Breakfast should have been relaxing.

  That was the thought running through my head as I pushed food around my plate, pretending to eat while Reika, seated beside me, was being completely monopolized by the prince. It was getting harder to eat like this. His voice never seemed to stop, and his presence lingered far too close, like he believed proximity alone would make him interesting.

  I suppose Reika’s charm worked even in another world. She kept that polite smile fixed on her face, but I could tell—it was the kind that started to hurt after a while of maintaining it. The kind you wear because it’s easier than saying no, or refusing.

  Waking up in a different world definitely wasn’t anywhere near the top of things I thought I’d experience. Honestly, it wasn’t even on the list. Then again, being transported to an entirely different world wasn’t something anyone planned for or in their list of expectations

  Baa-san’s voice surfaced in my mind again, uninvited but familiar.

  Something is going to happen, she’d said just before the trip.

  It hadn’t sounded like a prophecy back then. Just a feeling. The kind that comes from living long enough to notice when the air itself feels wrong.

  In hindsight, maybe it was a prophecy after all.

  Still, I doubted Baa-san could’ve imagined this.

  Another world. One with magic.

  I took another bite, chewing slowly. Beef. Potatoes. Simple. Real. That guy’s mother really could cook. Maybe if I focused on that—on something normal—the rest of it would stop feeling so—surreal, like a dream.

  Then again, it was hard to ignore the thing that sat in my back pocket.

  When we had woken up, Nana baa-san had already gone around collecting the small silver shields the hotel had given us. Our hotel passes. Yesterday, it was a thing that allowed us to experience an expense free stay at a luxury hotel.

  Now it was proof that we belonged somewhere else entirely.

  The silver one was gone now. What remained was the golden shield. The one Baa-san had given.

  Maybe I should say something. Show Nana baa-san. Baa-san had wanted to talk to her after the trip—something about bending rules, about exceptions.

  I shifted slightly in my seat, painfully aware of it. Then, I sighed.

  What could Nana baa-san do about it here? In a different world, with different rules—and magic? Even if the shield was special, whatever that meant, what good would it do to bring it up now?

  I exhaled quietly and shook my head, pushing the thought aside.

  Maybe later, I told myself. When things make more sense.

  I don’t know when that will be, but hopefully soon. For now, I kept eating. Kept watching Reika. Kept pretending that breakfast in another world was something I could get used to.

  Even though deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.

  Still this beef was excellent. Aunty said it was their version of corned beef. I don’t like spicy things but I never thought I would grow to like pepper like this.

  The boys arrived a little later, halfway through our breakfast and the murmur in the hall shifted.

  They were escorted in like they belonged here, which was still strange to see, considering how normal they looked. Was that how we looked when we got escorted here? A bit stiff, a bit awkward as they looked around for seats. Then they chose to sit at the middle table.

  Things settled after that. Forks scraped, low conversations resumed, and the smell of food slowly reclaimed the space.

  A few moments later, the king and princess Charlotte made their way over. The king apologized to that guy’s father about Aunty being made to cook instead of being served like a guest. After that the princess stayed at their table and was chatting away with that guy’s father. When she was finished, she sat beside Wills and continued to chat with them.

  She moved carefully, polite but noticeably more relaxed than she’d been earlier. The boys greeted her, and she sat with them easily, curiosity lighting her expression as she asked about the food, their world, little things that didn’t carry the weight of ranks or titles. Watching her talk, it was hard to believe she was royalty—she acted more like her age, a kid excited to meet new people

  While that was happening, the prince beside me hadn’t moved an inch.

  He was still leaning close, voice low, attention completely fixed on Reika. She nodded along, when necessary, responded politely, but I could see the tension in her shoulders. She shifted slightly in her seat, trying to create space.

  Then the doors opened.

  Conversation stalled as everyone turned to look towards the door.

  Celestia entered, supported by two maids. The dark circles under her eyes were gone, but she looked worse than before—paler, thinner, a cloth wrapped around her face, covering her nose and mouth. She leaned heavily on what looked like a coat stand being used as a cane. Her every step looked painful and it took all her effort to move a step.

  The king rose immediately, irritation and concern flashing across his face as he moved toward her.

  “My dearest niece,” the king said once he was close enough to her. “Why must you interpret my command as a challenge rather than an order? Especially when obedience was implied?”

  Everyone was surprised at the revelation. Then came Celestia’s reply, which made Reika stand up so fast she knocked over the prince. I tried my best not to show myself grinning at that.

  After Celestia spoke, Reika turned around and knocked the prince down again.

  The king sighed heavily as the guard once again helped the prince up who was grumbling. He looked around the table and noticed no one was particularly paying attention to him, with a huff, he turned and walked toward the king’s table.

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  “Uhm… why did Lady Reika react like that?” Celestia asked as her two maids carefully helped her sit at our table. Her voice came out raspy, each word sounding like it took real effort. Even speaking seemed to cost her something. “And… why did she run toward the kitchens?”

  I took another bite of the beef, more out of habit than appetite. When I looked up, I realized most of my classmates were watching me. That, apparently, was my cue—because the king, the prince, the princess, and even Celestia herself turned their attention to me next.

  I sighed quietly.

  Why does this always fall to me?

  “Lady Celestia,” I said, keeping my voice low and steady. There was no reason to strain her by speaking loudly. “Reika—Rai—went to the kitchen to inform Aunty, that guy’s mother about—” I paused, choosing my words carefully. “—the current state of things.”

  Celestia blinked. “That… gentleman?” she asked, then stopped herself. Her mouth opened, closed, and she nodded slowly as understanding dawned. A faint smile formed beneath the cloth covering her face. “Oh. I see. Then I have troubled her. But where is lord Vi?”

  “He’s notorious for waking up at around lunchtime,” replied casually and Celestia nodded coolly.

  She turned toward her uncle, the king.

  For a moment, they simply looked at each other. The king’s expression was tight, stern, clearly disapproving—but there was something else there too. Worry. Fatigue. The kind that only showed when no one else was speaking.

  After a few long seconds, he sighed. It wasn’t loud, but it carried. Celestia, on the other hand, smiled—bright and unapologetic.

  “After you have finished eating,” the king said at last, his voice firm, “you will say your piece. After that, you will return to your room and rest.”

  Celestia inclined her head, obedient but clearly pleased.

  The king then turned to her two maids. “She is not to leave her room until she is fully cured. Have Apothecary Donovan see to her. Food is to be brought to her room at every mealtime.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” the maids replied in perfect unison, bowing deeply.

  As they straightened, Celestia leaned back slightly, the effort of sitting already catching up to her.

  After that, the king turned and made his way back to his table, his attention already shifting towards his son. The weight he carried seemed to leave with him, if only a little.

  Celestia shuffled to another seat—one directly across from me. The movement was slow and careful, like even adjusting a chair required planning. Princess Charlotte followed and sat beside her without hesitation.

  “Celes, what happened to you?” the princess asked, her brows knitting together in concern. Given that they were cousins and possibly raised together—the worry came naturally.

  Celestia waved it off with a weak smile. “Oh, this is nothing. I’m fine, Lowie,” she said, only to turn away a second later and cough severely into her sleeve.

  The sound was rough. Hollow. No one at the table believed her earlier words.

  “Clearly you’re not,” the princess said flatly. She leaned closer, lowering her voice as if proximity alone could help. “What should I do?” Then she turned to me. “Lady Shizuku, would it be alright if we asked your aunt to make Celes something light to eat?”

  That got Celestia’s attention immediately.

  “Lady Shizuku’s… aunt?” she repeated, eyes flicking between the princess and me.

  “Ah—well, she’s not exactly,” I said, scratching my cheek. I explained as simply as I could that I was a friend of her son, that she asked me to call her that, that the aunt part was more a habit because that’s how they did things in their country.

  I very deliberately left out certain decisions my mother had made on her own. By the time I finished, both of them nodded in understanding.

  “I see. But that is not the matter I am confused about,” Celestia said, then paused to cough again, pressing a hand to her chest.

  “If Lord Vi’s mother is in charge of the kitchens now,” Celestia asked once she’d caught her breath, “then where is the original master of the kitchens?”

  “No one knows,” the princess replied. “He’s been absent since this morning. All of his belongings are still in his room, though.” She then leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “There are rumors that, with the arrival of heroes, he panicked and fled—afraid that his past activities might come to light.”

  Celestia hummed softly at that, eyes narrowing with interest despite her condition.

  “Still, how did you end up in such a state, Celes?” the princess said, her worry sharpening into something firmer. “You slept for a single day, and suddenly you have a cold and a cough.” She studied Celestia closely, eyes narrowing. “And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you have a fever.”

  Watching them together, it struck me how little the princess sounded like someone barely in her teens. If anything, she felt older—more grounded. From the way she spoke, from the way she watched Celestia, it was like she’d taken on the role of the responsible one by default.

  She didn’t scold outright. It wasn’t a lecture, exactly—but it was close. A series of gentle but persistent questions, nudges disguised as concern. Celestia tried to deflect at first, waving things off with tired smiles and half-answers.

  After a few minutes, she gave in.

  As it turned out, while there had been some initial missteps, she’d been awake for ten straight days. Ten days without proper rest, pushing herself to complete the summoning, double-checking every detail to make sure nothing went wrong. She made a few mistakes early on, but considering the kind of scale she set out to do, it was impressive.

  Silence settled over the table.

  From the corner of my eye, I noticed the fathers exchanging glances from the other table. There was something uncomfortable in their expressions—recognition, maybe. Remembering how they’d treated her the night before. A few of them looked faintly embarrassed.

  A few minutes later, Reika returned—this time with my mother and Aunty in tow.

  None of us had changed since arriving here; we simply didn’t have any other clothes. Now my mother and Aunty wore outfits similar to the maids’. A white blouses and blue skirts that reached their ankles, with the only exception, each wore a patterned apron.

  Aunty approached the table and greeted Celestia with a small, warm smile.

  “Good morning, Lady Celestia.”

  “Good morning,” Celestia replied, sitting up a little straighter.

  Aunty’s eyes lingered on her for half a second longer than polite, taking in her pallor, the cloth at her face, the way she breathed.

  “Unfortunately,” Aunty said gently, “I’m not fully familiar with the ingredients available in your world. I did my best with what I could find.”

  She explained that she’d asked the other servants about the flavors of various herbs and roots—what they tasted like, how they were usually prepared—then worked from there. She said it wasn’t perfect, but it was something.

  Privately, if this is the level of her ‘wasn’t perfect,’ I am curious what she could do if she knew what she was doing.

  Celestia listened, looking a little embarrassed by the attention.

  Aunty tilted her head thoughtfully. “Would you be alright with something from our world instead?” she asked. “Would something a little spicy be acceptable? And would you like it sour?”

  Celestia hesitated only for a moment before nodding. “I don’t mind at all,” she said.

  Aunty smiled, already turning the idea over in her head.

  For the first time since Celestia had entered the hall, the tension around the table eased—just a little.

  “Oh, good,” Aunty said with a small nod. “I already started brewing it, just in case. We’ll try the spicy one first. If that goes well, maybe we’ll follow it with something spicy and sour.”

  Celestia nodded in agreement, though the movement was slow and careful. Aunty studied her for a moment longer, then her expression shifted—hesitant, thoughtful.

  “Reika told me about the arrangements His Majesty has made,” Aunty said gently. “And I am grateful for your help. Truly.” She paused and considered her words. “But when I asked you to help my son, I did not mean for you to be assigned as his minder.”

  She trailed off, clearly weighing her words.

  “My son can be… difficult,” she finished at last. “To handle.”

  Celestia inclined her head, the effort making her shoulders tense, as though even that small motion threatened to unbalance her.

  “If you are ok with it, and he is also ok with the arrangements, I don’t mind,” she said quietly. “And I would also understand if you are not.” She took a breath before adding, “Reika has already offered to assist as well, should any difficulties arise.”

  Before Celestia could say more, my mother stepped forward.

  “I volunteered Shizuku as well,” she announced proudly.

  I choked on something. “Mother!? What have you done now!?”

  She merely smiled. And somehow, against my will, I had just been drafted right into the middle of it.

  I could already imagine how this would go. With this kind of arrangement, there was no way he’d take it well.

  I sighed.

  Breakfast should have been relaxing.