Even Though I Was Reincarnated I Am Suffering Because of Yanderes

4 – 4 – A man is not to worry about debutantes.

Dinner time.

Together with me and the family,

We were all seated at the dining table, enjoying the banquet. Of course, I hadn’t touched any of the food laid out on it. While the table was certainly laden with temptingly delicious dishes from land and sea, the ways of the world are unpredictable. I only eat the dishes I prepare myself. Confident in my own culinary skills, I didn’t feel I was missing out by not partaking in the lavish feast on the table. Having lived this way for so long, my family dining with me had stopped pointing it out.

In the midst of the meal, my mother called out to me.

“Edward, you’re already twenty this year.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

I responded politely.

Had it been on Earth, or perhaps even if it were a mother from the martial world I experienced in my second life, I may have been more familiar in my response.

Thinking this way, I seem like a bastard with three fathers…

Anyway, my mother in this life.

Camilla Freesia holds power comparable to that of the royal family as the Great Duke of the North, and she is a person of immense personal ability as well as family power.

That is why I dare not casually call her ‘Mom!’ or ‘Mother!’

Actually, I did try calling her that once.

Mother!

She flinched.

But when it seemed to make her uncomfortable, I began calling her ‘My Lord’ as I got older.

Even when I called her that, she looked momentarily displeased, but as expected, after I’d grown older, she showed no reaction to the title of My Lord.

Since she was always so strict about status, it was somewhat easier for me as her son,

but my sister, the eldest daughter Lilith, must have had a really hard time receiving separate education from our mother in her childhood.

“Isn’t it all right now that you’re twenty?”

Following that, I could easily guess what Camilla wanted to say next.

“Since you’ve insisted on having your way since you were fifteen…”

The time was soon approaching for my debutante ball.

In this world, on average, males were supposed to have their debutante ball at the age of 15.

However, the issue was

that this place was a flipped world where gender roles were reverse; thus, the debutante ball held a different meaning than the usual rites of passage in other worlds.

Firstly, males were always the protagonists.

They had to dress up, not just with makeup, but with various ornaments to look good for the females.

They were attending to scout for their future wives, their fiancees.

Even if they had already determined their fiancee, they had to attend the debutante ball to inform other nobles

that this man was mine, still in the pre-engagement stage, and will be my husband, so do not approach him.

And

for those without fiancees, this event was a place to find a potential spouse and a place for men and women to come together.

In other words, no matter if they had a fiancee or not, the men who attended this event had no option but to interact with the women.

I absolutely will not attend this event.

In my previous life, as I mentioned earlier,

The women who entrapped me

Never even gave the slightest hint

or foresaw that they had any intention.

They didn’t talk to me much either, they hardly remained in my memory.

But they always blamed me for ridiculous reasons out of nowhere and killed me.

Therefore, this place, where I inevitably become entangled with many women.

Even if the event is not the day, it is nothing but setting my own death flag for the distant future.

It may look a lot cowardly, but I would just lie down every time the topic of the debutante ball comes up each year.

At first, because I was sick.

Next, asking for some more time.

Afterward, just because I didn’t want to.

How should I lay low this time?

Since I’m already twenty, should I say it’s too late for me to participate?

“I’m twenty now. It’s not too late; you should participate.”

Damn, did she read my mind?

“Come on, Ed. Listen to mother for once.”

My father chimed in from the side, nudging me to attend the debutante ball.

The pressure to make me attend seemed to be mounting, but that was fine.

Because I have a reliable ally on my side.

“Ed’s still too young!”

“Lilith!”

My sister—in childhood she wouldn’t dare talk back to mother, hardly spoke a word.

But since the age I was to have my debut, she began speaking up for me, unwilling to let me go against my will.

What a precious sister she is.

I want to smile and thank her, but sadly,

I’ve vowed in this life never to smile at a woman, so I can’t.

Still, I always make sure to thank her after everything is said and done.

I felt secure this year too, with her on my side.

“This time, it’s impossible! The princess herself has specifically requested Edward’s attendance.”

“What? That pink-haired chick?”

“Lilith! You mustn’t refer to the princess in such a manner!”

Uh… why her?

“The royal household has requested your attendance at the debutante ball personally…”

What? Not just any debutante ball our ducal house is throwing, but the royal debutante ball?

But isn’t that usually held to select a spouse for the royalty?

“Still, it won’t do! Ed’s not ready! Right?”

“Yes! That’s right! I’m definitely not going!”

Forget it, I’ll just do what my sister says and avoid going.

I’ll have to feign illness again.

“Ed! You’re weak and you shouldn’t lie down on the cold floor!”

“Honey, I think it’s time we just give up!”

As soon as I attempted to rise from the dining table and lay down on the floor, my sister and father were taken aback.

“Ah, all right—don’t try to lie down on the floor! Edward!”

Eventually, even Camilla had to announce her surrender.

Perhaps it was because when I had turned 16, they had tried to forcibly drag me away, but I stayed down on the floor, curled up.

Of course, my physical condition that day was admittedly not the best,

It was more so due to the flu I caught later,

However, every time I tried to touch the floor

My family would all be startled and try to stop me.

“Thank you.”

“Haa…”

This is my killer move.

My mother, too, had no choice but to give up whilst sighing exasperatedly.

‘Yes! I’ve survived the crisis this time too!’

Men aren’t meant to be trodden upon.

‘I won’t attend any sort of debutante ball!’

…

…

Just as expected.

Eldest daughter Lilith guessed that their loving mother would try and convince her adorable brother Edward to attend the debutante ball before dinner.

Absolutely not.

If such a pretty and cute little brother debuts into society..

No, Sister!! Ahh!

Not good! Ed!!

Absolutely not.

Wolf-like women are about to charge like fire.

I have to protect my younger brother from their grasp.

Not even a single finger belonging to these outside women should touch him.

And just as she anticipated, during dinner, Mother requested Ed to attend the debutante ball.

If my younger brother wants to attend, I will have no choice but to watch tearfully.

Yet, our beloved younger brother has been rejecting the idea every year since he turned 15, perhaps predicting the number of wolf-like women targeting him.

Ed doesn’t want to go either – why does Mother keep insisting he attend?

Mother’s harsh and strict teachings from our early years were hard to endure.

Yet, for our beloved younger brother, his sister was ready to roar.

Of course, because Mother loves and cherishes Edward deeply, even if she hides it well,

there would be room for forgiveness even if she raises her voice in defiance.

However.

By this point…

One would think she would say “I can’t help it, let’s pass again

Ever since then, without being particularly friendly, she had made a point to visit the imperial household on her own birthdays. And what was even more odious was the excuse she used to visit not just on her own birthdays, but also on the birthdays of my mother and father, namely the farce of delivering royal congratulations. Most unbelievably, she never missed a year and always brought a large gift on the day of my younger brother’s birthday. Of course, it didn’t seem that my younger brother had given his heart to the redhead girl. Always worried that he might fall for her because the world praised her beauty, but my dearest younger brother was not a frivolous man. Despite being an imperial princess, he did not even offer her a small smile. Yes. A smile that he had never even given to me. Although I do not even want to imagine it. If he gives her a smile. If he becomes involved with her… Heh-heh… Naturally, such a thing will never happen. Because. “I am absolutely not going!” Edward is in a posture of lying down right now. How much does he detest her to willingly sprawl on the cold floor! “Ah, alright, don’t try to lie on the floor, Edward!” Upon seeing him, our mother finally gave up. She usually doesn’t change expressions, but in front of my younger brother, she weakens. ‘My dear brother, Edward. Your sister will always protect you!’ This year too, it seemed like I could protect my brother from the redhead girl and her pack of wolves.

.

.

.

Rustle.

Upon hearing the report, Imperial Princess Charlotte, the first princess of the empire, unknowingly clenched her fist so tightly that she broke the armrest of the chair she was sitting in.

“Hahaha… A refusal to attend?”

The report had come as a surprise, contrary to her expectations.

“Yes, y-yes… Your Highness… It’s that…”

The butler, reporting to her, could hardly reply as he broke out in a cold sweat.

“Did you clearly convey that I was the one who nominated him?”

It seemed implausible.

After all, Grand Duke Frigid not only held close personal ties with the imperial family but also with her. When she had subtly shown interest in his younger brother, he had responded positively, and had readily agreed to his participation in the debutante ball.

“Yes! That is correct!”

But what had returned was a letter expressing “regret” and “decline.”

“Ha… Hahaha!!”

“Eeeek…”

Even after rubbing her eyes and looking at the letter again, the contents remained unchanged, and the butler’s response was the same upon re-asking.

Witnessing the princess erupt into manic laughter, the butler couldn’t help but tremble in fear.

“It’s impossible for Edward to act like this, right?”

He surely would have wanted to attend.

He had deliberately wanted to be picked by her for the royal debut, something he had been postponing for sure.

So why on earth?

No, there could only be one reason.

“It’s all because of that wench, Lilith!!”

His sister, obsessed with her own brother—a “brocon.”

Lilith of the Frigid household, the one slated to be the next head.

It had to be because of that pervert.

“Well then, I too have some thoughts of my own.”

She couldn’t possibly give up.

“If he can’t get out of the palm of Brachon’s hand like this..

Sir, we are trapped!

Haha, it doesn’t matter, Ed~♡

No! Hang in there, Mr. Hang, Mr. Hang!! Aargh!!

It’s absolutely not possible.

If it’s a transformed Brachon, there could be a drastic incident of him getting discarded.

“Ed, sir! Please wait!”

Mr. Hang decided to implement the next plan he had thought of to save the princess of the Freezeged Kingdom.