Even when the princess actually acted as such it was weird; she didn't seem to fit the part just yet, it was kind of like watching a little kid pretending to play. Tetsuya found it a little hard then to take what was being said seriously, but he couldn't say a word on the matter unless he wanted to get Lord Shima in trouble. For royalty Eri was so... Carefree and relaxed, it was odd. Even when Lord Shima spoke to him casually there was still a sense of authority, yet there was nothing here. Maybe it was the fact they seemed to be the same age, as everyone in power he'd ever met was generally older than he was. 

[color=39b54a]"It's uh... It's an honor, Princess Eri. I am Tetsuya Ueno, the Shima Knight. And I think it's very nice you're trying to get along with the common folk."[/color] It seemed like a safe move with everyone going on, trying to endear oneself to their subjects. Sure, Eri wasn't technically the ruler now but she would be someday and it could only benefit her if people liked her. Weird to think that this girl would some day be leading the largest clan, and yet here he was speaking with her in such an informal way. Bowing for what felt like the hundredth time today Tetsuya gave Eri a small smile, still feeling a little confused over all of this. What Rii then had to share with him didn't help that confusion whatsoever. 

Whoever Rii was she sure did know a lot, far more than Tetsuya would have credited her for. Even with what little she had said he got the notion she was well aware of a lot of things, making him both curious and wary about her. If Lady Ru couldn't give him the information he needed then perhaps Rii could, if she'd be willing to talk. Interesting that so much worth was being put into Eri, it sounded like she was much more than just some princess. Heck, from the way that Rii was speaking of her it was like she would be the savior of Baji someday. Would she be the one to end this war then? Or was something else even worse going to happen? Man... All this talk of spirits and everything, did he even want to know what this was all about?

[color=39b54a]"It sounds like you've got your hands full. It can't be easy, having the job you do."[/color] Glancing back to Eri, Tetsuya smiled slightly seeing her looking all proud, wondering if this might just be something to pump her up a bit. Didn't having so much expectation being placed on you make you nervous? Yet the princess didn't look like she minded at all, in fact she appeared to revel in it. The Neko could understand in a way he supposed, he had a lot of duty that he was meant to see to for Lord Shima even if he himself didn't feel wholly ready. There were plenty of older, more capable guards who could be conducting this search and yet he'd been chosen for reasons he still didn't understand. All he knew was that Lord Shima trusted him, and he would do everything he could to make sure that trust wasn't misplaced.