Come dinnertime, House Clarke and their attendees gathered in a specially prepared dining hall, where they gave the crown prince the warmest of welcomes. Though Liliana had taken her previous meals in her chambers, on this most important occasion she had no choice but to sit with their guest of honor. Riley was set to leave the next morning, so she would only have to share a table with her family once—which likely explained why, at least on the surface, things seemed relatively peaceful.
Yet you look as uncomfortable as ever, mother.
Still voiceless, Liliana ate in silence, her attention drifting to those around her. As expected, Riley’s sociable smile never wavered. Her father wore one as well, though faint cracks showed through the masks her brother and mother struggled to maintain. Her mother, especially, was painfully transparent; her attempts to keep Liliana out of sight made her behavior seem unnatural.
Every now and then, Clyde shot his sister a look of concern. Liliana appreciated the sentiment but wished he would leave her be.
As a future heir, he really needs to learn subtlety. He was a little tougher in the game—will something happen to change him over the next seven years?
She had kept her guard up around him the night before, but now she saw little reason to. Thinking about it calmly, she doubted he had any hidden motives. He wasn’t even trying to disguise his worry—not even in their mother’s presence. If anything, it was more apparent than before.
Surely something was going to harden Clyde into the young man Liliana remembered from the game, but she couldn’t recall what. Perhaps it had never been mentioned in any of the related materials to begin with.
Clyde had debuted in the game as a student, receiving the education required of the next head of the family. He had inherited the title during a time of great tension with one of Slivegrandia’s neighbors and faced many challenges as a young duke—but he had been accustomed to scheming even before then.
This doesn’t sound much like the setting of an otome game, does it?
The game hadn’t really taken place in a school, a dungeon, or a magnificent palace. There were palaces, of course—with balls and other grand events to match—but they existed more on the periphery. The setting and story had been created with remarkable attention to detail, and the developers eventually released guides and other supplementary materials to satisfy the fans’ curiosity. Hardcore fans had even read between the lines of interviews to speculate about the world of the game, writing all manner of articles and theories about it.
“Lady Liliana,” Riley said as the desserts were brought in. She looked up, their eyes meeting. “Would you care to show me around the courtyard after this?”
Liliana glanced at her father, who gave a solemn nod.
“Show His Highness around,” the duke said, his face betraying no emotion. “You will be perfectly safe within the estate’s bounds, but take a few escorts with you, just in case.”
“I appreciate your consideration, but my own escorts should suffice,” the crown prince interjected, politely declining.
Abram’s eyebrow twitched, though he showed no sign of offense—much to Liliana’s relief. “Very well. But should you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.”
Liliana smiled in acknowledgment. Now that her father had granted permission, she had no choice but to acquiesce. In the blink of an eye, her original goal of keeping distance from the game’s romanceable heroes felt even more unattainable.