Chapter 37: Hide-and-Seek

I began to count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… all the way until I reached 100.

When I finally said “One hundred!”, I announced loudly:
—Ready or not, here I come!

I started searching everywhere, trying to use my enhanced senses: smelling for their scent, listening for their movements, and checking every corner they might hide in. As I walked through the castle halls, I thought about where children around eight years old might hide during a game like this.

Then Mizuki spoke telepathically:
—Hey, let’s check the maids’ quarters first. I bet at least Subaki is hiding there.

Akane replied in our minds:
—He probably thinks that’s a good hiding spot since there are so many rooms. But honestly, luck might not be on our side.

Mizu added:
—I know we’ll find them. We just need to search carefully. After that, we can track down Tohka.

Rem suggested:
—Alright, let’s start with the rooms on the right.

So we did. Each side had about twenty-five rooms. It was obvious many of the King’s servants slept there—not only maids but also cooks, jesters, and attendants. The royal knights surely had their own quarters elsewhere.

We opened the first room. No one was there. We inspected every corner, but found nothing. Closing the door, we moved on to the next one. This time, we noticed a light inside. We knocked politely, and a maid opened the door.

—Excuse us, have you seen two children? The King’s children? —we asked.

The maid looked a little confused.
—Ah, yes, I just saw them recently. Why do you ask, miss?

—We’re playing hide-and-seek, and we were hoping you could tell us where you saw them go, —we explained.

She pointed toward the back of the corridor.
—I saw both of them heading to the statue area. Good luck with your little game. By the way, you’re very pretty for an eighteen-year-old—it’s rare to see someone so lovely at your age. Anyway, I have to get back to cleaning, or the King will fire me.

Nervous, we thanked her and hurried to the statue area. Sure enough, we heard the faint giggles of children. When they realized we were close, they went quiet.

I whistled playfully and announced:
—You can hide, children, but you can never escape the great Lady Tamiakemizuki, Magical Girl of the Guild! I will find you myself!

I caught the scent of nervousness in the air. A shadow peeked out from behind one of the statues—it was Subaki. I crept closer and closer, making him more nervous, until he bolted.

—Gotcha! You’re out, —I called as I tapped him.

He pouted for a second, then smiled.
—Alright, I lost. But now it’s my sister’s turn. Good luck finding her—she’s really good at hiding. Even our parents sometimes struggle to find her.

We continued the search. Five minutes later, the sound of running footsteps echoed down the hall. We turned and saw Tohka sprinting toward the throne room.

We gave chase immediately. She noticed and pushed herself to run even faster, but just before reaching the throne, she tripped and fell, bursting into tears.

—Don’t worry, you’re fine. It’s just a scrape, —we reassured her.

—But it hurts… it hurts a lot, —she whimpered.

We gently calmed her down and cast a healing spell. The wound closed, and her tears stopped. Smiling brightly now, she said:
—Thank you so much! You’re the best Magical Girl ever!

The rest of the hour and twenty minutes passed with us playing different games. After the fourth round, the King and Queen returned.

—Well done. I see you managed to care for our children, —the King said with satisfaction. —Here is your payment.

We accepted the money, bowed, and left the castle. By then, it was 6:50 in the evening, and night was falling. We hurried back to the Guild, reaching it in just ten minutes, a bit tired but relieved.

The guards at the entrance recognized us and let us in. Inside, we went straight to the receptionist, handed over the money, and she said:
—That will be all for today. You may bathe now—I’ve prepared a bath just for you, in that body you created with your Fusion.

We were about to look for some fresh clothes, but she added:
—Oh, if you’re looking for Ranma, the Elite Magical Girl Leader, she’s already gone to bathe. You can find her in the baths. Good luck with your mission.

So we headed to the baths, ready not only to wash up, but also to finally speak with Ranma.