(Note: So far, we are in our mc's point of view. Her thoughts would be in italic and their dialogues will be in bold. Though the original doesn't have these edits, I will do it in this format to be easier to understand. And my notes will be underlined.)
Yes, it was a good and sunny day. As though under the clear sky, love is about to begin. I remember quietly in despair.
It was when I was 9 years old, I will never forget it. For some reason, I entered the royal palace, a place I never normally go.
Looking like a castle outside, inside was a glittering chandelier. The bright red carpet was so well maintained that it was almost regrettable to step on it.
From one end, I was urged to open the large door that exceeds my height. Although I think I won't be able to because I am weak and it looks so heavy.
My eyes shined when I looked at the royal palace I was visiting for the first time. It's so extravagant and radiant that I can't even compare it to my own home. As a child, my heart was instantly captivated by the view of a fairytale-like place I seemed to have entered.
Suppressing my childish curiosity of wanting to explore the castle, I followed the guide, who guided me to a large room.
Being told to wait here, I returned to my senses.
Now is not the time to be amazed. That's right, I came here today for my engagement with the prince.
I clenched my fist to regain my courage. A reason to visit the royal place that I rarely go near. That is my engagement with the second prince.
It is common knowledge in this country that even children know that the royal family will get engaged at the age of 10. The second prince's elder brother, the crown prince accepted a fiancée when he was 10 years old.
And by the way, I am not the only candidate to be the prince's fiancée. Of the many beautiful girls, only the one who measures up to the prince's judgment is allowed to call herself his fiancée. The nobles who crave prestige, money, and position all want their daughters to be the fiancée of the prince. I think their daughters are really pitiful. At terrible times, it seems that they will deliberately adopt beautiful children and claim them as their daughters to try and marry into the royal family. It is a very revolting story.
For that reason, I am also here today carrying my family name. Unlike the others I won't be thrown out for not becoming the fiancée but, they do have expectations.
The meeting about the engagement will happen between me and him. Naturally, the attendants and guards are there but the ones talking will only be the prince and myself. Therefore, I am not allowed to make mistakes, and on the contrary, it's a chance to make myself appealing.
It's not an overstatement that I bet my life on this time. If anything, it's the only place where you can make the prince notice you. This is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Moreover, only high-ranking nobles can participate in this engagement meeting. And you can only meet the prince if you were sent a letter of invitation. In a sense, we have the privilege of a high-ranking noble.
As if to say, if not now, when should we use the training...No, a lesson was something even I was forced to take. Even though the meeting will only last for 10 minutes, I was thrown into 6 months of thorough etiquette lessons. Honestly, it was hell. I was sure they were trying to kill me. It was a thought that crossed my mind more than twice. In the end, I had changed into a zombie.
But well, I can understand why my parents have expectations. After all, I am cute. Having soft ice grey hair enveloped around big violet eyes.
I was 5 years old when I looked in the mirror and thought that boys around the world will fall head over heels for this appearance.
Even the prince is a boy. Even the girls around will not compare to my appearance and status. The prince will surely like me too. Until then, I was a fucking naive narcissist.
***
After I was guided to the room where the prince was, I stood in front of the door. While calming my loud throbbing heartbeat, the door opened and my vision instantly brightened. Before taking a bow, I did not look at the prince, I lowered my head, bent my knee, and slightly lifted my dress.
For the first time I thought, the 6 months lessons were not ridiculous. Unexpectedly, my body moved on its own.
After giving enough courtesy, the moment I saw the prince, my brain turned numb. It was not in a romantically or cutely way but━
Well, it was a strange feeling of my memories being dug up. It was like gradually remembering things that I have forgotten. Almost makes me want to complain about remembering things I know!
Do I.....know this prince?
Blonde hair with a beautiful face that doesn't look like a human. Reflected by the light, his smooth hair looked even brighter. His white skin and his sparkling sapphire eyes make you want to sink in.
This person is...
When I tried to remember, I realized that I still haven't introduced myself.
What an impolite thing to do!
While I was buried in my inner thoughts, the prince continued to smile while sitting on the sofa. When our eyes met, he tilted his head and his kind smile looked like an angel. I was shocked by something that shot through my chest.
Ahhh, I think I fell in love!
As I was frozen, the prince looked at me as if he was used to it. Perhaps, he thought I froze because I was fascinated by him.
I spun my words as I start to fully operate my head which turned pink.
I will make sure I'll become the fiancée of the crown prince!
"I am glad to meet you, your highness the second prince. My name is Berthia, the eldest daughter of the Thibus family."
(Note: The katakana of her name is ベルティーア タイバス. I've looked up names that could be close to them and Berthia Thibus was the closest. There's no official translation for her name so let's go with this. I'll just change it if an official one is released.)
Berthia?....
Even though it's my own name, I feel strangely uneasy.
Without calling out my rude actions, the prince stood up and bowed gracefully.
"It's nice to meet you, Lady Berthia. I am Dylan Vermerio, the second prince of the Kingdom of Vermerio."
The Kingdom of Vermerio. The second prince. Dylan.
As soon as my brain understood these three words, my pink-colored brain got cold and I almost went insane.
This prince who greets with a beautiful smile will surely make every woman in this world fall for him.
As a young woman, this was supposed to make me blush so much that I could not look at him but, I am not.
Because I remembered.
About this world and my previous life.
I sweetly smiled as I hide my aching head.
***
After somehow finishing the meeting, I went home. I don't quite remember the content of our conversation. I probably looked like a doll who nodded at everything the prince talked about. Anyhow, I was doing my best to restrain.
When I got home, my parents welcomed me with faces full of expectations but when they saw my gloomy face, they quietly sent me to my room.
I fell into a deep slumber the whole day.
In my previous life, I was a woman living in Japan. I was around my 20s, likely a student. I was not the type who had many friends but there was one who I remember spending my short life with.
I can't remember her name but, I feel like she was a cute girl with an easy-going personality I was close with since childhood.
But, no. That person was not my childhood best friend. It was just like an undesirable yet inseparable relationship. We were neighbors and we coincidentally went to the same school from kindergarten until college. Rather than being called best friends, our relationship was more suitable to be called forced friends.
I didn't like her but...I also didn't hate her. I think she was a good person but, had a strong personality. Too strong for me.
Thanks to her, I obtained an unperturbed bulletproof glass heart.
(Note: I think she means her heart turn to stone? I couldn't find the actual meaning to this: 防弾ガラスのハート. )
But even so, the two of us were always together. It became natural for us to always be next to each other. But it was also true that I was concerned about her being always isolated because of her stubborn and prideful personality. If I think about it now, I may have been attached to her. Though I think she should have been nicer to me.
I decided to ignore the tiny bit of loneliness I felt.
Well, the game she recommended to comfort my broken heart was this.
"The Cantata I will play with you."
For short. "Play with you."
(Note: A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. [Source: Wikipedia]✌️)
And we were addicted. Enough for us to shop for merchandise.
The game's setting is the Kingdom of Vermerio. Being the only ones that could use magic, the Vermerio family ruled over this large country.
In the Kingdom of Vermerio, there is a large academy in the royal capital. Its name is St. Polyhymnia Academy.
Usually, in St. Polyhymnia Academy, only the nobles can attend but there are rare cases of commoners who are allowed to enter. Those are the ones who excel in special things. Like people who are good at cooking and people who are good singers. The level of these skills should be those who can serve the royal palace. Extremely skillful, no joke.
The heroine was so talented in music that she was rumored to be better than everyone. The head of the Plata Family who had recognized her talent adopted her and enrolled her in the academy.....The story begins from there.
I feel terrible about this, but here, I only know two of the capturable love interests. I was addicted but not to the game. But to the capturable love interest who was the heroine's childhood friend knight, Aswad Krillvel. In fact, I've only captured Aswad when I played.
(Note: His name is originally written as アスワド クリルヴェル. Again, I just went with my gut on this one.)
Aswad is a handsome young man with fascinatingly elegant black hair and turquoise eyes. He was like an older brother who excels at swordsmanship and deeply cares about his childhood friend, the heroine.
Not to mention his appearance, Aswad has no flaws. I may be biased but, he's reliable, kind, and a gentleman. He was attracted to the heroine's determination. Since I have a lot more things to say about it but have no time, I'll stop here.
Basically, he's my type.
And additionally, my friend's (bias) was the second prince.
Because of that, I don't know much about the other capturable love interests. I only heard about the second prince's magnificence through my friend.
Since I don't know, it can't be helped but the problem isn't here.
The problem is the heroine's rival...rival or should I say the person who interferes with her love is me, Berthia Thibus.
The one who bullies the heroine, the prideful, the so-called villainess. That is me.
This is the worst. Why do I have to be some use for the heroine? Rather, it should have been me reincarnating into the heroine. I don't understand.
What's more is that I, Berthia, disappear in the Happy Ending, Normal Ending, and Bad Ending. There was not much detail about my end. It was just "Since then, no one saw Berthia again."
I'm not joking.
According to my friend, Berthia appears when trying to capture her fiancé, the second prince. When I was on my knight's route, she was just a bully who I stand up to, so I don't know what she does in the second prince's route.
But to be honest, I don't hate Berthia. That's because the event that Berthia appears is when I can double Aswad's favorability.
Berthia had experienced love at first sight the moment she met the prince, and using her money and influence, she would force herself to become his fiancée....is what seemed to happen.
I only listened to half of my friend's story so I don't remember much.
I felt chills when I remembered. Since I had fallen in love at first sight. That was dangerous.
It seems likely that Berthia forced herself into this engagement, so if I don't do anything, I won't be chosen to be the prince's fiancée.
Then the story will change.
Well then, there's nothing to be afraid of. If that's the case then, with this beauty, should I enjoy springtime with the knight?
It was only then that I could grin like that. God, what is bad about me? It was a situation where I couldn't help thinking like that.
Right in front of me are blonde hair and sapphire eyes.
"Hello. It's been three days, Berthia."