Ryu Astre (Point Of View)

"Am I by chance, interrupting your conversation?" Rosie asked.

"...No," Yume answered, dropping her head, preventing me from seeing her face changed into a gloomy expression.

"Is that so? Rosie smiled and blinked as her eyes adjusted on me. "Then, may I take some of your time?"

Rosie Xavier, the fourth daughter of Viscount of Fereshta. Xavier is a wealthy family of businessmen with three sons that are all successful merchants that governs a large province in the east of the Zen Kingdom. The family owns the Psari Port City, one of the largest trading cities where shipments of goods are being sold, traded, and delivered all over the world.

This is the reason why Rosie has an affable personality because her family members are experienced in customer relationships. No wonder even the prince is enamored with her. But this doesn't justify the fact of the things that she has done.

"What do you need me for?" I said, scanning her secretly from top to bottom. Not only she is skilled in talks, but she also possessed a beauty that harmonizes with her golden hair and eyes.

In my previous life, these kinds of people are poison to the conglomerate business world where the rich are killing each other for the sake of one vicious woman. Luckily, I was different. Not only do these vixens irritate my eyes, but I can freely see the expression they make, thinking how they can easily manipulate men using their seductions. Disgusting.

"Oh~ Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Rosie, daughter of Viscount Xavier." She bit her lips and blushed, glaring at me like a predator that found her delicious prey. "I am a friend of Crown Prince Shin, who you have fought in the entrance examination."

"And?" It seems my plan is working, deliberately showing my prowess so that this traitorous couple would notice me.

"I would like to invite you to a tea with the prince—"

"What?!" Yume said.

"Oh my, why did you shout Lady Yume?" Rosie spoke loud enough so that the other people would hear.

"Is there a fight?" The crowd became curious.

"N-No, it's nothing. Forgive me, Sir Ryu." Yume said her farewell as she turned around and left.

There goes my quality time with the princess! Even though I need for them to shift their gazes towards me instead, but making the princess sad and oppressed like this in front of my very own eyes is defying the purpose of me being here.

"Now she is gone, let's go—"

"No."

"W...What?"

Without replying, I quickly left even before seeing her lustful face turning into an ugly one. For me, it's not even worth it compared to how the princess is feeling right now. Although I don't know the exact reason why the princess is looking for me, the thought of her noticing me would still be more precious than anything. I'm a fan, you know.

Remembering the hardest time in my previous life, when the adults whipped me to shape just to serve their purpose of having a perfect heir. It was the princess's story that gave me the strength to overcome things.

For other people, this might seem ridiculous. But there is one time that I even planned to commit suicide. Thankfully, a new chapter of the novel was released. At that time, reading the hardship she went through would not even compare to mine. As a boy, I was ashamed. Therefore, I decided to stop whining and do my utmost best to live my life.

"Lady Yume!" I shouted, grabbing her hand.

"Sir Ryu? W-Wait. Your hand, Sir, your hand... I-It's h-holding my hand." Yume blushed and her eyes swirled in confusion.

"Yes, it's holding your hand... Any problem?"

"No—Yes, I mean yes! I-I mean there are people here Sir Ryu, and I have a fiance."

"You don't want to hurt your fiance?" I asked. My eyes became heavier for some reason.

"No! It's just... People might gossip about you, Sir... And your reputation..."

"Because of me? Not your fiance?"

"...Yes, so I'm sorry."

The heavy feeling was suddenly washed away out of my heart. I am so glad that I can't seem to control myself from smiling. "Really? Then as your reward..."

"Reward?"

"Wah! S-Sir Ryu, where are you taking me?" Without notice, I pulled her into a corner where no one can see. "W-What are you planning Sir? I'm scared..."

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle..."

"G... Gentle?!"

"Epitrepste mou an petaxo choris periorismous," I chanted.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" She quickly wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her head on my chest. I can even feel her nails biting deep into my skin. "H-Help me!"

"Hahahaha!" I laughed as we flung upward into the sky like a bullet. Also, I created a barrier to protect us from any harm while in the air. "Afiste mia aspida an mas prostatefsei apo to kako."

A few moments passed and we stopped. "S-S-S-S-S-Sir... W-W-Where are we?"

"Why don't you see for yourself, Princess?"

"I... I don't want to."

"Why?"

"...ared."

"What?"

"I'm scared..."

"Pffft... Then will you continue to hug me like this?"

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"...Please just for a while."

"Alright."

Ba-dump...

Meanwhile, I just realized that I did something crazy. On what reason did I have the guts to carry the princess like this. It felt like I was possessed earlier, giving me the courage to pull off this thing. I just hoped that she would not notice the change in my heartbeat.

Ba-dump... Ba-dump...

My heart continued to beat faster as I became conscious. It was my first time someone is hugging me for a very long time. In addition, it was from a lady I had been admiring.

Soft... What is this feeling? The more I think about our circumstances, the more things come into my mind. I started to feel her tender skin through her clothes, the warm feeling every time her mouth released some air in my chest, and how her arms tighten around me when I tried to move a little.

Ba-dump... Ba-dump... Ba-dump...

"I'm sorry Princess."

"Why? And I'm not a princess."

"I'm having some trouble right now. So I want you to quickly open your eyes so that we can go back to the ground."

"Alright." She took a deep breath, turning her head while opening her eyes. Her eyes and mouth opened wide as she glanced at the scenery. "Woooooow! It's beautiful!"

However, at the same time, I felt her arms squeezed while her hands trembled. I see, she was still afraid. But what shocked me more with astonishment is how she tried and forced herself to even look, despite her fear.

Ba-dump!

Instead of my heart beating faster, this time, it skipped a beat. I never felt this way before. The time eventually slowed down as I glanced at her face. As a result, it allowed me to carved every aspect of her face from her eyes to her ears to her nose and finally to her mouth into my mind, so that I could picture her anytime I desired. It was beautiful. I smiled.

"—yu," Yume said, knocking her head into my chest to catch my attention.

"W-What?" I replied.

"Sir Ryu, this is amazing." A one of a kind and rare smile was given in front of me. "Thank you."

Seeing her innocent smile, made me ashamed. As result, I quickly removed all of my unnecessary thoughts about her. Then I sighed, "What am I doing...?"

"Yes?"

"Nothing. Should we go down?"

"Alright—Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Plop!

"You can open your eyes now, Princess."

"Huff! Huff! Huff! Sir Ryu, please next time give me a warning for these kinds of things."

"Next time?"

"Hmph!" She pouted but didn't decline. Does it mean that she liked it? Having a positive impression of me is plenty enough. "C... Can you bring me down?" She added.

"Oh! Sorry," I said, returning the princess to the ground. "By the way princess."

"Mm?"

"This is our little secret, alright?"

"You have great magic skills, why do you want to keep this a secret?"

"Because I only use this for those important to me."

"Really? Then why did you use it now?" — Smack! — "Ouch! Why did you hit me?"

"Airhead."

"A-Air what?!"

"Nothing..."

"S-Sir Ryu! Where are you—come back here! I still have a question...! Sir!"

***

Ding-Dong-Ding... Dong...

The school's first day ended without much problem.

The fact that my plan to get the prince's attention succeded made me feel good, but the feeling can't compare to what happened between me and the princess. It is what's most important.

I returned to my mansion located outside of the Royal Academy. The property was bought under the name of our fake noble title. This is to prevent people from tracking me down if something may go haywire in the future.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty." One thousand servants bowed their heads and greeted me at the same time.