Operation: Avoid the Crown Prince

15 | A Year Before Fifteen

The Butterfly Effect. It's a property of chaotic systems by which small changes in initial conditions can lead to large-scale and unpredictable variation in the future state of the system. This idea got its name from mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz who suggested that the meager flap of a butterfly's wings can ultimately cause a devastating tornado.

I can't help but think about this whenever I see Kail and the duke actually having a proper conversation, or when I see Zedrif not throwing a hissy fit when my mother personally brings us snacks, or whenever Sylvan shows up in the manor to train with my older brother.

These are all events that have no chance of happening in the original novel. Kail and Zedrif would've continued hating their father, stepmother, and their half-sister. Sylvan would've hated Anastasia as well and he definitely wouldn't even think of associating himself with the Kyanos duchy. My presence in this world caused this, just like how a butterfly flaps its wings to fly, unaware that it could eventually cause a calamity.

All these changes... Will it be enough to alter the future, I wonder? Will it be enough to counter the natural order of this world, the plot which guides everyone's actions?

Will I be enough?

"Miss, have you decided on a response for the Crown Prince's letter?"

Lilia's inquiring voice snapped me back to reality. Ah, right. Sylvan's letter.

I looked down at the letter in my hands, silently contemplating. It was an invitation personally written by Sylvan, inviting me to his 14th birthday to be held in the Royal Palace, three days from now. I heaved a silent sigh. How fast the time flies. Another year has passed by in a flash and now Sylvan is turning 14.

I should probably say yes, right? Since we're friends now... or something.

It's been a year but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that Sylvan sees Anastasia as his friend now. My arrival in this world changed a lot of stuff, huh? Hopefully, Sylvan wouldn't have the heart to send his precious first friend to the guillotine in the near future.

Although if you ask me, I still believe that avoiding the main characters of the novel is the safest route to choose for the sake of survival. If I have no affiliation with any of them, then I can't possibly be dragged into the novel's plotline. I'll never have to be the villainess whose only purpose is to harass the female lead.

It's not the most ideal situation but I have to learn to adapt. Besides, the circumstances right now is pretty okay too.

Friendship with Sylvan is strangely acceptable. He's quite sensible and mature on the most part, unlike a particular older brother of mine (cough Zedrif cough cough). Sylvan's not a big fan of talking so he mostly just listens as I talk. This is how our conversations often happen, with me doing the talking and him doing the listening. There were times when we (or rather I) run out of things to talk about and only silence ensued which was always an awkward occurrence back then. After I've accepted the fact that Sylvan is here to stay, the usual awkwardness caused by the silence between us was replaced with an odd sense of peace. Hmm, maybe the awkwardness was all on me?

Anyway, Sylvan's going to be 14 in the next three days, and in a couple of months, I will be as well. A year later, we'll turn 15 and finally start our life as students of Solecium Academy. I heaved a deep breath as I let these thoughts sink in. A year from now, the novel will officially start. I'll finally get to meet the saintly female lead of this novel and also the destined archenemy of Anastasia, Princess Katherine of Ludenberg. I was fine with her when I was reading the novel, I even loved her naivety and innocence, but I wonder if she's as innocent as the author made her seem. Oh God, I hope my preparations are enough for all these upcoming trouble.