Editing Rakuin no Monshou:The Little Fugitive

{{Incomplete|parts=2/14}}
==The Little Fugitive==


=== Part 1 ===


“Your Highness Gil.”

As the sound of shouting receded, standing there was a young man with a lean face——no, calling it juvenile would be more appropriate.

His name is Orba.

Born in a certain nameless village. But several months prior, he was still just a famous gladiator, being a slave and risking his life in a fight to entertain the guests.

Even so, being called ‘Gil’; another person name, he turned his head around. Located at the Solon Palace in the imperial capital of Mephius.
 
Originally, with Orba’s status let alone treading foot into this place, even approaching the gate is impossible.

Gil Mephius——the only son of Emperor Guhl of Mephius, the crown prince next in line of the throne. Orba though a slave, but due to a twist of fate, he possessed the same identical look as the crown prince. But several months before, under the command of a noble, he became a substitute for Prince Gil to live in the palace.

On the surface a standin for the prince, but in reality, he was secretly concocting a plan to usurp all the power from the nobles. Besides, Orba had his own thoughts, but was set aside for the time being.

On the other hand, a person with flickering golden hair came running over, calling Orba with the name ‘Gil Mephius’, is a girl named Vileena Owell. Fourteen of age. She came from the neighbouring country Garbera to Mephius some months ago. To become the crown prince Gil’s wife.

Mephius had been in war with Gabera for tens of years. Owing to their mutual feeling of loathing the war, a truce and an alliance was formed as a consequence, by the marriage of these two young people.

But today——after having breakfast in his respective seat.

After giving his regards to the royal family who attended the engagement party, hastily fled to the palace’s corridor.

After all, the current schedule was tight. Two weeks later, he needed to led an army out of the capital, and quickly reache Apta Fortress at the west of Mephius. To suppress the uprising force in the west——Ackles Bazgan. Arranging of the force, preparing the equipments, preparing for battle——the works kept piling up like a mountain.

His mind thinking various sort of things, having only walked into the corridor, Princess Vileena followed suit.

(Really)

Could it be I had done something lacking courtesy, Orba secretly grumbled in his mind. Looking back, until several months ago, he was just a mere slave. Unaccustomed to the royal family’s etiquette, and practices. Quietly endured in his heart, as he prepared to receive the scolding of the fourteen year old girl. In other words, this is how their relationship is.

“About her royal highness Flora, did you hear about it?”

“Flora?”

Hearing this unexpected name, Orba crooked his head.

Flora is the late queen’s daughter, a sister who has no blood relationships with Gil whatsoever. Her age, from his memory it should be eleven, or twelve years old. An introvert person, aside from the social niceties, Orba himself haven’t seen her speak even once. She should also be present at the meal a moment ago, but when he racked his brain he couldn’t recall it no matter what, she gave people the impression of a frail girl.

Inquiring about Flora, this princess of a neighboring country is becoming more and more hard to understand.

“During the founder's day festival, as a congratulatory gift, Melphius received a Schiapa kitten. Those who were close with her highness Flora saw that she wanted this, setting their minds, they stealthily sent people out to make various preparations. In short her highness Flora became very happy.

“cat”

Speaking of Solon, this is a rarely seen creature, moreover a Schiapa cat, he had heard that it is of the western side of the continent’s breed, raising it requires a lot of manpower.

“Just for a while, setting it to play in the Princess Flora’s courtyard, having lost attention of it for a split second, it had fled.”

“oh”

“Due to losing it, Princess Flora who was once cheerful became an introvert person. Your highness must have seen it a moment ago. She barely ate any food. If this goes on, she will collapse one of these days.”

“I see.”

It seems like she didn’t come to lecture him, hearing Orba this just one sentence, however,

“This is your sister. What do you mean by ‘I see’!”

Vileena narrowed the corner of her eyes.

(Crap)

Orba realized that, this he had done wrong. This princess, is totally unlike her cute and petite appearance, in case she recognized someone as the [enemy], she would relentlessly press on the matter. This also applied to if he were to use a sword or gun.

Orba could not help but feel that, he had fallen into the enemy’s trap.

“I am sure lots of people have been sent to search for it in the palace already, it would be found sooner or later, please rest assured princess.”

“I am not talking about this. I having recently arrived from another country, have no right to say in your internal affairs, but that person——her highness Flora appears to be lonely.)

Vileena withdraw her attack temporarily, trying to convey something through her eyes.

This problem doesn’t just involve the cat, Orba felt so. Like Vileena, being in his country recently, until not a long time ago, Mephius and the princess’ country were old nemesis, being through countless blood bath and slaughter.

Vileena felt her loneliness overlapped with Flora’s circumstance. Therefore she wished he, who is her elder brother to comfort her, wanting to be able to care about Flora.

But,

(Though the relationship between Gil and Ineri Mephius is good, according to the chamberlain, almost nobody saw him have a conversation with Flora.)

The relationships between Gil and those close to him, this Orba had been told beforehand. That is to say, to not let the others suspect——to not let them know Gil had been swapped with a sword slave——this is required.

Originally viewed by others as [the idiot]; that is Prince Gil, due to the recent heroic deeds, he had received admiration from everyone, but because the change was too abrupt, he was met with a lot of skepticism.

At present he needed to pose as Prince Gil, there was a thought like this in Orba’s mind.

“So what.” Using a somewhat impatient tone to answer. “As long as we find the cat, Flora would naturally liven up. No big deal. Ah right, compared to this matter, princess, have you prepared for the marching to Apta fortress. I am currently thinking of a way——”

“Right, your highness is busied with royal affairs. I am fully aware of this, still I bothered you with such trivial matters, I am extremely sorry!”

(Yawn)

Orba inwardly soliloquized to himself. As Vileena bowed her head down differentially, in her eyes raging flame was smoldering inside.

(Why is woman such a creature.)

In the afternoon of the same day, the sun had set about an hour ago, Orba walked out of his room at the center of the palace.

Coincidentally, his right hand was still wrapped in bandages, that is due to the war not long ago, he suffered damage to his collarbone cracking it open.

(This must be what everyone felt, your problems are of top priority.)

Vileena’s worries were irrelevant, Orba originally hold  a not so good impression of the aristocrats. Ignoring the good impression part, up until now, somewhere in the depth of his heart he got the urge to behead those Mephius nobles with his own sword out of deep hatred.

Orba’s family, and those he knows in his home village, all were snatched away by the Mephian army. There is only sole reason for him to continue endure this harsh life as the prince’s substitute, that is to take hold of the power and enact his revenge.

(The kitten missing? Don’t feel like eating anything, so you want me to find a solution for it?)

This is pure nonsense. If you don’t want to eat then don’t eat. Sooner or later you will get hungry, when the time comes would she spare time for the kitten.

“Oh, your highness, you seem to be in a bad mood.”

His close bodyguard Shique laughed.

He was a renowned sword slave of this era. He also understood the whole circumstances about Orba posing as the crown prince of Mephius. That’s why he deliberately called Orba [Your highness] since there are people nearby in the vicinity.

The two inspected the guard training while preparing the troops.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Just a little quarrel with the princess.”

“Nothing at all.”

Possessing a keen intuition. As Orba thought about turning his head around, he was met with two hands forcefully pressing against his cheeks.

“Well well, don’t make that kind of face, the soldiers will get all worried. Smile a bit.”

“Come on, let go.”

Despite Shique lean appearance, he was originally a gladiator, his hand strength was considerably strong.

“Hahaha, your highness is acting all shy.”

“You, please give me a break——.”

“Look, here we go again.” Shique’s face suddenly drew in closer, and whispered near his ear in a low voice. “You frequently let out your true nature. You need to keep calm on the battlefield, you are normally not good at controlling your emotions. It’s pretty severe when the situation involved you meeting the princess. You need to keep your nerves down, Orba. If not, it wouldn’t be surprising for you to get chopped down at the head from the back. After all, compared to the coliseum the place is more dangerous.”

Orba suddenly went silent.

Afterwards, using force to shake off Shique’s hand.

“Anyways, if you want to relax, you can come to my room anytime. I will hear you out.”

“That’s like jumping into a dragon’s lair.”

“You dare say that. But compared to these, oh, they have arrived.”

Shique pointed to the front——there at the corner of the training ground, is the resting place with roof attached, a couple of human’s shadows could be spotted.

Orba closed in, the people there saluted him respectfully. These people are the same as Shique, they were well renowned gladiator of the era, however they aren’t exactly alike, no acting here. In his time as a gladiator, Orba for some reason had worn a mask all the time, thus they didn’t know of Orba’s true appearance. They were convinced that the person in front of them, is the genuine crown prince of Mephius; Gil.
 
Gil is their benefactor. It was when Tarkas gladiator troupe was falsely accused of assassinating the crown prince, a little longer and they would be sentenced, not knowing whether it is from a sudden impulse or what, the crown prince unexpectedly to all of them——putting all of the gladiators under his line of command.

Originally due to Gil’s discrepancy as the crown prince, the people around him addressed him as an [idiot]. Completely ignoring his position as the next in line to the throne, fooling around, and paying no heed to either martial arts or learning.

Yet in the past few months, from the assigning of the guards, his talents began to sprout. Adding to that with the incident of Garbera’s General Ryucown uprising against Mephius, using only a few of his personal guards  he suppressed the enemy. At the celebration of the founding of Mephius, Zadeh Cox’s plan of raising the flag of rebellion against the king was stopped beforehand. Now ignoring the title [idiot], Prince Gil was hailed throughout the country as Mephius’ new hero. 

But his true identity, unexpectedly was the same as those affiliated with the Tarkas gladiator troupe, having already experienced the life of needing to stand in front of mass fighting in close quarter combat. Of course, the guards have no way of knowing it.

“Report it.”

Orba, with his eyes narrowed, said while looking at the group of men.

“By the way, I shan’t permit anymore [Nothing] situation like the previous time. It is I who decide whether there is something or not, my order is for you guys to gather information and report it to me.”

“Yes sir.”

Shique couldn’t help laughing up his sleeve, attentively watching his bowing companions.

Formerly a sword slave, now under the ranks of bodyguard, estimately sixty men in total. Apart from this there are plenty of volunteers, but Orba deliberately selected a few and stationed them outside the squad, having them deployed in the Imperial Capital Solon.

To gather intelligence.

They were given wages approximately on the same amount as normal guards and have them lived as normal residents. Needless to say why go through all these special circumstances. It is for the villagers not to suspect them and going out to work. Daily normal occurrences were reported to Orba——No, it is their job to report to Prince Gil.

They all know how to write, thus they need to file a written report once every five days. Of course, none of those make sense to Orba. A neighbor house’s mom getting pregnant although there are a lot of kids already, the vegetables price in the market rose, drunkards fighting today; those sort of things.

Orba loves learning, especially by means of reading books, to expose himself to the unknown world’s knowledge, system values. After the rebellion of Zadeh, Orba craved even more for fresh new knowledge.

“This is?”

Orba picked out a few piece of paper from the file, demanding the group of men to give a detailed explanation. However today Orba seemed to show some interest, it is about a complaint from some random guy in the tavern.

“Once a month, every time the workers at the mine near Solon received their payment, on that day they are bounded to visit this tavern. Last month also, so does this month, they were suddenly gone. The man grumbled about whether do they found a new tavern to their liking or not.”

“Um.”

Orba pretentiously nodded, not really paying attention to the report presented, rather than obtaining information from their fuzzy memories, it felt like you couldn’t grasp the details of the place. Orba firmly believed that this is sufficient enough for him to broaden his whole perspective. 

“Well, this time is a bit so-so.”

Orba put down the reports in his hand as the group of men breathed out sigh of relieve.

“It must have troubled you guys. If there is anything you want, I could arrange it for you.”

While they are turning their back to leave.

“Wait a moment.”

Orba loudly shouted for them to stop. The men once again appeared to be trembling with fear, believing that something is going to happen.
 
However Gil Mephius was silent for a long time.

“Your Highness?”

Shique inquired.

“The cat.”

“Cat?”

“You guys......do you know about cats? Especially the Schiapa cat, the type rarely seen in Solon.”

“Ha......”
“I hope you guys would lend me a hand in finding the cat. Pristine white fur, heterochromatic eyes. Do you understand, one gold and one silver. The tail is tied with a bow, but I don’t know whether it is still there or not. The name is Nair, still it is unknown that will it respond to the name.”

Orba quickly explained the details.

After the clueless group of men left, Orba stood up, and spoke to Shique who wanted to say something earlier.

“Gowen is looking for you. He wants to talk about those sword slaves that applied for a position after the rebellion.”
“Hur.”

“Really, there are a lot of things that need done.”

“True.” Shique replied while trying his best to reel in the smile, to the extent that the corner of his eyes twitched.

“Really, Your Highness sure is busy.”

=== Part 2 ===