“Are you sure you didn’t swap your wife with some crazy bird lady???” Prince Kiehl asked with a very doubtful expression.
Allen’s expression turned ugly in an instant as he asked back, “Do you think I’m the type of a person who’ll do such a thing?”
“No, definitely not,” Prince Kiehl didn’t bat an eye when he quickly denied his own crazy idea.
“But you asking me such a question… Doesn’t that mean you also think she’s changed?”
Kiehl shook his head and replied, “Wait and observe.”
Meanwhile, Ann who was witnessing Allen and Prince Kiehl whispering to each other in front of her…
‘OH MY GOD?! A-are they really…?! NO WAYYY!!’
Her fujoshi heart was screaming.
After all, Prince Kiehl and Allen were originally shipped by a lot of players back in the game, for how close they were.
Ann tried so hard to refrain herself from squealing oddly in front of them, but her body started trembling, so she quickly squeezed Faye to relieve her fangirling spree.
“A-Arlea-sama?!” Faye yelped in surprise.
The two men turned to look at Ann and Faye in an instant with a surprised look. Upon witnessing the scene before them, the men felt their brains going blank.
Ann was hugging Faye tightly as she rubbed her cheek on her.
“Howwww cuteeeee!” Ann squealed.
“Arlea-samaaa???” Faye was very confused.
This is definitely not the right time and place to be doing something like this! What has gotten into my mistress?!!
“Allen…,” Kiehl lowly called out.
“Don’t ask me,” Allen said in a low voice, too.
Noticing their gazes on her, Ann said after calming down, “Apologies, it’s just… The longer I look, the cuter my daught—my maid is.”
Such a ridiculous answer. Much wow. What’s with that slip-up too?
In the end, though it was very suspicious and odd, Prince Kiehl decided to let it go because his brain couldn’t handle any more thinking about this bizarre scene. He said, “Let’s talk while walking around the castle. There will be times when you have to come here, so it’s better to familiarize yourself with the environment.”
Ann let go of Faye and said, “Yes, Sir! I mean… Your Highness.”
As they walked around the castle together, Kiehl gave several probing questions to Ann as he introduced the places.
However, Ann genuinely didn’t know anything and was looking around the places with gaze of curiosity and marvel.
The prince came to the same conclusion as the maid that reported to him before. The woman before him wasn’t pretending at all. She genuinely didn’t know, and it was hard for him to associate her with the person he had suspicions of.
As lunch time approached, Kiehl invited his guests to eat in the royal dining room.
Even though they were having dinner, Kiehl’s eyes glanced at Ann from time to time, observing.
What surprised him was that the level of Ann’s table manner was… not that good. Although it was the correct table manner, he could tell that she was stiff and wasn’t used to it. She didn’t seem to be someone who was born and raised in high nobility since her birth.
There were two possibilities.
Either this person was really switched at some point with the real ‘princess’, after her marriage to Allen… which was totally impossible… or that she was genuine about her having an amnesia.
In such case, there were questions.
Does she really have amnesia? This is too extreme.
What happens when her memories return?
If she is indeed the former princess as they suspected her to be, what would happen?
Even if she has amnesia and her memories never return, will that guarantee that she won’t be swayed by her biological family and people from that side?
She seems trustworthy and good now, but what about in the future?
Power and wealth could twist one’s personality.
Won’t she be tempted knowing that it all originally belonged to her?
At this point, he was positive that the former princess they were looking for was this ‘Arlea’. But it wasn’t the time to act. The evidence wasn’t complete, their movement plan to quell the rebelling side wasn’t okay yet, and then add this very, very weird change in the person herself.
After the lunch, Kiehl signaled Allen that he had something to discuss with him, and then arranged Ann and Faye to explore the garden. He assigned two maids and one of the knights that was on duty in the castle to guard and escort the two of them.
Ann fully knew that it was also to monitor her, but at this point, she was used to such a life. Whatever, they wouldn’t find anything wrong with her to quicken her death flag.
The royal garden was very spacious with lots of different vegetations planted. There was a table for teatime in the middle of the garden, and there was even a swing on one of the trees!
Ann’s eyes sparked upon seeing the swing and couldn’t wait to run over there and play swing with Faye.
Right at this moment, the knight that was tasked to guard her finally arrived.
“Greetings, Arlea-sama. I’m Miles Reeves. I’ll be guarding you in this occasion,” the knight said.
He wasn’t as tall and muscular as Ann imagined a typical knight would be. Rather, he could be considered as short… if she used Kiehl and Allen as comparison. However, he was still taller than her. His bright orange hair was tied in a low ponytail. He exuded an androgynous beauty, but obviously his so-called beauty was nothing before all the male capturable targets.
When he lifted his head after bowing to her, Ann noticed how his dark orange eyes were staring at her with… a hostile gaze?
If gaze could pierce someone, his gaze was certainly one that could burn a hole to her.
As if it wasn’t enough to make her stunned, the man spoke again, “If you dare do anything funny before me, don’t blame me for being merciless.”
Ann blinked.
She tried to explore her memories, but she couldn’t recall if the person standing before her was one of the important characters in the game or not…
Anyway, it might be her feelings too, so she decided to pay no mind to him. Knights and people of the military side tend to be rougher and harsher than others, so it might be their way of speaking.
More importantly, perhaps the current royal family already had suspicions towards her… no, most likely they already had. And this knight might have known about it, thus he wasn’t being courteous to her on purpose. Or it might even be the prince’s orders.
Ann turned around and led Faye straight towards the tree with the swing.
“Faye, come here, look! There’s even a swing here! The royal garden is sure nice! Try it, try it!”
Faye was pulled by her hand and could only obey helplessly as she saw her mistress who was even more excited than her. Then, it was as if she was infected by Ann’s excitement, for she was looking forward to trying the swing.
Ann made Faye sit and even told Birdie to sit on top of Faye’s shoulder so Birdie could feel the sensation of being on a swing at the same time.
However… Birdie plopped on Faye’s head. Faye pouted, but Birdie won’t bulge.
She didn’t want to make a ruckus and burden her mistress, so she sucked it up.
Ann excitedly moved the swing so Faye and Birdie could swing happily… as time went by, Ann put more power and they swung even higher.
Faye was laughing happily alongside Birdie’s chirps. Ann was so happy hearing the two birds enjoying their time… But she glanced from time to time to Miles.
Each time she glanced, each time she was scared witless.
Miles’ gaze was still very hostile!!!
He didn’t even hold back and made eye contact with her.
Ann shuddered.
Bro, chill! What sin have I committed to deserve this hostile gaze and cold treatment?!
It isn’t like I hurt you, injured your family, or even steal your lover, right?!
No matter how she tried to remember, she couldn’t find a person like Miles, who appeared or even mentioned in the game.
But, why the hostility?
Unable to hold it back, Ann decided that she would take a look at his profile window, no matter how she would trigger it!
Faye and Birdie seemed to be tired and the swing couldn’t go any higher than now, so Ann slowed down.
During that time, Faye asked, “Arlea-sama, I’ve had enough of the swing. Why don’t we switch places so I can help you swing this time?”
“No, there’s no—”
At first, Ann wanted to refuse for she was an adult and it was embarrassing for her to be riding a swing like that. However, she then remembered that she would die soon, so why not just throw away any shame as an adult and just… enjoy the swing like a child?
Finally, Ann nodded and Faye stood up from the swing.
When she wanted to move to the swing, Ann pretended her footing wasn’t stable and was about to fall down.
The person closest to her, Miles, reflexively caught Ann.
During the process, Ann managed to trigger Miles’ information window to pop out.
~SAVING THE KINGDOM, SNATCHING THE BEAUTY~
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Mila Reeves
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 19
Birthday: 05/05
Magic: No
Occupation: Knight
Name. Mila Reeves.
Gender. Female.
Ann’s eyes almost fell from their sockets.
WAIT…
WHAT???!
