Chapter 13 - The Visitor

Hmmm, maybe Haruna isn’t so bad…

No, wait…

That evil harlot!!!

She almost had me there…

I can’t believe I almost fell for it!

I must raise my guard!

I have Kaede after all!

Another knock comes from the door.

I wonder who it is now?

“Your highness, you shouldn’t simply abandon your classes in this manner”

Ah, it’s Mari…

And she looks really angry.

Uuuu, I’m really sorry Mari!

I was too ashamed to show myself in public!

“I apologize Mari, it seems I was having a misunderstanding”

Fufu, it’s quite funny to remember how panicked and depressed I was now.

“Ho? And what possible misunderstanding could that have been? It must have been incredibly serious for you to abandon your first day of classes”

Her eyes are staring into my soul…

“Since there was no reaction, I had thought that my speech has shamed the monarchy”

Mari’s eyes jump.

“However, Haruna came by and sorted out that misunderstanding”

I smiled while remembering it, fufu it certainly is quite amusing now.

Mari frowned.

“Haruna is it? The girl that sits next to you in class? The same girl who came by and asked you for directions? That girl?”

Mari seems to have a lot of information.

Well, that’s only natural I suppose!

After all, Mari is the best maid!

“Yes, that’s right”

“…I see…”

Mari is still frowning.

It seemed like Mari wanted to say something else, but an unknown maid suddenly ran up and whispered something in Mari’s ear. She then turned to me, blushed, bowed and ran off.

Fufu, the power of an ikemen!

“Who was that just now?”

Mari’s frown only got deeper.

“That’s not important right now your highness. It seems his majesty the King has come to visit…”

FATHER?!

Why on earth…

“Why is he here?”

I could hear even Jin’s voice cracking a bit there.

Jin’s able to mask his emotions well, but in regards to his father, he’s really bad at it.

Mari’s frown turned into a comforting smile.

“It’s alright Jin, I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s probably just here on an unrelated matter”

Mari’s voice instantly calms me down.

It’s been like this since we were kids, she’s always been there for me…

“Thanks Mari”

I smile sincerely.

Mari’s face turns red and here calm demeanour that she shows to everyone disappears.

She was mad at me just now but when we’re by ourselves normally, she acts completely different.

I pull her into a hug as the mood takes me over.

“Y…Your highness?!”

There’s an element of panic and shyness in her voice.

“Ah, I’m sorry, It’s just been a long day. You’ll have to excuse me for dirtying you”

“N…Nothing of the sort!’

Her voice becomes rather high when she gets nervous.

We stay like that for several seconds, though it felt longer.

Then we part.

“I am sorry, I was feeling a bit on edge and I knew Mari would be able to calm me down”

Her face is still red and her eyes are wide open like she’s preparing to dodge the next attack.

“I…It’s quite fine. We should proceed to the Principal’s office and greet your father now”

She seems rather stiff.

Perhaps I made her feel uncomfortable?

That wouldn’t be good.

Mari’s the last person I’d want to dislike me after all…

…

We walk to the Principal’s office in silence.

I do hope she’s alright…

We stop before a large door and Mari takes a great big sigh to calm herself before she knocks on the door.

“Excuse me, his highness Jin Wolfgang Staeles is here”

You couldn’t see a trace of the shy Mari from before.

A professional!

“Please come in!”

A stern voice comes from the other side.

Was that…the Principal?

He sounds different to earlier…

“Excuse us”

Mari proceeds in front of me.

And inside that room I see a bizarre sight.

The Principal is enjoying a cup of tea behind his desk while the King…

While my father, the King of this country is groveling on the floor…

My mouth involuntarily falls open.

“What…?”

“Oh! Jin! You’re just in time! You see, this carefree idiot came here looking for you!”

Hmm? Father came looking for me?

“WAHAHA! He hasn’t had a relationship with his son while he was living with him but now that his son is attending MY academy he comes over and wants to break tradition”

Father…

“Plus! HE DIDN’T EVEN READ MY LETTER!!!”

…Why do I feel like that’s what he’s most upset about?

“Jin…”

Father turns to me with tears in his eyes…

While still groveling on the floor…

Waa, Father looks really pitiful right now.

“So what do you have to say for yourself? Hm? You foolish carefree child”

The Principal looks quite scary all of a sudden.

I’ll have to remind myself not to get on his bad side…

“I’m sorry Jin…”

Don’t give me that.

We’ve already been through this right?

We already forgave each other?

Don’t act like a stranger again…

I’m not sure what kind of face I was making, but Mari interjected.

“Your Majesty, this is disgraceful. Stand up. What kind of face are you showing to your son?”

Forceful and blunt.

Mari was angry…

I don’t think anyone can stand up to Mari when she gets angry…

The impact was apparent though, as the Principal went pale and father abruptly stood up and shook his clothes off.

He clears his throat.

“Yes, yes, quite, indeed, you are correct…”

Does my father have some kind of speech impediment!?

“Why did you come here anyway?

I ask him straight out.

Father looks away embarrassed and covers his mouth with his hand and blushes.

“I came to have dinner with you? Is it…no good?”

What are you, a schoolgirl??!!