Two weeks had passed since I regained my memories of my past life. I had been a citizen of a country called Japan and died in a tragic accident. I had my doubts, but I woke up in the world of that otome game I had despised so much.
To make things worse, I ended up being adopted as the son of the "Ashen Knight," one of the game's antagonists—a villain I had always hated because he was ridiculously hard to defeat.
My days were spent learning to read and write, and whenever I had free time, Jason would take me to the backyard of the small mansion to train with a sword. He wanted to make me his successor, but since my body was still small, he said I needed to build it up and stretch it.
"Alright, that's it for today's two-hour morning training. We'll continue in the afternoon and then again at night."
Since I was just a small child, my body couldn't keep up with his movements. My limbs were short, making large swings impossible, and my lungs and heart couldn't handle the strain.
A beautiful maid in her thirties approached with a first-aid kit to check on me. She had black hair tied in a braid and striking blue eyes hidden behind glasses. Her name was Ange. After confirming I was fine, she gave me a thumbs-up of approval.
"Oh, I forgot—today's afternoon training is canceled."
"A miracle?" I asked curiously.
"You have a playdate, so rest well."
"A playdate? With who?"
A playdate was essentially an invitation to a party, but exclusively for young children. This was common among nobles, as the goal was to form bonds—and possibly future engagement candidates.
Jason left me speechless when he revealed who my playdate was with.
"It's with Their Highnesses, the twin princesses. You should be honored—almost no one gets this privilege."
"The princesses…" Ange murmured under her breath.
(The princesses of the principality are the sworn enemies of the heroine. The reason I was reincarnated into this world was to save them and prevent their ruin.)
(Though the idea of a child with an adult's memories playing with little kids makes me want to call the police.)
◇
When we arrived at the palace, the first person we saw upon entering was a gaunt, lanky man. I suspected he was on mushrooms because I doubted his sickly appearance was due to illness. His name was Count Belkman.
"Ah, here he is—the long-awaited successor of our knight. You should be honored, brat. Not many children, especially some orphan plucked from the garbage, get this privilege."
This guy was the type of boss who loved taking credit for others' achievements. I had to bow my head and force a smile.
"Yes, it's an honor to be here."
As if defending me, Jason replied, "That's because both palace factions are against it. Someone like Alex exists in a gray area. They want the twins to grow up forming bonds with children their age, but too many rotten old men don't understand that kids shouldn't be dragged into politics."
Wait, was he actually defending me? This was the same guy who'd smacked me in the head with a stick not long ago.
To elaborate on what he said:
The late king and queen of the principality had their own faction called "The Peace." They sought to end the conflict between the kingdom and the principality. As the sole survivor, Jason carried out their final wish—to protect the twin princesses.
He's not a bad guy, is he? Too bad he's a bastard who killed me multiple times, forcing me to spam healing potions to beat him.
Count Belkman flinched under Jason's glare before cowardly turning away and hastily leaving. Before he went, he spun around and spat:
"Let me make this clear, Leone. There will be maids watching. If that brat of yours does anything strange to Their Highnesses, you'll be the one paying the consequences!"
I decided to humiliate him for being an idiot.
"I'm a kid. What else are we gonna do besides play?"
Jason stifled a laugh, and the count stormed off, red-faced.
"It's true you're a child, but sometimes you act like an adult—even though you still hate broccoli."
"Because it tastes awful!"
We reached the door where the future villainesses were waiting for me. Jason stopped me and gave me a warning.
"I know I don't need to repeat this, but behave and don't make them cry. They're not like other girls their age—they have special circumstances."
"I understand."
"Good. Good luck."
The door opened, revealing a room exactly like what you'd expect in a nursery—colorful paintings on the walls, maids stationed in every corner to eliminate blind spots, and a massive pile of toys.
In the center, building a block castle, were two beautiful little girls.
This was my first time seeing them in person, but I recognized them from the game—though they were much smaller in reality.
The older sister had a serious expression, as if trying to appear mature, with striking red eyes. The younger sister had a relaxed face and deep blue eyes.
Noticing my presence, the red-eyed girl approached, her younger sister hiding slightly behind her.
"Jason, is this your adopted son? He doesn't look like much."
The older sister, as always, had a sharp tongue. Her attempts to act grown-up were amusing—like watching a baby trying to be serious.
Jason responded while patting her head.
"Princess Annerose, please stop trying to act like an adult. It doesn't suit your tiny self. Behave like a girl your age."
"Gah!"
She swatted his hand away, her anger reminding me of a kitten trying to look intimidating.
"Don't treat me like a child!"
"But you are one. Yesterday, you were excited to finally meet another kid your age."
"Liar!"
Her face turned red, while her younger sister stared at me like I was some strange object.
It was time to introduce myself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness Annerose and Your Highness Rosemary. I am Alex Arlen Leone, the adopted son of this guy."
Jason lightly smacked me for disrespect.
"You're being too formal," Annerose said, returning to her previous stance.
"The reason we agreed to play with you is that Jason said we needed to socialize with kids our age."
"Since you're the only one not tied to any faction, no one sees a problem with you being our playmate. They assume you'll just try to curry favor."
"Those are strong words for a little girl the height of an adult's knee."
"What did you just say?!"
"Oops, slipped out."
"Stop teasing them. Well, I'll take my leave. I'll come back for you when it gets dark."
Jason left, and I was alone with the princesses… and the maids lurking in the background.
"Come on, we need more hands for our castle."
She dragged me toward the block structure.
If anyone saw an adult playing with little kids, the parents' committee and the police would be here in under three minutes.
As we played, Princess Annerose asked me:
"Hey, what's it like living with Jason?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity."
"What's it like living with him? Well…"
My expression darkened.
"It's horrible! That bastard wakes me up early for physical training, then we move to combat drills, and then he makes me study with the maid."
Sometimes, my body reminded me it was still a child's.
"That doesn't sound so bad," she replied, placing the final block on a tower.
"We study from morning till night every day. Sometimes we get breaks like today because it's important for our health."
"We're princesses—especially me, the eldest. We have responsibilities at the top of this country's hierarchy, and we must fulfill our duty. The people will depend on us in the future. We have to be the smartest—that's the burden of being born royal."
(This girl thinks like a responsible adult. Not even the politicians from my past life had a fraction of her mindset.)
That's why I want to save them. In the game, despite the mediocre writing that painted them as villainess, if you paid attention, Annerose had her reasons for going to war—they had no other choice.
Both sisters lost their parents in an accident, closing off their hearts. They grew up as the heroine's enemies because the principality and the kingdom were sworn foes for reasons I won't explain now.
A block fell near the younger princess, and when I picked it up to hand it to her, she seemed reluctant to take it.
Princess Annerose told me, "Ignore her. Since our parents died, she's gone quiet and doesn't want to interact with anyone but me."
(That's horrible. But I need to save her too. How can I make her trust me?)
(Especially since the younger sister gets the worst fate of the two.)
An idea came to me.
"Hey, this is boring. Can't we play something else?"
"What else would you want to play?"
"The maids won't let us leave. It's easier to watch us here."
"Leave it to me."
I ran over to one of the maids.
◇◇◇
While Alex went to negotiate with the maids, Annerose spoke to her sister.
"Mary, what do you think of him?"
"H-He's nice. Not like the other kids who ask weird questions."
"True. And Jason trusts him—that's why he suggested him. But more than that…"
"Because Jason needs someone in his life too, just like us."
"Father always said the political sphere of this country was a minefield. You never know who might betray you. That's why finding a loyal ally—or friend—is crucial, especially as an adult."
Alex returned with a grin.
"I did it! I convinced them to let us go outside."
"Really?!"
The sisters were astonished.
"Yep. We'll play hide-and-seek, but only on this floor where there's no one else but us."
"W-Well, if that's the case… I'll praise you."
Princess Annerose was happy. Her face showed the joy of finally escaping that room and exploring freely.
"I'll count, and you two hide. The last one found becomes the next counter. We'll keep going until we're bored. Sound good?"
"Yes!" both sisters shouted excitedly.
After hiding, it didn't take long for Alex to find Annerose (who was terrible at hiding), then Mary. The first one caught was Alex, then her sister.
They repeated the cycle for hours. Kids never tire of playing.
This time, it was Alex's turn to seek. The sisters ran off to hide, but Mary wanted to do better than before. She slipped past the designated floor and hid in a slightly ajar room.
"Hehe, they'll never find me here."
Suddenly, she heard voices. A pair of men stood in the dimly lit room, the air thick with cigar smoke. They were talking, but she paid no attention—until she heard something she shouldn't have.
"It's a shame what happened to Their Majesties."
"True. And at such a young age for the princesses. If only it had happened when they were adults, we wouldn't be scrambling over who inherits the throne."
"The princesses need guidance, and their parents were the best option."
The last man said something unforgivable.
"I say they got what they deserved. What kind of idiocy is 'peace with the kingdom'? Not even the anti-war faction spouts nonsense like that."
"Hey, if anyone hears you, you're in deep trouble."
"It's the truth. No one can tell me they weren't glad karma caught up with them for trying to negotiate with those kingdom bastards."
The men fell silent—their way of agreeing.
The reason for their hatred traced back centuries. One day, the kingdom suddenly declared them national enemies and slaughtered nobles. The survivors fled to the duchy, which was also branded an enemy. Only their ties to powerful nations saved them from destruction.
The ancestors' hatred persisted to this day. Forgiving the kingdom was unthinkable—and for their late majesties to ignore that hatred and seek peace was inconceivable. Even the anti-war faction wouldn't go that far.
The men finished smoking and left, shutting the door behind them.
Once they were gone, Rosemary burst into tears.
"Don't be cruel to my parents, please!"
"Everyone's so mean!!"
She knew, like her sister, that people had spoken ill of their parents when they were alive. But they had told her to ignore it.
"Mom was so kind and loving. Dad was gentle and always took care of us. Why do they hate them so much?"
Rosemary remembered how she used to smile like her sister when her parents were alive. But after their deaths, both sisters stopped smiling—especially Rosemary, who began hearing people slander her late parents.
"I don't want to hear it anymore. Dad, come back… I miss you so much."
But she didn't know that these cruel words were part of this world's plot.
The suffering and hatred she absorbed would mold her into a cruel woman who saw everyone as insects to be crushed. She and her sister grew up poisoned by the pro-war faction's toxic influence, developing a twisted sense of patriotism.
Darkness would consume her, and she couldn't be saved—that was this world's narrative.
The door creaked open, and a shadow was illuminated by the hallway light. Rosemary covered her eyes as the figure approached, extending a hand.
"Here you are, Princess Rosemary."
"...?!"
She saw Alex, covered in sweat and dirt.
"How did you find me?" she asked, intrigued.
Alex wiped off the grime before taking her hand.
"I searched everywhere, then heard sniffling. Your tears led me right to you."
For a moment, she mistook his smile for her father's—an honest, pure smile, the kind that looked at you with tenderness.
Rosemary felt safe seeing it and didn't hesitate to reach out.
"After finding your older sister, we couldn't locate you, so we asked the maids to help search."
"I even checked inside chimneys to see if you were there."
"Your sister's waiting. Let's go."
As he carried her on his back, she wondered if he had been sent by her parents to protect them.
For the first time in so long, Rosemary felt a back she could rely on.
◇◇◇
"This is outrageous!"
"I told you, Viscount, that boy would be a bad influence on the princesses. Now look—one of them went missing!"
Everyone was frantically searching for Rosemary. Count Belkman seized the chance to berate Jason, who couldn't defend himself.
Annerose sat in anguish in the center of the room, clutching her head.
"Mary, where are you? Why did you leave?"
"This is my fault. I shouldn't have insisted on playing with someone just so we wouldn't be alone."
"See?! Even Princess Annerose agrees with me! It's all that boy's fault!"
For the first time, Annerose wondered if Belkman was right. If Alex hadn't come, Mary would still be here.
This extreme need to protect her sister would later twist into something darker. In the future, war would break out between the kingdom and the principality. Influenced by the pro-war faction, Annerose would appoint the count as the country's representative while she and Jason led troops on the battlefield—only for the kingdom to launch a surprise attack, destroying the palace.
Mary would die, driving Annerose to madness. Consumed by hatred, she'd march on the kingdom with Jason, only to perish as the heroine's miserable enemies.
After losing her parents, she took charge of the country, vowing to protect her sister. She'd never let anything happen to her—she'd be her shield.
"When that boy returns, I'll send him away."
"I'm sorry, Mary. Come back. I promise I'll never leave you again. We'll be together forever—we don't need anyone else."
Her obsessive paranoia would become the trigger for her villainy.
The world wanted a villain.
But then, the doors opened—and there stood Alex, carrying Mary on his back.
"I'm sorry for the delay. It was my fault."
He was filthy, and her golden hair was streaked with soot. Seeing them, Annerose's hostility vanished.
(Why is Mary with him if he's the reason she disappeared?)
She realized—she had vowed to protect her sister but hadn't searched for her. He, a stranger, had gone looking for Mary, proving her words empty.
(No… He actually went to find her. I was trapped here, unable to move a finger to search for my beloved little sister.)
She understood—her status as princess had shackled her. She couldn't act, couldn't leave. He had done what she couldn't.
Mary slid down and ran to her sister, who embraced her tightly.
"Onee-chan!!"
"Mary!!"
The two cried in a touching reunion.
"It was my fault, Onee-chan! I was having so much fun I didn't realize where I went. I'm sorry for worrying you!"
"No, Mary, it's my fault for not protecting you properly."
"No! You always protect me! But those people said cruel things about our parents… It made me so sad."
Annerose wanted to be angry, but she understood. Hearing people insult their late parents had broken Mary's heart.
"Alex found me."
Annerose looked at Alex, who was being scolded by Jason and the count. She approached to thank him.
"Um, thank you—"
"I'm so sorry for what happened!"
Annerose was stunned by his reaction.
"It was my fault. I suggested the game, so I'll accept any punishment for endangering Princess Rosemary."
"I'd love to earn your trust and get another chance, but if you refuse, I'll accept it and leave immediately."
It was like he'd read her mind. She wanted to blame him but remembered her father's words about trust.
Of everyone here, he was the only one who had truly searched for Mary.
"No, as Mary said, it was an accident. It's not your fault."
(I want to believe in someone trustworthy, like Father said.)
(And the best choice is him.)
"If you don't mind, let's return to where we were. It's still early, and I'm sure Mary doesn't want you to leave after this."
"Of course," Alex said with a smile.
Though Count Belkman objected, Annerose ordered Jason to shut him up.
After changing clothes, they built a Lego house under closer maid supervision.
"Mary, why are you so close to Alex?"
"Because he's my savior. It's natural I'd want to be near him."
"A lady shouldn't cling to a boy."
"Onee-chan, are you jealous?"
"Wah! Where did you learn that word?! And who's jealous?!"
"Besides, why would I be jealous of a kid? The best partner for a lady is her dad—and ours was the best."
"Calm down, Princess. I'm both of your playmates."
Alex patted Annerose's head, making her recall how her father used to do the same to soothe her. She liked that warm feeling.
"Besides, we're both orphans. We should get along."
(After all, I have to stop them from becoming the heroine's enemies.)
Her face turned red, and she bristled like a cat.
"The shoes you're trying to fill are way too big for you, just so you know."
From that day on, their cruel fate shifted slightly—but it wasn't completely erased yet.