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 37

[Gordon’s Perspective]

“Ahahaha! I finally gave that Prince Leon a piece of my mind!”

I was reveling in my moment of triumph at the victory banquet.

The drinks were top-notch, the food was delicious, and the noble ladies were absolutely adorable. Everyone was singing my praises, calling me the great hero, Gordon-sama. Damn, I felt amazing!

“Gordon-sama, thank you for saving our kingdom from this crisis. On behalf of my ailing father, I, Lydia Albion, extend my deepest gratitude.”

“Oh?”

The one who approached me gracefully and bowed was none other than Princess Lydia.

Her dignified yet delicate features were complemented by an impressive figure—absolutely stunning! Even Ellis was well-endowed, but Princess Lydia was just as blessed. My eyes were immediately drawn to the tantalizing view of her cleavage.

Damn. I was about to get a nosebleed.

“Gordon-sama, I have heard from the soldiers. You could not stand idly by while innocent people were being slaughtered by the undead, so you took it upon yourself to aid Viscount Fernando. How brave you are! A true noble among nobles. A young hero like you is exactly what our kingdom needs.”

“Hah! That’s right! I’m ridiculously brave, after all!”

I grinned and nodded enthusiastically, unable to hide my pride.

“I am well aware that my brother sought to frame Viscount Fernando out of personal resentment. But amid all that, you alone defied him and risked your life for the people. I hold you in the highest regard for that.”

Princess Lydia extended her delicate, pale hand toward me.

“I am currently forming the Royal Princess Guard, a knightly order under my command, to counter the growing threat of monsters and the looming danger posed by the Atlas Empire. I would like to appoint you as its vice-commander. Would you accept this position and lend your strength not just to me but to the vulnerable people of this kingdom?”

“Ahaha! Gladly!”

I nearly took her hand and kissed it in a pledge of loyalty, but at the last second, I stopped myself.

Wait, wait. If I accepted this position, wouldn’t that mean…?

Wouldn’t I have to keep throwing myself into terrifying battles, just like the one in this last expedition?

Hell no! Princess Angela of the Atlas Empire was a damn monster! I nearly pissed myself just facing her.

No way in hell was I going through something like that again.

Whoa, that was close. I almost got carried away by the moment just because the one asking was a big-breasted beauty.

“Regrettably, I must decline.”

“W-Why?”

Princess Lydia’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.

“Surely you, more than anyone, understand just how dire the kingdom’s situation is…!”

She looked so sorrowful that I almost wavered. But no. I was a man of strategy. I wasn’t cut out to be a vice-commander fighting on the front lines—I was better suited to working in the shadows, pulling the strings.

I couldn’t have her misunderstanding that.

“Aha. This isn’t the place to talk. Shall we step out onto the balcony, Princess Lydia?”

“Yes, of course. There are those here loyal to my brother, after all.”

Oh?

My brilliant mind immediately pieced things together.

“So… you don’t get along with Prince Leon, do you?”

“…He opposes my plan to establish the Royal Princess Guard. He believes a woman has no place taking command. But I can wield a sword just as well as any man.”

Her voice was firm and filled with conviction.

“My brother has abandoned state affairs to the Prime Minister and spends his days indulging in idleness. His only strategy to counter the Atlas Empire is to seek out and use the Saint of the World Tree. If this is the best our crown prince can do, the kingdom is doomed. Someone must take action, and that someone is me!”

Ah.

I nearly smacked my knee in realization.

This was a golden opportunity for Cain-sama to become king.

As Cain-sama’s right-hand man, his number two, I couldn’t afford to let this slip by.

Once we were alone on the balcony, I got straight to the point.

“Princess Lydia, if you truly want to save this kingdom, your best option is to marry my dear friend, Cain Schwarz.”

“W-What? Cain Schwarz?”

She looked completely taken aback.

“Y-You mean that Cain Schwarz? The one infamous for bullying Lady Selvia Fernando under my brother’s orders?”

“Oh, that’s just misinformation Cain-sama spread himself. Let me tell you something—the one who actually defeated the undead army wasn’t me, nor was it Viscount Fernando. It was Cain-sama.”

I puffed out my chest and revealed the truth.

Cain-sama had forbidden me from mentioning his name during the expedition, but now that it was over, there was no reason to keep quiet.

“W-What do you mean!?”

Princess Lydia’s shock was evident. Her eyes darted back and forth in disbelief.

“This is getting tedious, so can we drop the formalities, Princess Lydia? My loyalty lies with Cain-sama, not the royal family.”

“E-Eh? O-Of course!”

She had no choice but to rely on me now.

Ahaha, it felt incredible to be talking so high and mighty to a beautiful princess with such an ample chest.

“Cain-sama disguised his private army as my household troops and sent them to aid Viscount Fernando. And in the end, Cain-sama personally took down Princess Angela of the Atlas Empire, the one who was controlling the undead, and even made her his slave. Ahaha! Cain-sama is absolutely incredible!”

“P-Princess Angela of the Atlas Empire?! Then that means… the Empire was behind this undead calamity!? And he… enslaved the princess!?”

“Ahahaha! Exactly! And as Cain-sama’s number two, I played a huge role in all of this! The so-called Death Knights of the Empire? Ha! They were nothing!”

I bragged to my heart’s content.

“S-So that’s what happened!?”

Princess Lydia looked deeply moved.

“Thank you… If you hadn’t thwarted the Empire’s ambitions, I can’t imagine what would have happened to us! I must express my gratitude not just to you, but to Cain-sama as well!”

“But here’s the thing—Cain-sama is absolutely furious with Prince Leon. If things continue like this, a full-scale rebellion is inevitable.”

“Someone with such great military prowess… leading a rebellion!?”

She gasped in horror, her face pale.

“Wh-What should I do, Gordon-sama!? I will do anything to protect this kingdom!”

She clung to me desperately.

My mood soared to the heavens.

“The solution is simple—Princess Lydia, you must propose marriage to Cain-sama. Then, you can hand over the throne to him. That would solve everything! Cain-sama wouldn’t just fend off the Empire; he’d probably conquer it! Ahaha! The kingdom would be secure forever!”

“T-That’s… incredible! B-But, isn’t Cain-sama already engaged to Lady Selvia? Wouldn’t that be impossible? And besides… my father intends to wed me off to the Empire…”

“The Empire isn’t interested in peace. That political marriage is meaningless! Cain-sama’s goal is to become king—no, to become the ruler of this entire world! If you propose, he’ll accept without hesitation.”

“I-I understand! Then, I shall privately approach Cain-sama to express my gratitude and propose marriage. Thank you for your honesty, Gordon-sama! With this, Albion will be saved!”

Tonight was truly the best night ever.