Running through the forest, Lotus led the group quietly and quickly with ease.
"We're almost there." She whispered quietly, "Keep your voices down and distance far. Jack's ears and nose are sharper when he's in that form. There should be a ledge up ahead."
"Got it." Silver rushed alongside the group.
"Why aren't we going closer? Even if Jack's sense of smell is good, it can't be as good as an actual animal." Someone from the magift club responded.
"Oh?" Lotus chuckled, "Then, do you want to take that chance with Jack, Sebek, and Floyd all together? Even if not all of them have strong senses, we know they must have some experience fighting. Can you really say that they won't have sharp intuition or luck?"
Hearing this, the others began to hesitate. What she said wasn't wrong. More importantly, it was probably more amazing that they did not get caught when following after Lotus throughout this entire journey.
"Speaking of which," Silver frowned as he glanced around, "These paths aren't natural either. I don't sense any elements of danger nearby. In fact, isn't this place filled with mana? ... Don't tell me-!"
"What's wrong, Silver?" Jamil looked back curiously.
"You're thinking is correct." Lotus replied, "This is a fairy path or fairy trail. Whichever you prefer to call it. Normally, fairies would use this to navigate secretly without being suspected, however, normal humans who wonder it without permission would get lost in more cases. However, I've traveled along these types of paths for many years now so I have become more familiar with them. As some of my clients and customers are fairies, I have been granted pass to use these trails as I please."
"What did you say?!"
They looked to her in disbelief. Riddle sighed, "Lotus, please... Explain."
"This probably has something to do with the princess at the fairy gala, then?" Silver responded hesitantly.
Lotus nodded, "Sorta. She likes to use me to help her create items from resources she acquired. In exchange, I do have some leeway to fairy related matters. However, as fairies still do not really trusts everything I do, I don't have access to everything. However, since I heard that the fairy queen wanted the stone, I called the princess to figure out what's going on. Looks like she's going to keep an eye on her mother for a while because the king is not present."
"The king?" A member of the Equestrian club muttered in bewilderment.
"The king of fairies do not show their faces because the political affairs between fairies are still many and diverse. Aside from that, they are now struggling to come to a consensus to form connections with most other human nations. However, one thing is well known amongst the fairies and even their adoptive human daughter."
"What is it?" Jamil raised a brow curiously.
"If anyone dares to gain his wife's gaze for more than ten minutes at galas. The king will not let that target go whether he personally witnessed her stare at them or not." Lotus replied, "Even if he lives a long life, he is still mortal with at least desires of his own. The queen was someone he personally chose and advocated, even after she had all the political power in their society prior to their marriage. Basically, he is a very jealous man."
"So, you mean-!" Jamil shuddered.
"The reason the princess interfered was because the queen was so awed by your performance she was closing in on that ten minutes mark. The queen know this well, but the last performance made her forget all that. Hence the princess stepped in giving the queen an excuse for watching your performance for so long even after you left the stage." Lotus responded, "After that, she accompanied Prince Leona as it seems her mother really admired that air he gave off during that performance. She used 'talks about politics' as an excuse. However, it would seem that Leona wanted to strike a deal with her to transfer something so I got dragged into it again."
"Huh? Are you sure it's not for other reasons?" That scarabia equestrian club member muttered curiously, "If you think about it, they are both royalty even if she is adopted. Aren't there political marriages?"
There was a buzz when they heard this to which Lotus sighed in dismay towards their attitude, "I'm afraid that might not be the case."
"Oh? Why do you think that?" Riddle looked to her curiously.
"My info and guess. Her nanny told me once a few months ago that she asked for a wish to her parents for her ten year old birthday gift. Unless she is made crown princess, she would not be required to accept any marriage proposals and be allowed to turn them all down."
"Crown princess?!" They looked to her in bewilderment.
That equestrian member stammered, "B-but isn't she a princess already?!"
"But she was not made the crown princess which would have the rights to inherit the throne as a crown prince would." Lotus clarified.
"But, doesn't that mean she would never get married? After all, it's not even rare for adopted children to inherit the throne of a royal family either." Riddle raised a brow.
"Why would she want to become the crown princess?" Yuu asked her curiously.
"Huh?" Peony raised a brow, "Don't ask me something I don't know. In fact, she personally told me that day that she doesn't have the energy to take on the responsibility that comes with the title. So, she's hoping for a younger sibling."
"What?!"
"Wait a second..." Epel muttered in bewilderment, "Doesn't this mean that..."
"The princess... She doesn't want to marry at all, does she?" Jamil muttered hesitantly.
"Eh?!"
"Quick thinking." Lotus praised his wittiness and smiled, "In fact, this wish was granted shortly after she personally turned down an arranged marriage with her own abilities at the age of ten. The King and Queen really had to talk a long time between themselves and their retainers before coming to that conclusion too, but the princess got what she wanted after she imprisoned a bad person present at a party she was invited to as a potential marriage candidate. Since then, fewer and fewer people tried to make her a potential marriage candidate for their sons. As for the rest... Well, that was all her nanny was willing to share and the princess was able to admit."
"That means she must have a strong personality, then..." Grim muttered in surprise.
"Move it, Jack! It's right on our tails!"
Everyone looked up to the voice that cried out as someone from the magift club jumped up with a wide smile, "That's Ruggie's voice! Looks like we're almost there!"
Lotus frowned, "It's a little close though..."
"We're not far from the swamp. I'm gonna make a dash for it!" Jack shouted as he transformed into his wolf form.
"Think we can get closer?" Jamil questioned her.
Lotus shook her head, "Follow me."
Following her, they arrived upon a nearby ledge that wasn't too high which they could easily jump off if wished. However, they could see from nearby as Jack and Ruggie dashed nearer to the swamp. Jack, weary from using his magic, transformed back into his beastman form and dashed closer to the swamps' edge, "Now we just have to draw it in..."
"Yeah. Wait for it... Lure it as close to the edge as possible, then..." Ruggie whispered as they stopped and looked back just in time for the monster to jump out roaring loudly upon seeing them in sight.
"NOW!" Ruggie screamed!
Suddenly, the monster was bound by camp ropes as Sebek emerged from the other side of the swamp as it was tightened around the monster's legs, "To the bottom of the swamp with you!"
"Nice!" One of the Equestrian club members cheered softly.
"Ahaha, come on in! The water's fine!" Floyd called out while in his bare merman form which turned out to be half human and half eel from waist down.
"Okay, they've grabbed its legs!" Ruggie cheered, "Now drag it into the mud!"
Jack shouted aloud as he also tugged on the rope, "Go...IN!
The three shouted as they pulled the monster close and close into the swamp.
The monster roared loudly and struggled as it dug its feet into the earth. Sebek shouted with eyes widen in bewilderment and awe, "What IS this infernal creature?! It's digging its heels in so hard it's leaving divots in the ground!"
"Dang, this thing is STRONG." Floyd grumbled, "I think it's gonna shake us off!"
Just as they expected, the monster began pulling against the ropes and kick his feet shouting and screaming as he did so.
"This isn't working... It's thrashing around so much I can't get close!" Jack grumbled as he struggled to get the monster closer into the swamp, "We're almost there... Just one more step!"
"They're not going to make it at this rate!" Jamil muttered nervously.
"No. They'll make it." Riddle reassured them.
"Why do you think that?" Grim questioned curiously.
"I also think they'll be all right." Lotus nodded, "After all, Ruggie is with them."
"Huh?" Yuu looked to her in confusion.