“Sister Agnes!” A girl only 5 years of age with long vibrant red tresses rushed in the room and immediately clings on to my waist.

“Elizabeth, welcome back.” I smile. This little one, how could anyone see her and think she’d suit being the ‘villain’?

“Mother said that you were going back to the castle for work?”

“Yes, I feel well now and we have so much to catching up on in your and his highness’ studies.” I patted her head. From my memory as ‘Agnes’ Elizabeth had only admired the prince in their childhood. There weren’t really any signs that she was obsessed as the game said she was.

Though now I’m not really sure who was narrating the game? Was it in the heroine’s point of view?

The carriage ride to the castle was filled with me trying to recall any memory about the game and Elizabeth’s soft snores.

I can’t recall much of my conversation with friends but I’ll try to make do with what I can!

Elizabeth liked that the prince was strong willed and kind.

Agnes saw the him as a capable crown prince, but a student in need of guidance.

As an office worker who passed time reading isekai novels, who only knew the game from my friends’ stories… I though the prince was just a brat with money and status.

The game had a very shoujo-esque cover with a glittery title bordered with roses and cereus-like flowers and the ‘fair maiden’ in the middle doing her prayer hands, while being surrounded by the male leads.

The 3 main leads were:

Benjamin Ainsworth, the crown prince of Ulynsus. Blonde with bright blue eyes, typical traits any prince like character usually has. Very straightforward and a bit haughty, from what I recall… he was said to be very intelligent and gentle in his younger years but turned brash and blunt because of how he was slowly being treated as he grew up. Benjamin’s mother died when he turned seven, soon the king and his relationship slowly fell apart. That and he would often hear nobles whisper words of praise in front of him and end up laughing and treating him as a fool behind his back. While the nobles pushed for a new queen. The prince felt nothing but hated for the father he thought was wavering.

The Heroine was the only person who held his hand and loudly told off the nobles for their actions. She loudly called him amazing and fed his ego. Prince Benjamin was so moved and this event help them grew even closer.

‘tsk’

My friend noted that rather than being a heroine it felt like she was an announcer from all the loud noses she makes in the game.

I agree. There were so many ways to handle the situation. Also won’t that make it troublesome for the prince to have to take care of her when the nobles retaliate? I mean I get that the nobles were at the wrong this time, but wont it spell trouble for the prince as now the nobles may not back him up once the new queen has given birth? Or wont being seen as a ‘doll’ make it safer for him to move behind the shadows?

Ah. It’s an otome game… they have male lead 'halos' that can help them get to their happy ending anyways right?

Frank Ernest, a son of the knight commander. A few years older than the heroine and other male leads. Has dark green hair, golden eyes, and quite a buff tanned body. A bit of a muscle head with a weakness for cute things. Because he wasn’t the only son within the Ernest family, he had a deeply rooted inferiority complex. Especially since those other sons were illegitimate and he was the youngest of all the brothers who’s mother had died for ‘unknown reasons’.

One of my mother hen-like friend bought so much of his merchandise that I thought she was going to marry that body pillow of him if she could. He was the endearing and hardworking kind of character that if it weren’t for the fact that he was a bit stupid when it came to ‘power’ and that people easily influenced him. He would have been perfect.

The heroine tells him “You can lean on me if you’re tired!” as she sees him practicing alone in the training grounds.

And because she looked adorable and that he had never experienced a person expressing concern for him. He immediately falls in love.

I mean I know just simple words can give people strength. But Miss Heroine… most of your time wasn’t even given to him… you just said flattering words and proceeded to cling on different guys in front of him…

Cecil, the mage capture target was a half demon half fairy like ethereal looking creature. He had dark skin, pale pink hair, with grey eyes. He was supposed to be around a hundred something years old. Cecil had the worst childhood from all of the capture targets. He was still a baby when he was captured and experimented by nobles and other so called ‘scientists’ because he was still young, his physical form could not bear with all the poison and physical and mental harm that he looked like that of a kid for most of the game.

I really do feel sorry for him I really do. I’d like to help him…but the problem with him was that he kills any noble he meets when he escapes his cage.

The only reason the female lead was able to break his walls was when she ‘saved’ him.

It was on his 1101th attempted of escape that he suddenly got surrounded by noble mages who cornered him near an alley that once the heroine saw him she shouted “Help! Save him!” repeatedly. Cecil was able to knock them out with the last ounce of magic he had and fainted. The heroine seeing Cecil’s bloody body quickly ran and helped him to her home.

I mean what was she doing while he was fighting everyone? Wasn’t she supposed to have some magic?

Plus everyone was probably bloody in the area. Why didn’t she call for help for the other mages if she was so nice? Why just take Cecil?

She helped him heal his wounds and he slowly removed his prejudice for nobles.

…

…

…

I gave out a loud sigh as a concerned Elizabeth led me to the library.

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t that interested in the game because it felt like the men were so easily lulled by the Heroine’s words and actions. They had some they called friends of different genders. But somehow, because the female lead was so pure and beautiful it just made ‘plot sense’?

We were getting close to the library. I looked at Elizabeth to see any changes of expression. “Have you gotten closer to the Prince?” I ask.

“Sister Elizabeth~” she whines and pouts. “You know Benj- Prince Benjamin… he’s changed… he’s gotten really annoyed with me after the arrangement.” She stops walking and faces me.

“Do you think that it’s because I’m not pretty or strong enough?” her eyes water a bit at this.

Elizabeth is a hard worker. A bit OCD and a perfectionist who would repeatedly repeat the same spell even at the cause of her mana for weeks till she gets the results she believes is expected of her.

Elizabeth and Benjamin used to be so close that the only reason the Prince accepted the lessons given to him was because Elizabeth would be his study buddy.

Geez… its because of this that he gets reprimanded greatly because of his Tsundere like attitude to Elizabeth.

‘Wait tsundere?’

We finally arrived in the library and decided to read books while waiting for the Prince’s arrival. I looked back at Elizabeth who started reading at a history book in a serious gaze, we were supposed to cover that chapter before I got into the accident.

“The Prince… did his Highness Benjamin trouble you when I was gone?”

“He umm… “ She looks to her side to avoid my gaze.

“As I recall, I was called by her Highness the Queen… and you and Prince Benjamin were supposed to follow the knight commander’s son as my replacement for the day?” I adjusted my seat to face her.

I remembered rushing into the scene when I suddenly saw a huge ball of fire going across from the training ground to the next tower. Thankfully I was able to disperse the flames before it reached the walls, but not without any repercussions.

“That is… umm… Sister Agnes.” She sighs and looks back at me. “I got into a bit of a disagreement with his highness that we didn’t know that we couldn’t control the erm… ball of fire.” The looks down to her book right away.

“ And what did that idiotic Knight do? Just stare in awe?”

“…”

“I knew it”. I knew I should have left them to that muscle head. “What started the fight with his highness?”

“I was worried that his highness might get hurt as he exerted too much power that he… he said that only women would worry about something stupid.” Elizabeth explained.

‘Ah he got excited that Elizabeth was worried for him and wasn’t able to control his mana flow well and it ended up like that?’ was what I saw it as.

“Sister?” She calls.

“I guess that we’ll have additional lessons for his highness then.” I say whilst smiling.

‘crash’

The sound of books falling didn’t even startle me anymore.

“I guess his highness is truly studious to be in the library even before us?” I tap my finger on a book while waiting for the prince to finally reveal himself.

“T-Tea-Tea-cher A-Agnes!” He presents himself to me. Then reverts his attention to Elizabeth, looking like a puppy welcoming his master home. “E-Elizabeth!”

“Good day Prince Benjamin!” She chirps. Happy to see a friend.

“Good day, it seems that his highness is feeling ecstatic to start out lesson for the day?” I lifted the book I tapped earlier and started flipping the pages.

“I… I…” Benjamin stutters. Truly, kids who fear their elders tend to listen well. I smirk.

Elizabeth, being the good student that she is gets excited for class to begin, held his hand. This distracts him, as she easily maneuvers Benjamin to sit beside her and face me.

‘Oh my’ I chuckled.

Elizabeth truly believed in his highness.

It was for the best that she didn’t feel any of my malice at all.

 

 

Thanks for reading! Meeting the Prince at the end of the chapter without making him have any input in the conversation kinda makes me laugh. mostly cuz I'm still struggling on how close i want him and Elizabeth to be haha :) they are just kids!