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 47

“Father, I have returned.”

“Oh my! Lord Cain, it has been so long! Do you remember me?”

As I entered my father’s office, Princess Lydia suddenly ran up to me and threw her arms around me.

Even in the game, she had been a fan-favorite with her dazzling beauty, but seeing her in reality only heightened her charm—there was an almost mesmerizing quality about her.

“Y-Your Highness, Princess Lydia, I am deeply honored that you would grace our humble frontier estate with your presence. May I ask what brings you here?”

I quickly masked my inner turmoil and asked politely.

Beyond the obvious distraction of the soft sensation pressed against me, her visit had caught me completely off guard. Not even Dark Crow, my intelligence network, had reported anything about it.

This meant she had come here in absolute secrecy. I had no idea what her intentions were…

“I’m so moved! We haven’t spoken much before, but you still remember me!”

“Of course, I do.”

There was no way I could forget Princess Lydia—one of the members of the Hero’s party in the game.

Though, in this world, Cain and Princess Lydia had only exchanged greetings a few times.

“Ah! This must be fate! The red string of destiny has bound us together!”

“Huh…?”

“The reason I have come to the House of Schwarz today is to arrange my wedding with you, Lord Cain!”

“Whaaaat!?”

Selvia, Angela, and I all exclaimed in unison.

“Lord Gordon told me everything. It was you, Lord Cain, who truly saved our kingdom by defeating the Death Knights led by Princess Angela. There is no one else capable of saving Albion! Please, become my husband and ascend the throne as the new king. Only you can protect our kingdom from the wicked Hero!”

Princess Lydia pleaded earnestly.

Damn it, Gordon! He must have revealed everything to her.

I specifically told him not to mention my name!

And now she was talking about marriage and becoming king? What the hell was going on?

“…With all due respect, I already have a fiancée—Selvia.”

“That is correct. Your Highness, please step away from my brother.”

Selvia spoke firmly, her expression rigid.

At first glance, she might have seemed calm, but there was an unmistakable sharpness in her tone. She was furious.

To avoid being rude, I gently took hold of Princess Lydia’s shoulders and pulled her away.

“Wait, Cain… Are you saying you’ve received a proposal from Albion’s princess as well?”

Angela looked utterly stunned.

“Y-you are… could it be!? Princess Angela of the Atlas Empire?”

My father, Fritz, immediately placed a hand over his chest and offered the highest form of noble courtesy.

“W-wait, the Angela of the Atlas Empire?! The Imperial Princess herself?!”

Princess Lydia was visibly shaken by the unexpected appearance of a princess from a rival nation.

And not just any princess—Angela had commanded an undead army of 15,000 troops. She was an extraordinary necromancer.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Lydia of Albion, and Count Fritz of the House of Schwarz. I am Angela, Imperial Princess of the Atlas Empire.”

Angela greeted them with an elegant curtsy.

“Count Schwarz, surely you have already received a formal letter from my father, His Majesty Siegfried?”

“A letter?”

“W-well… Yes, the Emperor proposed a marriage between you and Cain, Princess Angela…”

“WHAT!?”

This time, Selvia, Princess Lydia, and I all exclaimed in shock.

“W-wait, what is this about, Angela?! I never heard anything about a marriage proposal!”

“I simply informed my father—through Dark Crow—that you intended to overthrow Prince Leon and claim the throne. And somehow, he took it as… well, you see.”

Angela shrugged helplessly.

“D-don’t tell me…! Princess Angela, you used Dark Crow to manipulate the Emperor and position yourself as my brother’s fiancée?!”

Selvia’s eyes burned with fury.

“That wasn’t my intention. But thanks to this, I can now openly assist the House of Schwarz. So I’d say it worked out quite well, don’t you think?”

“H-hold on! I already told you, Angela—I have no intention of claiming the throne!”

This misunderstanding with the Emperor could lead to serious consequences.

Not keeping Dark Crow under my direct control was starting to bite me in the ass.

One wrong move with information manipulation, and the Empire might get more involved than I had bargained for.

Though, with the rumors of the Demon King’s resurrection circulating, I hoped this would be mitigated.

“Huh? Is that not the case? Lord Gordon told me that your greatest desire was to claim the throne?”

Princess Lydia looked utterly confused.

“Why—WHY is this misinformation spreading to the rulers of both nations?!”

“Master Cain, it cannot be helped. A warrior who achieves great military feats is often viewed with suspicion. Even if one has no ambition, simply possessing the power to seize the throne makes one a target in political conflicts.”

Lancelot spoke solemnly, bowing slightly. His words carried undeniable weight.

“I have no desire to marry Cain, but… if it’s my father’s will, I suppose I have no choice.”

Angela said this as she clung to my arm.

“No, Angela! Weren’t you planning to live with your mother from now on?!”

“W-well, ideally… I’d like to live with both my mother and you, Cain…”

“…Excuse me?”

Angela mumbled something completely outrageous under her breath.

“This is a disaster, Lord Cain! The Hero, Abel, has been pursuing me, demanding, ‘Become my woman.’ I need you to at least pretend to be my fiancé!”

“Cain is MY fiancé! What are you both talking about?!”

“Wait—The Emperor’s orders are absolute! I have to marry Cain!”

The three beauties—Princess Lydia, Princess Angela, and Selvia—were all fighting over me, shoving and clinging to me from all sides.

Wait, what the hell is happening here?!

“My fiancée is Selvia!”

I declared firmly.

“…Ugh.”

Angela and Princess Lydia both flinched at my decisive statement.

“Cain!”

Selvia beamed and threw her arms around me, so I patted her head reassuringly.

At that moment, one of my Dark Crow operatives entered the room.

“Apologies for interrupting. Lord Cain, Lady Sophie—who was banished from the Hero Abel’s party—has arrived. She wishes to offer her cooperation to you.”