead the undead subjugation as a form of revenge against my daughter, Selvia, for rejecting your advances.”
“WHAT!?
That is an insult beyond forgiveness!
Selvia was a fraud, a mere pretender to sainthood—her engagement was annulled for that very reason!
Why would I even bother with something as petty as revenge!?”
My rage boiled over.
Was this fool trying to provoke me!?
“Ah, but of course.
I completely agree with you.
However, it seems this rumor has already spread widely among the nobility.”
“W-What…?”
Edward lowered his voice, but his words struck deep.
I had, in fact, explicitly ordered several nobles not to lend aid to Fernando.
If people knew that I had such a personal vendetta against Selvia, they could very well start to suspect my true motives.
Just as Gordon had so brazenly suggested.
“To make matters worse, Your Highness, the Church has taken offense to your continued denouncement of Selvia.
They see it as a deliberate attack on their authority—a calculated attempt to undermine their influence.”
“Indeed!
If you continue to refer to the daughter of the Hero Who Slew the Undead as a false saint, well…
That would only make the rumor all the more believable, wouldn’t it?
BUHIYAHAHA!”
“Ugh…!”
Gordon mockingly raised his wine glass, while I clenched my fists in fury.
What insolence!
What had emboldened them to defy me so openly!?
Had they… found some new powerful backer!?
Regardless, these damn vermin had now garnered the people’s favor.
I could not publicly punish them without backlash.
Damn it all!
…They were right.
At this point, I could no longer afford to antagonize Selvia.
If I continued, it would only further damage my standing among the nobility.
And worst of all—the Church.
But make no mistake, Edward… Gordon…
For this humiliation, I will never forgive you.
“Tch… I am not feeling well!
I shall retire to my chambers!”
“Wait! Brother, you mustn’t leave!
You are the Crown Prince! If you leave now, it will ruin the victory celebration!”
My fifteen-year-old sister, Lydia, stepped forward to stop me.
How dare she defy me?
“Then you stay and entertain these clowns!
You are nothing more than a political pawn for our alliance with the Atlas Empire—know your place!”
“B-Brother…!?”
She flinched.
Father had been orchestrating her engagement to the First Prince of the Atlas Empire—a diplomatic necessity due to our ailing relations.
But I did not fear Atlas.
If I obtained the Saint of the World Tree, I would have no need for them.
Once the Saint’s power fully awakened, I would be able to bring ruin to the Atlas Empire—crippling them with famine and reducing them to nothing but a starving wasteland.
And with that power in my hands, I would ascend to my rightful place as ruler of the world.
“Damn it! We must locate the Saint of the World Tree immediately! Why have we not found her yet!?”
I turned on my heel, frustrated beyond measure, as my Royal Guards followed closely behind.
“Your Highness, our deepest apologies!”
“Damn it all!
And send word to the assassins I hired! Edward and Gordon must be eliminated immediately!”
I had already set my plan into motion—assassins had been dispatched to ensure Edward’s demise.
They would strike on his way home, while he was still intoxicated from the banquet.
This would serve as a lesson—to never defy Prince Leon.
“Wait…
The assassins were also tasked with monitoring Fernando’s army.
I should first learn how they achieved victory before making my next move.”
After all, it was impossible for Fernando’s mere 1,100 soldiers to defeat an undead army 15,000 strong.
They must have had help—someone powerful must have intervened.
That would explain Edward and Gordon’s sudden surge of confidence.
Before I could process my thoughts any further, my path was suddenly blocked by a group of men clad in black.
“What is the meaning of this!?
How dare you stand in my way—wait, you’re…!”
I recognized them immediately.
They were the very assassins I had personally hired to eliminate Fernando.
“Hah! Perfect timing!
I have a new assignment for you—”
“Your Highness, step back!”
The Royal Guard lunged forward, knocking me out of harm’s way—just as daggers came flying toward me.
A sharp pain shot through my cheek.
“Wh-What…!?”
“Have you lost your minds!?”
One of my furious Royal Guards unsheathed his sword and cut down one of the assassins.
“Kill him! Prince Leon must die!”
“If we fail, we’re as good as dead anyway!”
The assassins charged all at once.
“Protect His Highness!”
A battle erupted between my Royal Guards and the traitorous assassins.
But I barely paid it any mind—my focus was entirely on the burning pain in my cheek.
“Th-This… Could it be—poison!?”
I snatched a mirror from one of my guards and gasped in horror.
My face—my beautiful, beloved face—was grotesquely swollen and disfigured.
“NO! NOOOOO!”
The handsome face that had charmed countless noble ladies…
Was now ruined beyond recognition.
The pain intensified, spreading like wildfire, and I collapsed onto the ground, writhing in agony.
“IT HURTS! IT HURTS!
SOMEBODY, HELP ME!”
“Y-Your Highness!”
Darkness closed in.
And just like that…
I lost consciousness.
☆☆☆
“Th-This… This can’t be my face!”
“Heal me! I demand treatment immediately!”
I had somehow survived…
But despite all efforts to heal me, my face remained horrifically swollen and deformed.
“Y-Your Highness!
The dagger used against you was infused with a powerful curse—one that prevents healing magic from working!
No one in the royal palace possesses the ability to fully restore you…!
Only a Hero who wields Light Magic could undo this!”
“WHAT!?
Are you telling me that no one can heal me!?”
I punched the guard delivering the report, my rage boiling over.
How had this happened!?
The very weapon I had procured to kill Fernando had instead reduced me to this wretched state!
A Hero…
That was the only kind of person who could use Light Magic, the only magic capable of undoing my affliction.
Heroes only emerged when the Demon King was about to rise.
And though there had been rumors of increasing monster activity, a Hero had yet to appear.
I clutched my disfigured face in despair.
“Why…
Why has this happened to me!?”
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