"Let's go out. We need to talk where nobody can hear." Ivy dragged Lucas out.
Lucas's roommate didn't argue. He was rather shocked a pretty noble girl such as Ivy visited.
"What do you want? You know I got expelled because of your little schemes." Lucas said as soon as they stopped in the backyard of the orphanage.
"I need you help." Ivy looked at him.
"No. Why should I?" Lucas crossed his arm. He hated Ivy. She appeared so innocent to many, but he knew how manipulative she was.
Lucas was born from a wealthy family in his past life. He got everything he wanted. But when his father's business collapsed, everything went downwards.
You see, Lucas had been very popular in his school as well. He had good looks, physic, and grades. He had a lot of friends, as well.
But when his family got poor, those friends didn't follow him anymore.
The stress caused his grades to worsen, and he stress ate a lot.
Soon, he was just a fat and poor kid with average grades.
He got bullied at school. His father drunk everyday, and beat his mother.
He thought, "Why is this happening to me?! What did I do?! It's not fair."
Soon, his father started putting his anger on Lucas himself.
At one point, Lucas's mother broke.
She took out the knife and stabbed her own husband and son. She then committed suicide.
One day, he woke up in another dimension. He was reborn.
His new family's wasn't very wealthy, but they had enough.
When he reached the age of 5, he realised this new world was an otome game.
At a ball, he met Roselyn Villinie.
His former girlfriend (who left him) was pretty, but enjoyed otome games.
Lucas remembered how she talked about it. It was about a baron's daughter who got sent to a academy, and got a bunch of capture targets. There was a villainess, as well.
But there was also a character, who was an obstacle for the capture targets.
Lucas Kaid.
He tried seducing Ivy, but got killed by accident instead.
Lucas, at age of 10, in his new world, flinched.
'I don't want to die. But what can I do to prevent it?"
He tried not to be a womaniser. But everything was just too tempting. Everything in the game unraveled, as planned.
Then, Lucas had a thought.
'What if I don't seduce Ivy? Then the capture targets wouldn't come after me.'
But he still craved for a lot of things. Power. Status. Money.
'So why don't I just try to capture Roselyn, the villainess?'
Ivy approached him as well. She told him to make Roselyn fall in love with Lucas. Ivy even said that she would her him do so.
It was perfect. Should've been.
But everything didn't go as planned. Instead of the capture targets chasing after Ivy, it was Roselyn as the center of attention.
That's when he realised that Roselyn also knew the about this world being a otome game.
'But wouldn't that cause trouble for me?' He thought as the capture targets hung around Roselyn.
When he finally met up with Roselyn, it was his last chance to turn away before the capture targets ruined him.
He thought Roselyn would be dumb, but she was more smart and skilled in magic then he could even imagine.
'Was she just hiding her true talent? What a waste.'
He ended up in this orphanage. It was the best result he could ever ask. His parent's business went broke. If he stayed there, it would be the same as his last life.
He was simply glad that he survived. It was enough for him.
But then Ivy appeared again.
"I don't want to do it, Ivy. Plus, you don't even have a good bargaining chip that I want." He said coldly.
"Oh~? Are you sure about that? You see, I know that you're jealous of Roselyn, right? Born into a rich and loving family. She has beauty, smarts and even a high amount of magic! She even managed to get the best men in the academy! Don't you simply hate her?!" Ivy's innocent facade disappeared. She was grinning like a madmen. She hated Roselyn very much.
"But isn't that you? Aren't you the one who's jealous of her?" Lucas pointed out.
Ivy's face became distorted.
"Don't talk about me! So what if I am?! I'm going to ruin that bitch!!!" She screamed in his ear. Ivy, who looked like an angel to many, changed into the devil. Her face turned red, and growled like an animal to Lucas.
Lucas couldn't deny Ivy's words. He was, in fact, jealous of Roselyn.
But what was Ivy going to propose? He was only a commoner. He couldn't do much.
"Alright. Tell me. What do you want me to do? I'll refuse it if I don't want to, though." He said.
Ivy smiled. It was an evil and mischievous smile.
'Talk about two-faced people.' Lucas joked quietly.
"I only need you to do one thing." Ivy held up her pointer finger.
"You need to spread bad rumours about her. Including that she's a seductive person, and that she bullies me due to jealousy. That's all I need you to spread. All you have to do is get good with the commoners, then when they want to know about the nobles and soon ask about Roselyn, you tell them that. Because they don't know why you were expelled, they won't think badly of you. Commoners are always starving for news about the nobles. Especially about the star of society, Roselyn." Ivy looked at Lucas.
"So? What do you say?"
Lucas thought. This was a perfect situation where the blame could be put upon Ivy. He could just tell others that he heard this from Ivy. Then when it was proved to be fake, he could worsen Ivy's reputation more by reminding them that it was Ivy who spoke of it to him.
"I'm in, I guess."
***
At the Benter Residence
"Say, how are things going on with you and the Crown Prince? Is he sweet to you?" Seria asked.
They were still talking about fiances and girly stuff.
Roselyn flinched.
She was trying her best to avoid this one topic, but the intelligent Seria wouldn't miss any chances to ask this.
Every girl in the room looked at Roselyn. This was one of the most desired conversations in the Country.
The star of the country, engaged to the Crown Prince.
"Ah! Well, it's going quite well, I suppose." Roselyn tried to talk calmly.
'Don't blush, don't waver, don't talk like a silly girl in love. Maintain you composure, Roselyn!'
"Sign* You two are the match made in heaven, aren't you." Emerald put her hands over her cheeks. She looked up as if she were fantasizing.
"Oh, Emerald, you're a reader of romance, aren't you?" Roselyn said. She was deliberately trying to change to topic.
"That's right! Oh, have you read the novel called 'Banished Love' yet? It's so amazing! Robelia is just the perfect heroine, isn't she? And I wonder who she will end up with. How I hope that it's with the charming Prince Williams! Oh, but his fiance Corina is just simply evil, don't you think? And-"
I no longer needed to hear her anymore. So that book was almost the same as this world, huh? I don't know about Robelia a lot, but I didn't really like her. She was straight out stealing a fiance, and nobody minded except Corina. I was cheering Corina on, but I knew that it wouldn't work out. After all, the antagonist always receives a bad ending, don't they?
And how is Robelia a protagonist? All she was was a seducer, while also stealing Corina's fiance.
And Prince William isn't charming in the slightest. He let himself get seduced by Robelia, and probably even helped get rid of his own fiance.
But I couldn't bring myself to like Cordelia either. She brought her own ruin. I bet she went crazy at the sight of her fiance and Robelia together. When things are dire, keep calm. Being outraged is the worst action you could ever take. She needed to be more sly and secretive when bringing their ruin.
"-is so evil! How could Cordelia ever do that?!" Emerald looked frustrated while saying this.
"But is it her fault her fiance got stolen?"
I had enough. This was making my mood worse. I didn't like Cordelia, but I cheered for her on the inside.
Everybody looked at me, not knowing what to do or say. I was of higher rank of all them.
"That's..." Emerald looked down. "That's true. But Cordelia really has a horrible personality. I-I'm sorry."
"Could it be that you compare yourself to Cordelia?" Seria asked. She knew what was going on.
"But if this were a story, then Ivy would be the antagonist! You would be the protagonist! It's just that............Cordelia isn't so nice as you! Ivy isn't as pure as Robelia! And even William would fall in love with you if you were his fiance!" Emerald said.
The other girls agreed.
Did others sincerely think that? Or were they just afraid to insult me?
I had a thought suddenly.
If Ivy had spread that rumour, then it would mean a lot of people have heard of it by now. I know that a lot of girls hated me. And a lot of boys were head-over-heels for Ivy. I'm sure they believed it without doubt.
But that was only a small proportion of the noble society.
There was still the common folk and the other nobles.
Some wanted to bring me and my family down. Some supported me, either for their benefit or not. Most were neutral and followed their own heart.
I'm sure that Ivy would've spread the rumour across the nobles. But how about the Commoners? Had she done it yet?
If she was smart, then she would've contacted a person among the commoners already.
Lucas. If I were her, that would be my first choice.
I frowned.
That was a quite the remarkable move, Ivy.