The Emperor's Last Consort

Chapter 7

*** NOTE (and maybe SPOILER if you don't read the manga): Hitsugaya Toshiro in this story is the tall adult (ultra-handsome) version, not the cute short version. XD
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It all started when he had won the Kendo match, and emerged as first-rank in the competition. He had given his all – defeated all the opponents – and faced his most grueling match in the final competition. But still, he had beaten the last opponent in the end. He did not receive cheers or celebrations, only negative whispered gossips and condescending looks.

"How could he do that?"

"Is he out of his mind?"

The young adolescent boy did not mind, he was used to all the negativity. He, who had been taken in from the streets as a very young beggar boy – he, who had been training every single day into the late night in the barracks – just to find his worth, to prove that it had been the right choice to have been chosen into the palace as a young guard.

"Hey you!"

The young boy looked up, and his eyes widened. He immediately dropped to his knees. "Your Highness, your servant as you command."

"What is with this humble demeanour now? You were the complete opposite on the match floor just now."

The young guard kept his head bowed, he could already feel the taunting looks of the people around him.

"No words to say? If I were to beat you up now, you would lie down and take it just like that?"

The young guard kept his silence, and his head bowed.

A sharp boyish laughter cut the silence. "HAHAHA! But luckily for you, I am no such lowlife. Losing is losing, and I concede my defeat, you were certainly better than me!"

His eyes widened in surprise, but he dared not look up.

"Raise your head now, and look upon your Prince."

The young boy raised his head and looked at his opponent in the final match that had just passed, the opponent he had defeated to become the palace first-rank in Kendo.

Prince Kuchiki Byakuya, grandson of the current Emperor Kuchiki Ginrei and son of Crown Prince Kuchiki Sojun.
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After the Kendo match, the young Prince Byakuya declared that he was looking for a personal secret guard and he wanted to determine the capability of the young guard who had defeated him in the match.

The young guard had been caught by surprise – after all, everyone had known of his Kendo prowess – they had advised him to lose on purpose to royalty ('Do you want to lose your head?') but he had fought his hardest and so had the young Prince. The Prince's reaction after the match was certainly not what he had expected of typical egoistic royalty.

"I want you to tail me for one full day." The young Prince had told him one day. "If you can accomplish the task of remaining by my side till the end of the day, I will appoint you my secret guard."

The young boy had been shocked, and elated.

They began the challenge the very next day.