1 [1] Yannis von Eldoria, Eternal Heart

"Your Highness Yannis, it's time to prepare..."

The servants visited my room, casting uncertain glances at me.

Of course, that's how it would be. After all, according to them, if they were to spoil my already difficult mood, th couldn't even begin to imagine the consequences.

"I understand. I'm sorry, but can you wait for just thirty more minutes?"

"Wha-? Y-Yes..."

The servants, taken aback, left my room in a hurry.

Well, I'd like to say that their reaction was due to the few words of explanation I added, but...

"Sigh... Well, my usual self can't be helped..."

I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, a character with hair that defied the laws of elegance—it was a cascade of disheveled silver-blonde strands, with dull black eyes that have three white eyed pupils.

My name is Yannis von Eldoria.

I'm the third prince of the powerful nation in the western countries, the Eldoria Kingdom. Despite my royal lineage, I find myself entangled in the schemes and shadows that lurk beneath the grandeur.

Huh? Why do I speak of myself in such a derogatory manner, you ask? Well, it's only natural.

Because I am... the lapdog character of the rival character, the heroine's sidekick, in this chat-based romance smartphone RPG, 'Eternal Heart,' to put it briefly. A complex tapestry of fate, don't you think?

Imagine a character with features that defies the laws of elegance, gracing the screen of a nationally renowned drama. That's me—the pitiful existence who goes all out to flatter the rival character, bullies the protagonist at every opportunity, and ultimately suffers even worse than the rival character. I couldn't even become a lapdog. It's sad even just talking about it.

I discovered this fact this morning.

When I woke up, I suddenly remembered my past life's memories, a whirlwind of reincarnation into another world.

Contrary to my extraordinary status in this life, in my previous life, I was an ordinary college student known as Yukiha Tachibana.

Having moved from the countryside to the city for university, my innate shyness and introverted nature led to a solitary existence. To combat the isolation, I started playing 'Eternal Heart,' a chat-driven smartphone RPG focused on romance.

Unfortunately, I became ensnared in 'Eternal Heart' due to its charming chat conversations and the adorable heroines (or rather, the players behind them). I found myself pouring most of my part-time job earnings into in-game gacha rolls. It's somewhat disheartening, even reflecting on it now.

Nevertheless, I now reside in a different realm compared to my previous existence. It's imperative for me to divert the game's storyline from its predetermined path.

Failing to do so would mean meeting the inescapable fate of death.

Why should a mere side character like Yannis have to undergo such an ordeal? Regrettably, this individual named Yannis ultimately takes the path of rebellion.

Naturally, the numerous heroines, alongside the first and second princes who become rival characters, adore the protagonist and shower him with affection. In contrast, I, having lived a life of indulgence as the third prince, find myself dependent on others for every aspect of my existence.

Expectedly, the rebellion is destined to fail, with the protagonist and heroines easily thwarting our plans. In the end, I face execution right before the protagonist's burgeoning harem.

I aim to alter this narrative, but my reputation has plummeted due to my reckless behavior over the past thirteen years. I begin with a negative score even before the main plot commences.

Incidentally, the rival characters, the first and second princes, have conveniently reconciled with the protagonist, and no route in the game leads to their demise. In fact, these two princes have always been handsome and dignified characters. The game developers even went so far as to release 'Eternal Heart: Girls' Side,' where they appear as cool and yandere handsome characters devoted to the female protagonist. Yannis? He has no place there.

In any case, to evade such a grim fate, I must mend my tarnished reputation and avoid the 'Eternal Heart' main storyline as much as possible. However...

"It's impossible to do that, isn't it?"

Because, you see, the protagonist is my younger brother, the fourth prince, and the rival characters are my older brothers, the first and second princes. I'm bound to get involved in their lives. There's no escape.

Fortuitously, I'm currently thirteen years old, with three more years until the main storyline unfolds. During this time, I must create a pathway to survival that doesn't exist in the game, no matter what.

For this purpose...

"I absolutely can't afford to fail in today's meeting."

'Eternal Heart' revolves around the goal of making the world's greatest fiancee, a condition for the protagonist to ascend to the throne. It offers a narrative of adventure, romance, and witty exchanges, delivered through chat conversations. Unfortunately, this game's distinctive and financially demanding features placed significant stress on players, demanding double the in-game currency for chat tickets and gacha rolls. This led to scathing criticism and service termination within just six months of its release.

Upon reading the unexpected 'Notice from the Management' one week prior to service termination, I found myself crying myself to sleep, having poured a considerable sum of money into the game. And when I awoke, I was Yannis.

"In any case, I refuse to die! I will undoubtedly survive!"

In this world where the future appears grim, I'm determined to make it through. Even though I was shedding tears just before, it remains the same. Damn it.

'"Your Highness Yannis, it's time to prepare..."

The servants entered my room, casting uncertain glances at me.

Certainly, that's to be expected. If they were to spoil my already difficult mood, they couldn't even begin to imagine the consequences.

"I understand. But can you wait for just thirty more minutes?"

"W-Wha? Yes..."

The servants, taken aback, left my room in a hurry.

I'd like to think their reaction was due to the few words of explanation I added, but...

"Sigh... Well, my usual self can't be helped..."

I gazed at my reflection in the mirror—a character with features that defied the laws of elegance. A cascade of disheveled silver-blonde strands, with dull and black, three white eyed pupils.

I am Yannis von Eldoria.

The third prince of the powerful nation in the western countries, the Eldoria Kingdom. Despite my royal lineage, I find myself entangled in the schemes and shadows that lurk beneath the grandeur.

Why do I speak of myself in such a derogatory manner, you ask? Well, it's only natural.

Because I am... the lapdog character of the rival character, the heroine's sidekick, in this chat-based romance smartphone RPG, 'Eternal Heart,' to put it briefly.

Imagine a character with a bizarre hairstyle that defies the laws of elegance, gracing the screen of a nationally renowned edgy anime. That's me—the pitiful existence who goes all out to flatter the rival character, bullies the protagonist at every opportunity, and ultimately suffers even worse than the rival character. I couldn't even become a lapdog. It's sad even just talking about it.