Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Pink Hair, You’re Mine Now
The mansion of First Prince Manuel was suffocating.
Not because of its size.
It was more blatant than that.
It was like a super-luxury museum that had collected every expensive, rare, and extravagant item in existence.
Tapestries I had never seen hung on the walls, and every pillar was inlaid with gold threads and jewels. Even the glasses and plates were far from ordinary.
Even I, another prince, hadn’t seen many of these items before, so the saying about the eyes being spoiled fit perfectly.
The Human Empire was inherently like this.
A key hub connecting multiple continents. Trade ships coming and going, merchant caravans in lines, treasures, spices, fabrics, and crafts from other nations all passed through here at least once.
If you had money, almost any rare item could be obtained.
And in a country like this, etiquette became even more elaborate.
Not simply to show wealth, but to appear noble.
That’s why even now, there were five forks laid out beside my plate.
“Maybe I should just carry chopsticks.”
If I claimed they were Eastern items, instead of criticizing my manners, the nobles would probably be more curious and try to copy me.
I half-reclined on the sofa, picking up a fork carelessly to tear at the meat.
I had no intention of following etiquette.
I didn’t want to appear as a polite prince right now.
I drank roughly, crossed my legs, buried myself deep into the sofa. That alone made most nobles keep their distance.
“Prince Luang attending Prince Manuel’s banquet… what could this be about?”
“Haven’t you heard the rumor yet?”
“What rumor?”
“That Prince Luang plans to go independent—it’s spreading within the palace.”
“That can’t be. A royal leaving the palace?”
I didn’t bother listening and tilted my glass.
They weren’t wrong.
The palace was the center of information and power. For a royal to leave it meant distancing oneself from the center of authority.
But conversely, it also meant I could sell my departure at a higher price.
If I left willingly, it would be a huge political gain. I could demand a high price.
If the nobles offered terms satisfactory to me, I could leave without causing a conflict.
‘I wonder how the high-ranking and low-ranking nobles would react differently to the news of my departure.’
High-ranking nobles just glanced at me, not approaching first. Naturally. From their perspective, there was no reason yet to stop me or risk anything.
Instead, those more likely to approach first would be lower-ranking nobles or the knight class.
The name of a prince. A body capable of wielding a sword. A non-empty treasury.
This combination made me an attractive deal if I went to the provinces.
The smaller the noble’s territory, the more likely a single capable knight could tip the battlefield.
That’s why I deliberately acted more violently. To give the impression that I could kill efficiently, like a true knight.
Who would come to me first?
Someone in need of force? Someone attracted to royal authority? Or someone wanting both?
If the price was right, I was willing to form alliances and shake hands.
I needed connections. Money management, networking, reviewing contracts, handling letters and correspondence—all required contacts.
If this world had smartphones, I wouldn’t need them, but in a human-punk world, connections were essential.
It was then.
Amid the monotone waves of the banquet hall, a single color stood out as if it belonged to another genre.
Pink hair.
I blinked once while holding my glass.
‘…Is that color even possible in real life?’
In the middle of a hall full of black, navy, and deep wine-colored suits, only one person walked toward me, hair like cotton candy pink.
Not blonde, not brown, not red.
A vivid pink.
Even her eyes were purple.
Compared to the political scheming of the palace, she looked more suited for the cover of a romance fantasy novel.
She walked confidently up to me.
Voluminous pink hair.
Shining purple eyes.
And an expression… unnaturally bright.
This was not a face afraid of the situation.
“Oh, hello!”
“Yes, greetings.”
“I am Angela Goldrun, Your Highness, the Prince.”
The attendant beside her looked pale, trying to stop her, but it was useless.
“Ma-Master…”
Why she approached a mad prince, I had no idea, but Angela confidently introduced herself.
I didn’t bother adjusting my half-reclined posture.
I merely lifted my chin slightly to look at her.
Was it bravery? Or sheer thoughtlessness?
At a noble banquet, it was not ideal for a young lady to approach a man first.
Normally, the attendants would take the lead, set the tone politely, and only then would she speak.
Moreover, in this world, men were forgiven for promiscuity while women were expected to be modest.
If a man built a harem, they laughed and said he was vigorous. If a woman approached a man first, whispers followed.
Knowing all this, she still came forward?
I couldn’t help but be intrigued.
“I see. A spirited young lady, Angela Goldrun. Did you come for a reason?”
“I came because I saw Your Highness at the banquet.”
“I see? You wanted to see my face?”
Surely, she didn’t literally come just to see me.
Probably something like: “Our family elders recommended we meet” or “Would you join our family if you go outside?”
Not that, but the young lady deliberately speaking to me herself?
Her appearance seemed normal, so had pink hair impaired her brain?
“How do I look at first glance?”
“You’re very handsome.”
“…I see.”
I was momentarily speechless.
The hall fell quiet for a moment.
Not a lady walking elegantly in a dress, but a puppy gleefully rolling in the mud.
The silence was so perfect that even the nobles’ inhalations sounded clearer.
“….”
“….”
“…Did you just say I’m handsome?”
“I heard it.”
“Directly?”
“If Baron Goldrun hears this, he’ll collapse.”
“I’m glad I raised my daughter well.”
“My daughter would never say such a thing.”
Angela realized what she had said and covered her mouth with both hands, blushing deep red.
The attendant next to her was almost fainting.
Even the attendants didn’t expect such words from Angela—perhaps she didn’t behave this way at home.
Knights would mix noble-style flattery with compliments on appearance, but hearing it directly from a girl felt strange.
It was ticklish.
‘Luang, you are a boy too.’
“Oh, uh, th-that…!”
Only then did Angela fluster, realizing her mistake.
“I’m sorry!”
“No need for that. Few people compliment me, so I’m glad.”
“Eh? Really?”
Angela’s eyes widened. She probably expected anger.
Her reaction was oddly cute.
Full of mistakes, clumsy, but hard to dislike—a type that makes you fuss over them.
It reminded me of heroines from old subculture trends.
Of course, I wasn’t in a position to pursue that.
I was a prince, wealthy, and skilled with a sword. No problem finding a marriage partner.
So my thoughts jumped elsewhere.
‘Who will I marry in the future?’
When Luang was fully insane, no proper marriage talks could happen.
After political marriages, it was common to have separate chambers and mistresses in this world. But a mad prince swinging a sword was not allowed.
He could die.
However, rumors that I no longer killed people recklessly had spread for three months.
By now, the palace might start considering proper marriage proposals.
Then Angela carefully spoke.
“Um… Your Highness, are you having a hard time?”
“Hard… yes, it’s hard.”
Mainly because there’s no phone.
I woke up every night seeing screens, and in the morning, reached for the phone unconsciously, then realized reality under the palace’s ornate ceiling.
Even with a body that lived better than my previous life, no luxury could fill the void left by the phone.
Of course, she had no way of knowing that.
Angela listened to my answer and then looked determined.
“If there’s anything troubling Your Highness, I can help.”
“Hmm… really?”
“Yes!”
I smiled a little.
This pink-haired girl was the first to volunteer to hear someone else’s secret.
What confidence.
Angela became serious briefly, then whispered softly.
“I still can’t eat carrots well.”
“Pffft…!”
I burst out laughing.
It was so random that it made it funnier.
“Haha, so that’s your secret. I’ll make sure to tell your parents later.”
“Oh, no! Then they’ll feed me only carrots three times a day to fix my habit!”
Good.
Pink hair, nice personality, and, most importantly, the conversation was alive.
Not like a forcibly proper noble lady, measuring every word. She simply spoke what she wanted.
But that made her suspicious. Too unlike a noble lady.
‘Really… is this pink-haired girl a romance fantasy character?’
I put my glass down and asked.
“You graduated well, right? At that school, picky eating spreads rumors fast.”
The Human Empire had many prestigious noble schools.
Today’s banquet was not a major social event, but a relatively private gathering of acquaintances.
Most would be from the capital, likely attending noble schools.
So it was a natural question.
Angela nodded immediately.
“Of course. I graduated with high marks.”
“Surprising, you don’t seem like it. How high?”
Noble schools didn’t rank students with just grades.
Fit for a bureaucrat.
Pious as a cleric.
Strong as a knight.
They gave such recommendations.
However…
“I was actually ranked first-class… no, not that! They could have recommended me as a bureaucrat, but said girls couldn’t.”
I almost stiffened.
There was no first-class rank in this world. Only in Korea.
…
Be it spirit-possessed, reincarnated, or whatever—
I found it.
A soul from another world.