I was looking through the otome game file from the computer in the Mindscape, harried and disheveled.

"Why are you so anxious and looking at that alien device?" Black asked, "Is it because of the party tomorrow?"

Indeed a week has passed since that pranklooza and the party was going to start very soon once I wake up.

Yet, as Lia, Ezmia and I exchanged looks, we knew the real reason for my anxiety...

***

A few events emerged clearly from my mind. One day after a stroll through the forest just for fresh air, I went back to the castle, only to meet Venice and her goons.

She was not unlike Suza when faced with a rival, although more petty bitch than a yandere. That doesn't make it any less dangerous or annoying.

"Hey, what did you do? Roll around the mud like a pig?" She asked as a hello.

My dress was dirty but whose isn't after walking around the forest.

Low base insults... the basic villainess thing. The point is to ignore them, so I did. It was easier.

"Hey, why are you ignoring me? Are you dumb and uncouth?" Venice kept going on. A real low class villainess, unless she was planning my demise soon enough. But those villains just brood at you with an evil smirk on their faces and eyes that said, 'You are dead, and never coming back.'

Venice had no such thing so I could treat her as such.

"Good morning, Venice-san, you look lovely but I need to go now, so if you'll excuse me," I said politely.

"Are you messing with us?" One of Venice's goon demanded.

"What? What did you expect me to do?" I asked point blank.

"Aren't you angry?" Another one of them asked.

"Should I be?" I asked.

"Why don't you hang out with us if you are not angry us? It will certainly be entertaining," Venice said, sudden idea. The others had sickening smiles.

I'm no masochist so I said, "Thanks, but no thanks."

They started grouping around me.

"Oh come on, its not going to be that bad," a lackey said.

"You know the definition of fun, right?" Another said.

Venice was getting still closer to me until she was up to my face.

"You think you can reject us because you are the prince's betroth and the royals' friends, but let me tell you something: you won't be looking down at us, we will be looking down at you because soon, very soon, you are going to get it."

A flimsy threat or a blackmail promise?

"So come on, hang out with us and feel what's it like to not be the arrogant, stuck-up-"

"What's going on here?" A mild but firm voice asked. 

Everyone backed away and I can see the voice  came from Greg Oslo.

"Aii, it's Prince Greg!" Everyone bowed hastily, including me.

I wanted to make my retreat right here and now. I just have a bad feeling, but Greg clamped his hand on my shoulder and asked, "Is there any problems?"

"No, none, Greg-sama!" A lackey replied hastily but Venice looked thoughtful.

Then she said, "Yes, there's no problem. We were just hanging out with Aurora-chan and she was so rude rejecting us!" Fake tears came from her eyes. Real low class. Doesn't even hold a candle to Suza, who thank God is now my friend... I think.

"I don't see any evidence of that. In fact it felt like you were threatening her," Greg looked at me but I said nothing. Why add fuel to the fire?

Greg looked askance at me, like why am I not defending myself?

Venice looked triumphant.

"See! She does not say anything because she knows that she was terrible to us. A person like that couldn't possibly be betrothed to Ain-san!"

A lot of people were already at the scene and was gaping. It felt like school...

"If that's what you think, then that's what you think," I shrugged, "But please don't make a scene. That's unbecoming of you, in fact, rude," I emphasised the last word.

"So, please be more aware about it and if you excuse me, I must go. People are waiting for me to plan for the party," I said sweetly.

They all nodded and parted off the sea at my words. Venice looked agape at my clean escape and just furiously walked away.

Greg was still holding my shoulder even as I walked away.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Why didn't you defend yourself? Why let them push you around just now?" Greg demanded.

"I don't want to make too much of a scene. Why add fuel to the fire?" I asked.

"But you have to stand up for yourself..." Greg said.

"I don't want to," I said softly, "Life is already hard without making it harder..."

"Well, I can relate to that," Greg said finally.

"Of course you would," I said softy, "Aren't our loved ones filled with too much expectations and pressures for us that sometimes we just want to be... free... just for a little while?" I was speaking a few thoughts aloud.

Greg was inching closer, "I could understand that."

"Yes, and why should I let anyone stand in the way of that? Let haters hate so I can live my own life," my thoughts were free flowing, but it felt good to let them out at the moment.

"Yes..." he was inching still closer, so close that-

"Hey!"

We whipped around and it was Nate incensed.

"What did you think you were doing?!" That was aimed to Greg.

"Nothing! Of course, nothing! She's already betrothed!" Greg shouted defensively.

Then, why were you blushing?

Nate didn't hit that point but he was madly glaring at his brother, "Sure..." Nate just said disbelievingly, then turned on me, "Your presence is required by the Queen about party preparations."

"Oh, dang it! I really gotta go, see you all," but Nate caught my wrist and I looked beseechingly, I really needed to hurry.

"One question: What did Greg do?"

"Nothing, he showed up when Venice was in the way and just talked in my defense," I shrugged.

Then, Nate let go with mutter of, "Always a gentleman." Greg heard that and just looked at his brother.

As I ran off, I heard a part of their conversation, "Don't you forget that she's betrothed," That was Nate.

"Don't you forget," That was Greg. Then, I heard no more. It was like both knew what they were thinking and both were... warning each other... of what? But it has to do something with me.

Anyway, it wasn't two days later that I really figured what's going on.

I finally finished a damn party preparation that day and was talking with Milan. Although she liked Alex and I was in her way for most of the part during the last year, she was still a good friend of my part. A good heroine... no knowing why she's a rival.

While we were talking, we met a few fairies, not Venice, thank God, but they were smiling unpleasantly at Milan that it was still no good news.

Milan sighed and started to wince as the group approached them.

"Hey, Milan-chan," said an older fairy girl, "Aurora-chan," she nodded at me, her lip curling like I was fresh meat.

"What do you want, Cara-san?" Milan asked warily.

She put her hand over heart like she was stunned at the wariness but her eyes only bore maliciousness. Jerks everywhere.

"Oh, I just wanted you to know some rumours..."

Rumours? What rumours? But I didn't say anything and neither did Milan.

"Like, someone fell in love with a demon," she was looking at Milan who slightly paled, "and to get rid of the person he fell in love with, she hooked her up to someone important. Sounds familiar?" Cara's eyebrows rose quizzically.

"So?" Milan asked, composed, I'll give her that. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"We figured we solve this rumour. Maybe whoever hooked the rival up with that important person bewitched them or someone who made the decisions..." Cara said, "Would it be great if we confronted the higher ups with this news?"

"It's rumours. I would take them with a pinch of salt. So would the higher ups," Milan said with a sweet smile.

"Oh," Cara said, "And what if we have proof?"

Milan shrugged, she was acting cool and happy. The villainess with a heroine personality but also a hypocrite. And hypocrites can hide themselves really well...

Milan might be a threat by otome settings...

"Well, Aurora-chan," Cara seemed to deal with me now that going through Milan is useless, "What if I tell you that the girl was Milan whose in love with a demon friend of yours... Alex? And might bewitched the Queen herself to start the betrothal for you and Ain?"

I would like to say that I defended Milan, that I didn't believe a word of this. Wrong.

In fact, this squared with what the otome game said of the two faced heroine personality rival, Milan.

Alex being the love object as she admitted and me hanging out too much with him for her own liking, using any way to get him while remaining the sweet innocent facade... or is it a facade?

Not a yandere as she didn't PSTD me but a true hypocrite.

"Woah!" The two fairies with Cara shouted out.

Confetti shot out of nowhere with a pretty scary face that shouted "Boo!".

Everyone else screamed too but I had tears in my eyes for laughter.

"This is hilarious," I said. I appreciated every joke there is.

"Hey," Someone said casually. It was Nate.

"Did you do this?" A fairy asked accusingly.

"Nah," But a look to me and his eyes betrayed the total opposite, "But I love a good laugh."

"Yeah," I said, "It's a classic."

"What's going on?" That was Greg who was coming from the corridor.

"More witnesses," Cara said, "Great!"

"Witnesses to what?" Nate and Greg asked together, then looked at each other and away.

"Did you know that Milan bewitched the Queen to betroth both Aurora-chan and Ain-san so that she could steal a simple demon boy?" Cara's smirk grew wider.

"Alex's not simple!" Milan said, then blushed and stopped.

Greg and Nate didn't seem to hear her as they both had a shocked look on their faces and then burst out laughing.

"Milan? Love Alex? Bewitched the Queen?" Nate said between wheezes.

"Milan is the most pure hearted person I know. This is all crazy stuff," Greg added.

Cara frowned, "And what if I have proof?"

"You faked it," Greg said, "Milan could never do that. I won't let you badmouth a friend."

Milan smiled at Greg and she said, "Thank you, Greg," as Greg patted her head in return.

I finally said something, "I don't know what's your deal with Milan but this is kinda far. No matter what she does, she's still my friend, and as a friend, I am obligated to defend her. So back off," I said and I meant it. Also, it's good to be closer to the main characters to prevent cataclysms.

Milan looked at me appreciatively, even I couldn't see whether it was genuine or whether she was smirking inside. Nate and Greg, meanwhile,looked at me with approval and... desire.

Damn the power of otome settings and being a reincarnated protagonist. Like the men can't get enough of me. And trouble always finds me.

I need to do something, spotting the problem too late. Milan, Nate, Greg... Why?!

How do I get out of this?

"Woah," Milan said, and suddenly she fell on top of Greg, kissing him!

Bingo! Matchmaking time!

Nate pulled Greg from her, looking abashed, "What was that about?"

"I really don't know!" Both Milan and Greg said at the same time, but they were both exploring their lips.

"Sorry," Greg said to Milan, "It was an accident."

"I know..." Milan said, looking inquisitively at Greg.

"You would be perfect together," Nate muttered under his breath as he approached me.

"WHAT?!" Greg and Milan said. I laughed.

But I could see Greg side eyeing Milan and Milan looking very unsure.

"Well," I shrugged at them, "Just follow your heart and instincts, right? Just be sure to make the right choice," I winked at them.

Nate was at that point wrapping his arm around my shoulder, but I shrugged him off. "And what are you doing?"

"I was just..." but Nate flushed.

"Sorry, I'm not available," I winked at him, "But a good looking man like you could sure find some honeys," I teased. They were all shocked at my behaviour.

I laughed. "I'm just being me, you don't have to look so shock. I know a come on when I see one," I looked at Nate, "which is the last thing I need. Look, you are better than this, you know that," I asked Nate.

"What does that mean?" Nate was suddenly harsh, "That I'm not good enough?" Not good enough as his brother, his biggest fear.

"No, you are better than to hit on another man's betrothed. You are great being yourself and deserved someone better, and these days, you looking at me, I don't deserve it at all. I'm not blind, so let me say, that let's just be friends, please..." and I walked away, to everybody's utter confusion.

I took a gamble and I hope it was worth it.

***

And it's been days after that. I was still stuck with finding as much information as possible. The best I can do is try to grow a bond with Greg and Milan. But Nate?

He still looked at me and I made a point to hang around but as friends, trying as hell to dissuade whatever notions he have from me, choosing all the normal choices I found from the otome game so far. It worked, kinda, because he backed off and seem to be handling on his own. Seem to...

I groaned. Lia looked at me sympathetically. Ezmia shook her head.

"You really do have a knack for trouble," she finally said.

"What the hell is going on? Will you tell me?" It was Black, we forgotten all about him.

We all answered at once.

"I don't trust you enough," I said.

"It's a secret," Lia said.

"The less people know, the better," Ezmia said.

Only mine was a hurtful response, so Black was looking at me mournfully, darkness swirling within his emotions.

"Seriously? It's been months, and I'm still being kept in the dark?" He asked. Although in the Mindscape, he doesn't know anything, about my reincarnation, about the otome game, about my goals. He never pushed it, doing his own thing, but it must be frustrating.

Lia, Ezmia and I snorted.

"What?"

Lia spoke up, "A Dark user, probably the most powerful one, doesn't like being kept in the dark?"

Black said, "No pun intended."

"Whatever," I flapped dismissively and Black was left brooding.

I was massaging my temple, thinking things through.

The party will be soon. I have already planted seeds on Greg and Milan's relationship. For Nate, every time we met, I do my best ability to remain friends while pleasing him. All in the ego and never mention the brother.

Mostly, much as I hate to say it, I'll just have to wing it.

That's when my consciousness was staring to appear.

"Good luck," both Ezmia and Lia said.

And then, I woke up.