“Princess?”
Seira called out to me in a puzzled voice when I stood there staring blankly into space.
“Seira, above your head…”
“What?”
Seira looked up above her head and then tilted her head in confusion.
“Above my head? There’s nothing there.”
It seemed Seira couldn’t see that strange blue window.
‘What on earth is that? Affection level?’
It was strange. It looked just like a system window in a game.
As someone who had read a lot of web novels in my previous life, I racked my brain. In some of the novels I read, there were cases where someone possessed a book and a status window appeared.
‘But this wasn’t in the original… Oh, the original is already twisted!’
I quickly accepted it.
Having vowed many times that if I ever possessed a character, I wouldn’t become obsessed with the original story, I decided to live as someone who accepts things easily in this world.
Anyway, an affection level of 999 was clearly not a small number.
‘Seira likes me this much…!’
A satisfied smile naturally appeared on my lips.
* * *
When I arrived at the garden, I saw people who had already arrived.
“Hello, Elizabeth.”
I approached Elizabeth, the host of the tea party, and greeted her.
“You’re late, Luibelle.”
Elizabeth, who was sitting at the head of the table, responded in a cold voice.
I had arrived ten minutes earlier than the scheduled time.
Just as I was about to retort that I wasn’t late, I noticed the blue window above Elizabeth’s head.
2nd Princess of the Azester Empire ⌈Elizabeth⌋
Affection: 999
Elizabeth and I were never particularly close sisters.
It made sense.
Unlike me, whose father’s identity was unclear, Elizabeth’s paternal family was a prestigious count’s family in the empire.
If it weren’t for small tea parties or balls like today, we rarely saw each other or talked.
So I was a bit surprised to see Elizabeth’s high affection level, thinking she had no interest in me.
‘Maybe she actually cares about me but just doesn’t show it?’
Thinking that made my nose tingle.
Until now, I thought all my family members were indifferent to me.
But it wasn’t so…
Well, in a situation where the original story was twisted and I became Hezen’s lover, it wasn’t strange that my family actually liked me.
‘This is just like a cliché of a possessed heroine!’
Thump―
My heart pounded happily, just like when Hezen confessed to me.
“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I didn’t realize you were waiting for me…”
“What…?”
When I spoke shyly with a bashful smile, Elizabeth flinched.
“Were you really waiting for me? It must have been disappointing that I arrived only ten minutes early.”
“What are you talking about, Luibelle? Stop saying strange things and sit down.”
She even changed the subject, seemingly flustered.
Elizabeth, how cute, getting all embarrassed. From now on, I’ll have to treat her even better! Using the cliché of a possessed heroine, I’ll become the best sister with Elizabeth!
I smiled sweetly at Elizabeth once more and took a seat at the table. Then, an unwelcome voice came from across the table.
“Hello, Princess Luibelle.”
It was Lady Sylvia Winston, who always picked fights with me.
As soon as I saw her, my expression hardened.
“Oh my, how rude to harden your expression right in front of me!”
Of course, Sylvia and I were enemies who didn’t get along, but my change of expression wasn’t just because of that.
Lady of the Winston Marquisate ⌈Sylvia⌋
Affection: 999
Sylvia’s affection level was 999!
The moment I saw that, a shiver ran down my spine.
‘What? This is creepy!’
Sylvia openly disliked the 3rd Princess Luibelle because of her unclear paternal lineage.
That was a well-known fact in social circles.
But now…
‘She actually likes me?’
Come to think of it, I had read about such characters in novels in my previous life. Characters who liked the protagonist but, out of embarrassment, always picked fights and bickered. The so-called tsundere!
They eventually became the protagonist’s close friends.
“No matter how much you try to cover it up with imperial etiquette, your wretched origins still show.”
Sylvia snapped at me, opening her fan with a flourish.
Even as she picked a fight, the 999 affection level window above her head glittered.
“…Poor Sylvia.”
I grabbed Sylvia’s hand, which was waving the fan, with both of mine.
“What, what, what are you doing?”
Sylvia’s face turned bright red in an instant. Seeing Sylvia’s face turn crimson, I was even more convinced. Sylvia likes me.
“Sylvia, you need to learn how to express your feelings honestly.”
“W-what…?”
“It’s okay. I’ll support your honesty from now on. We can be good friends.”
Sylvia was so flustered that she stood there frozen, her lips moving wordlessly.
* * *
The afternoon tea party held in the imperial garden was delightful.
Sweet desserts and fragrant tea enjoyed amidst the warm spring sun, gentle breeze, and the scent of blooming flowers.
Laughter and chatter filled the air among the ladies gathered in small groups.
“Oh, Lady Janice. Have you heard? Prince Anselot of Luenhart is visiting the empire!”
“Oh, you mean the Murderous Madman youngest prince? The current King of Luenhart’s youngest brother…”
“Yes, yes, the Mad Prince who can smile while beheading someone!”
“He’s so obsessed with war that he spends more time at the borders than in the palace. What brings him to a diplomatic event?”
“They say Luenhart’s territory has doubled because of that Murderous Madman. Despite his siblings’ wariness, he has no interest in the throne.”
“I heard he’s so handsome you can’t forget him once you see him…”
“Oh my.”
I let the ladies’ idle chatter flow in one ear and out the other while I looked around.
‘Something’s strange,’ I thought, eyes narrowing slightly as I stared at the system windows sparkling above the women’s heads.
There was one strange thing.
All the ladies invited to this event had an affection level of 999.
Lady of the Janice Count Family ⌈Diana⌋
Affection: 999
Lady of the Gibreta Duke Family ⌈Merlainy⌋
Affection: 999
It seemed that 999 was the maximum affection level.
‘I didn’t know I was this popular among the ladies.’
It was a new revelation to me.
Another strange thing was the system windows only showed the affection levels of the women., even though only noble ladies were invited, occasionally male servants and knights passed by.
But there were no affection levels above their heads.
Servant of the Azester Imperial Palace ⌈Hans⌋
Knight of the Winston Marquisate ⌈Alvin⌋
Only their titles and names were displayed.
The affection levels were only visible in the system windows of the women.
‘Isn’t it usually the opposite?’
I tilted my head and sipped the remaining tea from my cup. Maybe it’s because I have no connection with those servants and knights.
‘That makes sense.’
As someone who easily accepted things, I nodded in agreement.
The tea party eventually came to an end as the sun was starting to set. I chose to walk back, just like when I came to the garden.
Should I stop by and see Hezen? By now, Hezen should be in his office.
Normally, I wouldn’t disturb him while he’s working, but since it’s almost time for him to finish, this should be fine.
“Princess? That way leads to the main palace.”
“Yes. I’m going to see Hezen.”
“Then I’ll…”
“No, Seira. I’ll go alone. You head back to the princess’s palace.”
Seira looked disappointed, thinking I was leaving her behind. But bringing Seira along to spend time with my lover would ruin the romance a bit.
I hummed a tune as I walked down the long corridor leading to the main palace. Hezen’s office, as the commander of the imperial knights, was on the second floor of the main palace.
‘Will he be surprised by an unannounced visit?’
Then, I saw my reflection in the dark window.
“…!”
I was startled and looked up.
Above my head was also… an affection level window.
3rd Princess of the Azester Empire ⌈Luibelle⌋
Affection: 999
“Why is this…?”
Unlike the blue windows of others, my affection level window sparkled in a brilliant pink, showing the number 999.
Of course, possessing the world’s most beautiful Luibelle, I was full of self-love… But do system affection levels usually show one’s affection for oneself…?
I had never heard of a system window that measured and displayed self-love. I was bewildered. Even someone like me, who easily accepted things, couldn’t accept this.
‘No, it’s not impossible…’
Just as I was trying to convince myself again,
⟪SYSTEM⟫ The affection level of the target ⌈Clara⌋…
A transparent system window appeared in the direction I was walking, with faint letters shimmering.
‘Target…?’
I squinted my eyes as I slowly walked towards the direction of the blue system window. As I got closer, the transparency of the window decreased, and the letters became clearer.
And at the end, I found,
⟪Oh dear, the target ⌈Clara⌋ found out you hid the fact that you have a fiancée and got upset.
Please properly appease her! If not, ⌈Clara⌋’s affection level will drop to 0༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ`༽!!!!!⟫
Under the blue window, Hezen was smiling warmly at a strange woman.
