I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 79

Chapter 76: The Bet

“Charlotte, have you thought this through? Even if Roy changes his ways now, he was once a notorious good-for-nothing. Being seen with him will only bring shame to our royal family!”

“I don’t care!”

“Do you really not care if the royal family is shamed?” Leo smirked coldly, his eyes sharp!

Charlotte clearly didn’t know how to respond to that question and was left speechless, growing increasingly furious.

The tense atmosphere between them escalated, nearly reaching a boiling point!

Roy instinctively sensed something was off.

This guy is deliberately provoking Charlotte!

Gotta hand it to him; he’s a prince, still refusing to back down at this point.

Roy appreciated Charlotte’s trust in him, but as the saying goes, too much concern can lead to chaos.

If the tension kept building, an enraged Charlotte might slip up and act impulsively, giving Leo the perfect opportunity to use it against her later!

Like spreading rumors about how ‘the princess would disgrace her family for a marquis’s son’.

With Leo being older and having his own power base, it would be tough for Charlotte in a battle of wits.

“At the end of the day, neither honor nor merit—just a good-for-nothing with a title. What do you even see in him?!”

“Enough!” Charlotte’s anger peaked; she couldn’t take it anymore and stepped toward Leo.

The fierce flames of the princess’s wrath flared like a red lotus, and the knights became a flurry of nervous movements, none daring to intervene!

“Even if you’re my brother, I won’t allow you…”

“You’re right; I currently have neither honor nor merit.”

Roy’s sudden interjection nearly made Charlotte stumble as she was about to unleash her fury.

Leo’s brows twitched.

Every time Roy spoke, he caught him off guard.

“But conversely, if I were to establish honor and merit, won’t you stop meddling, Your Highness?” Roy asked politely with a smile.

“Ha, you’re talking about going to the battlefield to achieve glory?” Leo raised an eyebrow, internally mocking Roy’s arrogance.

But Roy shook his head.

“Isn’t true honor right in front of you?”

Leo froze for a moment, realizing Roy’s true intent: “The Griffin Trial…”

For the nobility of the kingdom, a knight’s true honor has never been about titles, but bravery and prowess.

‘The Honor of Knights’—the Griffin Trial is synonymous with it!

Tomorrow is the day of the Griffin Trial.

As soon as the words were out, the knights erupted in shock, and Charlotte found herself growing anxious.

“Roy, don’t do anything reckless. That trial isn’t as simple as you think…”

“Trust me.”

Charlotte was about to stop him when Roy shot her a gentle yet determined look, causing her to fall silent.

She couldn’t help but want to trust the young boy before her.

Leo stayed silent for a moment before the tension and unease inside him dissipated, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

The Griffin Trial? Is this his tactic of retreating to advance?!

Honestly, Roy’s performance was unexpected, but this last step played right into his hands!

“You want to use the Griffin Trial as a wager?”

“Since Your Highness is so sure I’m a good-for-nothing, wouldn’t you want to witness it firsthand?” Roy said casually.

The knights watched Leo’s expression closely, while the surrounding nobles curiously leaned in.

Even Charlotte shot Leo a stern look, pressing, “Leo, if you want to meddle, don’t be a coward now!”

Leo had no choice.

Just like earlier, when he tried to provoke Charlotte in front of everyone, refusing now would only embarrass him in public!

Having just tried to vehemently oppose the two’s bond, he now couldn’t accept the challenge—any gossip afterward about his cowardice would only make it harder for him to interfere later!

“You don’t need to egg me on,” Leo sighed. “Let’s do it your way.”

The prince continued, “However, if you fail the Griffin Trial, you’ll have to publicly admit you’re a good-for-nothing unworthy of Charlotte.”

Just one more sentence sent chills down Charlotte’s spine.

He didn’t suggest some impossible promise like ‘never approach Charlotte again’ but rather aimed to disgrace Roy thoroughly.

Charlotte suddenly found the man before her so unfamiliar; her brother’s face in her memories became a blur.

On the other side, Roy also laid out his condition: “If I pass the trial, you’ll publicly acknowledge my honor and merit and bless us.”

Leo felt anger surge in him.

If that happened, it would be difficult for Leo to meddle in their affairs again.

A promise is sacred; in front of others, noble vows carry even more weight. Though a promise can be broken, each violation comes with a hefty price.

Roy intended to crank up the stakes on the consequences of Leo breaking his word!

But whether he was upset or not, Leo’s expression remained calm.

From the moment Roy proposed the Griffin Trial, his defeat was already in the cards.

“This bet will be witnessed by me, Charlotte Lionheart. Don’t even think about going back on it!” Charlotte warned from the side.

“Not a problem,” Leo replied, throwing Roy a mocking glance. “The outcome is already decided.”

——————————————

“I’m so mad! What’s that guy’s problem? Why does it concern him?!”

Charlotte sat under the gazebo, viciously biting into a strawberry cake, radiating heat like a little volcano ready to erupt.

She had totally forgotten about having Roy cosplay as a butler.

Roy was just as baffled why the second prince wanted to provoke him.

But now that he knew that reversing fate was his doing, Roy was no longer anxious.

“Don’t worry. As long as we win the trial, he’ll have to think twice before sticking his nose in our business.”

“Here.”

Handing over a small cup of chilled strawberry juice, Charlotte took a sip. Her fierce expression melted away instantly, transforming from a little volcano into a sweet cake threatening to dissolve.

Once her anger subsided, she began to worry about Roy’s situation.

“Seriously, the Griffin Trial isn’t that easy. Do you really feel confident?”

Every griffin was proud and unique, and their training methods were non-transferable. Titles and extraordinary bloodlines could be inherited, but griffin recognition relied solely on personal effort.

That’s one reason people view it as a mark of honor.

“Well… you’ll find out when the time comes,” Roy teased, his gaze focused on the panel above.

He had long been tempted by the idea of taming a griffin and had been thinking about how to do so; he just needed the opportunity.

Since he dared to propose a wager, Roy was confident he could handle it.

“Speaking of which, your birthday is coming up soon!” Roy said, noticing Charlotte’s surprised expression. “Let’s treat this victory as my birthday gift to you.”

Tomorrow is the day of the Griffin Trial, and the day after that is the nation’s founding ceremony and Charlotte’s birthday.

The timing couldn’t be better.

For a lady of the kingdom, martial prowess and merit are even more romantic than jewels.

The boy’s promise left Charlotte dazed for a moment, and finally, she turned her head, covering her burning cheek, huffing adorably.

“If you lose, I won’t let you off the hook.”

“Understood~”