Lately, ever since we went to the Wents Merchant Guild¹ together, I feel like the distance between Primeria and me has closed just a little bit.
She's still reserved and we still don't make much eye contact, but compared to the time when we had no conversation other than a quiet "...Yes," being able to talk normally makes me happy.
In the end, I didn't really understand the trigger, but there must have been some change in her heart.
I wonder if Heliotrope's advice worked? As expected of my exclusive maid. Including Sebastian, I can't even sleep with my feet pointing toward them... I might as well just sleep standing up.
One day, while I was riding high on that feeling, an envelope arrived for me.
* * *
"From the Royal Family?" I asked.
"Yes. They requested that it be handed to you, Young Master," Sebastian replied.
As I was doing political work in my office from the morning, Sebastian brought a single envelope. It seems he still won't stop calling me "Young Master."
The sender was an unexpectedly big shot. An existence that every noble in this country looks up to—the Royal Family of the Blumenkranz Kingdom².
...Why?
While feeling doubtful, I took the envelope to check it. My name was indeed on the address, and the royal wax seal was pressed onto it.
I carefully opened the envelope with a paper knife, and inside was an invitation.
'Guidance for the Second Princess's Birthday Party'
"Pfft?!" I sputtered.
"Young Master?!" Sebastian exclaimed.
A voice of surprise, most unlike a nobleman, escaped me, but this was no time for that.
You've got to be kidding me. Primeria has only just become my stepsister, and events are already coming one after another like this?!
Because the Second Princess is... she's a heroine of the game!
* * *
Lilie von Blumenkranz—one of the main heroines of 'Sword and Magic and Cadenas³' and the Second Princess of our Blumenkranz Kingdom.
In other words, she is one of the highest authorities in this country. Even the Duke Weltheim house⁴ cannot hold their heads high before her. Bow down, everyone.
...Well, it's the quality of our house to mess up even when dealing with the Royal Family. Like that incident where someone proposed from a position of superiority upon their first meeting.
Thanks to that, my father has never once held a key position in the national government. Zero trust!
Still, because we hold a commercial city, even the Royal Family can't speak too strongly to us. After all, the amount of tax we pay is insane.
Pushing through a bit of mischief with a slap from a wad of cash is the Weltheim way. How trashy.
Putting that aside, if I were to describe Lilie in one word, she's a "superhuman." She's a perfect woman who combines beauty, brains, martial arts, and fairness.
Specs like that only balance out with a handsome protagonist. Kraut was always hitting on her, but with nothing but your status, you're truly a pig before pearls.
Above all, she is a rare person who sticks to the belief that "Royals and nobles exist to protect the people." She is fundamentally incompatible with a villainous noble son.
That's how it should be, but...
* * *
"Being invited to Her Highness the Second Princess's birthday party... why, for what reason, hoe-why?" I muttered.
Certainly, invitations to Her Highness's birthday party arrived every year. However—
"These things were supposed to be delivered to the mansion in the Royal Capital. I don't understand the meaning of it being delivered directly to me."
If it's a royal birthday party, the one invited is the 'House.' Since they are inviting the Duke Weltheim house, it should be addressed to my father, the current head of the family.
In the first place, I haven't participated for the last two years, citing my busy schedule. Probably one of my half-brothers attended instead.
"It seems that after hearing of Kraut-sama's recent reputation, she became interested in you," Sebastian said.
Now that he mentioned it, I had done quite a few flashy things while I hadn't shown my face for two years. It's no wonder she's curious.
But still... even though I'm invited over the head of the current family, if I were to run into my parents or younger brothers at the venue, it would be super awkward.
As I was thinking that, Sebastian added a clarification.
"The party you've been invited to this time is a small-scale one. It's said that the participants are only those close to the Second Princess."
"I see... I see?" I replied.
Eh, am I invited to that kind of party? Far from being close to Lilie, I'm confident that she hates me.
After all, I treated Her Highness as "my wife" without permission and received a formal protest from the Royal Family. I wonder if I can lose my memory if I get hit with a bat.
I'm not in the mood at all, but after all this preparation, it wouldn't leave a good impression to decline. I was intending to return to the social world soon anyway, so I just have to think of it as a good opportunity.
"If it's a small-scale party, it might be just right for Primeria's social debut."
It's small-scale, but it's still hosted by the Royal Family. Well, as a Duke's house, we'll have contact with the Royal Family whether we like it or not... getting on good terms with Her Highness now isn't a bad thing, surely.
Though it has no persuasiveness coming from me, who has had zero contact with the Royal Family for about three years!
By the way—
"So, I've been invited to the Second Princess's birthday party, so let's go together," I said.
"......"
When I talked about the birthday party during dinner, the Goddess (Primeria) withdrew into the Heavenly Rock Cave (My Room).
After that, the situation was somehow resolved after a long persuasion by the two maids... I am powerless.
Summary:
Kraut notices his relationship with Primeria is slowly improving. Unexpectedly, he receives a direct invitation to the Second Princess Lilie's small-scale birthday party. Lilie is a game heroine and a 'perfect superhuman' who historically dislikes Kraut. Kraut decides to use the event for Primeria's social debut, despite her initial refusal.
Character Insight:
Kraut is struggling with the discrepancy between his past 'villain' reputation and his current hard-working reality, which is now attracting the attention of high-level game characters like Lilie. His desire to involve Primeria shows his growing protective instinct, even if he feels 'powerless' against her shyness.
Behind the Scene:
The title suggests the irony of a villain being physically and socially closer to the heroines than the protagonist in this 'reincarnated' world state.
T/L:
1 ↩ Wents Merchant Guild: A prominent trade organization mentioned in previous chapters.
2 ↩ Blumenkranz: Literally 'Flower Wreath' in German, fitting the floral themes often found in this genre.
3 ↩ Cadenas: Spanish for 'Chains,' though the kanji used in the source (はなかんむり) means 'Flower Crown,' suggesting a double meaning.
4 ↩ Duke Weltheim: One of the highest noble ranks, possessing significant economic power due to their commercial city.
Notes:
• Primeria - A main heroine of 'Sword, Magic, and the Cadenas'. Currently the illegitimate child of a Viscount family with high magical power and beauty. Tprotagonist's new stepsister, an eleven-year-old girl described as incredibly beautiful and fragile. She has shoulder-length, soft pink hair and porcelain-white skin.
• Wents - A tall young man in his late twenties with neatly set hair and thin-framed glasses. He is the representative of the Wents Merchant Guild and is highly competent in information gathering.
• Heliotrope - Kraut's exclusive maid, fifteen years old (six years older than Kraut). She has long black hair reaching her waist and a cool, beautiful face. She is a 'slave battle maid' who was formerly a noble lady from a fallen northern country. She wears a Victorian-style long-dress maid outfit.
• Sebastian - An elderly butler serving the Weltheim household.
• Lilie - The Second Princess of the kingdom. She has long-standing trauma regarding her childhood interactions with Kraut von Weltheim.
• Kraut - The eldest son of a Duke's family (Now 14 years old). He has blue eyes, a straight nose, and short silver hair. Handsome and now he is slender.