Guardians of the Prince

[Fourth Day – daytime]

“If my picture book was of help to you, Kohme, I’m overjoyed.”

Mr Fatido, who’d come to Shiz Cagna for a visit, smiled, and planted a kiss on my cheek, as I had the Young Master in my arms.

“Mm, like this, it feels like I’m a newly-wed with my wife and kid,” he said.

“Please don’t say such embarrassing things… Besides, the Young Master’s being returned to the royal palace already.”

I got flustered, and Mr Fatido grinned. Honestly, come on.

“So, in the end, what happened with the incident at the White Wing Palace?”

“In short, the one who stuck the poison grass to the back of the picture frame was one of the Young Master’s nanny’s other children,” I explained. “The Young Master cries so much at night that the nanny’s been living the same lifestyle I have lately, with her days and nights reversed. And just like me, she was wandering around with him in her arms, walking up and down the halls outside the children’s rooms in the middle of the night. So her five year old got worried. He thought his mom was going to get attacked by ghosts.”

I gazed at the prince, who was drinking his juice on the sofa.

“Poor kid was trying to think of something to protect their mother from ghosts, and so they hit on the idea of secretly putting an amulet made of leaves in the areas their mom frequented. So, they snuck into the royal herb garden, and took some leaves that looked good, and hid them behind the picture frame so they wouldn’t get thrown out by mistake.”

Mr Fatido groaned. “And because it was poisonous, everybody thought someone was making an attempt on Lord Waka’s life. And things got out of hand, and the child couldn’t come out and explain what happened…”

I nodded, and added, “It seems the Crown Prince has decided to overlook it this time.”

“Ah, good. After all, the child did it because he was thinking of his mother.” Mr Fatido smiled.

I approached Mr Endie, and offered him the Young Master.

“Alright, return him to his family and his nanny as quick as you can.”

Mr Endie took the Young Master, and the corners of his mouth lifted just slightly. “You’ve helped us again, Kohme. I’ll make sure you’re rewarded.”

I shook my head from side to side and took a step back. “Nooo thank you, that is just fine! Seriously, don’t worry about it!”

“Don’t be shy.”

Mr Idine gave me a sideways glance. “What the heck is with this conversation? At any rate, Kohme, thank you. Think about what I said, alright?”

“What– what what that you said?”

The three of them returned home to the royal palace, and Shiz Cagna went back to being the Prince’s Palace once more.

I took a leisurely nap with the prince, who was stuck quite close to me for a while after that.

And then that night, when I was perfectly wide awake and not sleepy at all (the rhythm of life, I guess…) I invited Mr Kahzam and Mr Lahzt over and we had a congratulatory drinking party.

Seriously though, thank god that’s over!

[Six men and a nanny – plus one – end]