"Perhaps...but there's no political gain to be produced by me." He offered the older boy a dogged smile. Of course he wasn't naive enough to believe he was completely without worth, but he was still so far from the role of Daimyo that it was negligible. Kidnapping the Prince of Noodles may have had its benefits, but hardly was it worth the trouble of collecting it.

"But thank you. I'm happy there are those who care about my welfare even outside of the country." He turned his gaze back to the shy little one. "Do I...look bad?"