(Third person's POV- omniscient)

The Duke's men had come as they were informed and had captured the bandits. The leader of the patrolling officer came before Hiroshi and said, "Good day, sir. We are honoured that Prince Rian's men dealt with them when we weren't there."

He made a displeased face and said, "It is still unfortunate that this happened even during our strong patrols and under my watch. It leaves a bad impression on us. For that let me apologize to you and your subjects who had to do our work."

Hiroshi scratched the back of his head while Kairo gave a nervous chuckle. Miku could only watch them while she stood beside Hiroshi and cried in her head that she couldn't even escape now. Because that evil man had threatened her not long ago.

And then the knight's eyes fell on Miku. She blinked but he didn't say anything.

"May I know your name, my good sir?" The knight asked to Hiroshi.

"Hiroshi."

The man's eyes narrowed down at him and then he gasped as he said, "Wait, are you the general of Kuro soldiers and Prince Rian's right hand man?!"

Miku's head snapped at Hiroshi as she looked at him with wide eyes.

Hiroshi gave a nervous chuckle and said, "Something like that."

Miku eyed him for a moment. He was the right man of Prince Rian!!!

She paled as now there was no chance she would get away what she had done. She had robbed the Prince's right hand man. It would be considered as a serious crime and she might get a death sentence...

Cold sweat formed on her forehead as she looked at Hiroshi with a pair of puppy eyes.

The knight bowed down before Hiroshi and said, "Please let me properly give my gratitude, Sir Hiroshi."

The other men of the Knight as well bowed down before him as Hiroshi felt a little uneasy. He wasn't accustomed to people bowing before him. Only his men would do that but that was because he was their leader.

He said with a smile, "You don't have to bow...?"

The man stood back and said his name, "Sir Joshi."

Hiroshi nodded, "Yes, sir Joshi. As we both serve the empire we are  comrades and we both lead our men for benefiting our land so, please don't bow."

He smiled and gave a curt nod.

He added, "This bandits had been active for a few years and they had been making small groups all over Komato. We had been trying to capture and mostly we had done so but there are still left especially these group of bandits." He looked at the captured bandits and said, "They seemed to be acting together. I didn't expected them to attack with that many men."

He turned his gaze toward Hiroshi and Kairo and said with a gentle smile, "Thank you for lending a helping hand, Sir Hiroshi and...?"

"Kairo." Kairo answered.

"Sir Kairo."

"It is our honour to be a help of our nation." Kairo said.

The knight said, "And it also because possible since Prince Rian had passed the order to capture who weren't abiding by the rules and had been troubling our people, our enforcement got the power. We certainly need a prince like that. Even my Lord, Duke Gingiro Shimadzu sama had been active lately." Then he asked, "By any chance, were you traveling here, Sir Hiroshi?"

Hiroshi answered, "No, I have some important business with Duke Gingiro Shimadzu. My Prince had passed me an imperial order and for that I am here."

Knight Joshi became excited as he asked, "Then why are you taking public transport, my good sir? Please, let me arrange you a carriage."

"No. I don't prefer attention and since this message is better be relayed in confidentiality so, my subjects and I were traveling by common means."

He nodded, "I see. But still, my Lord would be very displeased that I have let you go in a public transport. Let us arrange a carriage, sir and also something for your meals?"

He sighed since Sir Joshi wouldn't left it as it was. He agreed, "Alright then."

And soon two carriages arrived. They were the royal ones and flashy unlike the public transport.

Miku gaped at the carriages as she had never been to a royal carriage before. Her father had good carriages but they were simple since he was a Baron. All expensive and flashy carriages could only be afforded by Earls, Marqueses or Dukes. And also the horses, they were pricey and expensive to maintain thus the horses they had were all sold after her father's powers declined.

It had been years since she got into a carriage.

Sir Joshi led them to the carriages as Hiroshi pointed his head at Kairo to go first. He nodded and led Hana to one of the carriages and then he went up. Hiroshi waited for Miku to hop on to the other one but she looked behind at him helplessly.

She certainly didn't want to go.

She had to go back... Her siblings might be worried sick and although the food she had brought for them on previous day might somehow manage to feed them today, she still needed to find food for the next day.

But Hiroshi glared at her and she went inside silently.

While Miku went inside, Hiroshi looked at Sir Joshi and smiled as he asked, "Sir Joshi, it seems you know that lady who have taken the other carriage with me..."

Although Sir Joshi hadn't mentioned anything when his eyes fell on Lady Miku but he was surprised that even a little expression he had made wasn't missed by Sir Hiroshi's eyes.

He said, "Well, I am surprised you have taken a note on that. As expected of the right hand of our Prince. Yes, I do know Lady Miku Haruno."

Hiroshi asked with a smile but it seemed he had more questions prepared for Sir Joshi, "So, why don't you put some light on some of that subject, Sir Joshi?"

He looked at Sir Hiroshi and found his eyes seemed a little cold and evil while he had a smile on his face. Joshi cleared her throat and said, "Err... Yes. As you wish, Sir Hiroshi..."

Hiroshi was having a conversation with Sir Joshi as they were all given food but Miku could only watch the food before her.

She was hungry since she didn't eat anything since morning to preserve the food for her siblings but still she didn't want to eat without sharing the food with her siblings. She was worried about them. Had they eaten? Had Kaede taken the medicines? Like loved to eat and these food might make him happy...

She looked away and directed her gazes outside. She couldn't eat...

How could she eat good and delicious food when her siblings were having bland and little food?

It was around mid day already...

Hiroshi came inside after a while and saw she hadn't touched the food.

He asked, "What are you waiting for an invitation or what?"

She didn't look at him as she said, "I have no appetite."

He sat before her and started to eat as he shrugged, "Alright. If you say so... Then let me finish all of this, if you'll excuse me, my Lady."

She clenched her fists. She hated that word. My Lady...

People used to call her that but they stopped once their wealth and power got tarnished.

"I'm no Lady. I'm a thief." She muttered.

"So, you confess that now, eh?"

"You are going to hand me over to the knights anyways..."

"That I will certainly do."

And soon the food was finished. Miku eyed him as she said, "What are you, an ogre? You finished everything by yourself!!!"

He shrugged. "Can't complain to a growing man. I need my strength back after so much work."

"You're not growing at all! You are an old man!"

One of Hiroshi's eyes twitched, "You are not young either you old woman!"

"At least I look young and beautiful." She said smugly, swaying her with hand.

Hiroshi gave her a look. "Don't give yourself so much privilege."

"Says the man who got charmed by it and got robbed."

Veins popped out on his forehead as he said, "Just you wait until my work is done!"

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29th January, 23
1398