It was hard to change the excited kids into normal outdoor clothes, but Shuu managed to get them changed and grabbed their hands.
But as soon as he left the room, he was confronted by the head maid of Princess Danielle’s palace.
"Companion Shuu, where are you headed? I was not made aware that you were going to head out today."
The head maid stood still in front of Shuu with a clear look in her eyes. She looked down at the kids beside Shuu with a frown on her face, and her unhappiness shined through.
Shuu already knew that the head maid did not like him, but he was thankful that she tolerated him for the sake of Princess Danielle.
"We’re going out."
Caelis imdiately spoke with a frown. He did not like the fact that he was being stopped, so he tried to glare at the head maid.
The head maid noticed that glare and gave Prince Caelis a patient look back.
"I am afraid that I cannot allow you to go out without permission. As you already know, it is not safe out there. If you still insist on going out, then please give so ti. I will arrange for guards."
The head maid bowed to Shuu, but he could not help but feel a little insulted.
’Huh-! When did I start getting this sensitive? Has living in the Imperial Castle changed -?’
Shuu was busy thinking, so he did not notice when the head maid moved and grabbed hold of his arms.
"Please allow to help you return to your room, Companion Shuu. And please, let know if you want to go out-"
"Shuu-! Out-!"
Caelis was not in a mood to listen to anyone, and he decided to grab Shuu and drag him in the other direction.
Sohow, the one-year-old child was much stronger than the head maid, and Shuu stumbled forward, only to get caught by a pair of familiar arms.
Gasp
The head maid let out an almost scandalous gasp, and Shuu was imdiately released by the person who caught him.
Warm red eyes looked at him before they turned to daggers and looked behind him.
"Since when were head maids allowed to do as they pleased in this imperial palace? Does Emperor Kaiden know about this?"
Nero’s familiar voice reached Shuu, and he looked to see Nero’s familiar face as well. He was currently in his adult form and looked... terrifying due to the expression on his face.
The head maid also flinched, but she composed herself and gave Nero a calm look.
"I am just doing my duty. Things have been... tense in the imperial palace lately, and it would be for the best if Companion Shuu were to be safe under custody. Please try to understand where I am coming from."
The head maid told Nero, but he only half heard her and instead chose to turn toward the two kids.
"Shuu, where did the extra one co from? Did Caelis multiply himself?"
Nero asked as he looked at Rin. But his intense look scared Rin enough to make the child run behind Shuu’s legs.
"This kid is Lady Sera’s. I decided to take him in because of... reasons. Anyway, this is Rin, and this is Caelis. But you already know Caelis, right?"
Shuu asked as he gestured toward the two kids.
Rin was still too shy to look at Nero properly, but Caelis seed to be having no problems. Both him and Nero stared at each other for a solid minute before Caelis pulled away first.
"Shuu... like...! Friend?"
He asked, looking at Nero, and Nero nodded.
"Sure, I will be your friend, kid. I will be a friend to all three of you... So, what are your plans now?"
Nero asked, and Shuu looked at the kids in his arms before he made a decision.
"The kids would like to visit the city. Do you think you can accompany us?"
Shuu asked, and Nero nodded.
"Yeah, sure. I will accompany you. I doubt anyone would have a problem with this arrangent."
Nero asked this, looking directly at the head maid when he asked this question.
The head maid looked struck by his question and tried to defend herself.
"I... this is not..."
But in the end, even she understood that this was not a question, but a fact.
"I understand. I will still inform the guards regarding this."
She finally relented before she turned to head back. But her unhappiness shined clearly on her face.
"Was Princess Danielle’s head maid always this unreasonable? For so reason, she looked even more irritated compared to before."
Nero pointed out as he looked at her back, and Shuu sighed.
"Well, it must be because of the recent tension and the change in prophecy. Things are rather unstable around here."
Shuu told Nero, and Nero sighed.
"Ah yes, that prophecy. I heard about the changes on my way here. Anyway, you and the kids should prepare for the outing. I will go and give my briefing to Emperor Kaiden first."
Nero told them before he quickly left for Emperor Kaiden’s office.
Shuu grabbed the kids and decided to head toward the carriage before anyone else noticed him.
But before that, he needed to drop by the inventory and get so masking pendants so that they wouldn’t get recognized on their walk outside.
As he left the hallway, he did not notice Lady Canarie and her maid looking at them from afar.
"Lady Canarie, is sothing wrong?"
The maid asked the lady she had been assigned to serve, and Lady Canarie narrowed her eyes as plans began to form in her mind.
"Excuse , but who was that person with Companion Shuu right now?"
She asked the maid, and the maid gave her a quick answer.
"That was Sir Nero, Prince Kaiden’s familiar. We hardly see him around because he’s often busy, but I heard that he and Companion Shuu are friends."
The maid inford her, and new plans began to sprout in Lady Canarie’s mind.
"Friends, huh? I bet they are really good ’friends.’"
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