The Martial Unity

“Ria wants to sleep more.”

“…I’m afraid you need to get up, my precious baby.”

“No!” She pulled the blanket over her head, burying herself in it. “Ria wants to sleep!”

“Oh, come on, my precious baby angel,” Rui tried coaxing her gently. “School is very important, you know? Aren’t you excited for your first day?”

“Ria is not going!”

Rui heaved an exasperated sigh. “I guess we’ll just have to skip school today.”

“As if,” Amare scoffed with a dubious expression. “You’re too soft on her!”

She put her hand on the blanket, expertly stripping it off her daughter, before gazing at her daughter with a stern expression.

“Young lady, it’s time to get up.”

Her amber eyes sharpened fiercely.

“Now. Do not make me say it again.”

Her voice was serious as her expression grew a little intense, causing Ria to nod with a reluctant expression. Rui watched the scene with a crushed heart, sad that they ever had to be harsh with their precious angel.

The rational side of him, however, knew that some degree of disciplining was necessary. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it. How could anyone bring themselves to speak harshly to such an adorably precious, priceless baby angel?

He didn’t know. But thankfully, Amare appeared to be able to pull herself together to play the role of a stricter parent. Rui would happily become the parent who gave Ria the most comfort and joy. Over the next half hour, he watched as their royal quarters became one of chaos.

“Ria doesn’t like these clothes!”

“Well, too bad. Wear them right away.”

“Ria doesn’t want to wear them!”

“Then what will you wear?”

“Ria wants to wear this.”

“You can’t wear that to school. Wear this.”

“No!”

“Ria, stop throwing a fuss.”

“Ria doesn’t want to wear it.”

Rui heaved a sigh as he watched the two of them quarrel over clothes until they finally managed to settle on a mutually accepted choice after half-an-hour of severe dispute.

They picked out a navy cotton sailor dress, adorned with a small bow at the front and a white collar. One that suited her with childish charms and made her even more adorable in Rui’s eyes.

Soon enough, it was time. “Remember, Ria,” Rui told her with a serious expression. “If someone asks, just tell them that your name is Ria and nothing more, ok?”

She nodded innocently. “Ok.”

She still wasn’t cognizant of her own status as the first princess and sole heir to the throne of the Kandrian Empire. Rui didn’t want her to grow up thinking she was above other people simply by virtue of her status. So they largely kept it ambiguous.

They got rid of their reliance on most of their maids and butlers, and had her play with normal kids at the Quarrier Orphanage to grow up more normally. Thankfully, their efforts had paid off. She didn’t have a single arrogant or haughty bone in her body. She treated others well and was kind and cheerful. He had even gone as far as to enroll her in a school that would hide her identity from the teachers and students, allowing her to have a relatively normal school life.

Rui smiled at her warmly, kissing her on the head. “Then let’s go. We’ll drop you.”

He lifted her in his arms as Amare hugged both of them.

WHOOSH

They teleported away from home, appearing in front of a giant open gate, leading to a huge school campus. [National Kandrian Academy]

A public school that received extra funding to accommodate both children of high society and meritocratic students from the public. Around them were a large number of parents and children, many of whom were attired extravagantly. The loud noise of a chattering crowd hung in the air as parents and children spoke with each other.

“I don’t want to go to school!” one boy bawled.

“Don’t make a fuss! Go to school immediately!”

“I can’t wait to make new friends!”

“Mommy, I want to go to the toilet…”

“I’m hungry dada!”

Parents placated and scolded their children as they made their way into the academy. Not a single person noticed the emperor and the Transcendent Candidate, for they were using misdirection. They also didn’t notice Ria, for only her baby pictures had been made public. They had kept her hidden from the limelight her entire life so that she could live a more normal life.

Ria glanced about with a hint of curiosity and enthusiasm as she looked at all the children her age, while many others were older. Her amber eyes lit up with enthusiasm as she finally spotted a familiar face among them.

“Runark!” she squealed with excitement as she waved at the only friend she had their. “You’re coming too!”

“Ria!” the young boy, only one year older than her, ran up to her with excitement. “I knew you would be here.”

“Hoho, look who we have here.” Kane’s voice drew Rui’s and Amare’s attention as he arrived with a grin on his face and Fae by his side. They too used light misdirection to prevent their extreme presences from weighing down upon the world. “You say that as if we didn’t plan this,” Rui remarked with a light scoff at his best friend.

“It’s so exciting, isn’t it?” Fae knelt to pat Ria on the head. “Our children will soon be left to navigate the world around them without us by their side.”

“I’m sure they’ll do just fine, isn’t that right, Runark?”

Runark nodded with a determined expression. “I will protect Ria no matter what!”

“Oh my~” Fae’s eyes lit up with delight. Amare smiled at him. “You’re so brave, Runark. I’m sure Ria will be safe in your arms.”

“She will be.” He nodded seriously. “Stay with me, ok Ria?”

Ria smiled at him, holding his hand. “Yes!”

“Be careful, you two,” Rui told them. “Make sure that you don’t get lost in the school, alright? Make sure to stick with the teachers, ok?”

“We’ll be fine!” Runark waved them off, pulling Ria with him. “Let’s go, Ria. This will be fun!”

“Bye, mama!” Ria waved her parents off with an ecstatic expression. “Bye, papa!”

“Bye, Ria.” Rui smiled at her. “Have fun.”

He watched her go until she entered the school, along with numerous other kids her age, heaving a deep breath.