"You are to stay here! Is something you wouldn't listen, even if I say it in a scolding way, wouldn't you?" Father stated.
The 5 ambassadors went back to their Kingdoms, and left us siblings alone with Father at his office.
I mumbled, "Well…"
Right now, after knowing the fact that I might just be the real target, Father is telling me to stay put.
Father kinda get that I was planning to use myself as bait, and he is scolding me about that, right now.
Well, even I don't want any trouble. But, if we can solve this problem by using me as a bait, then isn't that good?
"Still isn't it a good plan?" I argued "Yes, it might just be the best plan… Still! It's way too reckless!!" Father shouted.
I groaned.
Father is scolding me like this. But I am sure he, as well, thinks that this plan I've thought of can help us a lot. But, it is too reckless for me to do it alone.
Wait, what about if I'm not alone?
I gasped and raised my right hand, eagerly. "Father! What about this?" I stated, as I started explaining my new plan to him.
…
"So, why did we end up here in the city as your bodyguards?" Forth asked. "You are quite wrong. Not as bodyguards, but as an accomplice" I corrected him.
Forth got pissed off. "None of it matters, just tell me the reason!"
Well, I can't blame him. Since, I suddenly brought them out of the palace, without asking any permission.
Let's go back hours ago.
"Well, since we know that they are targeting me, I was planning to use myself as bait to drive them out" I started.
Father looked at me with an angry face. "And you didn't allow that because it is too reckless, right?" I quickly continued. "So?" Father asked.
"Then, what if I bring my friends along with me?" I smiled, as I suggested the new plan I've thought of.
Father's face turned into an angrier one. "Are you an idiot?" He directly insulted me. "Ugh!" I groaned, as I felt some invisible arrows stabbed me when he said so.
"That would only increase the damage, wouldn't it?" Father sighed.
I grinned. "But it would decrease the danger" I stated. Father sighed once again. "You got your ways?" Father asked, with a frown.
"Yup!" I nodded.
After thinking for a minute, he sighed as if he managed to drive out a conclusion. "Fine" Father sighed, once again.
"Wait, you're telling we'll let this brat on loose to lure those guys out?" Altheia asked. "Calling me a brat is rude of you, Theia" I stated, as she glared at me.
I guess she's worried of me, in her own way.
"Yes, but with conditions" Father stated, as he stopped Altheia. "What is it?" I asked, as I turned to look at Father.
He stated, "Even if you noticed them, you won't take that awareness as an advantage to attack first. Lure them to a place no one can see you"
"Can you do that?" He asked, with very passionate and somehow desperate eyes staring at me.
Alfred who just came back, after talking with his personal butler and maid who came after him spoke up. "Wait, Father! Are you really allowing Ed to go?" I looked at Father.
"All I need is your permission and I will do anything Father" I stated.
Alfred asked me, "You might get killed, is that fine with you? Going on a battle with only knowledge, are you ready to do it?" with a worried tone.
I smiled. "I told you Father, as long as you give me permission"
"Well, if you protect the conditions I gave you. You're set to go" Father stated, as he turned his back against us.
Conditions..? The first one was not to act first and lure the enemies to a place no one can see us.
So, what is the other one?
Father turned to look at me. He grabbed my shoulders and spoke, "The other condition is for you to come back in one piece!" He stated.
"Yes sir!" I nodded, with a smile.
…
"So, it ended up to our current conditions" I explained. "Oi! Wait a minute. Did you just leave us out on deciding a very important part on your plan?" Forth asked.
I laughed it off with, "Don't mind such little things"
Forth is kinda pain in the ass when he is angry, so I should drive him out from that topic or else a long sermon would be waiting for me.
"Well. Since, I haven't shown you guys around the City of Tybalt, I thought that I should use the plan as a way to show you guys around" I stated.
Reina spoke, "That's alright" as she looked around. "But aren't we kinda suspicious when we are in a big group, like this?" She asked, and I looked at them.
We were 7 in total, it's the usual members. We excluded Elicia who wanted to join, since it is dangerous for her.
"Look we're just kids, you know. They won't suspect us" I winked. "Well, if you say so…" She mumbled.
We went over the library, since Forth wanted to go there.
"Can you even read those languages" I asked him, who was reading books with letters I've seen before but don't understand. "Imperio de Doghanik-Historioj" He stated.
That is surely an Esperanto over my world.
Forth tilted his glasses with a smug face, "It is Ulirkiane Empire's Language, Ulirk" I looked at him.
Does he want me to compliment him..?
I smirked.
"How about that one" I asked, pointing to another book. I continued on asking Forth about some languages.
The next place we went to was a flower shop.
"Are you doing a great job there? Flora!" I called out to my childhood friend. "How cocky, you haven't changed even a bit, Ed!" Flora came out, as she saw me.
I giggled, "You too, nothing has changed"
"Who's that girl? Your girlfriend..?" Gino asked. "Like hell! She's my childhood friend, Flora Kirlean!" I said.
She smiled, "Nice to meet you!"
…
Flora readied the flowers I asked for. "Are you visiting Liassa-sama's grave today, too?" she asked. "Well, yeah. But what do you mean by too?" I tilted my head to the side.
"You see, there was a large man with a black coat covering his whole body who bought a Strelitzia here, earlier" Flora stated.
A large man with a black coat..?
Flora continued, "He said it was for the Empress. I don't recognize him, though"
"Maybe a friend from somewhere or like that" I mumbled. "Maybe… We don't know for sure" Flora agreed.
I took some strelitzia flowers.
"Sorry that I can't go with you. The shop is busy, with lots of knights going back and forth. I'll accompany you next time" She said, as we bid goodbye.
We went over the cemetery.
"Here lies the beloved Empress Liassa Elizabeth fei Reagan" C.E. 84 – C.E. 121 was written on her tombstone.
I placed my palm on the year she was born and moved it to the years she died. "37 years of life…" I mumbled.
She had 10 years of life longer than my previous one.
I put down the flowers on Mom's tomb, and stood up. "She was right. There was someone here before us" I mumbled.
The person who came before us knew Mom's favorite flower. Maybe he was really a friend like I thought?
I looked at the others and saw them fidgeting, while remaining silent.
Is it because we are in front of Mom's grave, that the others went silent? Did they thought I was sad and all?
This is somehow awkward..!
As if they were reading my mind, the two people in black appeared out of nowhere. "Sorry to interrupt, but we will be taking the prince!" The one with gray hair stated.
Didn't think that my plan really managed to drive them out, or is it because they are in a rush about something?
Well, none of that matters.
Let me thank you two for breaking the awkward moment, in my own way!