Rakuin no Monshou:The Little Fugitive

“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 reaches 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 etiquettes and practices. Quietly endured in his heart, as he prepared to receive the scolding of the fourteen years 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 have 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 rack 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 neighbouring country is becoming more and more hard to understand.

“Prior to the country’s founding, as a congratulatory gift, his nation received a Schiapa kitten Those who were close with her highness Flora seeing that she wanted this, setting their minds, they stealthily sent people out to make various preparations. In short her highness Flora was appeased.

“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 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 day.”

“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 sword or gun.

Orba could not help but felt 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.

Coincidently, 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 the 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 gone 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.