Linet Estupina
On my way to Linet's room, I overheard the hushed whispers of other nobles echoing through the hallway.
"Have you heard? The Imperial Family and House Estupina..."
"Oh my, did they really both send requests to break the engagement?"
"If relations sour between the Duke's family and the Imperial Family, things could get quite difficult..."
Just as the rumors suggested, the dissolution of the engagement between the Imperial Family and House Estupina seemed to have been successfully finalized. I could get the finer details from Linet herself.
I knocked gently on her door.
"Lady Linet, it's Hound."
"Come in."
Stepping inside, I saw Linet deeply engrossed in a massive tome on alchemy.
As I stood there awkwardly, her maid politely guided me over.
"Please, sit here."
"Ah, thank you."
Shortly after I took my seat, the maid served tea.
"..."
The aroma of this tea... it was the exact same scent as the poisoned tea from before. Had she said it was imported from the East? The fragrance was lovely, but it didn't exactly put me at ease.
Well, considering it was once laced with a lethal poison, that's only natural...
Frowning slightly, I took a tentative sip. The flavor was actually quite good. A complex blend of sweet and bitter notes coated my tongue. Not bad at all.
Setting the teacup down, I took a deep breath, prompting Linet to speak up.
"How is the tea?"
"Well, it doesn't bring back the best memories."
"I had it brewed precisely so it wouldn't become a trauma for you."
"You really didn't need to worry about that..."
Her words made me reluctantly recall the past.
"Anyway, you seem very busy."
"Now I can finally focus on my alchemy."
"I take it things with your family and the Imperial Family have been settled smoothly?"
At my question, Linet glanced at her attendants, and they all promptly filed out of the room.
"Yes. When the Imperial Family's request to break the engagement first arrived, Father was absolutely furious, throwing a massive fit. But when my own request followed immediately after, he just let out a deep sigh."
"He must have had a lot on his mind."
"A daughter who had done nothing but say 'Yes, Father' her entire life suddenly demanding a broken engagement at the exact same time as the Imperial Family... It's only natural he was bewildered."
Thud. Linet closed her alchemy book and continued.
"Actually, I had another reason for calling you here."
"Was it not to tell me the aftermath of the incident?"
"I didn't call you all this way just to gossip about such trivial past events."
Linet made me an offer.
"How would you like to become the exclusive knight of House Estupina? I will offer you exceptionally favorable terms."
"..."
If I became the exclusive knight of House Estupina, I could secure a noble title immediately. Unlike before, the combined influence of the ducal house and the Crown Prince would be backing me. But...
"I must respectfully decline. I am already the personal knight of the Marquis of Merian's daughter."
"You mean that blue-haired lady?"
"Yes, that is correct."
Linet pondered for a moment, then suddenly came over and sat right on my lap.
"Listen, personal knight contracts have to be renewed once you graduate from the Academy, right? Why don't you just come to our side then?"
"That is..."
"If you become my exclusive knight, I'll let you have me."
Did I hear that right? If I hadn't misheard, that was an incredibly, immensely, profoundly tempting and attractive offer. No, get a grip. I have Micaris. And Ronia too!
"As I mentioned earlier, I am the Marquis of Merian's..."
Linet pressed her index finger against my lips, silencing me.
"Shh. I didn't call you here to listen to that kind of answer."
Her hand slid down my cheek, her warm touch sending a direct jolt through me.
"If you become my exclusive knight and gain nobility, you'll probably receive the title of Viscount. Then, you can marry me and become a member of House Estupina. What do you say? Won't you spend the rest of your life with me?"
Was Linet always this kind of character? Honestly, I couldn't adapt to this. No, it was hard enough just to keep my sanity intact.
Was it because my heart was wavering? My chest wouldn't stop pounding.
"...I'll think about it."
"I already know that answer means a rejection. I've had eyes on you, after all."
"Eyes on me?"
"Of course. It would be insane to blindly trust and wait on the word of a commoner I'd only just met and knew nothing about."
Linet leaned in, closing the distance until it was almost overwhelming, and whispered in my ear.
"If you plan on keeping up this rejection, I suppose I'll just have to force a fait accompli..."
What on earth is this lady talking about? My eyes shook with pure panic. I had never been hit on this aggressively in my life...
I rolled my eyes away, desperately avoiding her gaze.
"Lady Linet, I haven't even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet..."
"Oh? So once your coming-of-age ceremony is over, it won't matter?"
"..."
Her offer was incredibly flattering, but my dream was to live happily ever after with all the villainesses I had set my sights on.
To escape the situation, I gently pushed her shoulders back and spoke.
"Um, if we're done with the necessary business, I should head out. Of course, it's absolutely not because you aren't attractive, Lady Linet. It's just that I already have someone I've made a promise to..."
"Is that so? What a shame. I'll just have to target you next time."
Target? Target what? Am I prey?
"Ah, yes. Well then, I'll take my leave."
I practically bolted out of Linet's room.
The reason I fled was simple. That wasn't love; it was obsession. No, it was a raw desire for possession. And that look in her eyes... it was the gaze of a predator stalking its prey.
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
There's a saying in the world: when a man is on the rise, the three things he must guard against most are alcohol, women, and gambling. Right now, my priority had to be building up my strength to achieve my grand ambitions.
"Ah."
As I walked down the hallway and finally caught my breath, it hit me—I had completely forgotten my lunch appointment with Micaris.
She was bound to be upset. I hurried toward our meeting spot.
Arriving at the entrance of the restaurant, I found Micaris waiting for me, her cheeks puffed out in a sullen pout.
"What took you so long?"
"Haha, the Duke's daughter called for me, so..."
"That woman again?"
"It was just some talk regarding her request."
Just then, Ronia slipped her arm through mine, joining the conversation. As for the sensation pressing against my forearm... I'll leave that to your imagination.
"You certainly are popular, Sir Hound. Are you going around seducing various women on purpose?"
How did she know? Was it that obvious? That my dream was to build a harem?
"But I don't mind too much. I'm perfectly fine with being second."
Micaris stammered, her eyes wide at Ronia's casual declaration.
"Ro-Ronya! What on earth are you talking about?!"
"I don't see the problem. Isn't Sir Hound aiming to be a hero? A hero having a woman or two by his side is only natural."
"..."
The atmosphere grew strangely tense. Was this one of those silent battles between women that I would never understand?
To break the tension, I spoke up with a playful whine.
"Ah, I'm starving. Honestly, I haven't eaten a single thing since yesterday. I feel like my stomach is sticking to my spine."
"Really? Then let's hurry inside."
Micaris naturally ordered a multi-course meal for herself and a hearty veal steak for me.
"I'm always getting treated by you, Lady Micaris. I feel a bit like a pet."
"What's wrong with that? You just need to rely on me forever."
Ronia gave a sly smile and chimed in.
"Shall I buy you dinner next time, then?"
"No!"
"..."
Somehow... I was starting to realize that building a harem was an incredibly high-difficulty quest. It wasn't just about doing whatever I wanted; I had to respect and balance all of their feelings.
This is going to be tough...
Once our food arrived and we settled at our table, Ronia brought up an interesting topic.
"Mica, are you preparing for the upcoming Comprehensive Ability Evaluation?"
"Of course. I need to get a good grade this time, at the very least."
"What about you, Sir Hound?"
"The Comprehensive Ability Evaluation? Was there such a thing?"
Both Micaris and Ronia stared at me, dumbfounded.
"You didn't know? It's just around the corner."
"You really do just coast through Academy life, don't you..."
Uh... Now that I thought about it, there was indeed such an event. The original protagonist was a Divinity major, so he hadn't participated, which was why I had completely forgotten about it.
"Haha, well. Won't I just win it anyway?"
"Everyone is preparing incredibly hard, so you never know."
"She's right. The Comprehensive Ability Evaluation carries the heaviest weight in our grades. Though some say it's a bit unfair."
"Unfair?"
Ronia elaborated.
"It's a tournament format, so luck plays a huge role in the bracket matchups."
That made sense. If even classroom seating arrangements were decided by drawing lots, the tournament brackets would be no different.
Speaking of classroom seating, I suddenly remembered a girl in my past life who had burst into tears just because she got assigned to the seat next to mine.
Thinking about the past made me want to cry for a different reason. To think that the old me was now enjoying such luxurious extravagance...
Thank you for letting me transmigrate...!
Just then, Micaris tapped my shoulder.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Huh? Ah, sorry. I was just reminiscing about the past..."
"Ronya and I will be starting intensive training soon, so we won't be able to see each other much. At least until the Comprehensive Ability Evaluation is over."
Wait, we couldn't meet until then? That was a pretty big blow.
"Could I perhaps join the swordsmanship training?"
"You're a swordsman who cuts through magic. It wouldn't really help you."
"..."
Ronia offered a bright, encouraging smile.
"But we'll still see each other often! The magic training grounds and the swordsmanship training grounds are right next to each other."
"I suppose that's true."
"It's not like you're the only one who's going to miss you..."
I noticed Micaris's ears turning bright red from embarrassment.
"Anyway, see you later."
"Do you need an escort?"
"No, I'm heading straight to the training grounds."
Micaris walked away, the sharp click of her heels fading into the distance.
"Did something happen to Lady Micaris today?"
"Well... I'm not quite sure myself."
"..."
Once we finished our meal, Ronia extended her hand to me.
"Would you do me the honor of being my escort today?"
"Of course, Lady Ronya."
As we walked, Ronia suddenly asked a question.
"Sir Hound, what is your true purpose?"
"Pardon?"
"You know... your ultimate, true dream."
I couldn't exactly say, 'I want to become the strongest existence in this world, build a massive harem, and live like a king,' so I gave a vague, socially acceptable answer.
"Well... I'm not entirely sure yet. Maybe becoming the strongest in the world?"
"That is a grand dream indeed. They say you should never let go of a man with high ambitions."
Ronia always approached me like this, slowly weaving her way into my life.
"Haha, is that so?"
"Thank you for the escort today."
"Have a good day, Lady Ronya."
Her light, bouncy steps made it clear she was in a wonderful mood.
I guess I should start preparing too.
Now, it was time for me to prepare for the Comprehensive Ability Evaluation as well.
In the original novel, Lutera was the victor, but this time, the trophy would be mine.
Since I had transmigrated into this world, the true protagonist was neither Winston nor Lutera—it was me.
With that resolve, I began to gather my Aura, focusing so deeply that the rest of the world faded away.
Going from 5-Star to 6-Star... trying to form that sixth star felt like trying to build a mountain out of individual grains of sand.
But the end was finally in sight.
"..."
Come to think of it, I still hadn't crossed paths with Saint Richmond.
A third-year student, Saint Richmond was the eldest son of the Richmond archery family, earning the moniker of the 'Ultimate Weapon' with just a single bow. He was the only male lead who didn't fall into despair, and despite not being in love with the original heroine, he had still aided her.
Honestly, I always thought Saint was the true male lead.
Well, what did any of that matter now? The original plot had already been thoroughly derailed, and the tragic, ruinous future would never come to pass.
Besides, I had never even read the novel to its completion.
For now, I just needed to focus on preparing for the Comprehensive Ability Evaluation.