Chapter 1

June 7, 2019

I smell something fishy from my bookcase and it is from the book titled:

[His Beauty and Integrity by your Fellow Redheaded Ally]

‘How shady!’ I feel that the moment I saw the title that this isn’t an ordinary book. Unlike the others, the cover was decorated with a colorful gold leaf. Feeling a sense of holy compulsion, I open the book.

Carefully turning the cover, the first page had a message from the author.

[The Emperor’s beautiful ruling is eternal]

“…”

What is this? I’m not sure but this sounds like it belongs in a fascist propaganda. This isn’t something illegal right? I flip over the book. This seems too expensive to be a promotion. The book is wrapped in velvet and gold foil shaped in a leaf.

A red haired lady whose name is unknown. What are you doing?

I flip through the book.

[…Age 13. Prince Alexander had a birthday parade in the main street. In order to stand in the front row, I held my seat for three days.]

[…Age 18. His Majesty Alexander has beautiful glowing abs…]

What did I just see? My head hurts.

I’m doubting what I just saw and begin to focus on the writing again. I’m probably just not familiar with the language of this world yet, so I may have just misread it. Pouring power into my eyes I read:

[…During a hot summer day, he took off his coat while working out. His sweat flowed down his abdominal muscles…]

“…”

I look up at the ceiling with an unsteady emotion in my heart. I can’t unsee this anymore, I don’t think I’ll be able to view the Emperor in the same way again. I feel so bad.

[…As he went out, he waved his hand toward the people… His athletic, beautiful hand…]

…No. Her feelings aren’t at a level you can simply dismiss. The author worships the Emperor like an idol.

“Uh, um…” No matter how much you like someone, you should still give them the respect they deserve. The Emperor deserves better than this. I’m starting to get ticked. Well, it’s not like the author is in front of me. I need to study right now, but this book is more interesting than all the other books in here.

I… haha… What kind of world am I living in that produces this kind of book. Although the cover shows how valuable the book is, it’s pages are torn here and there. The binding and print are also of a superior quality and the book itself would cost a pretty penny in this world. To create such a thing, you would have to pour out your everything into it. I am kind of impressed.

But the subject is the problem.

And that subject is the Emperor.

I’m losing my appetite. Her life must be sad for her hobby to revolve around him. I poke my cheek with my tongue. Then over the window I spy Townboy 1 fixing the bag he’s carrying, lost in thought. Then again, it might be better to like a person who is far away than try to like a nice person who’s near. When you think of it like that, it’s kind of understandable. I have no luck in this world. There is no TV, no YouTube, no SNS, no handsome men, no cool guys, and not even a good-hearted man. There are only people who live day to day lives.

‘It would be better to live in a fantasy and the Emperor would make the perfect subject for that.’ I sigh and turn back to the book. Still, I’m skeptical you could even write this for the President of the United States. Even if I had a diary of my own life, I couldn’t be as detailed as this. Flipping through the book, I stop at one page.

“…Oh?” I raise my eyebrows. Between the pages, there is a palm-sized portrait painted with dull brush strokes.

I’ve never seen him in person, but I’m sure this is supposed to be a portrait of the Emperor. Blue eyes like the sky and black hair. It was the Emperor as the author described him. Considering the skill of the person who painted the picture, it seems certain that he is considerably good looking.

‘I hope you are actually this handsome in real life.’ I quietly acknowledge his looks with a nod. Well, whether or not the Emperor is good looking, this portrait means nothing to me. I need to see him for myself in order to confirm it.

The owner of this body is the youngest daughter of the feudal lord of a mountain village, which is furthest from the capital. I most likely will always live here. Even as a daughter of a lord, this land which is on the border needs to be heavily farmed to even feed us. These mountainous ranges surround us making it impossible to move away. I came into this dimension as a child, and I was unlucky enough to live as the daughter of this land’s lord.

I who live here with the sheep, would never meet the Emperor, who shines like the sun.

…And as if to mock my thoughts, the Emperor informed us that he will be visiting this remote, rural mountain village.

The Emperor’s visit won’t be for another month. But before he comes, his entourage arrive ahead to Gundal.

I wander around and watch carts, carriages and people coming into our front yard. It’s been 3 years since I opened my eyes as Diana Gundal. I wasn’t able to run around because I didn’t understand the language, but now I am able to see this world’s splendor for the first time.

‘This is some world…’ I widen my eyes at all the luxuries.

Madam Rurin, the general manager of the entourage, enters from the last carriage. She is a wiry, graceful woman with her hair tied up in a bun. Madam Rurin starts giving out orders as soon as she got off the carriage. The first thing is to sweep and polish every corner of Gundal and I observe each individual doing it with a smile. Madam Rurin’s work seems to be limitless despite having dozens of attendants with her. Her last major task is to tell me the order of the ceremony and to familiarize me with it.

“Hello Miss Diana, it’s been five years. How have you been?” She hurriedly walks into my room and gives me a friendly greeting. Sadly I couldn’t remember her.

“Hello, sorry. I no remember you.”

“Excuse me?” She widens her eyes. “What is going on? You’re pronunciation…”

“I sick. I no remember. I no speak. I learn again.” This was the excuse that I had established. One day, the lord’s daughter who was unconscious and bedridden, woke up losing all of her memories. The real truth would make people think I’m crazy. The best case scenario would be hospitalization. The worst case: confinement. I couldn’t do that. So I made the excuse that my sickness erased all my memories. Fortunately, people bought it. Though sometimes I feel like they just think I’m lazy.

“Oh my, you have no memories?”

“Yea. 3 years ago.”

“…Oh. Oh my goodness. No wonder I didn’t hear from you for a long time.” Madam Rurin panicked. “…so you don’t remember the precious memories you made?”

She lowers her voice. What’s this? Something is brushing my head. “Even the Emperor’s book?”

“Oh!”

Her eyes narrow. “So you remember?”

“I don’t really… I found it by chance.”

“…Really?”

“Do you have the money you owe for the book?” Madam Rurin started believing in my words. “Not at all huh… There was a book I was supposed to send but couldn’t find. Do you remember that?”

“No.”

From what she said I can guess that Madam Rurin was the one who filled my shelf with books.

“I came here to give you this book in person…”

I look at her blankly. What about it?

She didn’t hide her amazement. “…You really have… judging from your reaction. You don’t remember… not even mentioning a book about the Emperor woke your memories! Oh what should I do! I’m dead! Oh goodness! You should’ve reacted normally when you heard it!”

“Really?”

“…Yes it’s supposed to be so.” Madam Rurin became gloomy. I feel a wave of compassion for her. Even though I never experienced the lost of a friend, I can understand the pain she’s feeling.

“…Well. You did bring it.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll take a look. Can I? Can I look?”

“Even if you lose your memories, your taste is unchanged!” Madam Rurin clapped her hands and laughed. She ran straight to get her luggage.

A few moments later, she came back with a book in her hands. The book was huge, but she was able to carry it quickly.

“Tada!”

“…”

Agghhh, what did I do! I’m dead! Oh god! How do I react to this?

Madam Rurin’s eyes told me she was obviously expecting something. But I couldn’t think of anything.

I ignore her and turn towards my bookshelf, away from her. I’ve read the books in my bookcase so much that I practically memorized them all. I couldn’t help it because the books are really interesting. The words in the book she handed me are similar, so I was able to read this quickly.

[When His Majesty’s eyes turn to the sky, the hearts of the girls…]

It is very similar.

The original Diana’s library are full of praises from 1 to 100. Sometimes the praises are about his public speeches or martial arts, but most were about his appearance.

This book is no different. The only difference is which part of his appearance it focuses on.

“What do you think? I can see his Majesty in person, but engraving his beauty into words is totally different!”

I shrug my shoulders. It’s far too fussy. “I don’t know,” is my unsure reply. Madam Rurin starts staggering with a shocked expression.

“Ye…Yeah… You really don’t remember… Oh how can this be? Oh how should I face you now?”

“Yea, yeah… I no remember… N-no. How I forget him. Maybe I see him and remember again!” I respond. Is there really anyway to remember someone that I never met in the first place? I shake my head internally. “I see him soon. Then I know.”

As the daughter of this land’s lord there is a part in the ceremony where I will have to greet the Emperor. That’s why Madam Rurin is here. I will soon see him in person, but I don’t feel any sense of urgency.

“By the way.”

“Yes, do you have any questions?” Madam Rurin asks with a curious light in her eye.

“Is Emperor, no, is His Majesty amazing?” It’s a small question. I mean is he really as handsome as he is in his portrait? Madam Rurin’s and the other author’s extreme passion might have given them rose-tinted glasses.

“…yes…” she sucks in her breath..

“?” Maybe it helps being close to him to give out such praise.

“He is the greatest man in the history of mankind so much so that he breaks the limitations of fellow man and transcends humanity. He’s the greatest man ever!” She breathes out a sigh of awe. “… He’s also extremely handsome.”