"Why aren't they making any moves?"
"I don't know, but I'm getting tired of being followed everyday."
Since they picked up Sana, around two weeks had come and gone. Though they were gone for most of the day during weekdays, they spent the entirety of their weekends with Sana. Sometimes, they brought her to play in the orphanage as well. The sister would keep trying to return the money but Sebastian avoided it.
"Can I follow them?"
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"I only brought a bare minimum of weapons but it's not like I'm going to be charging straight into their base."
"Alright. Stay safe."
Amy and Sebastian turned to an alley devoid of any other people. It was an alley that stretched from one road to another. After confirming, their stalker's position she shot her ability at the roof.
The stalker stumbled but managed to regain his footing and begin to flee.
"I'll be back soon."
"Dinner will be steak."
"I'll definitely be back soon."
Amy giggled and kissed Sebastian on the cheek.
Sebastian covered his body in energy and used the walls as leverage to climb to the roof, then he began his pursuit.
Although he had to hide his identity as an assassin of Blue Rose from Amy, he didn't need to hide what he could and couldn't do.
After all, she knew him better than anyone.
...
"Really, compared to Hound, this is child's play..."
The hellish training Wisteria and Hound had given him. Hound was fast enough to outrun him whose body was enhanced and Wisteria was strong enough to overpower him.
Sebastian leisurely followed the stalker from a distance. The stalker didn't even know he was being followed and went back to his destination.
"Commander!"
"Is there a report?"
"I hd to retreat because I was spotted."
"Were you followed?"
"I don't think so."
The two of them met in a civilian building. Sebastian infiltrated through an open window and walked in. He listened through their conversations through the door.
"To think that someone would adopt the princess..."
The commander sighed.
"The House of Sol and Luna, are we able to send any capable men to guard the princess there?"
"I don't think any of our men can slip past their security..."
"..."
Sebastian furrowed his brows as he listened through the door. They weren't assassins aiming for the princess?
"Then, we have to tell the heirs of the two houses about the princess..."
"But what if they were to side with the current royal family?"
"What can we do? There's no other choice. The royal family has found out her existence, didn't you see the church not allowing anyone to see healers unless they were injured? We're lucky that they've yet to identify her because she was in an unlicensed orphanage but now..."
"Even if they're two major houses of another country, could they stand against another country's royal family?"
The situation was worse than Sebastian had thought.
"Commander, she's only a child..."
"I know that! Why do you think we've been guarding her for all these years!"
Sebastian heard the table being slammed and a few items falling to the floor.
"The Duke's faction will have her be the spearhead against the royal family while the royal family would have her killed! Either way, she would end up with a life worse than death. We need to gain their cooperation in hiding her."
"If they were to bring her back to Aurora, then, there might be a chance."
"I'll leave this matter to you. Do anything you can to convince them and reveal our existence if need be. Warn them about the knights as well."
"As you wish, commander!"
Sebastian heard what he wanted to hear and slipped out. They only had a few guards on watch, they were no match for an assassin's abilities.
Sebastian headed straight home and found Amy playing with Sana.
"That really was fast."
"It wouldn't have been good to sneak around for long."
"Well?"
"They knew about her but it doesn't look like they're hostile."
"What do you mean?"
After covering Sana's ears, Sebastian explained the situation to Amy.
After they were done, Sebastian released his hands.
"They're going to meet us soon."
"Well, if that's their stance, it should be alright."
Amy continued playing with Sana using the toys they had bought.
"You know, you really do look like a mother to Sana."
Amy quickly hit Sebastian so hard there was a thwack.
"Are you calling me old?!"
"Ouch... I was saying that you're mature..."
"Big Sis, don't hit Mister..."
"I'm sorry, Sana! It's just that Mister is really a fool sometimes."
Sebastian stared at the pair cupped his chin.
"Is this the hierarchy...?"
"What are you going on about? Anyway, your letters have been delivered and a parcel for you had just arrived."
"A parcel? From whom?"
"From your aide, Kathrina. I didn't open it but it looked quite big."
"Hm..."
Sebastian wasn't expecting anything from them so it came as a surprise. He had only sent the letter a couple of weeks back and it took around a month for parcels to travel from Aurum.
"I wonder what they sent..."
It couldn't be the arrows, they were having trouble making them after all.
"Eh?"
Sebastian took the content of the parcel and looked it over several times.
"A vambrace?"
It looked just like an ordinary vambrace, what was this?
"They sent you a vambrace?"
"Seems like it."
It was made of leather and it was fairly light. Sebastian spotted a letter underneath and read it.
"What?"
Sebastian had to read the letter twice to make sure.
"What is it?"
"Well..."
Sebastian put on the vambrace and tightened it. Then, he opened a compartment from underneath. They were crossbow bolts made for his miniature crossbow.
It was easy to open and there weren't much risks of the bolts falling accidentally. Sebastian ran to his room and wore the miniature crossbow, then he tied it to the vambrace like it said to do.
Sebastian ran outside and fired it at the trees.
Thunk thunk thunk
After he confirmed their hits, Sebastian put some force and moved his arm. Three bolts flew out and Sebastian caught them, then he inserted them into the crossbow and fired.
It was a good pocket but the letter said that he had remade the crossbow and now, it was possible to reload in just an instant.
"So they sent me a prototype..."
It was good. It hid the crossbow and protected his forearm at the same time. He was expectant of the final product now too.
"I see. It felt weird that they only sent you a vambrace with pockets but it was only just a sample."
"I'm going to be in my room, reading."
"I'll bring Sana to my room, she's already sleepy. I'll call you for dinner."
"Alright."
Sebastian pecked Amy's cheek and walked into his room.
Immediately after entering, he pulled out the case with weapons and then equipped them. They were the weapons he used hidden under his body. With the addition of the vambrace, he now had one more weapon.
Sebastian leaped out of the window and walked. It was about three hours or so before they would eat, he had until then to stay outside.
He walked into a cafe and ordered food and coffee. A few minutes later, someone sat on the seat in front of him.
"Well?"
"Wisteria told me to give you this," the man passed a small stack of papers to Sebastian, "and then a message."
"Unusual... What is it?"
"Someone is out to get you. And, even Wisteria is powerless against them. She will reveal the identity of the person once you return."
"How powerful is that woman to figure out someone even the House of Luna couldn't?"
Sebastian sighed in exasperation.
"I don't suppose you know, do you?"
"No, sir."
"Well, alright. Do you want to eat anything? My treat."
"Uh... I'm good, sir."
The man nodded his head and walked out.
Sebastian ate the snacks and coffee. After leaving a few silver coins on the table, he walked out as well.
Just as he left, a young man with glasses chuckled from the back of the cafe.
"Fools, the lot of them."
...
Sebastian easily jumped in through the window.
"And, where have you been?"
Amy was laying down on his bed. She had an open book in her hands as she raised a brow.
"I, uh... went out for snacks and coffee."
"Sheesh. It's nearly dinner, couldn't you have held it in a bit more? You'll get bloated."
Amy didn't look like she doubted him at all. She stood up and pulled Sebastian into the bed. She put the book on the desk and snuggled into his arms.
"It's been a while since we've done this."
"Well, you had to sleep with Sana for the past few weeks and we aren't sleeping in the same room..."
"Shhh."
Amy quickly closed Sebastian's mouth and rubbed her head on his chest.
"I'm a bit tired, can I sleep for a bit?"
"Do as you like."
Sebastian stroked her head and waited until she fell asleep. Then, he took the book she was reading and read it for himself.
After a while, he put the book back on the desk.
He still had weapons around his body, it wouldn't do if he were to accidentally set them off while he was sleeping. He slowly removed them save for the vambrace and crossbow and threw them to one side of the room.
Then, he fired one of the crossbows through the window and killed a bird.
"Damn spies..."
Sebastian used wind to close the curtains, threw the vambrace and crossbow, then closed his eyes.
...
As expected, the mysterious organization came to meet them the next day. After having the servants take care of Sana, Amy and Sebastian met a pair of middle aged men in one of the rooms.
"Lord Sol, Lady Luna."
The pair of men greeted them in unison with a bow.
"We know who you are. Cut to the chase."
Amy was the one to speak. Sebastian silently sat beside her and emitted pressure on the two in front of them.
The men gulped and looked at each other.
"We're here to... assure the safety of Princess Sana."
Ugh... I made the same mistake as I did with Balanos. Uh, Maria's name is well, Maria. To those who saw the Mary names, sorry about that.