"Alice, no. Like I've said before, we are not doing anything you mentioned at the ball." I crossed my arms in dissagreement as I glared down at Alice, who was sitting on the couch in her room. There was about 2 hours left until the event and I was already starting to feel tired.

"But brother! You dont understand, a debutante ball is jut boring on its own, why can't we make it a little more fun?" She pleaded. 

"No. I have gone along with your pranks until now, but this i too serious of an event for a silly prank you want to pull." I sighed. And I thought that Alice would mature a little when she got older, but it seems like that was wishful thinking on my part there because the only thing she was thinking of hours away from her debutante ball was playing a prank on her guests. 

"But its harmless, don't you agree Ciel?" Alice ignored my warning and instead turned to Ciel, who had arrived at the Duke's residence earlier like he usually does. Ciel seemed surprised he was being dragged in this conversation, and he looked at Alice silently before he glanced back at me, looking for guidance. 

"What are you staring for! Say no!" I raised my voice slightly. It was not enough that Alice liked to cause trouble for everyone, Ciel had begun to be influenced by her as well. 

"Sorry, Alice. Al's word this time." He gave her a not-so-serious apologetic look. 

"You bastard! You side with him every time! You lie out of your teeth every time as well! Don't forget it was you who came up with the plan to embarrass Count Clyde!" Alice stood up, pointing her finger accusingly at Ciel. 

"And what of it? Wasn't he about to get arrested anyway?" Ciel defended himself. 

"What of it? Don't act like you were thinking of pranks behind Al's back!" Alice snided. 

I could only sigh as I watched as the two bickered on. I wasn't worried, since they weren't actually seriously fighting. I had gotten used to their petty fights already, it had been a few years after all. But it didn't feel like 8 years had passed at all honestly. Time flew by fast with Ciel coming almost every week by then. Between going to balls and pulling pranks on snobby nobles (who didn't have a clue who did it because who would ever accuse innocent children?) and sneaking out to town often, I didn't even notice that Alice's 16th birthday was already around the corner. 

Me and Ciel were now 14 and it scared me how close the events of the game would start. Alice is entering the academy this year and me and Ciel after 2 years. Seeing how fast 8 years passed I was sure these 2 years would be the same. I still hadn't thought of a plan on how to handle the events of the game. The rest of the capture targets, the heroine were all people I haven't met yet. Ciel and Alice defiently feel a lot different from their game counterparts. First of all, Alice isn't a vilainess and she also isn't a snobby brat. 

And Ciel didn't feel like the annoying and cheesy guy that I had been forced to listen to. I have no clue about the other capture targets though. There were a total of 5 capture targets in the game, 4 were the regular ones and 1 was a hidden capture target you got to play by completing all the routes. 

I think the second target I hated the most was Curtis Hellwig, the classic strong knight character. He was so loud and annoying I wanted to scream every time he spoke in the game, but myn sister Mallisa seemed to like him, which was another con added to the list. He was friends with Ciel because of their swordsmanship class. 

My third most hated character was Myles Windstone. He was the cliche smart ass who liked to spit classic literature lines and poetry every second he could get. Mallisa also read some old ass classic book because Myles said some line she liked from it. He was also always bickering with Curtis, the typical rivals for love kind of bickering. That was also annoying. 

Then there was William Asher. He was the dark and gloomy cast member. He was a brooding fellow and he rarely spoke, maybe that was why he's so low on my hated list. He was a mysterious character and you only learn his name in your 5th encounter with him. 

And of course, the, number one on the hate list....

"Al?" My thoughts were interupted by a tap on my shoulder. Ciel looked at me with a mild look of concern and it dawned on me I had been lost in thought for a long while for me. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." I said, taking notice how Alice had already left the room, probably to do the final preparations. As my eyes glanced around the room it landed on the clock, which showed the long hand on the 5th hour and my breath hitched.

"Ciel! Why didn't you tell me it was already this late! We have to move, now!" I quickly turned around and grabbed Ciel's arm, dragging him to the door. 

"You were so deep in thought I thought you had been hypnotised." Ciel chuckled behind me as we walked toward the hall. 

"Sorry, just had a lot on my mind these days." I responded.

"And that would be?" Ciel quickened in his step to walk next to me. 

I glanced at Ciel next to me. In the game, Ciel was the cold prince character. Very clingy, jealous and cringy toward the heroine. He had a line he always spouted everytime he met the heroine. 'We meet again, my rose'. He said it so many times I think if I heard it coming from Ciel's mouth again I would commit treason. 

But the Ciel next to me is anything but game Ciel and it still amazes me. I had been scared of getting close to him since his personality might turn out to be like that in the game but it didn't. I stared at Ciel for a second. He had his charm as the main capture target of course, this time it wasn't tainted by cringy lines but replaced with kind demeanor and a good heart. The ends of my lips lifted a bit, like they always seemed to when Ciel was around. I do not regret becoming close with him and it might actually turn out for the better.

"What is it?" Ciel chuckled with a questioning look at my smile. 

"Nothing. Just thinking that I like you more now." 

Ciel became rigid beside me. "You know, you shouldn't say that so casually." 

"Phahaha" I couldn't help but let out a laugh. "But it's true! As long as you don't say the words 'my rose' ever in your life, I will continue to be your best friend!" 

"Your standards are pretty low, my sweet camellia." Ciel laughs. 

"Nevermind, I change my mind." I scoff, walking faster away from Ciel.

I can hear Ciel speeding up as well and it isn't long before he is right behind me again. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." I heard him laugh next to my ear. "Will you forgive me?" He said with sarcastic plead. 

I chuckled and we fell into a comfortable silence until the two arrived to the banquet hall. Some guests have already arrived and are chatting amongst themselves. Alice will arrive later with the Duke as a formal entrance so me and Ciel have some time before the whole guest list arrives and the ball officially begins. 

I glance at Ciel who, as the crown prince, goes around to greet everyone currently present. I usually don't make my presance known at gathering like these, I rather perfer to stay on the side lines and observe rather than interact. I pity Ciel, who really has no choice in that regard. But since he is off doing his own thing I am free to go to the snack table, where I usually spend most of my time at in parties. 

Since this event is being hosted by the Duke, the table of snacks had been set up to suit the tastes of his children. This is one of the reasons I love parties hosted in my own home, the kitchen staff know exactly what I like! The first thing I started eating at was the small dried sausages. These things are kind of expensive since they need to be imported from another Kingdom so a common noble wouldn't be able to afford it. Once again I concider myself lucky to be born in a Duke's household.

Other than those, the table was littered with finger sandwitches, small fruits like grapes and other delicious but not really filling stuff. Since nobles here are so primm and proper they rarely eat a lot in front of others, especially in a gathering like this. What a shame. 

Soon enough, more guests started to flood the empty hall, becoming more and more crowded. And this is the one thing I hate about balls. There are so many people you have nowhere to go! Yeah sure, the hall is big and can fit the number of people present but still, I can't help but feel suffocated every time theres a gathering as big as this. 

Soon the crowds bustling dies down and people get settled with their groups and conversations. There are a few more people at the snack table, the usual faces I see there are some Viscounts and Barons. They like to eat a lot from what I have observed. 

Suddenly the crowd goes silent and a loud voice says. "Entering, Duke and Lady Grendbell!" The announcer says as the doors of the hall open, Alice's raven black hair is tied behind her head, two braids going along the sides of her head and all clipped together with jewlery that would make a country Baron drool. Her dress is nothing to scoff at either. A beautiful purple, and a dress she had said to be 'the one' as soon as she tried it on when Alice dragged me and Ciel to go looking for one. The puffy sleeves were cut short a bit after the elbow but the rest of the arm was filled with bracelts and charms. The dress itself had its own gold flakes litered around it and once the light from the chandelier hit it, it felt like Alice was shining. 

I suddenly wondered how the game could the game treat Alice that way, when she was just a person who needed a little guidance! This debutante ball was also mentioned in the game, but as an event where Alice's explosive and bratty personality was exposed. Obviously this is not going to happen this time. And even if something like that could happen, I would make sure it didn't.

Although Alice is older than me, mentally, I am technically older and having a younger sister in my past life didn't help my growing older brother instincts. I glanced around the room at the other ladies present. Although this ball was to celebrate Alice's debutante, of course a lot of other girls are turning 16 and want to make their official debut into high society, for whatever reason.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something flash by in the windows. I doubt it would be bird since the hall is on the first floor. Weird... My eyes searched the crowd for Ciel and when they finally reached him I saw that he was talking to an older burly man with short hair that I recognised to be the captain of the imperial knights.

It dawned on me that there were a lot more guards than usual this time around. They were in every corner of the room, near the doors, windows and everything. I felt a weird shift in my brain. Something doesn't feel right this afternoon, and I can't place my finger on why.