Chapter 5: [Error Found] (II).
The princess leads the general to the halls of the castle, walking past some guards with curious stares as they see her pulling another girl to somewhere private. Even if they were on duty, they were aware of what was happening.
So- the general chose the princess instead of any of the princes being offered?
Rowan stayed quiet and followed obediently, not until they stopped at a door with flower engravings. "We're here, general." She opens the door, and drags her in.
A very welcoming room, it was clean, full of trinkets on the side such as makeup and an easel was right around the corner. The ceiling was very high, a balcony was also included- it seems a very high end room to be in.
Rowan blinks and wonders where in the world has the princess taken her to.
"Princess Camille, what is this room? It's very nice." She couldn't help but hold one of the teddy bears that was on the table and thought it was rather adorable. "He's lovely."
"Oh thank you for the compliment. It's my room actually. Do you like little Baba the bear? I do agree that he's a lovely bear." (Princess Camille) takes one of her blankets, parting it on the bed and motions for her to come close.
Rowan almost let go of the teddy and never realized she was touching the princess' things so carelessly!
"Y-Your room?! My apologies, I touched your bear." She places the bear back right back where she found it and scurries over to where Princess Camille was sitting standing ever so awkwardly.
"General Rowan, there is no need for apologies. I certainly haven't let anyone else in here before." The princess eyes her awkward standing figure and chuckles to herself, she's so nervous she could see her legs shaking.
"Come sit down with me. Is this your first time visiting another girl's room?" Patting the sheets of her bed, instructing her to sit down beside her and the general hesitates before answering her question.
Is this her first time visiting another girl's room?
"..." She ponders for a moment and there are some instances where she only visited only one room that belonged to a girl. "No… I visit my sister's room all the time and she's a girl."
The princess stares at her for one moment before seeing that from the look on her face- the answer was serious. "Pfft- hahaha!"
Rowan lowers her head a little confused as to why she was laughing at the truth. She's been inside her sister's room many times! To either hang out or study!
"Apologies for laughing, I hope you don't misunderstand. I just found it rather adorable but I was thinking- any other girl that's not your sister." She waits for Rowan with curiosity in her eyes as she talks to the General.
Her answers have always been so interesting and unexpected.
"I have only been invited to their house for some lunch or tea. I am… unsure of stepping into someone's private space."
The princess understands that, and was even a little happy that even though she dragged her into her room- it seems the general is slowly relaxing into her private space. "I see… and Your sister, how has she been?"
Rowan's eyes became full of life when the princess asked her how her sister is. The smile on her face was truly wide and adorable.
Ever since she went into the military they have only gotten a few chances to meet- three times a year when she's allowed to go back home from the battlefield.
The only family left that cares about her genuinely, she misses her dearly.
"I have gotten letters that she's doing well. Aveline and I see each other three times a year. I'm happy that we still write to each other and currently… she has given me news that she's engaged."
Aveline Voclain, her sister, is now an engaged woman. Princess Camille was happy to hear the news, seeing that being engaged is a good thing in this world- "Congratulations to your sister!" she congratulates but the young general could only force a smile.
"It was an arranged marriage given by her mother and my father… I don't think the man father chose for her is a good man." The man that was engaged to her was almost the same age as their own father, an old man who was well off and wealthy with the title of a count.
"Ah- she… got the short end of the stick it seems."
"This is why, your highness, you do not feel the need to force yourself to marry me. If you do not like our engagement, it is not too late, you can tell me and I will talk to the king." (Rowan) tells her and the princess shakes her head.
"Hm… you know there are hundreds of suitors thrown at my feet like a never ending water at the sea it is infinite." (Princess Camille) plays with her fingers, a little nervous of opening up to Rowan. "But your proposal that was out of the blue, was the one I liked the most because you were the first to ask me what I wanted."
"And I feel like I'll be safe with you."
"Your highness, Camille- truly you don't mind?"
"Mm, if I minded I wouldn't be bringing you to my room and being alone with a pretty princess like I am- many of the suitors presented to me would've taken this chance to become much more intimate making use of this privacy." (Princess Camille) remembers a few suitors who almost touched her without consent, it was horrid and all because they were alone.
Thankfully she was not any ordinary girl, and stood on her ground saying no to their unwanted advances. "I don't like suitors, I never wanted to be the crown princess and you need to marry someone into the royal family or else my father would keep on persisting. It's a win-win for us, really."
Rowan nods, just happily being in the princess' presence. It is definitely a win-win for them both.
"So in a marriage of convenience let's break some ground rules. I currently have no idea what comes after this." (Princess Camille) was wondering, after being taken off in line for the throne would she live with the general?
Will she be able to make some business that's under her name?
Will she be able to stroll freely on her own without the rules of royalty dragging her down?
"Do you have a house?" The princess asks and Rowan answers, a little embarrassed for not having a proper home.
It was only a rental house she uses as her office. The only one living there is her secretary to keep things in order and clean.
"Only one that is a rental office, I sleep and work there without much issue." (Rowan) realizes that the future preparations for making their family would be needed to be secure. She never thought of buying a big house for now, because she was saving for a special occasion. "But I'll buy one for us, wherever you'd like. I want for you to have a comfortable place that you can call home with me, your highness."
The two realized that making a home together, brainstorming ideas was making them a bit excited. "Well… will it be alright if I would take care of designing it?"
"I would be honored to have you design it, your highness."
…
The whole talk in the princess' private quarters seemed to last for hours, the party on the grand ball was dying down and John didn't bother waiting for his good mate because he thought they were having a bit of 'fun' already.
Jonathan took some free food and rented out a carriage to take him to the nearest inn. He's not wrong, they were having fun and getting to know each other like a fast speed dating show.
"Any pet preferences or allergies? Because I adore cats and I don't have any allergies." (Princess Camille) brewed some tea for her guest for their long talk together would need some bit of refreshment.
"I have no pet preferences, I like them all equally and I have a horse named black beauty." Black beauty was a horse that she bought from Rosewood Village, from a kind daughter of a horse merchant.
She was very fond of her four legged companion who retired after the years of war.
"And… I am allergic to alcohol." She continues. "I cannot handle them or my face goes all bright red and my skin gets irritated. That is why when my fellow comrades have invited me to celebrate I politely decline them."
"That's… I knew you didn't like drinking but I didn't expect you to be allergic." She mutters to herself knowing the girl's background profile that she didn't drink- just never knew the true reason why.
"It's a secret of mine, if anyone knew I was allergic they wouldn't hesitate to use it against me." (Rowan) scratches the side of her cheek. "I hope this will only stay with the princess."
"Thank you for trusting me. Please know that I will keep that secret only to myself." (Princess Camille) promises and takes her tea by the hands.
"Thank you, your highness."
The whole talk was wonderful, but when the crown princess was about to drink her tea-
[WARNING]!
Before her lips could touch the rim of the cup, something sharp and painful was piercing her heart.
"Hold on… give me one moment I think I feel something unpleasant going on in my stomach." She excused herself but soon the warning screen doubled.
Princess Camille hides the warning message immediately, exciting the tab before Rowan could see.
Rowan stands up worried that something is corrupting her stomach, "Is it the tea, your highness?"
[Error Found].
The princess almost fell to her knees, she needs to find an excuse to get Rowan out of the room or get into the bathroom quickly!
"Hah… I'm sorry you must think this is all weird. I think I just need to… powder my nose?" She tries escaping but her wrist was pulled gently back preventing her from escaping.
"Your highness… Perhaps I can accompany you?" (Rowan) began to make puppy eyes, truly she was just worried.
But the princess' problem is far greater than just constipation.
"No! Actually! It's just- agh!" (Princess Camille) heard a loud pitch noise in her ears, as more warning tabs started appearing. She started panting, the thing that was hurting her heart was now twice the pain she was feeling. "You weren't supposed to choose me and I've been thinking in circles on what to do next!"
Rowan was startled by her yelling.
"Because I'm not a love interest! Even if I saved you back then you still should follow the script or else-"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"...!"
"Your highness!"
"That will… happen." A dozen warnings appeared before the room, all having different sizes but all saying almost the exact same thing.
[WARNING VIRUS DETECTED].
[SCANNING COMPLETE: PROBLEM FOUND: LOVE INTEREST MISSING: HEROINE NOT ABLE TO CHOOSE].
"What's happening? What are these warning signs?!" (Rowan) looks up at all of the floating warning signs in shock, these things- what are they?!
Princess Camille holds her heart, shocked that Rowan could see the system's warning windows just like her!
"Ngh… you can see them?! The system… says I have… to be punished… it hurts." No one else in the world can see them but her!
"System?! What system?!" She asks, but that's not the important question she needed to ask. "What should I do?! What can I do to lessen the pain?!"
"Ngh… I don't know yet-"
Before the crown princess could finish her reply, the floating window updated with a new notification and a mission.
[Error: LOVE INTEREST NOT DETECTED: NPC found to be malfunctioning].
[(#(+'+29£!"91£!£) Error… Error… Heroine Malfunctioning: Creating New Pathway].
[Error: NPC Upgrading: Love Interest Found].
===
[Mission Updated: Kiss The Heroine
Time Limit Punishment: Chest Pains (5:00:00)]
===
Princess Camille's eyes widened in surprise reading the red glowing coating warning sign labeling her mission, it was to kiss the heroine that was in front of her or else the punishment ordered by the system will last for five hours!
"Ngh… you… I have to kiss you! The Mission… updated!"
K-Kiss her?! Wait, her heart is not ready yet! Kissing the crown princess this time is just- they didn't go on a date yet!
"I need to kiss you but your highness we're not yet-!"
"Ngh!" She clutches her heart, seeing all of these bright red warning signs that are making her dizzy and in pain. The system is not giving her any mercy for meddling that one time!
'I thought it would be okay… because she still turned out to be a general just like I'm the original story! I thought I was safe! It hurts so bad!' (Princess Camille) grunts and grits her teeth through the punishment.
It was like her skin was being poked by a thousand needles and that her heart was on fire.
"I-I'm sorry." (Rowan) holds the princess by the face cupping her cheeks, they share a tender kiss for a few seconds before their surroundings become peaceful.
"Mm…"
"..."
The floating warning screens were no more. The crown princess has just had her first kiss taken, by the heroine of the game.
"Hah… hah… thank you… if you didn't kiss me. I would've felt my heart being torn apart like that for five hours."
"Five hours?"
That's a long time and it looked like the crown princess was in really indescribable pain. "That's the time limit of the mission, I don't understand why the system is acting up now with all the errors."
She clutches her hands and finally reveals her true self. "But it's full of shit."
Princess Camille Kastil is not just any princess.
"General Rowan Bonhuer, what you have seen today. Promise me to only keep it to yourself, I am the princess- but I am also aware of what kind of world we live in."
The world of an Otome game.
"For I possess the memories of my past life and to me- this is all a programmed game and you're the main character." She tells Rowan who tilts her head in confusion. The whole thing that just happened was so chaotic that she's going to need some time to think everything through.
"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."