Age: 16
It is now summer vacation for the students of the Academy.
Meaning I'm free from those dreadful classes for the time being.
I returned home, was greeted lovingly by both my mother and father. Vincent was more aloof now, a maturity growing on him.
His light pink hair was now casually pushed back, and his features were much sharper than before. A nearly cold appearance taking place.
He grew taller too, which burned my soul deeply to see how much bigger he's gotten under our father's spartan training. The hell goblin had long resigned after Vincent apparently crushed him in a mock battle. I almost felt bad for the guy... almost.
"Welcome home" Vincent had greeted me sweetly, kissing the top of my head and taking my hand to show me the nice changes in the garden.
Mother had become found of koi fish- so father built an entirely new area for a large pond with nice marble walk ways so she could gaze at the koi beneath her feet. Lotus flowers bloomed in the pond as well.
It was quite a beautiful sight.
Mother had questioned me about school.
Honestly. It was going far easier than I imagined.
The heroine? She wasn't really interested in the capture targets I suppose. She would occasionally speak to Ceil, but they were both so formal and robotic that it became comical.
How did those two even end up together in the game?
My main tormentor was not Ceil this time. It was Kai. Ceil's polar opposite in fact.
Another thing has occurred as well.
New nightmares. Ones I can't quite decipher, have been recently taking my sleep.
I thought my main worry would be the otome game setting, but it seems nothing of the like is happening presently. In fact, it's as if all my hard work was unnecessary, enough to warrant my deepest frustration.
I'm well liked in the Academy, my class position is within the top ten, and my social position is extremely high.
Once my death endings stopped appearing in my dreams, I assumed I would face new complications regarding the fate situation.
Yet... nothing.
When I returned home, all was normal. Not a thing out of place, only increasing my anxiety.
Something just seemed off, yet I couldn't place what it was.
My mother happened to fall in love at the sight of Benjamin, so she happily took over raising the sweet puppy.
My father has taken up the task of immersing Vincent in Political duties involved with the Kingdom before he enters the Academy, which was coming up quickly.
Everything is so normal.
If it weren't for my newest strange dream, I might relax.
Yet it was so vivid and real, yet so confusing.
I was standing in only a nightgown at the edge of a cliff just outside a thick forest. No where I had ever seen before.
The ocean was hitting the sharp jagged rocks at the bottom, the smell of salt floated up in the air.
The wind was strong, but my hair was short, blowing in my face lightly. My bare feet were covered in dirt, and my fingernails had dried blood beneath them, but that was the worst of any injuries besides fatigue.
When I turned my body away from the cliff to face the forest, I was staring into the eyes of myself. Yet it wasn't quite me.
It was the game Rosalia. A slightly more plump and far taller Rosalia, with a face full of confusion and recognition.
Then, she frowned, and looked terrified.
"How is this even real?" She laughed bitterly.
"I assure you, this is real" My voice and her voice were exactly the same.
"Tell me-"
Yet before she could finish speaking, a strange shadow appeared to the right on me from within the forest.
The only thing about this creature were it's ambiguous deep red eyes. Burning with a maliciousness that made my blood cold.
Then the dream would end.
"My Lady, His Highness is Here" Angie woke me from my daydream as I sat on a swing in the garden.
I was reading a romance novel, yet I could barely remember the contents.
I've been careless.
"Ah... yes, let's go greet him"
I stood up and dusted the light peach colored dress off, smoothing the wrinkles.
The dresses I wear are normally very simple, I looked more like a wealthy merchant's daughter than a Duke's. I prefer these clothes though, I dislike how hot I get in the dresses my mother buys for me.
I left my garden and made my way into our estate, unlike the first few times the Prince visited, the maids were calm and collected, already used to having this Royal brat over.
The parlor was silent, as I came in to see Ceil sipping tea and watching the koi in the new garden built for my mother.
He turned his blue eyes towards me.
I sat down leisurely, accepting tea from the maid, before watching for her to put her head down to add a little poison to the tea.
I've earned this.
Ceil smiled in amusement, before looking back at the garden.
"It seems I will be engaged to someone soon..." Ceil murmured casually. I couldn't see his eyes well from this angle.
I titled my head in confusion.
"To who?"
"I've no clue, my father can't decide. He was pretty set on having you- but we both know how well that turned out" he chuckled.
"Ah... if you get engaged, that means my turn will come after" I sighed absentmindedly.
Who would they marry me to? An Earl? The only other Duke would be Duke Violet... they are the same position so it wouldn't be an insult in position, but they are assumed to be beast-man, though I wasn't quite sure seeing Kai look completely human.
"My, how precarious" I murmured, leaning my chin on my hand.
"Indeed" Ceil said.
We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the calm atmosphere...
Until the doors slammed open. Vincent walked in with a narrowed eyes.
"Your Highness, I wasn't made aware of your arrival" Vincent said, taking a seat beside me as I gave him a light smile.
He frowned at the atmosphere.
"My apologies, I wasn't made aware I needed to announce my presence to the younger brother when I visit the elder sister" Ceil loved to torment Vincent with the age gap between us. It seems my cute little brother feels a bit inferior about it.
Vincent snorted rudely, rolling his eyes with a glare unfit for his angelic features. Yet, my little brother was not so little anymore. Now standing much taller and sturdier, my heart felt heavy for some reason.
Was this what being a mother feels like?
It had never occurred to me, not now nor in the past... that I might want children of my own.
Of course, if it was me before I was Rosalia, my colleagues would cry for the unborn child if I mentioned it. Now, I'm sure plenty will still pity anything born and raised by myself.
Yet, maybe it was simply the hormones of a teenage girl, but I wanted a child for the oddest reason.
I couldn't understand it myself. Watching over Vincent grow, despite my own age being in similar distance to his own, my mental age was much older. I couldn't see myself as truly a child, nor regularly behave as such.
Absent minded, I placed my pale white hand on my flat stomach.
What would it be like?
Vincent and Ceil were engrossed in their light banter, while my mind flew elsewhere.
Before I knew it, evening was already upon us.
"It seems I've overstayed my welcome. I will excuse myself" Ceil said blandly, but his eyes held a slight smile and warmth.
Despite Vincent being hot headed when I was around with Ceil, the two were actually quite close as friends. My mother explained that they had grown extremely close when I had run away for training.
She still hasn't forgiven me even now... sometimes she'll randomly appear simply to make sure I'm still there.
It was a selfish and underhanded method, one in which I truly wished I had given more thought towards those around me who cherished me.
Even now, being cherished and loved so dearly like a precious pearl in a palm, it was awkward. I wasn't used to people genuinely worried about me. I thought it was like a simple novel, where the hero disappears to train and come home to open arms.
I may as well have come home to shackles around my ankles. Vincent hardly ever leaves me alone now, and if not for the Academy, I would've suffocated.
Unlike other students who have permission to leave the Academy to enjoy the Capital, I am under constant surveillance from our Ducal home's personal spies and guards. While father is silent and slightly stern, he always doted on me, and when I left, he threw the entire kingdom into an uproar. The King apparently nearly feared rebellion.
Dinner came and passed as usual, and as I retired to my room, I was met with an usual surprise.
"Xavier!" My voice and eyes lit up at the sight of an enormous leopard lazily lounging on my bed. I immediately ran to hug him, nuzzling into the soft and glossy black fur as he purred in response.
Ricin came in behind me, before hissing like a real cat.
"H-he is laying on MY pillow!" Ricin was peculiar about his bedding, and even went as far as to make me order a special pillow for him to sleep on. I swear, he is no longer a fairy, he is a simple house cat at this point. He never changes his appearance anymore.
"Ricin, can't you make an exception tonight? It's fine~" I said happily, snuggling the leopard who had already made himself comfortable while snuggly looking at the fuming white cat before him. It was once more, a deadlock.
Sighing, I happily combed Xavier's fur until my eyes became heavy, and I fell asleep.
He stared silently at her sleeping figure, calmly assessing the room for any abnormalities before looking at Ricin.
Ricin was calmly laying beside Rosalia, but his eyes were open and alert.
Of course. The two had already been closely communicating the issue at hand.
Rosalia's safety.
He easily changed his form, and now lay- while stark naked with only a thin blanket to cover his lower half- beside the deeply sleeping girl.
Forever he had found it strange how deeply she slept.
Now he knew. What lurked in the shadows was anything but simple.
He nodded at Ricin, telling the fairy to rest as he became vigilant and completely on guard.
If he was careless and fell asleep as well, she would suffer dire consequences.