A flatbread fellow crawled out of the tunnel and rolled up to the Third Prince like a little ball.
"So ka~~"
"Your Highness Mechuan Yaokuzi, we finally found you, kimashita!"
The Third Prince watched wide-eyed as two flatbread fellows emerged from the hole in quick succession.
The flatbread fellows were short and bucktoothed, like gophers. They had to tilt their heads back to see the Third Prince's face. "Your Highness Mechuan Yaokuzi, we're here to rescue you, honto da! Hurry and come with us, desu ka!"
Tears filled the flatbread fellows' eyes as they looked at the Third Prince.
The Third Prince glanced at them without moving and asked warily, "Who sent you to rescue me?"
Ever since learning that he carried the blood of the Wa Royal Family, the Third Prince had been deeply conflicted.
He had finally discovered the real reason he was short. His only consolation was that he didn't have buck teeth.
When these two flatbread fellows had approached him before, they had offered the Wa Kingdom's full support in claiming the throne. But after Mr. Snow persuaded him otherwise, the Third Prince had sternly rejected the Wa Royal Family's goodwill and abandoned any notion of acknowledging his kinship with them. He would ascend the throne through his own strength.
Since he had already refused, why had they come again?
The flatbread fellows said, "Mister Ouyang and Mr. Snow sent us, masu."
As they spoke, one of the flatbread fellows handed him a letter.
The letter was written by Mr. Snow herself. It read: The Wa Kingdom's flatbread fellows were especially skilled at digging dog holes. They could rescue the Third Prince, whole and unharmed, without sacrificing a single soldier.
Desperate times called for bending the rules. She asked the Third Prince not to concern himself