Side Story: Velvet’s Perspective

An unfortunate man dragged into another world.

I had heard from my father about a hapless middle-aged man who had been swept up in the Ritual of the Hero’s Summoning. And just as the rumors suggested, he looked unremarkable and carried an air of misfortune.

Father had asked me to treat him with utmost courtesy, so I complied, though truthfully, I would have preferred to continue my reading undisturbed.

I didn’t let my feelings show and listened to what this “Sato,” as he introduced himself, had to say. Surprisingly, his plans sounded somewhat intriguing.

1. He wanted to create a massive farm.
2. He wanted to tame numerous monsters and establish a monster ranch.
3. He wanted to set up an inn that featured items from his world.

The third idea, in particular, caught my attention. Items from another world frequently appear in heroic epics and are always described as being of unparalleled quality—so much so that once experienced, one could never return to their former life.

I had often daydreamed about such items, letting my imagination run wild. If these could be brought to life… I would do all I could to help.

“…Hmm.”

Still, I couldn’t let Sato realize I was interested. That would be too frustrating. I feigned disinterest and dismissed him. Offering him help could be beneficial if he succeeded, but realistically, the odds were against him.

Despite this, I couldn’t stop thinking about “items from another world.” Whenever I had time, I locked myself in the study, poring through books in search of information about them.

Fueled by this obsession, I later told my father about Sato’s proposals, subtly persuading him to approve them.

Now, all I could do was hope that Sato would bring his plans to fruition. Not that I expected much.

Even after speaking with Father, I spent my free time holed up in the study, eagerly flipping through books for any hints about items from another world. I enjoyed reading to begin with, but having a specific goal made it even more exciting.

I even began transcribing any information about such items into a notebook, unsure whether I would ever hand it to Sato, and happily buried myself in my research.

While immersed in one of these reading sessions, I heard someone call out to me. So focused was I that I didn’t notice them until they spoke. When I looked up, there stood Sato and his attendant.

Recently, I’d been dedicating myself almost exclusively to Sato’s cause, and for some reason, my heart raced at the sight of him. However, revealing such nervousness would be unbecoming of a princess.

Maintaining my composure, I responded calmly to Sato.

“I’ve brought you a token of gratitude for all your help. Please accept it.” 

“A gift? If it’s just some cheap sweets or trinket from the city, I don’t need it.”

“It’s not expensive, but I believe it’s something rare you might enjoy.”

Sato placed his offering on the desk. Living as I did in a rural villa, I wasn’t expecting much.

But from the corner of my eye, I noticed it was unmistakably a book—one I had never seen before, with a sparkling, beautifully illustrated cover.

“Is that… a book?”

“Yes. It’s from another world. While it’s not a novel, I think you’ll find it enjoyable.”

A book from another world—just hearing those words filled me with enough joy to leap for the ceiling.

I nearly opened it on the spot, but I suppressed my excitement, maintaining my air of indifference.

“A book from another world… Hmm. I don’t really need it, but if you insist, I’ll take it.”

“It’s a romance story, but I believe it’s quite entertaining. Please give it a try.”

“A romance story? That’s not really my genre, but since I don’t dislike books, I’ll take it. You may go now.”

Romance wasn’t my favorite. The few romance books in this study tended to be overly dramatic and unappealing to me.

But the genre didn’t matter in this case. The important thing was that it was a book from another world.

Just receiving the kind of item I’d longed for was enough to make me almost grin uncontrollably.

I wanted to start reading it immediately, but the two were still in the room. I shot them a pointed look to encourage their departure.

The moment they left, I grabbed the book.

Though I wanted to savor the cover’s beauty, my excitement got the better of me, and I dove straight into the pages.

To my amazement, every page was filled with vibrant illustrations.

They were so beautifully drawn that each scene was immediately clear—revolutionary, even.

At the same time, I realized how difficult it would be to replicate such a book in this world, where every page had to be painstakingly illustrated.

“This is… the quality of another world.”

Before even getting to the content, I was struck with awe at its sheer brilliance.

Wiping the tears that had gathered at the corners of my eyes, I composed myself and decided to focus on the story.

The setting, it seemed, was an academy.

There’s an academy in the royal capital too, but only those with rare, suitable professions or exceptional skills are admitted.

As a member of the royal family, I could have enrolled without question. However, surrounded by people far more capable than even the instructors, I found no meaning in attending and chose not to.

Because of this, I wasn’t familiar with such places, but thanks to the illustrations, I instantly understood what the setting was like and was immediately drawn into the world of the story.

Not only were the illustrations stunning, but the story itself was astonishingly captivating.

Unlike the romance stories I knew, this one was fresh, heartwarming, and filled with a sweet and bittersweet charm that made my heart tighten with excitement.

I couldn’t stop turning the pages, and before I realized it, I had finished all five volumes that had been gifted to me.

There was so much I wanted to say, but—

“—I just want to read the next part already!”

My heartfelt cry echoed through the empty study.

It felt as though the volumes had been deliberately chosen to end at a point that would leave me desperate for more. The story was so good, so gripping, that my desire for the next part overwhelmed any other thought.

I was completely hooked on this heart-fluttering love story, and my chest ached from how deeply I had immersed myself in it.

…Sato is probably still in the royal capital. If I chase after him now, he might let me read the rest.

However, if I did that, it would be obvious that I had devoured the books immediately, despite how indifferent I had pretended to be.

Weighing my royal pride against my desire to continue the story, I found the latter far outweighed the former.

Without hesitation, I bolted out of the study, determined to find Sato, who was likely still in the capital.

—But learning later that he had already returned to his villa would lead to my despair, though that realization would come a little later.

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