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 4

“You’re refusing Prince Leon’s orders and welcoming Selvia as part of the family? Cain, have you lost your mind?”

Father blinked in disbelief, clearly stunned.

It wasn’t surprising. Up until yesterday, I was more than ready to torment Selvia out of pure spite, fueled by the bitterness and hatred I once harbored.

“This is a rare opportunity to curry favor with the future king, Prince Leon. Why would you show any loyalty to a false saint with no value?”

Father, failing to understand my intentions, dismissed my demands outright.

“If we simply follow the prince’s orders and torment that girl, she’ll eventually take her own life. After that, I’ll find you a more suitable fiancée.”

“No, Father. Selvia, as the recipient of the church’s prophecy, may still possess the powers of the Saint of the World Tree. Historically, there have been rare cases of saints awakening their powers in their late teens. Discarding her now would be premature.”

I gave him a sly smile.

Father was a calculating noble, one who never let emotions dictate his decisions.

To persuade him, I had to frame this in terms of tangible benefits for the Schwarz family.

“Hmm…?”

Father’s interest was piqued, though he still looked skeptical.

As the marquis tasked with defending the border with the Atlas Empire, Father wasn’t blindly loyal to the royal family. In fact, he had connections with nobles and royalty from the empire and would consider defecting if his position in the kingdom became untenable.

I pressed on, striking where it mattered most.

“Why not observe Selvia for three years? If she doesn’t awaken her powers by then, you can follow Prince Leon’s orders and drive her to despair. This is the frontier, far from the royal family’s eyes. We could easily send false reports to Prince Leon to buy time.”

I adopted the tone and demeanor of a classic villainous noble, complete with a theatrical grin.

The three-year timeframe wasn’t random. In the game, the events began three years from now, and by that point, Father no longer existed, leaving Cain as the head of the family. Whatever fate awaited Father in the game, it seemed he would perish.

While I didn’t relish the thought, I would use this knowledge to protect Selvia.

“The Saint of the World Tree wields power capable of shaping the world’s destiny. If things go well, we could monopolize that power for the Schwarz family instead of leaving it in the hands of the royal family. Isn’t it a gamble worth taking? Let’s keep that girl close and manipulate her to our benefit! Hahaha!”

I mimicked the villainous Cain from the game, laughing wickedly.

“Hmm… You have a point. You’ve grown shrewd, Cain. As expected of my son.”

Father smirked approvingly.

“It’s an honor to receive your praise, Father.”

“However, Prince Leon is clearly furious with Selvia. If he finds out we’re disobeying his orders, the Schwarz family could be crushed. The risks are far too great.”

Damn, he’s sharp.

Father wasn’t wrong. The idea of Selvia awakening as a saint had been dismissed by the royal family as absurd. My argument had little basis beyond my game knowledge.

It was time to play my trump card.

“Father, how long do you intend to remain under the thumb of the Albion royal family? The winds of fortune are blowing in favor of the Schwarz family, right now!”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve received reports from my men of a newly discovered mithril mine within our territory. With it, we can amass immense wealth and build a powerful army. The Schwarz family’s time to rise has come!”

The mithril mine was a hidden feature in the game, unlocked only in the later stages to maintain game balance. However, since it physically existed in this world, I gambled on its early discovery.

“A mithril mine? Is this true?”

“Of course, Father. Imagine the consequences of reporting this discovery to the royal family. They would seize the mining rights or impose crippling taxes on us. Instead, we should secretly mine the mithril and use it to bolster our military strength. With such resources, the royal family could never ignore us. If necessary, we could even negotiate with the Atlas Empire for better terms!”

“Hmm…”

Father stroked his chin, clearly considering the possibilities.

He often spoke of seizing opportunities when they arose, and this discovery seemed like such a chance.

“The mithril mine is located near the border with the Fernand family’s territory. Their cooperation is essential to keep this a secret. Building trust with Selvia and her family would be the wisest course of action.”

“I see… In that case, you’re right. Cain, have you treated Selvia with the respect necessary to win her trust?”

Father’s abrupt change of stance almost left me speechless.

Still, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. I needed to seal the deal.

“Of course. I’ve already taken measures to ensure her trust.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the torn remnants of Prince Leon’s letter.

“Is that…?”

Father’s eyes widened in shock.

“Yes. This is Prince Leon’s secret order. I showed it to Selvia and tore it to pieces in front of her. I swore to protect her at all costs, and she was so moved she cried tears of joy.”

I added a mockingly confident laugh to sell the act.

Now, Father had no choice but to agree. If Selvia reported this to Prince Leon, the Schwarz family would face immediate destruction.

“I see… Considering our relations with the Fernand family, this might be the best course of action after all.”

“Exactly. By sharing this secret, we’ve given them a reason to stand by us. They won’t betray us now.”

The Fernand family had become socially isolated after Selvia was branded a false saint. Knowing that we valued their relationship over the prince’s orders would solidify their loyalty.

“Father, let me be clear…”

I met his gaze directly.

“The fact that Prince Leon sent such a letter shows he looks down on the Schwarz family. With the mithril mine and the Saint of the World Tree, we can surpass the royal family and rise as a great noble house!”

I stood tall, brimming with confidence.

Father, ever the pragmatist, was visibly moved.

“You’re right. A noble must seize opportunities and take risks for the sake of their house. Very well, Cain. You’ve shown great promise as the next head of the family.”

“Then, Father, at tonight’s banquet, let’s warmly welcome Selvia as a member of the Schwarz family. First impressions are everything.”

“Of course.”

Relief washed over me as Father gave his approval.

With this, Selvia would no longer face abuse in this household.

The shadowed, sorrowful smile she wore in the game would be no more. Instead, she could reclaim her true happiness.

I couldn’t wait to see her genuine smile.