'Why is he here again? Is he supposed to constantly hover around Florian?' Florian thought, his footsteps echoing lightly in the marble hallways as he made his way to the dining area. He had resigned himself to breakfast with the princesses, though he couldn't shake the irritation gnawing at him.
Behind him, as ever, were Cashew and Lucius.
'Doesn't he have a castle to manage? What do head butlers even do all day?'
"Hey, Cashew," Florian said casually, his tone deliberately light as he ignored Lucius entirely. It wasn't out of pettiness, of course—no, never that. It was just… a matter of boundaries.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Cashew replied, his voice soft but eager to please.
"What else is on my schedule today?" Florian asked, keeping his gaze forward as they walked.
Before Cashew could answer, Lucius—ever the interloper—spoke up in his stead. "Besides breakfast, since Your Highness seems to have recovered, your usual schedule of—"
Florian raised a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. Lucius fell silent immediately, his blank expression unreadable, though his eyes stayed fixed on Florian, waiting for whatever reprimand or instruction was coming.
Florian, however, had no intention of dignifying Lucius with a response. Instead, he turned to Cashew, offering the boy an encouraging smile. "Go ahead, Cashew. Please, tell me what's on my schedule."
Cashew's eyes widened, darting nervously between Florian and Lucius. The head butler's brow arched slightly, as though surprised—or perhaps amused—by Florian's boldness. But Florian stood firm. He'd already stared down Heinz; Lucius was little more than a pebble in comparison.
'There's no one in this palace to fear besides Heinz,' Florian reminded himself. 'Lucius might be annoying, but the worst he could do is… well, nothing, unless I give him an opening.'
"W-Well..." Cashew stammered, his voice shaky but determined. "Your Highness has... leisure time before lunch."
'Leisure time? That's a new one. Better enjoy it while it lasts.'
"After lunch," Cashew continued, "you have lessons with the royal tutor."
'Lessons?' Florian's internal groan was almost audible. 'Why the hell do I need lessons?'
From the corner of his eye, Florian caught the faintest twitch at the edge of Lucius's lips. The man's usual stoic demeanor cracked just enough to reveal an irritating glimmer of amusement.
"And after that, there's... uh, etiquette class," Cashew added, glancing nervously at Lucius as if seeking approval to continue.
Florian nodded along, even as he mentally filed away the absurdity of having to endure an etiquette class. 'I already have perfect manners. Okay, maybe not perfect, but still, do they really expect me to prance around like one of the princesses?'
Cashew hesitated for a moment, then mumbled, "And... a meeting with the tailor for your new clothes."
"New clothes? Finally," Florian said, his tone teasing, but Cashew's nervous fidgeting kept him from elaborating.
"We have arrived, Your Highness," Lucius announced abruptly, cutting Cashew off as they approached a towering golden door.
Florian couldn't resist shooting Lucius a pointed look for interrupting Cashew yet again, but he let it go for now. Instead, he turned back to Cashew, his smile softening. "Thank you for letting me know. You can finish telling me after breakfast."
Cashew's cheeks flushed faintly pink as he bowed his head. "Y-Yes, Your Highness."
With that, Florian approached the grand doors, standing tall as the two knights stationed there regarded him. He looked up at them and said clearly, "Prince Florian Thornfield."
The knights froze, their eyes widening slightly as they stared at him. Florian's mind raced. He knew why they hesitated—Prince Florian, in the novel, rarely acknowledged anyone outside his small circle of interest. Heinz, Cashew, Lancelot, and Lucius were the only exceptions, and only because Florian had selfish motives for engaging with them. Everyone else might as well have been invisible.
In Kaz and Aden's original draft, Florian's minimal interactions with other characters served to streamline the story, but here and now, it was a glaring issue.
Seconds stretched uncomfortably, and Florian fought the urge to roll his eyes.
Behind him, Lucius cleared his throat pointedly. "Are you going to let His Highness in, or do we plan to stand here all morning?"
The knights jolted as though waking from a trance, quickly bowing.
"R-Right... yes, forgive us," one of them stammered as they reached for the door handles.
Florian offered them a polite smile. "No rush," he said, his voice light but firm.
As the heavy doors creaked open, Florian stepped through, with Cashew and Lucius trailing behind. From behind him, he caught snippets of the knights' whispered conversation.
"Is it just me... or is something different about the prince today?"
"You're not wrong. I think that's the first time I've seen him smile."
Florian let out a long sigh, choosing to ignore the hushed whispers from the knights. It wasn't hard to dismiss their words, especially when a delicious aroma wafted through the air and reached his nose.
'Oh my God… What is that smell?'
His mouth practically watered. After waking up in this world just yesterday, his first meal had been a modest, unique soup made with purple mushrooms. The dish, he was told, had magical healing properties and was a specialty of the Concordia Kingdom.
It wasn't bad. Decent, even. But it wasn't real food.
And now? Now he was about to feast. As Florian entered the dining hall, the enticing smells only grew stronger. His gaze swept over the opulent room, noting the rows of maids stationed beside their mistresses—the princesses, who were each absorbed in their own worlds, eating their breakfast in silence.
Then his eyes fell on the table.
'Holy hell...' Florian's thoughts froze as he took in the spread before him. The dishes were familiar yet foreign—like echoes of Earth's breakfasts, reimagined by another world. Pink pancakes stacked high with dollops of cream, crisp strips of meat that looked like bacon but glistened with an unfamiliar golden sheen, and fruit platters bursting with colors he couldn't name.
'This is… this is breakfast from a whole new world.'
But, of course, peace was fleeting.
"Here he comes, the abomination of the harem," Camilla's sharp voice cut through the air. She set her utensils down with a deliberate clink, her sneer as cutting as her tone.
'Is it just me or do I feel like their words are starting to become familiar to me?'
Scarlett chimed in, cackling. "Oh my, I was thoroughly enjoying my food. And now? No appetite. Such a shame."
Florian's jaw tightened, but he forced himself to stay calm. 'Must they do this every time they see me? It's been one day, and I'm already sick of them.' He couldn't fathom how the original Florian had managed to endure this relentless treatment without snapping.
He decided to give them the same treatment he had bestowed upon Lucius earlier: complete and utter indifference. Stressing himself over them would be a waste of energy, and there was no advantage in engaging with their venom.
Instead, he turned his attention to two quieter figures at the table—Alexandria and Athena. Both women were watching him, their expressions markedly different from the hostility of Camilla and Scarlett.
Florian smiled warmly. "Good morning, ladies," he greeted, his voice light as he walked toward an empty seat directly across from them.
Alexandria blinked at him, her confusion evident, while Athena flinched at his words, shrinking slightly as though trying to disappear into her chair.
Florian had made a decision the previous night as he lay in bed. If he was going to survive this place—and somehow make good on his outrageous promise to Heinz—he needed allies. Building connections with the princesses seemed as good a place as any to start.
"Hello?" Alexandria responded tentatively, her brows furrowed as she studied him.
Florian's smile didn't waver as he turned to Athena. "Good morning, Lady Athena," he said softly, his tone gentle.
Athena let out a startled squeak and immediately lowered her gaze, bowing her head as if to hide behind the curtain of her hair.
'She really reminds me of Cashew. Just... the female version.'
"H-Hello, Prince Florian," Athena whispered, her voice barely audible. Still, Florian caught it. He smiled reassuringly.
Across the table, Camilla and Scarlett were far less subtle in their reactions.
"Did he just ignore me to talk to them?" Camilla hissed, her tone dripping with incredulity.
"What is he even doing?" Scarlett added, her voice laced with mockery.