The landing was smooth, and the limousine was even smoother. The (h/c) haired girl stretched her arms behind her back as they landed from the nearly day-long plane trip. Thankfully, the luxury jet had equally luxurious beds, even if Haru did try to sneak into hers. To have to sit in the car for an hour to get to the palace definitely wasn't ideal, but it was what had to be done, so she put up with it. In the meantime, she played games with Sona and Bastien, both oblivious to her rampant cheating.

The moment the palace came into view, the littlest Akahito immediately directed his attention to the shiniest thing he had ever seen. Despite the age of the building itself, some of it surpassing over 8,000 years of history and most of it closer to 2,000, it was pristine. The walls were a gorgeous white that seemed almost unnatural, and some select parts of the palace were visibly green with precious, native Vethelan plants.

It had quite a few spires, reminiscent of a time long past, and hundreds of stained glass windows. From where they were, the glass looked like gems as the light hit it. The roof was supposedly stainless, with no sight of dirt or grime despite the earthen roots of the country. It made one wonder how they managed to keep it so shiny. The number of people employed on the walls alone must have been a force of over a hundred people. Nonetheless, since Bastien enjoyed its cleanliness, it must have been a similar thing for the Vethelan royals.

Besides the pristine walls and roof, the castle's area was worthy of being a small city of its own. It would have taken close to an hour to walk from the back of the castle's interior to the front, and more than that to traverse the exterior. That was likely the reason why there were visible carriages carrying nobles from one place to another. Then again, it may have been a style decision, particularly because only those belonging to a noble family could ride in them, and foreigners typically didn't receive the nice carriages, even if they were nobles.

Thankfully - or perhaps not - the Akahito family was, in fact, considered a noble family, mainly because they descended directly from various highly-ranked nobles across the world. At some point in time, one of Haru's direct ancestors must have been a Vethelan noble, too, so they were given a very nice-looking carriage once they approached the gates. Though, it became more obvious that they were being stared at as they made a beeline for the main palace.

The road was made in such a way that all buildings lined up so as not to obscure the palace, likely intentionally. It gave a gorgeously clear view of the castle, but it also drew a lot of attention to them. After all, they were the only car driving on the road, and many civilians gasped in awe at the sight of a car. It wouldn't be until later that the (h/c) haired girl would learn that most residents in the imperial city were noble-born. Either way, the guards stationed at the main gate soon bowed to them, recognizing the national flag of Echal, its bright orange hard to miss.

"Welcome," one of them spoke in Echali, taking some time to figure out how the somewhat different grammar structure from Vethelan, "We are happy to see you here. Please. Give some time to call someone for you."

Within moments, a woman came rushing to the gate, bowing to them and beginning to speak to Kazuya. She had been informed that the man was well-versed in a few languages, but that, for the sake of simplicity, it would be easiest to speak in a different language. After all, though (Y/n) and Bastien had an elementary grasp of the Echali language, they were very comfortable with Athainian. The woman, therefore, was able to rotate from Vethelan to Athainian easily.

"Please, follow me this way, President Akahito," she smiled, bowing at the waist to show her Echali etiquette as well as her grasp on its culture, "The imperial city is vast and we prefer to travel by carriage. Our values, as you know, tend to steer towards our traditional connection to the earth. I hope you can understand the need to switch vehicles."

"I am in your home," Kazuya spoke, holding up his hand to dismiss the thought of argument, "I would like to follow your traditions."

"Thank you for your kindness. This is the carriage used only for envoys from Echal. We've designed it to suit the comforts of your culture. We also have separate carriages to escort your bodyguards."

The man nodded before picking up his toddler and entering the carriage. Bastien exclaimed about the horses, excitedly babbling about the new scenery. Their translator was the last to enter, showing ample respect to them in doing so. She sat on the seat attached to the door, allowing (Y/n) and Haru to sit together on one side and his brother and father on the other. The woman began to speak about how to meet the royal family, something she insisted was not negotiable.

Of course, even the younger girl understood the importance of showing humbleness in front of the Vethelan royal family. They were believed to be the descendants of an ancient nature goddess, and since their entire country's religion revolved around that goddess, they were untouchable. It was part of what gave their country so much power. Their citizens/believers would give up their own lives to serve their royal family, leading to their massive labor force, intense work ethic, and overwhelmingly powerful military.

They arrived at the front of the palace rather quickly, servants lined up, bowing flawlessly at the waist to welcome them. The carriage stopped parallel to the palace, Bastien squeaking at the horses as they exited. As his father told him they would see the animals later, he pouted, prompting their translator to cheer the boy up.

"Aren't animals lovely?" she asked, receiving a shy nod from the boy as he hid behind his father's shoulder, "Our third prince adores animals just like you. If you'd like, I can show you some of his pets after we get you settled in."

"I like koalas," the brunette whispered, kicking his foot playfully.

"I'll see what I can do."

The woman bowed before backing away slightly, allowing Kazuya to ready himself. He smoothed out his suit and tie as well as the toddler's outfit, including the mini bowtie he had picked out himself. It was green, a color he loved a whole lot. The man then watched as a very influential figure moved down the steps towards them, an amiable smile on his face despite the sword at his hip.

(Y/n) eyed the young man very carefully. He held an air of confidence and authority about him, probably coming from the numerous badges on his chest. It signified achievements, and the decorative weapon at his hip was not just for show, the male resting his wrist on it as if it were a lifelong habit. He must have been very skilled with it, considering that he wore an outfit akin to that of a king's guard, of which profession, some men coincidentally - or not - stood behind him. Whether they were guarding him or merely adhering to his order was beyond her, but either of them insinuated his high status in the castle.

The young man had long coral hair tied up neatly in a high ponytail. Along his hair, he had red feathers held at the ends of strings beaded with uncut, raw gemstones. He also had a gold wreath placed on his head, likely some form of high honor in the country. His crimson vest was fitted very well to his stature, paired against a pale pink long-sleeve dress shirt. The male's pants and shoes were a bit more ordinary, just brown with small accents of gold, but his overall appearance was incredibly pleasing to look at. Haru frowned.

As the coral-haired young man opened his mouth, a language came out in bits and pieces to the younger girl. She winced, trying to put together the fragments of Echali. Though she could understand a few minor things like him welcoming them and introducing his name, everything else was beyond her. Bastien only fared a little better, hummed before tugging on his father's sleeve to convey his confusion. It was then that their translator politely whispered something to the young man, who gave a look of surprise.

"Ah, Athainian it is, then. Let us start again," he smiled, placing his hand on his heart before putting it comfortably behind his back, "I am Count Presley Alvaric, a king's guard and the chief of staff at Valiende, the imperial city. I'll be responsible for your stay here, so, please, don't hesitate to ask for anything."

"I've heard much about you," Kazuya chuckled, nodding his head to the man in place of bowing because of Bastien's presence in his arms, "Surely those are not your only titles."

"I would not want to bore you, President Akahito."

"I'd love to hear everything later, then. In the meantime, what should we expect as we enter? I've heard a bit, but I would love to know more in order to properly greet a royal."

"Archduke Mica will be the one to welcome you today. He is very lax about etiquette, but, please, bow formally when you see him and address him by his title. Either 'Archduke' or 'Regent' is preferred. As the highest ranking servant of the palace, I'll be the one to guide you in and introduce you."

"It is very much appreciated."

The coral-haired man began to whisper to one of the king's guards behind him, the individual, in turn, saying something to the translator. As the chief of staff gave the signal, the grand doors to the palace opened, revealing a massive marble lobby. They walked inside after ascending the front steps, the click of their shoes somehow satisfying. A grand chandelier hung above them, attracting Bastien's attention.

(Y/n) focused her attention on the massive amounts of art. From tapestries portraying their national flower and flag to statues of godly figures, everything portrayed the power of Vethela, likely intentional, though she doubted the rest of the palace lacked the indulgence of the throne room. It was just stunning, not a speck of dust in sight.

"It's about time," a voice called from above, the sight of a silvery-blue-haired man flashing before them, "I was wondering if you would actually show."

The (h/c) haired girl trailed her eyes up the double winding stairs to the massive throne sitting there. It was littered with green jewels embedded in its intricately carved form. With the Vethelan crest sitting just above the head of the seat, it radiated power. The crest itself, created out of marble, portrayed an assortment of white flowers, including a very unique and rare flower in the center of it. Emerald leaves made from emeralds poked up in between each carving of a flower, providing just another facet of pure luxury.

As she stared up at the throne, lifted from their position by near the floor, she noted the silvery-blue-haired man staring down at them with a smile. He looked like he was much younger than he actually was, perhaps because their goddess's blood flowing through him provided him with some small form of immortality. The man presented himself well, with a blue sash across his chest and with modern Vethelan dress clothes, fairly similar to what she might expect to see in Echal.

Almost forgetting to bow, the girl quickly corrected her error, Kazuya doing the same. He even set down his toddler, instructing him to do the same. Though Bastien nearly fell on his face, not used to having to bow for obvious reasons, his father helped him with his balance. As the chief of staff began to introduce them, the man smiled, walking down the stairs elegantly. The man then stopped and stared at Haru, who had yet to bow.

"I'm not going to lower myself to you," the brunette declared, making his father take in a deep breath of fear.

The Vethelan regent took a moment to assess his declaration before whispering something to the coral-haired young man. He then walked forward, toward the Akahito heir, with a purpose. The two stared at one another, perhaps waiting for their opponent to cave in. However, in the end, Haru didn't budge, so the silvery-blue-haired man began to keel over, laughing his heart out.

"Oh, you've not changed!"

"Neither have you or your stupid rules."

"Haru!" (Y/n) objected, furrowing her brows to show him her anger, "Let's be polite. Their 'rules' are not - "

"But they are stupid. I hate them. I won't do them. What are you going to do about it?"

At this point, Kazuya was shutting his eyes tightly, fearful of the consequences. It wasn't as if he didn't expect the brunette to put up a fight about etiquette. He had never had to use it before, and there was no one who could say otherwise. At least, there was no one except for the Vethelan royal family, and since they were in their territory, it would have been preferable to adhere to their "rules". After all, they were trying to convince them not to take sides with their "jewel warehouse" when war inevitably broke out.

"Well, now, that's a good question. What can I do, Presley?"

The coral-haired man flinched at the mention of his name, stepping forward obediently. He began to think about what the regent wanted to hear, but he didn't understand the intricacies of the man's mind. After all, in the family, besides a certain prince, he was the most insane. Many called him the mad brother of the queen during his sister's reign, and most expected him to attempt to overthrow her. His authority was not something to be trifled with. That was what Presley thought, and he responded accordingly.

"Your highness, according to the laws, refusing to bow to royalty or address them properly can result in either five years of prison time or execution. However - "

"Then, execution. Polish the guillotine!"

(Y/n), infuriated with the brunette's attitude, gripped the back of his neck like he was her baby kitten. She squeezed it as she pulled his head to the ground, forcing him to bow to the royal. The girl then began to lecture him about treating the man with respect, and though Haru couldn't have cared less, because it was a request from her, he couldn't deny her. After that, he was much more obedient. Suddenly, the silvery-blue-haired man laughed.

"Oh, I never thought I would see this!" he cackled, tapping the brunette on his shoulder to get up, "Even when you were barely up to my knees, you refused to listen to my sister. But now, you're bowing. Aw, that's cute. Well, get up. All of you."

The man wiped a tear from his eye as he recovered from his laughing fit. He then motioned for a servant to fix up his attire before he smiled at his visitors, assessing them all individually for a moment. His eyes glossed over with unfamiliarity as he looked at the younger girl, but it was Bastien he took an interest in. Immediately overcome with affection, he kneeled in front of the boy, Presley and other servants panicking about the action. They quickly followed him by kneeling on the ground as well. It seemed like no head was higher than the brother of the former queen's.

"I've heard about this!" the regent beamed, extending his hands to the little brunette, "You've been making this and that over there, and now, you've cloned yourself a mini little boy. Fascinating."

"Every life is special. I don't copy anything."

"Oh! So, this is - A baby Akahito! Brilliant! What's your name, little one?"

Shy and scared at a stranger coming so close to him, Bastien hid behind his father, all but quivering. He felt every moment of being closely observed by the regent, not understanding what was going all. All he knew was that he wasn't at home and that the man in front of him was someone that his father had to show respect to. That alone was enough to freak him about, but the man's strange disposition only added another layer of concern to that. Sooner or later, he started crying.

"F-Forgive him, your highness," Kazuya blushed, attempting to soothe the boy into quieting down, "He has not yet had exposure to many people."

"Children will cry. And children will especially cry when a crazy old man tries to coerce their name out of them. After all, a name is all it takes to curse you, huh?"

Bastien suddenly stopped crying, almost unnaturally, paying full attention to the man in front of him. He felt calmed for a reason he couldn't explain, and the next thing he knew, the man he thought was scary was suddenly very funny. Beginning to chuckle as the royal made faces, the brunette even walked toward him out of curiosity. It was something that was unheard of for the relatively shy toddler.

"What's your name?" he asked back to the man, rocking back and forth on his heels with a different kind of shyness.

"Why, I am Mica Nero Trewin, brother of Queen Ambrosia Vinde Trewin. I am the ruler of the entirety of Vethela, the General of Foreign Affairs, the master of chess, the puppetmaster of chocolate, and the future ruler of the world! Would you like to take over the world with me, tiny Akahito?"

"Can I have a koala?"

"You can have a thousand koalas," the man murmured wholeheartedly, placing his hand on his heart to promise.

"I'm Bastien!" the boy squeaked out, excitedly tapping his feet.

The brunette seemed to like the man very much, enough to let him pick him up. Since Bastien was very particular about who could hold him, allotting the honor only to his family, (Y/n), and his nannies, it came as a shock. However, it was a relief to see the boy and the regent happy in one another's presence. It seemed that the man was more satisfied when seeing Haru as well, a history behind them apparent.

"Though it may be a bit delayed, let me say sorry for my disappointing greeting. Traditionally, someone of direct royal descent would be here to greet people of your status. However, Meridian is off 'recuperating', Verona has locked herself in her room, my eldest great nephew and his brother are off in Athain doing who-knows-what, and their youngest brother is - "

"Off with two ladies."

"Well," the man paused, looking up in thoughtful contemplation, "Well, yes, actually. Probably. Has he been talking to you?"

The brunette showed the man the tablet on his wrist, pulling up a picture he'd been sent a few seconds ago. The man chuckled before putting his hands over Bastien's eyes. The image was no sight for a child, after all. The women were tied up and completely naked, showing just what the fourth prince was doing at that exact moment. Though, the man couldn't help but hum. It seemed tame for the blonde.

"Anyway, that's why I'm the one to greet you. Sorry for the disappointment."

"Not at all," Kazuya smiled politely, "You are of royal descent. I'm more than honored to meet the previous queen's brother. I heard you two were close."

"We don't need to be formal. We'll talk later about official things, but I'd like you to get some rest for now. Eten will lead you to the envoy where you can unpack and take a nap. We'll have dinner in a bit," the man droned before perking up and speaking quietly to the brunette in his arms, "This is a secret, but I heard there's going to be lots of desserts tonight. Do you have a favorite dessert, Bastien?"

"I like macarons with animals on them and lots of chocolate. Oh, but I also like raspberries. And marshmallows."

The silvery-blue-haired man smiled at the information. He then passed the toddler back to his father, abruptly relaying the information to one of his personal attendants. The man then said a short farewell to the family before allowing them to leave, their translator guiding them. Presley remained at the steps, watching them leave, but in the back of his mind, he was panicking.

The knight forgot how much of a hassle Haru was. Or, rather, since he had only encountered him when he was younger, he expected he had grown in maturity. Granted, he was in the fourth prince's close friend circle, so that much should have been noted. However, he would make sure to keep the brunette away from the queen's secondborn at all costs. Should the two run into one another, it may have just been war.