Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)
Chapter 107 - Friend Isn’t A Role You Play, It’s A Sudden Chain That Binds!

Chapter 107: Chapter 107 - Friend Isn’t A Role You Play, It’s A Sudden Chain That Binds!

While she murmured, I released a breath. So very glad that she pulled herself away. The noise was probably just a server dropping a tray. The door guards aren’t even moving to go look...

"I’m sorry, but I have a feeling that, while we are speaking the same language, our meanings are not connecting. What is ’full on’?"

"Your total commitment to character setting. Even the eye thing! I mean, I know all werewolves do it when transforming, but the timing and control was absolutely perfect!"

I stared at her hyperactive whispering, so very confused... though that sounds like an understatement at this point. I think back to when I told that Paul teenager who I was - and he thought I was an ’actress’ taking on a role..

> Alright. I can admit that - in a way - my princess identity itself really always was putting on a facade and a role. Even back home. But Vrika, why are these people jumping to this idea? Would it not be much more rational to just think of me as a crazy person?! <

My wolf barks twice and lets out a howl. So I fill my mindscape with scorpions and seal it up for five seconds. I was not asking the spirit to start calling me a lunatic in their place!

"Ellie, please listen. I truly don’t understand how you could think that-"

"No, no, don’t break character for me!"

The woman waved her hands frantically. Too frantically.

"Today is so incredible. I got to meet a persona in the wild... ’Princess Citra of the Royal Fox Kingdom,’ mysteriously transported to our world with twin tails as a personal symbol. Oh, I wish you also had a more fitting outfit for the roleplay, but I shouldn’t be greedy..."

"...Roleplay?"

"Yeah, you’ve been developing a whole origin myth! So getting the clothes right comes next. Oh, the glowing eyes were total chuunibyou!"

"Now I’m certain that we are not even talking the same language."

Seeing my blank expression and desire to just leave, she turns fawning. Like a courtier realizing they just insulted you.

"A-ah. Right, Ms. Lomdi. My apologies. It’s about... people who create elaborate fantasy personas. It’s huge in anime culture, but of course your *character* wouldn’t know that...."

I felt a headache forming. Once again I revise my understanding of this social encounter. This woman is absolutely my natural opponent, but we are not playing the same game in the first place.

> More like she doesn’t see it as a game at all... which is most concerning. <

"Ms. Rushwater, I think there’s been a misunderstanding-"

"No, no, please, actually keep calling me Ellie. And there’s no misunderstanding. Your secret is safe with me, Princess."

She actually ’zipped her lip’ and winked at me. Then she closed her eyes and let out a long breath. When she opened them, they were a bit wistful.

"I totally get it, after all. Real life can be boring. Creating something more... magical... helps make it bearable."

Allowing her to think my actual truth was all an elaborate fantasy meant to deal with reality made me uncomfortable deep down inside. But correcting her would only make things more complicated.

> Talking to her any more is draining something in me faster than talking to anyone else at all. <

"I appreciate your... discretion. If you could keep my identity to yourself within the Moonwater Pack, I would appreciate that."

"Absolutely!"

She was beaming now. Like a child trusted with a parent’s secret. So much, that a slight protective instinct even rises up in me - but it fades the moment she opens her mouth again. So I consider it just a passing phantom feeling.

"Wait, you haven’t been hanging out with those Archivists, have you? Pretty sure there is a Pineheart in their ranks. Mira? They’re the only ones I know who still use our old pack name. "

"Old pack name?"

Genuinely confused, I’m already cursing the system for its ’old information’. Even with myself, it still calls things out like I am Helene. It also doesn’t tell you everything at once and despite giving you information you can’t possibly have... only seems to update when you already know something, sometimes!

"We’ve been the Stonewater Tribe, and pack, for generations now. Officially, ever since we had to register as an indigenous people when the government was... yeah, I won’t get into that."

She narrowed her eyes and scratched her chin.

"How else would a young Duskpaw know that original name unless someone told you?"

I thought quickly. Coming up with the absolute best idea I could.

"I... read it somewhere."

"Right..."

Clearly not believing me, she seemed more amused by it than suspicious. The idea came to mind that she may believe that I was still trying to maintain character - and seeking out vague reasons to know something that ’Citra’ should not.

> Would anyone really go through something so tiresome? <

"Thank you for your assistance today."

Eager to end this increasingly bizarre conversation, I give her a nod and step away. But she calls out and reaches into her jacket... producing a business card and offering it to me.

"Oh, before you go. If you’re also establishing yourself in Vossden, then we are neighbors."

I accepted the dense rectangle of paper stock, reading the embossed text while noting the stylized water drop. At least it is not an ’anime’ character.

[Ellie Rushwater, Director of Cultural Development, Stonewater Holdings.]

"The Stonewater takes a different approach to our integration than some other packs. We haven’t actually started interpack hiring programs yet, but if you’re officially a rogue then... it does make things a little gray? Anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to apply if you need work."

"I appreciate the information."

"Oh, and if you ever want to join my group’s weekly anime club, we’d be honored to have royalty attend. I’ll let them know not to prod your character as much as I did today!"

> I very much might rather starve than risk being placed into a working environment with her... or at least go out into the wilderness on my own. <

She followed me only part of the way back through the casino, and I was grateful I wasn’t forced to ask her to ’get lost’. All things considered, she was actually rather kind. Even if she had a completely different wavelength of mental operations.

"What is a tsundere, anyway? She was rambling so much that I forgot to ask."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.