Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Fifth Prince

The sky is clear. The birds are chirping. The flowers are blooming.

What a wonderful day to have an outdoor tea party with the ladies, which I am having right now.

"I must say... these oriental tea leaves you have provided for today's party is really exquisite, Lady Mera. The aromatic scent from it alone sure puts my mind in a serene state." I said, complimenting the tea in my hand as I drink it.

"Why thank you, Your Highness. If you like, I can have more of these tea leaves sent to you at a later date. Think of it as an... additional token of my gratitude for hosting such a wonderful tea party."

"Yes... that would be great. Thank you, Lady Mera."

As I was done talking to one lady, another then started conversing with me.

"By the way, Your Highness. What did you think of the pastries I brought for the party? I've seen you eating them so delightfully, I was wondering if you find to your liking."

"Ah, yes... there were wonderful, Lady Urain. Although, I have never seen these types before in your restaurant... Were they perhaps new pastries, milady?"

"Yes! That is correct, Your Highness. They were new pastry ideas created by the chefs at my family's restaurant. I was hoping to get your impression of them before we include them into our menu. My apologies if that was rude of me."

"No, not at all, Lady Urain. In fact, I am delighted to be the first to ever try these new pastries of yours. Please... tell the chefs that they have done a brilliant job and that I can't wait to eat these again at your restaurant."

"Thank you very much, Your Highness!"

Lady Urain jumped in joy. However, i wasn't done just yet.

"But, milady, if I could give a bit of a feedback: Cutting down on the sugar would be nice. Even for someone who is fond of sweet things like myself, these pastries can be a bit too sweet for my palate."

"Oh my, is that so? Very well. I shall inform the chefs of your opinion, Your Highness."

"Please do, Lady Urain."

My conversation with Lady Urain was then concluded. However, amongst the lighthearted tune of fun chatting and giggles in the background, soft little huffs can heard from where I am.

"Hmph. Using Prince Sol as a sampler like that. How shameless can she be..."

"Lady Mera is no different. As if Prince Sol, who has a sweet tooth, would ever like such bland tea from the far east. He's just playing nice to not embarrass her for sure."

Ah~ noblewomen... always as critical as usual. Though that can be said for the nobility of this country in general... 

Sorry ladies, but I genuinely liked this tea even though it ain't sweet like the ones I normally have.

But, it's a shame that I can't say that. Otherwise, it would embarrass those other ladies have for sure. Which is why, I'll have to simply ignore their whispering and continue sipping the tea away, while holding small talks with the other ladies at the table; discussing about the stuff they had brought to the party or some other mundane topic in their lives.

Then, while everyone was busy chatting with each other, one reserved-looking lady stood up and staggered her way towards me.

"U-U-Umm, Your Highness..." she said in a timid tone, stuttering on her words.

"Yes? How may I help you, Lady Hendrickson?"

"M-M-May I speak with you in p-p-private for a moment?"

As she said that, the other ladies became silent. Their attention were being focused on Lady Hendrickson; gazing at the woman with various looks and expressions on their faces.

Not wanting the air around the party to become stale, I set my cup down.

"Sure thing, Lady Hendrickson." I said, standing up from my seat as I then shifted my attention to the other ladies at the table. "Please excuse us, my dear ladies. Lady Hendrickson and I will be having a brief chat in private for a while. Until then, do enjoy the party without us and if there is anything you may need, please do not hesitate to ask the servants here for it."

After addressing to the ladies, I turned back to Lady Hendrickson next to me. "Now then... shall we head to somewhere more private, milady?" I said, extending a hand out for the lady to hold.

"U-Umm... Y-Yes, Your Highness..."

The timid lady grabbed my hand as I then escorted her elsewhere. As we left, however, my ears picked up on the other ladies' bickering again.

"H-How shameless!"

"I know, right! Who in the world does she think is she!?"

Someone with a problem weighing on their mind, I assume, seeing as how droopy the fair lady looked since the beginning of this tea party.

So, to hear her problem out, I guided the young wife of an earl, Lady Eva Hendrickson, to a secluded area in the garden where no one can eavesdrop on our conversation without getting caught.

"Well then... please tell me what is it that you wish to speak with me for, Lady Hendrickson."

"U-Uh, I-I-I..."

Lady Hendrickson kept her head down; shifting her eyes away from me, as she fidgets around with her fingers while her mouth trembles out of nervousness. From what I've heard, she also has a stuttering problem.

"Take your time, milady. Deep breaths first, if that would help."

Lady Hendrickson took a moment to calm her nerves. Seeing her feeling less nervous now, I asked her, "Better?"

"Y-Yes, Your Highness. M-My apologies for taking up y-your time."

"There is no need to worry, Lady Hendrickson. I do not mind such trivial things. Besides, if I were to guess, you have something weighing on your mind for a while now, haven't you?"

"Y-Y-Yes... Th-That is correct."

Lady Hendrickson took another moment in silence. She gripped her trembling hand tightly, raised her head to look me in the eyes for an instant, before lowering her head back down again as she then spoke.

"Y-Your Highness, I... I couldn't help but to suspect that my h-husband may be having an a-a-affair with other women." she said.

"I see. That is a cause for concern, yes." I said, covering my mouth to hide my intrigue in the matter that is being raised. "Did you noticed some strange behaviour about the Earl which led to this suspicion?" I asked her.

 "Y-Yes. M-my husband... Normally, he would always be thinking about w-work and wears a s-s-serious expression on his face at all time. B-Because of that, h-he rarely ever s-smiles or visit me at n-n-night..."

I've heard about this: The fact that Earl Hendrickson is a workaholics and barely pays any attention to his wife. Because of which, Lady Hendrickson here is constantly shamed by others as a boring woman neglected by her husband. And now, that same husband is having an affair? That will harm the Lady's reputation for sure if news were to break out.

"You said 'normally', milady. Does that mean the Earl have done something that isn't normally what he would do?"

"Y-Yes... It is as you s-said, Your Highness. One day, when I paid a visit to his office b-bringing tea, I saw my husband... smiling." she said.

"Did something good happened to the Earl perhaps?"

"T-that's what I though at first. B-But... the way my husband smiled was u-unsettling. He was b-b-brimming with joy, h-humming away as he worked. Almost as if that smile of his was f-f-forced onto his face. He also wore really e-e-extravagant clothes that I have never seen him w-worn before and was d-doodling on his paperwork instead of actually w-working on them."

Wow! The Earl must be really having it good, huh. Just what kind of woman did he meet, I wonder?

"I see. But that's not the only strange part that happened to him, am I right?"

"Y-Yes... In addition to his u-unsettling behaviour, m-m-my husband has started attending parties which he'd normally... w-wouldn't attend."

"I get it. So you think he may be rendezvousing with other women at these parties, correct?"

"...Yes. His clothes were always d-disheveled whenever he returned and I would notice strange marks resembling h-hickeys around his neck. A-Although... I didn't get a good look at it, so I might've be w-wrong..."

"I see... And that's when you have began suspecting your husband of cheating, I assume?"

"Y-Yes... Yes, Your Highness...."

Hmm... I see, I see~ This is quite the interesting case I am hearing.

"Y-Y-Your Highness, I... I heard from a friend of mine that you help other ladies with t-this sort of matters. So, I was w-w-wondering if I could ask you to—"

"Of course, milady. As thanks for bringing those wonderful lilies to my party, I will investigate the matter on your husband." I said, caressing her smooth hair as she blushed in response to my action.

"However..." I then asked her. "If the Earl has really been cheating on you, what will you do about it, milady?"

"I..." Lady Hendrickson hesitated to answer for a second. Her hands clenching on each other tightly as she pressed them against her chest.

"I-I-If my husband is really having an affair behind my back, I... I'd probably do nothing about it."

"Really now?"

"Y-Yes, Your Highness... I-I-If he really was doing it, then it's my fault for being such a b-boring and b-b-bland woman." she stated with her head lowered even further while clutching onto her dress.

"I-I-I'm not as attractive as compared to other women. And my f-f-family is but from a poor noble background. The o-only reason for my marriage with him was s-solely for his money. And we didn't even spent our f-f-first night t-together after the wedding. T-That's why... I-I'm sure he finds me distasteful for being nothing but a l-l-leech in his life and... ignored me all those y-years."

I see. So that's the type of person Lady Hendrickson sees herself as.

I must say...

"How foolish... How utterly foolish for you to say that, Lady Hendrickson."

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"U-U-Ummm, Your Highness... what are you...."

I placed my right hand on her face, caressing her cheek as I reached my other arm around her waist and brought her closer to myself, embracing the young wife in my arm.

"Lady Hendrickson... no, Eva. You are beautiful... much more beautiful than you think you are. If I had met you much sooner, I would've fell for you in an instant. So please, don't degrade yourself by calling yourself boring and bland and such. Because I can say for certain that you are neither of those things. So have some confidence in yourself, milady."

Lady Hendrickson flustered upon hearing my words, averting her eyes away from mine, blushing from embarrassment.

"P-P-Please do not tease me, Your Highness." she said with her face all red. Meanwhile I smiled, unable to contain my amusement upon seeing her lovely reaction.

"What do you mean? I am merely stating the truth as I see it. Which is why, if the Earl really is cheating on you, leave him. Issue a divorce and dump him immediately. For if the man-in-question is truly committing adultery, then it is his fault entirely and not the fault of his significant other. Do you understand?"

"I-I understand. So c-c-could you please let go of me, Your Highness... Y-You're too close."

"Oh. My apologies, milady." I willfully released her as requested. "Your reaction was simply too cute that I couldn't help but to tease." I said, not feeling sorry for my actions whatsoever as expressed through the big grin I have on my face.

"I-It's all right, Y-Your Highness. B-B-But it seems like my friend was r-right..."

"About what, may I ask?"

"About Your Highness being a w-w-womanizer... and perhaps into m-married women."

Ah...

I won't deny it. I have flirted with a lot of women, simply to tease a reaction out of them for my own amusement. Although, I'll have to wonder where the idea that I'm into married women came from?

But then again, I had just teased a young married woman, so I guess it isn't strange for rumours like that to appear.

"Well, I can say for certain that your friend isn't entirely wrong." I stated, presenting my hand to the lady. "Come. Let us return to the party now, shall we? We wouldn't want to the other ladies to begin assuming things now, do we? As for the matter of your husband, I'll begin investigations as soon as I can."

"Y-Yes... Th-Th-Thank you very much, Your Highness..."

"Please... It's the least I can do for a beautiful lady such as yourself." I said, kissing the fair lady's hand which led her to blush again, as I then escorted her back to the party venue where my other guests had been waiting.

Of course, the ladies questioned me about my conversation with Lady Hendrickson. To which I simply changed the subject whenever that topic popped up. Forcing them to forget about it as we carried on with the tea party.

However, time quickly passed while one is having fun, as Jonah, my personal servant, approached the table while I was cheerfully chatting with the ladies.

"Sorry to interrupt, Your Highness. But it's almost time." said my handsome black hair, dark skin butler, as he showed me the pocket watch in his hand.

"Oh." I took one quick look at the time and stood up, garnering the ladies' attention as they all laid eyes on me.

"Ladies, thank you all for coming today. I, Soluna Yuri Bellcaster, am grateful to the many of you who attended to this little party of mine." I addressed to the ladies, who all stood up and bowed gracefully to me.

"It should be us who must thank you, Your Highness, for inviting us to such a wonderful party to enjoy." said Lady Urain, speaking on behalf of the others.

"I am glad to hear that. Unfortunately, as much as I would like this party to continue, I am afraid it will have to end now for my own sake." I announced to my guests, whom they all expressed a sad but understanding look on their faces.

"What a shame. I was hoping to get along with Prince Sol some more..."

"We have no choice, I'm afraid. Despite how he acts, Prince Sol has always been known to have a poor health."

"That's true. We should be grateful that His Highness even bothered to organise these sort of small parties from time to time, even though he should be resting instead."

The ladies who had sat near me kept their words to themselves, whereas the ladies who are farthest from me whispered among each other. My ears have a good sense of hearing though, so I could easily pick up on what they were saying.

I then raised my hand, signaling the servants standing close by to come, before addressing to my guests for one last time.

"Well then, ladies, pardon me for my rudeness but I shall be excusing myself now. Please follow one of the servants whenever you are ready to leave. As I bid you all farewell and wish you all a good time for the rest of your day." I said and walked off with Jonah following behind me.

As I looked back for a moment, I noticed Lady Hendrickson's gaze on me. I smiled at her and winked, reassuring her that the matter of her request will be looked into. Then, I left the garden, humming along my way to my room now as I have nothing left to do for the rest of the day till dusk.

"You sure had your fun, huh, Your Highness?" said Jonah, pacing himself a step behind.

"Why of course! It's fun to chat with the ladies." I replied in a cheerful tone.

"Especially when it comes to teasing one of them, I presume?" he added, looking at me with his prying eyes.

"Oh. You mean Lady Hendrickson? Well, she has quite the expression when I teased her. A shame that she is married though." I commented. "Say... were you perhaps spying on us, my friend?"

"Preposterous. That would be rude of me to interrupt you on your fun time." Jonah retorted. "However, I am curious. So if I may ask, what exactly did the lady want you with?"

"Well, I'm sure you can already guess though." I remarked. "The dear lady has a request for me. She wants us to investigate her husband who may or may not possibly be cheating on her." I relayed the details of the request to my trusted subordinate. "With that being said, find out exactly where the Earl, Karl Hendrickson, will be going out and when. From what I have been told, he has been frequently going to various parties lately. So look into that for me, will ya?"

"Should I involve the others in this matter as well?" Jonah asked.

"No need. It's just a small request from a lady after all." I replied, which Jonah acknowledges by bowing slightly.

"Understood, Your Highness. However, I shall begin the task after dusk."

"Ah, yes... of course.... Please stay by my side once dusk arrives." I spoke quietly at the last moment, walking faster to my room where I proceeded to jump on the bed upon entering, whereas Jonah enters afterwards, shutting the door behind himself and locking it from the inside.

As I lie on the bed, gazing blankly at the sun over the horizon while hugging the blanket, I asked Jonah. "How much time is there left?"

"About ten minutes, Your Highness."

Ten minutes, huh. I began to mentally prepare myself upon hearing his response.

As I take deep breaths in and out to relax as much as I can, I figure this is where I should elaborate a bit about myself.

My name is Soluna Yuri Bellcaster, as I had already said. Nickname: Sol, as one can already guess. And I am the Fifth Prince of the Kingdom of Narla, known to the populace for having a body with poor health and for being somewhat of a womanizer.

However, while the latter is true in a sense, the former is completely false. I do not have a poor health whatsoever...

I simply have a body that is cursed.

"Ngh!"

The moment dusk arrived, I could feel my body heating up inside and clenched my chest tightly to the rapid beating of my heart. Then, I could feel every bone of mine shrinking; every muscle in my body contracting. I could feel my face reshaping itself and my hair growing longer.

I gasped, crying bloody tears in pain and became breathless by the second.

It hurts... It hurts... IT HURTS!

"Jo...nah..." I gasped, reaching out for him.

"Don't worry... I'm here." Jonah said, restraining me in his arms, so that I wouldn't squirm around on the bed in absolute agony. However, this led me to dig my nails into his clothes as it grew longer.

Jonah could only watch as the change in my body continues.

My body began to shapeshift accordingly. Whereby my height begins to shrink, my chest growing larger, my waist turning slender and my hips becoming wider. As for the other parts of my body, they changed as well depending on the area. Like my legs becoming thicker and my arms becoming less masculine. Additionally, my eyelashes seemed to be growing longer while my hair has also begun to change its colour from golden blond to silvery white. The colour of my eyes are changing too. Just that I can't see it, but know it.

Furthermore, my genitalia and reproductive organs inside my body began changing too. As the transformation would soon reach its completion.

All that's left is the change in my voice while I continue to cry in anguish.

And then... it is done. I have fully become a woman.

My breathing is slowly returning. As if I had been reborn into this female body of mine again.

Yes, "again..." Because it isn't the first time that I have to go through this experience. For this is the curse that I bear: The Transformation Curse, which has been stuck with me since birth.

How it functions is simple. When dusk hits, I become a woman. When dawn arrives, I become a man. Then when dusk comes again, I become a woman. And when dawn makes its entrance again, I become a man. After which, it's just a rinse and repeat of that for every 12 hours of my life. And during those two particular time periods, I would also feel an immense amount of pain and agony as my body fully transforms into the other sex. Leaving me to be completely exhausted by the end of each transformation.

"How are you feeling, Your Highness?" Jonah asked, releasing me from his arms once the transformation is finished.

"I'm fine. Just... tired..." I said, still breathing heavily after experiencing that pain again.

"I'll be... taking a nap now... So you may leave and do the task I had given you earlier..." I added, dismissing Jonah who proceeded to excuse himself from my room.

"Well then, I will be going now. Please rest well... Princess..." he said and then, he left. Closing the door behind him.

Once I could no longer hear his barely audible footsteps, I stripped the clothes that are starting to suffocate me around the chest and rear area in particular and jumped onto bed completely naked, as I tucked myself under the blanket nicely.

"God... I wish this curse would just disappear already..."

With that being said while hugging a pillow, I comfortably dozed off to la la land for the next few hours.

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