APPARENTLY Yuki fell into a spring near a castle. The castle looked like one found in Europe, and certainly not anywhere in Japan. The architecture itself was entirely different from Japanese architecture.
The handsome man entered the front gates without slowing. The armored guards didn’t stop him. Yuki’s face was hidden by under his cloak, so she couldn’t see too well. Several people asked him who she was, to which he merely answered, “A guest,” and continued walking without further questioning.
Is he actually someone of a high rank? Everyone who spoke to the handsome man acted deferential, showing a level of courtesy beyond even Japan’s formality standards.
What if he’s something like a prince? Now wouldn’t that feel like I just stepped into a novel? Yuki laughed quietly to herself.
✦ ✦ ✦
HOW long had he been pulling her by the hand for? They had passed a multitude of servants in odd clothing, guards decked out in armor, and that was just the people. Paintings of battles and foreign scenery, banners with odd designs, and architecture she had only ever seen in western buildings all fought for her attention as she peeked out of her cloak at what they were walking by.
By the time she realized how far they had traveled down the winding corridors, Yuki was led into a spacious room surrounded by several servants who silently moved to strip her clothing. She was so startled by their actions—especially when they started dressing her in a light-blue frilly dress—that she was left in an unresisting daze.
“You look splendid in this dress,” one of the servants praised, the rest nodding in satisfaction.
Yuki didn’t have long to consider the whole being stripped and dressed by strangers incident before someone knocked on the door. She turned around to see the handsome young man from earlier standing in the doorway.
“My, Prince Luca. Look at this lovely young lady. Is she not the most adorable little girl you have ever seen?” asked the oldest servant.
Prince…Luca? So he really was a Prince and someone of rank. Yuki hesitantly peered up at him. She fidgeted, as he silently looked her over. The maids filed out of the room, the oldest whispering something in Luca’s ear before she left.
Luca nodded as if confirming something before turning to Yuki, “I’m sorry, but I had the clothes you were wearing disposed of. They were soaked and oddly conspicuous. In return, I will supply you with as much clothing as you like.”
“Huh? Th-Thanks.” Embarrassed, Yuki cast down her eyes. He gently lifted her chin. Due to their height difference, Luca bent down so his face was closer to hers.
H-He lifted my chin! The man the servants called a prince just did something very prince-like by Yuki’s standards, causing her to panic and avert her eyes.
“…You are…”
“Please excuse me!”
The door burst open. The hand propping Yuki’s chin up quickly pulled away with the sound of the door. Shocked, she glanced toward the door where a slender young man with indigo blue hair and black eyes stood. His face was stiff.
“Prince Orga has summoned you. What exactly did you do this time around?”
Luca sighed. “Brother has sharper ears than I thought.”
The other young man spotted Yuki and glared at her. “What is with this child? Since when did you pick up such a profligate hobby?”
“Just now. It appears Brother has taken an interest in her too,” Luca answered nonchalantly.
The young man with indigo hair sighed at Yuki who was flustered over not having a clue about what was going on.
“Right, I haven’t asked for your name yet,” Luca said to Yuki with the finest smile.
Wow. Yuki was perplexed by the stunning smile she never imagined he could make after how curt he was when they first met.
“My name is Luca. And you are?”
“Y-Yuki.”
“Yuki, eh? What a strange name. Where is your home?” Luca crouched until his eyes were level with hers.
He’s treating me like a child, Yuki thought, but she was relieved by how friendly he treated her because of it.
“I don’t know where my home is. Before I knew it, I was where you found me.”
Beautiful blue eyes the color of the shallow coral oceans off Hawaii’s coast were gazing at Yuki.
Ah, these are the eyes of someone trying to determine whether I’m lying or not. It’s unpleasant he’s looking at me this way, but I guess it’s inevitable for him not to trust someone saying something that sounds made up. Yuki sighed internally.
“Prince Luca,” the other young man cautioned.
“I’ll go now.” Luca stood and offered his hand to Yuki. “Now then, shall we go meet a scary man?”
Clueless about everything, Yuki nodded—contemplating whether she just encountered someone with a split personality.