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Prince Gion Zecchino, secondo principe d’italia, passed away at the young age of 12, just a few days after his twelfth birthday.
The young prince was involved in a boating accident. The boat they were on capsized, investigation revealed it due to the mechanical error, and the strong wind had worsened the situation. Both the prince and the boat operator went missing. It will take two years for the missing prince to be officially declared as deceased, but he was already mourned a month after the incident.
His family grieved, the noble society sympathized, and the world continues to turn.
Except for a young Italian boy.
For him, the world ended that day.
For years, he has been trained with the utmost calculated training, from academics to martial arts to secretarial duty, all to polish his skills as an aide and bodyguard befitting for a genius. The training was harsh, harsher than anyone could imagine. But he grits his teeth and toughens it out. He has been waiting for the day he will be officially appointed to be by his master’s side.
To return to the boy with the most ethereal smile he ever saw.
But it is all futile now.
Before Livio could dare to dream of his master’s face, the prince left him, left his family, and left the world behind. Without waiting even a second for Livio. How cruel.
In the end, Livio is assigned to guard the sole Princess of Italy, Princess Gina. The petite girl with brown hair and purple eyes is his master now. But truth be told Livio can’t see her as someone he can serve wholeheartedly, for all her being, he could only see her as a little sister to be watched over, and with all her brashness, she does need someone to watch over her.
And Gina knows that too.
She knows about him and Gion and the cats, she knows how Livio’s loyalty is cemented for a boy that is no longer reachable for either of them.
And she accepts that Livio will never be hers. There were times where Gina will convince Livio to quit, that there must be something better out there, something that will bring back the light in his eyes, but he just smiled and shrugged it off.
At the very least, Livio should remain by the sister of the boy who cried the last time they saw each other. No promises had been made, but Livio felt like he should fulfill it nonetheless.
Livio was fired at age seventeen.
Gina had runaway, a solo adventure to the famous Momosu island, during his vacation. The fact that the princess has been left unattended and unchecked to the point she can slip away is problematic enough, but the trouble she encountered on her trip is the icing on the cake. Someone needs to take responsibility, and the youngest of the lot is chosen as the black sheep.
Gina tries to defend him but Livio stops her, the King Emeritus has been very sensitive and peculiar about his grandchildren after the passing of his second grandchild. Someone needs to pay and as a person with no attachment, Livio is ideal. At least this way his coworkers wouldn’t have to worry about losing their livelihood. And perhaps this is a chance for him to explore the world, like Gina always pesters him to.
So Gina gives him a ticket to Momosu Island.
How ironic, he came to Italy after losing his home in Momosu, and the same island is now the reason he lost his place in Italy. To be kicked out by the two places he ought to feel at home at, how nauseating.
He accepted it.
And that leads him to his current situation, which is desperately struggling while being restrained on the ground in the middle of night.
Whatever Princess Gina said by ‘the better things’, he really doesn’t think this is it.
“Alright then, fess up. Why are you here?” Bright lamp is directed straight to his face, burning his retina, temporarily blinding his eyes, bringing tears behind the closed eyelids. He was bound and seated in a dark room, and seemed to be surrounded by at least two other people.
“I am only here to sightsee.”
“There isn’t much to see late at night around the Academy. If it was purely for sightseeing, why did you have hidden weapons? And the amount you conceal is too much for self-defense.” His interrogator sneered and demanded an answer. And okay Livio admits it sort of his own fault for bringing that much weapons but old habits die hard and this particular habit has been ingrained deep inside his blood. And he didn’t really intends to enter the Academy, but the graveyard is there and before he knows it he is walking inside the school ground.
“It's a habit, I was a bodyguard but recently got fired.” Murmurs run through the room. He can recognise three different voices.
“Who did you serve?” Another voice rang out.
Considering the short amount of time taken to bring him here and the pattern of questions asked and his own confidence to keep secrets to the grave and a certain guess, he confessed.
“Princess Gina of Italy.”
The air in the rooms changed slightly. Livio’s guess is right, he is currently facing the secret bodyguards of the princes that are currently studying in Momos Academy, and also the same princes that are involved with the princess.
“And why did you come here? Lost your job and wants to channel your rage at the princes that help your master?”
Every part of the sarcastic accusation is just untrue.
“She isn’t my master, anymore” Livio paused, juggling his statement, “and I’m here because my mother’s grave is here.”
Months had passed since then. And perhaps Livio can say he had built a home here. After the fiasco that is their first meeting, Livio somehow got employed by Momosu’s owner as a secretary/guard for the Headmaster’s office. He isn’t assigned for anyone specifically after his conversation with the Principal.
“I only ever serve one Master,” Livio had said when the matter was brought up.
“And where are they?” Evan had asked.
Livio points to the stars.
“He had gone ahead of me, and I’m left here to protect the remnants of him.”
It was quite the dramatic response but to be fair it really is inching closer to Halloween and Evan literally asks him in front of his mother's tombstone, so he can be extra emotional. Anyways, unlike Quentin that is assigned to protect Alexis, Evan’s only son, Livio isn’t entrusted to protect anyone specific.
Not that he has anyone he really wants to protect.
Alexis is a good person though and every conversation with him is enjoyable. He is the hardworking type that makes you want to cheer him on, and that is exactly what Livio did. Vice-principal Godfreg has been very kind to him, the gentle man guiding Livio in his tasks as a teacher should. Secretary Amy and Secretary Silvia are both great mentors too. The princes are a lively crowd, and every encounter with them is entertaining, especially Prince Ciel who connects him back to Princess Gina. Supposedly, there were more princes but they had to return home for various reasons, and based on Alexis' story, they were easy to get along with.
Livio likes it here.
“Livio? What are you still here? Aren't you supposed to be at the office to prepare for the meeting with potential investors?” Dr. Amy, or Jelena’s voice reminds him of the scheduled meeting.
“Oh shi-! I forgot, thanks sis, see you later!”
Panicking, Livio ran out of the infirmary at full speed. Principal Evan will have his head should he arrive late. Money has been really tight lately so the owner has been pressing anyone for more money-making methods. He turns fast down the corridor, and straight to a railing which he could jump off and run through a deserted shortcut to the office. However Livio miscalculated his chances.
As he jumps off the second floor, he belatedly realizes that deserted place is in fact not deserted, normally Livio can twist himself away, but the other occupant’s had raised their head, revealing his face that shook Livio to his absolute core. Unable to stop the momentum, they both end up tumbling into the shallow pond behind them with Livio almost crushing the other person by falling right on top of him. Livio quickly lifts himself up by the arms, but his lower body is still pining the other person down, as Livio's mind is running full throttle trying to comprehend what he sees.
With plum red hair tinted with purple, and eyes blue like the ocean, the soaking wet person beneath him wears the face of his most beloved person. It was so similar to what he always imagine that he can’t helps but to breath out,
"Mio principe."