I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Isn’t It?

As the sky dimmed and dusk set in, Charlotte sat in silence on the carriage ride home.

Her mind was filled with Roy’s elegant smile and his lonely figure.

Rationality told her she could never be with a worthless scoundrel.

Yet the pain in her chest only fueled her fantasies.

After a long while, the girl resting her chin on her hand sighed softly at the setting sun outside the window.

“If only that guy could turn over a new leaf.”

“Huh?” Lisa, sitting beside her, widened her eyes.

Since leaving the Marquis’s residence, seeing Charlotte so troubled was a first for Lisa, and she had been too wary to disturb her.

It was only then that Lisa cautiously asked, “Does Your Highness not know?”

“I know, I know everything,” Charlotte closed her eyes, looking utterly disheartened.

“Uh, I meant about Master Roy turning over a new leaf.”

Charlotte suddenly turned her head, annoyed, and huffed, “I’ve said I know he’s a worthless scoundrel!”

After saying that, Charlotte realized something.

“Wait, what did you just say?!”

“I checked with that rumored golden-haired loli girl,” Lisa reflected on the moment, exclaiming, “Master Roy has turned over a new leaf.”

“Now, he neither beats nor scolds the servants, nor oppresses the commoners, and he’s very considerate of that Alice without doing anything inappropriate.”

At this point, Lisa couldn’t help but sigh. Though she had said people could change, she never expected Roy to change so completely.

With over thirty years of life experience, Lisa could easily tell that Alice’s words were no exaggeration.

“So, Your Highness, what do you think of him?”

Charlotte hung her head, not responding.

If all of this were true, why didn’t he tell her at that time?!

Was he afraid she wouldn’t believe him?

The image of the boy’s bittersweet smile flashed in Charlotte’s mind, breaking her heart.

That’s right, it had to be that way.

Just like the protagonists in knight tales, that guy was too gentle.

Thinking he wasn’t worthy of her, he only wished to protect her from the shadows.

Roy Ainbrad had never considered that she might accept him!

“That idiot.”

“Idiot?” Lisa was bewildered.

“Turn the carriage around, we’re going back… forget it, I’ll walk myself!”

“Your Highness?!”

Without waiting for Lisa to stop her, Charlotte pushed the door open and jumped off the carriage, quickly untied the griffon’s bindings and climbed on.

With her chest churning with anger, joy, and an indescribable thrill, she had to convey all these feelings to Roy.

Not a second to lose.

“Your Highness, wait…!”

“Roar!”

Under the princess’s command, the golden-red griffon shook off its laziness and spread its wings, soaring into the sky.

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“Tsk, even got the castle by leveraging connections, and still ended up ditched by the princess?”

“That’s normal, no man could catch the eye of the [Lionheart Princess]! ”

“Shh, keep your voice down…”

In the city of Riywind, whispers like these echoed everywhere. From nobles to maids, all snickered at Roy’s failure.

However, Roy himself sat leisurely in the lord’s residence lounge, popping champagne like it was all part of the plan!

Roy didn’t hide his disgrace; doing so would only backfire and irritate Charlotte.

To her, he was merely a dull, worthless scoundrel who wouldn’t spark her interest anymore.

From now on, they were parallel lines, and he didn’t have to worry about dying because of [the Lionheart Princess]!

Cheers to that!

“Master, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help you,” the little maid beside him felt otherwise, bowing her head apologetically.

“Don’t say that; you did great,” Roy ruffled the fluffy hair of the girl with a sigh.

Alice lifted her head, still unable to let it go: “But that princess didn’t stay for dinner.”

According to the noble etiquette of the Lionheart Kingdom, if a matchmaking event went well, there should be a dinner. Leaving early indicated dissatisfaction.

A man who couldn’t keep the lady for dinner was often ridiculed by the entire upper class.

But Roy took it all in stride.

After all, Charlotte had never given a good face to any of her previous suitors, so he didn’t feel too embarrassed.

“It’s whatever; I’m not worthy of the princess anyway. This matchmaking was just a formality.”

Roy said comforting words to himself, then took another sip of champagne.

Outside the window, the dusk stretched endlessly, bathing the magnificent lord’s residence in somber twilight.

Until a striking red hue appeared at the edge of the dusk.

“Pff!”

Roy sprayed his champagne all over.

“Why…”

Why was Charlotte Reinhardt back again?!

Riding the Stormwind griffon, eyes wide and hair on fire, she looked as fierce as a vengeful spirit!

How was this not coming back for revenge?!

But he shouldn’t have provoked her, right?

Roy was bewildered, even wondering if there was some sort of cosmic force at play.

Before he could make sense of it, the griffon had already landed!

“Roy Ainbrad, come out here!”

A resounding call echoed beneath the sunset.

The princess calling him by name shattered Roy’s last shred of hope.

Reluctantly, he steeled himself and went to the front of the lord’s residence to meet Charlotte.

The short journey felt like a walk to the gallows.

Maids, butlers, and even nobles inside the lord’s residence gathered at the windows and doors, all watching Roy’s awkwardness with glee.

After all, it wasn’t common for a man to be scolded by the princess and then called back for a second round.

“Your Highness, why have you returned again?”

Ignoring Roy’s greeting, Charlotte raised her elegant brow in seriousness, pointing a finger at him, her voice sharp, “Roy Ainbrad, you never intended to take this matchmaking seriously, did you?! Are you looking down on me?!”

Roy was somewhat confounded: “Because I’m not worthy of Your Highness, isn’t this matchmaking just a formality?”

“That’s why I’m asking if you’re looking down on me?!”

Charlotte questioned him for the second time.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’ve changed for the better?”

Roy froze.

Why?

Of course, it was because—

“Because you’re a big fool!”

“You thought I wouldn’t believe you, just like those people in the castle who mocked you! You think I wouldn’t give you any chance, always viewing you as a worthless scoundrel! You think you’re not worthy of me? It’s all in your head!”

Faced with Charlotte’s tirade, Roy felt lost.

“Isn’t it?”