Last edit: 10/15/20

Tags: Romance, Isekai, Fantasy, Drama, Humor, Adventure, Slow Burn

Main Pairing: SasuSaku

Side Pairing(s): ItaIzu

Duke Sasuke Uchiha of the Mangekyo territory. Younger brother of Susanoo's king. A force known for his mercilessness in the battlefield, his brilliant mind, and his unapproachable front. Misunderstood to be void of emotions but was truly a man filled with intense passion hidden by a veil of immovable power. The same man who was supposed to only exist on printed words within a bound collection of pages.

'A dream,' her mind tried to apprehend. 'It doesn't feel like one, but what other explanation could there be?'

He stared at her with quiet curiosity, mouth in a thin line as a thumb ran over his chin.

He was even more striking than described. She had a thought of how he would look like if he was someone she could actually meet, yet somehow, with him right in front of her, it exceeded her own imagination. Precisely cut jaw on a clear, unblemished face. Eyes clouded in mystery, dark and inquisitive. Hair longer than what she was used to seeing, but its deep dark strands was well styled, newly combed, she presumed, after days of it being windswept.

She was ogling, she realized, embarrassedly turning her head in an abrupt motion. 'Now's not the time to gape, Haruno! You're either deep in a coma and this is a vivid hallucination or...' What was the other option? By some miracle, she was alive, her body firmly intact with no injuries when her last memory involved her last thoughts being her weak and bloodied on a busy road. And a stranger who had pushed her. 'Or somehow, this is all real.'

Deep in her own thoughts, she failed to recognize his sharp focus aimed at her. The design of her bodice was intricate, white floral patterns sewn onto a lace fabric atop another white fabric that only covered her chest and torso, her arms visible through the patterned lace. Her skirt began at her waist in a straight line rather than a V shape, indicating she wore no corset, and it ended a few inches above her knees, showcasing shapely calves, untouched by injuries that one should have when laying on the forest ground after some time. Despite the unusual design of her ensemble, he came to the conclusion that the young woman had to have come from more than reasonable wealth. A design so intricate on her bodice meant that it was expensive. The skirt showed no signs of frayed fabric at the end seams, either, meaning it was finished in the most professional manner.

The more Sasuke scrutinized her, the more perplexing she became. The way she spoke, one would think she had no etiquette training, but with the amount of power that he sensed rested within her indicated to him a powerful family background.

An enigma, she was. An enigma that he was determined to solve.

With her chakra, she was someone to be wary of. He'd have to keep an eye on her. If he lets her leave the estate, there was a possibility she would return to someone with ill intent towards the royal family. He rubbed his temples. Perhaps it would have been safer to leave her be when he found her, but it was too late. He had brought her in, and now, he'd have to be watchful of her every movement.

He would have to ask Kakashi for aid in the matter, since it would not be possible to constantly watch over her and gather information about her at the same time with the work he already had to do. Knowing the viscount, he'd much rather do that than return to Sharingan. The older man enjoyed delaying work. It was a miracle that his own estate hadn't fallen to ruin.

First thing to do was determine if she was a threat. If not, he would think of what to do next once the matter was cleared.

Out of the silence, a sudden growling noise arose. Sakura's eyes flashed to her stomach, her hands covering it, visibly self-conscious. She was so busy trying to make sense of her situation that she did not register her growing hunger.

"Sorry," she said, her voice just above a whisper.

Undisturbed, he only nodded. "It's to be expected in the state we found you in." He made his way towards the door, stopping to look back at her when he realized she did not follow. "Come this way."

If he was going to uncover her secrets, some form of trust had to be established.

He walked a few feet in front of her as they made their way through the long, elegant hall to the dining area. The cooks prepared a meal for him and his traveling party, awaiting their return, knowing they must have been famished after the journey. It came as a shock to his servants when he arrived with a woman.

'It's just a hallway,' Sakura thought as she stared at the ceiling. 'But why in the world would they need it lined with chandeliers?' Albeit smaller than one would find in a grand hall, they were still a show of wealth, crystal pendalogues hanging from the gold arms intended to hold candles. Large windows lined the hall, giving natural light to the space. Everything about the hallway alone screamed splendor. However, it did not seem to match the Lord of the estate.

'Right. He inherited the estate. He's more the type to leave things as is than to redecorate everything to his taste.' She thought as she looked forward, inspecting his broad shoulders. She chuckled to herself. There she was, ogling again.

It was not like she could help it. As confused as she was, the man was visually stunning. She'd spent years admiring his character that she allowed herself the moment to admire him.

The walk was spent in silence, though not awkward. Sakura was busy admiring the decor and Sasuke was in his head, thinking of ways to go forward with the situation. He would know if her intentions were of no malice, then the next objective was to get answers of her history. It puzzled him to no end. If the truth of her familial ties would not reveal itself, then perhaps, with her potential in power, she could aid the royal family's mages. He knew for sure he would not want her in the continent's guild of mages.

Two men stood at the opposite sides of the large door Sasuke had stopped in front of. Upon halting, the two men opened the door, revealing a large table that filled the middle of the room, a large chandelier hanging right above it. On the far right, a grey haired man sat. He had just set his cup down as the two entered.

Based on his appearance, light hair and a mask, Sakura knew it was Viscount Kakashi. As if she wasn't shocked enough by the duke's existence.

"Ah, so she wakes," he said.

Sakura followed Sasuke's lead. The duke stopped at the head of the table, and he motioned for her to sit on the seat opposite of the viscount. Kakashi watched as she sat. She did not curtsy upon seeing him. Was she a higher ranking noble? Or did she not have a care?

He looked at the young duke, curiosity sparked in his eyes. The duke's expression told him he would be briefed about it later on. It looked like he was about to stay in his dukedom longer than he had planned.

"Amassed an appetite, young lady?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura's lips rose in a small smile. "A little bit."

"It's not surprising you are. How long were you in the forest?"

Her shoulders went up in a shrug. "I don't know."

"It appears she cannot recall her memories," Sasuke explained before taking the knife and fork into his hands, slicing the piece of meat on his plate.

"Amnesia? Fascinating."

Sakura chuckled awkwardly. 'Right, I said that.' Knife and fork in hand, she was eager to feed herself. With a piece of meat on her fork, she lifted it into her lips and let the rich flavors envelope her mouth, not expecting such a taste.

"You recall nothing at all?"

Shaking her head, she swallowed her food before speaking. "Only my name."

"Which is?"

"Sakura," the duke spoke once again.

Asleep, alone in the Charmed forest with her only memory being her first name. It seemed suspicious to the viscount. He'd have a lot of questions for Sasuke after their meal.

They continued their meals with only small moments of conversation, Sakura eager to fill her stomach. Once her plate was empty, she sighed, relaxing onto the chair. Kakashi found her movements amusing.

"I trust it was to your satisfaction?"

"Oh, definitely."

During their brief conversations over their meal, the duke and the viscount studied her way of speech. Informal and chaste, she did not care for lengthy responses. It was refreshing, the viscount found. A contrast to the duke's blunt and proper speech, a trait he was raised on because of his status. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to stay in his dukedom longer to witness what was to happen. Somehow, he had a good feeling about what was to come.

"Ritsuko." Sasuke put his cloth napkin down.

The maid who was standing by the wall gave a short bow, stopping a distance away from where the duke sat. "Yes, Your Grace?"

"Prepare a bath for the young lady."

Ritsuko, the head maid, paused, her brows raising for a brief moment, surprised at the young duke's request. It was shocking enough to hear he had brought a woman to his estate, asleep in his arms. Was the young woman of a high rank? "Yes, Your Grace. Does the young lady come with a different set of garments?"

"No. She may use some of my mother's garments. I recall she has some left here in the estate in case she wanted to visit unexpectedly."

Allow the young woman to wear the Queen Mother's garments? It seemed the estate will amuse themselves with the new bit of gossip. Other maids that stood by the walls shared curious looks. Had His Grace saved this woman? Or perhaps, was she more important than that? The maids could barely suppress their giggles.

Sakura noticed it, however, and now, she was all the more conscious of herself. Looking down at her hands on her lap, she pursed her lips, racking her brain on how to continue. She had nowhere to go, and she had so many questions that she couldn't ask outright for fear of being called a lunatic. She had to tread carefully. She was lucky enough to be saved by Sasuke and not someone else. Who knows what else could have happened?

She knew they found her in the Charmed Forest, so piecing information together, she had appeared there after the car accident. But how? She couldn't just think she was hallucinating. Everything was too visceral that she could no longer deny her circumstances, but she still wasn't fully convinced. Until she was, she needed to trust her gut and stay out of trouble.

She wanted to ask one thing, though, and she figured it wouldn't be too odd to ask it, considering they appeared to believe she had amnesia. "I'm sorry, but what is today's date?"

Sasuke stood before responding, his eyes reflected back at him through hers. "The eighth of the Solar Crescent."

"A Crescent before the end of the year ball, exactly. Isn't that right, duke?" Kakashi added, the tone in his voice grew cheeky at the last sentence.

The duke glared at him, only to the viscount's amusement. "You need not remind me."

Judging from Sasuke's reaction, this meant it was the ball where his mother would fling wife candidates at her sons, as she did yearly. If it was a month before, and he was in his estate, it meant she was in the first book's early events. Itachi was to announce his engagement then.

'Wait, the first book…' Her eyes wandered to Sasuke. 'That means in two years…' Right, she had almost forgotten. The duke was meant to die. She bit the inside of her cheek, a conflict of emotions welled up within her.

Second: Young Lady or Madam?

As Ritsuko guided Sakura outside of the dining room to where she was to bathe, Kakashi and Sasuke took a stroll in the halls, finding their way back to the duke's office to discuss matters in private.

Kakashi took a seat on one of the leather seats. "So we know nothing but her name."

"For the moment, yes."

"But her chakra levels tell us she's not just a commoner who had found herself lost in the Charmed Forest."

Sasuke looked at his shelves of books, walking slowly until he found the specific book he was looking for. "The intricacy of her clothing also suggests wealth." Taking the book off of the shelf, he walked to his desk, opening it before sitting down.

Kakashi hummed. "And what do you have planned?"

"We cannot just let her roam free with the power she has."

"In other words, you intend to keep her in your estate." Kakashi figured as much. "I suspect you want me to keep her company, so to speak, when you are not able?"

"We need to know her intentions." Sasuke flipped the book's pages. "Once we know what those intentions are, then we can discuss what to do with her."

Kakashi smiled. "Or, you could do what you would commonly do in these situations."

Sasuke looked up from the page to stare quizzically at the viscount.

"Ordinarily, you wouldn't have brought her into your estate. If anything, you would have disposed of her already."

"What exactly are you insinuating, old man?"

"I've known you long enough to understand that this isn't mere wariness from you. You're intrigued."

"Naturally, as anyone would be in such a circumstance."

"And you think that this is worth your time to decipher. A rare occurrence outside of battle."

Sasuke sighed. "Enough with your wordplay. Speak your mind."

"No need to be so curt." Kakashi shook his head, amused. "I just find it entertaining to see you so intrigued by a woman."

So this was what he was insinuating. Sasuke had no time for this. "Are you not?"

"Certainly."

"Then what is so amusing?"

The viscount had so many things he could say as a response but chose to restrain himself. It would be better to see him realize for himself as time went on. He considered himself lucky to witness the situation so early on.

Sasuke looked back on the page he had stopped on and sighed. "Apart from her chakra levels, her appearance in the forest unscathed reminded me of something."

"What would that be?" Kakashi stood and walked to the duke's desk, looking at the page.

"And on the eleventh Crescent, a gift would be bestowed by the gods, a bewitching power to the land. However, as are all gifts, a caveat was placed. If found by the wrong hands, the healing force would turn deadly, bringing terror to those caught in its path." The duke read.

"I did not think you had any interest in the old religion."

"I do not, however, it was part of my education as a young prince."

"The situation is eerily similar. We found her on the eleventh Crescent, she has an unknown power..." Kakashi considered it. "Still, it does sound quite preposterous."

"Preposterous, yes, however, it is not the only thing unusual to happen in the continent this last year." The Anbu Bureaucracy gaining considerably more power in the continent, the Land of the Lions head family removing the first daughter's title as heir, whispers of a union between the Suna Empire's only princess and the prince of the Kage Nui Dynasty. Numerous unlikely occurrences were surprising but did not necessarily mean it was all just a coincidence. The young duke had learned from an early age to be wary. "We need to pay particular attention to her. I have things to look after, so I am mostly unable to do so, which is why I need your aid."

Humming in agreement, Kakashi nodded. "I understand. What do you plan to do with her since she is confined to staying in the estate?"

"She may roam as she pleases, but I will have a small number of trusted servants be watchful of her, as well. If she is to go outside to the gardens for a stroll, I'd have Garuda also stay close."

"The magical attack hawk resigned to be a governess."

A sharp glare from the duke made him raise his hands in mock arrest.

"Will you notify Itachi of this?"

"I'll give him a vague description of the situation. My brother has his hands full with another matter at the moment."

"When does the king not have his hands full?"

Sasuke sighed. "This is a battle my brother has yet to win." He wondered if his brother had gotten the answer he wanted from a certain farmer's daughter.

Sakura had protested to having the maids bathe her like a child. She was twenty-two years old, not an infant and was entirely capable of cleaning herself. In her first moment of peace ever since she had awoken hours ago, she let herself relish in the rosey fragrance of her bath, finding it inside of herself to relax.

It was a dizzying few hours, to say the least, and she was still confused, however, she concluded that the best course of action for now was to go with the flow and be thankful that she was lucky enough to not have been killed on the spot.

She gathered her thoughts.

First, for some unknown, maybe cosmic reason, she's in the world of her favorite novel. Second, the duke found her in the Charmed Forest. Third, if she had guessed correctly based on the state of the duke's estate, she was in the early events of the first book, which meant that the king, Itachi Uchiha, was either about to ask Izumi to be his wife or Izumi had already said yes. Fourth, fortunately for her, Sasuke had found her not to be a threat, or an immediate threat, and is allowing her to stay safely in his home.

She bit the nail of her thumb. He had to be a little dubious about her. If that was the case, then he was keeping her in his estate to watch her. She couldn't blame him, with what was about to happen.

Abruptly, she sat up, causing some water to fall over the tub's edges. 'Right! After Itachi announces his engagement, trouble starts with the Anbu Bureaucracy.'

Some court members were not happy about his engagement to a commoner. One court noble, Rai, a distant relative of the main Uchiha family and an earl of the Hosenka territory, was particularly unhappy with the news. He had wanted his daughter, Naori, to become queen in order to grant their family more power. He planned early on for Naori to become close with Itachi when he was just a young prince and the two had grown to become friends. Only that was as far as the emotions went between them. Feeling furious, he had sided with the bureaucracy, the country's leader promising him more power.

The country's new ruler, Danzo, was known for his dislike for the royal family of Susanoo. Sakura considered him her least favorite character, feeling he was more of a nuisance than an actual threat. But that was how she felt based on paper. How would it truly be to live it?

Then, came another dilemma. What would happen if she were to change events? Would she never be able to get out? If she did get out, would she be laid on the road drenched in her own blood? About to dig a deeper hole of doubts inside her mind, she shook her head vigorously. 'No, Sakura. Right now, your first and foremost adjective is to stay alive.'

Once she got out of the tub, the maids helped her into the clothes Sasuke said belonged to his mother. The thought of it intimidated her.

"Um," she started, rather nervous. "Where are the clothes I came in with?"

"Your garments are to be washed, Madam," one maid, who looked to be younger than her said, stifling an excited giggle.

Sakura looked suspiciously at the two other maids that were hiding giggles, as well. The head maid, Ritsuko, however, gave them a scolding look that silenced them. "My apologies, My Lady. They're quite young and prone to excessive excitement."

With wide eyes, Sakura waved her hands in a motion indicating she did not mind. "Oh, it's totally fine."

Ritsuko's suspicious eyes squinted for a beat, the young lady's way of speech something she had not yet encountered. Perhaps she was of a different country. Maybe even a different continent. In any case, the Lord had deemed her a guest, and she would be treated as such. It was the first time their Lord had brought a woman to the estate. And he held her in his arms when they arrived, as she had heard from the knights. Perhaps the Young Lady could possibly really be their future Madam. It was too early for that, however, and they were lucky enough that the Young Lady was merciful. She made a mental note to properly teach the young maids how to behave in front of a guest later.

"Pardon my question, My Lady?" Another maid asked as she began tightening Sakura's corset. Sakura thought her undergarments were good enough for her, but she knew it could be scandal inducing if she said that out loud. It was a foreign feeling for Sakura, but it was not as terrible as she thought it would be. Maybe those actresses in period dramas were being overdramatic.

Sakura looked at the girl, her eyes kindly telling her to ask whatever was on her mind.

"Your garments are quite unusual. The bodice had no corset, yet it appears like it was crafted by an expert dressmaker. The length of your skirt was also not typical, as well."

Ritsuko glowered at the maid, the maid appearing scared afterwards.

"I said it was fine to ask," Sakura attempted to quell the discomfort. This was going to be something she had to get used to. "And, truthfully, I cannot recall who my dressmaker is, if that is what you're asking."

Four pairs of eyes looked at her, their curiosity spiked.

"You don't recall."

"Truthfully, I don't recall anything but my name."

She was but a name,
A name important enough for his attention.

As the three young maids left the room, head maid Ritsuko the one to accompany the Lord's guest to the garden, they spoke to each other in hushed tones.

"She has no memories. Oh, the poor thing."

"Where could she have met the duke?"

"I happened to hear from the knights that they found her asleep in the Charmed Forest."

"The Charmed Forest?!"

"Shh!"

"Our duke saved her?"

"Perhaps, he knows her."

"Truthfully, it's the only plausible explanation of him aiding her."

"Oh, no, what if the duke was old friends with Young Lady Sakura and is heartbroken she does not remember!"

"Lord Sasuke is quite secretive. Do you think it could be more than friendship?"

"If so, the poor duke."

"Do you think Her Majesty, the Queen Mother, knows?"

"My cousin works in the Queen Mother's palace. Perhaps she would know!"

"I never thought the estate would become this lively!"

"I know! It's very exciting."

The three continued to gossip, and their words spread throughout the estate, growing curiosity surrounding the Young Lady's origins beginning to be the only thing the servants would want to talk about.

Sasuke was always talented in political work and maintaining his land's finances, but that did not mean that he enjoyed the endless amount of things he needed to review and sign. Complaints from nobles were his least favorite. It was always all too tedious and mind numbingly slight, most of the complaints he received either asked for more funds for their estate that they tried to mask as 'aid for the poor of our area' or complaints over land that truly did not belong to them.

A cough reminded him of the man he had made wait in front of him.

Placing his quill down, he looked at the man of similar age as him, his eyes purple, his hair white. "Apologies. I have a lot to finish."

"I did not mind the minutes I stood here silently."

His words were met with an intense glare. "For a mere knight to speak to a duke this way would mean a great offense in other dukedoms."

"You are no mere duke, though, Your Grace." A cheeky grin. Sasuke truly had to stop letting him run his mouth so callously. "What did request my presence for, Your Grace?"

"I need you to gather information on someone."

He rubbed his hands together in interest. "Finally. Something exciting to do. Which royal do you want information on, Your Grace? Anbu's head of state? Perhaps, a member of the Lions' head family?"

Sasuke shook his head, a finger rubbing his left temple. "So eager to start illegal gathering of information?"

"Hasn't stopped you asking me to do so before."

Another glare. Sasuke decided Suigetsu needed a mage to remove his tongue. Not now, but if he wouldn't do it, he didn't doubt someone else would. The man was talented in spying, but terrible at the silence aspect of the job. The duke was surprised he was never caught.

"The only thing we know about her is that her name is Sakura. Pink hair, green eyes."

"The woman they say you found in the Forest?" Suigetsu was not in the travelling party to Amaterasu. He was left in the estate, so when he heard from his fellow knights what had happened, he hadn't thought much of it. Sure, it was unusual for the duke to bring home a woman, but he was not as heartless as people thought.

Sasuke nodded. He figured the knights would have told him. "Based on her appearance, she has to be of some import. Look for anything that could lead to more information about her background."

"She must be quite a woman for you to be so curious."

"A woman unconscious in the Charmed Forest, a few miles away from my own estate, and you do not think this warrants investigation?"

Suigetsu raised his hands up. "I meant no offense. But you are right. You cannot ask her these things yourself?"

"She's said to have amnesia."

Memory loss. Question after question. "Anything else? There must be something that made you come to the decision to have her in your estate."

"Chakra."

One word.

It was only one word, but it's meaning was too powerful. He would not bat an eye if she had a measly amount of the power source. That meant only one thing.

"I see." Suigetsu smirked, suddenly invested in finding answers. "That means she's from a noble family or a mage guild."

Sasuke nodded. "That is your job."

'This is going to be fun.' Suigetsu bowed and left the room. He had all the information he needed. Pink hair was incredibly rare in the continent, the gift of chakra limited only to those born with it. He had a few key places in mind to start his investigation.

Sasuke stood from his seat, having enough of endless minor incidents that needed no second glance. Some nobles thought so highly of themselves and yet did not do a sufficient enough job regarding their duties.

Once he was named Duke of Mangekyo, he made it his mission to get the nobles in the territory in line. In five years, the Mangekyo territory had improved immensely, but he was not finished. He did not care for fake pleasantries. He preferred to speak his mind. and demand what was expected. As duke and younger brother to the king, none dared to talk back. But he knew there were those who did not like him. He did not care. Being liked was an important part of his brother's job, not necessarily his own. So he did what he thought must be done.

He caught a glimpse of pink. His feet led him in front of the window as he observed his guest walk with Ritsuko. She was certainly more energetic than he would have thought. Her mouth moved quickly as she spoke words he could not hear. Her smile was easygoing, her eyes bright with wonder and curiosity. Even from afar, her presence demanded attention.

Perhaps it was the hair. Or maybe the brightness in her skin. Or the power she possessed deep within her.

He looked at her, inspecting. Did he truly believe she had no memories? It felt too convenient, but he had no proof to back his suspicions. As of the moment, she seemed harmless. But it could be how she wanted to appear.

He made his way to the door facing the gardens. It was enough observing. He needed to understand her. And for him to be able to, he needed to get close.

Ritsuko stopped and bowed, making Sakura confused at the sudden movement, but as soon as she saw the approaching figure, she understood.

'Wait, do I have to bow, too?' Unsure of what to do, she decided to give a little curtsy, her eyes raising to meet his as he looked at her inquisitively. 'Shit, did I do it wrong? This place has too many rules of formality, I don't know how people do this.'

"I see that you've rested well."

Sakura stood back up. "Yes. Thank you, by the way. I don't think I thanked you for letting me stay here yet."

He said nothing and proceeded to walk ahead. When he noticed she had not moved from her spot, he looked back. Sakura, understanding what he meant, quickly walked to his side.

"Ritsuko."

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"You may leave. I will accompany Lady Sakura."

She bowed once more, and the two began their stroll. It was silent for the first few minutes, but Sakura did not find it uncomfortable. She simply enjoyed the sight of the beautiful flowers and greenery that made the garden.

"The garden is to your liking, I presume?" To her surprise, Sasuke spoke.

"Ah, yes. It's very beautiful. You've done well."

"I do not tend to the garden. Your compliments are misplaced."

"Don't you oversee the estate's affairs?"

He raised a brow. "You do not recall your background but can recall how an estate is run?"

'Shit.' She couldn't let him get to her. Instead of being visibly shaken, she simply shrugged. "It's a funny thing. I seem to remember certain things, but nothing that can help me understand what happened to me."

"And what could those things be?"

'Every good lie has glimmers of truth.' She looked at his profile with caution. His eyes did not stray from their path. "Things like how to eat and, vaguely, how to dress come back to me with no problem. My name. But there is one thing I can't seem to understand. A blinding light."

"Blinding light?" He parroted. "Hm."

"It's what I last saw in my dreams before waking up," she said as she inwardly hoped he believed her. It wasn't entirely a lie. The headlights were blinding.

The two followed the path and took a right turn, the gazebo in the middle of the garden their destination as they continued.

"Do you know where you are?" He asked.

"The kingdom?" She said like it was a question. "I overheard the maids earlier."

'So this, she appears not to know.' It was all too coincidental. "I see."

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek, wondering if she should ask. "I know I'm kind of being a bother right now, so thank you again for letting me stay here. If I could ask, what month and year is it?"

"Month?" His brows furrowed in confusion. "Are you referring to the year's Crescent?"

'How could I forget?' She chastised herself. 'This is why I don't read fantasy too often. Why do these writers need to overcomplicate everything?!'

"It's the Solar Crescent, the eleventh Crescent of the year 1128."

Her guess was right. She was in the first book. Nodding at his reply, she looked down.

"Were the maid to your liking?"

Surprised by his sudden question, she responded with "Yes." A smile lifted her lips. "They were nice, but they refused to call me by my name." She had tried to convince them to not refer to her so formally, but they hadn't budged. As the duke's guest, it meant she was of higher status to them.

"It's only natural for them to refer to you as they should," he said, a hand buried into his trouser pocket.

"I know, but it feels a little unusual for them to call me Madam."

His feet halted. "Madam?"

She stopped, as well, looking at him with puzzled eyes. "Yeah. What? Was it wrong of them?"

He didn't know if she was jesting or if she truly did not know or remember. Sighing rather frustratedly, he shook his. "Never you mind. Ritsuko will have a word with them."

She asked why it was wrong, but he refused to answer.

Whispers of interest,
Suggestive smiles.

The duke and the lady, a cut above the rest.

After their stroll in the gardens, he accompanied her to the room she was staying. The sun had gone down and the moon was slowly making its appearance over the horizon. Sakura said the meal she had earlier was filling enough and that she had no need for dinner, opting to retire to her room for the rest of the night instead.

As the two walked the halls, curious servants watched from afar as the two passed them by. Sakura hadn't noticed, it appeared, but Sasuke felt the prying eyes. He cared not for gossip, and he knew it was inevitable considering the situation, but he had to admit it was an irritant.

"Your estate is huge." Sakura did not understand the purpose of its size, but that was just her. It was normal for the duke. "How do you navigate through the place?"

"Navigate is an interesting choice of word," he remarked. "It is not difficult. I only truly have to be familiar with my wing."

'His 'wing'.' Sakura scoffed inwardly. Truly, royalty were a different breed. She knew it wasn't much of a choice for him, though. "Do you like it, though?"

"Like what?"

"Your home."

"It provides me shelter. That is all I need."

"If that was the case, would you have been accepting of a smaller home?"

"It does not matter much to me."

As to be expected. She already knew him well, but to hear him say things like that excited her. She tried to hide a grin.

"Find something amusing?"

"Yes," she answered truthfully. "You."

"Me?"

She nodded.

"That is one description most would say is ill fitting."

"You strike me as someone who doesn't care what other people think."

The corner of his lip rose.

"Am I correct?"

"I did not know amnesiacs were good judges of character."

"How many amnesiacs have you met, then?"

"One, and I find she's not afraid to ask such vexing questions."

"Vexing? Me?"

They had arrived at her door, and he turned to face her, him having to look down since he was a head taller. "What word would you use to describe yourself then?"

"Curious," she answered truthfully.

Smirking, he looked at her determined emerald eyes. "Curious?"

She nodded.

"How amusing, considering that's how I'd describe myself these past few hours." He opened her door and peered closer to her face. "Have a good evening, Sakura."

Just like that, he walked away without a second glance, rather enjoying the redness that bloomed in her cheeks just before he left. He did not realize that he left her with a pounding heart, as well.

The maids came back in soon after, having been told that she wanted to retire for the night by the duke himself. They helped her out of her clothes and into a nightgown, white and loose. It was a lot more comfortable for Sakura.

"How was your stroll with His Grace, My Lady?" The same maid that had asked her the first question earlier spoke. Sakura noticed the change in title.

"It was…" she trailed off to find the right word. "Illuminating."

The maids' brows perked up.

"Illuminating?" One repeated.

Sakura nodded. "Yes. The duke is less intimidating than I thought."

Their moods deflated after that sentence, and Sakura couldn't comprehend why. "Did I say something wrong?"

They shook their heads. "No, My Lady." They all seemed more relaxed without Ritsuko in the room.

"I'm curious about something. You called me 'Madam' earlier. Why are you calling me 'My Lady' now?"

"We misspoke, My Lady. We were scolded by Head Maid Ritsuko, and we apologize if we caused you uncomfort."

"What's the difference between the two titles?"

The maids shared looks of concern mixed with apprehension. They all shared the same thoughts. The poor Young Lady's amnesia must be worse than they realized. "You are the duke's guest, so you are to be referred to as Lady."

"What did 'Madam' mean, then?"

"Madam is what we would refer to the Lady of the House."

'Lady of the House… Lady of the House?!' Her mouth fell open. 'They thought he and I-'

"We apologize, My Lady. We hope we didn't offend you."

She shook her head, her mouth still slightly ajar before speaking. "No, it's fine. Just… Don't do it again." She didn't want to cause misunderstanding. 'Wait! I told Sasuke about this earlier. Fuck, is that why he was confused?'

Sakura really needed to familiarize herself with the world's etiquette.

Once Ritsuko returned with another maid who brought a tray of tea in case she felt thirsty, she thanked them and told them she'd be fine for the rest of the night. In all honesty, she just wanted time to herself.

Her room was on the second floor and had a balcony facing the garden, so she decided to open the doors and enjoy the night breeze. Finally some time to herself. Ever since she woke, the only time she had some alone time was her brief bath. It was a lot to digest, so she was shocked that it didn't frighten her as much as she thought it would.

But now, alone on a balcony, she let herself be unguarded. She thought of everything and nothing. She felt a cacophony of emotions to the point of being overwhelmed. But she knew she couldn't dwell too long in that feeling. If she woke up and she was still in this world, she knew she'd have to do what she can to stay on the duke's good side. It meant her survival.

As hard as she fought it, she felt a tear escape her, the rush of emotions too strong. She was always prone to tears, never trying too hard to fight it. Sakura thought it healthy to let the tears run, but right now, she wasn't too sure. It was an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar surroundings. She had to be cautious. The wall she let crumble for the moment built itself back up.

She hated feeling like she had to depend on someone. Her parents had taught her to be self-sufficient, and she loved being independent. But here, in a world she was inexperienced in, she knew she had to sacrifice that feeling just a little bit. Just until she can make sense of what happened to her.

Maybe Sasuke would know, but what could she say to him? He would think her a lunatic if she told him the truth. So right now, her main objective was staying alive. Somehow, she'd been given a second chance at it. And to survive, she'd need to get closer to the duke.

She spent a few more moments admiring the garden from above. And just like that, stars had begun appearing in the sky, littering it with glittering diamonds illuminating the dark background. Unbeknownst to her, the very duke she had been thinking about, her mind scattered with ideas on how to befriend him, was looking at her from below, out on the patio from his office with a clear view of her balcony.

"Why would you do that?"

"It needed to be done."

"All this for a measly duke."

"He is one who holds a key to this continent's salvation."

"Then, wouldn't you want him gone?"

"Not until I get what I want."

Note:

Heyaaa, chapter 2 with some ss banter~

I'm so excited to hear that you guys are interested because I thought this wouldn't be as well received but this has been something I wanted to put out for a while!

That being said, though, I did receive 2 guest reviews that I have since deleted that were quite rudely demanding (demanding NOT asking) me to update Eternal and said something a little offensive. I understand that you guys are waiting excitedly for the next update, but I have already stated how I've reached a writer's block regarding that fic and am waiting to feel motivated to write a chapter that isn't just subpar. Keep in mind I do this for free and I appreciate all of your kind feedback, but I draw the line and rudeness.

Anyway, as always, extra content, including a calendar and updated map is uploaded on my socials (Tumblr: connectedfeelings, Twitter: cxtwithclxws).

I hope y'all are keeping safe and are staying masked!

- Mika