I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 40

Chapter 40: That’s More Like It

The annoying flies stopped buzzing around, and Charlotte could finally focus on the one she truly wanted to talk to.

Roy Ainbrad, a boy as calm and graceful as the night sky.

Even though the princess had an unshakeable air of pride, when she truly looked at him, her legs tensed up, and she felt a flutter of nervousness.

How long had it been since she wore a formal dress? Would it seem strange?

Of course, Charlotte wouldn’t let her nerves show. Her stunning face maintained that usual reserved demeanor, but little did she know, her vibrant crimson eyes sparkled with a charm that would catch any boy off guard.

“Roy, you look pretty good in that outfit.” Charlotte casually complimented. It was not flattery; it was genuine admiration.

“Your Highness, you’re too kind. Your beauty is far more captivating,” Roy sighed slightly, his gaze also locking onto her fiery figure.

Charlotte frowned and huffed with a hint of annoyance, “Stop being so formal. Didn’t we agree you’d just call me Charlotte?”

Roy froze for a moment, then quickly collected himself, smiling more sincerely than before, “Let’s do it again, Charlotte. That gown really suits you.”

This time, the girl could no longer hide the faint joy on her face.

“Not bad, right? I haven’t worn a dress in ages.”

Charlotte feigned light-heartedness, but she couldn’t help but twirl gracefully in front of Roy, her long, elegant legs flashing beneath the skirt, as if a fragrant breeze whispered by, leaving Roy in a daze.

“That’s too bad. I’m sure there are plenty of people waiting to greet the princess in a dress.”

Like me, Roy added internally.

“Forget it, I don’t want those annoying folks sticking to me,” Charlotte said, a bit sullen at the thought.

Noticing the pout on Charlotte’s lips, Roy recalled some details.

He remembered from “Angel Dance” that Charlotte really disliked men. The first time she wore a dress in the game was to take Alice to a banquet.

If that’s the case, he needed to tread carefully to avoid making the male-hating princess upset.

“But I think wearing a dress now and then isn’t so bad…” Charlotte shifted the focus again, her gaze returning to Roy.

The air around them became oddly tense and soft as the girl seemed to hesitate.

Unfortunately, before Roy could decipher her hints, a cool, sweet voice chimed in next to them.

“Master, I’ll take my leave now and won’t disturb you.”

Charlotte snapped back to reality, looking at Alice, her beautiful eyes suddenly narrowing.

So this is the famous maid?

Even more beautiful than I expected.

“You are…”

“Oh, this is Alice, my personal maid,” Roy introduced Charlotte.

This was the first official meeting between the main character and his harem in “Angel Dance,” and he was curious whether fireworks would spark between them.

But both Charlotte and Alice sensed a hint of inexplicable hostility in each other’s looks while secretly admiring each other’s stunning beauty.

It felt oddly irritating *2.

Fortunately, they quickly broke eye contact.

Alice suppressed her feelings of animosity, lifted her maid’s skirt, and respectfully curtsied to Charlotte, who responded with a slight nod.

Then, the blonde maid gracefully stepped away, merging into the crowd.

While personal maids could attend the banquet, they usually lingered outside; Charlotte and Roy would soon enter, and Alice had planned to stay outside anyway, just a bit earlier than expected.

Yet, a vague unease stirred within her.

Alice glanced back one last time.

Roy and Charlotte seemed to be chatting happily, truly the perfect gentleman and lady as Alice had imagined.

Master seems really happy.

Irritation aside, as the personal maid, she ought not to interrupt her master’s happiness.

“Alice is really thoughtful, huh? I didn’t even say anything, and she just acted accordingly. It makes me feel a bit embarrassed,” Roy said, unable to help but talk more when Alice came up.

“Hmm~, do you like her?” Charlotte narrowed her eyes slightly.

She didn’t believe the rumors of Roy mistreating the little maid, but it was difficult not to believe another kind of gossip.

It was said that Roy turned over a new leaf because of that maid named Alice.

The most popular love story aside from the knight and princess was surely between a master and his maid, right?

The reformed delinquent and the pure, lovely maid—sounds kind of thrilling… no, quite troublesome!

What a joke, after all the effort I took to find a gentleman, how could I just let a little maid steal him away?!

Charlotte shot a side glance and deliberately elongated her voice, “With me around, how could you be thinking about other girls?”

“Eh? I wasn’t…”

Roy’s praise abruptly halted, glancing at Charlotte’s slightly gloomy profile as his mind raced.

Why does that sound so lemony?

Could it be that Charlotte really didn’t have any interest in Alice?

Charlotte didn’t give him any chance to explain, but instead, elegantly extended her delicate, dainty wrist adorned with gardenia bracelet directly in front of him, her encouraging and expectant smile unmistakable.

“Alright, don’t think too much.”

“Now, you can only think of me.”

Her crimson eyes glimmered with a fire brighter than the brilliantly lit mansion and the endless night sky behind her, igniting a stirring within Roy.

But he didn’t quite understand what was happening.

Well, even if the urgency from the original story was gone, this princess suddenly had no interest in Alice anymore.

But aren’t you supposed to be a severe male-hater? Why are you inviting me to hold your hand out of nowhere?!

Seeing that Roy was momentarily stuck in place, Charlotte’s heart raced, and her cheeks flushed with heat.

In simpler terms, Charlotte had never experienced love before and was just mimicking lines from knight novels.

Sigh, isn’t it naturally the male lead’s duty to hold her hand at a time like this?

Was what I said earlier that strange?!

Just as Roy was about to make a move, Charlotte finally backed down, awkwardly coughing twice.

“Ahem, ahem!”

“Don’t get me wrong, what I meant was… you see, I came here without a partner, and you don’t have a female partner either…”

Her voice grew quieter, fading to a whisper, losing the earlier lion-like pride, becoming more like a flustered little kitten.

Charlotte’s face turned red, nervously pushing a stray hair behind her ear, wanting to look away but continuously sneaking glances at Roy, unaware that all of her actions were being watched by him.

After a while, Roy couldn’t help but chuckle.

Though he didn’t know why, he finally understood her intentions.

“So, you want to invite me as your partner?” Roy asked with a smile.

This light-hearted rebuttal made Charlotte tense up, her cute face tightening further, her nose huffing slightly, “If you’re not willing, then forget it.”

The proud princess currently looked like a spoiled little girl, making Roy want to laugh and cry at the same time.

“Of course not! I’d be happy to!”

Charlotte’s request wasn’t unreasonable; Roy would never pass up a chance to earn some favor!

But he didn’t expect that just as he lifted his hand, she immediately took the lead and grabbed his arm.

The soft, silken touch, carrying the scent of gardenias, pressed gently against him.

“Hmph, that’s more like it!”

The little princess proudly lifted her head, happily linking arms with Roy as they stepped into the grand venue of the villa together.