Welcome to Royalty!

The citizens gradually gathered around us. Without wasting time, Prince Kaito’s bodyguards escorted Kaito and us through the crowd of people who wanted to speak with the prince. Kaito and his bodyguards stood out like sore thumbs, with their white apparel.

How they weren’t discovered until now surprised me. It seemed people really do mind their own business.

We had a great distance until we arrived at the royal mansion. Amada and Hinabe strolled alongside the prince, giving small talk.

“You must be Hinabe. I’ve heard your magic is extraordinary.” Prince Kaito pointed out, offering his hand.

Hinabe shyly replied as she shook his hand, nervous speaking to royalty. “Oh… thank you, your majesty.”

“There’s no need for formality. Simply Kaito is fine.”

Amada curiously asked, “Prince Kaito, I mean… Kaito, why were you wandering around the capital?”

“I rarely leave the house and wanted to explore the capital. I love watching the citizens live out their days…. It’s very fascinating.”

Amanda’s and Hinabe's eyes sparkled, fascinated by his gentle words. What a curious, yet fascinating prince!

While they conversed amongst each other, I walked behind them, holding Anojin back. Anojin clenched his jaw, almost growling at Prince Kaito as he grew jealous of his “flirting”.

“Calm down, you scape of metal!” I urged Anojin, trying to hold back his weight.

Prince Kaito invited me as his guest of honor to dinner. Instead of enjoying a peaceful stroll with the prince, there I was, bodyguarding him.

…

As we approached the bottom of the mountain, the numbers in the crowd quickly depleted. A fancy carriage, with carved white lions around its walls, and red curtains for privacy, blocked the entrance.

“Is that your carriage, Pr- Kaito?”

“That’s right. I didn’t want to draw too much attention driving it around the capital, so I had it stationed here.”

The bald bodyguard stayed behind us, protecting our rear. On the other hand, Gralan rushed in front and smoothly opened the carriage door.

Though the wrinkles and creases on his face exposed his age, his remarkable stamina made him look younger.

Everyone gracefully entered the carriage, except Anojin. The girls sat alongside the prince while Anojin and I sat across them. Anojin crossed his arms and refused to look near the prince. The guards closed the curtains to keep our privacy and took their seats in the driver's seats.

With everyone accounted for, it wasn’t long until we ascended the mountain. Mother Nature didn’t appreciate our use of the carriage. The bumpy road and sharp turns we took were not pleasant. However, Kaito remained calm during the ride as if he were used to this kind of experience.

After 20 minutes of a restless ride, the horses stopped moving. A massive gold gate with lions carved into the white columns. It took the officers on duty a second to verify the carriage and open the gate. Talk about security.

Upon entering, the greenery was a refreshing sight. The bushes were roundly shaped, and the flowerbeds bordering the pathway contrasted nicely with the scenery.

A large stone fountain was stationed ahead of the large building, forcing the driveway to curve around it. Water leaked from the statue’s hands, which acted as the fountain’s pillar.

There was nothing like this back home… only in books and video games. Never thought I would see something so beautiful. The girls agreed as the greenery hypnotized them.

The horses froze again as we arrived. The bodyguards opened the door and helped us step out of the carriage. The sun blinded us as we exited the vehicles.

“We’re here,” explained Kaito. As our eyes adjusted, we were greeted by the grand entrance of the royal mansion. “Welcome to my home!”

…

The scale of the mansion was unreal. I was a doll inside a dollhouse. As we walked on the carpet placed above the steps, two butlers pushed the front door open. They were massive, as if made for giants to enter. The doors creaked slowly, unveiling the stylish decoration inside.

“Wow, how much money does Prince Kaito’s family have?!” I pondered to myself, amazed by the interior.

We were welcomed inside with a golden lion statue in the center of the room. A curved staircase circled around the statue, highlighting wealth. Behind the statue, under the stairs, was a long hallway that seemed to stretch on forever.

Maids and butlers bowed their heads, welcoming Prince Kaito back from his journey. The dinner was almost prepared. So, Prince Kaito took the liberty of escorting us upstairs to the dining hall.

The mansion looked stunning, but was it necessary to make it so big? Walking through the hallways felt like an eternity. They had windows near the outer wall, as well as doors and portraits of the royal family on the inner wall. Everything was symmetrical, making it easy to get lost. How does anyone not get lost wandering here?

…

The dining hall was at the end of the hallway. As we reached the end, we heard a commotion inside. The door that led to the dining hall mysteriously opened.

“Princess Kiriko!” Two female butlers came out of the dining hall, pleading after a young girl. “Dinner is almost ready. Let’s head back inside.”

The young girl looked irritated. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms as she stormed away. “I'm not going in until Kaito returns.” She explained in a raspy tone, considering her age.

Kiriko was about as short as Hinabe. Her long, brown bangs contrasted nicely with her all-white dress. Compared to Amada's translucent dress, Kiriko’s looked more elegant. She was covered in golden jewelry.

A frown secretly spawned on her face as she pondered, “Where are you, brother?”

The butlers insisted that the young girl come back, “Please wait, Princess Kiriko!”

Princess Kiriko ignored her butlers and stomped through the hallway. Because she had her eyes closed, she bumped into me. I couldn’t react in time to avoid her.

I carefully held her to prevent her from falling. She slowly opened her eyes, and she let out a grin. “This feeling. It must be Kaito.”

However, the joy on her face disappeared once she realized it was me. “Kai-! Huh? Who are you?” she asked with a vulgar tone, not fitting for someone in the royal family. How did a young girl like that have such an attitude?

Kiriko released a terrifying scream. “There’s an intruder inside!”

Before the situation took a turn, Kaito butted in. “They are not intruders. They are our guests for tonight.”

“That voice!” Kiriko twisted her neck towards Kaito’s voice. “Kaito!” She tossed herself towards his welcoming arms.

“What took you so long?!” she asked.

Prince Kaito let out a nervous chuckle, “Just doing some sightseeing.”

Despite hugging, I noticed Kaito’s face flushed from embarrassment.

Even though I knew nothing about her, her raspy tone and attitude faded once she noticed Kaito. Was everyone in this world weird? Besides being extremely nice, Kaito’s the only normal one here. I wondered how the rest of his family would act.

Kaito turned his attention to us, with Kiriko hanging off his body. “Takumi. And his group. This is my little sister, Princess Kiriko.”

Kiriko released herself from her brother and stood proudly, smirking as she accepted the introduction. Amada, Hinabe, and Anojin showed respect towards Kiriko. I froze in sheer disbelief at her personality. Eventually, I came back to my senses and bowed my head.

Kiriko’s servants, Saki and Marina, patiently wait near the dining hall’s entrance door. Kaito noticed them and glanced at his little sister and kindly suggested, “Looks like Saki and Marina want you to go back. Let’s go inside for some dinner, Kiriko.”

Without hesitation, Kiriko replied, “Alright.”

Princess Kiriko accompanied our group as we headed towards the dining hall. I wondered what royal food tasted like. Our stomachs roared, responding to the savory aroma drifting out the door.

The anticipation from me and the team was killing us. It was only a matter of time before we devoured this, hopefully, delicious feast.

…