The Battle for the Throne (5.2K) (Continued)

Pointing innocently at Mahiro, he said:

"This older brother is much better looking than you. What's his name?"

"Your Highness, his name is Yotsuba Mahiro..."

"I didn't ask you!"

The young prince frowned and interrupted Bill with a reprimanding tone, then looked at him again and asked sincerely, "Big brother, can you tell me your name?"

Mahiro smiled slightly, squatted down to be level with the prince, reached out and touched her hair, and said, "Your Highness, my name is Yotsuba Mahiro, and I am your guard."

His action terrified Bill.

That's incredibly audacious! How dare they touch the little prince's head!

It's important to understand that the young prince's ascension to the throne is practically a done deal, so Mahiro's action is tantamount to patting the emperor on the head!

But--

So what?

Anyway, the little girl in front of him was happy to let him pet her.

That's right, the so-called little prince in front of us is actually a princess, although her appearance is deceptive because she is a child.

But it couldn't escape his eyes.

Through intelligence analysis, it was confirmed that it was indeed a girl, and he understood what Minister Honest wanted to do.

They simply wanted this princess to impersonate a prince and ascend the throne.

After all, girls are easier to control than boys.

That's a brilliant plan...

"So your name is Yotsuba Mahiro, I'll remember that! But you said you wanted to be my bodyguard, is that true?!"

"Of course, I wouldn't dare to deceive the emperor."

"Yay! Finally, it's not that ugly guy and the minister who's keeping me company anymore!"

The prince happily threw himself into his arms.

The "ugly fellow" naturally referred to Minister Bill, and the minister was none other than that fat pig Honest. Mahiro very well, but he didn't say anything. He Mahiro coaxed the little prince in his arms like a child.

Now he is certain of one thing: he is indeed very popular with children.

All the things that happened in the past were absolutely not his fault!

But just then, Pony muttered to himself, "This little girl who looks like a girl is the future emperor?"

The sound wasn't very loud; although the young prince didn't hear it, everyone else heard it clearly.

"Pfft!"

Little Silver, who was behind her, couldn't help but let out a suppressed laugh. With her cheerful and straightforward personality, she was somewhat similar to the single-minded Pony, and couldn't hide anything at all.

"Pony, don't be rude!"

Cornelia quickly grabbed Pony's arm and pulled her towards her, then covered her mouth with her hand.

But it was too late.

Assassination Department Bill's cold eyes swept over Pony, who had just spoken, and Little Silver, who was trying to suppress his laughter. His gaze was icy as he spoke:

"Vice Minister Yotsuba Clan, please remember to discipline them strictly! If there's really no other way, we'll have to use medication to control them."

Bill's voice was very cold.

The last time someone talked back was when that girl named Pony started it, followed by the girl from the original Enhancement Group who chimed in. Bill remembered it clearly and had also told Yotsuba Clan about it.

I can't believe it's them again today!

"Hehe, that's true, I will discipline them strictly," Mahiro replied with a smile.

However, he also glanced at Pony, who was being protected by Cornelia, and Little Silver beside him, who had already realized her mistake.

Those two girls really know how to stir up trouble.

"Then I'll leave everything to you."

Bill gave him a look.

He then saluted the young prince and gracefully withdrew from the inner courtyard of the palace.

Seeing Bill leave, the little prince's mind immediately started racing, his big eyes darting around.

"Hey, big brother Yotsuba Clan, it's so boring in the yard, why don't you take me out to play? Okay?" Xiaohua grabbed his hand and shook it, pleadingly.

The young prince's current demeanor shows absolutely no trace of the majesty expected of someone about to ascend the throne.

On the contrary, they are as innocent and adorable as children.

"No, Your Highness, please be good and hold on for a few more days. We'll be with you."

Mahiro led the little princess... no, the little prince, back to the pavilion, and instructed Nahashu and the others to hide and set up sentries around the courtyard.

He was too lazy to use the cliché of danger, and there was really no problem taking the little prince out to play.

He was just too lazy to do that; wouldn't it have been better to stay in the palace and sleep soundly?

"Ugh... I thought a handsome older brother like you would be different from them, but you're just as rigid as Father and the ministers."

The little prince struggled to escape from his grasp, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free of his large hand.

The maids inside the room were so frightened by the sight of Mahiro leading the young prince back into the room that they dared not move.

It's worth noting that every time the head of the Assassination Department came, it was only through persuasion that the young prince was sent back.

Isn't this new guy a bit too audacious?!

Is it rigid?

Mahiro released her and gently stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Just as the young prince was about to sneak out of the attic again, he suddenly appeared in front of him as if he had teleported.

"You... wait, big brother, what's that square thing you're holding?"

The young prince was about to reprimand him, but then he noticed that Mahiro was holding a cube-shaped object with colorful patterns on it.

"This is called a Rubik's Cube, and it's a gift I want to give to Your Highness."

Mahiro handed the scrambled Rubik's Cube to the little prince and gave her a brief explanation of how to play it. "Didn't Your Highness say I was as rigid as a minister?"

To prove that this is not the case, I promised Your Highness that if you can solve this Rubik's Cube, that is, twist all the colors of each face to be the same, I will take Your Highness out to play. How about it?"

"Really? You're not lying to me?"

"Of course it's true, and I would never lie to Your Highness."

"Okay, pinky promise! If I solve this Rubik's Cube, you have to take me out to play!"

The young girl displayed a rare, albeit somewhat childlike, air of authority.

But the demands they made were so naive.

However, Mahiro did not laugh at her. Instead, he fulfilled the girl's wish and gently hooked his fingers with hers.

From that moment on, he made a small promise with the young princess.

To his surprise, a simple Rubik's Cube was enough to appease the young prince.

For several days in a row, the little prince stopped crying and demanding to go out, and he didn't try to run away. He stayed obediently in the attic, which was like a prison.

My daily routine consists of eating, sleeping, and studying Rubik's Cubes; sometimes I don't even eat.

Do you really want to go out and have fun?

He found it amusing and even suggested taking the young prince out for a walk, but surprisingly, he was firmly and righteously refused!

She said she would keep her promise and only go out to play after solving the Rubik's Cube!

Otherwise, he would absolutely not step out of the attic.

Well, I didn't expect this young prince to be so stubborn, but Mahiro didn't say anything, which put an end to things.

This also allowed him to focus on managing the elite team.

In addition to their daily daytime disguises and spies, they also patrol every night, working in pairs to cover the night shift. The eight of them can be spread out over two days, completely staggering their schedules.

Give them time to rest and recharge.

"Yotsuba Clan, I'm going on night patrol. Since you have some free time now, I hope you can use this time to discipline Cornelia and the others."

Nighttime.

When it was time for the night watch, Nahashu suggested this to Mahiro.

Nahashu remembered the incident very clearly.

The purpose of doing this was not to meddle, but to genuinely consider the well-being of this elite team.

Mahiro understood this very well.

After all, Pony and Little Silver really are a lot of troublemakers.

After Nahashu and Green left, the girls who had finished showering swarmed in.

"Huh?! It's Yotsuba Clan! Aren't you going to accompany the young prince today?!"

Upon seeing him, the girls were overjoyed and surrounded Mahiro with Mahiro.

Because Mahiro has been taking care of the young prince these past few days, they have had very little time to Mahiro her. Although they live in the same courtyard, they miss her terribly!

Especially Little Silver, who boldly pounced on Mahiro's back, pressing her impressive figure almost flat!

"Yotsuba Clan, don't leave tonight, sleep with us!" Pony said excitedly, shaking Mahiro's arm.

He's usually a brainless idiot, yet he's making such bold statements now.

However, it did express the sentiments of many women.

The beautiful and mature Cornelia lay on the floor, her hands supporting her white chin as she looked up at the handsome and reliable Yotsuba Clan- sama, her cute little feet swinging incessantly.

The Akame and Kurome sisters were rather quiet, sitting obediently to the side.

"Sit down, everyone."

Mahiro, unusually, adopted a stern expression.

Although his voice wasn't particularly loud or cold, it seemed to possess an irresistible magic that instantly made them sit obediently in a row.

"Yo- Yotsuba Clan- sama, what happened?" Little Silver asked somewhat nervously.

"Nothing particularly noteworthy, but your behavior has been getting increasingly outrageous lately. I really need to discipline you properly, as the minister has said! Otherwise, you'll truly become unruly!"

"!!!"

Hearing this, the group immediately shrank back.

Even their sitting posture was changed to kneeling, with everyone hanging their heads and waiting to be scolded.

"Yotsuba Clan, actually... we've been very good," Tsukushi whispered.

"Really? Don't you know how you've been behaving lately?"

His piercing gaze immediately fell upon Tsukushi, causing Tsukushi delicate body to tremble slightly.

Not only her, but others also began to reflect on their actions.

Perhaps because they had completed their assassination training with him, these girls had become arrogant, and in the short four days they had become increasingly perfunctory in their work.

In many cases, they don't even follow the rules anymore!

This is very dangerous.

It's not that ministers or others will do anything to them, but that they might face danger because of it in the future.

Furthermore, they were far too unrestrained in front of others!

This won't do; it's not a good thing.

After all, to be reckless, you need to have the resources to back it up, and judging from their current strength, they are far from that.

In a one-on-one situation, let alone fighting Esdeath, he would probably be outmatched even by the Four Rakshasa Demons under Minister Honest's command.

So he began a long lecture.