I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Promise

“You’re wrong, dead wrong!”

As soon as she opened her mouth, Charlotte’s boiling emotions couldn’t be contained any longer.

The boy before her clearly liked her, yet he was content with just one face-to-face tea meeting and then let go.

Just like a knight in a romantic novel, believing he didn’t deserve the princess and walking away.

She’d always thought the princesses in those knighthood tales were pretty silly.

The knight clearly loved the princess so deeply, willing to sacrifice himself for her happiness, yet the princess inexplicably throws herself into the arms of some prince.

But she wasn’t just a princess.

She was a royal princess.

Charlotte took a deep breath and boldly declared to the boy in front of her,

“Roy Ainbrad, I’m going to set the record straight today!”

“You are the only man worthy of me!”

In the fading twilight, the proud princess stood tall, even the sinking sunset behind her seemed inferior.

Like the brightest scarlet mark in this dim world, it was deeply engraved in Roy’s heart.

Roy had never imagined that he, burdened with years of negative labels, would actually gain this royal princess’s favor and recognition.

So in his subconscious, he never considered proving to Charlotte that he wasn’t that ‘bad boy Roy’.

If he didn’t get emotionally involved, he’d never get hurt.

He sought no merit but only to avoid trouble. Just to not offend Charlotte.

But at this moment, the proud princess had ignited Roy’s dormant heart with her fiery emotions.

Charlotte had proven that she wouldn’t deny everything about Roy because of prejudice and rumors.

After a long pause, Roy couldn’t help but smile, unable to suppress his amusement.

“So, Your Highness came all the way back just to tell me this?”

“Of course… not!” Charlotte’s tone suddenly got messy.

“Ahem, don’t get the wrong idea, I did not come back just for you.” The little princess crossed her arms and raised her chin in a mock display of emphasizing, “I just don’t like being misunderstood!”

“Thanks for flying all the way back to remind me,” Roy replied, trying to hold back his laughter.

“I-I already said it wasn’t just for you…!”

Just a moment ago, Charlotte had been full of spirit, but now she suddenly softened, feeling a bit embarrassed as she avoided the boy’s gaze.

Roy adjusted his expression and said seriously, “But I still don’t think I’m worthy of Your Highness right now.”

“Hey, you…!”

Charlotte said a bit irritated, ready to educate him more, but unexpectedly, Roy took a step forward and came right in front of her!

So close, too close!

They were just inches apart, close enough to make their breaths feel ambiguous.

Having never been this close to a boy, Charlotte almost saw herself reflected in the dark eyes of the boy right in front of her.

The girl momentarily forgot to breathe, her heart racing intensely.

As the sun set, the shadows of the boy and girl intertwined, with only inches separating them.

“The fact is, Your Highness was born as an Extraordinary Being with golden blood, respected by the people as the Lionheart Princess. Right now, I don’t have the qualification to stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”

If what he said at the tea meeting was just a humble remark, now Roy truly believed this.

Looking sincerely into the girl’s eyes, he said, “So I promise you, one day, I will become the man worthy of Your Highness.”

If Charlotte was willing to trust him, why shouldn’t he respond to her expectations?

Charlotte’s cheeks flushed, but she showed an unhidden joy.

“Just saying it doesn’t count.”

“Eh?” Roy, who just tried to act cool, felt a bit embarrassed.

Charlotte lowered her eyes and shyly asked, “Do you know about the vow kiss?”

With that, she reached out her delicate white hand towards Roy.

Roy of course knew. Legend has it that the hero of the Lionheart Kingdom, the dragon slayer Siegfried, presented a kiss to the princess before heading off to battle, promising to win victories for the kingdom.

Since then, the kiss on the hand came to symbolize a knight’s most sincere vow to their sovereign. Over time, this ancient ritual also took on an added meaning of a gentleman’s promise to a lady.

Understanding the significance, Roy half-knelt, taking her silken-soft fingertip into his hand.

The warmth that transferred from the girl’s fingertip was startling hot.

Treating it like the most precious treasure in the world, Roy carefully and sincerely pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Charlotte’s hand under the fading twilight.

Outside the windows, those who had been waiting to see Roy make a fool of himself were all caught dropping their jaws, unable to believe what they just witnessed.

After the vow, Roy and Charlotte looked at each other, both shyly avoiding the gaze.

Perhaps wanting to deliberately break the awkward atmosphere, Charlotte took the initiative to express her intentions: “If you don’t mind, from now on, you can call me Charlotte—when it’s just the two of us.”

This was the first time the Lionheart Princess allowed someone besides blood relatives to call her by her first name, and she even looked forward to it a bit.

“You can call me Roy too,” Roy responded with a light smile.

“Thank you for trusting me, Charlotte.”

“!”

She had come in a whirlwind, full of confidence, but now Charlotte was so embarrassed her face was bright red, unable to lift her head.

“Idiot!”

“We made a deal! I’ll prove I can shake off the title of bad boy and show everyone who I really am! Until then, I’ll be waiting for you!”

After saying that, Charlotte turned, slightly flustered, and hopped on her griffin, disappearing into the sunset.

And Roy’s panel glimmered once more.

【Lionheart · Reverse Fate Progress】: 5%

【Current Reverse Fate Node: Lionheart】

【Charlotte Reinhardt】: Favorability +30, Current Favorability 11

【Reward】: Reverse Fate Point +1

——————————————

On the way back, Charlotte covered the spot that Roy had kissed, her little face flushed as she giggled to herself.

After hearing Charlotte recount what happened, Lisa couldn’t help but feel moved that their picky princess finally had someone of her liking.

It felt like watching their cabbage grow up, finally able to go root for the pig.

But Lisa had one question.

“So, Your Highness really likes young Master Roy, right?”

“W-Well, it’s not like I like him that much. He’s just quite good. He’s handsome, polite, and although he’s done a lot of bad things before, he’s promised to turn over a new leaf… Anyway, I don’t dislike him!” Charlotte fiddled with a ponytail, feeling coy, the smile on her face was impossible to hide.

Lisa filtered out Charlotte’s boastful remarks and concluded.

The princess was extremely satisfied with Roy!

But because of that, she was even more confused!

“Since you like him so much, why didn’t you stay for dinner?!”

According to noble customs, if the girl is satisfied with the suitor, she should stay for dinner, and with a bit of luck, maybe even dance! With exceptional luck, a spark might even fly that very night!

“…Ah, well.”

Charlotte’s smile froze instantly.

She had grown accustomed to walking away on the spot, that she’d completely forgotten this formal procedure.

What a loss!