The Reincarnated Princess Practices Avoidance

The Reincarnated Princess Practices Avoidance

This happened a few days after my surprise encounter with the guard captain, Sir Leonhart.

Since our chance meeting, I’d spent all of my time studying quietly. I had thought that it was time to ramp up my self-improvement plan, since I’d already managed to stumble across my dream man. I needed to put my best foot forward—after all, I’d showcased the worst side of myself by publicly scolding my little brother.

I had extra time for my studies anyway, because I would have to temporarily halt flag-breaking until the other suitor characters started to assemble at the palace.

I really hope that I can live in peace for a few years before the sorcerers and the priest turn up.

Johan was developing rapidly under Chris’s training regime. He had grown a bit, but the biggest difference showed in his facial features; his expressions had started to take on a gallant vibe, which almost made me doubt whether he was the same spoiled crybaby who, until very recently, had refused to leave my shadow.

By all reports, George was also shaping up nicely, and he had the joint help of his father and uncle. I still occasionally visited Emma, and she loved to keep me up-to-date with news of how George was growing up. He was no longer Emma’s doppelganger, and his face was looking a lot more boyish, apparently. Emma had laughed and told me that George would have the means to support a family, even if the Eigels fell into ruin, because in addition to lessons on manners and swordplay, Julius had been drilling the basics of business into him.

Fall into ruin? I’m pretty sure that’s not the sort of thing the wife of a marquis should be joking about.

Ignoring Emma’s loose lips for a moment, I figured that, as long as the two boys matured into normal adults, two of the flags from Rosemary’s storyline would be broken.

Even if the protagonist, the shrine maiden, didn’t choose either of those suitors, I wouldn’t need to worry about lifelong confinement with Johan. I wouldn’t have to enter a loveless marriage with George either.

All right, we’re getting there! I’d thought naively, back before I’d known any better.

I heaved a silent sigh with a faraway look in my eyes. At this point, I was studying in my room. My reading material was a history book that my teacher had assigned me for homework. I was slogging through it with a dictionary in hand, so that I could understand the many old-fashioned turns of phrase in the text, but I couldn’t focus at all.

How could I?

The root of my concentration difficulties was staring at me. I could feel the hard gaze boring a hole in my back. It had been like this for quite some time now, so I couldn’t just pretend that I was being self-conscious. He was looking at me.

He’s staring right at me.

I hazarded a peek at him for a moment over the top of the book. His eyes caught mine.

At least try to hide it!

Twinges of pain rippled through my stomach. My nerves were getting to me.

The man who was responsible for the last few days of continual discomfort was my personal guard, Klaus von Behlmer. To get right out with it, he was one of Hidden World’s suitor characters. The masochistic guard.

Some of you may be wondering why I wasn’t trying to break his flag, despite him being so close to me. I had my reasons—an important condition for dismantling his flag was that Rosemary needed to refrain from initiating contact with him.

Klaus was, at present, eighteen years old. He had close-cut, dark-brown hair, and chiseled facial features. His dark-green eyes were gently sloping in an inverse proportion to his imposing eyebrows. He had a supple, well-built body, though he was not muscular to the point of burliness. His knight’s uniform was predominantly black; gold lines ran through the seams, the stand-up collar, the cuffs, and the long shirttail. Also on his collar was the coat of arms for the royal guard—a shining shield-shaped emblem of a winged lion.

I’d heard that his boyish smile was a hit with the young mademoiselles. He definitely had the air of an easygoing sportsman type, or as we would say in modern Japan, the type of person who looks at home with a bottle of club soda.

He’d been assigned as Rosemary’s guard a little over a year ago, but unfortunately by this point, his fetish for masochism was already present.

Klaus was born the second son of a count, and he had a free-spirited older brother. The brother’s devil-may-care attitude was a far cry from his serious parents, and he often toyed with his surroundings, having no awareness of the consequences of his actions.

Klaus continuously paid the price for his sibling’s rebelliousness. Klaus’s mother and father subjected him to stricter parenting in order to prevent him from taking after his brother. Thanks to that, Klaus grew up to be a perfectionist, and practically flawless in all of his ventures.

However adroit he may have been though, failures were inevitable. To err is to be human, after all. But Klaus never could shrug his mistakes off just like that; even now, he often lambasted himself way more than was necessary for minor errors. He’d criticized himself over and over until, at some point, he’d begun to desire the presence of someone to scorn and detest him.

I don’t understand the psychological mechanisms behind masochism, but in his case, his perfectionism probably opened the first cracks to this nature. I suppose that he craved punishment for his failure to be flawless.

Klaus had enlisted in Nevel’s knightly order when his parents had refocused their attention on their oldest son, whose rough edges had softened with the passage of time. A few years after joining on as a knight, Klaus had become Rosemary’s personal guard.

Basically, there was nothing I could do to dismantle Klaus’s masochism flag. I’d wanted to break it early somehow, out of consideration for the yet-to-arrive shrine maiden, but unfortunately, I would’ve needed to be born a few years earlier, before Klaus’s masochistic tendencies set in.

It’s better to face reality and give up for now.

Besides, there was a different, more important flag that I was determined to avoid: the flag which triggered the beginning of a twisted master-servant relationship between Rosemary and Klaus.

In every route of Hidden World, Rosemary von Velfalt fell in love with Klaus.

Let me be clear, though. I don’t mean that I was head-over-heels. Rather, the Princess Rosemary from Hidden World always swooned for him.

One could say that it was inevitable—a young girl of that age would obviously take an interest in the handsome guard who’d been by her side since she was a child. Rosemary nurtured her love, which was not unlike admiration, in secret. She revealed her feelings to no one. For his part, Klaus treasured Rosemary like a sister; while he had no romantic feelings for her, he took immense care to protect her.

All of that had come crashing down on a certain day, right after Hidden World’s Rosemary had turned thirteen.

She’d caught an accidental glimpse of an argument between Klaus and an older maid. They were skulking out of sight, perhaps because they were breaking up or something.

Just when Rosemary popped out of her room to summon Klaus for a trip outside, the echoing sound of a slap caused her to stop dead. She tiptoed over to where the sound had come from, and stole a peek.

She found Klaus, the man she was after, together with a maid. His cheek was bright red, and the maid had grabbed him.

Rosemary’s first instinct was to jump to Klaus’s aid, but she froze when she overheard their conversation.

“You think you can get by without me?! Tell me—who else can make you hurt like I can? Will you ever be satisfied with a normal woman?”

The maid’s questions stupefied Rosemary.

Her words were an absolute mystery. A little girl of thirteen had no basis for understanding why anyone would keep someone close, just for the express purpose of inflicting pain upon them.

But far from arguing back, Klaus was letting her do whatever she wanted. His body shook as though he were intoxicated, and the cheek that she hadn’t touched was the same shade of red as the one she’d slapped. His deep green eyes melted.

When at last he blurted out, “More!” followed by a fiery moan, I’d screamed at the game on the television, “What the fuck are you letting innocent Princess Rosemary witness?!”

At the time, I’d ground my teeth and thought, If only I could jump through the screen, I’d shield Rosemary’s eyes and ears, shove her back into her room, and then forcibly remove these freaks!

And it’s just my luck—now, I’ve wound up on the other side of Hidden World’s screen. I couldn’t save her back then, but now that I’m Rosemary, there’s absolutely no point in trying.

Another one of life’s curveballs.

Because Hidden World’s Rosemary had nobody around to shield her eyes and ears, she’d set her anguished mind in motion. As a result of her ruminations, she’d realized that violence might be the key to winning Klaus’s heart.

Holy shit, Princess. It takes a special person to A) continue liking someone after they played out a masochistic freak show before your eyes, and B) try and tailor yourself to this weird fetish.

Rosemary must’ve summoned a huge amount of courage to suddenly act violently towards Klaus, who’d been like her own sibling and was always by her side. Though trembling, Rosemary had struck Klaus’s cheek. She’d forced the astonished Klaus to his knees, looked down at him, and spoke.

“Klaus. So it turns out that you’re nothing but a filthy dog.”

I’ll say it again. Holy shit, Princess.

Rosemary had played the archetypal princess on instinct alone. Nobody could’ve taught her that behavior.

She’s not my idol!!! I don’t want to be her!!!

“L-Lady Rosemary, I...I was—”

“Quiet!” She’d interrupted Klaus’s frantic excuses with another open-handed slap. “How dare a dog like you say my name?” By all appearances, it seemed that Rosemary had unearthed a new fetish of her own.

“You call me mistress, got it? Puppy?”

This was the turning point moment where the sadistic princess had burst onto the stage. From then on, Rosemary and Klaus discarded their sweet, sibling-like relationship and replaced it with something way less innocent—a mistress and a servant, united through a twisted bond of power-play.

On a personal note, when playing through Hidden World, I’d shipped this mistress-servant pairing. Whatever commentary anyone else had, I’d felt like they were made for each other. Someone once said that every Jack had his Jill, and to me, this had seemed like a perfect example.

My thought process at the time had been this: as long as both of them were happy, it was a fine dynamic. However, Klaus inevitably regretted leading the princess astray, as he’d initially treated her like a sister. His guilt became the entry point for Hidden World’s heroine, the shrine maiden, to progress down Klaus’s game route. While playing the game, it had been tough to watch the wretched state that befell Rosemary after Klaus and the shrine maiden became a couple.

But now, I’m fully behind the pairing of Klaus and the shrine maiden.

Come on, get over here, shrine maiden! I refuse to become a sadistic princess! While I’m at it, I promise that, from now until the end of time, I will never fall in love with Klaus.

That was precisely why I hadn’t thus far disturbed our harmless relationship. His sexual interests never detracted from his talent and superiority as a guard. All I had to do was build a satisfactory, professional relationship with him, while simultaneously taking the utmost care to stay clear of his dark side.

Besides, if Hidden World’s Rosemary hadn’t confronted him about it, Klaus would have preferred to keep his masochism a secret. Thus, it was best for both of us moving forward to keep our relationship at the semi-sibling stage.

At least, that had been my plan.

So why does this guy have his eyeballs glued to me?!

He was an easygoing nice guy until just a few days ago! We’d kept the ideal distance between us! Nothing at all has happened that would suddenly change Klaus’s attitude. Why the hell is he looking at me with such passion all of a sudden?

I kept quiet.

Calm down. Pull yourself together, Rosemary. It’s not yet confirmed that Klaus has developed a thing for me. There must be some reason for his unusual attentiveness. I bet he’s just staring because I have bedhead, or maybe there’s some lint, or breadcrumbs, or something else in my hair!

I’m sure that’s all it is. Please, let that be the case!

“Klaus?” I made up my mind and called out to him.

For a moment he gasped, but shortly after, he hardened his facial features and replied, “Yes?!” He now wore a manly expression, and it didn’t betray even the slightest hint that he might have any particular sexual perversion.

I gulped, then took a deep breath.

“Is there something in my hair?” I asked, not wanting to beat around the bush. I couldn’t let this stalemate last any longer.

I wanted out of this gut-wrenching situation.

Klaus, I won’t be upset. Just hurry up and tell me what’s in my hair! What is it? Breadcrumbs? Lint? Perhaps a misplaced snack, an imo-kempi?

He said nothing in response, and our eyes remained locked together. This staring contest was the last thing I wanted to be doing, but breaking eye contact would have seemed unnatural. I waited for him, taking care to maintain a normal facial expression.

After a few seconds—or a few dozen, I wasn’t sure anymore—of grave silence had wracked my nerves even further, Klaus finally opened his mouth.

“No,” Klaus replied with a nervous look on his face. He then hung his head and broke our eye contact.

Oh, great! There’s nothing there! I thought sarcastically. Then don’t leave me waiting for your answer, asshole!

His cheeks seemed to be a little flushed, but that was probably just my imagination.

The weather’s nice today, so he could be a bit hot. Yeah, that must be it.

“If that’s so, then pay more attention to our surroundings. There’s more to being a guard than just keeping an eye on your charge.”

“Yes!” Klaus answered my reprimand with a bow. His easygoing smile was like salt in my eyes.

Hold on. Why do you look so happy? Stop looking at me like that! And do something about the twinkle in your eyes! What’s going on? A little reprimand like that is all it takes to brighten your day?!

I’m trying to subtly tell you to stop staring! I screamed in my mind, while keeping my expression deadpan.

I just couldn’t understand this person; the way his mind worked was an enigma. I stood there in silent turmoil.

I’m a little girl with zero understanding of guard duties or combat, so why does he look so pleased to hear my critiques of his job? What’s that about? If scolding him and punching him are not going to work, then what options do I have left? Should I come at this from another angle and try flattery instead? Should I pat his head? Kill him with compliments?

I felt like I was confronting a rabid beast or an alien life-form on the other side of my desk. The air between us was thick with tension; one misstep and it would be checkmate. A cold sweat had begun to build behind my neck and in my fists, which were clenched under the table.

In the end, what I did next was—

“I’m off to the library.”

—flee.

Go ahead. Laugh at me for deserting in the face of the enemy.

But my nerves can’t take any more of this place! There are maids on all sides of us watching anxiously, and I don’t even know what to say about Klaus.

I just want to study in peace!

I gathered my assigned reading and my dictionary, then made a hasty exit. I breathed a small sigh of relief, but a few seconds later, I realized that the peril I’d thought I was escaping had not gone anywhere.

“Allow me to escort you,” said Klaus.

I stayed silent in response.

Yep. That figures. Ah ha ha.

Why would he follow me? He’s only, oh I don’t know, my personal guard!!!

God, I’m such an idiot.

I walked down the hall, downcast, followed by a pervert—by which I mean, Klaus. I was sulking at this point and ready to throw in the towel, but I stopped in my tracks when something through the hall window caught my eye.

Below me were the sparring grounds, and again today, Johan was putting his best foot forward in training with Chris. Johan was still a full head shorter than Chris, so when he stood next to the giant that was Sir Leonhart, my little brother seemed like a dwarf out of a fairy tale. My stomach churned with the thought that he might be trampled.

Perhaps because of how inseparable we’d been, I still hadn’t come to grips with the distance that now existed between Johan and me. A slight feeling of loneliness came over me when I realized that I could no longer help him up if he stumbled.

No, no, no. This is what I wanted, so no whining allowed. Even if Johan resents me for it, I’ll take his bitter attitude as a consequence of my own choices.

I turned away from looking at Johan and the others, and just as I was about to walk away, a feeling of being watched prompted me to lift my head. My eyes met Klaus’s. For some reason, he was giving me an uncomfortably warm look.

What’s with the strange, kind look on your face? I don’t want your pity. Even a princess has the right to look lonely now and then.

“What?” I asked, with a threatening, icy glare.

Klaus made no effort to hide his smile, or his friendly expression.

“Lady Rosemary, you’re a kind soul,” he said, showing me the easygoing grin that was so popular among the mademoiselles.

Klaus, what brought this gentleness on? Actually, you were there the other day when I shouted at Johan, right? If I remember correctly, you looked pretty appalled, so what are you even talking about?

“Spare me the flattery,” I said, shooting a suspicious glance at Klaus before walking away. I was aware that I was giving Klaus the cold shoulder, but I had no idea where his landmines were planted, so I had to tread carefully.

Even so, Klaus followed behind me and kept talking, not the least bit discouraged.

Wow, you can take a beating!

“I mean it!” he protested.

“Oh, really?” I responded.

“I have only been in your service for one year and eighteen days—”

That’s pretty specific.

“—and four and a half hours, roughly.”

Way too specific! You’re gonna give me nightmares!!!

Klaus continued, “But I have come to learn that your heart is a thing of beauty. You pay attention to the needs of those around you. Though you try to hide your feelings, you worry for them.”

The shock of his overly specific stalker-like observations had distracted me, so I’d been half-ignoring what he’d said after them. However, I couldn’t let these remarks slip past.

I’m not following your train of logic, Klaus—do sisters who chastise their brothers in front of everyone appear as considerate angels to people with your particular disposition?

You’ve earned another notch on the creepometer.

“Y-You’re overestimating me,” I stuttered from agitation.

Let me be clear: my indignation didn’t stem from the bittersweet feelings of a young girl who was shy after being complimented. I was just scared.

You’re creeping me out. Please, Klaus, don’t drag me down to your shady level!

“I’m not!” argued Klaus.

Even after my direct disagreement, my personal guard had failed to take the hint. He gave a boisterous shout of denial. Fear prevented me from looking back at him, but I was sure he was beaming from ear to ear.

Please, just read the room. I know that my face has lost all color and my voice is quivering to boot. Anyone can see that this isn’t shyness, so please, Klaus, just notice that.

“When you scolded master Johan, it was precisely because you were looking out for him! You know that when someone is truly dear to you, there are times when you mustn’t spare the rod.”

“Klaus, enough.”

“And oh, the sight of you at that time!” he continued, seemingly oblivious, “So gallant, so beautiful!”

Shut up, I said! Listen! Please, just listen!

Let my heart’s voice reach him!!!

“And with that, my last doubt vanished,” said Klaus. “You are more than just a cute young princess.”

Something’s wrong.

A chill ran up my back, and an ominous foreboding washed over me. I stopped and turned around. Klaus was looking straight at me with a horribly serious expression. I inadvertently gulped at the dazzling passion in his eyes. The dread had reached its peak. Mental alarm bells rose to a crescendo.

“Miss Rosemary, you are what I’ve been after, my mistre—”

“Klaus!” I exclaimed, cutting him off.

Shock showed on Klaus’s face because I hardly ever raised my voice, but I had bigger worries than breaking character. I’d rip off the sheep’s clothing I’d meticulously constructed in a heartbeat if it meant that I could crush his terrifying flag.

Because, oh my God, he was about to say “mistress”!

In the scene when Klaus had pledged total submission to Rosemary, he’d stopped calling her “Lady Rosemary” and had started calling her “mistress.” That word called to mind the shady master-servant relationship from Hidden World; its usage was one of my triggers, and set my alarm bells ringing.

I spoke, and my voice was subdued.

“You should watch what you say.”

I felt like the slightest lapse in my concentration would leave my voice and my body shaking. I wanted nothing more than to be anywhere else.

I can’t understand this guy. Why’s he raising his own flag when I haven’t taken any action? Why’s he falling in love on his own? I’d say he was a pushover, but this is just scary.

How am I supposed to dodge unavoidable events?

“Your master is my father, and my father alone. Not me,” I clarified.

Klaus was silent, but his furrowed brows and the desperate look of his pursed lips communicated his objection in volumes.

Hey, don’t look so disappointed. Please, listen to me.

Oh, and keep your distance.

“On my father’s orders, you’ve been turned into the babysitter for a princess of tender age. Nothing more.”

“That’s not—”

“I won’t ask any more of you than that.” I interrupted Klaus’s desperate attempt to argue and continued, “So that’s how you should see your role as well.”

“But Lady Rosemary!”

Klaus moved a step closer to me, probably irritated by my stubborn attitude.

I, on the other hand, wanted to get further away. Strength of willpower kept me where I stood, but I flinched when he took yet another step.

Wait—whoa now. Let’s take a minute to calm down. Oh God, stay back!

“You’ve made it clear to me that you are sincere about your service,” I explained, “but words can take different forms in the ears of different listeners. Even if you have no ill intentions, a listener’s malice can morph your words’ meaning in a hundred different ways.”

“Ah!” Klaus’s eyes widened in shock. Then, his face tensed up.

“I understand that you have pledged your loyalty to the king. Because of that loyalty, you devote yourself to me as well. For that reason, you should closely guard what you say.” I relayed my feelings in a gentle but deliberate tone.

“Lady Rosemary...” Klaus lowered his eyebrows and looked down.

Wow, it’s going great. I think I’ve managed to convince him.

On the surface, I was saying, “Refrain from remarks that will cause others to question your loyalties,” but deep down, I was trying to convey the sentiment “Don’t call me ‘mistress’!”

My conscience winced a little at the sight of him acting like a scorned puppy, but you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

“Do you understand?” I pressed one last time, staring intently at Klaus, who had fallen silent. My face looked calm, but my inner self was drenched in cold sweat.

Phew, just dodged a bullet there. You can count me out of any more exchanges like this. I swear they’ll give me a heart attack.

I set off walking again, and pretended not to notice Klaus’s expression. He seemed like he wanted to say something more.