Someone told me that in their world, there exists a concept called "karma." They described it as a principle that there is a side effect of deeds and intent. Good deeds and intent can create good karma a person carries with them into their future, or even their next life. The opposite is also true.

In the past, I was known as "the ice cold prince." I lived without a care for the thoughts and feelings of others. I only observed their actions and acted accordingly, like an automaton without a heart. Some people might even say I was cruel at times.

Perhaps that person is right, and I brought ill karma with me when I found myself in a new body, a new life. After all, it seems like the other things that person told me were true…

The fact that I am now the heroine of an "Otome game" seems to be true.

"LADY RAINE!" 

I suppressed a sigh at the sound of heavy footsteps behind me. I didn't want to turn around. 

However, I am a lady now, with a reputation more fragile than I would ever have dreamed of, and I need all the help I can get. 

I turned and looked up into the pale brown sheepdog eyes of my overly tall guard, whose shaggy hair of the same color stuck up in all directions as if he just rolled out of bed and raced to my side.

"What is it, Rixton?" I made my voice sound as rigid and measured as possible, as if restraining a wild animal.

"That guy– that–" he cut himself off as if he wanted to swear and buried a face already reddened with anger in his gloved hands. "That playboy is going around saying you agreed to go on a date with him again." 

Marion Ranunculus seemed to think that repeatedly begging the math instructor to make me his tutor until the weakling caved counted as a study date. It made sense that his thinking was skewed, since he lived his life with his head in the clouds and several women hanging off of him at all times.

I would vomit on my pristine white stilettos if I had to listen to another word of that fool's awful poetry.

Rixton dawdled after me with a worried expression on his face as I resumed walking down the hall. He is used to being ignored, which is good, since I was already lost in thought. I was contemplating what I should do to convince the instructor that I was unfit as a teacher (which was going to be impossible, since I am top of the class) when I ran smack into a hard shoulder.

Nose smarting, I swiveled to face the newest offender, a man dressed all in black and gold who was leaning against a pillar with a smug expression. A second sigh threatened to escape my lips, but I covered it up with a dainty yawn instead.

Only in one of these so-called "Otome games" could an infamous mercenary get past the academy guards and accost a noble.

"Hey, princess," the man levered himself off the pillar to stand in front of me, setting his long black ponytail swinging. "Remember me?"

My teeth involuntarily clenched at the nickname. If Roy Tarragon knew I had really been a prince previously, he would not be speaking so casually. And if I had a sword in hand when he did, he would find himself without a tongue.

"What's the commotion out here?"

My blood froze in my veins, as if I really was made of ice. The voice was low, male, and painfully familiar.

A man with silver-blue hair and vibrant blue eyes stepped around me, letting his gaze fall like a knife-stroke across my two companions.

"Can you not see you are bothering the lady? Give her some space."

Rixton bristled, but backed off a little with the help of my glare. Roy put both of his hands up teasingly.

"Whoa whoa whoa. I just wanted to say hi to the lady- we've met previously and I just wanted to show my appreciation." His gold eyes swept me up and I down and I could tell he would have liked to show that appreciation in more ways than one.

I cleared my throat. "Roy here just wanted to thank me for saving his life last time I was in the city. Although he grew up in the slums, he seems unable to handle himself there." I cast a glance around the gilded hall before giving him one last dismissive look. "Nor here."

Now it was Roy's turn to react. But despite the red flush of embarrassment on his tan cheeks, he was still smiling ruefully. He apparently likes being looked down upon.

"I'm guessing you could use a break from the present company." The silver-haired man offered me a hand, and I let him lead me away after giving one last nod to the distraught pair.

The man led me into a parlor and double checked the empty hall before closing the door.

I looked into that face with a sense of misery and resignation.

My face. I miss it.

As soon as they met mine, the blue eyes turned from cool to sparkling.

"How was it, how was it, Vel?!! Did I pull it off?!! I acted just like you, right??"

This time I did sigh out loud. This was the person who told me about "Otome games" and how I'm apparently in one. Morimoto Asami, or "Asa", a traveler from another world who apparently had nothing better to do in her past life than play a strange interactive game on a mysterious technological device that involved a harem of bothersome love interests. And the chief love interest was Prince Velvetine Amsonia, the "ice cold prince".

I really must have some awful karma.