Ch.7878. By Any Chance, Are You a Scoundrel?

“What’s going on? Why are you two fighting?”

Her long purple wavy perm framed large, haughty blue eyes.

Her plump lips and well-defined features complemented each other perfectly.

Her outfit appeared to be made of high-quality materials like lace or silk, seemingly blending modern sensibility with classic elements in harmonious fashion.

The problem was that I couldn’t help but let out a small sigh while looking at her.

Why, you ask?

Since being reincarnated as ‘Selden Alphonse,’ I’ve encountered countless extras, protagonists, companions, and villains.

Characters from the original work definitely had their distinctive traits.

That remarkable three-dimensional quality visible in their appearance.

That’s what was emanating from her.

Lina Covet rose at the woman’s words, hastily looking around the tavern, turning her head this way and that.

Then she tapped Rohan, who was sitting, on the shoulder.

“Hey, there’s a spot open. Let’s go sit over there.”

“What are you talking about? What about Selden? We agreed to drink together first.”

“Just stop talking for now. I’ll go explain.”

“I said no!”

She was probably going to explain what a scoundrel ‘Selden Alphonse’ was.

Not wanting to get further entangled with the newly arrived woman, I half-rose from my seat, smiling to politely send them off, when—

“Lina, don’t talk behind my back. Say it right here.”

The woman said this as she sat down beside me.

Then she threw another comment my way.

“Excuse me.”

This is getting complicated, really complicated.

I should have stood up first and bolted out of the tavern.

Now I was stuck in an awkward situation where I could neither advance nor retreat.

Of course, Lina Covet was in the same boat.

“W-well…”

As she stammered, the woman sitting next to me filled her empty glass with liquor and furrowed her brow.

“Speak.”

This woman…

I became even more convinced she was a character from the original work.

Clinging to the small hope that ‘she couldn’t be,’ I remained seated as Lina cautiously continued.

“There were no seats available, so I suggested sharing a table, but it turns out this person is Selden Alphonse.”

“Selden Alphonse?”

“Yeah, I know a bit about the Alphonse family…”

“And?”

“Rohan doesn’t know how to judge people, so I was trying to separate them before they got friendly.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“He’s somewhat famous as the scoundrel from the eastern continent’s edge.”

That was true, but she was badmouthing me right to my face, making me unsure what expression to wear as cold sweat ran down my back.

The woman next to me downed her drink, set down her glass, and gazed at me intently.

“Are you perhaps a scoundrel?”

This way of speaking…

Its familiarity made me even more uneasy.

Something beyond 4D, approaching 8D, made my pupils tremble.

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“I see.”

I admitted to being a scoundrel to escape this situation, but why wasn’t there any particular reaction?

While I blinked in confusion, she turned back to Lina and asked:

“Did he say anything disrespectful to you?”

“N-no.”

“Did he do anything disrespectful then?”

“…Not really, but my father has specifically mentioned how much of a scoundrel he is… He’s so obsessed with women!!”

Ah…

I was more famous than I thought?

Being confined to exile all this time, I hadn’t realized, but now that I was practically being publicly executed, it finally sank in.

Where had that excited feeling I had when meeting the protagonist Serion gone?

Just as I was about to give up on everything and announce my departure, the woman spoke again.

“If your father said I was obsessed with men, would you avoid me too?”

“What!? Of course I’d defend you.”

“Well, I am obsessed with men. Especially handsome ones like the person sitting next to me.”

What kind of conversation am I listening to right now?

Her unpredictable dialogue created a strange addiction.

Meanwhile, Lina Covet, seemingly accustomed to this, hung her head low.

“I think I was wrong…”

“Then sit down.”

“Okay.”

Then her gaze turned to Rohan.

“What about you? I want to drink with Lord Selden Alphonse here.”

“Even if you and Lina sit elsewhere, I was planning to keep drinking with Selden anyway.”

Rohan looked at me and winked.

By the way, why aren’t they asking for the opinion of the person actually involved?

I’m the one who wants to escape from this place!!

Now that the atmosphere made it impossible to leave, I turned my head and pretended to focus on the scenery outside.

Then, the woman next to me tapped my waist with the back of her hand.

I turned my gaze back to her.

“…Yes?”

“My glass is empty.”

“Huh!?”

“I said my glass is empty.”

“You’re speaking informally now…”

“Everyone else seems to be speaking casually, so it would be weird if I didn’t.”

Shouldn’t you ask first normally?

I definitely got the feeling that she wasn’t normal.

I leaned back slightly to distance myself from her, filled her glass, and gave her a somewhat artificial smile.

“It seems you’re all uncomfortable because of me. I’ll have one more drink and then leave. You all should continue your conversation comfortably.”

“…False rumors.”

“Pardon?”

She said “false rumors” and then smiled faintly as if finding her own words amusing.

I stared at her in bewilderment, and she continued with a calm expression.

“The rumors about you being a scoundrel are false.”

After I had politely bid farewell, she continued speaking informally.

I slightly bit my molar.

“What do you mean by false rumors?”

“They say you’re obsessed with women, but if you leave behind two pretty women like this, you can’t be a scoundrel, can you?”

“…Haha, I’ve already been labeled a scoundrel. Besides, I tend to avoid hopeless drinking situations.”

“I gave you plenty of hope.”

“What hope?”

“I said I like handsome men.”

By this point, I had no idea what her intentions were.

Was she testing to see if I was really a scoundrel, or was there genuinely something wrong with her mental state?

Deciding not to forge any further connection with her, I stood up.

“Look around. There seem to be plenty of handsome men here.”

“If you leave now, there will be trouble.”

“It’s fine. Since you’re a scoundrel, I’m not afraid of whatever you might do.”

Judging by her tone, she was likely from an extremely prestigious family.

Even as a reader of the novel, I found this tiresome.

Even among nobles, there are invisible hierarchies, and right now she was threatening me from her position in that hierarchy.

It doesn’t matter though.

I’ve become strong enough.

As I snorted and was about to push back my chair and leave, she firmly grabbed my hand and spoke with her characteristically haughty expression.

“I’ll spread rumors that I slept with you.”

“W-what!?”

Rohan and Lina, listening from across the table, seemed to be experiencing this situation for the first time as well, simultaneously exclaiming “Are you crazy?” with their mouths wide open.

Of course, I was the most shocked.

“If you leave now, I’ll tell my father that I spent the night with Selden Alphonse.”

This is more insane than I thought!

Wasn’t she threatening me with her social status?

This was a completely different problem that I couldn’t solve with my strength.

In this novel’s world, most noblewomen born into aristocracy sleep with only one man in their lifetime.

If rumors really spread?

It could mean I’d have no choice but to marry this crazy woman.

Based on our conversation so far, it seemed entirely possible, so I sat back down with a sigh.

“Hah… If rumors spread, you’d have to marry a scoundrel like me. Can you handle that?”

“I already caught you—that you’re not a scoundrel.”

“No, why are you doing this to me?”

“I don’t want anything, just drink with me.”

“But WHY?!”

“I want to prove to Lina that you’re not a scoundrel and that my judgment wasn’t wrong.”

For a moment, I was speechless.

In a way, I might have misunderstood her.

From the beginning, she hadn’t shown any sign of intimidation or contempt when Lina called me a scoundrel.

Rather, she had defended me to the point where I felt she was protecting me.

Her way of speaking might be problematic, but that too arose from wanting to show her firm belief to her friends.

“So I just need to drink with you?”

“Of course.”

That’s right.

In a world where even acquaintances can stab you in the back, here’s someone who doesn’t judge me by appearances.

I surrender.

Whether she’s a character from the novel or whoever she might be, I was dying of curiosity anyway.

I raised my glass high and smirked at her.

“So, what’s your name?”