"The Idea of a Woman Stealing Someone Else's Partner is Ridiculous," I laughed. But After Being Reborn, I Became a Victim of Such a Woman. However, My New Fiancée was Absolutely Amazing. - Episode 40

“What do you mean, dirty?”

Normally, ignoring something like this would be the best approach, but I couldn’t stay silent when I was suddenly called a dirty woman.

If a hundred people heard what you’ve done, all hundred of them would call you the dirty one.

On what grounds do you insult me?

You loose woman!

“Even though you’re uglier than me, you still try to catch Kouga-sama’s attention by offering food? Even your personality is ugly.”

“Are you talking about the way you blame everything on others, Shirakubo-sama?”

“You’re uglier than me, yet you’re standing out so much. Kouga-sama would obviously choose me over you!”

“Where does your confidence come from? If you’re that sure, why don’t we have a competition to see who is more suitable for Kouga-sama?”

I smirked and deliberately provoked her.

Sayuri-san called out, “Yuukizaka-sama?” sounding surprised, but it was understandable. At school, I wore the mask of a proper noble lady, so seeing this side of me must be shocking.

But I have no intention of showing courtesy to a woman like this.

Kouga-san—he is the only person in my entire life as “Yuukizaka Mai” who has accepted both my past self and who I am now.

I don’t even want to let this woman meet him.

“Fine! I am definitely a better match for Kouga-sama. Let me see him right now! He can choose!”

“I never said I would let you meet him. The competition is about whether you are truly worthy of Kouga-sama—whether you can support him. In other words…”

“It’s about the amount of spiritual power,” Misumi-sama interjected. “That boy—Kouga—has the highest spiritual power in this country. He is at the highest level, first-class.”

“W-what…!?”

Misumi-sama joined the conversation, her lips curving into an amused smile. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, but her narrowed eyes betrayed her amusement.

By this point, everyone in the room understood what the competition was about.

Even the airheaded, loose woman finally caught on.

“A normal third-class or fourth-class level wouldn’t be enough. Only someone with the same first-class level of spiritual power could be a match. The main reason Kouga hasn’t been engaged yet is that my mother refuses to accept anyone unless their spiritual power matches his. She kept rejecting marriage proposals because none of the daughters had enough spiritual power. So, young lady, if you truly want to meet Kouga, you’ll have to sustain the spiritual power needed for the repair until the very end.”

“T-that’s…”

That would be impossible for this loose woman.

Shirakubo knew it too—her face twisted in frustration.

Hahaha! Serves you right! This feels amazing!

“Then are you saying this plain girl can do it!? I refuse to accept that!”

“We won’t know until we compete. So, what will you do? Will you take the challenge or back out? It doesn’t matter to me. If you win, I’ll officially recognize you as Kouga’s fiancée and welcome you into the Ichijou no Go family.”

“Eh!? Really!?”

Misumi-sama was clearly provoking her on purpose.

But the loose woman was too dumb to realize it.

Maybe if she could read the expressions of the noblewomen and young ladies around her, she would have noticed something was off.

But she would probably just brush it off, thinking, “They’re jealous of how cute I am!”

“So, will you do it?”

“Yes! I’ll do it!”

“Then it’s settled. Everyone else, don’t overdo it. If your spiritual power runs out, you can rest in the lounge. Now, let’s begin!”

Misumi-sama reactivated the spiritual talisman attached to the crystal with a technique.

The crystal, glowing with a faint purple light, began absorbing spiritual power.

Alright, let’s do this!

I’ve never reached my spiritual power limit before.

After we finish repairing the barrier, I want to examine the talismans, too.

—And so, thirty minutes later…

“Haa… haa… haa… ugh…”

The loose woman, Shirakubo, was already out of breath.

Wait, seriously?

Out of the thirty people gathered in the hall, no one else had given up yet.

You’re the first one to collapse?

This was my first time seeing someone run out of spiritual power, so I was curious. “Oh, so this is what it looks like.”

“When your spiritual power runs out, it takes a mental toll as well. Don’t push yourself too hard,” Misumi-sama advised.

She was observing a floating map with her spiritual technique, checking the marked locations where the barrier repair was progressing.

Even while monitoring the repair, she was considerate enough to check on us.

So, this is how the process works—thirty people slowly and steadily infuse their spiritual power into the barrier for a stable repair.

All we had to do was sit in the prepared chairs while the barrier naturally absorbed our spiritual power.

It was so easy.

And yet, Shirakubo was already out of breath and slumped over.

How pathetic.

“Did that girl seriously try to marry into the Ichijou no Go family with such a low level of spiritual power?”

“Is she the daughter of an inner family of the Guardian Ten Commandments?”

“Would a daughter from the inner family of the Guardian Ten Commandments run out of spiritual power this quickly?”

“Good point. Then maybe she’s from a branch family? Even so, her spiritual power is way too low.”

“Heh… No way. Running out of spiritual power already? And she actually thought she could meet Kouga-sama?”

And just like that, the whispers of the noblewomen began.

This had nothing to do with me, so she would have to deal with it herself.

As Shirakubo finally slumped in defeat, two servants, following Misumi-sama’s signal, approached and lifted her by both arms, forcing her to stand and leading her out of the room.

“N-no! I don’t want to lose! Not to that plain girl! I have to marry Kouga-sama! If I don’t, I’ll have to pay the money!”

At those words, the expressions of the noble daughters who had their engagements broken off turned ice cold.

It sent shivers down my spine.

Scarier than any horror manga or video I had seen in my past life.

So, in the end, Shirakubo needed money to pay off the damages from the joint compensation claims filed against her by multiple families.

That’s why she set her sights on Kouga-sama, assuming he could cover the cost.

W-what an idiot…

Did she seriously just say that in front of the daughters of the families demanding compensation?

How shameless can one person be?

“What a foolish woman. No noble family would marry into such a financial burden.”

Sayuri-san’s muttered words summed it up perfectly.