[Congratulations, you have successfully transmigrated into the novel The Captive Princess!]
I scratched my head, staring at the transparent pink screen hovering in the air, overloaded with digital ribbons that were trying far too hard to look cute. What on earth was this? Wait a minute… doesn't it look familiar? Like one of those system windows from a video game.
"Ugh… seriously, could you just get out of my face?"
I waved my hand, but it passed right through. Annoyed, I sighed and tried to focus on the gaps in my memory. My memories felt like shards of glass, fragments that weren't even mine mixed in.
I knew I was Arianthé, a princess of the Kingdom of Kylessa. I also knew I had been taken captive due to political conflict, and was currently held in the palace of the Asterionis Empire, which was hosting the negotiations.
The more I thought about these memories—forced, yet disturbingly vivid—the more absurd it all felt. I had met up with my university friends, had a fun night out, and then gone home to crash. And yet here I was, waking up with essential pieces of myself missing. Someone had clearly gone to great lengths to make sure I picked up right where Arianthé left off.
I glared at the floating screen. "What a hassle."
I knew exactly where this was heading. Romance novels were absolutely not my thing, but I was well aware of the trope: transform into a princess overnight, make men fawn over you, and find your soulmate. I had seen enough glimpses on my friends' phones to get the gist. That didn't make being trapped in this situation any more pleasant.
'The Captive Princess? Really? Couldn't you come up with a more original title? I can already see the ending. My least favorite genre. Ugh… garbage.'
It was clear this novel wasn't popular back home. Otherwise, I would have heard the name somewhere. Either it was some obscure, forgotten piece of junk, or it didn't exist on Earth at all. It was even possible the System's owner had made it up entirely. Either way, I had no clue about the plot or flow of the story.
Rubbing my throbbing temples, I glanced at the new text appearing on the screen.
[Arianthé was born on one of Kylessa's mist-shrouded islands. Her kingdom was famed for its temples dedicated to the sky gods, with white marble columns rising from the sea. Legend says her mother once saw the goddess's crown in a dream, and her father held his daughter in the center of a flower field. Thus, she was named Arianthé, meaning "pure flower."
From childhood, her destiny was different. The palace seers proclaimed she would be "the key to the exit of the labyrinth." But the labyrinth mentioned was not made of stone—it was woven from the hearts, passions, and secrets of men—]
I scowled at the screen, which was currently covered in dancing fairy effects and a flurry of emojis, and interrupted. "Cut the nonsense and get to the point. And tone down the eye-searing flowers and ribbons."
The System paused briefly before the text changed.
[Skip Prologue?]
I nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes… skip the damn prologue."
Judging by the brief pause before new words appeared, it didn't seem pleased. So, I was talking to something sentient enough to react—subtly, at least. I frowned thoughtfully. At least the dizzying pink sparkles and decorations had been toned down. Still, I wasn't grateful.
[Princess Arianthé is the sole princess of the Kingdom of Kylessa afflicted by a great curse. The curse shortens her lifespan and deteriorates her health. The temple priests have found no way to break the curse. However, ancient texts mention a secret path: if the Princess finds her soulmate and performs the Dragon Vow with him, the curse can be lifted.]
"So, the typical 'find your soulmate' cliché," I muttered.
[...]
I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was looking back at me through the screen. Still, I didn't back down.
[The Princess has 738 days remaining. When you see someone who might be your soulmate, a guiding mark will appear above them. The only way to be certain they are the one is to raise your compatibility to 80%. The System will inform you of your current compatibility percentage.]
So they expect me to juggle a reverse harem until I hit 80% compatibility with the right one? 80% is absurdly high just to confirm a soulmate. And don't tell me the author is some pervert who can't control their urges.
[The System will assign Main Quests and Side Quests to help you get closer to your soulmate candidates. Completing Main Quests grants a bonus compatibility percentage with the candidate and a reward. Failure will incur a penalty. Side Quests provide minor rewards, and skipping them carries no penalty.]
"I see." I glanced around the room I was confined in, bored.
[...]
[Would you like to end the tutorial?]
"Sure."
A notification chime sounded, and another small, pink-embroidered screen appeared.
[Main Quest]
[Locate the soulmate candidates in the palace!]
[Reward: A compass that allows you to vaguely sense their locations.]
[Time: 47 hours]
Hmm… it didn't even bother to specify the penalty? Can't be undecided—maybe it thinks I won't fail. Is the quest really that easy? Whatever the case, whoever dragged me here is going to be sorely disappointed.
Choosing me as the princess would be the biggest mistake anyone could make in their life. And someone had already made that mistake.
[The System wishes you success.]