When Charlotte woke up the next morning, a soft furry tail was gently stroking her cheeks.

She sat up and yawned, patting Puff Puff with her free hand

“Good morning Puff Puff.”

“Pyu~ [good morning mistress~]”

“Oh? Looks like I can now hear you clearly.” She sweetly smiled, stroking its chin and got out of bed.

“Oh right, what kind of spirit are you again?”

“Pyu~ [since mistress had the rare dark elemental affinity, I was finally able to find a master. I’m called a night wolf!]”

“Well aren’t you a cute little wolf. Sorry, but I’m not really that knowledgeable on that subject so I have to do a little more research.”

“Pyu~ [if there is anything I can help with, then you can always ask me~!]”

Puff Puff walked over to Charlotte and hopped on her shoulder, then he disappeared into smoke.

Charlotte understood that if she needed him, than she could call him using the insignia on her palm.

After freshening up, Charlotte headed downstairs to eat breakfast with her father and Walter who joined them.

“Father, would I be allowed to go into town a bit later?”

Duke Adrian put down his fork and looked at her puzzled “Well, I do not mind but you have to take some guards with you.”

“Oh…then never mind.”

She had completely forgotten that with what had happened, it would be impossible for her to go out alone. It was already a mystery why she was left alone when she practiced and no one had attacked her.

(Guess I’ll just sneak out after they leave.)

A bit disappointed and with nothing else to do, Charlotte just decided to read the books about spirit contracts and familiars while strolling in the garden. Iris and Lilly had gotten better in their work and their health also improved.

The previous Charlotte probably never read a book of her own free will or taken a stroll down here, so when she saw the look in the servants’ eyes, she couldn’t blame them and ignored them yet again.

(I just hope it won’t become worse.)

Charlotte eventually sat down underneath a tree. There was a nice breeze and the sky was blue.

Iris and Lilly later ran up to her with their hands behind their backs.

“What is it?”

The two held out their hands.

“For you!”

Iris held a purple iris flower while Lilly a white Lilly flower.

“Really? Thank you.”

They were the flowers of the name she had given them and they were grateful for all she had done. Although they still felt that it was not enough for everything she had done, they wanted to at least show their gratitude.

Charlotte gladly accepted the flowers and tucked them in her hair that was currently let loose. Since they had already come here, she put away the book and played around with them.

Her life was full of fun and happiness. She enjoyed each moment she spend with the people around her and learning the new things.

Then, that cursed day finally arrived.

The day she was to meet with the crown prince and officially make her engagement to him.

(Tsk, I was distracted and didn’t think of a plan at all!)

Indeed. With Puff Puff showing up, training and studies every day, playing around with those two, when her father finally reminded her about their meeting that same morning, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her heart.

“Father…is it already that day?”

“Hmm? Why yes.”

“Oh? Is that so? Are you certain it isn’t next month?”

“…Lotte, I had said it was in two weeks. The two weeks have already passed by.”

“Fufufu~ Father, you are getting rather old. Isn’t it the day after tomorrow after tomorrow?”

“Did you stutter or did you actually forget?”

“….I understand father. I will go and prepare myself immediately.”

Charlotte left the dining room. The two men then stared at each other, not sure of what was wrong.

“Does she perhaps….not want to go?”

Walter carefully asked, but Duke Adrian immediately denied it “Impossible. She had always kept talking to me about that boy ever since she had a glance at him on his tenth birthday two years ago.”

“But from the way she acted I would have guessed otherwise…”

“…well I do agree that she has been acting strange lately.”

They both simultaneously shrugged their shoulders. They just hoped nothing bad happens.

Charlotte had rushed back to her room. She needed to come up with a plan to somehow not make this engagement a success.

There are three reasons why she wanted to refuse with all her heart.

She wanted to avoid entering the castle as much as possible. That place is like a battle field with booby-trap lying all over the place. Although she couldn’t care less about the game’s original story line since she had already ruined it by still being alive, changing it too much could cause some major backlashes. As the only descendant of the Ionesse household, she had her position to think about. If the future king of a country and the only child of a powerful duke household were to marry, it could cause unnecessary trouble between the nobles. And four (Yes, there was a fourth), in the game, even though he had been engaged to fiancé candidate #2 Marionette Von Lukedium, he had never liked her and had a childhood sweet heart; the second daughter of a marquise household; Leila Hearts.

So please, she didn’t want to get caught up in any of the four.

(Well, if the guy himself doesn’t want to get engaged to me, that shouldn’t be much of a problem, right?)

But then again, if he refused without a good enough reason, it could cause trouble with the nobles again and it would also be difficult for her to find a fiancé in the future.

“Really, being a noble is such a pain in the ass.”