I Was Reincarnated as a Villain Prince’s Follower, but I Refuse to Be Ruined—Turns Out the Prince Is Surprisingly Competent - Chapter 15

On the day of the ball, a messenger from the Royal Family arrived at the Baron’s estate at noon. He carried a message from Rufus stating that all of Jeremy’s clothes for the event had been prepared. Though surprised as he hadn’t heard anything about this, Jeremy headed to the royal palace by carriage. Upon arrival, he was immediately shown to Rufus’s private room.

“You’re here. You received the message, I assume. I have the clothes ready. We still have time, but try them on just in case to check the size. If they are too big or too small, I’ll have them fixed immediately.”

“Understood.”

Jeremy’s eyes widened at the sight of the luxurious white outfit decorated with gold.

“I’m supposed to wear this?”

“Yes. It matches mine.”

“It’s so grand! I don’t think I can pull this off!?”

This was the definition of being “worn by the clothes.” The outfit felt far too high-status for Jeremy.

“You are a guest of honor tonight. I thought it would be better if our outfits had a sense of unity. Just put it on. Don’t complain before you’ve even tried it.”

Since he put it that way, Jeremy had no choice. With a servant’s help, he slipped into the clothes. The fit was perfect, as if they had been custom-tailored.

“…How do I look?”

Rufus nodded with satisfaction.

“It suits you well.”

“Really? Once we get to the ball, everyone will see I don’t belong in this, so please don’t use empty flattery…”

“I mean it. Or are you suggesting I would intentionally make you wear something that doesn’t fit?”

“Of course not, but…”

“It’s not flattery, so just accept the compliment. Now, look at mine.”

Rufus also changed.

“Well?”

“Are those really the same clothes!? They look completely different.”

The overflowing nobility of Rufus matched the luxury of the outfit perfectly. If he sat on a white horse right now, he’d be the perfect “Prince Charming” capable of captivating everyone in the capital.

“…Is it too late to change into something else? The guests will definitely make fun of me.”

“No. If anyone mocks you, I won’t forgive them, so rest easy.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better…?”

“Naturally. Let’s have some tea until it’s time.”

A servant immediately brought a tea set. Rufus dismissed the staff, and the two enjoyed their tea alone.

“How are things with the Crown Prince? Unintentionally, we ended up getting one of his followers arrested.”

“Naturally, he glares at me every time we cross paths. But I have nothing to hide, so I remain dignified. He only glares; he hasn’t done anything yet.”

“…But I’m worried.”

The situation had changed significantly from the original story. In the book, Rufus appeared as a villainous prince and an enemy who was eventually brought to justice. The Crown Prince’s position remained unshakable, and the story ended with Chris and Reinhard’s future full of hope. But the current Rufus was not inferior to the Crown Prince at all. Combined with his good looks, it was hard to tell which one was the true heir.

“I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about you.”

“Me? What is there to worry about?”

“He is the Crown Prince. If he wants to target a Baron’s house, there are many ways to do it. Your family has no private soldiers, right?”

“Well…”

“I’ll dispatch a portion of the Knights.”

“I don’t need that, and even you can’t just move the Knights for personal reasons, Your Highness.”

“I can use the recent rewards for that…”

“If you do that, the gossiping nobles will say you’re abusing your royal rights and that you’ve returned to being a selfish prince. I won’t have it.”

“I don’t care what they say about me.”

“I do.”

Jeremy spoke with unexpected force. Rufus looked surprised, perhaps feeling the intensity of Jeremy’s resolve.

“Ah, sorry! I got a bit heated.”

(Why am I getting so worked up? This is embarrassing.)

“…I just don’t like it when you’re slandered. You’ve worked so hard to change yourself. I don’t want to do anything that drags you back down.”

Rufus let out a small sigh. He seemed exasperated by Jeremy’s stubbornness.

“Fine. But tell me if you notice anything strange. Promise?”

“I will.”

As they passed the time, it eventually became time for the final preparations. They dressed once more in their formal wear. The necklace Jeremy had given Rufus sparkled against his chest. Once again, Jeremy thought the gold and silver craftsmanship looked wonderful against Rufus’s fair skin.

“Your collar is folded. Turn around.”

“Ah, yes.”

“We have to make sure the fine details are perfect.”

Jeremy briefly thought they looked like a married couple and quickly pushed the intrusive thought out of his mind. A servant appeared and led them out of the room. They headed to the Grand Hall, the venue for the ball. Even the palace staff were in formal attire, marking the day as special. The Imperial Knights gave a sharp salute as they opened the doors to the venue.

Inside were not only noble ladies and gentlemen but also the King, the Queen, and Raven. As the guests of honor, Rufus and Jeremy were the last to arrive.

“Let’s go.”

Rufus gently pushed Jeremy’s back, as he was too stiff with nerves to move. To a thunderous round of applause, they walked through the hall and bowed deeply to the King and his family. The King stood up and took a glass of champagne. The same was given to Rufus and Jeremy.

“Tonight, let us celebrate the achievements of the young lions who support this country! Cheers!”

At the King’s lead, the nobles raised their glasses in unison, and the royal orchestra began to play.

“…Is that the end of it?”

“No, the real part starts now. Hang in there.”

Nobles crowded around them one after another, announcing their house names and speaking familiarly. These were heads of high-ranking families that Jeremy, as a second son of a lowly Baron, would normally never meet. They all begged him to tell stories about the inspection. Meanwhile, Raven left the throne to speak with his own circle.

Once the wave of nobles finally thinned out, Rufus pulled Jeremy’s sleeve. “Let’s go see Chris and the others.” Jeremy had seen Chris in formal wear at the birthday party, but this was his first-time seeing Reinhard dressed up. With his hair slicked back, Reinhard looked even more sharp and intense.

“You seniors are quite popular,” Chris said.

“I wouldn’t say popular, we’re just a novelty right now,” Jeremy replied with a wry smile.

“Enjoy yourselves,” Rufus said, catching the intimate atmosphere between Chris and Reinhard before pulling Jeremy away.

As the night wound down, the ball finally reached its end. Just as the King was about to give his closing remarks, Raven spoke up. “Father. May I say one thing?”

“Raven, what is it?” The King looked at the Crown Prince with suspicion; this clearly wasn’t planned.

“Regarding the upcoming Hunting Festival… I think it would be a grand idea for the Second Prince to participate.”

The Hunting Festival was a royal event where nobles and royals confident in their skills competed to show gratitude to the Goddess of the Hunt. Participants hunted in a limited field and fought to take each other’s prey. While it involved hunting animals, magic was also permitted when competing for trophies.

“Raven. That’s enough nonsense,” the King frowned.

“Why, Father? Ah… I see. I had forgotten. Rufus cannot use magic, can he?”

At that cruel joke, the nobles in the room couldn’t even laugh; they simply looked away awkwardly.

“Crown Prince, have you had too much to drink?” the King snapped.

Raven maintained his bold, mocking smirk. “No, I am perfectly sober. Rufus, forgive me for forgetting your inability to use magic.”

“…It’s fine.” Rufus lowered his eyes. He gripped his glass so hard his hands shook, and his whole body trembled slightly.

(Your Highness…)

The King stood up from his throne. “The Crown Prince spoke out of turn. Forget it. I am glad you all came tonight—”

“—He can do it.”

Jeremy’s voice rang out loudly through the silent hall. Beside him, Rufus looked up as if startled. Raven, who had been smugly turning back toward the throne, knit his brows and glared. Every eye in the room, including the King’s, turned toward Jeremy.

“His Highness is more than capable of participating.”

“Are you saying he will be able to use magic by the time the festival starts?” Raven asked provocatively.

“Yes.”

The room erupted in murmurs.

“Hey, Jeremy!” Rufus grabbed Jeremy’s arm tightly to silence him. His fingers dug in so hard it actually hurt. But Jeremy ignored him.

“How interesting! This year is going to be fun! Don’t forget those words!” Raven’s grin grew even wider.