30. Three months later

Three months later:

"Sire, Sire, Sire!!!"

Yelled the attendant as he was dashing through, he was stopped at an entrance to a huge room by two guards 

"what is it? Can you not see that I am busy?"

A man dressed in a kingly attire who had a crown on with his eyes fixed on a piece of an important document said with a displeased look on his face as he gave the guards the signal to allow the man come in

"thank you sire" 

The man said as he knelt down on the floor bowing his head

"it's the young mistress" 

Upon hearing that the situation at hand was about his daughter a little of the man's aura leaked out which caused the temperature of the room to be  lowered, as he gave the man before him an ice cold stare 

"go on, what is it about my daughter" 

If not that this man that was sitting down on a throne had not lowered the room's temperature, this attendant would have be sweating profusely right now

"she's.... She's" 

He began stammering, afraid that the next word he says might cost him his life

"Speak!!!"

The man on the throne ordered

"she's gone" 

Upon hearing that his only child was gone, no where to the found, he became enraged as he stood up from his seat, the first thought in his mind to kill whoever's  incompetency was responsible for this, but remembering that he is a royal and Someone of his status shouldn't be so provoked regained his composure and ordered calmly with a cold gaze

"Summon the Megumis" 

"all of them Sire?" 

The attendant dared to question knowing how hard it is to get those people to come to a place ,all at the same time

"yes all, tell them, the emperor summons" 

"yes my liege" 

As he stood up from his position, thankful he wasn't killed and ran out to summon this so-called Megumis

Elsewhere:

"Time to get going" 

I took out my fishing rod and made my way out of the mansion, mom and Aunt Rachel were around today since Subaru would be visiting for a week, so I decided to while away the time by helping Uncle With ward to fish, I have been doing this ever since Subaru left for the past 3 months, at first Uncle Withward would accompany me, but after a while when he saw I had the hang of it, he stopped. I am not going to lie I have been a bit lonely ever since Subaru left but good thing I've got Mits who goes out of her way sometimes to follow me but today she was fast asleep so I decided to let her be as I strolled through the town of Belleprochai,

|..... I was later able to get the hang of the name, the country's name is Bellecepochra, and the town is Belleprochai, wonder what the other town names are.... |

with a bucket  in my left hand and a fishing rod on my right as I sang

"row, row row your boat"  in repitition 

"gently down the stream" 

"merrily, merrily..." 

"huh? Why is someone there" 

I stopped singing when I spotted someone by the side of the lake

"welp, as long as he doesn't disturb me" 

Pushing the thought aside  I continued to sing as I went to the spot were I usually stayed and coincidentally that stranger was there, not saying a word I dropped my bucket and fishing rod by the person's side. I walked towards a rock and rolled it over

"bingo!!!" 

I jubilated as I helped myself with the earthworms that were under the rock which I obviously was gonna use as baits for the fishes. 

As I was collecting the worms one by one, it began snowing

"winter, already?" 🌨️❄️

I got up to prepare campfire, 

|.... Good thing I know how to prepare one... |

"Atchoo" 

A tiny sneeze was heard coming from that little fella, who was sitting near my bucket, I couldn't see the person's face but the person was small in stature meaning he or she was either really short or judging from that sneeze was a kid

|... Aren't there any adults to take care of this situation?.... |

Seeing there was none around I sighed

"guess it can't be helped" 

I walked towards the young fella with the bait in my hand,

"hey, you lost? "

I asked, but the person seemed to look up and look back down again 

" definitely a kid"

|... Guess I have to be the more mature and responsible one of the two of us.... |

I could see the person's body shaking 

I wasn't feeling cold since I had the cloth my mom gave to me on my birthday on but he or she must be shivering 

First thing first, a camp fire🔥

I gathered all the needed materials and within a few minutes the campfire was made, the wind wasn't that much so, it wasn't hard to lit up

I cozied close to it, and the little fella beside me didn't need to be told to do the same as we both sat by the lakeside, as I quietly continued my fishing 

"I ran away from home" 

"huh? You a brat or something?" 

I said on impulse, which seemed to have gottten this little fella angry

"fine... Sorry I said that, mind telling me why?by the way, name's Ascimos" 

I kept my eyes on the lake waiting for a bite from the fishes

The little fella didn't say a word, this was a completely one-sided conversation, luckily enough, I was good with those, 

|... First things first, this person needs to know how most people have it.... |

"umm... I may not be one to say this, and you may not want to listen to me but, isn't running away from home, like stupid?"

I paused to hear the person's response but on hearing none I continued 

"well... Can't blame you, I for one also thought about running away from home a couple of times" 

I fessed up

"did you?"

|... It seems I have gotten this person's attention.... |

"nah... I couldn't, when I thought about, the tears on my mother's face, how worried my big bro will be, how everyone would be searching for me worried sick, I decided to quit, why run when you have people who love you like that"? 

|... Oohh I caught something.... |

I said subconsciously as I stood up to brace myself for the catch, after catching that one another came reeling in

And in a few seconds later I was grilling three fishes with the campfire

"this is gonna taste so good" 

I then looked up and remembered I had a visitor with me

"oh, sorry for being thoughtless, want some?"

I politely asked

|... Would do me some good if you didn't though... More for me... |

The person didn't reply, I was about to eat all three when I heard a growl sound from the person's stomach

"pfft..." 🤭

I almost burst out laughing, 

I took out a fish and tossed it to the little fella's front, which he or she picked and began eating eloquently,

"so good" 

The person complemented

|... Well, can't argue with that, but the way this fella eats though.... |

"you a royal or something?"

The person stopped eating on hearing what I said

"I just meant the way you eat is sophisticated, unlike me, I would have stuffed that whole thing in my mouth right about now" 

It seemed that sentence was able to force out  a little laugh

|... Must be a girl... |

I thought, but I then changed my mind upon hearing the person's large berp

*berp..... *

|... Guess I was wrong... |

"excuse me.... and thank you for the meal" 

He said embarrassed 

"no need to thank me, I mean I wanted to eat the whole thing a few seconds ago"

|... Now I'm feeling embarrassed... |

I brought out a fish from the fire and began munching

*sniff*

"my mom used to make me this" 

He said as drop of tears began falling from his face

"I want to go home" 

He cried out

"hey, hey its okay, look at me"

I said, it was hard to know if this person could see me due to the cloak that was covering half his face

"don't worry, I am sure your family is looking for you right now" 

I reassured him as the rays of the sun began to dawn on us

"hey!!! Can we meet again?"

He asked, as he seemed to be embarrassed 

"yeah sure why not?"

I too was feeling a bit lonely at home, talking to someone my age is a bit comforting 

"by the way how old are you?"

He asked

"oh I am 5,what about you?"

Upon asking him for his age he quickly turned his head and began whistling 

"ummm, I am 7"

|...huh? No way he is 7 and would be crying like that... |

but upon realizing how even I just a few months ago was crying I believed it

"so umm..." 

I was about to ask for his name when a person from afar was calling out to us 

This little boy turned back and it seemed he knew the person, he got up and returned the stake which fish had been devoured

"it was a pleasure meeting you Ascimos" 

He said as he ran towards the person that was calling out to him but before he got to the person he turned back and called my name

"Ascimos!!! "

"yeah? "

I turned back to reply when a snow ball landed at my face

"hehehe, I hope to see you again" 

He said as him and the person began walking off and disappeared in the snow

"could not even get his name" 

|... Maybe I will ask tomorrow.... |

I said happily having just made a new friend 

The strangers POV:

"young mistress, your father is sick and worried about you" 

This man who was dressed in the royal Coat for people enlisted in the royal army which was white in color and had an insignia of the nation at the back and an insignia at the left chest region, which shows their ranking

"wow, so Dad really summoned a Megumi to get me"

I said with a smile

"not just me, he summoned everyone" 

The Megumi corrected 

"so he was right" I thought subconsciously as an image of that little boy called Ascimos flashed into my mind and my face became red

"do you think dad would allow me come here again?"

I asked with little hope

"after this stunt you pulled, most certainly not" 

|...figures,he hardly let me go out anyway, but I won't forget you, Ascimos ... |

"I would have to carry you to the castle, I am still surprised how you were able to get through this far distance on your own" 

He said as he picked me off the ground

"hold tight, this way is faster" 

He said as he began jolting in the direction of the castle

Meanwhile :

"you really deserve a spanking, having made me come leave what I was doing to go look for you"

Aunt Layla said as she held me horizontally by her side with one arm as we got home. 

"Did Subaru make it?"

I asked feeling excited

"I am sorry, young master Subaru is very busy he informed that he won't be able to make it"

"i see" 

I sighed feeling a bit disappointed 

Layla seeing that I was sad said

"but do not worry, you will get to spend the remaining hours with Madam Rachel and Madam Emilia before they leave" 

"nah, I think it's best I just go to sleep" 

I said as I decided to just rest for today

"by the way, where's the fish you said you will get, young master Ascimos?"

Layla asked 

😑... |... I just remembered, we were going to cook it for dinner"

"sorry, I hate it" 

I confessed 

"figures, good thing I got a back up plan, we would be having vegetables tonight"

A day later:

"sigh, guess he couldn't make it"

I said as I felt a little lonely again and disappointed that my new friend couldn't make it, 

"maybe something came up" 

I thought as I went there the next day but nothing changed, I ended up coming there everyday but he never showed up

"geez, don't go making promises you can't keep" 

I said on the 21st day of visiting the lake with a little tear falling down my right cheek

"now I feel, like running away from home now"

Meanwhile :

"300th losses won't make me give up, I will be leaving this school one day, Ascimos is waiting" 

Subaru told the principal who stood in his way from going home

"who's Ascimos?"

The principal asked in confusion 

"well as per our promise,you won't be leaving for the holidays until you can make me admit defeat" 

The principal reemphazied as he prepared to attack again

"don't worry Ascimos, I will be coming back home" 

Subaru said as he cleaned the sweat from his head "

" Atchoo, now I've got a cold"

Ascimos said as he laid down on his bed.