"May I have the honor of taking your hand, Your Highness?"

WAAAAAAAHHH!!

WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?!

BADUMP!

BADUMP BADUMP!

My heart is pounding so fast I can barely breathe.

Eris just now… she was unbelievable!

"E-Eris! When did you learn to say stuff like that?!" Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novel{f}ire.net

"Hehe," she replies with that smug little grin. "I actually read a few books."

That makes my heart squeak even harder.

"A-alright. Y-you may…" I murmur, cheeks burning, as I gently place my hand in hers.

Eris leans in and places a soft kiss on the back of my glove. Her movement is so precise, so graceful, like she's rehearsed it a hundred times. Her shoulders squared, head dipped just the right amount. Even her tail lifts behind her at the perfect 45-degree angle, curling slightly at the tip.

She's not just playing around.

She's doing it properly.

Damn…

She really did study royal etiquette!

But then… Suddenly…

Something stirs inside me. My body tenses. I freeze.

"Wait…"

What is this feeling?

Ugh…

My chest tightens with a strange, almost painful pressure. A deep, poignant ache.

Eris notices instantly.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. It's just… this feels so familiar. Like… déjà vu."

"Oh… you mean… Morvena and Alter?"

My eyes widen in realization.

Right!

I shake my head slowly, remembering.

Morvena used to do the exact same thing to Alter, bowing down, kissing her hand with devotion. She was Alter's royal knight, after all.

And since I inherited fragments of Alter's memory… of course this moment would trigger something.

Eris gently pulls me closer. Her voice softens, warm and full of quiet curiosity.

"Now that I think about it… did Alter really look like you?"

"Nn." I nod slowly, but then I pause and tilt my head.

"Well… not exactly, though."

Eris blinks. "What do you mean?"

"Well, even though Alter and I technically share the same body… there are still a few noticeable differences."

"Like what?" she asks, genuinely curious.

I puff my cheeks, then start ticking off points on my fingers.

"First, Alter had bigger boobs."

Eris raises an eyebrow.

"Second, her hair was super long, like down to her ankle! It was always silky and perfect, too."

"And third… she was taller! Like, a whole head taller! She had this elegant, graceful posture that made her look like some sort of noble queen."

"Oooh, I see…" Eris hums, clearly picturing it in her head.

"Yeah… she was basically the high-spec version of me," I mumble, pouting a little. "The original model, while I'm just the tiny sidekick copy."

"Nah, I don't believe that," Eris says firmly, wrapping her arms around me. "I like you better. I love how cute and warm and you you are."

I glance at her skeptically. "Nu-uh! I'm serious! Alter was insanely hot—like stupidly hot! If you saw her at her peak, I swear, your jaw would hit the floor and you'd forget all about me!"

Eris lets out a soft chuckle. "No chance. You're already my favorite."

"Haizz…" I sigh dramatically, slumping a little in her arms.

But then, another thought flashes through my mind like a lightbulb turning on.

"Oh wait! Maybe if I train super hard, eat right, and get enough sleep, I'll start catching up! I might even grow taller! And maybe… get a bigger chest too!"

Eris's eyes widen with excitement mirroring mine.

"Oh yeah! You can totally do it!"

I twirl a strand of my hair between my fingers, suddenly curious.

"Actually… if I let my hair grow long, I'll probably look a lot more like Alter. What do you think, Eris? Should I grow it out?"

Eris taps a finger to her chin.

"Hmmm… honestly? I love your short hair. It suits you so well, it's cute and playful. But still…"

Her smile turns a little mischievous.

"Felicia with long hair? Hell yeah! I'd love to see that! I'm super curious what you'd look like with it."

I grin.

"Then I'll grow it out! I'll try all kinds of styles, maybe wavy or curly, and I'll even dye it!"

"Hey, hey! Don't dye your hair!"

"Eeeeh?"

I blink in surprise.

"You… don't want me to dye it?"

She gently brushes a strand behind my ear.

"Absolutely not! I love your hair just the way it is. Your eye color too. They're both perfect."

Her voice softens.

Then she leans in and presses her lips to mine, slow and tender.

And once again… I just melt into her kiss.

…

Five minutes later…

Pwaaahhh!

I finally pull back from Eris's lips, gasping for air like I just surfaced from underwater.

"A-Alright, that's enough kissing for now! Let's go already!" I wheeze, pressing a hand to my chest.

"Yup!" Eris grins.

Then, before I can even blink, she scoops me up bridal-style again and leaps right out the window again.

Thud.

We land softly on the garden path, her boots barely making a sound on the stone tiles.

I burst out laughing, my arms still looped around her neck.

"Ehhh?! You really love doing that, don't you?"

"It's faster," she replies smoothly, like this is the most normal thing ever.

"Well… I can't argue with that!"

She gently sets me down, and the tap of my heels on the cobblestones echoes faintly in the evening air.

But then, something pops into my mind.

"Wait a sec—Eris! Earlier, what were you writing at the table?"

I spin toward her, eyes wide.

I got so carried away with the dress, the flirting, and the whole princess thing that I completely forgot to ask!

"Oh, that?" she says casually. "It was a love letter."

"W-WHAAT?!"

I almost trip over myself.

So I was right?! It really was a love letter?! A real, handwritten love letter?!

"R-r-really?!" I ask, blushing hard, my heart skipping all over the place.

But then I notice it—

The subtle narrowing of Eris's eyes…

The slow, smug sway of her tail behind her…

I narrow my eyes right back. "Eris! You're tricking me again, aren't you?!"

"Whaaat? How'd you know?"

"Come on! I've been with you long enough to spot the signs!"

"NO WAY!"

Yup. I've figured it out.

Eris's tells are obvious now. Her tail always sways like that and her eyes go all sneaky whenever she's scheming something!

"Tch. I thought I could fool you again."

"Not this time!" I declare proudly, crossing my arms. "Now spill it, what were you really writing?"

"Hehehe… it's a secret."

"Uuuuugh! Another secret?!"

"Yup! I'll tell you tomorrow," she sings, spinning away from me like a teasing cat.

"Nuuuuu! Tell me nowwww!"

I grab her sleeve and shake it, pouting with full dramatic effect.

But of course, being Eris, she refuses to give in. No matter how much I whine or beg, she stays tight-lipped, giggling all the while.

"Fiiine…" I sigh with exaggerated defeat, shoulders slumping as I give up.

We then end up strolling through the dusky garden together, side by side.

The crimson sky above bathes the flowers in warm, rosy light. The soft hum of magic in the air makes everything feel a little dreamlike.

We then talk about random things, about silly stuff, funny stories, future plans, anything and everything, enjoying time together.

I even tell her a little bit more about my old world, about Earth. As my soul has recovered, some of the lost memories are now back and I can finally remember my anime catgirl waifus!

Holy shit… I can't believe it…

Sheol actually devoured those precious memories of mine, making them temporary disappeared!

Anyways, dinner's served around 7, and I devour another wyvern egg.

And after that, of course, we have some hot sex again until late night.