No such thing as too many Princes - Let's Play Be My Princess

B, I think in this case. Maybe he doesn't know what a faux pas he made?

I guess....

A?

If we don't tell him he will never learn.

Joshua: "Oh? But I did mean it as a compliment..."

He smiles and gets up from his chair.



RILLY.
I would never have guessed.

Joshua: "I am sorry if I offended you. I assure you that I meant it as a compliment."

Then he brushes his hand against Amaya's cheek.

asdlflidghz

Joshua: "I chose that one because I thought the color would suit you, and it does."



He holds his hand out to her.

Joshua: "Your hand."

Amaya: "What?"

Joshua: "The party will begin soon. Shall we go?"

She takes his hand.



Amaya: (Prince Joshua...)

Joshua: "I apologize for being rude to my guest."



Amaya: (I feel so out of place...)

Just then, Joshua whispers in her ear.

Joshua: "They are all probably wondering which noble's daughter you are. You actually look like one right now."

Amaya: (He didn't mean that to be a compliment...right?)

Come on, this is Josh. We've already seen his particular brand of "compliments".

Of course he did.

Roberto and Wilfred show up.



Roberto: "And then you escort Amaya here on the sly."

Joshua frowns.

Joshua: "On the sly...? She is my guest, it is only right that I escort her.

As Amaya is listening to them talk, Wilfred speaks quietly to her.

Wilfred: "It looks like you were able to thank him properly, and gained an escorted entrance as well."

Amaya: "What? Oh, yes..."



Amaya: (Tell us off for what...?)

Joshua frowns again. It seems to be his standard response to Roberto's antics.

Joshua: "Why would I? Amaya is free to talk to whomever she likes. More importantly though, where are the drinks?"

Priorities, he has them.

Joshua asks a maid to bring them some wine when Jan shows up. Amaya remembers that Jan was going to bring a meal to her room and apologizes to him for not being there.



Jan: "And would Your Highness like some as well?"

Joshua takes his glass, tells the others to please enjoy themselves, and then walks away toward the center of the party.

Roberto and Wilfred both give Amaya a troubled look.



Amaya: "It's fine. His Highness will be very busy playing host today."

Jan smiles as she says that, and then a swarm of women descend on Roberto, like sharks scenting fresh blood.

Woman A: "Excuse me, but are you Prince Roberto of Altaria? Please, will you dance with me?"

He smiles.

Roberto: "Of course, I never say no to a lady. I'll see you later, Amaya."

Amaya: "Okay..."

Amaya: (Prince Roberto is really kind to me... But then he's kind to everyone.)

She watches Roberto lead the lady away and then realizes Wilfred has disappeared as well.

Amaya: (Prince Wilfred is like a closed book... I don't understand him any more than I understand Prince Joshua.)


I think there is supposed to be a "was" between "who" and "going".

Amaya: (I am completely out of place amidst all these beautiful women...)

So lonely...




Because who needs to fit in when we have booze?

Oh, yes, this will surely end well.

Oh, Robbie, sweetie, look at dem crazy eyes. You've got a super-secrect Yandere trigger somewhere deep inside you, don'cha sugar pie?

Several minutes later, Amaya is starting to feel a little tipsy.

??: "You're looking cheerful."



Amaya: "Not really... I've just had a glass or two of the wine."

Or three or four...

Amaya: (I don't know anyone here that I could talk to, so I can't do much other than drink... Though I guess it wasn't a good idea to drink so much on an empty stomach...)

Ya think?

So, Roberto asks her if she likes wine, and she's like "I don't DISlike it" and then he proceeds to get her MORE wine.

And then another woman comes up and takes Roberto away to dance.

Amaya looks around after he leaves and can't see Joshua or Wilfred anywhere.

Amaya: (What is the point of me even being here...? This is supposed to be my last day at the manor...)

Just as she's feeling sorry for herself, Jan shows up and asks if she isn't drinking too much. (I bet he says the same thing to Joshua ALL THE TIME at parties.)

Amaya: "I'm fine. I'll be saying goodbye to this place tomorrow anyway. I figured I'd take this opportunity and make the most of the wine."



Jan: "I had heard that your application to leave was successful. Congratulations."

Amaya: "Thank you for all the help you have given me, Jan."

Jan: "Not at all. Although I will be sad to see you go. I'm sure His Highness will be too."

Amaya feels her chest get tight.

Amaya: "I'm sure His Highness won't think twice about it really... I'm sure he'll be relieved to have me out from under his feet."

Jan replies rather sharply to that.

Jan: "Do you really believe His Highness to be such a cold person!?"

He really does like Josh, doesn't he?



Jan leaves and brings her another glass of wine. Just as she starts to sip, Josh finally shows back up.



Amaya: "I haven't been drinking that much..."



Joshua: "With your face all red like that? In any case, you shouldn't be here drinking without having at least one dance. Or is this normal behavior for a commoner?"

Goddamnit, Josh. You need to learn to end your conversations one sentence earlier.



Amaya gets (rightfully) offended.

Amaya: "That is not the case at all. I am just not used to attending this kind of event. I'm also not very good at dancing, so it is probably best if I stick to drinking quietly over here."

Joshua: "Well, I don't really like parties either, and don't care to dance... So I do know how you feel."

Amaya: "Your Highness..."



He touches his glass to hers.

Amaya: (My last night...)

She feels a sharp pain in her chest as the glasses chime.

Amaya: (Prince Joshua is trying his best to be kind...)

And fumbling all over, the poor dear.

Amaya: "Yes, let's."



Amaya: "I'm sure Your Highness must get a lot of ladies wanting to dance with you."

He frowns.

Joshua: "That's what I don't like."

Amaya: "Oh...?"

Joshua: "I'm not interested in women."

Amaya: "Really...?"

Amaya: (Does that mean... He likes men!?)



BRB, dying of laughter.

Amaya: (He knew what I was thinking...)

Amaya: "I-I'm sorry..."

Joshua smiles and sips his wine.

Joshua: "Don't worry. I'm not angry."





Joshua: "I'm not really interested in other people..."

Amaya: "What?"

Before he can answer a tarted up hussy beautiful woman approaches Josh and asks him to dance.

Amaya: (Just when I was enjoying drinking with him too...)

A disappointed Amaya moves away to give them space when Josh calls out to her.

Joshua: "Hey, where are you going?"

He turns to the hussy BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.



Amaya: (Huh?)

The woman's mouth thins into a tight line and she walks away.

BYE WHORE! :)

Amaya: (Prince Joshua...)





Amaya: "Is that all right?"

Joshua: "What's that?"

Amaya: "That woman just now..."

Joshua cuts her off mid-sentence and asks a maid to bring more wine.


Yay! We're helping him avoid his social obligations!

Amaya: (Oh...)



Amaya: (All I should be thinking about right now is enjoying my time with Prince Joshua...)

Amaya: "Would it be all right if I were to have another glass?"




I can see no possible way this can end badly.

NO WAY AT ALL.

Tsk tsk. Your liver does not thank you, Amaya.

Bunny of disapproval:

The best royal soiree is the DRUNKEN UNDERPANTS DANCE PARTY! AW YISS. ...Too bad Amaya's just gonna either say something terrible and get in trouble, vomit all over, or otherwse get sick/injured and in trouble. Hey! That might mean she has to stay in the country to recover though!

She's totally going to confess under a drunken blur and forget about it the next day while Joshua's flustered. That or something publicly embarrassing. Maybe both!

I'm starting to worry about Amaya. Does Dres Van have a good cardiologist? Between all the erratic thundering heartbeats and the sharp pains in her chest, she should really have herself checked out.

Don't drink so much that you throw up on Josh, though, Amaya. Jan would quietly and efficiently clean it up, but I'd feel bad about it.

[quote="Petalite, post: 378746, member: 1914"I think the real problem is that Joshua seems to be an introvert by nature; he's been raised to be and in some aspects is comfortable being alone. Look at how he acts at the party, he clearly does not want to be there but he is doing his duty. The way I'm reading it he is less 'commoners, those filthy masses' and more 'commoners, people that I'm not forced to interact with'.[/quote]

Don't worry, you didn't disappoint her, just some half a majority of likely all the viewers. And possibly Jan.

Haniel, thinking that I was joking on princely shonen ai hints just a page ago , I must totally agree with you :D

(ooops, I'm as clumsy as my heroine it seems, I quoted myself insted of editing, then deleted the wrong message, teehee!)

You passed out, Drunky.

And then ~*someone*~ picked you up and carried you off.



Amaya: (Who...?)

GEE, I WONDER. IT IS TRULY A MYSTERY FOR THE AGES.


She's still wearing the dress from the party.

Not sure if I should be pleased or disappointed.

Whoever carried her off after she passed out had put her on her bed and covered her with the same blanket as when she fell asleep at the desk.

Amaya: (This is the blanket Prince Joshua used to...)

THE MYSTERY DEEPENS.

She gets up, checks her reflection in the mirror, and leaves with the blanket, thinking she needs to give it back.

As to why she feels the need to give it back RIGHT THIS MINUTE and has to primp in the mirror first, well... :3

As she walks off down the hall, she can hear music playing.

THE PARTY IS STILL GOING ON.

Amaya: (I guess Prince Joshua will still be there then...)

Yeah, probably.


...Or maybe not. Amaya goes to Josh's office to check.

Amaya: (Did he fall from the sofa again...?)

She knocks on the door, but there's no answer. She thinks that if he's asleep, she can put the blanket over him.

Good idea!



Amaya: "Excuse me Your Highness... Are you in there?"

She opens the door and goes in.


HOW DOES HE KEEP MANAGING TO DO THAT AND NOT WAKE UP?



Joshua: "Mm... Oh, you're awake..."

She laughs.

Amaya: "So are you. And you will catch a cold if you sleep on the floor like that..."

Joshua: "You're one to talk."

He moves back to the sofa.

Joshua: "I drank a bit too much tonight... Are you all right, Amaya?"

Hey, he's displaying concern like a normal human being. Progress!

Amaya: "What? I guess lying down helped a bit. I'm feeling much more like myself."



Amaya: "What? I fell asleep during the party?"

Like a champ. *nods*



Amaya: "No... When I came to, I saw I had somehow made it back to my bed..."

Joshua: "You make it sound like you were sleepwalking."

Amaya: "Sleepwalking... D-don't tell me you carried me all the way to my room..."



Joshua: "Why me? There's no way I would do something like that."

Why u no honest, Josh? :(

Amaya: (Oh... Then I wonder what that feeling I had of someone carrying me really was...)

spoiler: IT WAS JOSH.

Joshua: "Shouldn't you go back to your room and rest? You did have a lot to drink."

Amaya: "Your Highness too... If you are going to sleep, you should do it in a bed."

Joshua: "Really... You don't gain anything by worrying about me. You should only think about yourself."

I wonder how many times Josh was told that exact same thing growing up.

...I'm sad now.

Amaya: "Your Highness..."

Amaya: (I don't gain anything...? Hehe, it's so like him to think of it like that.)

Amaya: "This is probably the last time I will be able to speak to Your Highness like this."





Joshua: "I was just getting used to having you around."

Amaya: "Wha..."

Joshua: "It's going to be strange not having someone here pestering me all the time."



She feels a pain in her heart.

...Maybe you should go see a doctor when you get home.

Joshua: "You're troublesome to have around, and yet I feel troubled that you are going away... I can't win either way..."



Amaya: "Your Highness..."

Amaya: (Is he trying to tell me that he'll be sad when I go...?)

Joshua: "I'm planning on going to the party at Nobel Michel Castle tomorrow... You should take the opportunity to pay Lord Michel a visit."

Amaya: "What?"

JOSH ARE YOU ASKING HER ON A DATE

Joshua: "I'll give you a lift."

Amaya: "But..."

Joshua: "Lord Michel will be happy to see you... Though, I know I made the mistake of thinking you were his granddaughter..."

*blink*

Josh admitted he made a mistake.

JOSH ADMITTED THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE.





Amaya: (Prince Joshua...)







And we get another email

And it's not from Jan!

Take care not to drink too much

I got your address from Jan.

I was talking way too much earlier because of the alcohol.
Life with you here...is like a little breath of fresh air for me.

But for you, I imagine it's a disaster.

...Forget about it.

You're a guest here and I shouldn't have been so rude; I'm sorry.
Until tomorrow...

Joshua

....aw, punkin. :c

I... I don't really fangirl often, I mean, I like characters and I have opinions on them, but Joshua...
arglblargle

yeah.
I squeed.

Teehee❤Joshua

I've just joined and I wanted to say that Joshua is adorable. I'm just quietly giggling right now.

Welcome!

Goodness, tsunderedere Joshua is adorable. Little shivers of delight.

that must be the only otome game were you actually get a reward for passing out after drinking like a fish, instad of just a plain hangover.

Well I'll have to try the same route on Gree, I wonder how it will turn ( since he knows from start tht you're *just* a plain someone working to earn your living, he can't drive you by force in his country under the motive you're maybe related to someone powerful.)
Nota, on the other hand, I sense that this whole jewel story at the beginning will indeed make you some hidden heir of granpa Gandalf. That would make you some cousin with Ed, and it would be awfully akward romancing him oO thanks the version I use dropped this.

Although I strongly dislike the heroine's boss for being so much the cliché of gay dressmaker, using french with grammar errors on regular basis, And stealing my player's duty by playing Baka's fairy godmother. I'm the only fairy godmother here, capice.
it's not personnal, it's striclty business! :D

( "quoting any gangster movie in a thread about otome game" was the last auto challenge before 2013, done! )

So far that I've seen, it only comes up in Edward's route.

thanks Joie for the answer, I may get the normal version of the game once I would decide wich android phone I'd buy (yes I'm lazy, I've had my old plain cellphone stolen 2 months ago and not getting a new one since, I used it only on hollidays, so I don't really miss it) 'cause it's one of the numerous bloody games that doesn't run on my tab for the bloody reason of the tab not using a sim card, grmbl!!

Welcome to MercuryInBlue!

And now, update!



Amaya goes back to her room, changes into her pajamas, and goes to bed.



She went to a party wearing a dress picked out by Josh, drunk wine with him, and she feels she'd grown closer to him during their talk in his office.

Amaya: (This is my last night here in the manor... At first I had wanted to leave as soon as possible... But now... I feel as if I would like to stay just a bit longer...)

Maybe you should tell someone that, then.

Just a thought.

No?



The next morning...

Jan comes in to say that, due to the large number of guest that stayed from yesterday's party, breakfast will be a continental breakfast held out in the courtyard.



Amaya: "What about His Highness?"

Jan: "He will be taking breakfast in the dining hall, just as usual..."

Because the courtyard is inhabited by FEARSOME BEASTS.


Amaya: (It will be my last breakfast here. I would really like to spend it with Prince Joshua...)

Amaya: "Would it be all right if I joined him there?"

Jan: "Understood. I will arrange for your breakfast as well."




Edward, why does your sweater have lapels?

You look like a dork.

Amaya: (Oh, right... Prince Edward doesn't know that I have been staying here...)

Amaya: "Good morning Your Highness. Thank you for everything you did for me at the last party."

Edward: "Don't mention it. I had wondered what happened to you after that, but I didn't think I would run into you here."



Edward: "It must be fate."

Edward, would you like some wine with your cheese?



Amaya: (F-fate...?)



Edward: "My apologies, I am just happy to see you again. Are you on your way to breakfast? Would it be all right to join you?"

Amaya: (But... I'm going to eat with Prince Joshua...)

Then TELL Edward that.

I have no way of choosing between these options, since either way it just amounts to making up an excuse for no good reason that I can see and she'll probably get busted within a minute of saying it.

Really, Amaya, are you afraid that if you tell Edward you're going to have breakfast with Josh that he'll invite himself along and intrude on a ~private moment~? Or possibly trying to spare Edward's feelings by not admitting that you're more interested in Joshua, which is a) jumping to some pretty big conclusions and b) guaranteed to be counterproductive!

Eh, let's go with A, I guess. If we're going to lie, we might as well go for a decisive lie. Otherwise Ed will probably worry that she's not eating properly and try to coax her into having at least a little breakfast and she'll have to keep making excuses and that would be super awkward.

I vote for A.

I hate these choices, they don't even give you an inclination towards a good option. Complete guessing. I agree, let's try A.

Voting A.

I like common politeness, myself. Why would you feel the need to lie?

I vote B, it could be true, maybe that hideous sweater robbed her of her appetite.

A here too (my, that outfit.. why don't you go to jog Eddie, not that we wanna get rid of you, of course, but, we'll see you later, in your story, right honey?)

A
Railroading in the choices is almost more annoying than after the choices.

The only reason I can figure for why one of the choices isn't "I'm havong breakfast with Prince Joshua" is that she's afraid Edward will go "Oh, good, I'll join you!"
But the game never says that, so it's just speculation on my part.

Edward would totally do that, though.

I suppose it could also be that she doesn't want to embarrass/annoy Joshua by giving Edward the idea that the two of them are on more intimate terms than they really are (for the time being).

Even if either of those is the reason, though, Miss Manners has a very simple solution:

"Thank you for inviting me, but I'm so sorry, I really can't right now. Please excuse me."

True, but I've heard that in Japan it's very rude to give a direct "No". Hence the excuses. Which comes off as rude when it's translated to English, because it's the opposite for us.

...yeah, true, fair enough. And really even in the US, my experience has been that most people find it difficult to just say "thanks but no, sorry" and then stop talking and not try to come up with excuses that open them up to discussion and end up cornering them into going along with whatever they were trying to get out of.

So I'm not really surprised that it's not one of the possible choices. But telling the truth really should have been.

de-lurking at the last minute. perfect timing go!

This.
since he just doesn't seem to get it yet, I vote kicking creeper Edward back into his route.
enough's enough:



oh and voting for A.

These choices are just so...



I vote A....I guess...

Amaya says she's already eaten.



She thanks him for the invitation, and Edward says "Perhaps next time."



And he FINALLY LETS GO OF HER HAND.

Then a cheerful voice calls out to Amaya from down the hall. Three guesses who it is, and the first two don't count.



Edward: "She's apparently already had hers."

Roberto: "Oh, okay. How are you feeling after last night?"

Amaya: "Last night?"



Roberto: "Yeah... You seemed to have had too much to drink."

Oh, Lord.

Quick, Amaya. Play dumb!

Amaya: "Why do you say that?"

Roberto: "Well, Prince Joshua did need to carry you off like that, so..."

HAH! I knew it! Why u no honest, Josh?

Amaya blushes.

Amaya: "He did!?"



Roberto: "Well, I didn't see your face... But I caught a glimpse of Prince Joshua carrying a woman with a dress similar to yours in his arms...and figured it had to be you."

Amaya: (So Prince Joshua did carry me back to my room...)

Roberto: "Don't you remember...?"

No. Damn it all.

Amaya: "Oh, no... I am so sorry for my disgraceful conduct last night..."

Roberto: "Don't worry about it... Prince Joshua seems to be quite taken with you."


Somebody's jealous... :3

Edward: "Is that so?"

Roberto: "Ohoho. Are you after Amaya as well, Ed?"

Edward just takes his teasing in stride and smiles.

Edward: "What could you possibly mean by that? We should go and have something to eat now, or we will be late for the party at Nobel Michel."

Roberto: "Oh, right... See you later, Amaya."

They both leave and Amaya heads to the dining hall.

Amaya: (They are princes too, but quite different from Prince Joshua...)

(If you choose the other option, Roberto doesn't show up. Instead, Edward worries that she's not feeling well from last night and explains that he saw Joshua carrying a lady away from the party. Then, instead of Roberto's comment that Josh seems taken with her, Edward says that it was strange because "Prince Joshua seemed completely calm... It was almost as if he were holding his lover in his arms.")

Anyway, Amaya finally makes it to the dining room and Jan says he was just about to go looking for her. She apologizes for being late.



Amaya: "No, not at all."

Jan: "Shall I have your meal remade fresh Your Highness?"

Joshua: "No, it's fine."

Jan: "But it must be cold..."

Amaya: (Huh?)



Jan: "Understood..."

Jan turns to Amaya and says he'll bring out her meal momentarily and leaves. She finds herself staring at Joshua's meal. He hasn't touched it and it does seem to have gone cold.

Amaya: (Was he waiting for me...?)

Josh doesn't seem to care. He's just looking at the window.

Amaya: (There's something different about him today...)

I know. It's weird.

Jan shows up with her food and she thanks him.



Amaya: (He really was waiting for me...)

Amaya: "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Joshua: "What do you mean?"

Amaya: "Oh, I thought you had perhaps been waiting for me..."

Josh sighs.



Amaya: (Oh...)

Amaya's chest tightens.

She really needs to get a doctor to look at that.

Amaya: "That's true..."

She starts eating again, and then notices that something is missing. There's no newspaper.

Amaya: "Are you not going to read the paper today, Your Highness.?"

*poke* *prod*

Joshua: "I forgot to bring it."

Uh-huh. Pull the other one. It's got bells on.

Jan: "Shall I have it brought to you?"

Joshua: "Oh, no..."

Still having trouble with being honest about his emotions, I see. I wonder if Joshua himself even realizes why he's acting the way he is.

Jan: "Sorry?"

Joshua: "It's fine..."

Jan: "Are you sure? It isn't like Your Highness to be so reserved."



Joshua: "You're doing that on purpose, aren't you...?"

Amaya: (Doing what I wonder...)



Amaya: "Please don't feel like you need to refrain from reading the paper on my account."


He does have a point here.

Amaya: "I believe I said that it would be better if you didn't read it at the breakfast table."

Joshua: "And so I'm not reading it."

The poor dear is trying to be considerate. I get the impression no one's really taught him how.

Amaya: "What...? Well... That's good then, I guess..."

Joshua: "You guess? First you tell me not to read it, then you make a fuss if I don't. You are a difficult woman."



Amaya feels a warm sensation in her chest as she looks at Josh.

Seriously, I think you should see a doctor.

Amaya: (He said he had waited for me because it was our last meal together... Is that why he isn't reading the newspaper as well...?)

It's a distinct possibility, yes.

Amaya feels so full of emotion that she can't eat another bite.

Amaya: (It was only for a short while, and I really did want to go straight home at first... But I am so glad I came here.)

TELL HIM THAT.



Joshua: "What is it? Do I have something on my face?"

Amaya: "No, it's nothing."



Amaya: (I'm glad I had this time with Prince Joshua.)

THEN WHY WON'T YOU TELL HIM?!

Everyone's on to you now, Joshua.

Quick! Tsun harder!

Amaya, gurl, no. Stop. Just tell him the truth!
...
...

She's just going to whine about missing him for five chapters, isn't she? I'm calling it right now.