Blooper

Here is a scene that got cut off from the dinner. It broke my heart to cut it off but the dinner got so big that it needed to be done. Perhaps I could stuff it in later but for now, it will remain in the blooper category. I'm sorry, Antonia. (MC would've been able to snoop around the villa with Antonia. Otherwise they snoop around with one of the ROs. Or maybe they don't snoop around at all and get some other one-on-one scene with the chosen ROs. Anyways, some snooping around stuff coming up. But not with Antonia...)

Then, a flash of a white tunic catches my attention. Someone ran past the doorway.

    #Investigate.

        *goto ch4_antonia

    #Remain seated.

        I won't be chasing anyone. I'm staying put.

        *goto ch4_emperor_gossip

*label ch4_antonia

"Antonia? What are you—"

"Hush!" She smashes her lips with her index finger before beckoning me to follow her. She's clearly plotting something. Do I want to get involved?

    #Yes. I follow her.

        She leads me to a small room next to kitchen. A storage of sorts. She makes sure no one followed us before turning to me. "Are you ready?" 

        "Ready for what? What are you doing here? This is not the place for children."

        "Yes, yes, I know." She waves my words away as if they were an annoying fly. "I'm on a mission."

        Do I even dare to ask? Evidently, she expects me to: she's staring at me with anticipation. "Fine. What mission?"

        "I'm uncovering secrets."

        "What sorts of secrets?"

        "Oh. you know." I'm not sure if she knows herself, but she squints her eyes in a conspiratory manner. "You know," she repeats and winks, squinting her eye tightly so I won't miss the gesture.

        "Um. Government secrets?"

        "Yes!" She whisper-yells and bobs her head.

        This seems to be a game. I wonder where she got the idea? This could, however, prove to be useful for me. Perhaps I should join her game?

            #Yes. I doubt they would punish the kid if they wound her snooping around. They would, however, kill me. Besides, she looks like she would do this with or without my involvement.

                "Fine, let's work together. But this is a secret, right?"

                She nods. "Of course it is! I should be the one to remind you of that. But you don't look like a rat." She gives me a calculating look. "Yes. This could work."

                She squints her eyes at a slave passing by. "You should return to the party so they won't think twice about this."

                I nod. She's awfully serious about this. It's a good thing for me.

                She gives me a solemn nod. "We will meet after the desserts." 

                *goto ch4_senator_munching

            #No. I don't want to endanger the kid. She shouldn't be playing these sorts of games.

                I give her a serious look. She reads the expression correctly, she's a smart kid, and gives me a pout. 

                "You're going to tell on me?"

                "Not if you stop this. What if you find something actually dangerous?"

                "That's exactly why I'm doing this!"

                I shake my head. She sighs. "Fine."

                *goto ch4_senator_munching

            #No. Her involvement sounds more of a hassle than anything that would benefit me.

    #Stay put. "You shouldn't be here." Isn't it time for children to be at bed already? I should tell someone.

        *set antonia_ratter true

        "Don't tell me you're about to—"

        Before she can continue her thought, I'm already on my way to Marcus.

        "Your niece is plotting something near the kitchen."

        Marcus sighs and rubs the back of his neck. "Of course she is." With these words he takes off to the kitchen.

        *goto ch4_emperor_gossip

    #I'm not getting involved. "I'm going back to the party."

        She pouts after me. "You're boring."

        Guilty as charged.

        *goto ch4_emperor_gossip