“Your Highness?”

When I stood motionless, staring blankly into space, Seira called out to me with a puzzled voice.

“Seira, above your head…”

“Pardon?”

Seira looked above her head and then tilted it in confusion.

“Above my head? There’s nothing there.”

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

‘What on earth is that? Affection level?’

It was strange. It looked just like a system window from a game.

As a long-time web novel reader in my previous life, I searched through my memories.

Among the novels I had read in my past life, there were often cases where someone was transported into a book and status windows like this would appear.

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

I immediately accepted this fact quite easily.

Having vowed many times while reading transmigration stories that if I were to transmigrate, I would never stick strictly to the original plot, I had decided to live here as someone who readily accepts changes.

In any case, the affection level of 999 was clearly not a small number at first glance.

‘I didn’t know Seira liked me this much…!’

A pleased smile involuntarily spread across my face.

* * *

Upon arriving at the garden, I saw people who had already arrived.

“Hello, Sister Elizabeth.”

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

“You’re late, Luibel.”

Elizabeth, sitting at the head seat, responded in a cold voice.

I had arrived 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time.

Just as I was about to retort that I wasn’t late, I noticed the blue window floating above Elizabeth’s head.

Second Imperial Princess of the Azester Empire
Affection: 999

Elizabeth and I weren’t particularly close sisters normally.

It was natural.

Unlike Elizabeth, who had a prestigious count family as her maternal family, my father’s origins were unclear.

Unless there were small tea parties or balls like today, we rarely even met face to face to talk like this.

That’s why I was a bit surprised to discover Elizabeth’s high affection level, as I had thought she wouldn’t be interested in me at all.

‘Though she didn’t express it, was she actually fond of me?’

Thinking that way made my nose tingle.

I had thought that all my family members were indifferent to me until now.

But that wasn’t the case…

Well. In a situation where the original plot had already twisted and I had become lovers with the protagonist Hezen, it wasn’t strange at all that my family actually liked me.

‘This feels just like the cliché of a transmigrated female lead, doesn’t it?’

Thump―

My heart beat pleasantly, just like when I received Hezen’s confession.

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

“What…?”

As I spoke in a shy voice with a broad smile, Elizabeth flinched.

“You were actually just waiting for me to arrive, weren’t you? To the point where arriving just 10 minutes early wasn’t enough.”

“What are you talking about, Luibel? Stop saying such nonsense and sit down quickly.”

She even tried to change the subject, seemingly flustered.

Oh, Elizabeth. To think she would be so shy.

I should treat her even better from now on!

I’m going to use the cliché of a transmigrated female lead to become the best of sisters with Elizabeth!

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

Then, a not-so-welcome voice came from across the table.

“Hello, Imperial Princess Luibel.”

It was Lady Sylvia Winster, who always picked fights with me over every little thing.

The moment I faced her, my expression instantly hardened.

“Oh my, to harden your expression right to my face! How rude of you!”

Of course, Sylvia and I were on bad terms as rivals.

But that wasn’t the only reason my expression had hardened.

Lady of the Winster Marquis Family
Affection: 999

Sylvia’s affection was 999!

The moment I discovered this, a chill ran down my spine.

‘What? This is creepy!’

Sylvia openly disliked the Third Imperial Princess Luibel because of her father’s unclear origins.

This was a well-known fact in high society.

It was certainly like that, but…

‘Did she actually like me all along?’

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

Characters who liked the protagonist but, for some reason, were too shy and constantly picked fights and bickered.

The so-called tsundere!

They would eventually become the protagonist’s closest friends.

“As expected of someone with a lowly origin, no matter how much you wrap yourself in palace etiquette, you can’t hide your true nature.”

Sylvia snapped at me while dramatically unfolding her fan.

Even as she was picking a fight, the affection window of 999 above her head was sparkling.

“…Poor Sylvia.”

I grabbed Sylvia’s hand, which was gently waving the fan, with both of my hands.

“W-w-what are you doing?”

Sylvia’s face instantly turned bright red.

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

Sylvia likes me.

“Miss Sylvia needs to learn how to express her feelings honestly first.”

“W-w-w-what…?”

“It’s okay. I’ll support your honesty from now on. We can become good friends.”

Sylvia, flustered, froze on the spot, her lips quivering.

* * *

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

Sweet desserts and fragrant tea enjoyed amidst the warm spring sunshine, gentle breezes, and the scent of blooming flowers.

Here and there among the ladies gathered in small groups, soft chatter and bursts of laughter could be heard.

“Oh, right. Lady Janice. Have you heard that story? They say Prince Anselot of Luenhart is visiting the empire this time!”

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

“Yes, yes, that crazy prince who they say will smile and cut off your head if you make even the slightest mistake!”

“I heard he’s so obsessed with war that he spends more days at the border than in the palace. I wonder why he’s suddenly appearing at a diplomatic event?”

“They say Luenhart’s territory has doubled because of that murderous prince, right? Even though the king’s children are trying so hard to keep him in check, he apparently has no interest in the throne.”

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

“Oh my.”

I glanced around, letting the ladies’ trivial gossip flow in one ear and out the other.

‘This is a bit strange.’

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

Strange point number one.

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

Lady of the Janice Count Family
Affection: 999

Princess of the Gibreta Duke Family
Affection: 999

It seemed that 999 was probably the maximum affection level.

‘Was I this popular among the ladies?’

This was the first time I’d learned of this fact.

Strange point number two.

The system window only showed the affection levels of women.

Although this was a gathering that only invited noble ladies, male servants and knights occasionally passed by.

However, no affection levels or similar figures appeared above their heads.

Azester Imperial Palace Servant

Knight of the Winster Marquis Family

Only their titles and names were written, nothing more.

The affection level figures consistently appeared only in the system windows of women.

‘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 servants and knights.

‘Oh, that’s quite convincing.’

As someone who readily accepts things, I immediately nodded in agreement.

Before I knew it, the tea party had come to an end.

The sun was starting to set.

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

‘Should I go see Hezen for a moment?’

At this time, Hezen should be in his office.

Normally, I wouldn’t go and disturb him while he’s working, but it should be fine since it’s almost time for him to finish his duties.

“Your Highness? That’s the direction of the main palace, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I’m going to see Hezen before heading back.”

“Then I’ll…”

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

Thinking that I was leaving her behind to go alone, Seira made a disappointed expression.

But wouldn’t it ruin the romance a bit to bring Seira along when spending time with a lover?

I hummed a tune as I walked along the long corridor leading to the main palace.

Hezen’s office, as the Imperial Knights Commander, was on the second floor of the main palace.

‘I wonder if he’ll be a bit surprised by my unexpected visit.’

It was then that I caught sight of my reflection in a dark window.

“…!”

I was startled and quickly looked up.

There was… an affection window above my head too.

Third Imperial Princess of the Azester Empire
Affection: 999

“Why is this…”

Unlike the blue windows of others, a lustrous pink window was sparkling, also showing the figure 999.

Of course, as someone who had transmigrated into Luibel, the world’s greatest beauty, I was full of self-love and adored myself, but…

Do system affection levels usually show affection towards oneself as well…?

I had never heard of a system window that measured and displayed self-love.

I was perplexed.

To the point where even I, who readily accepts things, couldn’t accept this.

‘No. It’s not impossible…’

Just as I was trying to force myself to accept it again, it happened.

[SYSTEM] The affection level of conquest target has…

Faint letters appeared along with a transparent system window in the direction I was walking.

‘Conquest target…?’

I slightly furrowed my brow.

I slowly walked towards the direction where the blue system window was.

As I did so, the transparency of the system window gradually decreased, and the letters became clearer.

And what I discovered at the end was,

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

Please properly appease her anger! If you don’t, ‘s affection will drop to 0༼;´༎ຶ ۝༎ຶ`༽!!!!!]

It was Hezen, smiling kindly at an unfamiliar woman beneath the blue window.