"How dare you call the name of His Highness the Prince so casually."
Benji took a step forward with a flushed face.
Oh, right. This was inside a novel. The only people who could casually call the Prince's name were the Emperor and his mother, Empress Priscilla Bildeon.
Priscilla de Bildeon.
Priscilla, who gave birth to Kyle without leaving a single heir after the national marriage, was determined to make him the Emperor.
Before Empress Eline gave birth to the second Prince Heron and the third Princess Siena, rumors circulated that Priscilla was responsible for two miscarriages, but no one dared speak about it lightly. The Bildeon family had their hands in every pot, and the people who valued their lives didn't want to spread unverified rumors.
But just because they didn't speak up doesn't mean its not true.
... Am I about to meet my terrifying mother-in-law? Of course, we haven't even gotten married yet.
Benji grabbed me by the back of my neck and dragged me down to the floor as if he were about to kill me.
Ouch, it hurts. If I go back, I'm going to tear up the pages where you appear.
"Tell me why you're hiding here."
Benji looked down at me with a stern voice. He soon drew a knife from his waist and pointed the flashing blade toward me.
...It's a little scary. I want to wake up from this dream now. I've confessed, so I've done everything I can.
I closed my eyes tightly and opened them again, but it was still the same. Even the blood flowing from my neck was still there.
"Stop. Don't handle her recklessly because we still don't know who she is."
At Kyle's words, Benji quietly put his knife away. My side hurt heavily from the impact of falling to the ground.
Damn, it hurts. Benji, you bastard, you will die on the battlefield without even putting up a fight.
I cursed Benji silently as he looked at me fiercely. Until just now, I had a fairly friendly feeling towards him, but not anymore. Benji also looked pale and glared at me. As the meaningless stare-off continued, Kyle spoke again.
"Stop with the useless talk and tell us which side you're on."
"I,"
I knelt down and slowly looked up at Kyle. His arms were still intact.
Thank goodness, the war hasn't started yet.
Memories of his story came to mind. He left for the battlefield to gain the trust of the Emperor, but for about two years, no one came looking for him, and he had to continue fighting alone at the border. Even that part was not well described in the novel. It was just a few sentences about going to the battlefield, losing a few battles, and returning alone.
"I'm asking again, who sent you?"
"I just came here because I love His Highness so much."
Anyway, it wasn't a lie. I didn't know how I got here, so that was the best answer I could give. I looked up at Kyle. He was smiling slightly.
"Interesting fabrication."
The soft upward curve of his mouth, the straight nose, and the large eyes that seemed straight out of a painting. His golden hair looked as smooth as a thread sprinkled with gold.
My spine tingled. It must have been a threatening smile, but my face still felt hot.
Oh, I tried to come up with a really meaningful answer, but I keep feeling ominous. A sense of crisis? Give me a break. It's too good, really.
I tried to swallow my drool unnoticed, but the sound of "gulp" was too loud. Kyle's sarcastic smile filled my eyes.
"You're the most unique assassin I've ever seen. I'll give you that."
The first historic night with my favorite character was unfolding in a somewhat surprising direction.
"Where are you from?"
"...You won't know even if I tell you."
"Tell me."
"Seoul. My hometown is Busan."
"I've never heard of that name. What's your name?"
"...Kim Geum-ja."
I was teased here and there for having a slightly rural pronunciation, but I liked my name in my own way. My father named me with the meaning of only coming first "ja", adding "geum" (gold) to it.
Your Highness, call my name with those beautiful lips of yours.
"...Ging ging-ja?"
"What?"
"Ging... Geumja."
"No, it's Kim Geumja. Pronounce it properly. Kim. Geum. Ja."
"You have a rude tone."
"How would you react if someone mispronounced your name, Prince Gyle? "
Pfft!
Benji laughed with a snort.
Are you laughing?
I turned my head while still tied up to glare at Benji. Benji, who had turned red from trying to hold back his laughter, was looking at Kyle's reaction.
"Can't Benji pronounce my name either?"
"Address me properly."
"...Mr. Assistant."
Benji raised his hand to the sheath of the knife that was strapped to his side.
Why do they all pull out their knives when they're unhappy? Did they learn manners on their own?
Anyway, it was important that I come out alive. My neck still hurts from the attack earlier.
What if this isn't a dream? What if this is really the start of my second life here?
I calmed my voice and asked him again in a polite tone.
"Assistant. Can you pronounce Kim Geum-ja?"
"...Kking-kkeng-ja."
It seems like everyone in this world has a tongue that's all twisted up.
Kyle smirked confidently.
"See, it's not just me. Your name is weird."
"It's the name my father and mother gave me."
"...It's a unique name that's one of a kind in the world."
Unable to insult someone else's parents, Kyle changed the subject by coughing a few times.
Ahem, ahem.
After coughing a few times, Kyle stared at my face intently.
Oh my, what is this? It's embarrassing.
My face turned hot.
"Why is your face turning red?"
"Uh, have you heard anything I said? I really like His Highness. If you were to meet someone you really liked, wouldn't you feel nervous and stuff?"
Kyle shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. I've never felt that way before."
The dim light of dawn shone through the window and cast a beautiful shadow on his side, like a sculpture. A deep sense of loneliness lingered in his lonely smile.
I wanted to change the ending, where he gets hurt and dies. I couldn't let him die alone in pain.
No matter what happens, I'll make sure he doesn't get hurt, doesn't feel sad, and lives happily.
I repeated it to him as if possessed. The words that I had fervently repeated with a book clasped to my chest every day.
"I love you, Your Highness."
Kyle looked at me with disbelief and smiled. He looked like a painting, no matter how I looked at him.
There was a reason I wasn't interested in most men until now.
I wasn't pretty enough to catch someone's eye unless it was someone who knew what they were looking for.
"Benji."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Do you know anyone in the palace who might recognize the face of Ging Ging-ja, or if she belongs to any spies or mercenaries guild? You should cut some of her hair. It's not a color that you see every day."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Loyal Benji nodded his head slightly at his command and drew a dagger from his side.
Wait, wait! Cut my hair?
"No, Benji, please. I really worked hard to grow it this long!"
"Stay still, or you'll get hurt."
I tightly closed my eyes. I heard the sound of hair being cut, and my tears began to fall. No, my black, silky hair...
"Huh? It's silver hair?"
I looked at the hair that had been cut, with a shocked voice. What Benji held in his left hand was silver-colored hair with a slight blue tint. Come to think of it, the clothes I was wearing were not the ones I had on when I got into the accident.
At that time, I was wearing a navy blue cardigan, but the clothes I am wearing now are a clean dress without any patterns that show my neckline. The color was the same, but it was clearly different.
"Oh my, you did change my clothes? You... pervert..."
"What are you talking about, you little brat!"
I scooted around on my buttocks, and after aiming and putting all my strength into a heel strike, I kicked my foot high and hit Benji's instep with my heel since my hands were tied behind my back. Benji grabbed his foot and hopped around on one leg, screaming, then fled to the corner. With tears in his eyes, he clutched his foot and whimpered.
"What are you talking about? That outfit..."
"Don't make me laugh! I wasn't wearing this!"
"While I was unconscious,... Your Highness, by any chance, did you?"
I glanced at Kyle, startled by Benji's comments. My ideal type is a pervert? Surprised, Kyle also raised both hands and clapped them.
"What are you talking about? That was the dress you were already wearing when I woke up from being startled by a person next to me."
"Then who changed my clothes? You two are uncultured!"
Nobles seemed to be sensitive to the word 'culture.' I glared at Benji and Kyle as they looked at each other, shaking their heads.
Wait, forget clothes. Why is my hair silver?
The moment I fell into thought and stopped making a fuss, Benji made a beeline to the door before he turned around again.
"Your Highness."
"What."
"Are you going to keep her tied up in the bedroom? I can't leave you alone with someone who's suspicious and dangerous in many ways,"
"It's okay, Benji. I won't get stepped on as you did."
At Kyle's words mixed with laughter, Benji tightly shut his mouth.
"Still, she's a spy; aren't you too relaxed?"
Kyle turned to look at Benji with a face full of laughter.
"It's fun that she came to kill me, saying that she loves me."
"You don't believe me! I love you, and I'm willing to bet my life on it! I, uh, love, uh... I'm so excited I can't even speak, Your Highness! If I could take out my heart and show you, I would!"
Ignoring my desperate plea, Kyle pushed Benji outside.
In the quiet hallway, I heard Kyle's soft murmur, but it was not clear what he was ordering Benji to do. After Benji left, Kyle collapsed on the long sofa with tired eyes.
He is so sexy.
"Hey, Kyle."
"...I clearly told you that you can't address royalty with anything other than their title earlier. Sigh, where did you come from that you don't even know basic manners? I should've cut your throat earlier. Are you a commoner?"
"Well, I don't think so."
I hesitated and approached him with hesitant small steps that I made with my knees, moving closer bit by bit.
"Your Highness, could you show me a mirror?"
"What?"
One of Kyle's eyebrows rose in surprise.
But I was in a hurry too. I had to look in the mirror. The change in my hair color was strange, even if my clothes were not. It needed to be confirmed.
"How dare you make such a request of me."
"No, wait, just a moment. Your, Your Highness Kyle. That's not it; I'm tied up right now. Both my hands and feet are."
I even showed him my hands and feet for emphasis, but he just looked at me without moving.
"Then tell me where the mirror is, and I'll go check it myself. Or you could untie me."
Kyle sighed heavily at my urgent voice.
"I can't just untie someone I don't even know."
He walked towards me with his long legs and squatted in front of me. Then, as if I weighed nothing, he lifted me up and walked briskly forward. I tried thinking about something else in my head, afraid that my heart was beating too fast and would give me away.
Repeat the multiplication tables, recite the multiplication tables... 7 times 8 is 56. 8 times 8 is 64. Eight. Eight... Kyle has great biceps. Hmm, he smells nice...
No, don't do it; you can't. If you sniffle like that while being too close, he'll find out you're a pervert, so don't do it.
"Why are you rolling your eyes and flaring your nostrils? Are you casting some sort of spell?"
Due to Kyle's careful scrutiny, I was taken out of my stupor. There seemed to be a hint of fear seeping into his voice.
What the hell does he think of me?
"I have a habit of rolling my eyes a little when I'm thinking of something else. I can't believe you think that way. You're destroying my dreams completely."
"You blush and say you love me, but when you're in my arms, you think about something else?"
"Well, Your Highness is treating the woman who confessed her love as a sorceress!"
"Your temperament has been quite fiery since earlier. Even if you lost your memories, I don't think you were a noble lady."
His smiling face was as beautiful as a flower; it made me lose the ability to argue back.
This is driving me crazy. Why do I lose my mind just looking at his face? I should change my name from Kim Geum-ja to Kim Can't-Control-Myself-When-I-See-Someone-With-Good-Looks. Heat started to rise all over my body. Damn it. What if I start to smell sweaty? Kyle's face was somewhere between indifferent and cold, as if he knew nothing about my thoughts. You bastard. Be less good-looking. I feel like my whole body is in a water park right now.
Kyle, who was still holding me, walked across the spacious bedroom and placed me in front of a full-length mirror in the corner of the room.
A strange woman with long silver hair who had a bit of her right side bangs cut was looking back at me in surprise.
...Is that me?
