Three days has past where Sishou halved his lessons to all of us princes. It made me worry because a lot of possibilities may be the reason behind it. It can be something normal or typical but I can't help not thinking about the negative ones like Sishou busy himself for someone else worthy of his lectures. Besides that, today is the weirdest one, I can't find him neither is everyone else. Not even Sir Shadow. I decided to look for Sishou and went to his room. When I reached his door, I heard whispers inside. I stood in front of the door and knock.
"Sishou, I apologize for intruding but may I speak with you?" I asked as I knocked. The whispering become louder and intense but still unclear for me to understand. A chill of worries crawl down my spine making me knock harder. "Sishou?" The door dramatically open and a familiar person in black villain theif costume made a dramatic entrance.
"Well, look who's here. Looks like Brunie wants to save you after all, Heine Sensei." The person said with my youngest brother's voice. Judging by his hair color and hair length in a ponytail he is Licht in a costume. He turned around to reveal Sishou tied up on his back and laugh hysterically.
"Licht, what are you doing?" I asked angrily and he just smirked at me. He sprint and pushed me off to the ground then continue on running.
"Oh no, save me my apprentice." Sishou said (stoically) with his eyes staring at me filled with trust and hope for his apprentice. I dash after Licht more motivated to save Sishou. What's more is that Licht is not that good in physical activities same as I and I have the upper hand since he's carrying Sishou on his back.
"Can you slowdown, Brunie? Sensei is quite heavy." He complained in tremble.
"Where's your manners? It is very rude to say something not nice to someone who's present." I criticize him.
"It's not like you don't also do that. For the record, you do that everytime." He said making me more mad and eager to catch him. When he noticed that I was so close to him and he looked so scared. "Eek! Help me, Leonie." He yelled and Leonhard jumped in front of me making me stopped at my feet while Licht happily get away.
Leonhard pull out a fencing sword and point it at me. He looks so serious which made me gulp a lump and froze me in my current position. Based on Leonhard's physical capabilities I cannot stand a chance against him.
Licht is almost out of my sight when I noticed Leonhard's sword is shaking. He lift his head at me with teary eyes. I just gave him a confused look and he suddenly run away in full speed, in just split seconds he passed Licht. I immediately run after Licht.
"Leonie, what are you doing?" Licht yelled at Leonhard.
"Sorry, Licht. I can't do it to dearest brother." Leonhard replied before he was out of sight.
"Leonie is very unreliable no matter what." He said under his breath. He turn his head to his back and realize I can almost reach him. "Eek! Help me, Kainie." He yelled and Kai nii-san appear in front of me. Instead of stopping me, he also follow Licht.
"Kainie! What are you doing?" Licht asked in confusion.
"Sensei... funi funi..." Nii-san replied and I noticed his hand squeezing Sishou's.
"Yamete! You have to stop Brunie from chasing me. Don't get distracted." Nii-san stop at his feet making me do the same. Licht flee while laughing maniacally like a heartless devil. I shiver from Nii-san's continuous serious gaze.
We keep staring each other for a few seconds then as expected, he didn't do anything to stop me, instead he sat on the ground and slowly lay down then took a nap. I wanted to criticize him about his act but my Great Sishou comes first. As soon as Nii-san doze off I immediately follow Licht.
"Just give up, Licht!" I yelled and he just ignore it. He continue on drifting, he seem to be struggling making me catch up to him. I saw Sishou opened his mouth and said something but I was not able to hear it. Suddenly, Licht take a turn and when I followed him he was now out of sight.
I found a piece of paper on the floor and pick it up. Something was written on it.
"You can find Sensei where we first met him.
-Your Absolutely Handsome Youngest Brother, Licht"
The place where we first met him? That will be the reception room. That shameless welp doesn't know whose he's messing with. I take my turn and drift to the reception room. I burst open the door and found Licht by the window with Sishou. He seemed to be untied.
"Tell me, Licht. What in the good Lord's place are you planning to do here?" I declared. He just sneered and hold Sishou. He sat by the window.
"I just want to have fun until you give up but it looks like you'll never so I decided to do this."
"Do what?"
"Do this." He said and push Sishou out of window. I immediately run towards the window but I was too late. Sishou disappeared. I can't believe that by the hands of my rotten little brother, my most respected Sishou vanished. I can't continue living without the great and irreplaceable genius that is the only one worthy to educate me and be my Sishou. What shall I do that Sishou's gone? I turn my head to my right only to see Licht. I must avenge my Sishou.
"Sishou! Sishou! Sishou!" I mutter. Licht made a frightened look.
"Brunie's broke." He exclaimed and immediately run away which I chase with no hesitation. I can't forgive this rotten prince for what he had done to the Great Sishou. In which way I look at it, it's unforgivable. Licht take a lot of turns making me not to notice where we are. Ahead of him is a huge door and seems like a dead end. When he reached the door, he knocks so intensively.
"Let me in! Brunie's broke." He yelled and someone let him in and immediately close the door. I reached the doorknob and force it to open. I can hear loud voices as in they're in panics. I can't quite hear all.
"He's already here!?..."
"W. .t.ll n... time."
"Shut the door!"
"Your highness, ..re's ... c...es."
What's going on in there? Are they preparing for a battle? If that's what Licht's will do after what he did. There's no way I'll back out.
"Licht! Open this door." I commanded.
"This wouldn't happened if you helped me, Leonie." I heard Licht said.
"I already apologized. I really can't do it to dearest brother." Leonhard reply. Leonhard's here? He must have been manipulated by that evil little brother of ours.
"Leonhard? Open this door for me." I commanded confidently because I know he won't refuse and obediently follow me. I know that it is not right to use Leonhard but I'll do everything for Sishou.
"Ummm... can you wait for a few minutes?" Leonhard said nervously.
"Leonhard? Are you really Leonhard? The Leonhard I know always listens to me."
"I'm Leonhard. Uh...Ehhh... Heine, help me." He said pathetically. Wait, Heine?
"You dunce! What if Brunie heard you? Our plan will go to waste." Licht scolded Leonhard.
"I don't care what you plan on doing but I'll tell you that if no one's gonna open this door right now. I will punish everyone of you." I yell as I grew impatient.
"By punish, what does he mean?" I heard someone with unfamiliar voice asked and it feels like someone whispered a reply to her.
"I can't bare to hear dearest brother like this. Please, open the door." Leonhard begged and the door unlocked. When I open it, I was almost covered in flower petals. My family (except the king) and the palace staffs are in front of me.
"Happy Birthday Prince Bruno!" They all exclaimed. Wait, I didn't realized that today is my day. I stood speechless with eyes widened. The decoration of the hall is very magnificent and the arrangement is so perfect. Everyone's wearing their clothes formally even Licht buttoned up his clothes.
"Brother Bruno, this is my gift." Adele rush up to me with her adorable smile holding a flower in her hand and give it to me which I gladly accept. "I took really good care to that flower for you." I smile at her and pat her head that made her giggle.
"Dearest brother Bruno." Leonhard said and bow at me. "I'm really sorry for what I did earlier and I'll take any punishment you'll give without resistant." I just stare at Leonhard whose trembling.
"Brunie's really merciless. He can't forgive Leonhard who was just forcefully tasked." Licht pipe up and I gave him a glare.
"You're the one who's merciless. You little runt did something horrible to Sishou." As I let my rage out. "Where's Sishou?" I clenched his collar and his arm rise and point at the huge cake. "You covered his corpse with cake and plan to feed it to me. You heartless-"
"Oh my, that's kind of horrifying. I'm not dead, Bruno Ouji. I'm here behind the cake." Sishou's voice entered my ears and my soul felt relieved and reborn. I peek behind the cake and saw my most respected person besides my father finishing the decoration on the cake. I feel flutter knowing Sishou's the one who decorated the cake. It's so rewarding and yet I don't deserve this. I tried to hold my tears. "Bruno Ouji, is everything alright? I designed everything here, I hope it's satisfying to you."
I kneel down in front of him and held both of his hands. "This is over satisfying, there's no words in my vocabulary to express how happy I am."
"That's an honor to hear, your highness. Please stand up." Sishou said and I immediately follow and bow at him then look him at the eyes with my biggest smile. My smile faded when a maid grabbed Sishou away from me. She has a green hair and I believe I haven't saw her around. She stared at me blankly and I can sense that she's trying to give me a glare which I do the same in return. Our staring ended when Leonhard jumped in front of me and bow in apology.
"Dearest Brother, please forgive my rude behavior earlier." He said sincerely. Sishou walk near him and tap him to stand.
"Your highness, if there's anyone you'll wish to punish from the incident earlier please give it to me. It was all my idea for your event." Sishou said.
"Yeah, Brunie. It was a great plan but you ruined it. It should be an apprentice saving his master act. There should be fightings and dramas." Licht pipe up in annoyance.
Sishou kneel down in apology. "I will repeat myself, your highness. I'll take full responsibility for what happened."
I also kneel down and bang my head to the floor and just stick it. "I'm sorry, Sishou. I didn't realize it." Again, the green haired maid grabbed Sishou away from me.
"Marie, that was kind of rude." Sishou scolded. "Go apologize to the highness." The girl walk near me and bow in apology.
"I'm sorry for my rudeness, your highness." She said, I stand up and cross my arms. I pushed my glasses upward. Sishou walk closer to us and introduce the servant.
"Bruno Ouji, her name is Marie and she's my cousin." He said and I just glare at Marie. I clear up my throat and speak.
"Everyone's forgiven since it was all my misunderstandings." Most of the servants sigh in relief. I saw Sishou grabbed something wrapped in red wrapper and hand it to me.
"Happy birthday Bruno Ouji. I hope you'll like this small gift of mine." He said and I clutch the present and immediately open it. It's a book! Sishou gave me one of his books. I feel like I'm in paradise. It looks like I'm ready to be taken from the world.
I heard footsteps making me turn around and saw Kai nii-san walk in covered from leaves and dirt. I walk near him and command a servant to clean Nii-san's clothes.
"Goodness gracious, Nii-san. What were you doing? Sleeping on the garden grounds isn't a rightful act of a prince." I condemn him. He just made a face that looks like his in the air.
"I actually didn't sleep... I was thinking... a present... when you continued running... gave me an idea." He said and hand over a basket full of fruits. "Fruits has many nutrients... for your strength." He clenched his fist showing strength.
I smile at Nii-san's benevolence. "Thanks, Kai Nii-san." I said and I saw his small smile.
"Yehey, Brunie appreciated Kainie's present. I hope you'll appreciate mine because it's simple like Kainie's." Licht exclaimed and give me a white dotted pink box. I simply took it and open. It's just a simple book but then it's Licht. He keeps smirking for something. I pull out the book and open it. A half naked woman was on the book. My faced turned red and throw the book at Licht, I hit him on the head. He stare and pout at me while rubbing his head. "Why did you throw it? It's my present, you should thank me not hit me with the gift." He complain. "That's just a simple gift."
"Simple? Say that it's simply evil, you philanderer." I yelled.
"That book was just meant to tease you. Look at the box again." I follow what he said and found a birthday card. "I told you it's simple. Happy birthday Brunie." I pick the card to read it.
"Happy Birthday!" it says in the front. I flip it and read.
"I wish you a good health and all. I know that we'll surpass our oldest brother and for me you're better than him.
-Licht
P.S.: I hope you'll find a girlfriend ()."
My face turn red and saw Licht smiling playfully. He scan the place then point at Marie with a wink. I raise my left eyebrow at him in confusion. She's a maid, you must be in the legal age to be hired so she's probably older and I don't have time for girls. I just sigh and turn around at Sishou. He's gone! I search the place finding him.
"Brother Bruno, what are you looking for?" Adele approach me and asked.
"Have you seen Sishou, Adele?" I asked and she gave me a confused look.
"Sishou? What is a Sishou?" She ask innocently.
"I mean, have you seen Heine Sensei?" I clear my question and Adele seems to understand it this time. She think and nodded.
"I saw Sensei a few minutes ago. Brother Leonhard was with him." Adele said and smile. Leonhard? What will they do?
"Dearest Brother, it's time for my gift." Leonhard exclaimed and he has a big blue box, taller than him behind him. He seems very happy and excited. I walk near him. "I'm actually kind of jealous of my gift but I hope you'll appreciate it." He push the box towards me. The box seems to be moving, it's kind of terrifying but I'm kind of curious. I open the box and nothing appeared but keeps moving. Suddenly little fingers grip the edge of the box.
"Leonhard Ouji, I can't get out." Says the voice from the box. I know that voice, it's from my Sishou. I immediately destroy the box and Sishou appeared with a big yellow ribbon on his head. His face is completely red from embarrassment.
"What happened?" I asked worryingly.
"As soon as you accepted my gift, Leonhard Ouji suddenly grabbed me away and put this ribbon and sealed me inside a box." Sishou explain and my eyes sparkled. Leonhard's gift is Sishou, it's the best gift I received so far. I hugged my Sishou happily.
"Leonhard, thank you so much." I exclaim and Leonhard smile. He turned to the table and saw a sachertorte and happily went near it.
"Ummm, your highness? I'm not a thing to be given and be hugged this long." Sishou said and I let him go. I bow at him in apologies and when I lift my head the maid earlier grabbed him. What's wrong with that girl? I glare at her and I can feel that she also glare at me but she's using her blank stare.
[Time Skip: After the party]
Today was one of my amusing days I ever had. Grandmother gave me a photo album with pictures of my childhood which I found very sweet. Father gave me one of the best gift ever. He gave me a room as my study room. I walk out from my study room and met Licht on the way.
"Brunie!" Licht called and I stop my steps. "Where are you going?" He asked.
"Back to my room." I answered.
"I thought you're gonna find yourself a girlfriend." He said with a smirk and my face turned red. "Why don't you try on that new maid?" He suggested.
"Why would you push me to an older lady?" I asked and turn even more red. "I mean, I don't have time for that and I don't see any reasons for it." I said hesitantly after realizing my words.
"Older lady? You haven't heard that the palace is now accepting people with ages 14 and above." Licht said in shock. How come I didn't heard of this? "Anyway, I heard she's 16 and Heine Sensei's cousin." He said and suddenly run away.
"LICHT! YOU STUPID LITTLE BROTHER." I heard Leonhard yelled and chase Licht. I just sigh for their childish behaviors. I continue on my way.
I don't like that new maid's behavior. Sishou's cousin or not her actions are still disrespectful especially she's doing it to a royal. Whenever I get near or talk to Sishou she keeps grabbing him away from me. When I was almost to my room I saw her bowing her head. I was planning to ignore her but she's annoying me in my mind for no reason. I pushed her to the wall and slam my hands near her head. Again, using those blank crystal eyes she stare at me but I can really feel she's looking at me in horror and I glare at her.
"Listen servant, I don't care if you're Heine Sensei's cousin or not but I'm gonna warn you about your disrespectful behavior. If you'll keep on doing it you're gonna lose your job." I threat and she doesn't even react.
"Let me go." She said struggling to break free.
"No, not yet. I'm still not done talking to you." I said to her angrily.
"Let me go." She said quite annoyed.
"Here's what I'm talking. You don't have manners and you dropped you're formality." As I criticize her. I keep on criticizing her until she pressed her lips on mine making me stop talking. My face turn red and so is she. I walk backwards and cover my mouth and she immediately run away.
"Happy Birthday Bruno Ouji!" She yell. She just stole my first kiss.
(Marie's P.O.V.)
I just give him my first kiss. I didn't think twice for it, he won't let me go and he won't stop talking. It was the first idea that came to my head and I just went for it. I really want to talk back to him or push him but he's right that he have a power to kick me out from work. I keep on running until I bump into someone. I lift my head up and found Kai Ouji.
"Friend..." he said glaring at me and I just stare at him. "Why are you... running..." he asked. He just called me friend. I remember Heine Sensei said that not to judge the book by it's cover and if I was right, he said Kai Ouji is kind.
"I apologize for bumping unto you, your highness." I bow my head at him. His asking why I was running, it would be rude not to answer. "I was running away from Bruno Ouji." He nod like he just understand something.
"Bruno can be scary... sometimes... don't be... Bruno is a good boy..." he said. Good boy? How come? "Leonhard is a good boy... Licht is a good boy... Adele is a good girl... Shadow is a good dog... Sensei is squishy..." he said a little happy. How did the conversation went to his other siblings and Heine Sensei?
"I believe so too, your highness." I said in agreement and he glare at me again making me shiver a little bit.
"Formal... don't be... Call me Kai... we're friends..."
"I'm very honored to do so, your highness but doing it might lose my job."
"Sensei said we can be friends... also to my siblings... don't worry... I'll give you permission..." he said and that made me a little happy inside. Too bad I can't express it. "You can call my brothers by name... don't be formal... say what you want... it's fine..."
I smirked in my mind. "I just got permission to drop my formalities without worrying about my job. Bruno Ouji, get ready for a war." I said in my head.
[A/N: Before we end this chapter, let's ask the characters who they want to receive a gift from.
Bruno: Do I need to get farther? It's Sishou.
Marie: Heine Sensei.
Lannie: Leine.
Leine: That's sweet sis but I want to receive from Onii-chan.
Leonhard: I want a gift from father.
Kai: Me too...
Viktor: I thought I was forgotten. Receiving from my children is what I look forward.
Licht: Father, you're getting emotional again. Wait, no one wants a gift from me? Then I guess I like receiving from father.
Heine: I will also do not want to receive anything from Licht Ouji. I would like receiving from my students.
Licht: I'm also your student, Sensei.
Adele: Don't worry, brother Licht. I will love to receive a gift from you.
Licht: Yay
Adele: But I will love more if I can receive from Heine Sensei.
A/N: Heine got 4, Viktor got 3. I just wrote it from my own instinct for who'll they choose.]