Chapter 41

I turned off the magical device and sank into the backrest of the sofa.

"First Prince, Your Highness?"

Seeing my slumped posture, Einhorn looked worried, perhaps thinking she had said something to offend me.

"Sorry for my bad manners."

Really, I'm sorry. I don't have the composure to consider Princess Einhorn's feelings right now.

"No, um..."

"Yeah, it's fine. Can we continue the conversation?"

I straightened up and gestured for Princess Einhorn to continue.

"Perhaps there are parts of my explanation that you don't understand. If there's anything unclear, please let me know. I'll try my best to explain it clearly."

"Sure, I got it."

Don't worry, I'll understand no matter how you explain it.

Relieved by my response, Princess Einhorn began speaking again.

"The world where my past self was born and raised was quite advanced in civilization. Unlike this world, there was no such thing as 'magic,' but instead, there was energy that could be used without consuming magic. Unlike this world, there was less poverty, and magical devices were not exclusive to the privileged class. Nobles and commoners alike could use them almost equally and as a matter of course."

Indeed, as long as you had money, you could get what you needed and live. The unemployment rate was high, and it was difficult to work as a full-time employee, but if you were patient and mentally strong, you could earn enough to get by.

"Among the magical devices, there are some that allow communication with others even from a distance. With such devices, even those who are not writers can publish their stories and have them read by many people. Some of these published stories receive offers from publishing companies to be revised and published as books for a wider audience."

That sounds like a novel submission SNS site, doesn't it?

"First Prince, Your Highness. I read a book titled 'The Persecuted Countess is Doted on by the Ice Prince' on such a platform."

The title clearly indicates that it's a work aimed at women.

"The story takes place in the Kingdom of Laave. The heroine, a young girl from a count's family, is mistreated by her stepfather and his lover's daughter, who is the same age as her, after her mother, the countess, passes away. As she grows older, she enrolls in the Royal Academy and falls in love with a young man. His name is—"

I already knew it, even before she said it.

"Ruegen Albert Aigle Faverwesen Laave"

Our voices overlapped.

Princess Einhorn looked slightly surprised at me, but she must have realized that I had figured it out from the story. She relaxed her tense expression a little and continued.

"In the story, Prince Ruegen, the first prince of Laave, and Ottilie Selma Einhorn, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Einhorn, were betrothed by royal decree when she was five years old."

There are subtle differences between the story Princess Einhorn is telling and the real world.

"The Duchess of Einhorn interferes with the love between the countess and the prince."

Saying this, Princess Einhorn looked as if she might cry.

"Not only does she interfere with their love, but she also frequently threatens the countess's life, harboring intense hatred towards her. To tear them apart, she involves a neighboring country and plunges Laave into the terror of war."

That would be considered treason. Even if the motive was a petty love affair, involving a neighboring country in a major conflict would not be something that could be contained with just a "breakup" or "banishment." It would lead to execution.

By the way, which neighboring country is mentioned in the novel? It can't be the Queen's homeland, right?

"I am not the crown prince. In the current Kingdom of Laave, the coronation of the crown prince takes place after adulthood. Until then, we are just princes and princesses. Even if the king's firstborn is designated as the crown prince, they cannot call themselves 'crown prince' until the coronation."

It might seem like a minor detail, but the rules are strict, especially those related to the royal family.

That's why, four years before I took action, everyone called me 'First Prince, Your Highness,' and no one called me 'Crown Prince, Your Highness.'

I was indirectly telling her that the world in the novel she knew and the real world were not the same, but her reaction was somewhat... reluctant to accept it.

"Y-Yes, I am aware of that."

She knew, but Princess Einhorn thought this world was the fictional world she knew. I see, that's it. Oh, what a problem. It's really a problem. If she had just said she didn't know, I could have let it go.

"Still, it wasn't a dating game, but a light novel with a doormat heroine as the main character."

At my words, Princess Einhorn lifted her head sharply and looked at me.

"W-What..."

"Did you think that only 'villainous ladies' and 'heroines' could be reincarnated?"

Speechless and shocked, I introduced myself as kindly and cheerfully as I could.

"Then, let me introduce myself again. Good day. I am Ruegen Albert, the first prince of the Kingdom of Laave, and I possess the memories of a species that loves magical modifications, even among the blue planet's inhabitants."

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