Chapter 20
Just like the title "Guardian", there was an otome game where the heroine was protected and doted on.
A former noblewoman becomes the adopted daughter of a prestigious count family and, while being tormented by her stepsister, is loved and protected by many handsome men.
How many times did I groan in envy while playing that game...
With a cute appearance and a saintly personality.
I would project myself onto the heroine who was loved no matter what she did—or didn't do—and become intoxicated.
It was the perfect game to escape from a reality I was exhausted with.
So, it must have been fate that I was reincarnated as the heroine of that otome game I was so obsessed with.
In my previous life, there were tons of novels and manga about reincarnation into another world.
Among them, the most popular ones were about villainous daughters who were actually reincarnators and ended up turning the tables on the protagonist.
A villainous daughter hated by those around her because of her own actions.
But what if that villainous daughter was a reincarnator and knew the entire story?
Raising favorability steadily since childhood, solidifying her foundation with knowledge from her past life, and planning to defeat the protagonist when she appeared—there's no way she could lose.
Avoiding death flags? Acting to survive? It's all the same as what the heroine does.
The more decent men side with the villain, and only the foolish ones remain. To think one could win them over and be satisfied, only to have the rug pulled out from under them and fall—no thank you.
I will live a happy life, no matter what it takes, just like that heroine.
A father who's too kind for a noble, and a mother who constantly complains about their baron-level lifestyle that's noble in name only. Outdated dress designs, few accessories, and just two maids.
I was sick of it, thinking how my previous life had more freedom and entertainment, when my father died in an accident while I was playing the role of a sweet child.
"Are you his daughter?"
I knew Count Baldo Rotisch would attend my father's funeral.
—Because this is where my story begins.
With tear-stained cheeks, I looked up at the count and nodded while sobbing.
I let myself look momentarily stunned by the gentle hand that patted my head and then gave a brave little smile.
Just that was enough for the count to sympathize and extend a helping hand—not for my father, but for my mother, who was exhausted from anxiety about our future.
A noble title granted for one generation only. My mother's family already had her brother and his wife, so there was no place for her.
Living as commoners would've been fine, but for a count who was born into wealth, it must have been a big problem.
Smiling to herself, my mother quickly accepted the count's offer to support us until I came of age and got married, and began to flatter him.
Was it because he was my father's best friend and thus soft, or was this the heroine's charm at work?
However, there was a hidden backstory I didn't know.
On paper, my mother and I became Count Rotisch's second wife and adopted daughter, but we had no authority in the count family.
There was no wedding, no formal introduction—the contractual marriage would be annulled and dissolved once I got married.
My mother pretended to be pleased when she heard we'd be supported afterward, but behind the scenes, she was furious.
As a result, perhaps targeting someone else, she tried to seduce the handsome former head of the family during the meet-and-greet, failed, and returned to our guest room dejected.
Internally exasperated, I told her—while pretending to be the innocent Mirabel—that she should target Baldo instead, and casually advised that becoming a good mother to his only daughter might earn his favor.
Baldo's daughter, Celestia Rotisch.
She is the villainous daughter of this world.
If Celestia is a reincarnator, then being able to start on the same footing from childhood is a stroke of luck.
"......Nice to meet you. I am Celestia Rotisch."
At the entrance of the large, spacious mansion, lined with maids and servants, the girl who walked like a queen didn't even try to hide her displeasure as she greeted my mother and me.
If I, the heroine, was the cute small-animal type, then the villainous daughter was a flawless beauty from every angle. My mother immediately began flattering her, while I played the shy, quiet little sister.
After becoming an adopted daughter and moving into the count family, my first target to win over was the maid.
A child with a pitiful background and a humble attitude stirs maternal instincts in women.
Next came the lower servants and footmen—it was going well, but the butler who assisted the count wasn't so easy.
Even when I teared up and said, "I want to see my foster father," he'd dodge with "He's busy." When I brought sweets I made with the cook saying, "I have something to give him," he'd cut me off with "The lord doesn't like sweets."
What an infuriating man... I was irritated when Celestia invited me for tea.
By this point, I had concluded that she wasn't a reincarnator, but just to be sure, I pretended to be a foolish reincarnator often seen in downfall stories during that tea time.
As expected, the result was white. Pure white.
She was so carefree and unaware that I wondered if she'd really become a villain.
I scoffed, thinking she wasn't even worth dealing with, but I still gave her a warning in the form of a prophecy.
Well, even if the villain doesn't lift a finger, people around her will bully me on their own. But if she stays quiet, I might defend her a little when she's condemned.
Before entering the academy, I decided to target Floyd, Celestia's fiancé.
If I kept saying, "Until you get married, I want to spend as much time as possible with my beloved sister," everyone would happily help me.
That continued even after Celestia got engaged, and Floyd didn't realize that everything I did with good intentions only ended up hurting Celestia.
—Idiots, all of them.
Celestia, who lost her temper and threw a tantrum, and Floyd, who looked down sadly at the trampled bouquet... they were all dancing in the palm of my hand.
"Why..."
I was so dumbfounded by Floyd's muttering that I couldn't even speak. Poor Celestia, having to marry a man like him.
I picked up the bouquet and comforted him, but I had no intention of reaching an ending with Floyd.
As the second son of a marquis family, he was always compared to his older brother, which twisted his personality. He becomes a yandere who's obsessed with being number one and smothers the heroine with heavy love.
He's scary, and there's no way I want to stay with someone like that.
My only target is royalty.
The Crown Prince, the first prince of this country, had decent popularity in the official character polls.
Unusually for a prince, he had black hair, and being royalty, he was in the handsome category.
His personality was serious and sincere, and the fact that he loved only the heroine made him very likable.
But the one more popular than the Crown Prince was the Second Prince.
Merchandise sold out instantly. If anyone said anything bad about him online, his rabid fans would swarm and cause a flame war.
With a finely sculpted face that showed the artist's obsession, and a sharp tongue that showed contempt to everyone except his brother, the sarcastic prince always took first place in popularity polls.
There was also... a prince from another country, I think.
Maybe the Third Prince? He won a fierce battle for the throne and became king.
Despite his wild, manly looks, he was reputed to be very kind.
There were still several more romanceable characters left...
Should I go for the Crown Prince after Floyd?
I'd meet him a year later than Celestia, but he wouldn't even be a threat.
"Too easy."
The next day, while pretending to worry about my stepsister who had holed herself up in her room, I laughed at her behind her back.
Celestia suddenly vanished from the mansion.
Even though I had showered her with charm, not a single person would tell me where she had gone.
On top of that, events like tea parties, theater outings, and music festivals—all of them were canceled just because Celestia wasn't there, and I lost all chances to meet Floyd.
Every day, I'd go ask the butler, "When is my sister coming back?" but he wouldn't tell me. I clung to my mother, but she said she hadn't seen her lately since she wasn't allowed in the office and their bedrooms were separate.
I didn't know where she was or what she was doing, but just one more year...
I optimistically assumed she'd be back by the time we entered the academy, thinking this was just another hidden backstory I didn't know.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think Celestia would enroll in the military school.