Chapter 6

Hello, this is Ekaterina-sensei, coming back to you.

Today was a beautiful day. The blue sky was clear, with only the clouds moving slowly at a lazy pace. It was a relaxing sight, and I could feel the lack of pollution in the air as I filled my lungs with all the oxygen I could.

I'm outside! And the scenery is beautiful! I'll describe it here, okay? Okay?! Okay?!:

…In a vibrant green grassland that stretched endlessly to the north and was only interrupted by large, strangely shaped rocks and a forest of towering trees, there was a giant cliff that stretched like a circle for more than 20 meters.

In the hollow of the cliffs was a gigantic doughnut-shaped wall of magic steel, and within it stood a magnificent white palace with flags fluttering gallantly in the cold wind. The wall had a large open double door, through which servants entered and exited from time to time.

Next to the wall was a small lake that flowed from three small waterfalls that emerged from the cliffs. From the lake flowed a ten-meter-wide river in a northwesterly direction.

The cold mist created by the water as it touched the surface of the lake floated, carried by the wind, towards the shore, giving a sensation of freshness….

So, what's it like? Isn't it beautiful?

Of course it is! This world is on a different level than the game! Did you know that? It's amazing to see how one of its environments looks so real, with insects and other animals that didn't exist in the game walking around!

Ah, where exactly am I in all this? Well... I'm on the shore of a lake, where a giant umbrella shades two tables covered with pristine white cloths, adorned with a colorful floral print!

One of them was bigger and the other smaller.

I'm in the big one, by the way.

On the tables were white porcelain teacups with the same floral pattern, a large and small teapot of the same material and decoration for each table, and plates with various types of cookies and cakes.

This teahouse-like scene on the terrace was a tea party for six people. There were six of us—Claudia, some girls, my mother, and me—enjoying afternoon tea while various gentlemen and servants ran around, transmitting and executing orders.

As if it were nothing to their mind, one of the tea party guests, Mimina-chan, the daughter of a marquis in a beautiful blue dress, put her empty cup aside and Runia-san, her personal maid, poured tea from a small teapot into the cup.

Then, Mimina-chan took a sip of tea while making an elegant ladylike gesture as best she could while looking at a blonde, blue-eyed girl, Claudia.

—Ah... Wasn't this tea really delicious, Claudia-sama? (Mimina-chan)

The girl with pink hair and slightly red eyes elegantly removed her cup of tea from her lips and asked Claudia's opinion, who presided over that small table full of tea and cookies.

“Yes, it’s really delicious, Minima-sama. I’m very happy with your choice of tea.” (Claudia)

Claudia, who was dipping her biscuit into the sweet fruit tea, gently praised Mimina-chan's ingenuity in preparing the tea mixture. She was also trying to act elegantly with some success... Looks like her etiquette studies are going well!

“No, no, no, it was thanks to Claudia-sama’s kindness that she was able to participate in this happy occasion, Hohohohohoh.” (Mimina-chan)

Mimina-chan laughed a long, typical Ojou-sama laugh while placing her hand in front of her mouth with her eyes closed for some reason. If you think you look elegant doing that, you're sorely mistaken, Mimina-chan.

"Don't Tierka-sama and Marisa-sama agree too?" (Mimina-chan)

Mimina-chan asked Tierka-chan, the daughter of an earl with long blue hair, and Chinira-tan, the daughter of a viscount with short snow-white hair, who were drinking their teas with happy faces... so beautiful.

"I couldn't agree more, Mimina-sama, jojojojo." (Tierka)

Tierka-chan also laughs like a fake Ojou-sama despite being a real Ojou and Mimina-chan also joined in that fake laughter.

“Hohohohohoho” (Mimina-chan y Tierka-chan)

And to think that I did the same thing in the past, even if it was only in my thoughts... (Shivers!)

"Um... me too... I... ho..." (Chinira-tan)

Chinira-tan seems to want to participate in this absurdity, but she seems too shy and self-conscious about the silliness to do it properly. Don't worry, you're fine like this... Seriously! Don't do it!

“What do you think, Ekaterina-sama, hmm?” (Mimin-chan)

Finally, Mimina-chan politely asks me who was devouring the meager population of cookies on the large table next to my mother while I watched her nonsense blankly with stuffed cheeks and left desolate plates in my wake.

It seems he can't completely ignore me since I'm the Duke's favorite daughter. (We all know that, Father!), and it would look bad if he ignored her... hmm.

“…..What’s with the strange way of referring to each other and those fake elegant gestures…?” That was what I asked with a monotonous voice that came out of me since I transmigrated after swallowing in response to her.

—Oh... don't worry about that, Ekaterina-sama. If you'll excuse me...

However, Mimina-chan didn't seem to mind my frank question, but I'm sure she smiled 'cutely' to hide her embarrassment as she answered and... continued talking to the others in a fake-ojou speech style, even though they are real noble girls...

Sometimes you could hear 'hohoho' all around the table, from here to there.

I simply sipped my tea while shrugging at the ridiculous behavior of these ladies.

Well, even though I said ridiculous, they were just cute little girls imitating adults, so I also kind of thought it was adorable and heartwarming, especially seeing so much innocence currently in the future villain's entourage (if they're still going to be villains, I hope not).

“Ekaterina, how does the tea taste?”

“Delicious, Mom”

"I'm glad to hear it. Do your cookies really taste that good?" she asked as they looked at me happily. She didn't seem to have any intention of scolding me for my lack of elegance.

“Yes,” I nodded as I continued happily eating the cute bunny-shaped cookies with a look of delight (which was barely noticeable).

You might be wondering... what's going on here? Why did we suddenly start drinking tea outside our palace instead of in its gardens? And where did these noble girls come from?

Well, to sum it up...

A few hours after breakfast with carrot cake, my mother, I, Claudia, and her friends who had come to visit to chat, suddenly decided to spend some time together drinking tea by the lake outside the palace walls, accompanied by knights for our protection and servants to look after us, of course.

Did I summarize it too much? Well, never mind.

Huh? Father? Hmmm... Father was currently working on the mountain of paperwork that had accumulated while he was with Mom and me, so he couldn't join us.

I feel sorry for him... being a duke isn't easy. Especially if you have to fight demons more often.

Although my fate could be worse if I'm on my way to becoming the future heroine of the empire... Haaaa.

Still, I put those thoughts aside and enjoyed this beautiful, albeit somewhat chilly, day while enjoying these delicious cookies and this well-brewed tea, which is very different from the trashy tea my stupid little sister made when she forced me to try tea, which she did for the first time in her life.

I threw it up along with everything I ate… it was horrible… It was horrible…!

That aside, my mom really does look elegant drinking tea.

She gracefully held the small teacup while sitting upright, her back completely untouched by the chair, scooping out the purgative like in those mangas I read, and sipping from it slowly and unhurriedly, finishing with a light, graceful smile that enhanced her beauty to the fullest.

Mireia Sophrein from Dranalian

How beautiful… she's very different from my sister and her friends, I want to be like her… Especially, I also want to similarly develop two meat bags as elegant as those in the future… I resemble her physically speaking, so maybe…

No! Why do I think that? I shouldn't want big breasts! (Alarmed!)

"Ekaterina... Are you okay? You seem a little scared..." my mother called worriedly, and I shook my head with a smile, assuring her that I was fine as she went back to drinking my tea as gracefully as she could.

It was a success! (I think so!)

“Fufufu…my little one looks so cute imitating me.”

Mom laughed happily as she looked at me, her words making me blush in embarrassment.

…I admit I was imitating her, but that's normal, okay?

After all, she is the epitome of a lady right now!

On my lap, a little furry one was fidgeting while curled up, his adorable black nose continuously sniffing around while he looked with his cute and precious red eyes wide open at everything around him.

Its flesh-colored horn wasn't exactly pointy, but it should be able to do some damage if it set its mind to it. And its long ears twitched animatedly.

His fluffy little tail twitched a little in a cute way, and he occasionally moved his large paws to adjust his position. Two large, tender teeth protruded from his mouth, glistening in the sunlight, and he was super cute.

Yes, it was a horned rabbit, my pet!

There was no way a horned rabbit lover like me wouldn't have one as a pet!

Although Mom made a complicated expression when she saw him in my arms after I took him out of the garden where he was alone for some reason... Although it must be just my imagination.

By the way, his name is Drudi. He's a rabbit with pure silver horns, which is very rare for his species and generally means his magical core is very pure. This little guy has more powerful abilities than other horned rabbits and has great evolutionary potential.

My pet is amazing, you see!

Horned rabbits are the best, but my pet goes all the way!

Cough…sorry.

The love for horned rabbits I inherited from old Ekaterina is undoubtedly powerful. I can't help but love these cute, fluffy little things with all my heart.

Horned bunnies are justice, not lolis!

¡...Those!

“My little one’s birthday is coming up in a few days, and since you miraculously recovered from your illness, your father will no doubt be trying to make the party as grand as possible, so there are lots of good things to look forward to… but I thought you should listen to the birthday girl’s opinion, right?… So tell me, Ekaterina, what theme would you like for your birthday party?”

It was strange; there was a strange sense of expectation and hope in my mother's voice. Why? And Ekaterina's birthday? Would she be surprised if I told her I didn't remember that? But I won't.

Hmmm…an ideal theme for my birthday…there can only be one…

“Something about rabbits with horns!”

I couldn't help it; it would be beautiful. That's how strong my love (obsession) is with horned rabbits, which I inherited from the original Ekaterina.

Plus, they're cuter than real-world bunnies, so I firmly believe they would have been very popular in the real world too, you know?

It's not just my subjective opinion, I tell you!

Hmm? My mom is disappointed for some reason... Why? Why?

It's a mystery...

"A-Are you sure? Nothing else? Something like fairies or slimes..." She raised her hand somewhat uneasily, her lips slightly twitching and her eyebrows trembling.

"No!" I shake my head and toss my hair, smiling slightly.

A dark aura surrounded her with my immediate rejection and I tilted my head in confusion, when suddenly...

<System Alert: A capture target has been detected within the territory of the Dranalian Duchy!>

He blinked at the sudden malicious message from the system, and before he could process it, another one appeared, along with a friendly-looking virtual screen.

<Capture target identified: Arthur the Great von Jairus, future new Count and Archmage of the Hazar Empire>

<System Chain Quest: The Heart of Magic, Part 1 Activated>

<The player must successfully hire the Capture Object Arthur the Great von Jairus as her magical guardian as a means to take her heart for herself within a set time limit>

<Quest completion time: One week. Reward for completion: Identification Function, Assessment Function. Penalty for failure: Flat chest for life. 

<Once you complete the first part of the quest, you will move on to the next quest in the chain>

"Huh?!" I exclaimed aloud, surprised by the horrific punishment, causing the people around me to tremble in fear, but I ignored it in my own confusion and indignation.

What's up with this mission and its punishment!?

Although something like this shouldn't matter to me, who was a man just a day ago, but... but... The idea of ​​being flat-chested forever is too horrible for me! This evil system... don't mess with my future growth!

And why is there suddenly a capture target on my family's territory? Why? Why?

—What's wrong, Ekaterina?!

“¡¿Rina-chan?!”

My mother and Claudia looked at me worriedly as they called me, and the girls and maids looked at me with curiosity, confusion, or concern at my sudden outburst.

I shook off my surprise and anger at the system's sudden mission and its ridiculous punishment for now.

I'll think about it later, for now...(Procrastination!)

Let's settle this first!

“I… I’m sorry, I just saw what looked like a strange giant bird in the clouds and I was surprised…”

I came up with a good excuse... good job, man! I'm also grateful for being a little expressionless right now!

Otherwise it would be easy to know I'm lying!

—A bird in the distance?! —While Mom and the girls blinked in confusion and Cláudia tilted her head at my words, a shout came from a nearby knight with short, gray hair—a summer resident's face—who then looked at the other knights, all of whom had expressions as serious as his own.

“There are no giant birds in these lands… which means… it must be a Wyrven!”

Hey! How did you come to that conclusion?

“To think we wouldn’t notice something like this despite our efforts… We failed our lord!” one knight lamented, ashamed of himself and his squadron (I think?).

H-humm…W-what?

“Mireia-sama, ladies, please escort us back to the palace. It’s too dangerous here! We don’t know when the Wyrven will descend from the clouds to attack!”

"Understood." The mother nodded with a serious expression at the respectful and concerned Knight as she and the other girls hurriedly stood up with anxious expressions on their pretty faces, following them back to the high walls.

I was dumbfounded.

What what!?

Hey, was that a petty lie? Why do you take what I said so seriously? What's with this misunderstanding...? I just... I just said giant bird...

A cold sweat ran down my face.

"Ekaterina, what are you doing? Come on, get up..." My mother took my hand and helped me get down from the chair with a worried expression.

"Y-yes...I'm coming"

I didn't think a small lie would cause such a scandal when I saw the masters acting serious and worried and the servants with a hurried step filling and coming from here to there, carrying things back...

The tension in the air was intense…

At this point… saying anything could end with me digging my own grave… let's just be silent… haha… I whispered that to Drudi too, who seemed to be squinting at me…

I won't say much about the matter, except that "The little princess of Dranalian, Ekaterina Sophrein von Dranalian, sighted a Wyrven in the middle of afternoon tea with the Duchess and other noble daughters; the Duke's knights make a fuss, preparing for the worst" was a long news headline that made me feel very embarrassed when I saw it...