I won't be a burden!

"That’s because you’re their precious heir." Ryssa commented quietly.

"Well, you’re an heir too!" He argued back at her before ruffling her hair. "We need to stop talking about this or someone will hear us."

"Hey, don’t do that!" She scrambled away from him and fixed her hair. Tuning into what Elize said, she turned towards her new friend and tilted her head cutely. "Driselle? Is she royalty too?"

"Uhm, being heirs means that you're both really important, so it's no wonder that a lot of people are worried about you! And I think it means that they care a lot too." Elize tried to say some reassuring words.

The young spirit mage smiled at the affection the two showed to one another, it reminded her of when she used to travel with her friends. Since they were her family.

"Oh Driselle is...like my big sister! I live with her in Sharilton. And...she's sort of like royalty?"

Turning his head to Elize, he sighed. “Sorry about that. See, we’re kinda’ the Emperor’s kids…and if we leave without saying anything this tends to happen.” His gaze switched over to his sister. “You should have just told them we were leaving.”

"Then they would have sent those stupid guards with us…" Ryssa complained quietly.

"Emperors kids...so, I guess you're kind of like Driselle and Gaius." [No Elize, Gaius is an Emperor!] "Oh, okay!" The two exchanged this slight discussion and afterwards, Elize looked a little embarrassed at having been wrong.

"A-Anyway, I understand Ryssa, Driselle and I would sneak out sometimes too since she just wanted to hang out with us girls-"[And me!]

"Alright, it’s settled! You’re forever my princess, princess!"

He joyfully clapped his hands together and got up from the kneeling position he was in. As he stood up, he tugged affectionately on Tipo’s hor— ear.

"Of course, I won’t leave her alone again, we’re going to spend a lot of time together. Whether you guys like it or not. I’ll make you guys into my interns, you get to work for me for free."

[Alvin's one and only princess~]

Tipo joined in on the fun.The more she heard it, the more flushed Elize's face seemed to become.

Now if Elize and Tipo were paying more attention, maybe they would have noticed that Alvin just said he was going to make them work without getting paid. But, he was lucky for now.

"I…" Ryssa blushed before looking away. She wasn’t comfortable talking to other people aside from her family and the close friends who were like family to her. She was going to try and speak again but some guards entered the plaza and she paled. "Valley…I think they noticed we left."

Valen looked over in the direction he heard some noise and paled as well. “I guess you’re telling me you didn’t tell anyone we left. Just great.” He began walking over to a side street to hide himself.

The more she looked at Ryssa the more Elize was reminded of how she was before meeting Jude and traveling with them. Really, the best medicine was getting to know others slowly but surely! 

And then suddenly the atmosphere turned a bit strange while the siblings talked about something that Elize and Tipo were unsure of. Just what was happening?

Valen decided to answer the latter question posed to them. “I guess you could say we’re wandering around too.”

"Then, I guess we're all just wandering..." She paused, What do I talk about now...

"Yes, they are!"

At first Valen was a little bug eyed as Tipo spoke. Regaining his composure, he scratched the back of his head. “That’s something you don’t see everyday. Regardless it’s nice to meet you both.”

"Tipo's a little special, but he's always going to be a very important friend to me!" And that was all the explanation she would say, Tipo seemed to leave it at that too since he didn't continue from there.

[So, what are you doing doing around here? Elize and I are just wandering around!]

"Oh, hey there." Valen waved at the girl and her doll. Looking down at his sister, who was hiding behind him, he sighed. "Look there, she’s got a doll too."

Ryssa peeked around her brother’s body and her rabbit doll she was clinging to. “I…guess she does.”

"Hello!" Elize waved a little shyly back towards the new duo. They...sort of remind me of how I used to be with Jude...

And the thought was just amplified by how Ryssa was peeking around Valen and how she held her doll close to her.

"O-Oh! Hello! I'm Elize Lutus and this is my friend Tipo!" She smiled, it was nice of him to notice Tipo since most people just assume he's only a doll.

"You… have a point there, my little princess… But the fact that I am so, so lonely at work outweighs that doesn’t it? Seeing such a sweet face follow me around would make me very happy…"

He paused.

"Maybe not even that… Maybe… if you… could be around me always…"

He got on one knee, and pretended to pull something from under his coat. He brandished his closed hands to her and grinned, “Will you be my princess again who will always yell at me and tell me how it really is? C’mon, I’m really sorry. I promise this time I won’t go off and ignore you.”

After all, this was not the first time he had done it and so she had to remain strong. But, she couldn't help but hear the truth and sadness in his words. Really, why did the older man have to be so smooth with his words!

Her heart couldn't help but skip a tiny bit when he continued to speak.

She knew there was nothing in his hands but the meaning within the gesture was obvious to her.

"A-Alvin I..." He had succeeded, her earlier anger had vanished now due to his sincerity. The grip Elize had on Tipo had weakened and so the purple friend used this moment to finally get his mouth free and speak.

[Of course Elize will be your princess, as long as you really, really never leave her alone again! Elize hates being lonely and it's worse when it's you ignoring her!]