Dark water surged over the sides of the tub as Chibi shot up, gasping frantically for air. Like magic, the Prince saw the inky suds melt away to reveal a cascade of carnation.
"...Pink?"
The shriek that tore out of his new knight was enough to wake the dead! It was quickly joined by the Prince's panicked scream, causing the door to get kicked in by Sir Reim, who once again came brandishing steel. It only took him a quick glance around the room to put together what was happening. With a sigh, the older man slid his sword back into its sheath, before turning his back.
"You. Get dressed. You, come with me. Now."
The Prince almost felt faint. He prided himself on being the good son. He never drank himself into a stupor. He never visited places of ill-repute. He never got caught in any situation that would lend itself to scandal, keeping his reputation meticulously clean.
But, if he was such a master of character curation, how did he ever land himself in such a mess?! The royal followed after the older man like a scolded child.
Chibi found herself sitting in an arm chair ten minutes later, with a stern-faced Reim by her side. The Prince took a position in front of them, his stiffness reminding her of the lion statues that could be seen guarding the gates of the city.
"..Well?"
The young man swallowed hard, before dropping into a deep bow, one after another, as apologizes poured out of him like a flood!
"I-I apologize, I don't know what came over me, I am well and truly sorry, it will never happen again, do pardon me-"
The rambling continued in the background, as the urchin gazed up at the senior knight.
"Is it just me, or is the Prince more upset about this than I am?"
"Considering this is the first time he's seen a woman in any state of undress, I wouldn't doubt it."
Green eyes sparked with surprise. In the Rookery, children saw many things before they were ready. It was a place where ladies of the night conducted their business in broad daylight. So, the thought of someone as old as the Prince never having seen a woman naked up until now was shocking. But, as Chibi reminded herself where she was, a castle high on a hill, enshrined in stone, it became that much more believable.
"Ah. That explains a few things."
Ten minutes later, Chibi was trailing behind the Prince in a long, white nightgown that daintily swept the floor. She wrapped her arms snuggly around herself, sighing in bliss.
Wow! It's so soft-!
"Ow!"
She bumped into the Prince who had come to an abrupt stop.
"We're here."
What she found when she gazed up was a door. It was ordinary as far as doors went. Which is why it looked so out of place in the palace. But, here it stood, tucked away in a forgotten corner of the Prince's sitting room, hard to spot and easy to miss; a tiny, boring, brown door.
But, the moment it opened, Chibi realized that there was nothing ordinary about this space. The fabric of a beautiful, four-poster bed fluttered elegantly in the breeze. The fragrant air drew her attention to a cozy window seat littered with plush pillows, one more beautifully stitched than the next. On the other side of the room, an ash wood armoire hugged the corner with a matching vanity by its side. It was small; but, it was perfect.
"This is your new room."
Chibi took it in slowly, mouth agape, before gazing up at the royal.
"R-Really? It's all mine?"
"Of course."
He observed as she stared off into the room. Her expression almost looked like an explorer peering into the mouth of a dark cave that she couldn't see the end of. His brows furrowed, before he also stared off into the room.
Was there something missing? Something that made a room, a room? He gave it a thorough once over. But, try as he might, he couldn't see anything. Everything looked fine. And even if something crucial was missing, they could always fit the room to his new knight's preferences later.
It had been a long day; a very long day in a series of long days. The Prince wanted nothing more than to collapse into the comfort of his own bed. So, he gave her an encouraging nudge.
"...Go on."
With a shuddering breath, she took that first step. The bottoms of her feet sunk into the plush rug, toes curling at the sensation. Everything her fingertips brushed as she passed by was smooth, soft and warm; a far cry from everything in the world lurking just outside the window. She cracked open the armoire, surprised to see an outfit already inside; a periwinkle skirt with a cream bodice.
"The maids found something close to your size. It is still a bit too large, but that can't be helped with your.. particular build. I will commission more appropriate clothing for you tomorrow."
The girl didn't answer him. Instead, she ran her fingers down the fabric, reverently. The clothes reminded her of the women that frequented some of the nicer shops she could see from the windows. The kind that came out of horse-drawn carriages; true ladies.
Finally, she came to the vanity. There wasn't much on top of it: a brush, a candle and a small, wooden box engraved with delicate flowers. When she opened it, a gentle music played as a ballerina pirouetted on a stage of glass, looking down as if to admire her own, lovely reflection.
The girl's breath caught in her throat. The box alone cost more than someone like her could hope to come across in a year, not to mention everything else in that room. Was this really all for her?
Am I... Am I dreaming?
"...I'll let you settle in. If you need anything, pull that rope. It will summon a maid to your side. They will attend you- Oh. What is your name?"
That very direct question snapped the urchin out of her stupor.
"Chibi! M-My name's Chibi!"
"Very well. I bid you goodnight, Chibi."
Once the Prince closed the door behind him, his eyes widened as he processed the last word out of his mouth.
"Wait. Chibi? Doesn't that mean.. small? Who would have the indecency to name their child small?! They could have named her Geraldine! Or Cordelia! Or even just Anne would have sufficed!"
He was offended for the girl, until he realized something as he closed his eyes that night.
"...At least her name will be easy to remember."
Chibi flopped down on her new bed, closing her eyes to savor the feeling of the mattress cradling her.
So soft! Feels kinda like a cloud.
Eventually, she sat up to take it all in. Chibi had gone from a street urchin being chased for her ill-gotten loaves of bread to somehow winning a tournament and being declared the Prince's knight. What did that mean for her future?
She turned to gaze out at the distant sea of stars. Everything was uncertain, but at least there was one thing that she was sure of. In a castle this big, there was bound to be a kitchen. And in that kitchen there was bound to be a pantry; one stocked with more food than she could ever eat! Her hungry days were over.
"So.. I guess this is my life now!"
A smile touched her lips; one that finally reached her eyes.
"Hehe!"
This is the last free chapter of Chibi Knight, Volume 1! I will be posting samples that are highlights of the new chapters later on! If you want to read Chibi Knight in its entirety, please check out my Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/c/YUKANO For as low as $1 a month, you can read everything, including future light novels! There is also early access to Youtube videos, early access to updates and much, much more! Thank you for reading Chibi Knight Chapter 9 and for everyone who checks out my Patreon! I hope you have a great day! =)