The Fifth Time's a Charm

Chapter Fifty-nine: Formal Meeting

Inside the Garden Gazebo, there were platters of sweets, biscuits, and tea served on the gorgeous pure white table. The air around us was quite pleasant and this was my first ever tea party. Well, I did have one back when I was Sakura in my first life with some royals. They were quite fine and great status men of the Empire. The Emperor was there as well as we enjoyed an afternoon tea after a war.

It was one of the fleeting memories that crowd my mind every now and then. When life was still good and the momentous peace we felt at that time. We wished would have lasted forever. Alas, that peace never lasted long and like what it was, a fleeting moment. The peace before the storm.

"To formally introduce ourselves, I am The First and Crown Prince of this Empire, Nikolaevich Vlad Lucius Lazarus. You may call me however you'd like but those who are close to me commonly refer to me as Lucius." He illustrated with a cool tone.

" To be Frank, aside from me, they are all Crown Princes of their Empires. I am the Son and sole heir of Count Bright of the Elrod Empire, Emrys Roseo-Marie Bright at your service, Beautiful Miss." He said with a cheeky smile while hugging a plush fox doll which I only noticed now.

"Like how, Emrys explained, I am the Crown Prince of the Graycrest Empire, Wolfgang Ymir Ignacius Graycrest. I deeply am thankful for everything you did during the issue back at my Empire." He stood up and bowed.

"Ah! Please don't bow. You have a much higher position than I am, I cannot allow you to bow to me especially when I just did something anyone would have done in my situation." I insisted.

"If that is what you want, then I'll listen." He said with a slightly upturned smile on the corner of his lips.

"Prince Rizontie Ity Xalzrero Draigoch, I am very pleased to meet you. Please do not misunderstand the tone of my voice" In a monotonous but seemingly shy tone, he introduced himself.

"Hello there darling ~ I am Abbadon Cain Belial Septhis. Though I may be the Crown prince of my Empire, I don't mind marrying a woman of any social status." He winked then was elbowed by the one beside him who had an irritated face plastered while he stared at him.

He sighed and then went to look at me, "We finally meet again, though you might not remember the first time we met. You saved me from being captured. I am Leonidas Von Dimitri Elrod and I've been meaning to thank you." 

"Thank me?"

"*sigh* The pain~ Well it's fine, it wasn't as you had seen my face. I was the boy you switched with at the line on the night of the Aptitude Test." He sulked.

"Ah! That was you??? Wait.. does that mean-"

"Of course, we know that you are of noble blood~" Abbadon smiled, but it was more a smirk than anything.

"..*ehem* I haven't introduced myself  it seems, I am Gui- *cough* Elvira L-Leigh."

'I just realized I never came up with the last name!' I yelled in the mind space.

'Oh yeah, you do have a point.' Hestia pointed out with her tail.

'Eh, it was convincing enough.' Ares shrugged.

"What do you mean? It's Kinsleigh is it not?" Zed blurted out, confused.

'Nevermind.' Ares said.

"..This is why I never sent you out on any mission that required a disguise." I face-palmed.

"Pfft- who knew it would have been this easy to find out her identity." Lucius laughed.

"But doesn't that name, seems familiar?" Rizon questioned and then went to stare at Emrys.

"Indeed it is, now why in the world would the Villainess of Love me, Amelia be here?" His voice changed from the pitchy and cute boy to a sneaky yet cold tone.

"H-Huh?" I blinked. 

'D-Did he just say what I think he just say?' 

'You mean the Love me, Amelia part? What is that?' Hades asked.

'It's the reincarnation thing we talked about.' Hestia explained to him.

'Oh...doesn't that mean that he's reincarnated too then?'

'Yes, it does.' Ares said.

By now, all their attention was on me and the look Zed gave me just send me the signals that he was about to say something that he isn't supposed to. Don't be Landon the 2nd, dammit!

"Villainess? What Villainess? She isn't a villain. I mean, she's been Sakura, Risa, Joyce, and Penelope but definitely not a villainess." He said in the most convincing tone I have ever heard him pull off. And it sucked.

"Oh my, that's four lives," Forrest said with a look of surprise.

"She isn't the original Guinevere then?" Ymir inquired.

"That means one problem down~" Dimitri said in a sing-song voice.

"Emrys? what's wrong?" Rizon patted his back.

"S-Sakura was it? What was your last name?" He asked with a smile.

"It was Minamoto, Minamoto Sakura." I explained with a sight and then they suddenly went silent.

"Is there something wrong with her name?" Zed asked.

"N-No, absolutely nothing. Anyways, I knew it was all too much of a coincidence if we kept on meeting on the same location over and over again. Who knew you were planning on stopping their traumas too." He laughed.

"Excuse me? Traumas? I ..actually forgot about the plot and don't remember any of the main storyline as well as the names of the male leads."

"Truly? You have not been out to prevent the past of the male leads ?" Lucius pressed.

"I don't even know their names, your highness." 

They shared a look at each other and then revealed information I wish I knew beforehand.

"We are the male leads of that silly and idiotic game."

I blinked and rubbed my eyes multiple times..

"I-I'm sorry you are the what?"

To be Continued . . .