After Princess Bastia drags me around the castle and shows her true colors, I look at her dumbfounded. "Let me get this straight, Princess Bastia, you want me to pose as you. The princess who models grace, purity, and all things feminine. Then, you will be the guard your father told me to be?" I ask her, tilting my head.

"Yes! You are exactly right!" She sighs.

"How about what the Queen and King said?! You are getting married, as a princess, you should learn how to compose yourself!" I exclaim, following her down the garden path. The flower's aroma wafts in the air. Birds and bees fly freely and joyfully minding their animalistic businesses.

Bastia stops in her tracks. She looks at the ground, frowning." All my life, I have been controlled by what my parents want me to be. The perfect princess of Terran."

Her eyes look up at the sky as she continues to speak. "I have dreamt to be a knight since childhood to get out of the world of judgment. Just because I am a female, doesn't mean I can't be a guard."

She then turns to me. "For my final wish before my marriage, please take me to the market square. I have not been there at all. Please, just this once..."

I sigh. I give up. "Fine, princess. As you wish."

She shrieks happily. "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Come to my room! My maids will dress you up like me! The beloved kingdom's precious jewel!"

She drags me again to her room. What have I done to myself?

-🏙-

Princess Bastia opens her closet and throws me a cream-colored dress. "We look similar enough. We have curly brown hair, greenish eyes, and a marvelous fair complexion." She grins.

I can't believe it. The princess is the epitome of girly and frilly. Now she acts differently behind closed doors! I turn to servants who already accept their brash princess. The royal family must be oblivious!

Princess Bastia assesses my figure. "Maybe if you take a hot bath and remove all the grime, you will look as perfect as me!" She squeals.

I gently place the dress on her queen-sized purple bed. "Listen, we both cannot travel in the marketplace for too long. I need to travel back to my world."

She raises a brow. I catch her perplexed gaze and clear my throat. "I mean, my home. My family needs me."

"Oh, okay... Well..." She pouts and waves her hand dismissively. "I promise it won't take long. Besides, I will let you choose things to send home to your family. Now off you go and take a bath!"

How pushy...

Two handmaidens rush me off into the bath. "Umm... Wait!" I exclaim, but all my pleas fall on deaf ears.

An hour later, I wear the cream-colored dress the princess threw at me, matching heels, and sparkly stud earrings. The maids straighten and style my hair with fresh flowers to perfection. Looking at my reflection, the person staring back is different from the one I see in my Earthly mirror.

Princess Bastia came back wearing a suit of armor. "Yup! Father won't notice the difference! Say, are you, my twin, from a different mother?" She smirks happily.

I gulp. Traveling through my dreams, I see a complete photocopy of me in a peculiar case. Weirdly, even events coincide, but in the context of the dream's world.

"I believe looking alike is just a coincidence!" I exclaim. "The King doesn't have any other partners except for your mom anyway."

She hums and shrugs. "I am just joking. I believe you. Let's go! I want to see the village!" She jumps like a happy toddler. The armor clunks loudly as she puts on a helmet.

Walking out of the castle and to the bustling market becomes the princess's journey. Merchants shout in foreign languages about exotic products. Street performers energize the children, causing rounds of pure high-pitch happiness. An air of excitement fills my lungs as I observe my surroundings.

This place differs from my dull world where everything is simply perfect. Everything is gentle and plain. Everything is suspicious.

Princess Bastia giggles underneath her metal mask. "I can't believe I am outside! My father will kill me if he finds out, but this is all worth it!" The princess exclaims under her clanking armor. Her hand resides on her sword's hilt.

I wrap a shawl on my face like a mask as my eyes scan my surroundings. In my peripheral vision, someone in a black hood and suspicious runs to an alleyway quickly. "I'll be right back, princess," I whisper to her. "I need to check out something."

I walk to the narrow alleyway. The sun shines straight down on the world, but it doesn't reach the dark crooked alleyway. I tiptoe silently behind a box crate as I listen to conversation mumblings.

"Look, I don't know how you will capture the princess's attention! That's not my concern! I just want to have fun!" A guy's voice whispers fiercely.

"We look just like each other! Give me your clothes! That way, I can impress her and you can have fun without getting noticed!" The other whispers back.

They are terrible whisperers. I shake my head shamefully.

I walk a step forward before a soft crunch resonates from my hiding spot. A string of curse words wants to escape my mouth.

"Hey, you twins! What shady business are you hiding back there?!" A feminine armor steps in the alleyway's only entrance and exits.

What the heck is Bastia doing? Does she have a death wish?!

I peek and see the boys look similar, but the prince seems fake to me. The prince wears an open button, green doublet which is unfitting for a prince. The other boy only has a black hood. I see a sliver of his long black leather boots and brown trousers.

The prince nods his head respectfully as his eyes dart around. "Forgive us, but we did nothing wrong. I am conversing with my... distant cousin... About Princess Bastia's arranged marriage." He gestures to the other guy with his head.

I could see Bastia wanting to retch in her armor. She removes her helmet, revealing her sweaty face and helmet hair.

The boy in the hood instantly kneels. "Princess Bastia! I couldn't believe it!" His face flush as he realizes he confesses his hidden feelings without noticing.

Her eyes widen. "No! I'm not the Princess! She is!" Bastia points at where I hide.

I blink repeatedly from my hiding spot. What have you done, you crazy princess?!