The Crown Prince's Arrival
Date: August 3rd → August 5th
Weather: Hot and dry → Hot and humid
Lady's Mood: 😒 → 👹
⸻ Before regression, the lady had alcohol dependence.
⸻ One bottle upon waking, one with breakfast, one with lunch, one with dinner, one before bed.
⸻ If she went even a day without drinking, she'd tear her hair out.
⸻ That's why I can never forgive the Crown Prince.
⸻ The bastard who turned a perfectly fine lady into a villainess.
⸻ Well, now she seems to genuinely enjoy it.
⸻ But lady... your body's just barely an adult now...
⸻ The Crown Prince showed up.
⸻ The lady's face darkened.
⸻ Can't say I'm thrilled either.
***
"Lady."
"Yeah?"
"Can I say something rude, just once?"
"Go ahead."
"Have you lost your mind?"
"...?"
I couldn't hold back. Summoning the lady from back then? 'I'd rather smash the entire brewery we just built.'
I shot her a light glare, half-serious about running over and wrecking it right now, and she snorted in disbelief.
"I'm not saying I'll drink till I'm wasted. Isn't that a bit much?"
"Still no."
"Why not!"
"Think about your age, lady! People are already shooting me dirty looks full of malice!"
"...Tch!"
At a loss for words, she just huffed, her tiny shoulders heaving like a little bird hopping around.
'Damn. Male employee perks are top-tier.'
But no means no. Back to being a drunken princess? Absolutely not! No way in hell!
I clamped my lips shut and stared her down until she finally sighed and puffed out her cheeks again.
'She's totally into this.'
Doing things she never did before regression. Maybe regressing to a young age makes even her moods feel childish.
I hoped it stayed that way. I wanted that childlike expression on her face to last a lifetime.
"Sigh... Fine. But just half a bottle. And I'll drink with you."
"Okey-dokey~"
"I'll go grab it. It's evening, so the door's probably shut."
"Okey-dokey~"
That elementary-schooler speech pattern. Totally something I'd say.
'Whatever.' If she's having fun, that's what matters.
As I left her room, I called out to Rosie, who was lurking nearby.
"Gonna run to the brewery real quick."
"Yeah."
"You don't need anything?"
"On guard duty."
"Got it."
Figured as much from Rosie. She's strict about rules and principles.
Just asking out of courtesy. 'She might get upset otherwise.'
She's already giving her all as the lady's guard, which I'm endlessly grateful for. There are cases where guards steal their employer's money and bolt.
'Rosie's top-tier.'
With those thoughts, I strolled through the night streets and soon arrived at my destination. I pushed open the door and eyed the sign right away.
[<- Alcohol Non-Alcohol ->]
My countermeasure after the earlier slip-up. Especially marked the non-alc packaging in red to avoid repeats.
"Mm-hmm."
I turned right without hesitation. Since I'd had some earlier anyway, it wouldn't show.
Fully intending to fool her, I grabbed a bottle and headed back to the lady's door.
Knock knock—
"Lady, I'm back."
"......."
Hm?
"Lady?"
"......."
The silence felt off, so I glanced toward where Rosie might be. A voice came from behind a dim pillar.
"She's asleep."
"...Already?"
"Yeah."
Only about ten minutes. Must've been more tired than I thought. Or maybe a blood sugar spike from the tteokbokki.
Whatever. Just a shame the makgeolli in my hand was going lukewarm.
"I'll pop in and out real quick."
"Yeah."
I eased the door open and slipped inside. No idea when she turned off the light—the glow from outside illuminated the room.
Using that, I spotted the table where we'd been earlier. The tteokbokki bowl was still there.
And on the sofa, leaning back, was the lady, fast asleep.
"Mm... Nyam..."
Dreaming of food, no doubt—chewing on the end of her hair with the same mouth that devoured the tteokbokki earlier.
"Jeez..."
She wanted it so bad, but sleep won out in the end.
I approached, scooped her up. Still too light.
'Gotta fatten her up more.'
"Eung..."
Should've woken her from the unfamiliar sensation, but she just mumbled nonsense all the way to the bed, not stirring.
"...No... Don't... drink..."
"......."
Even so, I caught her meaning crystal clear. I peeled the hair from her lips and smiled.
"Got it, lady."
Her eyes stayed shut even as I closed the door behind me, the room filled only with her soft snores.
***
The next morning.
As usual, bantering with the lady and brainstorming makgeolli sales for the streets, a murmur from the main gate caught my ear.
"What's that?"
"I'll check."
I jogged toward the gate. Spotted a white carriage in the distance.
The moment I saw it, I slammed on the brakes.
"...The imperial family?"
It was massive, visible from a hundred miles off, adorned with flashy gold that screamed status.
And then a figure stepped out. Golden hair, blue eyes—like a painting come to life. The Crown Prince.
"Handsome as hell, gotta admit..."
Even as a dot far away, that face couldn't be hidden.
It hit me hard why pre-regression Lucresia fell at first sight. Sickeningly understandable.
But why was he here?
I puzzled over it. 'He just sent the marriage proposal last time.'
Of course, that alone had her bouncing off the walls back then.
"Tch. Better head back."
Remembering Lucresia waiting, I turned toward the study.
And there she was, unexpectedly, pacing outside it.
"Lady? Why aren't you inside...?"
"Oh, find out what it is?"
"Yeah. Don't freak out."
"Spill."
Her eyes betrayed deep anxiety. Why? I tilted my head slightly and added,
"The imperial family's here."
"Ha, figured. Around this time."
"You expected it?"
"Duh. Didn't remember the exact date, but roughly. The marriage proposal, right?"
Since she guessed, I relaxed. "Seems like it."
"'Seems like'? You didn't see?"
"Precisely—the Crown Prince came himself."
"...Huh? Why?"
"No idea."
She hadn't anticipated him showing up personally—her eyes shook.
"The future's changing...?"
A key event twisting already. She glanced aside, running scenarios.
First: Crown Prince regressed too? 'No one in the imperial family ever had that power, far as I know.'
But if this was the first? '...Table it.'
She shoved that possibility to the back of her mind. Worst-case she didn't want to think about.
Second: Heard rumors about her? 'Haven't caused trouble post-regression.'
If checking on that, more plausible.
Third: The brewery? '...Too much of a stretch.'
No one knows its potential yet. Even she's going on gut.
"Hm..."
Sorting her thoughts quick, she hummed low.
Overwhelmed at first by the sudden info, but nah—nothing major.
"Probably just heard rumors about me?"
"Rumors?"
"Yeah. Haven't I been super good post-regression?"
"......."
"Hey."
"......."
I recalled the day she regressed.
'Shin still throbs thinking about it.'
Couldn't lie. Tamer than before, sure—but good?
"You were cute. Mm-hmm."
I blurted it unfiltered.
"Ah, uh!"
Panicking at my own words, eyes wide, but too late to hide.
Lucresia, hearing it?
"Uh, eh?"
Short-circuited.
***
Meanwhile, at the Netr Duke Mansion's main gate stood a man with a furrowed brow. Cain de Helios.
The empire's sole crown prince, throne practically guaranteed, and he was not thrilled with this situation.
Weather muggy as hell. And.
"I have to come to this backwater?"
No clue what the emperor was thinking sending him.
[Go to Netr and investigate that girl's behavior.]
Probe the Netr pampered princess's changes. Could've sent underlings—why him?
Beats him. 'Changed or not, how much could it be?'
"Haa... Wrap this up quick."
"Yes, sir!"
A short walk from the gate, he finally spotted the lined-up welcomers.
Thoroughly unamused. 'Should be crawling out the second I arrive.'
Brow creased. 'Damn dukes. Always doing whatever they please.'
Yet nailing the formalities perfectly. Cain inwardly sneered.
The duke couple greeted him impassively, ignoring his scowl.
"Welcome, Your Highness. Tough journey to this remote place."
"Yes."
"Please, come inside."
"First—where's the lady?"
His question brought awkwardness to their faces.
"In the study. We've sent word via servant."
"Hm. Understood."
He brushed past their bows into the mansion.
"......."
Watching from afar, Lucresia's gut churned. Her clenched white fists bulged with blue veins.