[No title provided]
“Welcome back, Your Highness.”
Astraia von Kailum returned to her dormitory after concluding her contract with Mars Noctus. Perhaps due to her position as a princess, she had been assigned the largest and most spacious room, one so lavish and dazzling it could easily be mistaken for something in the Imperial Palace rather than Amor Academy.
“I'm exhausted. Skip dinner—I'll bathe first.”
“Yes, right away.”
As her maids hurried off to prepare the bathwater, Astraia sprawled across an ornate chair and turned to Leto, her most trusted personal attendant.
“So, Leto, any updates on what I asked you to look into?”
“Yes, I sent people to investigate, but nothing new beyond the previous reports. Recently, though, the Noctus Territory has been short on funds due to a poor harvest. They opened their granaries for the territory's people and bought up supplies to cover shortages, leading to cash flow issues.”
“I see.”
Astraia thought back to the bold young man who had just stood before her, unflinchingly declaring himself her love consultant and demanding payment as compensation.
So... he asked for money to help his territory? I thought it was just for his own satisfaction, but he's starting to look better in my eyes.
His ordinary looks, ordinary family—whether he had any exceptional talent was unknown—but the image of him fearlessly making his proposal brought an involuntary smirk to her lips.
“Your Highness? Did something happen?”
“Oh, nothing much. You remember the eldest son of the Helios family I mentioned before? His childhood friend proposed helping with romance in exchange for money.”
“Pardon? A mere viscount's son dared to ask for money? How insolent...!”
“Enough, Leto. Better to cleanly buy him off with cash than have him cling endlessly under the pretense of 'helping.' He seems to have made the choice for his people over himself anyway, so let's show some mercy.”
Helios Count. A man who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship as an Aura Lord, said to be powerful enough for one to take on an entire small nation. Though he shunned politics and secluded himself in a remote corner far from the capital, rumors said he had sent his son to the academy to see the world. Never having entered high society, Astraia had planned a full-court press to recruit him, only to fall for his son's stunning looks at first sight.
Normally, she would have dispatched agents to the Helios territory for intel, but risking the ire of someone so close to transcendence was too dangerous. Instead, she had approached his seemingly naive childhood friend.
He didn't look scared of me, either.
Ordinary folk cowered before her, an imperial princess. The weight of her authority, combined with her strong rather than cute appearance and her mask of impassivity when dealing with people, left them averting their eyes or fidgeting nervously. But Mars Noctus had seemed tense, yes—yet he had looked at her not with fear, but as if she were some unrelated stranger.
His expressions had been entertaining too: disappointment at the letter's true nature, fluster at her proposal, intrigue at the chance to earn money. But fundamentally, his eyes held no trace of seeing her as a woman. It was as if he were gazing at a hazy figure in a watercolor painting.
Since we're the ones asking, we should make it worth his while. This is personal business, so I'll handle it from my private funds.
“What about that man? Should we keep tabs on him, just in case?”
“No need. A guy making demands like that is exactly that level. Once the Helios heir becomes my husband, cutting ties then won't be so bad. Besides, materialistic types like him self-destruct eventually.”
With her maid's assistance, Astraia undressed and slipped into the steaming bath.
“Ahh~ I can already look forward to it. The day that man becomes mine.”
Clang-! Clang-!
“Oh? Mars, your sword's sharper than before. To improve this much in just a few days... did you have some epiphany?”
Yes. Epiphany written large, but really, I attained enlightenment. I realized normal romance is impossible for me.
The shock from three fake love letters (two guys, one girl) had grounded me a bit, and it seemed to influence my swordplay.
“Well... you could call it an epiphany, I suppose.”
“Good. Whatever it was, changing your mindset is key. I hope you build on that revelation!”
After sparring with the professor, I headed back to the benches, where Polo watched me with eager eyes.
“Mars! Great match! You always seemed so annoyed before—did you finally get serious?”
“Nah, not really... I just had stuff on my mind, got spaced out, and old habits kicked in.”
As a sword enthusiast, he must have loved my performance. Same master, same style—we shared that bond, after all.
“Anyway, Polo.”
“Yeah?”
Polo was mimicking my match, swinging his arms wildly in the air with bizarre gestures.
“You interested in dating at all?”
“...Out of nowhere?”
Even I knew it was random. Dropping romance talk mid-sword class would baffle anyone.
“No, just... we've been at the academy a few weeks now, met all sorts of people. Wondered if you'd found anyone you like. With your looks, girls must be lining up everywhere.”
A light probe. First, check if he's even interested in the opposite sex.
You scout for water veins before digging a well—poking at barren dirt just wastes sweat and energy. Even a deep source is worthless without water. Polo could open up about personal stuff to me, his closest childhood friend, if to anyone.
“Dating? Hmm... not really interested right now. The academy's full of new, fascinating things to learn— that's enough for me.”
“Got it...”
Hmm... not ripe yet, huh. He dreams of marriage thanks to his harmonious parents, but limited peer interactions mean he prioritizes personal curiosities over romance now.
Don't force it—ease him into the idea so it seeps in subconsciously, like damp clothes in a drizzle.
Not that I'm any better, a lifelong singleton who's never held a girl's hand. But my galge marathons and dating show binges have honed my romance instincts beyond the norm, or so I tell myself.
“What about you, Mars? Anyone you're into?”
“Nope. Even if there was, she'd have to like me back...”
This world is a dating sim game. It's my reality now, feet firmly planted, but that means it's packed with hotties. Look around—hunks everywhere, beauties over there. Sure, the occasional orcish mutant, but rare cases. Even village aunties farming could debut as idols in my past life.
In this sea of stunners, my standard brown hair, brown eyes, average height, and average everything? Invisible. No villager ever mistook me for nobility; at Polo's, maids fawned over him exclusively.
“What about Luna? She seems like she'd match you well.”
“C'mon, be serious. Her, with me?”
Luna's a maid my age from my house—mom's a maid, dad's the butler, whole family serves ours. Loyalty keeps them with our penniless noble house. We've hung out since kids.
Issue is, she's polite and proper with adults but prickly only to me. It worsened with age. Already plain-looking, and my sole female friend acts like that? Childhood friend fantasies died early.
“She didn't shed a tear when I left—think she feels that way?”
“Not really...”
“Anyway, dropping Luna. So no dating plans right now, right?”
“Yeah... pretty much?”
“Got it.”
Forcing it on the uninterested backfires—they resent or suspect you. Better to let it soak in unnoticed.
First, time to enlist my cash cows for backup.