Chapter 1: Being forced to marry a man as my sister’s substitute was NOT part of my life plan [END]

“Rachel, I truly love you! What will it take to make you mine?!”

The handsome prince of a great nation, Alan, said this with a desperate, almost blood-spewing expression. You’d think being confessed to so earnestly by such a hottie would make my heart flutter, but sorry—I’m not Rachel. Oh, and by the way, I’m a guy.

Somehow, the prince of this great nation, who initially treated me like garbage, ended up falling for me. How did things even get to this point?

First, let me explain my situation. I’m called Rachel, but my real name is Leonhardt Lilidale, the third prince of the small kingdom of Lilidia.

I realized I’d been reincarnated as a baby into this world, and when I found out I was a handsome prince, I thought, “Jackpot! I’m living the dream now!” As a prince, I figured I could build a harem without anyone getting mad at me. “Can I get 100 wives?” I wondered, feeling overjoyed. But as I grew up, I learned that my country was a small, insignificant nation on the brink of being invaded by the neighboring superpower, the Lazare Empire.

Being a prince of a kingdom on the verge of collapse isn’t exactly fun. If we’re invaded, the royal family will be the first to get executed, right? No way! I came to this world to build a harem and live happily ever after! I haven’t even lost my virginity yet. I can’t die now!

Of course, my father, the king, wasn’t completely useless. He managed to pull some strings and arranged a marriage between my older sister and the first prince of the Lazare Empire.

I thought, “If we become relatives of a great nation, we won’t be invaded or exploited unfairly.” But then, the day before my sister was supposed to leave for the empire, she disappeared, leaving a note that said, “Sorry, I’ve found true love. Good luck, Leo!” Turns out, she fell in love with a wandering bard she met in the castle and eloped with him. Are you kidding me, sis? You idiot! If this country falls, my harem plans are ruined!

My sister had prepared thoroughly, and no matter how hard we searched, we couldn’t find her. With no time left, we had to find a replacement—and that replacement ended up being me.

Out of all my siblings, I was the only one who shared my sister’s golden hair and emerald eyes.

The plan was to send me in as a temporary substitute to buy time while they searched for Rachel. Wait, what?! What about my rights as a person?! I don’t want to wear a skirt, and I don’t want to leave my future harem behind to go to another country!

I threw a tantrum, but when they told me the kingdom would fall if no bride was sent, I couldn’t refuse. If the country’s gone, there’s no way I can maintain a harem anyway. Damn it, I’ll do my part, but you all better find my sister! I’m definitely coming back to this country to build my harem!

And so, I put on a wig, dressed as a woman, and was sent off to the Lazare Empire. But my “husband-to-be,” Prince Alan, turned out to be a jerk.

“Why should I bother with a woman from a small, insignificant country like yours? You don’t seem to have any outstanding qualities. Hmph, what a waste of time,” he said on the first day, refusing to even visit my chambers. Well, it’s not like I wanted him to come, but with a personality like that, I can see why my sister didn’t want to marry him. I get it, but I’m not sympathetic since I’m the one suffering the consequences. Give me back my harem plans!

I thought I’d just spend my days eating good food and lazing around until my sister was found, but then I overheard Prince Alan at a ball saying, “It’s fine to have obedient vassal states, but with so many, our empire isn’t prospering. When I become emperor, I’ll strengthen our military and cull the unnecessary ones.” My blood ran cold.

If Prince Alan becomes emperor, any country deemed “unnecessary” will be invaded, alliance or not. It’s pretty obvious my country’s in danger, right? And the girls in the prince’s entourage were giggling while looking at me, so I’m sure of it. He probably said something like, “That country with no outstanding qualities is especially useless.” I’m already disliked by the prince, and he keeps publicly calling me things like, “A pitiful woman with no redeeming qualities,” or “A princess with no merit—though you might not even be a princess for much longer.” I’m about to cry. I just want to go home and bury my face in Mary’s (my busty tutor’s) chest.

Well, being insulted by the prince is unpleasant, but since I’m not actually a woman and couldn’t care less about him, it doesn’t bother me much. What really stings, though, is being badmouthed by the girls in his entourage. There are a lot of cute girls among the prince’s followers, and being disliked by them hurts. The other day, when Marianne-chan, the blonde girl with vertical curls, said to me, “Oh my, someone like you doesn’t deserve to stand next to me. Why don’t you kneel?” I felt a shiver run down my spine. Huh? Did I just unlock a new door or something?

Anyway, if I don’t do something, my country will probably be wiped out the moment Alan becomes emperor. So, while I’m here, I’d better do what I can. In other words, I need to prove my usefulness to this country, right? Being called useless all the time is annoying, so I’ll show them that I’m capable.

With that in mind, I researched the various departments in the royal castle and ended up prostrating myself before the finance department, begging them to let me work there.

Thanks to the compulsory education I received in my previous life, my calculation skills are among the highest in this world. Back in my homeland, my stingy second brother used to say, “Having Leo around makes calculating the ledgers and budgets so much easier. Keep working!” I’ve been forced to work for him since I was five, you know? My calculation skills are definitely useful, even in this country!

At first, they were reluctant to let me, a foreigner, see their financial records, which included sensitive national data. But even though I’m from a small country, the sight of a princess prostrating herself must have had some value, because they eventually agreed to let me handle just the calculations. Hehehe, if it means getting work, I’ll bow as many times as I need to. Pride? What’s that? Is it tasty? My life and my harem are a hundred times more important than that!

So, I was put in charge of calculations, and everyone was shocked at how fast and accurate I was. I mean, in this world, they use huge calculators for two-digit multiplication! Of course, I’m faster with pen-and-paper calculations.

At first, they didn’t trust me, but as they saw how useful I was, they started to rely on me more and more. Hehehe, just as planned. I’ll make myself indispensable to the finance department!

As I gained their trust, I was gradually allowed to see more important documents, like financial statements from small villages. That’s when my true value started to shine. As someone who was reincarnated into this world, I had a cheat skill that no one else possessed.

If it had been a combat-related cheat skill, I could’ve easily taken down that nasty prince and achieved a happy ending. Unfortunately, my skill was more suited for domestic affairs. My ability is the classic isekai staple: Appraisal.

But don’t underestimate this Appraisal skill. It’s ridiculously useful. By focusing on something and thinking “Appraise,” I can see information about it displayed in my vision. For example, when looking at a village’s financial statement, I can think, “What’s wrong here?” and it’ll show things like ≪Incorrect calculations≫ or ≪Typo. Correct version: ***≫. If I think, “What’s the issue?” it might even reveal ≪Numbers don’t add up. Possible fraud≫. Isn’t that super convenient? Thanks to this ability, I ended up being overworked by my brother.

With my Appraisal skill in full swing, I was unstoppable. I fixed errors in documents one after another and even instantly detected fraud by saying things like, “This number feels off…” The finance department came to rely on me heavily. I even got my own dedicated desk. Hehehe.

But it seems my success didn’t sit well with someone, because at a certain ball, the prince himself summoned me and said, “Stop acting so high and mighty. You’re just a useless woman who can’t do anything without me,” right in front of his entourage. Hmph! I’m not scared of you anymore! If you try to get rid of me, the finance department will definitely stop you! They were overjoyed that their work time was cut to 1/100, so they’ll absolutely back me up!

However, at that moment, I suddenly used Appraisal on the glass the prince was holding, and it displayed ≪Poisoned. Lethal≫. I was shocked. Wait, is the prince about to be assassinated? I couldn’t just let him drink it, so I told him, “That glass is poisoned.” He stared at it in surprise, wondering who could’ve done it. When I used Appraisal again, it showed ≪Marianne≫. Huh? Marianne-chan?

When I called out the culprit’s name, saying, “Marianne, it’s you, isn’t it?” Marianne-chan visibly panicked. I used Appraisal on her and saw ≪Poison hidden in her chest area≫, so I casually added, “You’re hiding poison in your chest, aren’t you?” She broke down crying, wailing, “Even though Lord Alan says he hates her, he only ever talks about her!” and “If he won’t be mine, then he won’t be anyone’s!” before collapsing into tears.

Even though it was only an attempt, Marianne-chan was charged with plotting to assassinate the prince, and her entire family was ruined. I’ll never get to see her looking down on me again… ahem. Well, it’s a sad outcome for everyone involved. I guess being too popular makes you a target for assassination. I’ll have to be careful when I build my harem.

By the way, for some reason, the prince came to my room that day. Man, that really caught me off guard.

As soon as he entered, he asked, “Why did you save me? I’ve done nothing to earn your favor.” I gave him some vague answer like, “It’s my duty to serve you, Your Highness,” and he left with a face that looked like he was about to cry. I have no idea what that was about, but I’m just glad he didn’t demand any of that romantic stuff. Even if he had, I’m a guy, so it’s not like I could’ve done anything anyway.

After that, the prince started giving me gifts more often, though he still threw in plenty of snide remarks. He’d say things like, “Walking around the castle in such shabby clothes makes people doubt this country’s dignity,” or “Hmph, these flowers were just growing in the garden. They’d wither if I didn’t cut them. Consider it trash disposal.” He gave me clothes, flowers, and other things, but I have no idea what his intentions were. Is he planning to use this as leverage to extort more from Lilidia later? “I gave you all these expensive things, so pay up,” or something like that? Well, I didn’t have any reason to accept them, so I refused everything, which made the prince extremely grumpy. What a pain.

Oh, right, this was around the time I met Kyle, wasn’t it? I was passing through the hallway on my way to the finance department when I noticed a silver-haired hottie looking pale. I used Appraisal on him and saw ≪Hildial Disease: Early Stage≫, which shocked me. I quickly dragged him to the medical room. Hildial Disease is a terrifying illness that causes dizziness, followed by a high fever, and eventually death. If caught early, it’s completely treatable, but the early symptoms are similar to anemia, so it’s often missed until it’s too late. Diseases are scary, huh? I got so worried that I went back to my room and used Appraisal on myself in the mirror, only to see ≪Virgin≫ displayed in big letters. I impulsively smashed the mirror in frustration. Shut up! I’m planning to build a harem and graduate from this once I get back home! Stop calling me a virgin!

Anyway, I managed to save a precious life, and it turned out this silver-haired guy was Kyle, the cousin of Prince Alan and the son of a marquis. He said I saved his life by noticing his Hildial Disease, and we’ve been close ever since. He even started standing up for me whenever the other noble ladies bullied me. Well, getting scolded by cute girls is kind of enjoyable… ahem. Never mind. I’m totally normal.

After that, Alan became even more irritable. He started throwing tantrums all the time, and every time I talked to someone, he’d snap, “Rachel! Do you not know the meaning of chastity? Flirting with other men and even seducing someone from the marquis’s family—have you no shame?” What’s his problem?

Is it that he can’t stand seeing someone he used to bully making friends and being happy? How petty can you get? Just as I was getting fed up with Alan, Kyle surprised me by saying, “If things aren’t going well, why not let me step in? Marry me.” What? He’s offering me one of the spots in my harem to save me from this mess. Kyle’s got such a big heart. He’s nothing like that nasty prince.

I wondered if it would be a problem to marry Kyle since I’m technically a hostage from Lilidia, but Kyle’s family is connected to the royal family. Plus, the coal oil exported from Lilidia is a valuable fuel source and plays a role in military strength, so the Lazare Empire can’t afford to mistreat Lilidia. Wait, so Lilidia would’ve been fine even if I hadn’t done anything? All that effort for nothing!

So, marrying Kyle wouldn’t be a problem, but I decided to hold off on giving him an answer for now. I mean, this isn’t my marriage we’re talking about. It’s my sister’s. It wouldn’t be right to decide on a marriage partner without hearing her opinion. Though, for all I know, my sister might not want either of them.

I was discussing this with Kyle earlier today, and then, out of nowhere, Alan showed up in my room tonight. He burst in and started yelling, “Are you planning to switch to Kyle?! The moment you see another man, you start flirting with him! Do you enjoy being liked by so many men?!” But then, his tone suddenly changed, and he said with a face that looked like he was about to cry, “No, that’s not what I meant to say. Please don’t go to Kyle. You’re my fiancée, aren’t you?” And then—

“Rachel, I truly love you! What will it take to make you mine?!”

He said this with a desperate, almost blood-spewing expression. And that brings us to the present. So, now you understand the situation. The handsome prince of a great nation, Alan, is confessing his love to me… but I’m not Rachel. I’m her younger brother, Leonhardt.

Well, I never would’ve guessed. Alan actually loved my sister. Was his mean attitude one of those “the more you like someone, the more you want to tease them” things? As a fellow guy, I get that feeling, but being on the receiving end can be pretty damaging. If you ever meet my sister, you should probably cut that out.

Still, if that’s how he felt, he should’ve said so sooner. If my sister had known she was loved, maybe she wouldn’t have run off with that bard and disappeared. What a hard-to-read prince.

In that case, it’s probably better to stay as Prince Alan’s fiancée rather than take advantage of Kyle’s friendship and join his harem. Even if it’s a political marriage, isn’t it better if there’s love involved? Though, if my sister prefers Kyle, she can negotiate the switch after she takes my place. It’s not like it’s my marriage, after all.

Alan’s shoulders were trembling as he held me tightly. He’s been a jerk, but seeing him so desperate because he loves my sister makes me feel a little sorry for him. Fine, I’ll give him a little lip service.

I slowly wrapped my arms around Alan’s back. Surprised, he let go of me and turned to face me.

Meeting his blue eyes with my gaze, I smiled softly.

“Rachel is your fiancée.”

I gently squeezed his hand as I said it. Don’t worry, my sister is your fiancée.

Tears began to fall from Alan’s eyes. The droplets sparkled as they fell from his blue eyes, and even though they were a man’s tears, I found them beautiful.

Alan looked down, trying to hide his tears. Then he buried his face in my chest and cried for a while. I held him gently, stroking his hair and patting his head.

“Thank you, Rachel. Thank you… I’ll cherish you.”

“Yes, please cherish her.”

I’m counting on you, Alan. Make her happy.

As I stroked Alan’s hair, I didn’t realize it. I didn’t realize that to Alan, who had never met my sister, I was Rachel. I didn’t realize that the Rachel Alan had fallen in love with was, in every way, Leonhardt.

Completely oblivious, I held the crying Alan and casually thought about how I wanted to go back home soon and build my harem.

―The End―