[11.1] As in Boy Prince!?!

I blinked in disbelief, "...Huh?"

Prince?! BOY!? As in a boy Prince?!

Everyone else ignored my shocked state. The Headmaster looked at Cyrus with a solemn expression that nearly froze over the room, "Prince Cyrus. I need a favor from you. I will graciously give you anything you ask for if you can do this for me."

Cyrus turned to the Headmaster and straightened his back. His tone was serious which totally contradicted his childlike appearance, "Yes, Sir. I will do anything you ask. I don't need anything in return. I haven't forgotten the help you've given me so far. What do you need from me?"

The Headmaster spoke, "Little Reika here is a very unruly child. I thought that since you are the most outstanding student at the Academy, then you would be able to train her how to be more responsible. She will be in the same morning classes as you, so I would just need you to make sure she behaves and escort her to her afternoon classes."

I interrupted quickly, "Oi! Wait! I don't need a babysitter!"

I pointed at Cyrus indignantly, "Especially one who is younger than me! That's just weird!"

Cyrus felt his lip twitch, "Younger?! Who is younger than you!?"

The Headmaster narrowed his eyes at me, "After what I've seen today, you definitely DO need a babysitter."

But I am a grown woman!!!

The Headmaster waved his hand, "Prince Cryus. Show her around the Academy. She has yet to have a tour and since classes are now over, you both have time."

Cyrus gave a firm nod, "Yes, Sir." He turned to me with a smile and held out his hand like a little gentleman, "Shall we?"

I smacked away his outstretched arm, "We shall not."

He froze with the smile twitching on his face, "S-Sorry?"

I put my hands on my hips, "I'm not doing it."

The Chief clapped his hands together, "Oh! I know! Reika, if you are a good girl then Aldrich will make you some tasty cooked carrots!"

I turned pale.

The Headmaster raised an eyebrow, "Huh? I will? Why?"

The Chief forced himself to smile at him, "Because Reika loves cooked carrots. Don't forget you need to reward children for their good behavior."

What am I?! A dog!?

Wait! No! That's not what's important!! I HATE cooked carrots!

Cyrus gave a dark chuckle, "To think you like cooked carrots that much… I suppose I will remember this as well."

I glared at him. This little brat! He's a devil!

He suddenly grabbed onto me with a beaming smile, "Please excuse us, good Sirs. I will go show Reika around now."

The Headmaster nodded, "Just call for me if there are any issues."

Cyrus started pulling me out by the arm. I shouted, "Oi! Let go!"

AHHH! I want to smack off his hand, but I don't want to go to jail for child abuse!

Well… I mean I am technically a child so it wouldn't be child abuse…

But no!! I couldn't possibly hurt that tiny face of his!

After I was dragged out, the Captain sighed and tussled his hair. "If that's all, then I will take my leave now. I have ACTUAL work I should be doing."

Chief Gonza sighed, "This has already disrupted my tasks for the day. It seems I will have to work overtime to catch up."

"Wait." The Headmaster held out his hand, stopping them. "There's actually another emergency I called you in here for."

The two stopped, noticing his grim expression. They both looked at him seriously. The Chief spoke, "What is it?"

The Headmaster raised his head slowly, building the suspense.

The Captain noticed his silence and misunderstood, "If it is that serious, please tell us plainly. We will do everything in our power to help."

The Headmaster spoke in a firm tone, "What do little girls like? Do they just like dresses? Or toys? I have no idea."

The Chief: "..."

The Captain: "!?!"

The Headmaster tapped his chin, "I want little Reika to feel welcomed, but I have no idea what children like."

The Chief groaned with his hands on his face, "What a waste of a day."

….

Cyrus kept his hand clamped firmly on my arm. I stared at it while my face twitched, "Oi. Could you release me?"

He looked at me with a naive look, "If I do, will you run away?"

"No…"

I will.

He looked back ahead as if he read my thoughts, "Then I will keep holding on."

Zephyr snickered, <<Looks like someone has a new admirer.>>

I shot him a glare, <<Shut up.>>

Zephyr: <<Why don't you just hit his hand off if you don't like it?>>

<<I can't do that!>>

<<Why not?>>

<<Because I would never hurt a child!>>

<<...Really? What about that ghost we encountered? I'm pretty sure you apologized to her for disfiguring her.>>

I looked away with a guilty expression, <<Oh… That? Heh… Uhm… That was different.>>

Cyrus suddenly stopped dragging me through the hall and turned to me with a mature look. I had to stifle my laughter since he seemed like a little child trying to pretend to be an adult.

He spoke confidently, "What would you like to see first? You've already have seen the classes so I could probably show you either-"

"YOUNG MASTER!"

*BAM*

We both flinched as something collided into the window. I looked over at the noise and saw a snowy white owl pressed against the glass after having crashed into it. We both watched as the owl slowly slid down the window.

Why do I have a sense of deja vu?

I looked out the window, "Is that bird okay?"

Cyrus forced himself to keep grinning, "He's fine. Just ignore it."

"I-Is that really alright?"

Cyrus didn't wait and started pulling me, "I will just show you to the library first."

My ears pricked up, "Ooo! Lead the way!"

"YOUNG MASTER!"

We both stopped and turned to see a full-grown man climbing in through the window. He was panting wildly as if he had just run a marathon.

His pure white hair was disheveled and his circular glasses were bent. He was dressed like a high-class butler. However, his appearance contrasted with his current demeanor.

Not to mention the large bump on his forehead was a bit off-putting...

His foot caught the windowsill and he fell forward. However, it didn't phase him one bit. He jumped up and looked at Cyrus with crazed eyes, "You left me behind! AGAIN!"

Cyrus let out an exhausted sigh, "For the last time, Caldwell. Familiars aren't allowed in the classrooms."

He stomped his foot, "But you weren't in class! You were walking to the Headmaster's office!"

Cyrus felt his face twitch, "Caldwell. I'm currently in the middle of something."

"Eh?" Caldwell stopped when he realized Cyrus was holding my arm. He looked at my face and tilted his head, "Who is this?"

Cyrus introduced me, "This is Reika. The Headmaster's daughter."

I cut in quickly, "Wait! I'm not his daughter-"

Caldwell interrupted me with a shout, "I see! And judging by the look on my lovely Prince's face…"

Cyrus nodded, "This is the one who saved my life."

Caldwell looked at me in surprise. Then, his entire demeanor changed.

He straightened up and bowed, "Reika I must thank you for saving my young master. I am forever in your debt. If there is anything you need, I will gratefully do everything in my power to help you."

I took a step back with a twitching face.

What a total flip! He doesn't even seem like the same person who I just watched climb in through the window. He actually seems like a butler now.

I scratched my head awkwardly, "I didn't really do that much…"

Caldwell looked at me with a charming smile, "Don't say that. You've done so much that we could never repay you. My young master is worth more than all the gold in the world."

I looked at the two of their faces and felt a bit uncomfortable. I don't even remember the last time I was treated like this.

I cleared my throat and looked away indifferently, "I only saved him on a whim. It wasn't on purpose, so you really shouldn't be thanking me."

Cyrus smiled gently, "Even if that's true, it still doesn't change the fact that you save my life." He bowed, "I really can't thank you enough. I owe my life to you."