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chapter 19
“Oh, so you meant you wanted to make the Grand Duke laugh?”
Becky, who had almost misunderstood my future dream as wanting to be a jester, let out a relieved sigh and nodded.
“That’s a relief. I was afraid your past commoner dream had been… to become a jester.”
“Becky.”
“Sorry, I misspoke,” she said, bowing slightly.
“You always manage to say everything even when apologizing.”
“You told me to speak my mind, didn’t you?”
“See? So cheeky.”
“You said that because I’m from a commoner background, I don’t have to be overly polite.”
“Which young lady said that? Which house?”
“Lady Elinea of the Brensia family.”
See? I told her once, and she wouldn’t let it go. The problem was that when I first possessed this body, Becky had been excessively polite, and I had told her she didn’t need to be so formal. Rookie mistake. If I’d known she was the type to rise to the occasion like this, I would have trained her harder from the start.
I glared at Becky in late regret, and she just smiled sweetly at me. There’s an old saying: you can’t spit on a smiling face—and she was clearly banking on that.
“Anyway, give me your opinion. How could you make the Grand Duke, who rarely smiles, laugh?”
“That depends on the type of smile you want. Do you want to see him laugh uproariously, holding his stomach, or a gentle, tender smile meant just for you?”
Becky’s words reminded me of the small, pleasant smile Théor had given me earlier. My heart raced just thinking about it.
Hmm… that smile was indeed stunning. Enough to make a person’s heart skip a beat.
With a smile like that, whether he was laughing uncontrollably or giving a private, loving smile meant only for me, either would be wonderful.
But…
“A gentle, tender smile, I think.”
That felt right.
“Then don’t try to make him laugh—make him smile because he finds you cute.”
“Smile because he finds me cute…?”
“Yes.”
“Specifically?”
I leaned toward Becky, looking serious. I’d spent 24 years as a dark mage and only a few weeks in this body. In all that time, I’d never wanted to appear cute to anyone, so I needed her guidance.
“How can I make him smile because he finds me cute?”
The next day, after Becky’s special training on [Getting a Man to Smile by Being Cute], Caroline showed up early in the morning. Thanks to her, I could finally decide how to use my first wish token from Lloyd.
“If you want to partner with the Grand Duke, I can help,” she said.
Caroline, showing up without warning, claimed she wanted to regain the old friendship we’d had. She offered to speak to Lloyd so I could partner with Théor—if I acted friendly with her instead of Pere-ssi, as I had before.
“I can handle my own matters.”
“What…?”
My indifferent reply left Caroline visibly shocked. Scratching my nose, I noticed her face turning pale.
I carefully explained so she wouldn’t be too upset and could retract her ridiculous proposal.
“Isn’t it your nose that needs the partner more than me? Are you seriously expecting the Crown Prince to volunteer as your partner?”
“…He hasn’t said anything, but probably.”
“Wow, that’s some confidence.”
“It’s not confidence. He… I don’t even know why I’m explaining this to persuade you.”
Caroline opened her mouth to argue, then sighed, frustrated, and closed it.
“Good thinking. Don’t try to persuade me. I’ll stick close to Pere-ssi, as I plan.”
“The woman…! What did the princess do to make you act like this?”
When persuasion failed, Caroline held her face and asked, clearly frustrated. Her expression could have been the tragic heroine in a romance novel, enough to make anyone fall for it if they weren’t careful.
‘So the heroine buff really is that strong.’
Every glance, every line she delivered, had a hypnotic charm. I, however, was immune—I only cared about my sister.
“My sister? Sure, she’s been unusually kind lately, but being kind doesn’t mean I like her. It’s just… I like her existence itself.”
“What…?”
I smiled faintly. Caroline’s face reflected her true emotions as she laughed softly. I didn’t miss a single detail.
Realizing she had openly mocked me, Caroline then gazed at me with her signature glistening eyes.
“You hated the princess, didn’t you? Always teasing me, wishing I’d disappear from your sight?”
“Oh? Did I? Really?”
“Why pretend you don’t remember?”
“I really don’t. Back then, I wasn’t myself. What was I thinking? Seeing my sister is the greatest joy in my life—how could I have wished she wasn’t visible?”
Refusing to cower, I stood firm. Caroline’s face stiffened again.
“I think we’re done here, right?”
“Are you really sure you don’t need my help? Don’t you want the Grand Duke as your hunting festival partner?”
She acted as if no one but her could partner with Théor. I wanted to tell her I was much closer to him, sharing huge secrets, but I held back.
After all, I had three wish tokens from Lloyd’s secret. I could’ve blocked Caroline to ensure Pere-ssi got to partner with Théor—but I couldn’t openly say so. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
“I’ll go on my own, thank you.”
“You think the princess will help, but she doesn’t get along with the Grand Duke…”
“Caroline.”
I fixed her with a stern look, calling her out.
“Thanks for the concern, but I’m fine. So stop worrying about my hunting festival partner.”
I left the guest room, deciding no escort was necessary. My feet moved quickly, eager to act. Caroline could try contacting Lloyd, but I wanted to preempt any moves that would use her ‘heroine buff’ to manipulate partnerships. Better safe than sorry.
I headed to my room to contact Lloyd.
Lloyd looked displeased when I contacted him. It was the busy morning, so he was likely deep in work at the Crown Prince’s office. My message would naturally be unwelcome—but since I knew all his secrets, he couldn’t ignore me.
He frowned like a child whose candy had been taken—irritated but somehow endearing.
[What’s this at such a time?]
He moved with the orb in hand toward the small study next to the office, as always for secret communications in the novel.
I waited until the door closed, then said:
“Your Highness, I want to use a wish token.”
Lloyd raised his eyebrows.
[If it’s too much, I can’t grant it…]
“Please make Pere-ssi my partner for the hunting festival.”
His stern expression softened slightly. He had already received her handkerchief, so he was inclined to grant her request.
Before adulthood, Lloyd and Caroline weren’t particularly close, so this was feasible. Their real romance would only bloom later, after the coming-of-age ceremony and a major event.
[Understood.]
Lloyd agreed, and I beamed, explaining everything he needed to do via orb.
“So, Your Highness, now please contact Pere-ssi to propose partnering, and then you two can go fit your couple’s hunting outfits.”
