Chapter 18: Friend or Foe?

"Please wake up, my lady!" a troubled maid frantically said, attempting to wake me up without being discourteous.

"Mmmh five more minutes" I groaned (for the 4th time). I had slept 'late' last night due to thinking about the second reincarnator I would be meeting today. In my defense, Sage needed an unreasonable amount of sleep. 11 hours! She needs a whole 11 hours of sleep! I only needed 8 hours of sleep before! I miss my old body…..

'Wait…. The second reincarnator is coming today!'

My eyes snapped open with the sudden realization, causing a sigh of relief from the poor maid assigned with the seemingly impossible task of waking me up. Sitting up on the bed, I rubbed my eyes to rid of the little sleepiness that remained.

"At what time is my brother coming back?" I asked the maid after checking the clock which had the time '10:08' written with magical holographic cubes.

"The young master is coming back at around 11:30. Please start getting prepared soon, or else you may be late! Would you like any assistance?"

"No, I don't need any. You may leave." I lightly bit my tongue to hold down a thank you. According to my etiquette teacher, thanking those with statuses lower than mine will make me appear to be seen as 'weak' or 'a pushover'. It still didn't feel right not to thank people for their hard work. As an introvert who, despite having lived 16 years, has zero social experience, I depended on kindness and politeness to make a good impression. With that taken away from me, increasing the servant's likability bar of me is quite a tall order (and in a world with yandere male leads, connections with even people of very low status can be helpful).

I watched the maid leave the room after making a curtsey.

"I shall be outside if you need me," She then lightly closed the door behind her.

Sighing, I got dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. A porridge filled with spices and cutting edge cooking techniques was prepared. I ate in bliss, ignoring the chef who was happily watching me and chuckling as I stuffed my cheeks with the food.

At 11:10 I was outside, waiting for Florence Everflame to arrive, trying to think of how to start the conversation. I first had to find a way to get us isolated from the servants without gaining suspicion from them. I would then somehow direct the conversation in such a way that I can ask him if he was reincarnated (in English of course). I had to also think of an excuse if he was his in-game character, as forcing a guy who dislikes me to have a conversation with me before saying 'never mind' doesn't seem like a very good tactic. Not to mention that just because we are both reincarnated doesn't mean we will get along. If he ends up having a goal that will clash with mine (survival and revenge on the self-proclaimed god), we may have to fight, which will be detrimental to my chances of fulfilling my goals.

Clop clop

"Hm?"

Breaking away from my thoughts before they could be fully stored in my short term memory, I looked up to see a carriage approaching the entrance of the mansion, not too far from me.

'A-already?!' Checking the watch-like holographic ring on my finger, the time 11:18 was read. 'But they were supposed to come at 11:30! I am not ready! I haven't finished scripting the conversation yet!'

Going back to the realm of my thoughts in an attempt to quickly finish a guideline for the conversation that was soon to happen, I quickly came to the realization that I forgot pretty much everything I had been thinking about for the last 7 minutes.

'....Fudge' I squeezed the sides of my dress as butterflies found their way into my stomach 'I'm doomed aren't I...'

And with that thought, the carriage had arrived and the door was opened. An escort brought out a beautiful young boy. It took a few seconds for me to connect him to the side character Florence Everflame.

'Woow… and I thought that the normal side characters in this world were eye candy...'

I looked over at the handsome boy, dazed for a second.

Snapping out of it, I decided to make my move.

"Welcome back, brother." I curtsied, checking for his reaction. If he really was his in-game character, he probably wouldn't be very happy seeing me. He would visibly show disapproval. If he was reincarnated, however, he would have no reason to hate me. He might even realize that I am also reincarnated if he had also played the game. If this happens, then he probably would try to talk to me more, and find a way to get us alone (which if he was his in-game character, he would never do).

A sweat drop rolled down my cheek as I looked up at him.

He looked taken aback, and his face seemed to wonder 'why is she here?'. Bracing for the impact of my last hope slithering away, I gulped back the saliva that had been welling up in my mouth.

"Likewise, Sage" He beamed.

'Huh? Is that sparkles and flowers I see around him? Am I hallucinating??'

"Reincarnation," he said in English, his voice so low that I could barely hear him.

'It really is him!' Even though I couldn't see myself, I could clearly feel my face involuntarily light up like a Christmas tree.

"It has been a long time since we have last communicated. Would you like to join me for tea in my room?" I said, internally cringing at the lousy excuse. This is the reason I need time to script out conversations! I can't talk normally without a script!

"Sure," He replied before turning to the servants "Merec, please report the events to the marquis. And someone please prepare some tea and snacks for us.". He ordered them around so casually and in such a dignified manner that it really did seem that he was the son of a noble.

"Sage, would you mind escorting me to your room? I don't believe I have been there before."

"Ah, sure," I said before turning around and gesturing to him to follow after me.

We walked through the hallways in silence. He seemed to exude an air of confidence as if he had really been living here. Honestly, I am not sure if I would have actually found out he was a reincarnator if he hadn't decided to let me know.

'Compared to me….'

"Who exactly are you"

The words of Marquis Everflame ran through my memory once again for the thousandth time. The meeting between me and him had been replayed so many times in my head that I probably wouldn't ever forget it. I had come up with hundreds of errors I had made and ways to fix them in the past week alone. Revising and editing for any similar scenario that probably wouldn't ever come.

"Ah, we are here," I said out loud. Opening the door, I let Florence in before coming in myself. Walking towards a table with tea and desserts already placed on it, I gestured towards a chair.

"Please, take a seat."

He locked the door behind him before sitting on the chair I had offered.

"Thank you. We do have a lot to talk about, after all." He said, his blue eyes seeming to glow, despite his almost casual tone.