“This is Princess Reina of the Kingdom of Calon. And this is the head of the Hardeion ducal house, Kael Hardeion.”
The Crown Prince made the introductions. Princess Reina and Kael exchanged greetings with appropriate formality.
Between them, not a breath of anything stirred.
“And this is the eldest daughter of Count Florence — Lady Ivelina Florence.”
The Crown Prince continued, introducing me in turn.
I gathered the hem of my dress and curtsied properly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I hope we get along well.”
“…Oh. Oh yes. I am glad too. I am Princess Reina.”
Reina opened her lips hesitantly. Her speech patterns were a little unusual.
“She’s not very fluent in the Imperial tongue yet, apparently. Isn’t that right?”
“Y-yes. It is still difficult. But I am working hard to learn.”
Well.
Her manner of speaking was a bit peculiar — but it was oddly charming.
Princess Reina rolled her golden eyes with visible effort as she chose her words carefully. Then she broke into a wide, sunny smile and spoke to me directly.
“You are pretty. I like your eyes. Clear and bright, and — mm, green.”
Then she glanced away with a look of faint embarrassment, her golden gaze dropping downward.
‘Having a compliment delivered in such an earnest, stumbling way makes it feel all the sweeter.’
“You’re beautiful too, Your Highness. Your golden eyes look like they’re actually gleaming — like real gold! Or like sweet honey!”
I returned the compliment with genuine enthusiasm. The Princess smiled back, her golden eyes curving warmly.
“I thank you sincerely. I have no friends and have been lonely. I think I would like to become closer with Ivelina.”
Reina extended her hand toward me. I took it and shook it.
‘Her hand is soft and warm.’
While the two of us had fallen entirely into our own little world, the Crown Prince spoke up with some hesitation.
“Kael. Mother wishes to see you.”
“Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Yes. She says it’s too noisy here — she’s in the Empress’s palace at the moment. Would you come with me for a bit?”
Kael looked at me. It felt, somehow, as though he was asking my permission.
“Please, go ahead! You really must pay your respects to Her Majesty.”
“Ah — Lady Florence. Would you mind looking after the Princess for a short while? I can’t very well leave her on her own.”
“Of course, Your Highness! I’ll stay with her — please go.”
Kael looked profoundly reluctant.
I gave him a pointed nudge.
“Go on. It’s Her Majesty’s summons.”
“Hardly necessary. It’s not as though we haven’t met before.”
Her Majesty the Empress was Kael’s aunt. Hence the distinct lack of urgency.
“Go.”
I all but pushed him off with both hands.
He rolled his neck from side to side with the air of a man burdened beyond endurance, then fell into step beside the Crown Prince.
* * *
‘The introvert’s method for making friends: ask about hobbies, special talents, and ideal types.’
“What are your hobbies, Your Highness?”
“I — I like books. Especially romance.”
“Oh, really? I love romance novels too! Do you have a favorite?”
‘I loved them so much I ended up reincarnating inside one.’
“I like — that one. ‘The Terminally Ill Extra and the Tyrant Emperor.’ It is so sad and so beautiful, is it not?”
“Goodness, I love that one too! Isn’t the ending absolutely heartbreaking? The Emperor finds the one love of his life — his first and his last — and then loses her, and spends the rest of his days hollow and alone.”
“Yes! That is the best. I think it is a truly genuine love.”
The Princess and I had perfectly matched tastes. I grew more and more excited and words began tumbling out of me in a rush.
“Have you read ‘I Ran Away Carrying the Duke’s Child’ as well? It’s wonderful!”
“Of course. That one is the masterpiece of the ‘regretful ex’ genre.”
‘A woman of true taste, this princess.’
We launched into an animated, spirited discussion, discovering we had read almost every book the other had. The overlap in our tastes was nearly perfect. We talked and talked about every romance novel we’d ever devoured.
And then the hobby chapter came to a close.
“Ivelina. What is your ideal type?”
“I like someone kind and gentle, handsome, and well-built. What about you, Your Highness?”
The Princess rested her small chin in her hand and thought for a moment.
She rolled her golden eyes this way and that, deliberating — then clapped her hands together with decision.
“I prefer a man with charisma!”
“A man with charisma?”
I blinked, eyes going wide. Her tastes were genuinely interesting.
“Yes. Bad boy — I like. I love bad boy.”
“Oh my. Our ideal types are completely opposite!”
I struck my palm with a fist as I said it. But a bad boy — was the Crown Prince the bad-boy type?
‘He really didn’t seem like it, though.’
I tilted my head, puzzling over this. How strange.
Just then, Princess Reina tapped my shoulder.
Her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink.
“Ivelina. What about — appearance? What kind of looks do you prefer?”
“Appearance?”
“Yes. A man’s looks. What is good for you?”
“…Mm, I don’t tend to have very strong requirements for specific looks.”
‘What sort of appearance did I find attractive?’
Likeable features, mostly. Someone whose smile was beautiful, with clear, bright eyes.
“I like a man with a nice smile. I don’t like heavy double eyelids — I prefer eyes that are long and narrow, but with some depth to them. A nose that’s straight without being sharp. A clean, masculine jawline. And for build — not just bulk for the sake of muscle, but something tall and proportioned overall. Dense, compact muscle rather than just sheer size. Oh, and scent matters too. If a man smells wonderful, you really do find yourself looking twice.”
“Oh — th-that was very long. Ivelina’s ideal type is very specific. It is a — a good ideal type!”
‘Ha ha.’ I laughed out loud.
The Princess, flustered and endearingly flushed, was too adorable for words.
“And you, Your Highness? What sort of appearance do you prefer?”
“I like neat, strong black hair. And I dislike blond — it feels a little soft for a man, yes? And for eye color, I like something intense. I prefer strong masculinity overall. I like a cool and a little frightening impression. And of course — tall, with broad shoulders. But most important: hands. A man with large hands is very attractive.”
“Your preferences are quite specific as well, Your Highness.”
I laughed, charmed. Reina touched her lips, looking a little self-conscious.
‘So she truly prefers a very masculine, formidable type.’
Their taste in romance novels was identical — but when it came to physical ideals, they and I were worlds apart.
“Ivelina. There is something I want to confess to you.”
“What is it?”
“I — I think I have found my ideal type. My heart is beating very fast.”
“Oh! Really? Where did you find them?”
‘The original novel’s heroine had found her ideal type!’
The Crown Prince was neither dark-haired nor possessed of particularly intense eye color — so I was all the more curious.
“Here. I found them here. In this banquet hall.”
“…In this banquet hall?”
“Yes. I — I like Duke Hardeion.”
“…Pardon?”
“He is very handsome. I think I have fallen for him.”
* * *
