As the Villainess Who Was Dumped, I Am Saved by My Childhood Friend from a Noble Family and Spoiled in the Frontier - Chapter 10

Night. I knock on my brother’s door.

“Brother. My apologies for the late hour. It’s Maria.”

“The door is unlocked.”

“Excuse me.”

We siblings were meeting in secret, keeping it hidden from Lady Nina.

My brother had been doing paperwork by the light of the lamp.

When working, my brother’s face becomes like that of a cold politician.

“Brother. This is the report you requested about Lady Nina and Baroness Mary.”

“Thank you, Maria. That was quite fast.”

“For matters like these, speed is of the essence.”

I hand my brother the report I compiled about the conflicts between Lady Nina and Baroness Mary at school, based on testimonies from friends.

“I see, there’s quite a lot going on.”

“Yes, it seems Baroness Mary has been making advances toward the Crown Prince at every opportunity. His Highness didn’t seem entirely displeased either, and was acting in ways that disregarded Lady Nina.”

“Hmm.”

“The worst incident was at the social party. His Highness and Baroness Mary attended the party together, behaving as if they were engaged. It seems to have become quite the rumor in the imperial capital. Lady Nina apparently warned Baroness Mary, saying ‘I don’t mind that you’re close with His Highness. However, please refrain from behaving as if you’re engaged, as it could cause unrest in the nation.'”

“A perfectly reasonable opinion. There are even old tales about beauties who topple nations.”

Beauties who topple nations.

It’s an old story from the great eastern continent about a king who became so infatuated with his concubine that it caused the nation to decline, leading to his execution in a rebellion.

“Yes, my friend Ellie heard it and thought it was quite reasonable. But…”

“The Baroness didn’t see it that way.”

“No. It seems she reported what Lady Nina said to the Crown Prince, making it sound more serious than it was.”

“…Didn’t anyone around His Highness caution him…”

“I heard some people tried to warn him indirectly. Also, among Lady Nina’s classmates, there seems to be a group jealous of her position as the Crown Prince’s fiancée. Malicious rumors like ‘She’s losing her fiancé to a low-ranking woman like the Baroness because she’s mean-spirited’ were circulating.”

“The rumors must have grown wings and reached His Highness’s ears.”

“Because of these rumors, it seems His Highness believed the Baroness’s sweet words and began treating Lady Nina even more harshly.”

“The aristocratic society is truly a den of demons.”

My brother made a gesture of surrender.

Lady Nina has been educated as the future empress, so she probably couldn’t show weakness to anyone.

Because of her privileged position, many people view her as a rival.

To us juniors, she’s very popular as a truly kind and caring senior.

“But is the Crown Prince really going to be alright? Being swayed by such rumors, unable to see the true nature of the fiancée he’s walked with for years, while being captivated by the sweet-talking Baroness. I’m even feeling fearful about what might happen in the future.”

My brother was unusually filled with anger. If anyone else heard this, it could be considered treasonous speech. But I understand my brother’s feelings painfully well.

It would be unnatural not to be anxious about this situation.

And I think to myself.

“(If this continues, the empire will fall. Then, if Brother as the current head of the Aurelia Margrave family closest to the imperial family, and the foremost Elector Count, were to become emperor, this country would surely become much better.)”