The Princess and The Devil - Karma Akabane x OC

T H I R T Y - T H R E E : LUNCH II

Hime's POV

I still can't get it out of my head.

He loves you

Sakura-san told me the brief history of dad over an hour ago and I still cant get it out of my head. If that's true, why didn't he come back now? Why didn't he reach out? Since he knows about Koro-sensei, then he's supposed to know about Karasuma-sensei and Bitch-sensei too. Hence, the whole assassination trainings I have to go through every day.

"-ma. Higanbana Hime-sama." I hum in reply as my head turns slightly to the prime minister. He is sitting directly in front of me at the dining table in the eastern garden with dad on my right.

"Hime.." Dad says in low tone and I flash him a glance and redirect my attention on the man governing the country. The prime minister smiles briefly at me as I take this opportunity to smile back at him. A business smile as I would describe it.

"You are a student of Kunugigaoka Middle School, yes?"

"Yes, I am." I smile at the prime minister.

"Then you must be bright!" He exclaims as he claps his hand together once before roaring into a burst of laughter. A plethora of praises are thrown in my way and it put me in a very awkward situation. I didn't know what to reply him. I wonder if he still thinks I'm bright when I tell him I'm in.. was in Class 3-E – the class that was discriminated against, looked down to and a class so disgusting, you'll make heads turn to look at you with those judging eyes and sinister smile. "Kunugigaoka Middle School has always been the institution that has produced so many hardworking workers. And they are extremely astounding! My grandson didn't even qualify to sit for the exam. But it is as expected of you!" He lets out another gruff laugh.

As expected of you.

All my life I have been told that. It used to make me happy - like another goal has been achieved. And I will exceed expectations by expectations. But now..? Not anymore. I just want to do what I want to do – live the way I want to.

I readjust my emotions and let out a small laugh that sounds more like a cough than it is a laugh. I smile and look down before looking back at him. I tuck loose strands of hair behind my ear. "As expected of the crowned princess of Japan!" he praises. "She's not only a beauty but bright too!"

"Prime Minister, you eulogize me too much." 

"I am looking forward to work with you, Higanbana hime-sama." He stands as he reaches out his hand. Does this mean lunch is over?

Dad stands up too and grabs the prime minister's hand. "That is if you're still alive." Dad jokes.

The prime minister laughs along as he adds on to the joke. I stand up too after a while. I give the prime minister a polite curtsey and see him off with a butler and two maids. The lunch was nothing special. The food is fancy and the sparkling grape juice was to die for. The scenery was a good change and I could get used to the 'eating in the garden' thing. It was relaxing but not something I would do in the summer.

"Hime-sama," I turn around at the call of my name and force out a smile and a man dressed in a suit that resembles the other butlers walks out from the door that separates the garden and the chateau. He walks at a very reasonable pace towards me with a smile. I tried maintaining my smile but something about him doesn't give out a butler-y vibe. He wears a pair of thin gold coloured frame glasses and his black- greyish hair is slicked back. He's around Ichiro-jichan's age if not older. The buttons of his suit is silver and my eyes trail down his appearance. He wears a wrist watch on his right and carries a deep mahogany red covered book with blue, green, yellow and red ribbon sandwiched in between the pages of his book. The only difference is, there is a pen sandwiched in the green ribbon of his book. Once he come close enough, he stops and bows at a sign of respect. I bow along with him and an unfaltering smile. "I am Hirase Kaji and I am the head butler of this palace. I make sure everyone in the royal family are where they are needed at a particular time in the right dress code and I am your father's most trusted butler."