Chapter 2- The Cursed Prince

And now we go back to the present time, a woman is falling from the sky.

"Damn long. How far did she even teleport me from? The space?" The usual Lily would have use her magic to make her fly. But in her current state, even creating a snow ball will be a hard task. No one has ever been recorded to die by falling. The empire are covered by magic ring. Any weird flying objects will directly send a signal to the palace and her father.

But Ghost Palace is different. It is located in an island of Westoria. Not any magic can be use here, because there are not enough mana floating around. Ghost Palace is covered by dark energy and the only person who can use this energy are none other than the cursed prince.

'I didn't ask to transmigrated here! What is wrong with the heroine? I've try my best to avoid her and suddenly she's spouting all those nonsense! And that damn crown prince! Who will even like you? You won't even be able to take tiny space in my heart!" Lily shout out loud. She has already accept her fate to die in the hand of the heroine.

Lily Cartel is a marine biologist in her past life. She was observing a great white whale when suddenly the tail sweeps her, causing her to lose consciousness which eventually led to her death? Well she herself aren't sure about that, the only thing that she knows is once she opens her eyes, she was already here. In the world of otome game she used to play in her youth.

Waking up in the body of nine years old took a great shock from her. Does any normal person who can accept the fact that she became a 9 years old kid from the parents she never seen when her memory is already that of a 30's in one day even exist? Hell no! She took one month to processed these new thing that even her new parents thought that she has become her crazy.

The manner of the people here are totally different form her world. People here are more modest. They get shy pretty much everything. She remembered when she was kid, she tried to climb a tree in the palace to catch a bird, to see whether it might be the same species from her world.

Because the dress is too long, climbing the tree became a difficult task. She tied her skirt to her waist, showing her bare legs. When she finally able to examine the weird bird in her hands, someone suddenly screamed which cause her to fell and injured.

She was sent back to her family and was reprimanded a lot because she climbed the tree in the palace.

"Dear, our daughter is she…" Her mother said, cuddling into her husband embraces. What more shocking is they do this in front of their injured daughter.

"Honey, it's not good to say that. We must believe and trust our daughter even if she is a little bit..emm" Returning his wife hugs, he gave a peck on the forehead.

"Ewww…Get a room please." Because she no longer wants to see her parent affection in front of her, she forced herself to learn the ethic of this world. But now all her efforts has gone to waste, she will die even after all she had done to avoid the destruction flag. Closing her eyes, she could only pray for a good next life.

Knowing that she almost reach the ground, she brave herself for the impact. But several minutes, nothing happen? She felt like she is floating in the air.

"Floating?!" Opening her eyes back, Lily could see her feet is only 10 cm from the ground.' She is floating! Who save her?'

"I thought it might be a dragon coming from the sky, who knows that it will be a woman." A lusterous voice was heard behind Lily. Since she was suspended by magic which is not hers, it is very hard to turn her body to face the person. All she can do is trying her best to take a glimpse of that person. Turning her face , she tried her best but all she could see is several strands of silver hair.

"You don't have to try that hard to look at me, you know." Making a swirl with his finger, Lily body suddenly turned to face the man behind her.

What greets Lily is a handsome man, pale white skin and silver hair. His eyes are gold like a jewellery. Stood beside him is a, ghost?

"Is that a ghost?" Lily asked, seeing such a strange floating thing, which person will not get curious.

"You mean Yure? I myself don't know what exactly he is."

'Yure…yure…ghost? Yure already means ghost, this is basically saying that it is a ghost. Is he playing a joke on me?'

"Is that your familiar? He looks cute, unlike mine." Lily looks at the ghost. Although he look scary, but if you look closely, the face of the ghost is very adorable. The flushed cheeks and big round eyes. Kawaii!

"Yup, it's my familiar. I myself did not expect to get such a peculiar familiar. But at least it is befitting for me." Eyes to eyes, they are facing each other. Lily can't describe how awkward she is at that time. 'But wait, did he say befitting him?'

"Are you perhaps the cursed prince?" Lily eyes enlarge. There is a look of shock and anticipation painted on her face.

"Yes. That's me."

"What! To finally meeting you, Your Highness. It is my honour." Lily grew in excitement. This is because in the otome game she play, the cursed prince are added in the second version. The character looks are hidden from the player, only the player who succeed in beating the game are able to play his route.

Being a student at that time, she persuaded her mother to buy the game. But unfortunately she didn't succeed. Few years later, when she is already a working person herself, she totally forgot about the game. Until the day before she die, she suddenly has this strange impulse to play the game but when she go to the store, it is already not in sale.

There are few of it in bargain, but the price could exceed 20,000 dollars. That is how good and rare the game is. Of course, she didn't buy it. The price are too much for her. Opening her eyes to this familiar world, she regret her decision.

'I really want to play you.' Lily sigh. If she knows the story for both of the version, she won't be this miserable. But meeting this idol of her is already enough to make her happy for the upcoming 10 years.

Coming back to reality, Lily realized how long she's been dreaming off. Taking another look at this notorious prince, she was shocked. The cursed prince face flushed pink and his mouth is slowly stuttering, mumbling something. His body is trembling.

"What's wrong?" Shaking her hand back and forth in front of the prince. She totally forgot that the one standing in front of her is the empire's prince. Such action to the royalty is very rude. But unexpectedly her action did not cause anything other than making the prince's face became even more redder.

'Why did he suddenly became red like this? Is it fever?' She puts her palm on the prince forehead. Aryan back off almost instantly.

"You! Do you not know any shame?" He slapped Lily hand away gently. Lily hand fell weakly.

"I only want to check whether your highness has a fever. Your face suddenly became so red. Is it the weather? Or…" Realization suddenly came to Lily. Lily face was totally beet-red, the same colour as Arden's face.

"Do you perhaps hear what I just say? That 'play' part?" Arden ears became red and so do Lily. Their face both looks like a ripe tomato.

"Emm…Your Highness. Don't misunderstood me. What I mean is that, I really want to play with you when I was younger. I've became playmate for the crown prince and honestly he is such a boring person. I've heard of your prowess in magic and always eager to test my magic with you. You are my idol and meeting you unexpectedly today truly make me speechless." Lily try to cover up with something logical. But she doesn't really lie. She always heard her father mentioning about His highness Arden. He is well-known for inventing new array and magic formation.

He is her idol. But since he is trapped in Ghost Palace, meeting him is impossible, until now! Arden put Lily on the ground.

"Oh, to think Miss Cartel think highly of me. It is also an honour on my part, meeting the second strongest magician of empire." By now, both of their face has already subsided into its former colour.

"Your Highness jesting. Your Highness Arden can create such a high level array, with that even my father has lost to you. By the way, how does Your Highness know who I am when we never met before?"

"It is merely a guess. I suddenly sense a water type familiar, a strong one at that near the ghost palace. The strongest familiar can only be your whale familiar, Miss Cartel."

"Oh my. Such a gift that you have there, Your Highness. I am jealous of you. Your Highness don't need to be polite with me, just call me Lily." Lily has never like formality, she only retain formal speech with His Majesty. She never used formal speech with Gerhard, and to use that on his younger brother makes her felt weird.

"Then Lily you can call me Arden."

"Okay. By the way Arden, can I sleep over at your palace tonight? I haven't recovered from my mission, so I am lacking in mana. I might stay here for three days, do you mind?" Unlike normal people, Lily has strong affinity towards mana. Thus she can recover faster than anyone, even in a place like Ghost Palace where mana is parched.

"Sure. I will inform the maid to prepare you a room later. I have a lot to ask you, especially how you came here. But those thing can wait. You look hungry. Mind to dine with me?" Arden knows that Lily is hungry. He always has good hearing, sometimes he even wondered whether he is a monster. Of course that means he heard the curses Lily has spouted and her stomach grumbling when falling from the sky. But it's better to remain it a secret.

"Gladly. You can't imagine how hungry I am right now."

'I can imagine it.' Arden faintly smile before leading Lily to the dining hall.