Chapter 5: More Extra Troubles
Third Person P.O.V.
The morning sun rays pass through the windows of a room where the little professor slumber in peace. As the sunlight crept on his face making his eyes twitch and open it revealing the shiny red with a mix of orange. He sat down rubbing away the sleep on his eyes. Stretching his back to wake himself and body completely. He grab his eyeglass laying on a table near his bed resting it on his nose bridge. He get up from his bed walking directly to the bathroom to wash his hair and change his pajama into his royal tutor clothes. As he come out, he was surprised by his girls preparing a lovely breakfast. Seems like the girls managed to get a fine breakfast table and some chairs. When the three noticed our tiny tutor, they immediately say their 'good morning's.
"I'm overwhelmed by everyone's thoughtfulness." Heine said as he sat down on the chair beside Leine. That sentence made the youngest one giggle.
"We're a family, I'm not gonna let you have your breakfast by yourself anymore." Leine response after her giggle. She unexpectedly received a pinch on the cheek by Heine. When the professor released, she rub it as it turned red. "What was that for?" She asked with teary eyes.
"It's obvious that this is your plan and I pinched you for entering my room without a notice. Where's your manners?"
"Lannie and I tried to tell her to knock first but she keeps saying that 'it will ruin the surprise' and we were worried she might become a lot noisy so we just did it so." The green haired girl response. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah, it was Leine's fault." Lannie pipe up. "She planned all this because I accidentally told her about you forgetting to eat your breakfast, Heine."
"EHHH???" Leine yelled. "You two are just blaming me because you just want to avoid getting pinch by papa." She glared angrily at the other two. Heine already knew what will happen next if he wouldn't step in, so he cleared his throat catching the girls attention.
"Before your conversation goes to an argument, let's say our thanks for another wonderful day and wonderful breakfast." He said and lead the prayer which the girls followed.
It has been a while since the last time Heine Sensei tasted breakfast with company. The breakfast food was tasty but for Heine, the presence of his daughters made it more delicious. Hearing their chat as they eat makes him full already. When they were finished, Leine immediately acted as the royal tutor's assistant by preparing the materials needed for the day. The other two cleaned up the table and bid goodbye before leaving to do their own businesses.
"Leine, kindly tell the princes to gather at the reception room in an hour for today they will be having a group lesson." Heine asked his daughter which she replied by a nod then he start walking towards the said place.
The crimson haired girl also walked out of the room and headed towards the quarter of the nearest prince that turns out to be Prince Bruno. She softly give three soft knocks on the door. Footsteps can be heard from the inside of the room, as it gets closer the door swung open showing a mocha haired prince who's eyes are glued on his open book on his right hand.
"Good morning, your highness." Leine greeted and the prince greeted back without bothering to look at her. "I apologize to interrupt your reading by answering to my knock but Onii-chan or I must call him Heine Sensei asked me to tell you to go to the reception room in an hour." She made Bruno to get his eyes away from the book by mentioning the professor's name.
"In an hour you say?" Bruno asked as he grab and check his pocket watch. Leine nodded at the question. "You mean, 9 o'clock?" She nodded again. "I need to be 45 minutes early." He put back his watch, closed his book and ready his body to run. "SISHOU!!! I'M COMING." He yelled while sprinting and left Leine with a confused smile.
As much as Leine wanted to give a reaction to what she just witnessed from the third prince, she continued on walking towards the room of next prince nearby and that is Prince Kai. Standing in front of the door, she was about to knock when it suddenly open. A snow haired prince peek at her waiting to say something.
"Good morning, Kai Ouji." Leine greeted and Kai just nodded at her. "Heine Sensei asked me to tell you to come to the reception room at 9 o'clock." Kai nodded at her but when she was about to bow in farewell, the prince gently grab her hair and immediately release it in shock.
"Sorry... mistook you... for someone else..." Kai apologize and Leine got puzzled.
"Apology accepted, your highness. Would you mind to tell me how did you mistaken me for someone else?" She said knowing something interesting is going on.
"Bad eyes... in morning... I am..." the prince answered but the assistant waited for another reason. "And... you have... same red hair..." he finished. Leine grin to herself, she just obtained something she can use to tease her sister. She smiled sweetly and finally say her farewell to Kai.
She keeps smirking while walking down the large halls towards the closest chamber of the next prince. Her face turned into a confusion when she arrived and got greeted by a few maids stressing at the door.
"Can I ask what's happening?" She question as she stopped at the door. An older maid walk near her.
"We are trying to wake Leonhard Ouji but apparently he's getting angry everytime we tell him to get out." The maid answered and the others agreed. This situation made Leine think, she also needs to tell the prince to go out and if she does, an uproar might happened. She must use her words wisely. She remember just yesterday when she was with Leonhard, the prince's words never stopped mentioning Bruno.
"You wouldn't mind if I try to wake him up, right?" Leine asked when an idea came to her. The maids looked at each other and nod. Forgetting to knock, she walk inside an unlocked room. Amazed by the size of the room, she step closer to a cuddling blond boy on an enormous and fancy bed "Leonhard Ouji?" She asked to check if it's awake.
"What?" The prince growled not moving an inch. Leine observed the surrounding and spotted something off about the placement of the bed. Doing her first aim, she opened her mouth.
"Bruno Ouji is waiting for you at the reception room." Leine bluff and Leonhard was wide awake.
He jumped out of the bed and change his pajama in accelerate, not even minding a lady watching him. He drift out of his room after changing leaving the girl frozen on her feet to what she just saw. She started moving her body and walk out when she promise to herself to forget everything that just happened. Before leaving to the next and last prince, she stop by the astonished maids.
"Leonhard Ouji woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Looks like the bed was moved from it's original place." Leine said and immediately leave.
Continuing to walk, she is also slapping herself to forget. She almost got farther when she heard some feminine giggles from the playboy's quarter making her step back a few steps. She sighted that the door was a little open. When more giggles was heard, she was overwhelmed by curiosity resulting her to eavesdrop.
"Lichie~!!!" Voices of young women screamed. Sounding like having a really fun and desirable satisfaction doing who knows what with the prince. Leine is not ready to know or see the level of naughtiness that lies beyond the door, she decided to interrupt by knocking. Knocks that are loud enough for everyone inside to stop doing what they were doing.
"Come in." Licht command from the inside.
"I would like not to, your highness." Leine response with a nervous laugh.
"Why? Aren't you here to play?" The prince asked in disappointment.
"No!" She exclaimed from reflex. "Why would I play with a creep like you?" She grumble in whisper and rolled her eyes.
"You're not? Then, will you state your business?" The prince asked annoyed hoping it's not gonna interrupt his happy time with the ladies but too bad for him, it will.
"I'm just here to inform you to come to the reception room at 9 for today's group lesson." Licht finally realize who was standing outside his door. He first thought it's one of his lady friends who got late. "Have a nice day, goodbye." Leine said then walk briskly towards the hall leading to the reception room.
Licht look at his clock in his room checking the time. Only 20 minutes left before 9 o'clock. For him, it means that it's time to say goodbye to the beautiful young women. He got up from the sofa, gently pushing the ladies on him. The girls all whine in disapproval for the prince to leave.
"I hate to say this ladies but it looks like that's all for today." Licht announced and the girls sulk.
"Fine but promise us a date tomorrow." One of the ladies said and others nod in agreement. Licht think up and scratch his head giving them bad news.
"Sorry but my schedule is very tight for the following days. I guess I'll make it up some other day." He said thinking about his shifts in the cafe and another dig of Heine's past. He haven't give up of learning it. He doesn't have any plan on sabotaging the royal tutor but he's becoming more curious recently.
"Just make us happier next time." One of the girls said before leaving. The prince didn't even heard it from brainstorming ideas how to learn Heine's history.
"The Wittgenstein girls definitely know everything. I've decided to gain from Leine because Lannie obviously doesn't have any care on telling anyone and Marie respects Heine so much that she's gonna keep him to herself." He thought.
Turning his head to the clock, he dash out of the room towards the said location. When he open the door, he found out that he was the only one missing.
"You're finally here, Licht Ouji." Heine said standing up from where he was sitting. "Let us begin." He turn around to Leine and asked her to collect the princes' homework which she politely did so.
The group lesson started that turned out to be a problem solving that may take hours to solve unless if you're clever. Prince Kai can't solve it because no matter what he thought the answer is turns out to be an exaggerated solution. Prince Bruno could've solve it, his answers are all measurable but it's not enough since it can result in a lot of other consequences. Prince Licht noticed something odd in the problem but cannot figure it out because of Bruno griping him for not focusing and not taking his Sishou's class seriously.
After almost an hour of debating, Prince Leonhard's soul came out of his body quite dancing the whole time getting lost what they're talking. Heine walk near to check the weak prince, the floating soul wave at him. He pull Leonhard's back making him come to life.
"Is there anything bothering you, your highness?" Heine asked and it made Leonhard cry.
"Heine... I don't know what they're saying..." he cried tugging on Heine. "Dearest Brother look so amazing saying those difficult things and it's unacceptable that my baby brother can keep up."
"I almost forgot that you're not the youngest." Heine mumbled inaudible. "Because you act more like a baby." He added to himself.
"If you would like, I can help you understand." He offered to the prince.
"Really? You will do that for me?" Leonhard beamed happily.
"Of course, Leonhard Ouji. It's actually part of being a tutor." He response. "What your brothers are debating right now is a solution of the problem-solving question I gave earlier."
"It that all? I command you to repeat that problem for me."
"Imagine you're in a blah blah blah blah and then there's a blah blah blah blah but suddenly blah blah blah if the blah blah blah blah that way the blah blah blah blah will blah blah blah blah so what should you do?" That was what the prince heard.
"Huh?" Leonhard got back from his self. "Why are you talking in a gibberish language?"
"I'll repeat the problem again." Heine insisted knowing Leonhard didn't understand it and he'll try this time in "English". He quoted in his head. "Imagine that you are in a-"
"Wait a minute!" Leonhard exclaimed cutting the tutor from his sentence. Everyone turn their attentions to him.
"What is it, Leonhard?" Bruno asked in wonder.
"Why are you all bothering yourselves in Heine's non sense problem if we can just stop imagining it." Leonhard complaint and everyone was silent. The royal tutor clap his hands.
"Bravo, Leonhard Ouji. Your answer is correct." Heine said and it made Leonhard smirk.
"Of course, I'm always correct." He leaned on Leine's ear. "What answer?" He whispered.
"Oh, I get it. It's a mind trick. We were just imagining all that complicated problems so to end it we just stop imagining it." Bruno stated when he realize what just happened.
"I knew something was up in Heine's problem and I could've answered it but you were so noisy." Licht complaint.
"Are you blaming me for the lack of your wit?" Bruno replied in pissed.
"No, I'm blaming your lack of sense to shut up."
"Are you looking for a fight, young man?"
"I'm not but your asking for it, old man."
"Onii-chan, they're fighting." Leine told Heine.
"Leave it to Kai-Ouji." Heine response just when the white haired prince stood up between Bruno and Licht.
"Licht, Bruno, good boys..." Kai raised his voice and the two stopped. "Fighting... not good..." he added.
"Instead of blaming one another for not getting the correct answer, why don't you congratulate the one who did so." Leine suggest and Bruno and Kai start praising Leonhard.
"Dearest brother is praising me!" Leonhard yelled happily.
"Heine, what was all the point of that?" Licht asked in curiosity.
"I agree with Licht but you're still my greatest sishou." Bruno pipe up. "I mean, that problems can happen in reality."
"What I want you to learn today is being observant. Observe the problem carefully because the answer can be the problem itself and you can use it as an advantage. Second thing is, always consider of thinking outside the box because if you don't, you might end up circling in the same problem." Heine said. He look at his pocket watch and put it back. "Looks like that's all for today. See you on our next lessons, your highnesses." He and Leine bow down at them and they bow in response. The princes left the room leaving the two picking up the lesson materials.
"Papa, I forgot to tell you that I customized Leonhard Ouji's homework." Leine said.
"I knew that you'll baby him." Heine replied.
"I'm not babying him. I just thought he'll be more motivated to study if his test is in less than 30 items and his score is written in percentage." She explain herself.
"Yes, yes. Good for you." Heine replied not listening and his mind wondered about the other two girls. "Do you happened to know the whereabouts of Marie and Lannie?"
"Not specifically but Lannie told me that Marie's gonna show her around the palace." Leine answered.
Meanwhile, the princes are walking down the halls towards their individual chambers. Bruno and Kai are still complimenting Leonhard which made Licht annoyed.
"Can you both stop babying, Leonie?" Licht asked because he cannot concentrate about his plan earlier.
"We're not babying him, we're just very happy for him." Bruno answered.
Licht wasn't paying attention but to himself. He realize that Leine doesn't like getting near him after trying to flirt her. In that way it will be hard to befriend her but he noticed how Leonhard comfortably lean on her ears and she doesn't react. He actually like working things on his own but in this situation he might help from his brothers. He love working with his brothers especially it will make everything fun and easy but in this kind of things he doesn't think that his brothers needs to be involved.
"Leonie, why don't we have a tea this afternoon in celebration of your success today." Licht asked. He wanted to talk with Leonhard alone.
"That's sounds delightful." Leonhard agreed. "But not tea, I want that coffee you made before." He plea and Licht smile at him for starting to love coffee.
"Of course, Leonie. I'll make you coffee as much as you like." Licht said happily.
"Will you be there, Dearest Brother Bruno?" Leonhard asked like a puppy begging for food. This made Licht jumped. If he'll start talking with Leonhard about it Bruno might lecture him not to stick his nose on other people's privacy especially his respected Sishou.
"Of course, Leonhard. I've just finished my latest thesis, I got a lot of free time." Bruno answered. Licht just face palm, he decided not to object because he'll might get lecture for uninviting his own brother. He foreseen that there's no happy ending for him.
"How about you, Brother Kai?" Leonhard asked the 2nd prince, he just shook his head.
"I can't... sorry... I'll play with Shadow... in the garden..." he said in disappointment.
"That's fine, we can have tea together some other time." Licht pipe up avoiding the possibility for Kai to come along. For him, Bruno is difficult enough for his intentions.
Their conversation continued until lunch. After eating they separated their ways in their own businesses. Licht immediately went to make some coffee which Leonhard requested. He also decided the desserts that goes well with the coffee. When the clock strike three, the three princes was already sitting together.
"Did you really made this coffee, Licht?" Bruno asked unbelievably after sipping a cup of cappuccino.
"Of course, I did. What else do you expect from a prince with strong charisma?" Licht replied unsurprised from his brother's reaction.
"It's pleasing in the mouth, don't you think dearest brother?" Leonhard asked in amusement of the taste of his coffee.
"I have to be honest, it really is delicious." Bruno admitted and take another sip. This made Licht smile almost forgetting his intention for the coffee but remember it immediately when Leonhard exclaimed.
"Hey, isn't that Heine's sister and cousin." He said pointing at the green and red haired ladies near the garden entrance. Marie left the curly haired one entering the palace. Lannie look around before entering the garden.
"Speaking of them, aren't you guys curious?" Licht started the topic. He was ready for Bruno's gripes.
"You mean how Sishou's age is far from his sisters." Bruno response and it made Licht surprise. It was not what he expected him to say.
"Heine's age? How old is he? Isn't he nine?" Leonhard question.
"Leonie, he's the same age with father." Licht answered. "He's gonna get mad if he'll hear you say that." He added.
"Let's not talk about his age." Licht declared. "I really think Heine and his so called sisters and cousin is just a lie."
"I don't want to call Sishou a liar, I prefer mysterious." Bruno said fighting the urge of lecturing Licht because he is also curious or more like he doesn't believe that Marie is related to his Sishou.
"Yeah, he's mysterious from the very beginning anyway. Putting that aside, I tried to investigate but I cannot get anything. I might need help this time." Licht said honestly.
"I don't like the idea of nosing other people's privacy but in this case I also wanted to confirm something." Bruno said and by that he meant he has a strong feeling Marie's not really Heine's cousin.
"Isn't it easier to just ask Heine about it? He never once lied to us." Leonhard pipe up. Bruno and Licht admitted that he has a point but like what decided earlier, Heine is a mystery.
"He won't lie but he'll avoid the question." Licht told Leonhard based on what he experienced.
"What do you have in mind, Licht?" Bruno asked.
"Our only key for it is Leine, we need to befriend her but sadly for me, I can't." Licht answered. "I wanna ask Leonie for it because they seems already friends."
"What? Leine and I are friends." Leonhard asked confusingly.