Territory 18

12. Convergence in the Homeland

It was one fine morning when Reia awoke in her room in the clubhouse. Ever since the time they returned to school after the Hotel Turuvich incident, Reia had been staying in the clubhouse by request of Princess Aioria. As the Princess was a growing girl, she felt uncomfortable being waited on by the hired aides, letting them touch her and help her with her daily routines like bathing. Thus, Reia was asked to replace the job. It was not like staying around the Princess at all times of the day. It was more like a part time job, in which whenever she bathed, the Princess bathed, whenever she wore her clothes, the Princess wore her clothes. Since it was not much of a hassle as Reia had to do those things for herself too, Reia gladly did it. But it wound up to her staying within the clubhouse together with Prince Alexius and Princess Aioria.

Getting up from her bed, she headed to the bathroom, and did her morning routines. Dressed in her camisole and shorts pajamas, the girl brushed her teeth sleepily. At that moment, another person walked in the bathroom, clad in a set of long sleeved yellow pajamas. Acting on reflex, Reia ended up throwing the Prince's tooth brush like a dagger. Catching the tooth brush between his fingers, the Prince mumbled, "Thanks," in a sleepy manner.

"S-Sorry," she said, shocked wide awake.

"Huh?" the Prince asked still drowsy, taking his cup and standing beside her, by the long sink in the bathroom.

"N-Nothing," Reia said and swiftly left the bathroom, done washing up.

Closing her room door and turning the lock, Reia changed into her school uniform. Straightening her collar, she spared a look at the full length mirror attached to the door of the wardrobe, and noticed her phone blinking with a message in the background. Turning about, she reached and grabbed her phone from the table, flipping it open to have a look at the message.

"Junior Officer Mikasa Reia, you are to report immediately to your post in the 3rd Research Team by 1000 hours today, you will receive further orders when you arrive," or so the message stated. A little bewildered, Reia took a look at the time. It was 0900. She had just a meager hour. Immediately, she grabbed her bag, and emptied it of its school contents. Running about her room, she stuffed all that she needed to report for her military activities into the bag.

Opening her doors, she wondered how she was going to tell Princess Aioria about her sudden leave. Looking at the corridor before her, she found the Prince, shouldering two bags, and pushing Princess Aioria's wheelchair. The two met eyes for a while, and asked, "You were summoned too?" in unison.

"Brother and Miss Reia are really synchronized," she giggled.

"It is not something to laugh about Your Highness," Reia immediately said.

"Alright alright," the Princess still giggled.

"If you have so much time to think up such stuff, help me take this bag," the Prince said and dropped a bag onto the Princess' laps.

"Brother is such a meanie," she complained but took the bag nonetheless.

Reporting to the 3rd Research Team, Reia was briefed that the Emperor had decided to take another Third Rank Imperial Consort, and the Royal children were all to return to the homeland to attend the wedding. Due to the absence of the Viceroys and Vicereines from all the Territories, the military were to stay behind and remain at their strongest, and protect the Territories from the terrorists or other countries invasions.

Sending off Princess Donnia, Prince Alexius, and Princess Aioria together with their accompanying troops, Reia wondered who the lucky girl was this time. Since she was a young girl, she had been watching television runs of the Emperor marrying beautiful girls as his Imperial Consorts. However, as the years went by, the Emperor grew older, but the girls were still as young and as beautiful. Doing a quick calculation, the Emperor was already forty six.