Royals. (Prince! Komaeda Nagito x Fem! Reader x Prince! Hajime Hinata)

2. Lettering Day.

Before I knew it, the fateful day had finally come. The day that decided everything and nothing at the same time.

I was in a strange predicament, nervous yet completely calm at the same time. Lettering day would probably pass by like any other day for me, except, for some reason, I just couldn't shake my nerves. It took an absurdly long amount of time for me to bring myself up to my feet, changing out of my white nightgown and into my regular clothes.

The day passed by just like any other: making batch after batch of bread, talking to customer after customer, preparing order after order. Could I really keep doing this every day for the rest of my life? Sure, it was what father would have wanted me to do, but was it what I wanted?

At the same time, I couldn't see myself living any other life. I never wanted to marry, as I saw it as a trap. I wouldn't be able to take care of my dear bakery if I married, and for what? Some silly title? A child or twelve?

Love doesn't last for the (l/n) family.

The bell rang for perhaps the millionth time that day, signifying the entrance of another customer. "Just a moment, please!"

However, I turned around, finding myself astounded at the fact that this simply was no ordinary customer. It was the same man who had visited on behalf of the palace the week before. This time, instead of wielding a pouch containing an absurdly large amount of Monocoins (which, by the way, were all pocketed by mother, except for the few I snuffed out), He held something different.

A crimson envelope with the royal insignia on it.

It took all of the strength I could muster to not let out a scream. I approached the man wordlessly, noticing a cheeky grin on his face as he handed the envelope to me. I carefully opened it, admiring how luxurious the expensive paper felt in my hands. Surely this was nothing that could be purchased in any old market; it was probably imported for the palace itself.

"To the fair (Y/n) (L/n),

You are receiving this letter as you are among the 100 lucky ladies selected from Kibougamine Kingdom by Princes Komaeda and Hinata as potential marriage partners. This is a great honor and an exciting opportunity, which we are delighted to present you with.

We ask that you pack up all of your belongings prior the the carriage arrival at 8:00 sharp tomorrow morning, which will escort you to your new home in the palace. You need not bring any clothing or other necessities with you, as everything will be provided for you in the palace. The duration of time which you will spend there is indefinite, ranging from as little as a day to as long as years before the princes determine whether or not you are suitable as a wife.

Congratulations on receiving a letter once again."

My grip around the paper tightened, no words escaping my lips as I reread the letter over and over again. I didn't even notice that the man had left, leaving me alone in the empty bakery.

Eventually, mother arrived at the bakery again, and was positively delighted at the news. She even insisted that we close early, allowing me time to sort through my belongings before tomorrow. I couldn't help but worry about what would become of the bakery in my absence, but mother ensured me that she would hold it down along with a few of the neighbor kids my age.

I wasn't exactly sure what to pack with me, so I had merely gathered my small collection of books along with the violin father gave me and placed them in the corner of my room. I looked out the window and observed the pale moonlight, disappointed that my last day as a free woman had come to a close.

Or had it?

I quickly tore off my work dress, carefully tip toeing over to the room where mother kept father's old clothing. I selected a rather shabby outfit out of his collection, pulling my hair back into a low ponytail in order to complete the disguise. I stuffed the Monocoins from the week before into my pocket, observing my reflection in the mirror for a quick moment before sneaking out into the moonlight.

I wasn't entirely sure what I had gotten myself into, or where I was headed, for the matter. I could very well run away, disappear into the twilight, but that wouldn't end well for anyone. I found myself wandering the streets for a brief moment before I heard some bustling and laughing coming from somewhere below me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a small staircase leading down to a basement door. While it appeared to be rather unassuming in broad daylight, the door stood out like a sore thumb to me. I stepped down the staircase, pushing the door open with ease.

Inside was a scene I had never anticipated. Commoners and aristocrats alike were drinking and dancing to music provided by a beautiful woman playing the piano. Many patrons were wearing masks to disguise their appearance, putting everyone on a more equal playing field than in real life.

Before I knew it, someone had come up to me and placed a black mask into my hands. I slipped it over my face, integrating myself with the crowd without another peep.

I felt a tug on my arm, causing me to let out a small yelp. I turned to the source of the tug to find a boy with white hair smirking down at me, noticing a strange twinkle in his eye through the holes of his mask.

"W-what was that for?!" I stammered, though my voice came out too high pitched and squeaky for a peasant boy. The male's eyes widened in shock before he let out an amused chuckle.

"My, what a surprise! I was simply going to offer you a drink, but it appears you aren't what I was expecting!" The white haired boy chided in a raspy voice, extending a cup with a deep red liquid in it to me. "Well, don't be shy! Take it!"

I reluctantly took the cup from him, hoping it would prevent him from blowing my cover straight away. I cleared my throat, attempting to make my voice sound more masculine than before. "Sir, what exactly were you insinuating prior?"

"You..." The white haired male trailed off, pressing a finger to his lips as if he had to physically stop himself. He gestured towards the cup with his other hand, motioning for me to take a sip of its contents. I obediently did so, taking some of the bitter contents down in one swift gulp.

"You... are not male, are you?" The boy murmured in a lower voice, drawing himself closer to me. I felt myself freeze in place, my heart practically leaping out of my chest. "That's your secret, isn't it? No... that's not just a lucky guess. But I'll go out on a limb and say you're hiding more, aren't you?"

I stumbled backwards, reaching into my pockets and pulling out the Monocoins inside. I held them up to him, my whole body shaking in fear. "Here! Take these! Please, just leave me alone!"

The grey eyed male merely chuckled at me, taking my hand and forcing it shut. "Silly girl. Money is of absolute unimportance to me."

My eyes widened in horror as I noticed I had been backed into a corner. I stared down at my shoes, letting out a small whimper. "What do you want from me?"

He then proceeded to lean in real close, to where I could hear his breathing in my ear. I felt a chill travel up my spine, not having been that close to a man before in my life.

"I want... your body."

I let out a shocked gasp, my heart pounding as I tried to devise an exit plan. Without thinking, I swiftly punched the man in the stomach, causing him to wince and keel over. I then turned to the exit, sprinting out of the basement without looking back.

I didn't stop running until I was safely in my room, wrapping myself under the covers of my woolen blanket. Just who was that man? Why did he say such lewd things to me? I buried my face into my pillow, drifting into a night of dull, dreamless sleep.

After all, tomorrow was a clean start... wasn't it?