Chapter 1
…
“Williaaaaaaam!”
William Burnett, age eight, was resigned as his fiancée pounced and grabbed him in a tearful (and painful) hug. He could hear Duchess Claes shrieking her daughter’s name in the background and debated if it was too late to turn back.
“William!” Katarina burbled. There was a new, very noticeable scar on her forehead, something that didn’t surprise him. They had gone through how Katarina should act once she met Prince Gerald, but it seemed she wasn’t able to follow the script they agreed on. She just had to hit her head. Again. “William! I’m engaged to Prince Gerald!”
That surprised him.
He blinked slowly. “You’re engaged to me.”
“I know!” Katarina cried, still not letting go of the death grip she had around his neck. “But I wasn’t able to tell him that!”
“The third prince took responsibility for the injury she obtained.” Anne said, ever efficient. “Lady Katarina was still muddled, and incorrectly agreed when he asked for her hand.”
“Oh.” William frowned. “You left the palace without clearing it up? Or telling the King?”
“They were occupied with state matters, I’m afraid.” Duke Luigi said apologetically. “Welcome back, William.”
“I’m back, Uncle.”
He smiled at him. “Why don’t we head inside and discuss this over tea?”
Before it blows up in our faces… William supplied, lips quirking in a slight smile. “Alright.”
Katarina sniffled, and William took out a handkerchief to blow her nose with, patting her head in good measure. Really, this girl…
William didn’t mind being transmigrated (or was it reincarnated?) in Sorciere. Dying was a regret, sure, but his parents in this life were loveable (if a little overbearing), he was some sort of waterbender now, and it was honestly nice to cruise life as a child compared to when he was taking admission tests and stressing over grades. Sure, there was a period of existential crisis, but he got over it and decided to live his life as long as he could.
And then he met Katarina.
The girl was unconscious when he first met her. She had stumbled over a piece of rock in their gardens, her noggin bleeding all over the place. It wasn’t hard to deduce that she was like him, not after she woozily asked for painkillers and boba milk tea when she woke up.
Katarina cried some more, although out of relief, when she realized he was also stuck in this world like her… and then she began spouting things about death flags and capture targets, and William’s brows rose higher and higher as she revealed that their new world was a setting for a romance game.
William was vaguely familiar with the Fortune Lover game, his girl classmates were obsessing over it instead of studying for finals, and one particularly close friend had rambled on about the game mechanics and characters and ways to ‘earn hearts’ and William… sort of tuned her out.
What? He was a boy, and it was a game for thirsty girls.
Anyway.
William really did want to help Katarina. He felt some sort of obligation towards her. He was probably an NPC in this game so he was safe, but she didn’t ask to be the villainess. It was clear she was a different person too, and while things probably won’t end up like the otome game she played, it was better to be safe than sorry.
It was Katarina who asked (begged) to be engaged to him, declaring at how he was a perfect shield against capture targets. Then she burst into tears… apparently her brain cooked up an image of him being a literal meat shield against Prince Gerald’s sword, which was… yep, not a fun thought.
Still, he agreed to be engaged to her.
Better the devil you know…
His engagement with Katarina was airtight, secured by his delighted mother who was childhood friends with both of Katarina’s parents. Prince Gerald should find it hard to take her as a fiancée when she was already in a contract. Also, judging by the way Katarina still clung to him like a barnacle, she wasn’t likely to let go of him anytime soon.
William understood. They were technically alone in this magical, western world created for fujoshis and fangirls dreaming of their own harem.
It should have been squicky and William had no intention of marrying a child while he was mentally older than the other person, but Katarina was like him, older than they looked (although she didn’t act like it), so it was alright. Sort of. Maybe. He didn’t want to think about it.
They planned on what Katarina should do if she triggered her 'death flags' but planning was apparently different than executing it, as proven by how Katarina still hadn't avoided being 'engaged' to Prince Gerald.
But again, Katarina's engagement to William was airtight and it was a strong contract against a Prince's verbal promise. It would take endless amounts of negotiations to break it, and William's family was not someone the Prince could just sweep under the rug.
They'd clear up this misunderstanding in a week.
“Stop crying,” he told her. “It’ll be alright.”
“But… the death flags…” Katarina mumbled.
“You’re a nice person, Katarina.” He kept reminding her. It wasn’t the first time she broke down in hysterics. “That’s all you need. The other Katarina was mean, wasn’t she? That’s why people didn’t like her.”
Katarina trembled.
“Just be yourself. Be nice to people.” William said. ”You’re nice, aren’t you?”
“The nicest!” Katarina declared loudly, her nose still red.
“Then you’ve nothing to worry about.” William said, pulling a plate of sweets towards her. “Here, eat. All that crying makes people hungry.”
She bit on a chocolate tart, the last of her hiccups tapering away.
“You have your parents, and Anne. They love you.” William mused, biting on an éclair absently. As far as he was concerned, Katarina’s fears were nonexistent. She wasn’t the same person, and she clearly had no intention of stalking that ‘black-hearted prince’. Doesn’t mean he’d stop comforting her when she needed it, though. “Your servants love you too, and your maids. You have them.”
“And I have you,” Katarina rubbed her eyes.
William hummed in agreement. “I guess you do.” He smiled faintly. “If you really are banished, we can leave in one of father’s boats and travel the world. Doesn’t that sound good?”
Katarina’s eyes widened. “You’d come with me?”
“Why not?” William said, poking the funny little scar that sealed her fate. “We’re stuck in this world together. I’d go wherever you’d go. Even if it is towards trouble.”
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