The only princess of the Valenchide Empire, Altaria was feeling a sense of trouble emerging from deep inside her heart.

A girl, who has been treated like a glass doll since her birth and more so after her awakening, had nothing in her life that could bother her for long. She had been the perfect example of a dutiful daughter, a cherished sister to her siblings, and a relentless warrior in her own right.

She never felt anything too extreme in her life, since her awakening provided her with the strength that far surpassed her peers and any other source of stress was always negated by her family members.

She was not just a princess as in name...her parents and siblings did take care of her like she would melt if Alatia had to worry about something.

That was the reason why when some days ago, she collapsed after drinking the tea prepared by her butler, her father didn't even think for a second before sending her childhood friend to prison. After all, Kyle takes care of most of the things related to Alatia.

After she woke up the next day she confessed how an overdose of potions caught up to her suddenly. Since the potion dissolves immediately with a person's aura pores, the medic was also not able to discern what was wrong with her until Alatia confessed it herself.

Upon learning of her butler Kyle's disappearance, Alatia felt a disquiet in her heart for the first time. She wanted to see him, but word had it that Kyle had managed to escape from his confinement.

For a fleeting moment, Alatia believed the news. Even though Kyle had been her childhood friend, she had consistently treated him as nothing more than a servant, especially after he lost his noble standing. She believed that her constant reminders of Kyle's non-awakened status might have driven him to break free from his incarceration.

But still, Alatia was troubled so she went to take a look by herself using her special eyes and investigated it with the help of Captain Steven without letting her father know about this.

Ultimately, she discovered him held captive by two contemptible figures, whom Alatia promptly obliterated from existence.

***

[Back to present]

'Was it because I arrived late and he thinks I was allowing all that torture to incur on him...? ' Alatia couldn't help but ask herself since, after that day, Kyle's feelings toward her shifted entirely.

And when today, she gazed at him and found there was no pink in his hue...she knew something was wrong.

Every person harbors a hue or an aura around their body from which Alatia judges how they feel about her.

Before this incident, Kyle used to carry a subtle red along with patches of pink around his body which showed that despite always being angry at her, he harbored romantic feelings for her.

She could understand that he must be angry because after being brought down from the position of a Count's son, Kyle was serving her as a mere servant. In his eyes, she was just hurting him even more than being disowned by his family.

Although Alatia had a reason to behave in that way, she never tried justifying herself.

But love?

The subject always perplexed Alatia, especially coming from her childhood friend who was intimately familiar with her disposition and her views on matters of romance.

But something changed recently...after this incident, Kyle's shade completely shifted. There was no red or pink but the shade of pure respect around his body which made her profoundly baffled.

She could understand that he was thankful to her for saving his life and the angry patches disappeared because of that but..why there was no love in his aura?

'Is he now fed up with me...or did he realize how hopeless it was to fall for someone of my status?'

While it seemed the most likely scenario, their conversation this morning left her uneasy. He had seemed so...distant that Alatia couldn't help but feel that he no longer saw her as a friend, but merely as his mistress.

'I mean it's good that he no longer has feelings for me...but he won't break our friendship right... '

Unbeknownst to herself, Alatia had covered the inside of the carriage with the frost she was conjuring subconsciously while thinking about a single person who had stirred so many feelings inside of her.

****

[Kyle's POV: ]

'Hmmm...I do look quite handsome... ' Silver hair with green eyes was a good combination to have over a moderately slim but shredded body.

Kyle was a fallen nobility so it was understandable why his features were so delicate and charming and now that I was that Kyle, I feel I have landed a jackpot.

...only if I hadn't such a bad route awaiting me.

'I am known to be a good-for-nothing butler of the renowned Frost Princess but... '

My eyes settled on the box stored in my room, securely locked within the cabinet beside my bed. It boasted three layers of locks, and even the slightest misstep would incinerate its contents.

Kyle or to say, I was an unawakened failure but in truth, after I failed to get any angelic powers, my previous self took it to heart and pursued dark magic...an ancient one at that to make these straw dolls.

None are aware that I hold the souls of two ancient heroes, and in addition, I possess two spare vessels capable of containing other souls. These vessels grant me the ability to harness the power of a soul, but only if I have personally ended that individual's life.

In the story, it was never mentioned how Kyle got the souls of two ancient warriors stored in these creepy straw dolls which made him so overpowered. But well, whom I am going to complain to when these straw dolls are going to become my greatest ally to survive in this world?

*Dak*

I closed the box since I had no intention to try out those powers as of now. I need to get accustomed to this new body of mine and help myself recall all those martial arts moves and weapon techniques the old Kyle has learned over years

I was able to behave like a proper butler on instincts but I couldn't continue like this in the long term. I need to sort out my memories and become one with this body.

There are numerous things I need to do to ensure the safety of Alatia and prevent those things that only could prove hazardous to the plot afterward. Since the Academy would begin in eight months, I do have not much time remaining.

'Let's get down with some physical exercises first... '

****

A/N: - Some PTSD flashes and some leisure time for him to stabilize himself.

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