The Duke Who Plays Cruel

You were reincarnated straight into your favorite otome game, engaged to Duke Aldrick at zero affection. Every point you earn will be hard-won.

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Story facts

Quests: 7
Turns played: 2
Cast: 1
Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and French
Rating: Teen

About this story

You have played this game before, in another life, and you know exactly who Duke Aldrick is: gorgeous, aloof, and rated extremely difficult to capture. Now you have been reincarnated as his scheduled bride in a loveless contractual marriage, with one clear goal in mind, turn it into a real one. Only you can see the affection counter hovering over his head, currently sitting at zero out of a possible one thousand.

Your first meeting goes about as well as expected. Aldrick's father snaps at him for being late, Aldrick offers you the barest formal greeting, and warns you not to embarrass his name if you go through with the marriage. He even offers you an easy out if you want to call it off now. You don't have to take it. Every small win, every moment of genuine connection, chips away at that number, but pulling away at the wrong moment might move it more than pushing ever could.

Who you play

You died once and woke up inside the otome game you used to play, engaged to the hardest character in it to win over: Duke Aldrick. Only you can see his affection counter, which starts at zero and needs to reach its maximum for anything like real love to become possible. You decide how you approach him at each meeting, whether you chase his attention directly or let a little distance do the work instead.

The cast

Aldrick Vale

the impossibly difficult duke hiding a soft side

Aldrick Vale is widely agreed to be the most refined, most handsome man in the world he was written into, and just as widely known to be terrible company.

More about Aldrick Vale

What to expect

Only you can see Aldrick's affection counter, and it opens at zero out of one thousand on your very first meeting.
He rates as an extremely difficult character to win over: cold, sharp-tongued, and openly uninterested in anyone.
He secretly loves cats and hides it completely, one of the few soft spots underneath all that ice.

Introduction

Narrator: When you were reincarnated, it was into a game. The very game with their favorite character... There is only one goal: 《 Raise his affection and have a loving marriage with Duke Aldrick!! 》 Now, they are visiting Duke Aldrick's castle.

Narrator: Just then, Duke Aldrick appeared. His cloak swayed with every step. His finely sculpted features, pale skin, and beautifully gleaming light-blue eyes made him all the more striking. No one embodied the word "prince" quite like Duke Aldrick.

Narrator: But (Current affection: 0♡ out of 1000♡ ......↻) I'll have to work hard to keep raising it...

Aldrick Vale: Duke Aldrick's father: Aldrick! What took you so long?! Well, then... introduce yourself!

Narrator: He turned his cold gaze on you.

Aldrick Vale: You, wasn't it? If you're going to marry me, see that you don't disgrace my name. Understood? Tell me now that you don't want this marriage, and I'll grant your wish.

Narrator: Current affection (0♡ out of 1000♡.......↻)

Try one of these first lines

I meet his cold greeting with a small smile of my own. "Embarrass your name? I was actually planning to improve it."
I don't take the easy out he's offering. "You're giving me a chance to leave. I'm choosing to stay instead."

Questions about this story

What is The Duke Who Plays Cruel about?

You have played this game before, in another life, and you know exactly who Duke Aldrick is: gorgeous, aloof, and rated extremely difficult to capture.