Who the Ever-Loving F*** Made Me A Prince?

I was in it for the world building

Puffy walks alongside Tommy on the way to the palace. There was no one waiting beside the doors, no ladies in waiting, no guards save for a few by the entrance of the palace. The insides were nearly desolate save for a few who would clean the place.

Tommy thinks that it's rather odd, because if this were the royal grounds, then why are there so few people running the country? There are the dukes, sure, but how about the scribes? Auditors? Secretaries? Heads?

He decides not to leave it to assumption. Tommy tugs on Puffy's hand, prompting her to look down to pay attention to Tommy.

"Puffy," He calls in a small, childish voice. "Why aren't there many people around here?" He asks.

"Well, there are? The maids are—"

He shakes his head. "No!" Tommy again looks at the surroundings, confused expression still clear on his face. "I mean, where are the important people?" he asks, looking over those who he knew were passing maids holding linens, attending to flowers. He doesn't know where the people he was expecting were.

That was why he dressed up, actually. He'd expected to meet potentially impressionable higher ups that he could get on his side in the occasion that his murderous brother suddenly felt like publicly executing a prince who is very easily framed (not that he will be. He knows what happens. He will not be framed, not if he can help it. He'll have to frame someone else if he has to. Every man for himself down here in hell.)

Puffy is now just as confused, if not looking a bit worried. She slows down a bit, looking like she usually does when she's out to lecture Tommy on things. "Important people? Tommy—"

"The people who are important to the big guy. The scribes! Auditors! Courtiers for the treasury!"

She blinks, and then the confusion is gone now. The worry in her eyes were switched with relief. "Ah, right. I forgot how smart you are." She laughs tiredly. Puffy quickens her pace back into normal. "I thought you meant... something else."

Tommy evidently looks confused, and even exasperated. He's equally used to and annoyed at having to be clear all of the time, simply because people expect dumb shit from someone his age. Of course, he has to suck it up and make sure not to clear that misconception of his personality. He's a kid. He may have presented himself as a child genius, but he's not supposed to be magical or miraculous.

Not that he needed to do much 'hiding' in the first place. Geniuses are overlooked in this world, especially in the face of an Imperial Prince. They'd be too afraid to face the fury of once prince to see the characteristics of another.

"What did you think I meant?" He tilts his head.

Puffy shakes her head. "Nothing, just a bit sleepless, Prince Tommy." She grinned down at Tommy.

He leaves it be. So be it, he guesses. It's not something Puffy thinks he should know, and really Tommy doesn't want to pry if it's anything personal. Puffy should be having her own life, not raising a kid who would eventually get her killed.

Not that he will. He's changing this story, damn it. If he can change how people address him, he damn well can change his future.

The two of them come to a stop before a large door. Tommy thinks it's rather pretentious. There's no reason for a door to be this big or this tall. This is dumb.

He squints, seeing the frame glint in the slight shift of light. It's golden too. What an obnoxious prick.

Puffy waits in front of the door, not making much of a move in making their presence known to whatever or whoever is beyond this gaudy, gold rimmed door. Tommy waits as well. He doesn't really know what he's doing here.