6.
The flower of the soul.
Commonly known as the Emperor’s Flower.
Lancel recalled the name of the flower contained within the bottle.
“I’m back.”
The bodies of Lancel and Marigold, which had been briefly swapped, returned to their original states in exactly one minute.
Just moments ago, Lancel had been inhabiting Marigold’s body, while Marigold had been in Lancel’s.
Unless he was hallucinating, this was an undeniable fact.
That was the power of this flower.
Its effect was to randomly swap the souls of all beings within its vicinity.
=============
Item: Flower of the Soul.
Effect: Randomly swaps the souls of all beings within a 2-meter radius for 1 minute.
※ The effect activates immediately once a year, when the flower’s petals are illuminated by sunlight.
=============
Yes.
Just for one minute.
“Sir Lancel, what was that just now…?”
“Shhh. You didn’t see anything. You know nothing. Nothing happened. Understand?”
Lancel’s voice was quiet and firm.
Marigold hastily covered her mouth, squeezed her eyes shut, and nodded vigorously. She seemed to sense the seriousness in his expression.
‘Why did something that should have been carefully hidden away end up here?’
Lancel frowned.
He was deeply troubled by how something that should have been meticulously concealed in the Imperial Family’s reports had somehow ended up among the many plundered items on a pirate ship.
“Sir Lancel? It sounds like the Navy is here.”
Marigold tugged at his sleeve.
The commotion from the upper deck suggested reinforcements were finally arriving.
Lancel quietly studied the flower in the bottle in his hand before carefully placing it back in its box.
The flower’s effect only returns once a year. For now, it’s just an ornamental plant.
He didn’t know.
He’d never seen it before.
The sole witness, Marigold, seemed oblivious to what had just occurred. She didn’t even seem to realize anything had happened, which was fortunate, if anything.
“Before the Navy arrives… should we grab a little more?”
“If we get caught, we’ll end up in prison.”
“Just this one last thing!”
Marigold stubbornly found a ring and slipped it onto her ring finger.
It was a gold ring similar to the one Lancel wore.
.
.
.
“Lancel Dante! You’ve done it again, haven’t you? You’re either fit for the Navy or a pirate. My predictions never fail!”
As Lancel towed the captured pirate ship into port, Baron Coral greeted him with hearty slaps on the back.
“I heard the loot was substantial. Did you manage to snag anything for yourself?”
“Yes, just this.” Lancel raised both hands, revealing a glint of gold on his ring finger.
“A pair of rings? Tsk, tsk. Is that all a Navy officer’s ambition amounts to?” The baron’s disappointment was palpable.
“I’ll set aside a few extra pieces for you later. The soldiers go straight to the brig if caught, but officers deserve a little fun.” Baron Coral lowered his voice and slapped Lancel’s back again.
“Hahaha!”
Thump, thump, thump!
The force of the baron’s blows made Lancel’s eyes vibrate.
Not to be outdone, Lancel abruptly seized Marigold, who had been loitering nearby for no apparent reason.
“Sir Lancel? Ugh! Ow! Eek! Cough! Ow!”
Thump, thump, thump!
Lancel continued pounding Marigold’s back with the same amount of force Baron Coral was using on him.
“Lancel.”
“Yes, Baron Coral?”
“You heard, didn’t you?”
“…?”
“The news that Her Highness the Third Princess is coming to the archipelago. I see you haven’t heard.”
“…Yes?”
Lancel released Marigold, his eyes widening.
“Is that true?”
“Of course. I received the information directly from Count Ruin. He said she’s already boarded a ship bound this way, so she should arrive by tomorrow evening at the latest.”
“What brings her here?”
‘Why?
Why her?
Why the Third Princess of all people?’
“I don’t know. But I doubt Her Highness would come here without reason. The Imperial Family is so busy with affairs of state—it’s unlikely any of them would travel this far just for a vacation or leisure.”
Indeed, the Imperial Family was perpetually occupied.
They were so engrossed in affairs of the heart, parties, pleasures, extravagance, and gambling that they never had a moment to rest.
Whether their children had failed them or they were simply too busy with official duties, one thing was certain: the Imperial Family was always occupied.
This was the first time in dozens of iterations that they had appeared in the archipelago. It was as if they had arrived on market day—it was perfect timing.
“You know the rumors about Her Highness the Third Princess, right?”
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be a citizen of the Empire.”
“Then we can skip the formalities. Take this opportunity to get a new outfit, have your hair styled, and ensure you are presentable. Count Ruin is being uncharacteristically generous and has offered to lend you everything you need.”
“…Yes. Instead of the maids, I’ll take this one with me.”
“Ugh!”
Lancel swiftly grabbed Marigold by the scruff of her neck, lifting her into the air like a mouse caught stealing.
“She’s been eavesdropping since earlier. I’ll take her along to keep her quiet.”
“It’s not exactly a secret that the Third Princess is visiting, is it? Well, whatever. Just hurry back. It’s your first duty shift this week, so be back by dawn at the latest.”
7.
“Is Her Highness the Third Princess really that frightening of a person?”
On the way to Count Ruin’s estate, Lancel paused at Marigold’s question, briefly recalling “that woman.”
The Third Princess Claria Arild Freesia.
To sum her up in one sentence, he said, “She’s basically a notoriously face-obsessed fanatic.”
“A… face-obsessed fanatic?”
“In simpler terms, someone who is obsessed with appearances. You know, pretty and handsome people.”
“Ah!”
In the game, she openly embraced the role of a villainess.
She was the type of woman who wouldn’t let anyone take a man she had her eye on.
Even a typical noblewoman’s “fishing” tactics would be quite scary, but imagine what it would be like if that lady were a princess. It was truly terrifying.
Unsurprisingly, scenes of her relentlessly targeting Marigold, the game’s protagonist, were abundant.
The Third Princess was the quintessential villainous heroine.
At a banquet that was held in a certain count’s territory, she even subjected a servant to all sorts of abuse simply because she found his face unpleasant.
Her relationship with Lancel wasn’t much better either.
“Hmm, about nine points for you, Lancel Dante, is what I’d say.”
“What’s the maximum score?”
“A hundred points, of course.”
‘Damn it.’
Lancel never imagined that woman would be Claria, the Third Princess from the game.
“Hmm…”
“Why are you suddenly so serious?”
“It’s nothing.”
Marigold suddenly looked deep in thought.
As Lancel wondered at what occupied Marigold’s thoughts, they arrived at Count Ruin’s castle.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Sir Lancel Dante. I am Anselo, His Excellency Count Ruin’s personal hairdresser.”
“The pleasure is mine.”
“And the officer…?”
Lancel could feel it.
The hairdresser was alternating glances between the rings on Lancel and Marigold’s ring fingers.
He was clearly imagining some complicated secret relationship.
“Ahem.”
Marigold pretended to look away, subtly emphasizing her ring finger to make it more visible.
“…She’s just a subordinate. Don’t get any strange ideas.”
“Ah, yes…”
The hairdresser’s response seemed unconvinced.
“Oh dear, oh dear… You haven’t had your hair styled in quite some time, have you? You must have been too focused on your knightly duties. Let’s tidy it up for you now.”
“Please do.”
Lancel closed his eyes.
The distant sound of waves, the snip of scissors trimming his hair, and the occasional breath held by the hairdresser in concentration were the only sounds.
As the breeze blowing through the window lulled him into a drowsy state, a strange sensation made him open his eyes. Marigold was leaning in close, her face inches from his.
“What are you doing?”
“Sir Lancel.”
Snip, snip.
As his hair fell, Marigold said with a worried expression, “Am I also… one of those… looks-obsessed people?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haah…”
‘So that’s why she’d been so quiet all this time.’
She seemed to be genuinely struggling with the question.
“How do you like it, Sir Lancel?”
“Well done—you’re the hairdresser His Excellency Count Ruin assigned to me, after all.”
“You flatter me. If you go to the next room, the tailor will fit you for new clothes.”
Once Lancel was dressed into a neater attire, Marigold’s worries seemed to deepen further.
“I’m truly a flawed person, Sir Lancel.”
“Whatever’s bothering you, I think you’re mistaken.”
Being a “face-obsessed” person wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, Lancel often heard people around him say that he was handsome, but by the Third Princess’s standards, he was merely a “9 out of 100.” Just by the Princess’s standards, that is.
‘Wait, maybe my looks are actually quite decent?’
Yes.
Perhaps the Third Princess simply had peculiar tastes, and by this world’s standards, his attractiveness score might be much higher.
‘Right. I’m sure I look okay. I even work out to keep my body in shape.’
===============
[Game Guide]
—Unobtained achievements have been discovered.
- Indifferent about appearances.
- Experience with only one person (30 playthroughs). -A Rank!-
- Lover of only one person (30 playthroughs). -A Rank!-
- Navy couple in a workplace romance.
- ???
※ Need to diversify gameplay.
===============
“What…?”
“Huh?”
“No, I wasn’t talking to you.”
‘Indifferent about appearances? Mary has eyes, right? It can’t be that extreme, honestly.’
.
.
.
“You have the face of a crustacean clinging to the shore, Lancel Dante.”
The next day, a harsh voice fell upon Lancel.
8.
“They’re coming in like a flood.”
That afternoon, the archipelago’s harbor buzzed with activity as ships crammed the docks.
Sailing vessels from the Imperial Court filled the piers, mooring in double and triple layers.
A spectacular scene unfolded as the Navy, laborers, and residents mobilized to unload supplies from the ships.
“Unload the light cargo first!”
“Careful, careful! Handle it gently to avoid spills!”
“Don’t board Ship 1! How many times do I have to tell you? It’s an imperial vessel!”
Marigold was part of the bustling crowd.
“Huff, huff!”
She hurried below deck, her steps quick and purposeful.
“Huh?”
Suddenly, her eyes lit up with interest.
Chirp!
A small birdcage caught her attention.
Breadcrumbs scattered on the floor suggested the bird had been raised by the crew.
“A bird!” Marigold exclaimed, reaching a finger into the cage.
Just as she cautiously reached out to stroke its head, the bird’s beak snapped open, viciously biting her fingertip.
“Ouch!”
Blood welled up. Tears pricked her eyes.
Chirp!
“Okay, okay, don’t be angry! I won’t touch you. I’ll just look. I’ll just look… Hehe.”
It was a beautiful bird.
It had azure wings, an orange body, and a beak that gleamed like obsidian. With its head held high, it stared intently at Marigold.
This bird was incomparably more beautiful than the fearsome seagulls that roamed the archipelago.
“Ah.”
Mesmerized, Marigold lifted the cage.
As the startled bird fluttered its wings, she soothed it with gentle words: “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
“Sergeant! Should I take this down too?”
“What’s that?”
“A bird! A beautiful bird!”
“Just bring everything down first!”
“Yes, Sir!”
.
.
.
“You have the face of a crustacean clinging to the shore, Lancel Dante.”
Around them, the guests stifled their laughter, their snickers barely contained. After witnessing the relentless barrage of insults directed at everyone in turn, even Lancel seemed to have resigned himself to a similar fate.
This much was tolerable, it was merely the Third Princess’s standard tactic for crushing spirits upon first meeting.
“Keep your gifts. Just vanish from my sight immediately.”
The veiled woman.
Third Princess Claria Arild Freesia.
Hearing her voice, Lancel felt a sudden certainty.
‘A bit bland, isn’t it?’
The Third Princess’s insults lacked their usual bite. They were somehow… lacking in Scoville units.
For most nobles, even this level of rebuke would have stung deeply. But such a reaction was typical only of the callow nobles from the archipelago, who had yet to fully absorb the ways of the Imperial Court.
‘I’d rather watch a sea urchin getting trampled on the beach.’
The tone, content, and power in her voice, even the contempt—none of it felt like the Third Princess.
Lancel had sensed that something was off from the moment she arrived with a veiled face. The Third Princess’s obsession with appearances stemmed from her unwavering confidence in her own beauty. So why hide it?
It was definitely unlike her.
“Is it a double?’
What kind of Imperial Palace can’t function without a double?
