《Please Love Me From Now On!》 Chapter 0 - Prologue Prologue I thought it was like a dream. Feelings of guilt and shame seethed in my heart. But hidden somewhere was a sense of excitement like I¡¯m doing something naughty. Is it really ok for me to do something like this with him? The mild confusion I felt was drowned out by a heart-fluttering kiss. My mind went completely blank. ¡°Whooo¡­ ¡± Although the princess was bewildered, she felt a sense of pleasure from the steadily deepening embrace. In front of her stood a blonde-haired, green-eyed prince. Caressing her cheeks and covering her lips with his, she sighed deeply at the warmth of his hands. Gazing into his eyes which sparkled like jewels, the anxiety and confusion she had felt up to then mysteriously disappeared and a feeling of joy filled her heart. She had never expected someone would make her feel this way. Even more so, that it would be him. The moment his palm stroked her back, she suddenly came back to her senses. ¡°Mm¡­ W-wait¡± Looking at the flustered princess pushing against his chest, a slight smile crawled across the prince¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ She felt an intense surge of regret at the sound of his tender voice. You keep your mouth shut. Don¡¯t let it out. Nevertheless, she wanted to repay those eyes full of sincerity. The princess made up her mind. Breathless, she timidly looked up at the prince. ¡°So¡­ so the thing is¡­¡± ¡ª¡ªBut, what if he hates me? Upon opening her mouth, the apprehension returned. But she had to say it, ¡°I¡¯m actually a man.¡± Silently watching him with her green eyes wide open, the princess remembered how everything started. ¡°You gotta be freaking kidding me.¡± Ishiki Yuuri left the pub making his displeasure clear. On weeknights, the bar street was crawling with office workers and university students around his age. Nimbly avoiding the clusters of people, Yuuri briskly made his way toward the station. ¡°Wait up, I said!¡± Running up from behind with a flustered look was his friend Tabata Riku. During the day, he¡¯d said ¡°there¡¯s something I need to talk to you about no matter what¡± with a serious face and called Yuuri out here. The guy¡¯s been a thorn in his side since middle school, but Yuuri came anyway worrying about what on earth could be troubling him. It was nothing. Just a mixer. ¡°See, you jerk, if I¡¯d asked you straight out you wouldn¡¯t have come.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious since I¡¯m not freaking interested. I even went out of my way to get someone to cover my shift. What a waste of time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s not a bad thing to have fun every now and then. Aren¡¯t the girls today a hit?¡± When he glared at him silently with a look saying ¡®that¡¯s got nothing to do with me¡¯, Riku stopped as though he¡¯d finally gotten the message. ¡°Fine, my bad. But if you don¡¯t have fun today, when will you have fun?¡± Without looking back, Yuuri responded to the friend he¡¯d turned his back on with a wave of his hand. I don¡¯t have time to play around. Since his father left when he was young, Yuuri¡¯s mom raised him and his younger sister of three years, Aika, on her own. Yuuri, raised by a mom who was constantly working, raising them, or doing chores, got a job as soon as he started high school. All of the money he earned went to the family. It wasn¡¯t something his mom expected of him. Rather, she urged him to save what he earned to spend on himself. Her family would sometimes wire money to help, and it wasn¡¯t like they were living in extreme poverty. Even then, since he was the man of the house, he had the responsibility to protect his mom and sister should the need arise. Since he was a child, he had always wanted to hurry up and become an adult so he can help his mom out. However, three years ago, his mom announced that there was someone she was considering getting remarried to. Both Yuuri and his sister Aika weren¡¯t so immature as to reject this new family. For their mother who had suffered for so long, they wished her happiness from the bottom of their hearts. The guy, her boss, was an entrepreneur who owned several stores. Thanks to him, their life became more comfortable than before. He also encouraged him to go to university, which Yuuri had been hesitant about. Despite that, Yuuri felt a strange sense of unease. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked his new father figure. Their relationship was good too. Nevertheless, he felt uncomfortable. Like he¡¯d unexpectedly lost his own place. This feeling he doesn¡¯t understand was unpleasant. It would be even more unpleasant for his parents to find out, so Yuuri absorbed himself in his job. Since he could only feel at ease while working, it was enough to not think about anything else. Through work, Yuuri withstood these feelings he couldn¡¯t express in words. But today was a wash. That brat¡ªfrom now on, I won¡¯t care no matter what¡¯s troubling him. The living room was quiet when he got home. Come to think of it, in the morning he was going out to eat with just him and his parents. Aika, who was going to be a high school sophomore, was probably at her part-time job or hanging out with her friends. Suddenly feeling exhausted, he was going to lie down on the sofa when he stepped on something. What¡¯s this? Looking at it, it was a novella for women. A golden-haired man and a brown-haired woman wearing western-style clothing were depicted on the cover. Maybe Aika left it here after reading it. She finds this kind of thing interesting? This type of entertainment had nothing to do with him, but his little sister often enjoyed reading books like these. Nonchalantly starting to read, it was the story of a prince and town girl. The heroine, who had lost her memory, met the prince who warmly took care of her, letting her stay at the castle until she regained her memory. While she was there, she and the prince got closer¡­ something like that. But, the more he progressed, the more he thought; is this something that a high schooler should read? It was full of risqu¨¦ scenes. As an older brother, he had mixed feelings. Yuuri wasn¡¯t particularly interested in love. Due to his trim and androgynous appearance, girls kept approaching him even if he ignored them. So he¡¯d never had any trouble with the opposite sex. The more he continued to read, the more he felt that he had never experienced these kinds of emotions himself. Being twenty already, if he said these kinds of things out loud he¡¯d get made fun of, so he never spoke of it; however, he¡¯d probably never truly liked someone. His sister who¡¯s still basically a kid has likely advanced further than that. As the story finally approached its climax, a hint of restlessness started to drift around the prince and the heroine. Then¡­ ¡°Oh, bro, you were home.¡± ¡°Ack!¡± He jumped at the sudden voice. He looked at his sister Aika who was examining his expression. ¡°W-what¡­ you were here?¡± ¡°My shift got changed so I¡¯m off. Is it interesting?¡± ¡°Aah¡­ I was just flipping through it.¡± He then realized two hours had passed since he started reading. But it was embarrassing to be reading a romance novel so enthusiastically, so he tossed it on the couch with an attitude like he¡¯d just picked it up a moment ago. ¡°Hmph,¡± his sister replied, then headed to the kitchen with disinterest. He instinctively stood up. ¡°Ah, did you eat? Should I make something?¡± When his mom wasn¡¯t there, making meals was Yuuri¡¯s job. It was a deeply ingrained habit. Even now when it was just the two of them, he felt the need to do something and inadvertently headed to the fridge. Aika shook her head with a bitter smile. ¡°I can do things myself since I¡¯m not a kid anymore. Since you¡¯ve taken a rare day off, why don¡¯t you relax a bit?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve been doing nothing but part-time jobs and housework since high school. We¡¯ve got Shinichiro now, you don¡¯t need to work so much. You¡¯re a university student, after all, enjoy yourself a little!¡± Shinichiro is our step-dad. Similar to the words Riku spewed at him just a few hours ago, an unpleasant memory somehow came to mind. ¡°I don¡¯t really¡­¡± ¡°Mom is worried about you, too. You¡¯re still worrying about things at home. You don¡¯t need to hover over me, either. It¡¯s about time you find a hobby.¡± Get a hobby¡­ right¡­ Taking care of my sister and the house since I was a kid, that ended up being all I could do. I lived like that was my duty up until now, so even now if I were told to go out and have fun I wouldn¡¯t know what to do. But, like Aika said, his mom had a new partner now. His sister was at the age where she could make her meals herself. He didn¡¯t need to work morning to night. In order to make things even a little bit easier on himself, there was no need to work like a dog while taking classes. Even though things have been moving in a better direction for a while, only Yuuri couldn¡¯t go with the flow. When he realized, once again that indescribable uneasiness filled his heart. PR/N: The original story alternates between first-person and third-person limited, both from Yuuri¡¯s perspective, so yes, the she/her ¡®princess¡¯ at the start of this chapter was also Yuuri. In the next chapter you¡¯ll see that he¡¯s still referred to he/him. But it¡¯s my personal guess that this will change later in the story as Yuuri comes to accept his new identity (like in Mr. Queen, this is a great watch btw if you haven¡¯t seen it yet). I¡¯ll probably come back and edit this note after I¡¯ve confirmed it. I only get to read it a little earlier than you guys atm so it¡¯ll be a surprise for me too! UPDATE: His pronouns change at the end of chapter 2. Chapter 1 - It looks like a very lovely little bird fell down Chapter 1: It looks like a very lovely little bird fell down ¡°I¡¯m saying I messed up.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s fine.¡± On the way to the university the next day, I met Riku who apologized immediately. Since an evening had passed, my irritation had subsided already. Of course, being tricked into going out was an unpleasant feeling, but Riku wasn¡¯t a bad guy at heart. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that, in his own way, he was trying to get his friend who was regularly drowning in work to take a breather. The way he went about it was bad, though. ¡°Just tell me the next time.¡± ¡°If I tell you, you¡¯ll refuse. Right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you I won¡¯t refuse¡­ only if it¡¯s every once in a while.¡± Riku stared at Yuuri in amazement. It was rare of him to be so positive. The night before, after talking with Aika, Yuuri got to thinking. He probably won¡¯t be able to find something he enjoys right away. However, if he keeps trying to experience things he¡¯d avoided up to now, he might find something among them. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he had a little bit of a sister complex. ¡®Because my sister told me to¡¯. A pathetic reason like that, there was no way he¡¯d tell Riku. ¡°Ooh. In that case, with all my mi¡­¡­huh?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The light was turning green. Riku, who had been strutting around triumphantly, suddenly noticed something and called out. Yuuri naturally followed his line of sight. There, from the other side of the intersection where it should be red, he saw a truck barrelling towards them at full force. T/N: Truck-san finally makes an appearance. The moment he realized, there was nowhere to escape to. And in the blink of a moment, the massive vehicle flashed before him. Its chrome bumper, reflecting the sun, turned everything white. It was an impact, unlike anything he¡¯d felt before. And with that, Yuuri¡¯s consciousness was snuffed out. Everything was spinning. Although his eyes were closed, he was dizzy and there was a strange throbbing sensation in his head. Acid welled up from the pit of his stomach. The feeling was awful, like a horrible bout of motion sickness. That terrible feeling conquered him, his thoughts were muddled. However, he gradually regained consciousness and his mind became clear. That¡¯s right. I¡­ I was in the middle of going to school with Riku. I wonder what happened to Riku and that truck. What happened to me? He could hear the sound of trees rustling in the wind and birds tweeting around him. He could have sworn the area he was in was a place in a town full of commercial buildings. Strangely, the scent that came to him now was of fresh green grass. Where am I..? When he opened his eyes, his vision was blurry. Out of the darkness, patches of bright light pierced through, the brilliance of which disoriented him. He turned his body to avoid the intense light and heard a disturbing sound. Creak creak. The next moment, he fell. ¡°..Aaah!¡± Thud. Landing right on his face, his nose took a major blow. ¡°Ow¡­what the heck.¡± Just one bad thing after another. No way, I didn¡¯t end up flying into some garden when I got hit by that truck, right? That¡¯d be stupid. However, besides feeling terrible, he couldn¡¯t sense any kind of serious injury despite receiving such a huge impact. It was a miracle. Still confused, he lightly shook his head. Covering his face reflexively, he let out a curse. Suddenly, he heard a light chuckle nearby. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Ha, huh? ¡­Aah, well, probably.¡± To be honest, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m alright. It was a smooth and soft voice unlike any he¡¯d heard until now. Raising his face towards the person it belonged to, he became stiff. Before him stood a startlingly beautiful man with golden hair. Pale skin that was almost translucent resembled the moon. Gem-like irises inlaid with iridescent emerald shards. His gallant features were distinct, looking as if they¡¯d been carved out of marble. He had an air of perfection that made him seem hard to approach. However, his lilting smile that was bewitchingly sweet, kind eyes which curved slightly downward, and elegantly thin lips lent a familiarity to that perfection. His hair, one side tucked behind the ear, cascaded into his pretty eyes ever so slightly. It was oddly sexy. The man Yuuri saw now was filled with an otherworldly beauty. Despite being the same sex, there was a mysterious vibe that made him feel he could fall in love at first sight. But, he felt like recognized him. As he was inadvertently staring at him, the man narrowed his green eyes further. ¡°It looks like an adorable little bird has fallen down. Were you taking a nap?¡± ¡°Little bird¡­¡± The man softly extended a finger covered in a white glove and wiped away the dirt on Yuuri¡¯s face. It was at that moment Yuuri realized he had fallen on top of him. He leaped off in a panic. ¡°Ack! ¡­I¡¯m sorry!¡± Looking around anew, he saw large trees towering behind the man. Completely different from what he was familiar with, the area around him was located upon a small hill. Not far away, there stood a great and magnificent western-style castle. Chapter 2 - If this is a dream, hurry and wake me up! Chapter 2: If this is a dream, hurry and wake me up! ¡­the hell? That¡­ did I fall from up there? Looking upwards, he spied the branch he¡¯d been caught up on, considerably high overhead. He was impressed by the sturdiness of his own body that had managed to land without a scratch. This man was surprisingly nonchalant for a man who¡¯d had someone fall onto him from the sky out of nowhere. Is he that nonplussed, or is he just slow? ¡°Um, you¡¯re not hurt or anything, are you?¡± The man chuckled at Yuuri¡¯s words, as though he¡¯d been asked something strange. ¡°I¡¯m not so weak that I¡¯d hurt myself cushioning your fall.¡± ¡°Ha-ha¡­¡± Looking at him, he looked to be in his mid to late twenties. Yuuri was never sure with foreigners but he felt there wasn¡¯t a huge age gap between them. Being treated like a small animal, despite this fact, wasn¡¯t very funny. Although, since the man¡¯s expression was that of a wisened elder, Yuuri wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was older. Upon closer inspection, the clothing he was wearing wasn¡¯t right for the era. A white tunic, dark trousers, and boots, like those you would see in a manga or novel. He had a blue overcoat embroidered with intricate gold patterns along the hems, draped over his shoulders. You could tell in a glance it was luxurious. On top of that, the chest peeking through his shirt looked sturdy and toned all over. I¡¯ve definitely seen this guy before¡­ is he a famous actor? At that moment, he got a bad feeling. ¡°Huh?¡± What caught his attention was the clothing he himself was wearing, which was different from what he remembered. He was surely wearing his usual hoodie and chinos when he left the house. But, what the hell is this flowy-looking fluttery sleeve? Huh..? Is this some kind of joke..? Now that he noticed, there was a tightness around his waist while his lower body felt awfully airy. Looking down nervously, he saw something he¡¯d never worn in his life until now. He was clad in an adorable girly dress covered in frills. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on..?¡± He got an unpleasant feeling about his body. After quickly undoing the button of his blouse in panic, he was speechless at the physique hidden underneath. ¡°WHA¡ª!¡± Small. To be honest, they were really small, but there were definitely bumps there. In place of the manly flat and muscular chest that was there not long ago, the meager signs of a woman now sat. When he grabbed the bumps suddenly in disbelief and fear, he definitely felt it. These were no fakes. D-does that mean¡­? No way, my manhood¡­ If things were like he imagined, he¡¯d probably faint from shock. He was too scared to confirm it. ¡°Are you okay¡­? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Seeing his astonishment, the man couldn¡¯t help but wonder what happened. ¡°Ha¡­ uh¡­ um¡­ So I, what do I look like¡­?¡± Even I wonder what kind of question that was. But since my mind was blank, that was the only thing that I could come up with. Before, I was the cool androgynous type of guy. But now, what¡¯s this long chestnut brown hair¡­ fluttering in the soft breeze? Even though he¡¯d never grown his out hair, glossy honey-tinted locks now flowed lightly and buoyantly over Yuuri¡¯s chest. The man tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Hm? Well, you¡¯re quite lovely.¡± ¡°No, man, not that. From your point of view, what the hell am I?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ this young girl has a strange manner of speaking, does she not?1 Based on your appearance, I would think a noble daughter of some family¡­ but isn¡¯t it about time you put those away? A young lady shouldn¡¯t reveal her breasts so recklessly.¡± ¡°Haaah¡­¡± The man coughed and averted his eyes in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Yuuri heaved something between a groan and a sigh and shook his head. Although he was the one who asked, he didn¡¯t hear most of the man¡¯s response. I¡¯ve turned into a girl¡­ Why, how¡­..? How did things turn out like this? If this is a dream, wake me up fast! ¡°Bloody hell¡­¡± Perhaps sensing that Yuuri wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to what he was saying, the man draped his coat over Yuuri¡¯s shoulders. As the man came to a stand, his height was made clear. He was probably a good 30cm taller than Yuuri¡¯s pitiful 160.5cm. His face was dainty, and his limbs were long and slender. Seeing him up close, his face was unnaturally beautiful. Almost like a piece of art2. PR/N: Still can¡¯t figure out how he can tell tall he is right after he transmigrated lmao idek my own height in decimals. Art¡­? His little sister¡¯s book he¡¯d read the night before came to mind. The clothing and the face he felt were familiar, didn¡¯t they resemble the person drawn on the cover? Surely. No, that¡¯d be silly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°No¡­ no way, but¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The memories from last night came back to him. He recalled the name of the novel¡¯s prince. ¡°Y-you¡¯re¡­ Prince Alex? Prince of the Kingdom of Elegia?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened slightly. The next moment, he chuckled. ¡°That is a name I¡¯m called only by those closest to me, but that¡¯s correct.¡± At that moment, Yuuri was at a loss for words. Apparently, he was inside a romance novel. What kind of twist of fate was this? It seemed Yuuri had fallen into this world in a woman¡¯s body. If this is a dream, wake me up already! Against Yuuri¡¯s wishes, the sky remained clear and his¡ªno, her hair continued blowing softly in the wind. Chapter 3 - So I’m the heroine now? Chapter 3: So I¡¯m the heroine now? The Kingdom of Elgia was a verdant country by the sea brimming with activity. Near a town facing the ocean, the royal castle towered toward the heavens. With its white exterior, it reflected the sunlight that shone brilliantly upon it and sparkled as though the glow was emitted from the castle itself. Upon entering the grounds through the castle gate, there was a garden where flowers of every color bloomed in profusion. The statue of an angel stood within a fountain from which crystalline water rhythmically flowed. It was an affluent kingdom, thus, beautiful. Passing through the garden and entering the castle, a glorious hall adorned in white marble and gold lay before you. There, an aged butler greeted the guests.1 It was there when a sudden sense of doubt emerged. I¡¯m really here. But, I wonder if coming along was a good idea¡­ When she confessed outright that she had no clue why she was in this world, Alex responded, ¡°in that case, come to my castle,¡± and brought her here. Since she would be lost on her own, she went along with it. However, upon stepping foot inside such an imposing castle, she got cold feet. Perhaps it was due to her nature as an ordinary person. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Yulie?¡± Maybe because it was originally a unisex name, but Alex didn¡¯t seem particularly suspicious. Despite that, he couldn¡¯t pronounce it exactly. So, with the intonation slightly off, he called her ¡®Yulie¡¯. ¡°Well, like¡­ I feel out of place.¡± Alex gave a slight smile at the distressed Yulie looking around restlessly. ¡°That¡¯s not true at all. Moreover, you have nowhere else to go, right?¡± ¡°Right, but¡­ but you¡¯re a prince, bro. Should you be inviting a rando to your castle so easily? Isn¡¯t that a little careless?¡± Alex stared in amazement, then broke into a broad smile. ¡°Were you worrying about me? Ho ho¡­.that¡¯s funny. Even if you were after my life, I don¡¯t think you would say something like that.¡± ¡°Aah, well, that¡¯s probably true, eh?¡± ¡°You must have seen when you arrived; there are a lot of knights here. I, myself, am also quite skilled in martial arts. A long time ago, there were some incursions with assassins from other nations and such, but currently, we¡¯re at peace. There¡¯s no need to worry yourself.¡± Certainly, armor-clad knights stood before the castle gates. Alex was also strong, his torso well-built. It looked like he¡¯d be able to wipe her out with one arm if Yulie were to try anything. Alex turned his curious gaze toward Yulie. ¡°¡­that¡¯s all common sense for anyone from around here, so you must have come very far away.¡± ¡°S-so it seems.¡± ¡°How interesting. You¡¯re only lacking the memory of how you arrived here. But you remember your name and where you were living before, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. But when I became aware, since I was on that hill¡­ I have no clue.¡± ¡°I see. In that case, while you¡¯re here, tell me about the country you were living in.¡± ¡°Sooner or later, we¡¯ll be able to think of a way for you to return to your country¡±, he comforted. It seemed he was under the impression that Yulie had temporarily lost her memory when she fell from the tree. We¡¯re from different dimensions, to begin with, she thought. But she couldn¡¯t explain it, since not even she could understand how this happened. She didn¡¯t want to come off as nuts if she said something wrong, so she decided to stay silent and go along with the prince. But this¡­ it¡¯s just like that story, isn¡¯t it? This development was similar to the original story. The heroine, Claire, was a village girl. Her horse got spooked while she was out riding and she ran into Alex or Prince Alexis Vim Brigsen. Having fallen off her horse, she temporarily lost her memory and the prince allowed her to stay at his castle until her memory returned. So that means¡­ I¡¯m the heroine now?2 The proof was that Yulie had become a woman. I have no idea what kind of divine punishment this is, but¡­ if this is the so-called ¡®transmigration¡¯, then God must have gone mad. In any case, I¡¯d prefer to turn into the hero. Or if I have to be a woman, bigger boobs would¡¯ve been nice¡­ But this was a little different from the ¡®transmigration¡¯ she¡¯d heard of. The reason being¡­ the face3 she saw while peeking into the fountain earlier bore a striking resemblance to Yuuri¡¯s sister, Aika. Big dark eyes, a small nose, and elegant rosy red lips. Paired with the chestnut brown hair that extended down to her chest, rather than appearing flashy, she exuded a charm like a wildflower blooming in the fields. In fact, Yuuri and Aika were often told they¡¯d be ¡°beautiful siblings¡± if they stayed quiet. But their personalities were far from reserved. She appeared to be a little bit older than Aika. Probably somewhere in her twenties like the real Yuuri. She¡¯d truly just become a young maiden. That is to say, on top of the gender swap, she¡¯d also been thrown into the midst of moving onto a new stage of life4. Th-then, there¡¯s a chance I can return to my own world, right? Maybe getting hit by a truck again, or falling from a tree¡­ But realistically speaking, since falling from a tree was an accident that happened after coming here, the likelihood of returning to the real world that way is pretty low, I think. Also, from what I saw of this world on our way to the palace, trucks probably don¡¯t exist here. The closest alternative would be a carriage, but I don¡¯t have the courage to get run over by that for something like ¡®a chance¡¯. Only one possibility remained. Translator¡¯s Notes: Chapter 4 - What if I fall in love with the prince? Chapter 4: What if I fall in love with the prince? If I fall in love with the prince as the heroine and the story ends, I¡¯ll be able to go back to my own world¡­ right? I don¡¯t wanna. I really don¡¯t want to. Even though she wasn¡¯t overly active about it, Yulie liked women. Alas, must she fall in love with this beautiful buff prince who was taller than her? But, to her advantage, she knew how the story progressed. It should be fine if I just do the same things as the heroine from the novel to make the prince fall for me. Although, since she stopped reading partway through, she didn¡¯t know the essential plot point of when they would become a couple. What she did know was the period from when they started courting up until the time the prince proposes. However, it doesn¡¯t succeed because the heroine Claire¡¯s memories return and she flees the castle. After that, how did Alex get Claire to return his feelings¡­? She was guided to a guest room that was significantly more spacious than her room at home. As soon as Alex left, Yulie hurriedly rummaged through the drawers to find a pen and paper. She wanted to write down what happens between the two in the novel while her memory was still fresh. Fortunately, she had a good memory. Even though she had only read it once, she was able to recall the story in detail. I should be able to handle this somehow if it¡¯s like this. Staring at the notes she had just written, Yulie gave a slight nod. Since it was originally the actions of a commoner girl who¡¯d lost her memory, it wouldn¡¯t be particularly challenging. Even more so if you knew the right thing to do and say beforehand. As she let out a sigh of relief, the lady in waiting Alex had assigned came to greet her. ¡°I will be taking care of Lady Yulie¡¯s daily affairs from now on. My name is Jill.¡± Yulie remembered her too. An austere girl dressed in a maid¡¯s uniform, thick red hair fastened tightly in a braid. She was supposedly around the same age as Aika, but now that she was in front of her she looked younger with her childlike features. ¡°¡­she looks a lot younger than I imagined.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Ah, um, ¡­it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± After seeing how handsome and heroic Alex was in person, she¡¯d thought the other characters would definitely be attractive as well. But this girl was unexpectedly average. Well¡­ that¡¯s life. Alex is the hero after all. He¡¯s a special case. ¡®In that case, you could have made me, the heroine, prettier too¡­¡¯ Yulie complained internally to no one in particular. ¨D¨D¡­¡­¡£¡­¡­¡£ A sound could be heard somewhere off in the distance. Her senses were fuzzy, as though they were enveloped in a dense looming fog, she realized she was dozing off. Information swept past her mind, like a movie watched while half asleep. Her sense of what¡¯s reality was wonky, half simply dreaming and half lucid dreaming. Although she must be dreaming, her vision was obscured. She fought the intense sleepiness, but her eyelids felt heavy and wouldn¡¯t open. ¨D¨D¡­¡­¡£ What she heard was the systematic sound of a machine. The voices of people talking. And then¡­ and then¡­¡­¡­¨D¨D¡£ ¡°¨D¨D¡­¡­¡± Tap tap. Hearing a light knock, Yulie woke up. When she came to, it seemed she had been sleeping on the sofa in the guest room. The scenery visible from the large window in the guestroom was unchanged, the sky clear. It appeared not much time had elapsed. ¡­a dream? She felt she had had a strange dream. However, as her mind became clear, it all but faded from her memory. It disappeared in a few blinks of an eye, as though enshrouded by fog. I wonder what that was. As she looked around at the imposing furnishings spread before her, the canopied bed, and the modest chandelier, she thought this place looked far more like the inside of a dream. The moment she sat up, disappointed that what she had seen before waking was not real, the guest her lady in waiting had received while she was half-asleep examined her expression. ¡°Is there anything you find uncomforable?¡± ¡°Huh, Alex?¡± Yulie was stunned by the unexpected visit. She thought the following plot points would happen from tomorrow, but the timeline was like this? Alex smiled broadly, delighted that his surprise had been a success. ¡°Yeah. If you would lend me a moment of your time, I thought I might show you around the castle a little.¡± Around the castle¡­ That reminds me, I think it was written that she was given a tour of the castle right after she arrived. Since it wasn¡¯t a particularly noteworthy event, consisting of only one or two sentences, she hadn¡¯t thought much of it. Even though it was something that only had a few lines in the novel, now that it was actually happening, she would have to take the time and experience it. Although such a thing was only natural, Yulie, who hadn¡¯t yet truly accepted that this was the world inside a novel, was quite surprised by the unanticipated event. However, the chance to look around the castle the royal family lives in was probably pretty rare. ¡®Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad to get shown around¡¯ she thought. Even without finding a means to escape this world and things like that, it simply spurred her curiosity. ¡°Ah, were you resting? Are you okay? If, by chance, you don¡¯t feel well¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¨D ¡­..I1 would also appreciate it if you showed me around.¡± ¡°I see. Then, shall we go?¡± Smiling delightedly, Alex led Yulie out. Translator¡¯s Notes: Chapter 5 - Do you want me to fin Chapter 5: Do you want me to find you charming? I already saw it when I arrived, but it really is amazing, isn¡¯t it? Fitting of a palace for the royal family, every inch of the castle¡¯s interior was massive and extensively decorated. The royal family¡¯s quarters, the servant¡¯s quarters, etc., were separate from each other. The guest room Yuuri was staying in was located in the wing with the most rooms. Each room boasted a different design, so one would not grow tired of looking at them. Among them was one whose interior was wholly inlaid with slabs of black marble adorned with gold and jewels like the night sky, and a magnificent room displaying a mural stretching from floor to ceiling that depicted various deities. Beyond them were libraries, an audience chamber, gardens, and even a greenhouse. Inside it, carefully nurtured rare plants from all over the world basked in the warm sunlight and sweet fragrances rose up from the beautiful flowers to greet their host. Yulie had never seen such a luxurious, sophisticated, and majestic place as this. As they walked around inside this castle that was so large she¡¯d likely have gotten lost was she not being guided, Alex told her a little bit about Elegia. Things like how the royal family frequently held balls which Alex was obligated to attend in order to search for a fianc¨¦e. Elegia¡¯s annual Harvest Festival, famous throughout the continent, was soon to be held in the town below the castle. Some of the culture Yulie already knew from reading the book, and there were things she didn¡¯t. But even the things she had already heard were interesting. And then, as she was being guided around, Yulie suddenly felt troubled. I have no clue what kind of conversation they had. In this scene that had been passed over forthrightly in the original story, she couldn¡¯t handle running her mouth carelessly and making Alex suspicious. If he doesn¡¯t like her, then the chances of returning to her own world dropped significantly. But what should I say? I¡¯ve just been acknowledging him as he¡¯s talking this whole time, but isn¡¯t that a little weird? I¡¯ve been talking like I normally do up until now, but I should probably be talking more like a lady, right? Like the heroine¡­like the heroine? How did she talk? Lost in thought, Yulie¡¯s mind spun as she pondered over this and that. Yulie, being a prudent individual, wasn¡¯t good at leaving things to chance. ¡°Yulie¡± ¡°Whaa?¡± She inadvertently let out a dumb sound at the unexpected sound of her name. When she came back to her senses, she noticed they had arrived in a corridor overlooking the courtyard. Looking up, she saw Alex looking at her with a worried expression. ¡°Why are you so silent? Are you tired?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­ sorr- I apologize.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I was wondering if¡­. at such a late hour¡­ to have Alex¡­ your highness¡­ do me the honor of being my guide, was too much of an¡­ imposition?1¡± Awkward! She really tried to speak more ladylike, but even she felt uncomfortable. But if she thought about things going forward, she would have to get used to talking like this for now. Even though the 20-year-old man inside was screaming in embarrassment. ¡°Yulie¡­¡± Alex stared at her fixedly, face tinted in astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Your manner of speaking changed so suddenly¡­¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s a bit late now! But, I believe I was being too impudent towards your highness the Prince¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­but I really don¡¯t mind though. I brought you along because I liked that about you.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­for real?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s the first time anyone has ever spoken to me like that. It¡¯s refreshing.¡± Well, that¡¯s to be expected. He¡¯s the prince, after all. Everyone would speak to him with more respect. Yulie normally spoke respectfully to her elders, but after the consecutive absurdities of transmigrating and becoming a woman, she slipped up on addressing Alex respectfully at the time. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s not very cute, is it?¡± ¡°Cute?¡± ¡°Like¡­ feminine, girly.¡± First of all, she had to get him to start seeing her as a woman. Since she knew his ideal type was the heroine, she had to strive for that demure and sweet impression she possessed. However, at Yulie¡¯s words, Alex blinked rapidly then gave an enchanting smile. ¡°Yulie, did you want me to find you charming?¡± At those words and that smile, surprisingly, even her heart skipped a beat. Yulie¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°Tha-! You¡¯re cr-crazy. No, that¡¯s not what I mean.¡± ¡°It sounds like that, though?¡± ¡°Tha¡­ it might sound like that, but it¡¯s really isn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°Haha, not very upfront are you? Don¡¯t worry though. You¡¯re cute enough as you are now.¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± Looking at Yulie who had promptly abandoned speaking like the heroine, Alex chuckled. He really didn¡¯t seem to mind the blatantly rude remark, rather, he seemed amused. Ah, crap¡­ I should have acted all cute and embarrassed there instead¡­ She cursed at the habit, from her time as a guy, of reflexively swearing whenever she was called ¡®cute¡¯. It seems like it¡¯s going to take a lot of effort to fully become the heroine of this world. Yulie was at her wit¡¯s end. Meanwhile, she was guided to the stables at the rear of the castle. The place was packed with many knights, having just returned or about to set out. As soon as they saw the prince, they all stopped and bowed. When they saw Alex, two knights who had been chatting straightened up, stiffened their faces and took on an intimidating air. He really is a prince, eh. Somehow, at that slight change, she finally felt it. For an inherited role, he wasn¡¯t just a prince in name only. He truly was a man that stood above others. It was natural for one such as him to have burly knights dignifiedly stand before him in attendance. With this, the fact that she would have to make this unimaginably authoritative man fall for her was really brought home. ¡°Pay us no mind. As you were,¡± Alex, in a tone slightly stiffer than how he had been speaking to Yulie, declared. He then approached a dark brown horse that was grazing outside and began to pet it affectionately. ¡°Do you ride?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never ridden before.¡± On the contrary, this was the first time she¡¯d ever approached a creature as large as this so closely. And unbridled, no less. The sense of power and vitality that flowed from its entire body and its grand size intimidated her. ¡°I see. Are you scared?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m not really familiar with it, so I don¡¯t really know what to do is all.¡± That was a lie. Truthfully, she could watch from afar at the most. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to go as close as Alex. As if sensing her inner thoughts, Alex¡¯s eyes crinckled in laughter. ¡°I see,¡± he chuckled. At that moment, a different knight appeared from the back of the stable. Upon seeing Alex, the knight immediately straightened his stance, but, when he spotted Yulie he suddenly let out a gasp. ¡°A-AIKA¡­?!¡± Translator¡¯s Notes: Chapter 6 - You’re here too Chapter 6: You¡¯re here too?! Looking as though he had forgotten that he was standing before Alex, the man stared at Yulie as though he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Yulie was just as surprised. She never thought she¡¯d hear that name in this world. ¡°Aika is my little sister, but¡­ who are you¡­?¡± An impressive young man with short bright red hair like fire, sun-kissed wheat-gold skin, and the eyebrows of a strong-willed individual. He looked about the same age as Yulie. From his imposing height and well-toned physique, which were no less impressive than Alex¡¯s, one could infer without a doubt that he was an outstanding knight. Was there a character like this? If he were an important character in the story, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d remember him, but I don¡¯t remember any red-haired young men. Before that, how does this guy know about Aika? His surprise seem to have deepened at Yulie¡¯s words. ¡°Little sister? ¡­No way, Yuri, is that you?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ correct.¡± ¡°Get out! It¡¯s me! Riku!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..huh?¡± Yulie stared dumbfoundedly, mouth agape, at the unbelievable reunion with her old friend. ¡°Why¡­ that¡¯s, you¡¯re so diff¡­erent¡­.¡± Unlike Yulie, who¡¯d only had her gender changed and while her looks remained the same, her friend looked completely different. The Riku from their reality was lanky, scrawny, and looked like the average modern university student. What the hell did he do to deserve turning into a virile knight like this? W-what¡¯s with this discrepancy¡­.?! To be honest, she was jealous. She would¡¯ve liked to become a tall and brawny knight like this too, if she could. What the hell is this discrimination? ¡°Do you know this girl?¡± Alex exclaimed, looking at Riku in astonishment. At that moment, Riku appeared to have finally realized he was standing in front of the main character. He quickly bowed. ¡°Ack, please forgive my rudeness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It seems this girl has no recollection of how she came here. Do you know anything, Glen?¡± It seems like Riku was called ¡®Glen¡¯ in this world for some reason. Alex inquired with a slightly stiffer tone than what he used when he spoke to Yulie. The difference in addressing a guest versus a servant, perhaps? Glen too, compared to when he was speaking to Yulie, had a clear look of tension on his face. ¡°Yulie and I are from the same village. But, as for how she got here¡­¡± Puzzled, Glen alternated his gaze between Yulie and Alex. Yulie was also curious about how he got here, but she hesitated to talk about what had happened up until now with Glen in front of Alex, a character from the book. ¡°Um, is it okay if I talk alone with Riku¡­ Glen, for a moment?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± With Alex¡¯s permission, Yulie and Glen moved to spot just a little ways away from the stable. After confirming there was nobody around, Yulie finally let out a massive sigh. ¡°Haaaaa¡­ the hell, man. You¡¯re here too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just as surprised, bro. But Yuri, why on earth did you end up with that cute appearance?¡± ¡°Shut it. That¡¯s what I want to ask, dude. You look like you¡¯ve been pretty comfortable over here, haven¡¯t you?¡± It was a truly unanticipated turn of events, but it was a pleasant surprise at any rate. It was reassuring and a relief that there was someone other than herself who knew about her own world. ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I¡¯m used to it, bro. I only remembered the moment I saw your face, man.¡± ¡°Huh? What does that mean?¡± According to Glen, he¡¯d been living in this world until now without the slightest notion that something was off. It seemed that the memories of his past life, so to say, as Riku Tabata, returned only when he saw Yulie¡¯s face a moment ago. ¡°Therefore, I don¡¯t really know how we got here or how to get back. I only just remembered everything a second ago, after all. Moreover, it¡¯s just a memory, so it¡¯s like a dream to me. It doesn¡¯t really feel real.¡± When Yulie arrived here, she had absolutely no memory from living in this world. Her and Glen¡¯s situations were quite different. Why? In the end, their conversation only raised more questions. Glen, saying that he would likely remember more in due time, promised to meet up with Yulie again. Yulie and Alex then left the stables. ¡°Based on your expression, it looks you weren¡¯t able to find any clues.¡± ¡°Yeah. But I¡¯m just happy to have met someone I know, so it¡¯s okay. Thanks for taking me along.¡± Alex gave a broad smile at Yulie¡¯s remark. ¡°What a coincidence, eh?1 That reminds me, shall we try going to the hill we first met tomorrow? We might find something.¡± ¡°Nice. But, is it alright for you to be spending all this time on me, man? By any chance, do princes have a lot of free time?¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s not exactly free time. Isn¡¯t attending to guests only natural? Especially cute young damsels in distress who¡¯ve lost their memories.¡± To say something like that outright, he¡¯s definitely a prince isn¡¯t he. Faced with a sweet smile that could bewitch any woman, Yulie found herself at a loss for words, and could only respond with a dumb sounding ¡°ooooh¡­¡± Translator¡¯s Notes: Chapter 7 - I’m not cut out for this heroine thing, am I? Chapter 7: I¡¯m not cut out for this heroine thing, am I? The systematic sound of a machine could be heard off in the distance. Signs of people bustling about. Aah¡­this dream again. It was a dream that repeated nearly every day since I came into this world. A time spent listening only to ambiguous sounds as though veiled in fog. This obscure sensation of being enveloped in a thick looming fog felt almost like being shown a botched short film over and over again. Although it was dull, she didn¡¯t feel at ease. Even though she knew it was just a dream, it didn¡¯t feel right. However, just then, the indiscernible sounds hidden by the intense echo became just the slightest bit clearer and a voice was heard. ¡ª¡ª¡­¡­The surgery¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­, the patient¡¯s¡­¡­. What were they talking about? She listened intently. The unclear voices whispered something in a hushed tone. The voices were so far away. Come closer and say it! she screamed in a silent voice. ¡ª¡ª¡­¡­Older brother. A voice that was frightfully clear and familiar. That¡¯s¡ª ¡°¡­.ah!!¡± She awoke with a jump. When she came to her senses, she was drenched in sweat and her heart was pounding like she¡¯d just been sprinting. Despite that, she felt chilled to the bone and shivered uncontrollably. What the hell¡­ was that? It had been a long time since she¡¯d heard Aika call her. ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± It was probably just a dream. That¡¯s got to be it, right? How long had it been since she¡¯d heard that sad voice? Even her little sister, who¡¯d been such a crybaby when she was younger, gradually began to distance herself from her older brother once she started middle school. Recently, it had become rare that she would cry in front of Yulie or ask her for advice. It had been a while since she¡¯d heard that solemn voice of her little sister. A sense of nostalgia filled her turbulent heart. I have to get out of this world fast. I want to hurry back to my own world. I want my own life and body back. More than anything, she wanted to see her family and Aika again. The dazzling full moon shone through the window, filling Yulie¡¯s room with a cool light. Around it, a multitude of stars twinkled. It was a beautiful world. But it wasn¡¯t real. I need to hurry. She felt a strong sense of urgency well up within her chest. It had been several days since Yulie came to Elgia. Contrary to her feelings of urgency, there had been little progress. Although she had tried to recreate the scene from the novel where the heroine makes a flower crown on the hill they first met, Yulie had never made a flower crown before. She was so slow Alex ended up teaching her and she received a flower crown from him instead. When invited to dance at the palace¡¯s parlor, she stepped on the hem of her dress and ended up headbutting the prince in the chest. This morning she received a pair of heels the butler had passed on to her from the prince, but just wearing them in her room she couldn¡¯t walk normally and fell over after taking one step. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for this heroine crap¡­ well, that is to be expected. As she lay sprawled out on the floor like a leisurely cat, that fact really hit home. The white marble was nice and cool. She really wanted to punch her past self who thought it would be easy if she just followed the original story. Although she was relatively quick and skillful in the real world, there was no end to the stupidity now that she¡¯d become a woman. ¡°Yu-Yulie¡­?¡± Looking up, she saw her startled lady in waiting Jill looking down at her sprawled out on the floor. It seemed like she¡¯d surprised her, but Yullie was currently feeling so pathetic she didn¡¯t even have the energy to get up. ¡°Hm? Oh, sorry. Am in your way?¡± ¡°No¡­ Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Well, I was just thinking it¡¯s hard to be a woman, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± Rolling onto her back and staring vacantly at the chandelier sparking on the ceiling too, Jill let out a giggle. Since she was originally a character she was familiar with, and because she was around the same age as her little sister Aika, Yulie found herself being more open with her. Although her appearance and manner of speaking were completely different, for some reason there were times when she and Aika unexpectedly overlapped and this made her want to help her with whatever she was doing. Because of that, her heart felt at ease whenever she was with her. ¡°That¡¯s because Miss Yulie is a tomboy.¡± ¡°Hah, a tomboy, eh? That¡¯s quite accurate¡­ I¡¯d never worn anything like this before. But this¡­ it¡¯s no use, is it?¡± He was still putting up with this strangeness for now, but Alex will probably get tired of it before long if things continued like this. If that happens, returning to my own world or anything like that will be completely impossible. But if that wasn¡¯t just a dream, and was actually the real world¡­ The dream she had every night was gradually changing. This morning she felt the sensation of her mother¡¯s hand gripping hers. She was frustrated by the vexing feeling of being separated by an invisible wall although she was right beside her. It¡¯s not like she¡¯d somehow win the Prince¡¯s heart in a day but she felt rushed nonetheless. The story wouldn¡¯t end if Alex doesn¡¯t fall for her. But right now, since Yulie wasn¡¯t able to behave in an upright manner as the heroine, that was a problem. The original heroine was a sweet and docile girl. But Yulie was absolutely not sweet nor docile. Jill¡¯s comment about being a ¡®tomboy¡¯ was putting it mildly. Honestly, if she were a man, she¡¯d feel sorry for anyone dating a girl like this. ¡°Gifting me something like this must mean he¡¯s looking for a girl who can wear this kind of thing, right¡­? But nope.¡± As Yulie dangled the heel from the tip of her toes, an inscrutable smile came across Jill¡¯s face. ¡°Today, there is a dinner party planned to which the closest nobility have been invited. Perhaps he wishes to invite Lady Yulie to it?¡± ¡°Dinner party¡­? Ah.¡± Chapter 8 - I didn’t want to disappoint you. Chapter 8: I didn¡¯t want to disappoint you. I admit. Today was one of those days. In the original story, the Prince, considerate of the heroine who had literally just arrived at the castle, hadn¡¯t invited her to the dinner banquet. Smelling the fragrance of the perfume she had received from the prince after the dinner, she felt confused. It was this event that caused her to start seeing the prince as a man. Tonight, I¡¯ll have to put on a show of jealousy in front of Alex. I wasn¡¯t not very good at acting, but I could at least do that much. I believe¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t be invited to that dinner party.¡± ¡°Whyever not?¡± Jill tilted her head with a puzzled look at my inadvertent remark. Unable to say that she knew the story, Yulie responded with a ¡®hmm¡¯. ¡°Why, you ask¡­? If I go along to a place like that, won¡¯t it be embarrassing?¡± These were the words I let out, but they were also my true feelings. Even if she went against the original flow of the story and attended, she had no confidence she¡¯d be able to blend in among the nobility without an issue right now. She couldn¡¯t even walk normally in heels, let alone schmooze. If she practiced, she could probably pull it off somehow, but for now she still hadn¡¯t had enough time. She didn¡¯t care if people laughed at her, but she would feel bad if they laughed at Alex for bringing her along, she thought. Of course, this wouldn¡¯t be an issue for the original heroine, but I¡¯m utterly unsuitable for this heroine business. Why I even ended up in this role, was becoming more and more of a mystery. Rather, it feels like I¡¯m just getting further away from the ¡®happy ending¡¯. Will Alex and I even be able to fall in love, at this rate? Now filled with anxiety, Yulie gazed off into the distance and sighed. Jill, as though she was trying to find the right words, looked here and there. ¡°Lady Yulie¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯d be embarrassing.¡± At that moment, a familiar voice sounded in the room. Looking up, she saw Alex standing against the side of the door. It¡¯s his castle, so he was free to come and go whenever he liked, but it was a real pain that this guy keeps dropping by so abruptly. It surprised her every time. However, although this kind of drop in was annoying, the corners of Yulie¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°¡­is it too much to knock?¡± ¡°The door was open. What are you doing lying on the floor?¡± ¡°¡­looking at the ceiling.¡± It was too late to not be seen in this unladylike pose, but there was no way she would tell him she fell over after trying to walk in the heels she just got. ¡°I see.¡± Alex nodded then came over to sit beside Yulie. And just like that, he lay down in the exact same way. At the same time, Jill, who had been holding back, called out in a panicked voice. ¡°P-prince Alex!¡± ¡°Oh. If you look at the ceiling from this angle, it looks really tall. It¡¯s like we¡¯ve become little people.¡± ¡°Hold on, what are you¡­¡± That the prince would lay on the floor like this, even Yulie was shocked. Ignoring the stupefied Jill and Yulie, Alex laughed in amusement. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine if you do it, but I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s, well, you¡¯re a prince, bro.¡± ¡°All the more reason for me to do as I please.¡± Having heard that, there was nothing else so could think to say. Giving up, Yulie who had gotten up off the floor once again sprawled back down on it. Jill left the room quietly, leaving only Yulie and Alex. It was so strange doing nothing but lying on the hard floor staring up at the ceiling, Yulie felt uneasy. Looking over at Alex who was only an arm¡¯s length away, he seemed to be gazing up at Yulie¡¯s ceiling with eyes that looked like they were sparkling gems. It can¡¯t be that rare that you¡¯d come to a guest room of your own castle, though. While she was thinking that, Yulie as she was, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of the side profile of this prince who looked like he came right out of a painting. As she gazed at him nonchalantly, those green eyes flashed toward her as though they¡¯d noticed her stare. She was startled at his gentle expression. She promptly looked away, and he, looking unaffected, opened his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t want to attend the dinner party?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Because the scene has already been determined. Because she¡¯ll embarrass Alex. There were tons of other reasons too. But if she were honest, this time Alex would definitely get fed up with her, who was so far from being an ideal heroine. And if that happens, there would be no way to leave this world. Moreover, for Yulie who had been dropped into this world with nothing but herself, there was nothing else to rely on. If he came to dislike her, how would she survive in this place? ¡°Tell me.¡± Alex propped himself up on one elbow and searched Yulie¡¯s face. It was as if that earnest straightforward gaze could see right through her thoughts. Although his expression and voice were gentle, Yulie looked down and bit her lips at his words she was mysteriously unable to defy. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t want to disappoint you, bro.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Since¡­ I¡¯m not really cut out for the social world. It would be bad if I embarrassed you.¡± Alex looked taken aback, then glanced at the ends of Yulie¡¯s feet. ¡°Are they not to your liking?¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re cute! But, it seems like it will take some time before I can walk properly in them.¡± ¡°Do you want to be able to walk in them?¡± Yuri, as a man, didn¡¯t really care whether or not he could walk in them. But for the female Yulie, she understood it was likely necessary in order to fit into this world. So Yulie nodded lightly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Right. Then I¡¯ll summon an etiquette tutor for you.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? No, you don¡¯t need to do that.¡± ¡°No worries. If you fall down again and hurt yourself, that¡¯s more of a problem. Or should I stay by your side all the time and watch over you so I can help you?¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s¡­. eh?¡± Alex said ¡®fall over again¡¯ so smoothly, as if he knew Yulie had fallen down just a while ago. Yulie flashed a look at him, a grin spread across his face as he once again lay back down on the floor. Chapter 9 - Will you come to my room tonight? Chapter 9: Will you come to my room tonight? This guy¡­ How long has it been since he figured it out, I wonder. Is it from the start? Usually, the prince looks easygoing, but it seems he¡¯s unexpectedly perceptive. Is it the qualities of a man who stands above others that make you that way? Despite being gentle-natured, he¡¯s pretty cunning. Realizing the jig was up, Yulie looked away and pouted in intense embarrassment. ¡°Hoho. I¡¯ve upset you again, hmm?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not really upset.¡± ¡°Right. Are your feet okay?¡± ¡°Juuust fine. But why did you give me these all of the sudden?¡± This conversation wasn¡¯t in the story. However, the only belongings Yulie had since she came to this world were the clothes she was wearing at the time. Other things, like the dress she was wearing now, were stuff Alex¡¯s younger sister had left behind when she got married a few years ago. Yulie wasn¡¯t terribly interested in fashion, let alone women¡¯s clothing, so she chose four items at random to mix and match. Since they were convenient, the shoes she wore were the flats she¡¯d been wearing since she came here. They were comfy and she liked them, but surprisingly, did the prince think they were hideous? Alex tilted his head as if he¡¯d been asked a strange question. ¡°Huh? Do I need a reason to give you a present?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­ normally, there would be, right?¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s just that I noticed your shoes while we were at the parlor earlier¡­¡± That was the other day when she tripped over her skirt and ended up head-butting him. Normally, she wears a long dress that covers the tips of her feet so no one can see her shoes. That must have been the first time he noticed them. ¡°I see,¡± Yulie said. Alex tilted his head skeptically. ¡°If you want a reason, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s a thank you gift because it was fun hanging out with you. How is that?¡± ¡°Fun?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve never met a person as amusing as you, Yulie.¡± Amusing¡­ It feels like I¡¯m being treated like some kind of rare beast. But since I was worried it was about time he got sick of me, who hasn¡¯t even an ounce of sweetness, I felt relieved for now. ¡°By any chance, Alex, is this some strange hobby of yours?¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s just like you to say that to me. Maybe it¡¯s because you came from a distant country, but it¡¯s rare for someone around here to say something like that to me as you would. I haven¡¯t once seen you act humbly before the royal family. I think it¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°When I acted humbly in front of you, you said it was fine to act normally.¡± With an expression that asked ¡°Did I say that?¡±, Alex looked away and played dumb. Regaining his composure, he once again propped himself up on his side with his head resting in his hand and gazed at Yulie. Even though a smile floated across his face, you could see that there was a hint of seriousness as well. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come to the dinner party, you don¡¯t have to. But if you¡¯re refusing because of me, I prefer you don¡¯t. No matter what clothes or shoes you wear, you would never embarrass me. So you should decide for yourself what to do.¡± ¡°Even the shoes? Didn¡¯t you give me these because you didn¡¯t like the ones I was wearing before?¡± ¡°Not at all. I just thought you might want to try wearing those. My sister used to like those shoes. But if you don¡¯t want to wear them, you don¡¯t have to. Do what you want.¡± Being told to do as she liked, Yulie was bewildered. Why is everyone saying that? ¡°¡­Do I look like I¡¯m not doing what I want?¡± It seems like he¡¯s forgetting the fact that she¡¯s sprawled out on the floor right now. The prince tilted his head and laughed. ¡°Right¡­Although you speak candidly, when push comes to shove, because you tend to put the feelings of others before yourself, you get anxious. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. It¡¯s okay to do what you want to do, not just the things you have to do.¡± Strangely, Alex¡¯s quiet voice and words reached deep into Yulie¡¯s heart. I put others before me. She hadn¡¯t realized that herself yet, but wasn¡¯t that something Aika had also told her before? What I want to do¡­ Saying that out of the blue, nothing came to mind. But, why did his emerald eyes look so beautiful? It was the first time Yulie noticed that. Ah. That¡¯s right. This guy is the male lead. His eyes have the glint of unwavering will that look straight ahead no matter what and a strong gleam that sucks you in. They were very beautiful. ¡°Do you know?¡± With a sound like a whisper, she finally came back to her senses. ¡°Ah¡­aah, yeah.¡± The truth was, she was so captivated by those gorgeous eyes, she couldn¡¯t think of anything. But Yulie couldn¡¯t believe she was being so enthralled by a man¡¯s eyes, and feigned calmness. ¡°The etiquette matters from before as well, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Aah¡­no, I want to. I think.¡± Alex raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. He probably thought she was worrying about him again. Yulie continued to explain hurriedly. ¡°I want to give it a try. Since I¡¯ve come this far, it would be good to have the opportunity to learn about that¡­ this country.¡± She figured knowing women¡¯s etiquette, which she¡¯d had an incomplete understanding of until now, and the culture of this country would be important to become the heroine. Besides, more than anything, she wanted to try on the shoes Alex had gifted her. It wasn¡¯t a calculated move just because he was the male lead, she simply wanted to. Maybe it¡¯s because she was frugal by nature, but, if she couldn¡¯t wear these heels, they would be useless. That would be a bit of a waste. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± Smiling delightedly, Alex stood up, lightly brushed off his clothes, and pushed back his hair. ¡°Sorry for keeping you so long. Well, it¡¯s about time I take my leave.¡± ¡°Ok. Ah, the shoes. Thanks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Quickly straightening himself out, the prince then headed toward the door. Placing his hand on the knob, he turned around once more as if he had suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, right. Will you come to my room tonight?¡± ¡°What? Ah¡­sure.¡± She replied without much thought. The prince then promptly left the room. The door closed and silence quickly filled the room. Yulie, who was staring vacantly at the ceiling, suddenly regained her wits. Huh? ¡­Was there a scene like getting summoned to his room at night in this story? This is a completely foreign development. What the hell is this? With her feelings in turmoil and thinking she would find out once night falls, she casually tossed away the heel dangling from the tip of her toe.