Fate/Inheritance

"Good morning…"

"Hau~!"

"Hello~"

"Kyaa~!"

"Nice morning we have here~"

*faints*

I scratched my head while catching the fainted maid, this strange phenomenon repeatedly happened every time I greet the people I pass by in the castle. At first it was just a few people I met occasionally but somehow I started to bump into a lot of individuals and majority of them are strangely females. I am currently actually going to the royal stables slightly near the castle gates after I ate in a strangely silent dining room.

Aside from a sudden increase of appetite and appearance, I want to test something you see that's why I am going there. Passing by the garden I usually do my morning practice I saw Leticia being attended by her maids.

"Ehh? Sir James~?" She said with a startled voice.

"Ahhh it's actually me William, Princess Leticia." I instinctively bowed to her in a knightly gesture Merlin and Ector thought to Artoria.

"Eh~!?" She said with a panicked voice. Looking up I noticed that her face is slightly flushed alongside the maid she is accompanied with. Scratching my cheek in embarrassment, I finally noticed what is happening to the people around me.

'Crap…did my aura change to 'that' level?' I thought while seeing the princess fl.u.s.tered and stammering. I knew that there would be changes but I thought people will be just slightly act more orderly in my aura due to the knightly aura I had gained but seeing the princess with that attitude she mainly shows to James I finally found out the strange phenomenon happening in the morning.

'Now remembering carefully ain't the male Arthur Pendragon looks like that handsome aristocratic 'ikemen' you see mostly in anime…' With that revelation I finally realized why Yamada still did not appear in front of me. The guy might had heard of this 'change' of mine and had been avoiding me purposely.

Sighing, I conversed with the princess for a bit here and there about some of the basic etiquette and difference of our countries custom. Remembering and thinking I was going somewhere before she stopped me, she excused herself and left the garden.

Looking at her departing figure, I shrugged and looked up to check the time.

'Hmmm, the horses' daily grooming and needs should be finished by now…' I indecisively thought if I should continue going to the stables by now but my curiosity won me over so I pressed on.

After a few minutes, I arrived just in time to see the horses properly groomed and frol.i.c.k.i.n.g at the court where they are set loose.

"Ohhhh~!!! Leonidas! You doing well?" I instinctively waved at a white horse that was feeding at a stack of hay.

*neigh*

Seeing me and somehow recognizing me, Leonidas approached me and rubbed his head in my cheeks.

"There, there~ so you remember me huh~" I said while c.a.r.e.s.sing and petting him. This fine and strong horse is the one I road at that training session where we fought bandits and goblins which had slightly gone wrong. Remembering that perverted vampire alongside that ogre sometimes still gives me the jeepers.

"Oh~ this is pretty rare for you to be here…" A voice suddenly called out to me from behind. Looking back, I saw the prince Reginald whom I had not met for a long ever since our first audience with the king. Seeing him holding the reins of a horse, it seems he had just returned from a morning 'run' with his partner.

"Yeah well I just want to see this guy here you see~."I replied while patting the mane of Leonidas.

"Hmm Leonidas huh? This one tends to have a hot temper how did you got closer with this guy? Even my elder brother once tried but he was thrown by it." He said recognizing Leonidas and pointed his slightly bad temper.

"Well somehow I felt a connection with him before so after getting closer with him, everything just flowed perfectly." I said humbly, well the thing is… I secretly bathed him before with a huge amount of bloodl.u.s.t that's why he is kind of 'tame' to me(lol) but let's just not tell the guy about it.

"Hmm? Then want to keep him?" Reginald said something interesting there.

"Huh? Really!?" I grabbed his hand enthusiastically.

"Close! Close! Close!!! Calm down for a bit, I heard of your 'changes' but this is dangerous for my mental health you know!" Reginald said while shoving me away. After orienting ourselves and calming our heart due to various reasons, we continued our conversation.

"*cough* Well I heard the two of you along with Sir Tenryuu is going to travel to the Academy together and I think Leonidas will help you two in your journey perfectly. I will ask my royal father alongside the stable keepers to give also Sir Tenryuu a horse so you guys can quickly arrive in a much faster pace than traveling with merchant caravans." He said generously. Thanking him I shook his hands and waved at him who is going to the barracks of his knight order.

"Hey Leonidas you heard right? We are going to travel together again~" I said cheerfully while c.a.r.e.s.sing his mane.

*neigh*

"Sorry, sorry~. I won't scare you again like before ok~ you were just a bit unruly before so I needed to scare you for a bit." I said while apologizing, while communicating with Leonidas, a black raven suddenly perched in my shoulders and pecked my cheek.

"Hmmm? Yamada? What is it?" I said while opening my palm and the bird landed in it. With a caw, it suddenly turned into a piece of paper and I read the words written in it.

"Hey, Leonidas… it seems we are going to start our adventure in just a few hours~." I said to the horse excitedly. Neighing, I understood that it seems to be cheerful and anticipating the upcoming journey also.

====================================================

Extra:

To protect that smile.

A few moments after William's short journey to the stables a strange phenomenon is happening at the servant quarters.

"Kyaaaaaa~!!! William-sama had gotten cooler~!!!" – ???

"Un~ un~ but I think it is more like a 'gap moe' you know~ like remember before his new look~?" – ???

"Yes~ if before he looks like a bad boy next door, suddenly as if another layer of his was broken a that fine handsome prince in a white horse appeared~ Kyaaaa~!!!" – ???

Even if this girls, who are once assassins that had walked in the path of darkness still preserved that little fire and warm wish of all young girls of their age. Especially the once who are their 'younger' sisters so they still have that habit you usually find at groups of women.

"Ye–..!"

Bang!

Startled, they saw Rosa slamming the door open and breathing heavily.

"I just heard of a very important news!" Rosa cried out making them go silent.

"William-sama is going to leave today after eating lunch!" With that news they gasp and screamed together in panic. Some worried he would be in danger from the darkness of the world, while others are being held down that wants to 'separate' him from a certain friend of his that might influence him badly.

"Silence!" Roselia shouted calming all of them down, looking at the slowly returning clarity of her sisters Roselia nodded in praise.

"I know you are worried about our Master but this is the path he had chosen so we must respect that decision of his." Roselia said with a stern voice. Downcast, the girls bowed their head gloomily.

"But…" With that pose they slowly looked up at her with anticipation and seeing their leader's look they quickly understood what she is going to say next.

"As loyal servants of William-sama we must protect not just his wellbeing but his path in growth even if it's in the shadows! So my dear sisters, pack your bags and get ready to depart!" Roselia commanded.

"Yes!" Nodding in attention, the girls started packing while Roselia watched them do their work with satisfaction (she actually started packing since last night).

'We will protect you properly, William-sama.' Roselia thought while peeking at a picture she secretly captured with a magical tool.

That day 50 servants working in the castle suddenly gave to their head maids and butlers a letter of temporary leave and some letters of vacation with various reasons and excuses piled in it.