It's been 2 months since I woke up in this world 

I was in denial at first but now I've accepted the fact that I've reincarnated into this romantic web novel. Now the best course of action is just to survive. 

I've decided to be friends with the male lead Prince Leon Lambert. 

Though he didn't make it easy for us to be friends, I manage to buy his friendship with a sandwich ...hohoho (^^)v

The prince comes by the duke mansion often to train and while he trains, I like to keep him company by enjoying my picnic by the shade. 

(Author : Ivys main intention was just to laze around and before she reincarnated her favorite pastimes was reading novels under the shade so it is a lie that she wanted to keep the prince company.)

After his highness training, we would have lunch together and play. 

The prince is currently 9 years old. Although he is slightly taller, his height is still fairly similar to mine. The prince is a very cheeky and mischievous boy. He often likes to tease me by scaring me with wriggling worms that he found. Apart from his charming smile and beautiful handsome face, he is like any other normal young boy even though he is the male lead of this web novel. 

I'm getting used to his smile now. Although sometimes he can smile so brightly that I can feel like it's a pheromone attack combo but I've also increase my level of resistance against it. 

I've also learn that the prince did not have many friends or maybe even none because whenever I ask about it, he always try to change the topic. I can see that he is very lonely especially whenever he was going home at the end of the day. He always show a sad expression. Apparently, he wasn't close with his father the emperor as well. I could imagine how quiet his home is. Rather than a warm home, it's more like a cold cage to return to. 

I remembered one day, as I entered the library to get my books for reading. I heard small sniffling sounds somewhere around the library. 

It was the prince sitting behind a dark corner of the book shelf. 

<Isn't this his training time? Why is he here?> 

I slowly approach the prince and I could see that he was crying his eyes out. Covering his face by hugging himself with his knees.

"Your highness, are you ok?"

He continue to cry and shy away from me

"Are you hurt? Or sick?"

I look at him and check his condition. Then as he lifted his head up and look at me, I could see that his left cheek was slightly bruise and his eyes was red and puffy. 

"Your highness, who did this to you? Your cheek is swollen"

"My father hit me today" 

"His majesty did this? Why?"

"I lost a sword fight with the neighboring prince and he was a lot bigger then I am. Father said I put him to shame. Even though I've been practicing my sword skills from master really hard but I am still a disappointment to father. I'm a useless tool" 

Seeing this child calling himself useless tool, broke my heart. His father is clearly an imbecile. How could he say that to his son! If I recall correctly the prince only but started sword training a month ago and he is only 9 years old for goodness sake. Don't he know that his words can traumatizes a child for life!

No wonder the prince has been working hard swinging the sword looking like he was desperate at it. 

I was soo angry that I couldn't believe what I'm hearing. 

But as I saw the prince continue to whimper and shiver like a cute abandoned puppy, I just hug him and slowly caress his hair to show him comfort. 

"There there... you had a bad day but it's over now. It's ok to cry and let all the bad things out. Keeping the bad things inside of you is not good for your body, the bad things can't let the good things in. So you can cry your highness. It is natural to cry." 

Prince Leon let go of his knees and started hugging me instead. Then the tears that he tried to held back, fell down freely. He cried as much as he could as if he had lots of bad things buried deep inside. 

As he cried, I patted his back like a mother would with a crying baby. 

"From now on, many good things will come to your highness. You will smile everyday and you will meet that someone who will love you for who you are. That someone will not care if you are useful or useless, and will never be disappointed in you. That someone who will love you whole heartedly. Not as a tool, but as a family. I promise you, your future is bright and cheerful. Happy days will come." 

After a while, we sat together at the corner, sleeping while holding in each other arms. At that moment, I decided that I will also take on the role of the prince mother. I will not let him be sad or lonely again. 

******

That day as the two children doze off in the library, the whole mansion was actually frantically looking for the two children. 

The duchess then found them at the corner of the library hugging each other while sleeping. 

"Oh my, these two may be a lot closer than I thought ... hehe. My daughter may soon be wed a lot earlier, they look so cute together. I better not let James see this if not he'll probably be regretting about the betrothed arrangement right now." 

******

So I've been accompanying the prince whenever he comes by the mansion. 

Even though the plan was to only be his friend and support him when he meets the love of his life so that he won't kill me but if I care for him like a mother I'm sure when the time comes, not only that he won't throw the death flag at me, he may also give me a huge annulment pension. 

Honestly speaking being a 21st century independent women, I feel bad on relying my parents wealth and I don't really want to marry anybody in this story because usually the nobles from the novel are stuck up arrogant idiots with mistresses on the side. Sooner or later I need to find a way to be financially independent from my parents and part ways from nobility. 

<Since mother was the daughter of a successful merchant, I probably should pay a visit to grandfather soon and see if there is any possibility of setting a future retirement plan there. >

But before that I have to find more friends for my baby to play with. 

(Author:ivy has now claim the prince as her child and so she will always call prince Leon - my baby in her heart)  ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ

******

Prince Leon POV

This morning was the sword fight with Prince Edgard from the western kingdom

Father was a very proud man and dislikes to show his weakness to others. As his son, my performance  also reflect upon his. 

He and the king from the western empire will always fought to see who is better and therefore lead to the sword match between both country princes. 

"Don't disappoint me" 

That was the last words he said to me before I went to train with Master. I train every single day as hard as I could. Even though Prince Edgard and I were the same age, I know for a fact that he is bigger in size as their country are well known to be the descendants of strong Vikings that rule over a century ago. 

Master was against the idea of me taking part of this at first as it is impossible to be ready in a month for a sword fight but I agreed with fathers wishes as I felt I should act like the son that he would be proud of. 

And so I train until my hands was full of blisters. Everyday was tiring and painful. My arms felt so heavy and painful to lift but even so I didn't quit swinging my sword. 

On the day of the sword fight, I lost. Prince Edgard was big and a lot stronger. My sword flew away from just a slash from him and it was difficult for me to grip it tightly as my hands are still suffering from the blister pain. 

As the match ended, father slap me hard 

"You brought shame to me, you useless tool... take my son away to his chambers" 

Then he left the grounds 

as I was left alone in my bedroom. I could taste the blood in mouth but it didn't hurt. Even the pain from blisters on my hands that I felt painful earlier turn numb. I suddenly felt no pain, I felt nothing. 

I got scared and I wanted to see Master. 

"Something must be wrong with my body. Master will know what's wrong" 

So I ask the butler to escort me to Duke's mansion, claiming that I'm late for his prearranged training. 

When I arrive the mansion, Master was preoccupied with a meeting so I went straight to the training ground instead while I wait for him then I saw the wooden sword that I usually held. That sword was frightening, the training ground reminded me of the match this morning, my heart pounded and I started to sweat. 

I need to leave this place but I don't want to return to the palace. So I ran back into the mansion and hide away in the library instead. I remembered the mansion's library was a very quiet place, ivy always brought me  over here whenever she wants to do some quiet reading. 

I just need to hide away for a while quietly. So I sat in a dark corner and my eyes began to weep for no reason. My body was out of control, I was scared because I no longer have any control over my body. I don't feel pain even though I bleed, my eyes was dripping with tears even though I have no grief. 

< stop, please just stop crying> 

"Your highness, are you ok?" 

<oh no it's ivy, I can't let her see me like this. I can't let a little girl like her look at me. I look pathetic. She will laugh at me> 

"are you hurt? Or sick?"

When she touch me, I felt her warmth and so I slowly look up and I saw her face. 

She look concern. She was worried for me. Nobody ever care or show that they are worried for me. 

When she ask me what happen, the words just naturally came out from my mouth even though I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't want anyone to know how shameful and useless I was. But I lost control of my body and I lost control when I saw her. 

After I told her everything, I thought she would look down on me like father did. 

< worthless, useless, disappointment>

These words made me shudder with fear. 

Ivy held me in her arms and she ask me to cry. She said there are all the bad things inside my body right now and I need to cry to let it out. 

When I heard her saying this, it sounded ridiculous but she smelled nice and her body was soft and warm. I haven't been held in someone's arm for so long ever since mother pass away. When I thought of mother, I cried. 

I cried a lot that day as if I've cried out years worth of tears. Ivy's voice was comforting to hear like a soothing melody. 

We slept together side by side. Even though I've stop crying, I didn't want to let go of her. 

I want to be by her side forever.