The Terminally-Ill Rejects the Approach (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2

“Imperial Princess?”

When I stood still, staring blankly into the air, Seira called out to me in a puzzled voice.

“Seira, on top of your head…….”

“Yes?”

Seira looked up at the top of her head and then tilted it in confusion.

“On top of my head? There’s nothing there?”

It seemed Seira couldn’t see that strange blue window.

‘What on earth is that? Favorability?’

It was odd. It looked exactly like a system window from a game.

As someone who had a long career as a web novel reader in my previous life, I rummaged through my memories.

Among the novels I read while alive, there were often cases where one possessed a book and a status window like this appeared.

‘But this wasn’t in the original…… Ah, the original is already twisted!’

I immediately accepted it very easily.

Whenever I read possession stories, I had vowed multiple times that if I ever possessed someone, I would never become a plot purist, so I had already decided to live as an acceptance freak here.

Anyway, the favorability number of 999 was clearly not a small figure at a glance.

‘Seira liked me this much……!’

A warm smile naturally formed on my lips.

[This is the timeline separator]

Upon arriving at the garden, I could already see the people who had arrived earlier.

“Hello, Elizabeth.”

I approached Elizabeth, the host of the tea party, and greeted her.

“You’re late, Louise Belle.”

Elizabeth, seated at the head of the table, replied in a chilly voice.

I had arrived 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.

Just as I was about to retort that I wasn’t late, a blue window floating above Elizabeth’s head caught my eye.

Second Imperial Princess of the Azester Empire

Favorability: 999

Normally, Elizabeth and I weren’t particularly close sisters.

That was natural.

Unlike me, whose father’s origins were unclear, Elizabeth had a prestigious count family as her maternal home.

Unless it was a day like today with a small tea party or ball, we didn’t even have conversations face-to-face like this.

So, I was a bit surprised to discover Elizabeth’s high favorability, thinking she naturally wouldn’t be interested in me.

‘She never expressed it, but maybe she actually cared for me?’

Thinking that way made my nose tingle.

I had thought until now that my entire family was indifferent to me.

But that wasn’t the case……

Well. With the original already twisted and the protagonist Hezen becoming my lover, it wasn’t strange at all that my family actually liked me.

‘This is totally like a possession story heroine cliché, isn’t it?’

Thump—

My heart pounded pleasantly, just like when Hezen confessed to me.

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I didn’t know you were waiting because you missed me…….”

“What……?”

When I spoke with a shy voice and a bashful smile, Elizabeth flinched.

“You were actually waiting just for me to arrive, right? To the point that arriving just 10 minutes early felt insufficient.”

“What are you talking about, Louise Belle? Stop saying strange things and sit down quickly.”

She even tried to change the subject in apparent embarrassment.

Elizabeth, really. Getting embarrassed like that.

From now on, I’ll treat her even better!

Using the possession story heroine cliché to become the best sisters with Elizabeth!

I smiled brightly at Elizabeth once more and sat in an empty seat at the table.

Then, an unwelcome voice came from across the table.

“Hello, Imperial Princess Louise Belle.”

It was Lady Sylvia Winstar, the marquess’s daughter who picked fights with me at every turn.

The moment I faced her, my expression hardened coldly.

“Oh my, hardening your expression right in front of me! How truly rude!”

Of course, Sylvia and I were bitter enemies with a bad relationship.

But the reason my expression hardened wasn’t just because of that.

Lady of the Winstar Marquess Family

Favorability: 999

Sylvia’s favorability was 999!

The moment I discovered that, chills ran down my spine.

‘What? This gives me goosebumps!’

Sylvia openly disliked the third imperial princess Louise Belle because her father’s origins were unclear.

That was a well-known fact in high society.

It was definitely like that……

‘But actually, she liked me?’

Come to think of it, I had often seen such characters in novels from my previous life.

Characters who liked the protagonist but, somehow embarrassed, always picked fights and bickered.

Namely, tsunderes!

They eventually became the protagonist’s close friends.

“As expected, with lowly origins, no matter how much you wrap yourself in imperial palace etiquette, you can’t hide it and it shows.”

Sylvia snapped open her fan and shot back at me.

Even while picking a fight, the 999 favorability window above her head was sparkling.

“……Poor Sylvia.”

I suddenly grabbed Sylvia’s hands that were gently waving her fan with both of mine.

“W-What, what, what are you doing?”

In that instant, Sylvia’s face flushed bright red.

Looking at Sylvia’s face turning crimson, I became even more certain.

Sylvia likes me.

“Lady Sylvia needs to first learn how to honestly convey her feelings.”

“W-W-W-What……?”

“It’s okay. From now on, I’ll cheer for Lady Sylvia’s honesty. We can become good friends.”

Sylvia, flustered, stood frozen in place, her lips merely trembling.

[This is the timeline separator]

The afternoon tea party held in the imperial palace garden was very pleasant.

Warm spring sunlight, gentle breezes, sweet desserts and fragrant tea enjoyed amidst the scent of blooming flowers.

Soft conversations and bursts of laughter erupted here and there among the ladies gathered in small groups.

“Oh right. Lady Janice. Did you hear that story? Prince Anselot of Luhenhart is visiting the empire this time!”

“Ah, you mean that murderous youngest prince? The current King of Luhenhart’s youngest brother…….”

“Yes, yes, the crazy prince who, if things go even slightly wrong, smiles while cutting the opponent’s throat!”

“He’s obsessed with war and spends more days at the border than in the palace, so why is he appearing at a diplomatic event?”

“I heard Luhenhart’s territory doubled because of that murderer? Even though the king’s children check him so much, he has no interest in the throne.”

“I heard he’s so handsome that once you see him, you can’t forget…….”

“Oh my.”

I let the ladies’ gossipy conversations flow in one ear and out the other while looking around.

‘It’s a bit strange.’

My eyes narrowed slightly as I stared at the sparkling system windows above the women’s heads.

One strange thing.

The favorability of all the ladies invited to this gathering was 999.

Lady of the Janice Count Family

Favorability: 999

Princess of the Givreta Duke Family

Favorability: 999

Probably, 999 was the maximum for favorability.

‘Was I this popular among the ladies?’

It was a fact I was learning for the first time.

Second strange thing.

The system window only showed women’s favorability.

Though it was a gathering inviting only noble ladies, occasionally male attendants and knights passed by.

However, no favorability numbers appeared above their heads.

Azester Imperial Palace Attendant

Knight of the Winstar Marquess Family

Only their titles and names were written.

Favorability numbers consistently appeared only in women’s system windows.

‘Isn’t it usually the opposite?’

I tilted my head and sipped the remaining tea in my cup.

Perhaps it was because I had no connection with those attendants and knights.

‘Oh ho, that’s convincing?’

As an acceptance freak, I immediately nodded in acceptance.

Before I knew it, the tea party had ended.

The sun was gradually setting.

I chose to walk back instead of taking a carriage, just as I had when coming to the garden.

‘Should I stop by and see Hezen for a bit?’

By now, it was time for Hezen to be in his office.

Normally, I wouldn’t disturb him while he was working, but since his quitting time was soon, this much should be fine.

“Imperial Princess? That way is toward the main palace, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I’m going to see Hezen and then leave.”

“Then I’ll…….”

“No, Seira. I’ll go alone. You return to the princess’s palace first.”

Seira made a sulky expression, perhaps thinking I was leaving her behind to go alone.

But bringing Seira when spending time with my lover would ruin the romance a bit, wouldn’t it?

I hummed a tune while passing through the long corridor leading to the main palace.

Hezen’s office, as the imperial knight commander, was on the second floor of the main palace.

‘He might be a bit surprised if I visit without notice.’

Then, the moment I spotted my reflection in a dark glass window.

“……!”

I jolted in surprise and looked up.

Above my head…… there was a favorability window too.

Third Imperial Princess of the Azester Empire

Favorability: 999

“This…… why……?”

Unlike the blue ones of others, the favorability window sparkling in a brilliant pink also had the number 999 written on it.

Of course, having possessed the world’s most beautiful Louise Belle, I am full of self-love and do love myself……

But does a system favorability usually show favorability toward oneself……?

I had never heard of a system window that measures and shows even self-love.

I was bewildered.

To the point that even I, an acceptance freak, couldn’t accept it.

‘No. There’s no rule saying it can’t…….’

Just as I was trying to restart my acceptance freak mode.

[SYSTEM] The favorability of conquest target ……

In the direction I was walking, letters faintly shimmered along with a transparent system window.

‘Conquest target……?’

I slightly narrowed my eyes.

I slowly moved my steps toward the direction of the blue system window.

Then, the transparency of the system window gradually decreased, and the letters became clearer.

And at the end of it, what I discovered was,

[Oh no, conquest target has become very upset upon learning that you approached her while hiding the fact that you have a fiancé.

Properly soothe her anger! Otherwise, ’s favorability will become 0༼;´༎ຶ ۝༎ຶ`༽!!!!!]

Below the blue window was Hezen, smiling affectionately at an unfamiliar woman.