Chapter 198: A Visit From Yamato’s Princess [1]
-----
A new day had arrived.
With the cheerful chirping of birds, the bright sun overhead, the gentle breeze drifting through the spirit forest behind the house, and the lively chatter of people in the streets near the academy, Louis slowly opened his eyes.
"Ah... it is so calm here."
He turned toward the window and gazed at the bright blue sky and the endless sea of vegetation stretching beyond the horizon. It was nothing like the capital, where icy walls stood surrounded by barren wasteland. Before his mother fell into her slumber, a beautiful forest had thrived here. He still remembered it clearly.
But that forest, seemingly tied to her health, had slowly withered away. It was devoured by wild Entities and Magic Beasts over the years, leaving behind a depressing wasteland.
Louis glanced to the side and found Mirai sleeping soundly. A little drool escaped her lips, yet she looked utterly adorable. And truly beautiful.
He gently caressed her hair and leaned closer. Without thinking, he nearly kissed her lips but stopped himself. Instead, he kissed her cheek and left her to rest.
Silently, he walked to the window, opened it, and let the fresh air fill the slightly warm room. The refreshing breeze washed over him as he gazed at the endless beauty of the divine realm.
"Wow... it truly feels like I am in another world."
For a moment, Louis closed his eyes and smiled, savoring the faint breeze and nothing else. Despite the challenges awaiting him in the near future, he allowed himself a brief moment of respite to steady his emotions, calm his mind, and think clearly.
"Haaa..."
Being in this divine realm felt almost therapeutic. One of the things he had always enjoyed about visiting the countryside in District A was the farmlands and lush greenery, the forests, rivers, and lakes. Nature in the capital existed only in small patches and crowded plazas.
The sight of forests and grasslands beyond the town awakened the adventurous spirit he had felt as a child. He wanted to run across the plains, admire the view, and find peace in nature.
But after seeing the massive academy and castle, and sensing the dozens of powerful students within, he quickly dismissed the childish urge. He turned away from the window and prepared to begin the day.
"Good morning."
Mirai was awake, sitting up in bed with a cute smile. Her pajama was disheveled, one small shoulder exposed. She wore no bra, so Louis quickly noticed her nipples pressing against the thin fabric.
"Hm?" Mirai innocently tilted her head. "What’s wrong?"
"N-Nothing..." Louis coughed awkwardly and hurried toward the bathroom. "I will go take a bath. I’ll be back soon."
"Ahh... Oh, let’s take a bath together!" Mirai suggested.
"I don’t think that is appropriate," Louis replied. "I would rather do it quickly. And are you suggesting to bathe with your prince? Be more respectful."
"S-Sorry..." she chuckled. "Welp, at least I tried..." She shrugged.
Louis shook his head and took a quick warm shower. After washing his hair and dressing in the new clothes Catrise had prepared for him, he went downstairs and found Mirai already eating breakfast with several members of the house.
Zorba sat awake, glaring at someone with a worried and skeptical expression. Anastasia and Agustina looked strangely nervous. Timothy was apparently still asleep. Melisa and Selene were chatting and giggling curiously with someone, while Mikoto and Saizo ate pancakes and drank coffee with the rest of the group.
Wait, Kaguya and Saizo?!
"Ah, Prince Louis! I never imagined you were such a sleepyhead. Well, this is the first time we formally meet, but my mother has told me much about you."
"Y-You...! Why are you...?"
For a moment, Louis lost his composure as he stared at the beautiful princess of Yamato in person. She had cascading black hair, fiery eyes, and a golden rising-sun crown that tied her hair into a long ponytail. She wore her school uniform just as she had the day before.
Beside her sat her silent brother, Saizo. His deep red eyes stared directly at Louis with no expression—no anger, no scorn, nothing at all. He seemed completely empty. And in many ways, he was. From what Louis knew through William’s memories, Saizo had been raised as his sister’s guardian since childhood and had slowly lost parts of his emotions in the process.
Louis sighed, calmed himself, and met her gaze evenly. "Excuse me, I was surprised. Nobody told me you were here. Catrise, did you try to make this a surprise or something?"
Catrise looked slightly guilty. "No, my lord. They arrived just an hour ago, and I could not tell you because you were taking your morning bath..."
"Haaa..." Louis sighed and nodded. "Well, I apologize for the late welcome to my house, Princess Mikoto. It is an honor to have you as a guest. However, I cannot help but feel curious. Why, of all places, did you choose my house to visit? And so suddenly, if I may ask?"
"Fufufu, I suppose you are surprised. I apologize for the suddenness, Prince Louis," she said with a calm and gentle smile, her eyes gleaming. "I have already visited Camelot and was on my way to Mesopotamia, but I decided to come here first because it was closest. There is nothing more to it. However, I have wondered about you for quite a while. I have yearned to meet you. My mother, my father, and the Queen of Zipangu, Lady Yudra—your aunt—have always spoken about you and your parents. So I am here to finally meet the one who sparks so many conversations in my homeland. Quite the celebrity, if I may add."
"A celebrity?" Louis raised an eyebrow as he sat down and accepted breakfast from his maid. He took a sip of tea. "Well... I do not know what to say. I suppose I am flattered. Thank you. In my country, Zipangu is regarded as a great ally, though we do not often speak of its nobles."
"Fufu, I suppose not. The reason you are talked about so much is mostly because of everything you did after your mother fell into that slumber," Mikoto sighed. "You were regarded as the Mad Prince, and the court at home always laughed at the crazy things you did. Haha."
"...Is that so?" Louis smiled warmly. "Well, I am glad my mistakes could bring some smiles to your family’s fractured relationships, Lady Mikoto. I can already see from your brother’s glare that he definitely laughed with a big wide smile. Right, Saizo?"
"..." Saizo said nothing, simply glaring at Louis while furrowing his brows.
"Fufu, you certainly have a wonderful sense of humor, Prince Louis," Mikoto said, waving her fan. "I suppose the time you disappeared inside the Dimensional Labyrinth was all part of an elaborate joke as well? You truly are the clown of the dragon family. It is so nice to see someone so dedicated to making people smile."
"Well, thank you. I am so happy to know that someone has smiled because of the things I have done," Louis replied calmly, sipping his tea. "It truly fills my heart with the greatest happiness this world could ever understand. I am in awe. Honestly, I want nothing more than to make you smile even more, Lady Mikoto. I hope we can get along from now on. Look forward to what this clown will do next. I will make sure you laugh and clap."
"Hohoho! Hahaha! You are so hilarious, my lord!" Mikoto laughed loudly, though it was clear she was irritated that she could not make Louis lose his composure.
While the two nobles exchanged cynical remarks, the atmosphere around them grew so heavy that everyone else fell silent. They had never imagined things would turn this tense. Louis had never met this woman before, yet it was obvious she had come to provoke him. Everyone quickly understood the kind of person Princess Mikoto was.
"Excuse me, Princess Mikoto," Mirai spoke up as the verbal jabs continued.
"Oh? Yes, Mirai? You are also quite the celebrity back in Zipangu. Everyone wishes for you to return to your homeland," Mikoto sighed. "I wonder, were you still locked away in a lab in the VPI? It must have been awful. Why not come to my house instead? We will treat you with the utmost care. I can assure you."
"Um, no? I don’t want that..." Mirai replied, glaring at Mikoto in confusion. "I am happy with Louis and House Frostbane. Everyone here is my friend... If I joined another house, I would not know anybody."
"But you can get to know us! And why do you want to stay anyway? Doesn’t Frostbane treat you badly?" Mikoto pressed.
"What? No..." Mirai shook her head. "I was raised there by many great people... Louis is someone I care deeply for. I would never leave his side."
"..."
Mikoto slowly set her teacup down, looking genuinely confused. She had never expected Mirai to speak such words about the country that had kept her "captive" for so long.