Chapter 17: A year from now.
"I'm… the main character?" She double checks to hear if what she had heard was right.
The princess nods in reply, assuring her that what she had heard is correct. "You're this world's heroine while I'm… just an NPC."
Thud!
"Rowan!"
…
A dream… was that all a dream?
Those memories of her promises, her dream to become a royal knight and stay by the crown princess' side-
She just befriended John… those were good times.
…
"Ngh…"
"Rowan!"
She could feel pain all over her head, it hurts- but… Rowan could feel warmth in her hands.
It seems that after the kiss, Rowan needed a little rest for having her lips' virginity taken by the one she loves.
One can fear the demon lord but what makes the crimson general's heart stop is a kiss from the crown princess herself.
"Rowan, please wake up! I don't know what I'd do if you suddenly…" (Princess Camille) carefully places a hand on Rowan's cheek. "I'm sorry- I shouldn't have… I didn't think this whole thing through."
Rowan's face turns to the side, she frowns looking a bit unhappy… but why?
"John… stay away from the princess… She's… not yours." She mutters out weakly, making the crown princess jolt from where she sat. "I… liked her first."
Rowan was dreaming about the times she was teased in the military academy about her admiration for the princess, how she would always tell all of her friends that all that she wanted to do was to become a royal knight and protect the crown princess of the kingdom.
It was no secret that all that was close to her knew of her ambition and loyalty to the eldest princess.
'What is this girl dreaming about?!' (Princess Camille) with a flustered face decides to ignore the red haired girl's mutterings.
"Rowan, wake up!" Finally the crown princess couldn't take it anymore and started gently slapping the crimson general's face hoping that will do something.
…
"Hah…!" (Rowan) finally woke up from her dream, those past memories of her time in the military academy- "Your highness?"
She felt something soft behind her back and realized it was Princess Camille's thighs, Rowan was laying on top of them.
"Thank goodness you're alright! You weren't responding and I didn't know what to do if I should call the physician or-" (Princess Camille) cries, her tears flowing as it runs down through her cheek. "This is all my fault… when I told you everything you suddenly fainted!"
Rowan shakes her head, slowly sitting up to meet the crown princess' eyes.
So she fainted?
"Nngh… What in the world happened, your highness?"
Princess Camille softens after calming herself down, she wipes the tear on her face and breathes in.
"Your highness…" (Rowan) noticed her current state, it seems after she fainted Princess Camille cried herself until she woke up. "I am fine, my apologies… it seems that I made you cry."
Princess Camille shakes her head after fully drying her tears, Rowan didn't need to apologize for her crying.
"I… what was the last thing that you remember?" The crown princess asks.
Rowan sat up holding her lips, replaying the scene in her mind. How the princess' lips felt so soft and sweet. She shyly lowers her head and replies, "I… remember… you and I… w-we kissed."
Princess Camille sees the Crimson General's blushing face, for a warrior who has a known reputation for being strong and brave- a mere kiss can turn her back into a shy maiden in love.
"S-So um I'm sorry for kissing her highness, if it made you uncomfortable I will take responsibility for my actions."
"Don't be apologetic, I asked you to kiss me. It saved me from an excruciating painful experience." (Princess Camille) was incredibly thankful for the kiss, or else five hours of chest pains is not a good thing to feel. Imagine having a heart attack come at you for that long anyone would've preferred to kill themselves than torture like that.
This system is too much!
Rowan remembers that she still had a lot of questions unanswered, what were those floating things that seemed to make the crown princess almost cry out in fear.
What does she mean by she's the main character?
"Your highness, those things that were floating around you- what in the world was that?"
"The moment you told me that you loved me. It seems that the system I was stuck with decided that-" (Princess Camille) opens one of the floating windows and shows it to Rowan. "I… well… I'm one of the love interests now just like my brothers."
The windows updated into a new User Interface system, one fitting for a host that took on the role of a new love interest.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: CONGRATULATIONS ROLE UPGRADED].
[:Name: Princess Camille Nyle Kastil].
[:Mission: Become a proper love interest].
[:Reward: ???].
"This updates once every few months, sometimes I have to deal with other nobles for missions to help your story move according to the original plot." She smiles sadly but soon she tilts her head after hearing an unknown notification sound.
"A new… window?"
She opens the new floating window and her eyes widened after realising what it was.
Ding!
{Heroine Meter}
Congratulations host! You've unlocked the heroine meter to which you can see the heroine's status! You have now become the new love interest, proceed with caution and achieve your desired happy ending by keeping the love meter over ninety percent! Your route is a new unlocked one, goodluck!
{Heroine: Crimson General Rowan Bonheur}
…
[Love Meter: 100%]
[Health: 80%]
[Sanity: 70%]
[Happiness: 60%]
[Confidence: 90%]
[Family Bond: 10%]
[Charisma: 95%]
[Wisdom: 50%]
[Resolve: 100%]
>[Reputation]<
[Humans: High]
[Demons: Low].
[Elves: Neutral].
[Dwarves: Neutral].
[Beast-Men: Neutral].
>[See More]<
"This is-" (Princess Camille) immediately closed the floating window consisting of the heroine's status. It contained all of Rowan's status, this made her feel like having that window available was wrong.
'Huh, I'm surprised that her family bond is really low. I have heard that her sister is close with Rowan but now…' She felt that… she can't reveal this to Rowan just yet.
Meanwhile…
Rowan was trying to understand what the crown princess was trying to say.
Love interests just like her brothers?
System?
Windows?
"I-I don't understand." She confesses, whatever the crown princess has said before she can't fathom what it all means.
Those words exist, but she could feel that it means something else.
"It is hard to understand." The princess tells Rowan as she helps her up to her bed. "The only thing you should know is that there is something inside of me giving out orders and if I don't do it I'll get hurt really badly or die."
"This is what we call a system, it's a component that gives out a specific task for me to do." She shows her the floating window with her list of tasks.
"...!"
Rowan definitely got surprised with the new mission that said, the princess must become a proper love interest for the heroine.
"I'm what you would call a… host. I was originally from another world but I was chosen to play a part that I didn't even want. I've been here ever since I was a little girl. The system is choosing us to make sure that things are going according to the plot of the story, the heroine- which is you is supposed to choose a love interest."
Rowan blinks, "A love interest…?"
Princess Camille smiles bitterly as she answers that question. "Someone you'll love based on the story written out for you. That's what it means to be a love interest."
Rowan stares at her as she listens intently, a love interest is someone you'll love based on the story written out for you… she wonders if her story would end with the crown princess.
"And for some reason… you chose me. Someone who's not fated to be with you. I don't know what I did- how the plot changed but was it really because I saved you that day?"
"I am unsure of what you mean by someone who is not fated to be with me, because I love her highness." The way she told the crown princess of her love, it was genuine and true. "Even if we are not fated- I will still love her highness."
Hearing the word 'love' so many times was making Princess Camille's heartbreak.
She believes that the heroine is merely following a new script made by the system.
'I'm not included nor qualified to be a love interest. The role belongs to one of my brothers, what she's feeling is an anomaly. This must be an error…' She thought to herself.
"The system that is inside her highness." (Rowan) couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows reaching for the princess' hand. "Does it… hurt?"
It startled Princess Camille at first but soon relaxed to the warmth of her hold.
'...But what if I'm wrong? What if it's not an error?'
"No it does not hurt me as long as I finish my task. Thank you for worrying about me, General Rowan. The orders act on random so please no need to make a face like that." She laughs hoping it will ease the general's mind. "I might as well tell you about this unfortunate circumstance of mine if we're to be wedded. I don't enjoy having orders by the system because I am bound and shackled like a prisoner to this. If you do not want to continue on with the wedding after finding out the truth I would understand. You are meant to be paired with one of my brothers after all."
Princess Camille wonders if her new fate would be for the better.
If Rowan chooses at least one of her brothers, she can at least take care of her in the shadows and make sure the story progresses as it should.
"…your highness." (Rowan) could sense the sadness in the princess' voice. "I vowed to make you happy, now that you are within my grasp… how would I be foolish enough to let you go? I have wished every day, even at war, that I could come back to the palace and become a royal guard just to be right beside you."
The Crimson General salutes the princess, kneeling down and promising to be the best partner she could be. "It is already a dream to call you my wife even if it is only a marriage of convenience. My heart has chosen you, it only beats for you."
Princess Camille felt her heartfelt confession, she doesn't know how to take one as such and eventually felt her beating heart thumping so fast.
"You're-! Gosh this is why you're the heroine of the story." She exclaims, fanning herself a little.
'Is she serious?! Can she even love someone like me? Is this okay?' The heroine's charm is such a scary thing that it rendered the princess question everything.
"I suppose I won't be afraid to let my mask fall for a bit when it comes to you, General Rowan. I have to warn you. After the wedding, if I become anything like my brothers' and the stories they've had, each will have obstacles and problems that one needs to conquer in order to get that happy ending." She tells Rowan who suddenly became quiet. "And as the eldest princess I have enemies. We'll be having a huge target on our backs-"
Princess Camille stops after realising that Rowan has been oddly staring at her in an embarrassed and happy state.
"What's wrong, Rowan? You look a bit flustered." She asks worriedly.
The other girl shakes her head feeling even more embarrassed. "Apologies, your highness… my mind went blank when you mentioned the wedding. I… I want to see your highness in a wedding dress."
A beautiful white gown, flowered laces and a lovely veil just like what Rowan had read in her books.
A bride that stands by their beloved on that one special day…
"Oh- I see."
Princess Camille bites her lip looking a bit guilty, here she was planning everything to the very last detail of her survival plan and yet the Crimson General is thinking nothing but their wedding…
'This girl actually loves me- genuine feeling for something romantic. What should I do about it? Should I play along for now?' (Princess Camille) decided to follow her guts and play along their love charade.
This whole thing is a one-sided love.
But this is better than being married off to an old foreign man!
"I suppose I would want to see General Rowan wearing a dress as well." The princess glanced at Rowan who blushed at the thought of her wearing a dress.
Her musical and scarred body is not fit for a dress but if its for her highness-
"W-Would it make her highness happy if I wore a wedding dress?"
That took Princess Camille by surprise, she clears her throat and answers the heroine honestly. "I… suppose it would."
"..."
Rowan's happiness and love meter were through the roof hearing that the princess would be happy if she saw her wearing a dress. "When… Do you want to get married?"
"Maybe… a year from now we can get married. We have all the time in the world to get to know each other, guess you're stuck with someone like me."
"I… wouldn't trade it for anything else, your highness."