Because of Jadiel's bribe, Ciel enthusiastically entertained the two guests.
"This is the training area. We are still constructing the arrays."
"This is the storage department, headed by Ivan."
"This is the general meeting room."
"These buildings are the dormitories for future Fatalite members. The girls are over there, and the boys live over there. That's where the rescued eves live temporarily before being escorted back."
"This is the cafeteria."
"This is…"
***
By the end of the tour, Ciel was out of breath, but he was still smiling like an innocent child. Worried, Erin handed him water, which he gladly gulped down.
"And this is the front entrance, you should already know about it." The group of four were currently at the lobby which led into the main street. Ciel's intentions were clear, with a bright smile on his face, he was politely telling Dominic and Cedric to leave if they were done here.
Ciel may have been bribed, but he didn't forget his priorities. Today, he had wanted to have Erin 'accidentally' follow him to the black market.
The black market sold many useful things normally not found in the city and he knew he would frequent it in the future. It was inevitable for Erin to be exposed to the black market and the earlier he knew about it, the better.
In addition, if Erin wanted to go to the black market, Jadiel would have a hard time refusing.
Perhaps because he was a young eve, Jadiel was more lenient to Erin. Although Ciel was physically a child, he was an adult on the inside so his interactions with the Fatalite members including Jadiel were more as equals, or a subordinate-boss relationship.
That was until they noticed Erin, who was clearly the taller child, standing next to Ciel. Then Ciel would be treated as a child again. No one could help it, even if they knew Ciel's personality—Ciel's appearance was too deceiving.
His slightly curly black hair outlined his porcelain white skin gained from spending years in the tower. And because he was eating better these days, he wasn't only a bag of skin and bones. However, his stature was still much smaller than Erin and any other nine year old kids running around outside on the streets. In addition, his pitch black blindfold that seemed to be always over his eyes gave him a mysterious air.
In conclusion, he looked like a fragile blind child who looked as if he would break at any minute.
Jadiel's decision to give up on Ciel's childlike innocence wasn't spontaneous. One of his main reasons was that as long as Ciel gave his harmless smile and didn't talk out of line, no one would know that this innocent young boy liked to go to the black market and was part of a semi-vigilante organization for eves.
Besides, Ciel had already pointed out that, logically and emotionally, Jadiel had no right, nor the reason to restrict his development.
"Thank you for giving us a tour today. How should I repay you?" Dominic talked to Ciel, but he gave a glance to Cedric, who had a simple smile on his face as he looked at Ciel.
Ciel had a bad feeling, during the tour, the two noble children had been discussing something in low voices.
'They better not do anything to hinder my plans.'
"I was simply following the captain's orders."
"You see, my friend here tells me that you two have met before, and you unfortunately disappeared while he was giving you a tour of the city."
Ciel's bad feeling grew deeper along with Dominic's smile.
"I don't see any connection—"
"So how about you finish that tour today with me?" Dominic ignored him and finished.
Behind his slightly cracked polite smile, Ciel gave the third fish a middle finger. Damned investor interrupting his plans.
He replied, "A commoner like me, how dare I have the crown prince guide me?"
Dominic's smile was equally fake, "As a part of Fatalite, we are partners and friends. There is no need to be formal."
'He clearly doesn't want to guide me, why—oh.' Ciel saw the foolish smile on Cedric's puppy-like face.
'Is this the perks of a childhood friend?'
He thought about it, if he accepted the third fish's implication. He would have permission to drop those troublesome formalities that made his head hurt. He would also have a orthodox excuse to pop into and out of the heroine's group from time to time to watch the changes he made with his butterfly effect.
But that didn't mean he was going to school. He would just visit the main character's party when they went out for assignments. He may have escaped from the tower, but the main storyline was truly a show he couldn't miss.
"Since the little crown prince has already said that, there's no need for me to refuse. Lead the way." Ciel's attitude gave a 180° as his smile became brighter. His respectful demeanor from before disappeared like the morning mist under the bright sun.
Being addressed as little by someone who only reached his shoulders, Dominic's smile twitched. However, Ciel didn't feel anything wrong. He was around thirty when he died, and in his past life, anyone younger than thirty would seem small to him. This was especially so because he used to be counted as a handsome tall man that was able to look down on most people.
Looking up at Dominic, Ciel smiled as if he had no bad intentions.
"Let's go. Weren't you two giving us a tour of the city?"
Dominic also dropped his formalities. "Sure. Let me change my hair color first." He twisted the ring on his hand.
Ciel couldn't see colors so in his view, nothing changed, but Erin wowed in amazement.
"Your hair's the same brown as Cedric's!"
Ciel glanced at the simple oversized bracelet on Dominic's wrist with a bit of envy.
'Huh, an artifact? That must be a hundred times better than the potions I have to drink monthly to maintain my hair color.'
Dominic confirmed his speculations.
"This is an artifact that can change my appearance at will. But I have to be transferring it mana at all times. Now put on a cape to hide your bestial traits and let's go."
Dominic's gaze at Erin was better than his gaze when looking at Ciel, although this little eve definitely hadn't been educated on human affairs, he was better than the maid boy. The eve felt more genuine, like Cedric.
***
At the plaza.
Ciel stared in wonder at the gorgeous scenery in front of him. It resembled the black market, only it was brighter and much, much more orderly. In the black market, he had seen fights break out just because someone bumped into a stall, and it would end with at least one person being 'cleaned up' by the black market janitors.
He had only avoided those because his small statue wasn't very noticeable, and he would keep it that way. He wasn't as good as the heroine, who started out with a core mage level and could beat up most thugs in the black market with her harem.
Compared to the black market, this beautiful plaza was like heaven.
"How did I never come here?"
"Haven't you been here for at least a month? Dawn Plaza is the most popular area for foreigners and natives alike, where were you all those times you were out?" Cedric asked.
"Making money." Ciel thought it would be better if he didn't elaborate. Most of the time, he was at the gambling hall and wandering around the black market. Maybe also buying some stuff that looked useful on the way.
"Really? How mature of you." A hint of praise appeared in Dominic's eyes.
"I don't think the little crown prince should say that when he's one year older than me." Ciel instantly snuffed out the praise in Dominic's eyes.
Ciel observed how Dominic glanced at the smiling Cedric before withholding his irritation.
Ciel then glanced at Erin besides him, whose face was expressionless but his scarlet eyes were shining. His obvious emotions despite his face reminded Ciel of his brother in past life. He smiled innocently, grabbing Erin's sleeves.
"Want to go look at the stalls?"
"Yeah! I just got my allowance last night!" Erin's blank face couldn't hide his excitement as he dragged the three boys behind him around. Dragged behind him, Ciel's face slowly sprouted a question.
'Wait, Jadiel gives him an allowance?'
Soon, that was thrown in the back of his mind as Cedric also joined them in picking and choosing things. The crown prince's presence was close to invisible as Dominic followed them around silently.
Suddenly thinking of something, Ciel turned around with a skewer in his mouth.
"By the way, is it ok for the little crown prince to run around without guards? And what about crown prince duties?"
Dominic's eyebrows twitched with displeasure. The maid boy himself had no problems, but he somehow reminded him of his middle aged butler who had been a spy sent by his second brother.
—Wearing a mask of smiles like it was a habit.
He shook the feelings off, how could a nine year old boy be the same as that guy?
"Fatalite is supposed to be a covert organization, so why would I bring guards? As for my duties, my first and second brother are doing them together. After all, didn't they want it?"
"Your use of your people is excellent." Ciel laughed before turning back to Erin and Cedric. They were looking at a mini whip, and Erin seemed incredibly fascinated with it.
'I should buy that secretly later if he doesn't have enough.'
Ciel didn't notice that he was subconsciously caring about the tall boy who insisted on being his big brother.
Dominic lowered his head. Before, he didn't care about those two kids from Fatalite. Now, he was feeling a faint feeling of dislike, feeling that his only friend was being taken away.
He sighed, knowing that Cedric wouldn't only have him as a friend forever. As a royal, he had matured early and knew that. But he still felt a little unwilling because Cedric was more of a brother to him then his older brothers ever were.
He stuffed those thoughts deep into his mind, planning to join the three before him. However, when he looked up, the three boys who had been talking and laughing were nowhere to be seen.
Before he could react, a hand covered his mouth. He struggled fruitlessly, trying to summon his spirits, only for his mana flow to be blocked as a choker was snapped into place around his neck.
The backlash knocked him unconscious, and his kidnapper gave a nasty laugh as he stuffed him into a sack.
"That winged snake eve is pretty rare, I wonder what type of eve this one is?"