[ ~ Chapter • Start ~ ]
Another few hours later.... after the trio exited the Free City of Kanra, and headed further east...
They had been walking until they saw a group of Helman soldiers blocking the path to the town of L'Zille. There were two girls that were let through (they looked like tourists), though when Rance and his companions approached, two Helmanian Soldiers blocked their path.
"You three, halt right there!" One of the soldiers spoke, while another had continued.
"L'Zille is currently occupied by Helman, none may enter."
After they said this, Kanami frowned, realizing something.
'Helman scum.... not just Leazas, but you're also invading the Free Cities?!' She thought, silently narrowing her eyelids, taking some force of will to not once attack or grab her new katana and possibly blow their cover
When asked about the girls who had entered L'Zille, the soldiers answered that it was by the orders of their higher-ups to avoid having the Magic Kingdom of Zeth take action against them.
Aside from all that....
"Master Rance.... what should we do now?" Sill asked Rance who was rubbing his head to think.
"Ahem.... Can I talk to your boss for a moment, then?" Rance asked, crossing his arms.
"Sorry, no can do. He's still talking to Miss Sapphire."
Rance suddenly turned around and began to leave, silently. Kanami was even surprised that he would give up trying to travel through this town.
'Perhaps he would go look for another way to get to the east?' Kanami thought, taking the initiative to walk with Sill beside her.
After a long while, when L'Zille is far enough, the footsteps of Rance stopped and turned to his companions.
"Kanami, Sill..... Can I ask you both something?"
"Hm? What is it Rance-dono?"
"What do you think about infiltrating a town by disguising as Helman Soldiers?"
When Rance spoke this, Kanami and Sill nodded in complete agreement. That seems to be a good thing, though...
"How would we even infiltrate the town, no... wrong question..." Kanami spoke first, shaking her head before giving Rance a questioning glance. "... How do we gain clothing similar to a Helman Soldier's?"
Suddenly, Rance smirked, staring at the Free City several kilometers away.
"Good question! Using my magic, I could use powerful illusions I've been practicing with Stone Guardian Kirov and Sill to turn us into Helman Soldiers!" He smacked his fist to his open palm, grin widening the moment he explained his plan. "Good! Good! GAHAHAHAHAHA~! If the time comes, we'll kill their commander in secret, leading them to disarray! Such a great plan I have, right?!"
Sill smiled, clapping her hands with glee.
"Of course, Master Rance!" She spoke, believing that Rance really does have a great plan, and that plan would succeed without fail.
"Uh, eh... what if they find out something wrong with us?" Kanami asked, doubting the man who had crafted such a reckless plan.
"Then leave it to me. By La Way, your need to go by my flow, understand?"
[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]
Another Helmanian Soldier stood on guard in the afternoon, his set routine of guarding already starting.
He was in charge of preventing outsiders from passing through, just like the other guards stationed here before him.
Aside from that, he was pretty happy to see skies that were colorful. Back then, at Helman, he was used to the skies being covered in clouds all the time.
Oh so he wished to stay here....
And then, his thoughts were cut off when he noticed three figures on the distance. Narrowing his eyes, he could see a Helman Knight, a soldier that's a rank higher than him, walking with two people behind him.
A pink haired girl in blue, and a purple haired girl wearing light armor under a dark blue uniform. They must be serving under him.
Still.... it was pretty unusual for someone like him to travel alone with them.
When the Helman Knight approached close enough, the Helman Soldier had to tilt his heat upwards slightly due to the difference in height.
"Excuse me, Sir! What are your intentions here?" The Helman Soldier couldn't help but ask.
"Intentions, hm? I came here by the request of Prince Patton Helman as reinforcement, and willing disobedience to the council." His deep baritone voice almost sounded close to annoyance, "Though I don't really understand why the council chose not to send reinforcements for you...."
That sounds pretty suspicious for the council.... so the Helman Soldier let him pass anyways. Even so, who are those beauties behind him? Well, they were probably owned by his higher-up anyways, so he can't even say anything bad.
Without him knowing, the Helman Knight was actually Rance, and he and his companions have successfully entered L'Zille without much problem, causing the disguised Kanami to sigh in relief.
The moment they are inside the town, they noticed several familiar looking soldiers wearing either black or red armor patrolling the streets of L'Zille.
"Leazas Soldiers?! Why are they here...!" Kanami whispered, immediately feeling more confused than in shock at their appearance here at L'Zille.
"They don't seem to be attacking the enemy soldiers...." the disguised Sill spoke, based on observation, just before Rance sat up to try to speak something to them.
"They're being brainwashed by someone. I don't know why, but that person is probably not that far away... anyways, let's keep going. We could ask someone where their commander is."
He asked a random Helman Soldier where their commander is, and he pointed it out without much suspicion.
Once he has located the commander, he approached him. Luckily, he wasn't doing anything else right now.
"Excuse me, Lord Dauntless."
"Eh?" The man turned around to face him. "What is it? Can't you see I'm fantasizing about how Maria Custard would taste?"
This pale-skimmed man spoke, not minding the fact that Kanami and Sill were both creeped out by his manner of speaking.
"I have something important to speak of, in private. That journey from the Balao Mountains with these two was long."
[ ~ Chapter • End ~ ]
Commentary: Aannd.... consider letting me hang you on the edge of the cliff.
Fun Fact: I considered having Rance attack L'Zille with Sill, Kirov and Feliss, but I realized I could just make Rance, Kanami, and Sill infiltrate the Free City under disguises.
Well, Rance and Sill (with Kanami) would be involved in something, though....