Oh my dear ol’ dad and his jokes. Psh. Me and marriage hahahaha. HAHAHAH I SAID.

But sadly his overly serious demeanor and the way he carried himself suggested that he was not joking in any way.

Probably noticing the shock painted on my face he continued speaking.

“I am not telling you to go out and marry someone right this instance. I am just letting you know that we will begin a search for a suitable partner for you.”

Like that was any better. I sighed, forced a smile, nodded along as he continued.

“As a daughter of the Wells household you are obligated to marry well and further spread the greatness of our name. Because of some learning disa…. Issues, we were afraid of what might happen, but we are very pleased to see how far you have come”

Disabilities? Was the great duke Wells about to tell his own daughter she had learning disabilities? Who in the hell does this guy think he is, and how dare he be so polite about it? Nobility smash talk is indeed an art-form.

I didn’t get to say anything, he just told me he wanted to let me know, and then sent me on my way.

WOE IS ME. MARRIAGE? Of course I’m going to get married off! This is a terrible misogynistic world. Oh Author, the betrayal! Not only do you kill off the gays, you also treat women like garbage. But alas, here I am. In the middle of a novel where nobility is everything…

Marriage, huh…

Luckily it’s time for afternoon tea, so I can drown my sorrows in cookies.

Really though, what am I supposed to do? I was so preoccupied with finding a wife for the prince, that I totally forgot about my own situation. Getting married off at my age isn’t unnatural in this world at all. Not marrying would bring shame to the family, and they would probably throw me out.

But hey…

Wait a second…

The prince needs a beard.

I need a husband.

And I need to marry someone of high-standing.

Wouldn’t me, myself and I actually be the perfect beard for his majesty, the sunshine of our empire, the dear gay baby, Prince Horus?

I would also totally support my ship… I mean, support whomever he would fall for.

Oh damn, I’m a genius. Much brain, much wow.

Only one problem, though. He most likely hates me. Also, he is rude. Two problems.

Even though I did pledge my allegiance to him directly, he still doesn’t seem to like me as a person.

Oh my cute little tsundere, why you gotta be so annoying?

The last time I saw him was at the party… Huh? Wait? The party? PLOTDEVICE! My necklace! Whatever happened to that?

If only this stupid brain of mine could remember what happened with it in the novel. The only thing I’m certain about is that Sir Windsor picked it up and wanted to return it to the character ‘Amy’, but didn’t succeed because she ran away… But what happened then?

When naming the necklace, I was told it would play a role in the plot, and as such, I named it Plotdevice, so it should be something important.

Thinking about it really doesn’t help. Onwards to my bed, and let’s sleep!

In my dreams I see the Author at her first convention. How she was super shy as she sat there looking surprised at the many fans coming her way. She had only posted on her social media that she would be there, but her many many fans, me included, didn’t let that opportunity slip.

She was super nice when I talked to her and she remembered me by my username. She took my hand and said a deep heartfelt thank you.

Our first meeting… And I’ll never meet her again. I’m living inside her novel… What is life…

Feeling some tears pressing themselves out I let them fall on the pillow. Maybe I for once wish the cliché of “This was all a dream” would be the ending of this…

A few days later it was time for my tea party. Duchess Burtwell had been going even harder at me in the lessons to make sure I was more than just ready, and I felt pretty confident in my abilities as a hostess.

Letting everything except for the ‘now’ rest in the back of my head, it was time to hear some gossip!

Maryam Meadows, the flower of society. She knows she is beautiful, but bears it with grace. Great, because we are in the side character part of the story, there probably isn’t any villainess-like characters I have to deal with. Especially since, in the original story, one prince was gay and the other prince was a tyrant. Not much love to go after there.

She knows almost everything about everyone, but doesn’t kiss and tell. A perfect beard-candidate.

Huh… I feel like I forgot about something…

OH RIGHT, WASN’T I CONSIDERING MYSELF AS A BEARD CANDIDATE?

Nononono, even though I considered it, the prince dislikes me, and I don’t have enough opportunities to meet him as-is. It would be best to find another candidate and then present them to him in a super stealth way where he couldn’t say anything other than YES, BE MY BEARD.

Anyway, next up is Fleur Harmon. A bit stupid, but she doesn’t let it show much. She probably knows her weaknesses and hides them with her strengths.

Matilda Blackburn, however, is a Lady that doesn’t lose to anyone. She is the daughter of a Marquess that primarily trains the royal guard, including our very own, the good Sir Windsor, and as such, she has been training since she was a small child, despite her being a woman and frowned upon because of it.

Last but not least, Rosa Montes. A genius. I don’t exactly know how or why, but genius is the only word to describe her.

It was a lovely day with the ladies, we gossiped, we talked, we gossiped some more, and it seems like all of my well-picked Beard-candidates indeed live up to my expectations.

Just as we were leaving the table the head butler, not-Sebastian, came our way.

“I am most sorry to interrupt Your Ladyships’ teatime, but there is a most important guest for Lady Amy. Prince Horus escorted by Sir Windsor is here to see you”