Chapter 269: The Fake Lover Strategy

As I looked around, I saw faces filled with astonishment.

Everyone seemed to be doubting whether they had heard correctly.

That’s how preposterous the story was.

“So, who exactly is this vulgar fellow?”

“He’s an author from the Opraushy Count Family named ‘Drembi’… Do you know him?”

There was no person named ‘Drembi’ in the Book of Names I received from the Possession Body’s family.

However, I did know basic information about the ‘Opraushy Count Family’, as it was listed in the Noble Roster.

It was an old family with a long history, but due to business failures by previous generations, they had lived in poverty for several generations.

Recently, they discovered a mineral vein and suddenly became rich, or so I’d heard?

I recall a scathing evaluation noting that while they now possessed both tradition and wealth, they were essentially no different from upstarts.

‘So he’s acting like someone desperate to wield his family’s power but can’t.’

Even as I reached this conclusion, Fjodra was frowning, humming “Hmm…” as if lost in thought.

It seemed she was struggling to recall information about this ‘Drembi Opraushy’ person, looking more like she was embarrassed for not knowing who he was.

And my guess was spot on.

“I considered summoning him privately to warn him to stay away from you… but unfortunately, that likely won’t work. The Opraushy Count Family supports my younger brother, the First Prince. That man’s older brother is also friends with my brother.”

No wonder that villain kept equating Karbaldr with himself.

Since this Possession Body’s older brother, Valtraus, is friends with the First Prince, and his own older brother is too, he must have fallen into the delusion that there’s no big difference between himself and Karbaldr.

Even though the First Prince would never consider Valtraus, a member of the Dukedom, and that guy’s brother to be on the same level.

“Even so, Your Imperial Highness’s words…”

“As I said before, I lack sufficient justification to personally step in and impose sanctions. He did hurl harsh words at you… but he would claim he was merely courting you.”

It seems this is the kind of worldview where even such nonsense is considered part of courting.

Seeing that not a single person was outraged, questioning how such a thing could be considered courtship.

Even Hailga was merely clenching her teeth, swallowing her rage, holding back the tears welling in her reddened eyes.

“By any chance, were there people around when he said those harsh things?”

“…No.”

“Then his having said such things would be treated as nothing more than your and Professor Dyuf’s unsubstantiated claim.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“I believe you. But without evidence, it’s obvious he will deny it and brush it off. He might even turn it around and accuse you of slandering him.”

I think the same.

That’s why he could spout that nonsense about this Possession Body’s father living alone after losing his wife because no one wanted to marry into the family.

If push comes to shove, he could just insist Hailga made it all up.

“He is spreading rumors to tarnish Hailga’s honor.”

“Rumors?”

“He went that far?!”

At the Original Protagonist’s interjection, Fjodra showed a reaction indicating she would listen.

Hailga flew into a rage even before hearing the content.

She probably thought it would obviously be a bad rumor without even hearing it, and she was right.

“The content of the rumor is…”

Reysir relayed what Pret had told him in chapter 267 and even explained the scenario he guessed was the villain’s purpose and plan for spreading the rumor.

Hailga’s face flushed with anger, and she sent a desperate look toward Fjodra.

But Fjodra only let out a deep sigh with a pained expression.

“The rumor currently spreading is simply that Miss Hailga likes him. If we confront him now, he can just say it was a misunderstanding and be done with it. But if we wait until a scandal circulates, it will only harm Miss Hailga’s honor. Even if we later correct it and say it was false, few will care. That man will wriggle out, saying he had no idea a joke between friends would spread like this.”

Once again, words implying there was no solution came from Fjodra’s mouth.

The faint hope and desperation in Hailga’s eyes faded.

“It’s regrettable, but it seems there is nothing I can do to help. If I’m not careful, rumors could spread that I am trying to frame someone from the First Prince’s faction to disgrace them and restrain my brother. Having the matter blow up into a political fight wouldn’t be good for you either.”

Well, of course.

If word got out that Fjodra tried to damage the Opraushy Count Family’s honor, rumors would follow that Hailga was paid by Fjodra to seduce that villain.

In a political fight, the biggest victims are always the weak caught in the middle.

Hailga, who couldn’t possibly not know this, looked utterly despairing.

Perhaps pained by that sight, Reysir carefully wrapped his arms around his childhood friend’s shoulders with a sorrowful expression.

While doing so, he looked my way, undoubtedly seeking advice.

‘It’s not yet time for me to step in!’

Because the definitive solution that must appear when a male character harassing a Heroine Candidate appears in a male-oriented novel hasn’t been presented yet.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long.

As if gaining enlightenment from seeing Reysir embracing Hailga, Fjodra exclaimed and blurted out:

“Ah, that’s right…! If Miss Hailga gets a lover, wouldn’t he have no choice but to give up? Coveting someone who already has a partner is not an honorable thing! The rumor that Miss Hailga likes him would also end immediately!”

“Wh-what…?! But a lover doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, how…?”

“You don’t need to actually date. Just having someone who acts the part should be enough. And fortunately, you have a suitable person right by your side, don’t you?”

At Fjodra’s words, Hailga looked at the person by her side, and that person also looked at Hailga.

Naturally, that person was the Original Protagonist, Reysir, who was currently holding her shoulders to comfort her.

A strange atmosphere flowed between them as they looked at each other from such close distance.

I knew it would come to this.

I’m certain my readers reading this knew it, and Senna’s readers must have known too.

The Fake Lover Operation is a cliché and an unshakable steady seller.

This was all a predetermined, forced development from the start.

‘Is this obvious, clichéd plan only being suggested now to leave the impression that it’s the best and only solution? Or was it a process to show the villain isn’t just some random nobody?’

Whatever the reason, poor Fjodra ended up looking incompetent.

She was given the role of providing the idea, but this alone couldn’t possibly redeem her.

Rather, by ultimately passing the problem-solving to Reysir, she reached the pinnacle of incompetence.

“Um, that… Rei…? If it’s okay with you…”

“I’m okay with it, but…”

The first Heroine Candidate of the original novel spoke up very shyly and cautiously.

Then the Original Protagonist hesitantly gave a positive answer.

Now was the time for me to intervene.

“It certainly is a decent method. If you two plan to get married and live happily ever after, that is.”

“What?! No, wh-what?! Wh-what do you mean, Young Lord?!”

“That’s right! Karbaldr, what are you saying? We’re just planning to do a camouflage romance until that Drembi guy gives up on Hailga!”

Immediately.

The two childhood friends almost shoved each other away, hastily separating as they vehemently refuted.

“Is that truly the case?”

“Of course! Hailga and I are like siblings!”

“That’s right! But m-marriage…! Family members don’t do that sort of thing!”

The expected reaction.

But a fake romance to shake off a persistently clingy villain is a cliché.

And to prove they’re really dating, kissing in front of the villain is also a cliché.

If left alone, the two would eventually lock lips.

This would become the catalyst for them to start seeing each other not as siblings but as a man and a woman, unfolding a development where their love grows.

And right after they confirm each other’s feelings, or around the time Reysir decides to confess…

‘Hailga will die!’

Not in the meaningless way of the original work before the remake, but in a much more dramatic and sorrowful atmosphere.

But death is still death.

I must prevent such a situation from occurring in the first place.

“If you two date and then break up, bad rumors will definitely spread.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, you’ve lived under the same roof since childhood, and aren’t you planning to live together again when vacation comes?”

“Why would that…………….”

It was a bit awkward for me to say, but fortunately, they both seemed to catch on.

Seeing as they didn’t finish asking why that was a problem and closed their mouths mid-sentence.

However, there was at least one person who didn’t understand the meaning of my words.

“What is it? Why that reaction, Karbaldr?”

The one among us with the highest nominal status, but not in reality, looked bewildered, proving his young age.

It seems I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to answer that innocent question.

As everyone rolled their eyes with awkward expressions, the one who stepped forward was the next head of the Information Guild.

“Well, a grown man and woman, who have confirmed they like each other, living under the same roof…”

Pret started like that, then whispered something into Liolikin’s ear.

Liolikin’s face turned as red as his hair.

Watching that made even me, who first brought up the topic, feel embarrassed, but the discussion wasn’t over yet, so I couldn’t stay silent.

“Ahem, ahem! For that reason, if you plan to proceed with this operation, you must consider marriage. And that scum might spread rumors that Hailga was weighing him and Reysir against each other, playing with them. You two need to appear as if you’re in a love of the century, to the point where he has no room to interfere. For instance, a public proposal?”

“Publicly, do what…?”

“I was planning to talk about this after formally inheriting the title and reclaiming the fief, but… How about pleading that your feelings for the Count have grown uncontrollably, unbearable, and then presenting Hailga with a bouquet of flowers?”

“……”

“Or perhaps singing a serenade and presenting a ring would also work.”

“………”

“Ah, and you’d have to frequently put on public displays of affection, right?”

“…………”

With each thing I said, the burden on Reysir’s face increased, and Hailga was the same.

“Hey, Helly? What if we keep this method as a last resort…?”

“Y-yeah… I think it’s better to think about it more and look for other methods first. If we do as Young Lord Karbaldr says, my dad will faint again…”

It was only natural for the two to reach this agreement.