Chapter 7 - Chapter 7

Today is a sunny day, and I wish I could go for a stroll outside the estate. Unfortunately, I can't, as the second prince and the third princess are coming to visit today.

I've only seen the third princess once in the manga, so I'm really curious about her. From the vague memories I've recovered from this body, I remember that she is a very cheerful girl.

Standing behind Aria-sama and beside Emily, we waited outside the entrance of the house. I could already see the gate opening, and an elegant carriage was making its way toward us.

As the carriage came to a stop about five meters away, the door swung open, revealing a dapper old butler with a white mustache and a monocle.

When the door was opened, a young man stepped out, looking about my height. He wore an expensive blue prince's suit paired with white pants and a matching blue cape. His hair was as red as blood, slicked back to give him a smart and sophisticated appearance, and his red eyes shone with confidence. I could tell just by looking at him that he was the male lead from my favorite manga—the second prince.

I glanced at Aria-sama and noticed her ears were slightly red. She must be overjoyed right now! I wished I could see her face more clearly.

After the second prince, the butler offered his hand to assist a girl in a beautiful dress. She must be the third princess. Like her brother, she had striking red hair and round red eyes framed by long eyelashes. Her curtain bangs added to her charm.

As the third princess caught sight of us, she began to run in our direction. Her butler called after her, "Princess!" But she didn't slow down.

I guessed she must have missed Aria-sama dearly. Just then, the third princess jumped and hugged me tightly. "Hayden!" she giggled.

Eh?...

I glanced at Emily, but she simply shook her head, letting out a silent sigh. I also looked at Aria-sama, who turned to us briefly before quickly averting her gaze. She seemed irritated for some reason.

"Did you miss me, Hayden?~" The third princess looked at me with bright eyes, and for a moment, I thought I saw a tail wagging behind her.

"Uhm—" I started to respond, but Emily interjected, bowing. "Your Highness, Hayden has had amnesia for six months and cannot remember you."

The princess's eyes widened in shock, and I noticed the second prince's expression mirrored hers. "Are you okay, Hayden? What happened? Do you know why you have amnesia?"

I tried to pull away from the princess's embrace, but she hugged me tighter. Aria-sama turned to us, explaining, "Emily found Hayden unconscious under a tree. When she woke up, she suddenly couldn't remember anything."

"Oh..." The princess finally loosened her grip and looked down, her expression shifting. Just when I thought she would let go completely, she wrapped her arms around my neck and smirked. The smirk was cute and somewhat childish, but it made me uneasy.

"Hayden, do you know the stories where the prince or knight kisses the princess to break a curse?" she asked, her face moving dangerously close to mine. I blinked twice, feeling stiff and uncomfortable. I wanted to remove her hands, but I feared hurting her with this body's strength.

"Since I am a princess, let's try that, shall we?" But I'm a butler, not a prince or knight! The princess chuckled, and her face came even closer until our lips were just inches apart.

"Princess Laurey!" Aria-sama called out, her voice firm but not quite a shout.

Laurey turned to look at Aria-sama. "Hm?"

Sighing quietly, Aria-sama looked at the princess with a serious expression. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to kiss Hayden. You are the third princess of our country. Secondly, those stories are just fiction created for entertainment, and third, Hayden is my personal butler."

Laurey finally released my neck, raising an eyebrow at Aria-sama. "Then... Aria-chan, are you saying that since Hayden isn't my butler, you're the only one allowed to kiss her?"

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment, and I noticed Aria-sama's face turn bright red. "T-That's not what I meant, Laurey-chan!"

Laurey burst into laughter, while Aria-sama pouted in response. It was an adorably cute pout.

"Okay, okay, I understand," Laurey said, then looked back at me. Suddenly, I felt something soft and ticklish against my cheek. "It's not on the lips, so it's fine, right?~" Laurey giggled, hugging and nuzzling me again.

I stared blankly into space, unable to process what was happening.

I didn't notice that Aria-sama looked as if she couldn't believe the princess's boldness, while Emily facepalmed and shook her head in disbelief. The butler and the second prince smiled at me, as if apologizing for the princess's antics.