The Prince Of Magic

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During the time Hadrian was speaking to Hugo Faust, an interesting conversation has taken place between the retainers, who were waiting for their Master downstairs.

On their table was a feast enough to feed twenty people, which would normally be enough and more for seven. But, never for the retainers.

The retainers in question were all seated in a large table, and they are all conversing with one another to pass the time.

One retainer with amber eyes sees the moment of leisure as an opportunity to bring up a certain topic that's been in the back of his mind for quite a while.

Kieran glanced at Arturia, Scáthach, and Rider before turning to Astolfo, who was sitting in front of him.

"Oi, pinky, gotta ask you something." Kieran began, catching nearly everyone's attention.

"What is it?" Astolfo asked, curious.

"Why do you always like touching Master?" Kieran asked in a rather blunt manner.

Noticing Astolfo's raised eyebrows, Kieran elaborated more on his question.

"We always see you brushing Master's hair, rubbing his back and cheeks. So, what gives? And, I know you ain't gay." Kieran gave him a pointed look.

At once, everyone on the table stopped what they were doing the second the question was dropped.

In one fluid movement, everyone on the table looked towards a certain pink-haired retainer with similar curious expression on their faces.

The ones who looked particularly interested in hearing Astolfo's answer were the three female retainers, Arturia, Rider and Scáthach.

A pin could drop and be heard given how silent the air at their table was in that moment, making Charles and Dia feel nervous (who sat beside the female trio) as the seconds goes by.

Mindful of the piercing looks sent in his way from the three beautiful women, Astolfo ignored them and merely laughed at the question as he turned to Kieran.

"Why, you ask? It's simple, really. But, I don't know if you guys will get it even if I tell you." The pink haired retainer said with a grin.

"Just tell us, anyway then." Kieran deadpan.

The others merely nodded in agreement to his words.

"Well, alright." Astolfo grinned as he dropped the answer next. "It's because Master reminds me of a very cute doll."

In unison, all retainers at the table blinked in surprise.

"… What?" Kieran said blankly, not expecting the answer.

"I like cute things, and Master is very cute and cuddly, especially when he has adorable bed hair. He also reminds me of a fluffy, tubby cat." Astolfo said with a grin and a V-sign using his right hand.

With the exception of Astolfo, all retainers at the table imagined their Master with a regal and calm façade and compared it to a fluffy, tubby cat.

"Pffft!" Kieran sputtered into laughter, highly amused by the mental image.

Charles, Arash, and Yan were not far behind from him as they laughed along with him.

Rider and Scáthach smirked, while Arturia herself smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt. But, they do share a similar emotion, which was relief though the three women would rather keep that to themselves.

The only one who was not laughing was Dia. Amused as he was, Dia can't help but simply sigh in resignation at his fellow retainer's oddity in imagination.

Yan leaned closer to Astolfo, chopsticks in hand with a piece of food between it.

"Here, pinky. Eat. Eat." Yan offered the food to Astolfo, grinning mischievously all the while.

Still feeling accomplished in making his fellow retainers laugh and tweaking the females' noses, Astolfo happily accepted it.

His eyes widened when he felt something solid in his mouth, nearly making him choke when he almost swallowed it. Taking it out, Astolfo saw that it was a small shell of a semi-cooked oyster.

"Oi!" Astolfo glared at Yan.

The long-haired retainer merely laughed out loud at the look given to him.

Fifteen minutes later, Hadrian came down from the stairs and wondered as to why his retainers were giving weird smiles, as if there was some inside joke that he was not aware of.

He also wondered why Rider, Scathach and Arturia were sending Astolfo glares every now and then, which the pink-haired retainer would respond with a wide Cheshire-like grin at each of them, further annoying the hell out of them for some unknown reason.

Hadrian shrugged, sensing that it was a topic better left untouched for the moment.

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