Chapter 3: Childish Magi

"Hakuryuu, are you feeling better now?" Hakuyuu didn't want Hakuryuu to push himself since he had just woken up in his bed from his comatose state. Seeing Hakuryuu was the only peace he could find with the pressure of being the successor to the Kou Empire on his shoulders.

"Yeah~"Hakuryuu nods his head in response.

"That's good to hear. Hakuryuu..."

"Yes..." Hakuryuu gives his eldest brother his fullest undivided attention.

"From now on, you'll be going to bed with me."

Hakuyuu tells his youngest brother in a very serious tone.

"Yah~ I'll get to be with Brother. Brother is always gone doing important things so it's lonely without Brother here, but now I get to see Brother more!"

Angel! To smile so brightly like that his baby brother had to be an angel. There's no other explanation for it. Sometimes he found his baby brother to be too pure. He knew children his age were innocent and naive to the dark side of the world, but sometimes he was just too innocent for his age.

"Hey, what are you doing with my toy!"

Judal bursts into Hakuyuu's room using his gravitation magic to fly into the room. Greatly displeased to see the two brothers so close, Judal uses his magic to make Hakuryuu fly as well but he is soon caught by Hakuyuu who refuses to allow his baby brother to fall into the hands of some irresponsible brat.

"Let go of my toy! How am I suppose to play with him if you keep hogging him to yourself!" Judal speaks to Hakuyuu in his usual rude manner.

This cheeky brat was calling a prince of the Kou Empire his toy! And his baby brother no less.

Magi or not. Such rudeness is not excusable. If this was what children were like outside of the palace, then Hakuyuu was glad Hakuryuu was raised here.

"Oracle, I do not know what kind of upbringing you had. But you should mind your manners, please do be aware of your position as the Oracle. As the Oracle, you must be aware of the fact that your actions reflect not only yourself but also the Kou Empire一＂

!

He... He... He left!

In the middle of Hakuyuu's lecture, he not only left but also took Hakuryuu with him!

This magi was turning out to be yet another bad influence on Hakuryuu.

On his first day at the palace, it was so boring. Nothing but dull old farts and hags. He found it to be so incredibly boring. The only thing interesting was his new toy: Hakuryuu. His reactions never ceased to amuse him. It was worth playing all those pranks on those him and that older brother of his, Hakuren, yesterday. He especially liked how he froze their bath and then Hakuren jumped in only to end up diving into ice cold water.

But the latter did not like Judal's company.

"Ano, may you release your grip around my wrist..." Hakuryuu didn't like being separated from his older siblings. He was not good with strangers without any of his older siblings around.

Judal could let him go, but what fun would that be if he just went back to his older brother.

"Your name's Hakuryuu?" Judal asks.

Hakuryuu quietly nods his head.

"Then Hakuryuu, no!"

"Eh?" Tears start to fall from Hakuryuu's eyes.

"You're a prince of this place and your old man clearly told those older siblings of your's not to upset me and let me do as I please. So you have to do what I say!"

"No!" Hakuryuu pulls his wrist away from Judal's grip fleeing from the magi.

Not happy with being treated like that Judal chases after Hakuryuu. Of course, he's using magic to fly. He found it be more convenient other wise it's a waste to have magic but not use it.

For a crybaby, Hakuryuu ran quite fast. Judal was slightly impressed at how the youngest Kou prince managed to escape his watch. It was obvious the third Kou prince didn't like Judal. All the more fun to chase after his play toy.

Knowing him Hakuryuu's probably with one of his older siblings.

The question is which one?

Might as well start with that old fart, Hakuyuu.

And so Judal paid a visit to the royal study room, one of Hakuyuu's regular hang outs.

However instead of finding the successor to the Kou Empire throne, he sees an unfamiliar red headed man reading some scrolls.

Although they had only met, Judal could see the king vessel potential in him just as he did in the emperor's children. Not to mention he liked that mean look in his eyes.

"Yo. You seen that annoying guy Hakuyuu around here or better yet that crybaby Hakuryuu."

"Unfortunately, I have not, magi. And another thing, should you really be addressing them in such a rude manner?"

"Oh, so you already know me?" Judal was interested to see how the man knew of him.

"I'm pretty sure only an idiot wouldn't have heard of you seeing as how the emperor appointed a child like you as our country's oracle."

"I like you. I'm Judal. What your name?" Judal pointed at the man with the stupid goatee.

"Kouen Ren. And what business do you have with the two imperial princes?"

"I don't really care about that stingy old man. I just want to find my new toy. It's boring without me toying with Hakuryuu."

That was new. You don't hear people calling the successor to the Kou Empire throne an old man. Nor do you hear someone call an imperial prince a toy especially not from someone working under them.

Normal people would be offended and flabbergasted to hear such impudence, but Kouen's way of thinking wasn't exactly normal.

Rather shocking, he found Judal's spunk to be refreshing.

"You're an interesting magi." Kouen smirks at Judal.

"I already know how great I am. I just wanna know where Hakuryuu is!" Judal haughtily declares his greatness.

"Too bad for you, I haven't seen neither the first nor the third imperial prince. But if you're looking for Hakuryuu, you can check the kitchen. He enjoys cooking so he'll probably be there."

"Really!"

"Maybe. Can't be too sure..."

"Whatever see you later, Kouen. I'll pay you back by conquering a dungeon with you later."

Kouen smirks as he sees Judal depart to find the third imperial prince of the Kou Empire.

Kouen wonders what it's like in a dungeon.

As Kouen informed him, Judal headed to the kitchen in hopes of finding Hakuryuu. However he meets the wrong child of the emperor.

"Good day, High Priest."

He runs into Hakuei instead.

"I have finished baking some cookies. Would you like to try some?" Hakuei politely offers Judal some of her homemade cookies.

Honestly speaking, Judal thought that was some sort of dungeon monster she had in her possession. Exactly what part of that even looked edible?

Judal knows for sure he'll die if he eats that.

As long as he doesn't eat it, he'll be fine.

"Where's Hakuryuu?" Judal demanded to know the location of his toy. Although he was the one asking, he didn't sound the least bit polite or respectful.

"Unfortunately, I have not the slightest clue. But if I remember correctly, Hakuryuu is usual watching Hakuyuu and Hakuren spar at this time."

"You're not lying, right?" Judal perks up at hearing the mention of Hakuryuu's name.

"Why would I lie to you, High Priest.

"Whatever, I'm leaving."

Before Judal departs to where Hakuryuu is, Hakuei calls out to Judal.

"One moment, High Priest!"

"What?" Judal appreciated the free information on Hakuryuu he got, but he was too big in a rush to listen to anything.

"Could you please give these cookies to my brothers as a snack if you see them?"

Normally, Judal could careless about a stupid request like that. But after seeing Hakuei's cookies, he had a little change of heart.

'I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they eat this shit.'

Or not...

Well Judal was Judal after all.

What a nice day today is?

If you ignore the sight of blood, sweat, and tears that is.

But for the three imperial princes, it was normal for them especially when the two older ones are sparring against each other. Since Hakuryuu was still too young to spar against them, they had Hakuryuu practice his skills by himself.

"Yo! Hakuryuu!" Greeted the Kou Empire's magi as he made his way to Hakuryuu who ran at the sight of the magi and hid behind his eldest brother.

"High Priest! If you have any business with my younger brother, you may address them to me." Being the overprotective bother he is, Hakuyuu wasn't going to let Judal with 10 meters of his baby brother.

"Oh, just the man I was looking for."

"Huh?" Him? It wasn't Hakuryuu he was looking for.

"You and your brother, Hakuren."

"Me too?" He wanted to speak to both of them?

Both Hakuyuu and Hakuren had a bad feeling about this. If he's here to see them, then it can't be good.

"Yeah, I'm here on a favor."

They didn't like where this was going.

"The sender wanted me to give this to you two."

Judal holds up large bento box in hands.

Hakuyuu reluctantly takes the bento box. Although he couldn't see the contents of the box, he knew it wasn't good judging from the ominous aura and deadly smell being released from it.

"And exactly who sent this?" Both Hakuyuu and Hakuren pray it's not from who they think it is.

"Your sister that Hakuei."

Yep, it's official. They're going to die.

"Hey you, don't think there's any way out of this?" Hakuren asks his older brother in hopes that he would have a good idea on how to get out of this mess.

"There is..." Hakuyuu answers.

"Really!"

"But Hakuryuu might die this time..."

There goes that idea.

Hakuyuu opens the bento to see what his little sister made.

'Maybe it won't be that bad.'

After one look, Hakuyuu immediately slams the top back on...

Hard.

Hakuyuu starts breaking out in a cold sweat after the sight of the so-called food.

'I didn't think there was such a think like a living lunch box.'

"Hey Bro, you think we can chuck this in the trash without Hakuei knowing?"

"Not likely Hakuren. With that here..." Hakuyuu refers to the despicable magi.

Judal has Hakuryuu up in the air with his magic. He teases the young prince saying that he'll drop him in the pond.

"If we do such a thing he is likely to report it to Hakuei." Hakuyuu didn't like to see his younger siblings sad with the exception of Hakuren since he didn't care much for him.

"Tch..." Hakuren knew his older brother had a point. And they can't have Hakuryuu stomach that thing again. He'll probably die this time.

"Hakuren, how strong is your digestive system."

"Pretty strong, but not good enough to stomach that."

"Think you can handle half of this..."

"You're not..."

Hakuyuu nods.

"But you'll die."

"It's better than disappointing our little sister."

"You're right." Hakuren agreed with his older brother. He knew how dishonorable it would be to see their little sister unhappy.

Without hesistation, Hakuyuu eats half of the bento.

"Hmm, strange..." It didn't taste as bad as Hakuyuu thought. It had a slight sweet taste with a bit spiciness in it and...

Oh, when did their father added a river to the palace.

Was that their diseased grandfather over there?

It looks like he's trying to say something to him.

"Brother!" Hakuren shouts his older brother's name in distress. One moment, he sees Hakuyuu eating his their sister's homemade bento and the next he sees is Hakuyuu lying on the floor completely lifeless.

"I leave the rest to you." Hakuyuu leaves his dying will to Hakuren before passing out.

Live or die.

Those were the only options left for Hakuren.

Either he doesn't eat the bento and make his little sister sad or eats it and lingers between the border of life and death with his older brother.

Not much options to choose from.

"Oh, well. Lady luck seemed to favor me for some times. Let's see if help me out this time again."

And down the hatch it goes.

That day both successors to the Kou Empire throne were bedridden. According to the doctors, it was a severe case of food poisoning, but no one knew how on earth it happened. There was no breach into the security. And the oddest part of all was that there was not a single drop of poison found on the premises.