The Grantz palace’s decor underwent a major change.
Adlet imported insect crystals overnight out to incorporate throughout the palace. It was more troublesome than it might appear at first as the crystals had to be arranged evenly to cover the areas Ye Muo frequented while also taking into account the range of his psychic power.
To this end, he even urgently commissioned some previously consulting designers and architects to add or subtract some decor elements so the crystals could be seamlessly integrated.
All in all, every corner of the Grantz palace was now covered in insect crystals. Many rooms had even been converted into storage rooms for crystals only just in case.
Adlet finally breathed a long sigh of relief after it was all done and left the lounge with peace of mind. He made sure to lighten his movements as it was around the time where His Little Highness took his afternoon map. He should’ve come by earlier to prepare everything, including His Little Highness’ treasured bottle, but there was still time to spare.
Adlet prepared himself to see the lion pride at rest.
Alas, it was in vain.
He wasn’t prepared to see a group of young lions practically hopping off the walls.
Not a single Grantz was asleep in the large lounge, including His Little Highness, who should’ve been in his little nest by the floor-to-ceiling windows.
At first, His Little Highness should’ve rolled around under the sunlight with his pillow, his feet stretching out in every direction looking for something. Yet in the end, he always found the leg of His Highness Norton, who accompanied him for naps, and fell asleep soundly.
However, he was currently hugging his pillow and being held up by His Highness Dylan.
The child was peering into an open cabinet high above– His Highness Jacob usually stored his things there so he could reach them when he was high up. There were normally some daggers and wrenches.
Yet Adlet wasn’t concerned in the slightest. He had cleaned out the cabinet last night and taken away anything sharp.
Ye Muo’s upper body was almost all inside the cabinet.
“Muomuo found it!” he shouted a while later.
When Dylan slowly pulled him out, Adlet was relieved to see His Little Highness clutching a handful of insect crystals– the ones he had placed there last night.
Helene gave him a big thumbs up from the table nearby. “You’re so capable, Muomuo.”
The child who had yet to learn to hide his emotions beamed a little. He even politely offered some praise in response, “Helene is capable too.”
Helene openly accepted it. “Right? I always had knack for tracking, even without using psychic power. This is nothing.”
Adlet heart sank a little at the pile of insect crystals on the desk in front of Helene. Thank goodness there weren’t too many, probably only enough for three storage points.
Then Bert poked his head into the room. “Did you find as much as I did?”
Adlet gave up outright.
Helene and Ye Muo both turned to see an entire box full of crystals, around 70% of the crystals stashed in this room.
Bert even found a box shaped like a treasure chest. He grabbed a handful of crystals and let them slip through his fingers in front of Ye Muo, who gasped in wonder.
“I’m giving this chest to the little friend who says Bert is the best and the coolest.”
Ye Muo glanced at Norton, then Bert. “Muomuo w-won’t lie.”
Helene laughed in his face before turning to Ye Muo. “I’ll give my share to you.”
“I’m glad you’re in such a generous mood, Your Highness. Would you like some tea?”
It was rare for the Grantz to respect the elderly and care for the young, so rewarding this behaviour was a must.
“Yes, thank you Adlet.”
Bert unceremoniously raised his hand. “I want juice.”
Ye Muo was also draped over the table, raising his hand high while on tiptoe. “Muomuo, Muomuo’s right here.”
Adlet set down Ye Muo’s bottle first, as gentle as before.
Ye Muo happily carried it with both hands over to Norton, leaving the crystals he just found on the table. He just liked taking part in a treasure hunt.
Ye Muo skillfully maneuvered his way into Norton’s lap before being scooped up. He tried his best to stretch his feet towards the sunlight nearby, only to be carried over.
Norton brought him to the floor-to-ceiling windows, setting him down in his usual napping spot. He lay down next to Ye Muo, supporting his head with one hand and watching over him.
The sunlight was nice and warm. Ye Muo’s eyes started drooping as he sucked on his bottle. With his last bit of strength, he brought Norton’s free hand over to cover him before falling asleep.
The room gradually quieted down until it was silent. The others also grew drowsy, as if infected by Ye Muo.
Most of them had developed a habit of taking a nap with Ye Muo by now.
Although having to arrange themselves around the room was a bit annoying, they all treasured these happy moments.
If only His Majesty Bert could stop working so hard and taking the games so seriously.
……
Flynn checked the military’s internal forums. He could gain insight to the comings and goings of the legions here and often ran into some familiar faces as well.
[Can anyone speak on the unusual activity at the Grantz palace? Did something happen?]
His Little Highness’ psychic power had caused quite the disturbance that night. Not only did they startle the palace staff, the commotion was detectable in a wide radius around the palace. However, information security in the palace was guaranteed.
Flynn was pleased to see all the responses saying they didn’t know anything.
[About the likelihood of the princes and princesses coming to tour the troops this year]
More Grantz-obsessed maniacs. He skipped over that post.
[Are you able to see the Grantz often in the imperial guard? What are the chances of someone with Level S psychic power getting into the imperial guard?]
Skipped, same as before.
[Why can’t I requisition any insect crystals lately? Isn’t there always an unlimited supply?]
This was it. Flynn skillfully derailed the topic, even using several sock puppet accounts and a mixture of half-truths and lies to achieve this purpose. Locking the thread outright would only invite more discussion and speculation. Obfuscation was the better means of burying information.
Any info related to His Little Highness was automatically assigned the highest security clearance and had to be treated with caution. As not many people were privy to His Little Highness’ existence in the first place, it was up to Flynn to put in the work.
In the afternoon, Flynn glanced at the time and rose from his seat. It was time to head to the palace. He had to go every few days to perform a check up on His Little Highness.
He straightened his collar as he headed out.
……
Flynn was led directly to Bert’s office by Adlet.
The Grantz were basically all here, scattered about the spacious room.
His Highness Norton was seated in a loveseat with one arm on the armrest supporting his head. He seemed more relaxed than usual. In his other hand was a book about parenting.
His Little Highness was sitting on the carpet by his feet. In front of him was a box shaped like a video game treasure chest. It looked quite intricate.
Bert had a serious expression on his face.
So Flynn sobered up as well. His Majesty Bert was rarely like this.
Then he glanced at His Highness Norton and felt like something was amiss.
“Something big has happened, Flynn. Take a look for yourself.”
Bert pointed to Ye Muo’s treasure chest, the one he gave Ye Muo in the afternoon that was a bit larger than Adrian’s.
There was nothing but colourful sand inside now.
Ye Muo felt very guilty about this. “It wasn’t Muomuo.”
He just thought about wanting to play with sand, then it all turned into sand. Was this really Muomuo’s doing?
Bert looked at him in shock. “Really? Then who could be so capable?”
“It’s Muomuo! Muomuo thought about it.”
“See? I can’t afford to raise him anymore.”
Although insect crystals had always been valuable due to their energy density and as a portable international currency, they were the one resource the Grantz Empire lacked the least. Their stores would be replenished to the brim after each insect tide, and there was often a need to expand their warehouses as well.
Even so, Bert had a bad premonition as he looked at the box of colourful fragments by his office desk.
“There can’t be this many freeloaders in this family.”
Even if there were, they could only be one, Ye Muo.
It was time to put the children he worked so hard to raise to use. Surely they can’t all eat for free with appetites as big as theirs.
He would summon the legion commanders some day and order them to stop looking for suitable battlefields and shift their focus to looking for traces of insects.
This was the problem with having too good of an information lockdown. How could the outside world, oblivious to Ye Muo’s presence, possibly adjust accordingly?
Before Bert could figure out what to do, he noticed everyone else was looking at him.
He looked down and saw Ye Muo playing listlessly with the sand like a little robot that was about to run out of battery.
Bert leaned over to gauge his expression. “Are you mad?”
He froze at the sight of tears already welled up in Ye Muo’s eyes. The child bowed his head even more when Bert moved, sending a trickle of droplets splashing down onto the colourful sand.
Bert was beginning to panic a little. “I was just joking around. Of course I can afford to raise Muomuo. Muomuo’s the only person in this family who gets to eat for free.”
Norton was already gathering Ye Muo into his arms. He poked his head out from there. “R-really?”
Bert breathed a sigh of relief, “Really.”
Ye Muo retreated into Norton’s arms. “Dad eats for free too.”
Although he wasn’t sure they were actually talking about food, Ye Muo was very food-motivated.
He counted off his fingers, listing off everyone from Dylan to Adlet several times like he was afraid he missed someone. Bert even had to promise to feed the little potted plant Ye Muo got from the gardens yesterday before he was reassured.
Bert was silent for a moment before turning to Flynn. “See? I’m under a lot of pressure right now.”
However, he was firm on only one person in this family being able to eat for free.
I’m not the patriarch for nothing, he thought.
“Alright then,” he told Flynn, “go check on the dummy who can’t understand a joke.”
Bert gave a big stretch. “I still have work to do if I’m to feed this family.”
As soon as those words fell, he connected to the imperial capital command centre using psychic power.
The command centre AI recognized a Grantz’s psychic power nearly instantly. The insignia of interweaving sword and flames appeared on the centermost screen before revealing the symbol representing the Grantz.
Everyone present stopped what they were doing to perform a salute.
“May imperial glory endure, and Grantz forever be immortalized.”
Then the person with the highest military rank spoke, “Greetings, Your Majesty. What are your orders?”
Bert’s voice resounded through the center. “Hey, looks like you’re all here. Let’s hold a meeting tomorrow.”
Author’s Corner
The ever-naive Muomuo is sad: Why can’t I eat for free anymore?
Bert: So you’re all here (actually has no clue who’s here)
I’ve also been thinking about the main story. It feels like I have a better grasp of the plot now. 🤨
