“Achoo!! Why is it so cold out here?!” Rein was getting uncomfortable at her position while she was hugging her knees and is trying to rub off her shoulders hoping that this will ease out the chill that she feels.

“To remind you, we are in the middle of who-knows-where while enjoying the glorious ride on a very rustic carriage in the middle of the night while headed out to only God knows where because we are caught up with a majestic plight of someone here who is apparently out for a rebellion.” Chiaki nonchalantly said with obvious disinterest on the situation they are currently in as she just rolled her eyes and shivered as she felt the cool wind blow against her cheek.

“This is no time for us all to argue or anything. If there is something that we can do, that is to save whatever energy we have left with us. No point in blaming here. We are all here because we chose to during that spur of the moment… and well… there is technically no turning back now so we must think of ways on how we can survive… Also, keep your voices down so that we will not be heard that much ok!” Satomi said as she also shivered at the cold night.

“It’s not like I was planning to go out this far here and I never intended to involve you two in this so don’t blame me ok!” Rein pouted and argued with her chilled sisters as well.

Apparently, the sisters are sitting at a carriage carrying the weekly rations of the castle. East Wisteria are getting their supplies from the bountiful land of West Wisteria on a weekly basis and if you are asking why the sisters are on their ride to West Wisteria, well its best if I can just show you a flashback.

[Flashback]
Rein was waiting for nightfall to commence her plan of escaping the castle grounds. Why? Because she cannot take the announcement that their dear father, the king, just made. All her frustrations bottled up and her level of tolerance abused, she decided to sneak out of the castle and just go to whichever her feet will take her.

As soon as she was sure that everybody else were in their deep slumber, she sneaked out of the castle just like she usually does. Well, she has this habit of sneaking out every once in a while especially if it is time for her studies. Her idea and knowledge about the whole castle’s layout gave her the advantage of devising plans and figuring out some secret passages and sometimes even making one of her own. This time, she will use one of those passages she created before which she refers to as her “emergency exit” in case something like this happens.

“Yosha… Coast clear…” she then whispered to herself as she stealthily walks her way towards the long and now dark alleys of the castle. Her light but nimble footsteps careful not to make even the slightest sound that will give her away. As she turned towards the dark corner, she was surprised to see a pair of eyes waiting as if anticipating her arrival. There stood two people she never expected.

“Oh… why are you still awake?” She asked in a whisper as she recognized who those people were.
“Where are you going?” It was Chiaki who spoke with her dead voice.

“Ju… Just having a stroll around…” Rein replied while trying to keep a calm demeanor.
“With a sling bag and with casual going out clothes in the middle of the night? Quite a hunter now eh?” It was Satomi who pointed out her sister’s attire.

“Fine! I’m planning to escape!” Rein said frustratingly. “Now if you don’t mind. Just go back to your rooms and think that this never happened and you never saw me and just let me go.”  She said as she was in a hurry knowing that the guards on the rounds will come their way anytime.

“Then lead the way.” Chiaki said which made Rein stunned.

“What?!” She asked with a surprised face.

“Unless you want the roaming guards to find us here, I suggest you lead the way out of here now. No questions asked.” Satomi said as she also fixed her clothes.

“What’s with that get-up?!” Rein asked as she noticed her sisters also wearing clothes similar to hers as if also planning on the same thing.

“WHO’S THERE?” One of the round guards pointed his flashlight near their direction and without further ado, Rein started moving like a stealthy ninja and her sisters followed her as they slowly make their way to an escape. 

As they managed to go out of the main castle building unnoticed, they found themselves in quite a predicament since they just finished step one of their escape. They still cannot say that their plan is successful unless they manage to make their way out of the whole castle’s vicinity. This is nearly impossible to go out of the boundaries unnoticed unless they are in a closed transport vehicle. 

“What now?” Chiaki asked Rein as they hide themselves by the bush.

“I am not so sure…” Rein said with nervousness clearly planted on her face

“You didn’t plan out this part didn’t you?” Satomi heaved out a heavy sigh as she saw how her sister’s face is.

“Your brain will be useful now… I guess.” Rein commented as she let out a slight nervous chuckle and scratched the back of her head while sticking her tongue out.

“If you are trying to act cute, it’s working. But that will not solve the issue at hand.” Chiaki said as she sighed. “Any plans brainy?” She then looked out to Sato who was busy trying to think of all possibilities while surveying the area.

“Well, we have one shot at this. The best that we can make do of is by going with the caravan that delivers the castle’s supplies. It usually goes at this time of the week so we need to look into it and get in and hopefully be out with it. But that will most probably take us to West Wisteria and it will roughly be around a day’s ride. The worst part of the ride is that we will be riding something not human transport worthy, rustic, smelly and –“

“Let’s use that.” Rein and Chiaki cut her off as they know Sato will not end her descriptions well.

“So… you’re ok with the veggies and all? We will be pretty much hiding in the barrels you know so that we will not be seen upon inspection.” She said as she tries to imagine the worst possibility.

“We made it this far now and there is no turning back.” Chiaki said as she looked at Rein.

“Let’s go.” Rein gave off the signal as they went to where the caravan is. They went as discussed and had to fit themselves in the barrels that once contained the supplies for the castle. Rein was in the former barrel of flour. Chiaki inside the barrel of what once contained rice and Satomi inside a barrel that was used by sugar. Pushing off the discomfort, the sisters miraculously and successfully managed to escape the castle grounds.

When they were certain that they were quite far, they slowly went out of the barrels which lead them to the situation where they are now.
[End of Flashback]

“How did you know that I am planning to escape? I mean, if you don’t have the idea then I am sure you will not be wearing those right?” Rein asked the question that has been bugging her since they left.

“We heard of the revelation father made and that is enough for us to assume that you are up to some drastic methods like this. It’s not like we don’t know you any better.” Satomi said while hugging herself.

“Plus, I alerted her that I had this crazy premonition that you will do this so yeah…” Chiaki then leaned to Sato’s side as if asking for her warmth.

“You could’ve stopped me you know. Why join me instead? I don’t know where we are going and I don’t know what to do. I just wanted to be away from that place. I feel like a prisoner in there.” Rein said sadly as she also leaned to Sato’s other side much like how Chiaki did.

“You just answered your question dumdum.” Chiaki said as she snuggled to Sato more.

“Hey… so am I now your human warmer?” Satomi chuckled as she wrapped her arms around her two younger siblings drawing them even closer.

“We all don’t know where we are headed to or what will be waiting for us. I’m sure that by the break of dawn, they will realize that we are gone. I’ll try to think of a way on how we can survive. For now, just have a rest and sleep since we will have a long journey with us. And Rein, stopping you has never been an option because that is impossible to happen. Also, we will never leave you alone. So despite the insanity you just made, we will still support you. Now Little Miss Flour, get some sleep.” Satomi as she ruffled her hair.

“Wow! Coming from Miss Sugar. Well, maybe its destiny since Sato means sugar right?” Rein chuckled as well.

“So I am still sort of lucky since I was in the rice chamber. If you girls don’t mind, I need my sleep” Chiaki chimed in.

“Yeah since you’re more useful when asleep.” Rein laughed which earned a glare from her sister.

The girls woke up when they felt the sun’s rays against them and realized that it’s already morning. They need to get off the rustic caravan before it reaches its final stop since they don’t want the driver to know that they slipped out with the rations.

As soon as they arrived at a bustling city, they managed to get off the ride and found themselves in the middle of a very unfamiliar city.

“Now what…” Chiaki asked as she looked around and tries to digest everything. Their plan of blending in with normal people with wearing what they thought were normal clothes failed epically since they now are like unique people because their clothes are still a bit regal as compared to the clothes worn by the passerby people they see.

“Keep moving forward! Just keep moving forward.” Rein said as she started walking.

“Oy!” One of the cute waiters at the café was waving his hands in front of his colleague who is just staring into nothingness. 

“…” Unfortunately, his dear friend and colleague is still staring afar and was not even able to give out a proper response and he doesn’t even seem like he exist.

“Oy!!! World to Yabu!!” A cute voice resonates inside the room as the guy tries to get the attention of his colleague who clearly has his mind wandering off elsewhere.

“BOO!” He decided to give out a scary cry just by his ear hoping that his friend will snap out and it was quite successful as he got a good doze of pain from being elbowed at his torso.

“You didn’t have to shout into my ear like that! What is it that you want?” The tall and skinny guy with auburn colored hair and small eyes gave an irritated look at his tall, blonde haired friend with a playful smile laughed out.

“We are about to run out of the stock you know so I will appreciate it if you can buy some refill on the stores nationwide!” He said while doing some funny gestures with his hand.

“Seriously? Why will I be the one to do the shopping?” The tall guy asked with irritation.

“Maybe while going out and buying stuff you will meet her again! That girl whom you obviously are thinking of right now! You will bump with her and things will go in slow motion as you help her up and you two will look into each other’s eyes and she will say… “Oh! My love! You are the one I have been searching for so long! My dearest Yabu Kota!!”” His friend said while faking a girly voice and acting like a damsel in distress.

“That’s too creepy so please stop it ok! Fine. I will do the shopping and sorry to pop your bubble but a noble woman like her will only have around 0.72 percent of possibility of being at the market buying out stuff. Geez. You sure you are ok to accommodate all these customers by yourself?” The guy with the auburn hair, also known as Yabu Kota asks as he looks at his colleague.

“Of course! I am the great one afterall. Now go go go!! Before Sir Yeol comes back and sees that we have no stock. Besides, you haggle better than I do. Take care!” He then pushed his friend out and took off his waiter apron from him, hands him the list of what to buy and a cheeky smile he sent his friend off.

[Meanwhile at the Castle]
Everyone is in panic as they try to check all the corners of the palace in search of the princesses who are now missing.

“Where did they run off to!? Make sure all the gates are blocked and that no one can go in and out of the castle grounds! Check everything that went in and out of this castle during the past 24hours and make sure they are known. Nobody must know about this. This might be taken as an opportunity by other nations to take over the kingdom.” The king is now infuriated as he heard of the news that the princesses are missing.

“Forgive me your highness… I am afraid I am at fault.” Taisuke kneeled in front of the king as the King did not even paid attention to him.
“Do not be foolish and let it get to your brain to think that you are at fault. I was the one who announced it and not you so you do not have anything with this. Your fault is that you let your princess slip under your nose. I have no time for your explanations. Find them as soon as possible!” The King shouted and ordered that they all go out of his chamber.