The Imperial Mentor

Chapter 21: Licht Vs. Licha

The four Princesses were in Licha's room, helping her get ready for the big day! Brunia asked, "Why on earth are we helping Licha get ready? What's the occasion?" Kaira replied, "You forgot? Licha and Prince Licht are going out on a date, so we're helping her get ready for the same." Leonora scoffed, "Hmph. Can't she dress up herself?" Brunia added, "Yeah... I mean whatever items of clothing we would suggest, Licha would just propose something lewd instead, so there's barely any prospect of us being here. Licha countered, "Hey, it will be nice to get some opinion about this!" Kaira added, "It's fun, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to strengthen our relationship as sisters." Leonora derided, "Yeah yeah... now show us what you have in mind, Licha."

Licha took out a dress and asked, "Well... how's this?" Brunia remarked, "Wow! I have never seen anything like it! The design is so original and phenomenal! Licha, where did you get this dress?" Licha stammered, "Umm.. f-from Vermillion Unlimited!" Brunia responded, "Wow! This dress is not lewd at all! I love it! You must wear this for your umm... whatever you and Licht are doing." Licha blushed and answered, "Okay, I will. Thanks, Brunie!" While she snuck herself in the washroom to change, she thought, "I can't believe that Brunie acknowledged my designer dress for the second time! Well... as long as she doesn't find out about my job at the store or the fact that I designed that dress, I will be absolutely fine." She came out of the restroom and modeled in her very own designer dress.

The three sisters applauded and complimented Licha's outfit. Kaira stated, "You look beautiful. Now, Licht delivered a message that he will be waiting for you at Cafe Mitter Meyer, and both of you will be departing from there." Leonora added, "Yeah... to protect your cover so that you won't be sent to the guillotine, you won't be going my carriage, you might have to walk." Licha squealed, "Walk!? This is going to be fun; Granzreich, here I come!" The three sisters wished Licha luck, and the Princess departed from the palace in no time.

She arrived at the Cafe Licht suggested, and walked over to the reception and asked, "Sir, I just need to make one quick call, may I please use this landline?" The man at the counter asked, "Where do you wish to call, my dear?" Licha answered, "Cumsta, the capital city of Vermillion, I need to get in touch with the Vermillion Unlimited store." The man dialed the number for her, handed over the phone and left the counter to manage the cafe. Licha spoke on the phone, "Hello, is this the Master of the tailoring shop Vermillion Unlimited? Sir, I just wanted to inform you that I won't be able to attend a few shifts due to some personal affairs." The woman over the phone replied, "Rachel?! You can't just bail on us like that! Your shift will be starting at 1 in the afternoon and will be concluded only at 5 as the store is jam-packed today. Get your butt over here on time, okay! Please, the establishment is depending on you!" Licha responded, "But ma'am, I won't be able to make it! Can't I be assigned another one?" The woman over the phone yelled, "I'm sorry, Rachel, but you have to be there today! That's it, end of discussion!" And she slammed the landline on the Princesses face. Licha murmured her herself in panic, "God! This is not good! How in the blazes am I supposed to make it there on time?!"

Licha turned around to see Prince Licht in a waiter's uniform! Both of them stared at each other in disbelief, and Licha asked, "Licht? What are you doing here?! You work here!? And how much of that did you hear!?" Licht sighed with defeat and replied, "Yes, it's me, Prince Licht. But only in the palace, in here, people know me as Richard. And yes, I heard that exchange of yours over the phone." Licha begged, "Please don't tell my family, they will kill me to death!" Licht responded, "Don't worry, I won't. But I certainly didn't expect you to find my cover; father told me to act like a Prince who isn't working in a cafe just for this assignment. Or else, I don't even live in the palace anymore." Licha asked in curiosity, "You don't live there anymore? What does that mean?"

Licht answered, "Well... I am still a Prince of the Granzreich kingdom, but I am not in the royal line of succession because I don't really have aspirations for the throne. My big brothers are excellent candidates for the throne, and there's no chance that I would get to be king given that I'm fifth in line. Also, this cafe has opened up a second branch, so I was supposed to take on more shifts. My father already knows about me working here, but he still let me continue, thanks to Professor Heine; who has just gone home. And he proposed that I work one shift per week, initially. But when the inauguration of the second branch came into public and when I was offered to take on more times, I had to make a choice. I wanted to be a man like my father with a job that I love as the Master of this place, so that's why I quit." Licha responded, "Wow! It must have been quite a journey for you. In my world, mother knows that I work at the tailoring shop but, like you said, thanks to Professor Heidi, I work there once a week. But now since the store is bustling today, I have to rush to Cumsta to take charge there. I have no idea what to do!"