Chapter 53
“F-Foreign language?”
I stuttered in surprise, caught completely off guard by the sudden question.
But as I racked my memory, it finally came back to me.
His Majesty had asked the same thing when he was just a character in the game.
“Nayla, do you happen to know any foreign languages?”
Originally, it was supposed to be Nayla who heard this line, not me.
But because I interfered, the original storyline of the game had been altered.
And so, the line meant for Nayla was now directed at me.
I carefully asked His Majesty in return, “Is the Kingdom of Serta sending a delegation? And… are you wondering if I speak Sertan, just in case?”
“What?! How… how did you know that?”
Bingo. My memory had served me right again.
In the original plot, this line would be asked to Nayla. And depending on her answer—
If she said “I can speak a foreign language”, she would encounter the First Princess of Serta.
If she said “I cannot speak a foreign language”, nothing happened.
In other words, meeting the princess was a type of event that only occurred based on the protagonist’s answer.
‘If I treat the princess well, will I receive the same rewards I did in the game?’
In the game, if you entertained the princess properly, she would give you a rare gift.
Recalling that, I decided I’d definitely meet her this time.
But first, I had to calm down His Majesty, who was still clearly shocked.
“I was just guessing. Around this time, the Sertan delegation tends to visit, right?”
“A guess…? Impressive. You’re right. I was planning to put you in charge of hosting the First Princess once they arrive.”
“Hosting, huh?”
“Yes. She’s about your age, and I figured the two of you might get along well.”
“I’ll do it!”
My eager response brought a delighted smile to His Majesty’s face.
“Oh ho… So you can speak Sertan? That’s wonderful…”
“Actually… I can’t speak Sertan.”
“…What?”
If I were a game character, maybe I’d have mastered several languages easily with just a few skill clicks.
But I was a real person now.
And since I’d been too busy running around looking for spirits, I never even had time to learn a second language.
Naturally, there was no way I could speak Sertan.
‘Still, it’s not hopeless.’
I had one powerful tool in my arsenal—body language.
So, I could make it work.
“I heard the princess knows some Imperial. I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. I’ll show her around the palace, take her on a picnic, show her some beautiful dresses… I’ll make sure she doesn’t get bored.”
“Hmm…”
His Majesty still seemed a little hesitant.
“As you know, the Kingdom of Serta is our most trusted ally and has been bound to us by blood for generations. She’s a very important guest. You must not make any mistakes. Can you handle that?”
“Yes! Please leave it to me!”
“Very well, then. I’ll trust you with this.”
His bold affirmation made me cheer silently inside.
I was thrilled to have received his permission.
The worry only came much later.
‘But… will it be okay? I don’t even know what the princess is like…’
She was practically an extra in the original game. So minor, she didn’t even have an illustration.
All I remembered was that when she appeared, a system message would pop up:
“You have met the First Princess of Serta. What would you like to do?”
In fact, she might have been even less significant than Nathan.
That meant I had no idea what kind of personality she had,
What she looked like,
What she liked…
All I knew was that if you treated her well, you got a reward.
‘It’ll be fine. As long as she’s not a total weirdo, we’ll get along. I’ll make sure we become best friends. Since Nathan can’t do anything right now, I’ll do my part.’
I shoved my worries aside and chose to focus on the positive.
It was the best thing I could do—for him.
A large, ornate carriage boldly passed through the imperial palace gates.
Six white horses led the way.
Surrounding them were knights in unfamiliar armor, clearly foreign in design.
I swallowed hard when I saw the green flags they carried.
‘They’re finally here. The Sertan delegation.’
My heart raced at the thought of the princess inside that grand carriage.
Hosting the Princess of Serta—this was a mission that would impact international relations.
‘I’m nervous… I’ve prepared everything teens our age would enjoy…’
I’d mapped out every detail of the itinerary.
After showing her around the imperial palace, we’d head to the capital city.
There, we’d visit a famous dessert shop.
Of course, the desserts made by the royal chefs were amazing.
But I preferred ones eaten on a cute café terrace in a bustling shopping district.
People-watching, fashion-watching, scenery-watching…
There was so much to take in.
No one disliked the exotic charm of a lively street.
I was sure the princess would enjoy it too.
‘After the palace tour, we’ll hit the dessert place, then go shopping.’
Shopping for souvenirs was a must-do on any foreign visit, after all.
We’d browse accessories together and become fast friends.
‘And at night, we’ll have a pajama party. I even bought a fluffy teddy bear—everything’s ready!’
Reassured and confident, I lifted my chin high.
And waited for the carriage to stop.
The pure white carriage came to a precise halt in front of His Majesty.
A servant opened the door, and out stepped a plump man.
I’d heard he was the Second Prince of Serta, acting as the head of the delegation.
His Majesty greeted him with a warm smile.
“Welcome to the Empire. The journey must’ve been tiring.”
“Not at all. The thought of meeting Your Majesty kept me refreshed throughout.”
“Haha, you flatter me. Is my dear friend still in good health?”
“Yes, Father is well. He deeply regrets being unable to attend himself.”
While His Majesty and the Second Prince exchanged cordial greetings, I scanned anxiously for the princess.
Strangely, she hadn’t exited the carriage with him.
‘Where is she? I thought she’d come out with him…’
Just then, a knight from behind stepped forward toward His Majesty and the Second Prince.
I was shocked.
A guard—approaching royalty while they were in conversation?
They should’ve remained rigid and still in the back.
And that wasn’t even the biggest surprise.
The knight dismounted and removed their helmet.
My jaw dropped a second time.
A woman?
The knight was a woman.
She had striking red hair tied neatly back, giving her a composed appearance.
Her eyes were a calm shade of gray.
Just from appearance alone, there was something… trustworthy about her.
‘Is she the captain of the knights? No… that’s not it…’
She bowed deeply to His Majesty in greeting.
Then, the prince beside her finally introduced her identity.
“This is my younger sister. She’s grown, hasn’t she?”
“Oh my… I hardly recognized her!”
She was the First Princess of Serta—the one I was supposed to host.
I had imagined a delicate girl in a flowing dress.
So naturally, I was stunned.
‘She’s nothing like what I expected…’
As His Majesty wrapped up the introductions, he turned to me—finally remembering to bring me into the conversation.
And there I stood—frozen in place, completely caught off guard.
