"I'm sure all of you are wondering why a child like me is in charge." Katarina faced the executives of the city who weren't even bothering to hide their discontent and showed them plainly to her.
They were currently gathered around a round table with a glowing ball in the center that had numerous screens showing different scenes.
The executives had been busy organising the city when they were suddenly called here so it made sense to be doubtful of a mysterious kid who just showed up out of nowhere.
Of course, if they knew she was actually the princess of their kingdom, I'm sure their attitude would do a complete one-eighty.
Katarina was currently masquerading as a brilliant strategist but though she had been vetted by the mayor who sat by her side, the people of the city did not seem to agree with him.
I'm sure even the mayor has doubts but even if he managed to survive the rhino stampede, disobeying royalty would mean he would loose his position as the lightest treatment.
"But I don't care! You will obey me, this city would be protected and you will survive. That is all I want and you will do your best to grant me my wish." Spoken like a true tyrant, Katarina said forcefully and murmurs had already started to spring up when she raised a hand.
"I may be a child but I'm confident I am better than you all. And to prove I will save this city with zero sacrifices and minimal damage to the city. You can save your complaints until after."
Provoking them and using their anger to silence them and make her obey them temporarily.
If anyone else had tried to accomplish that, they most likely would have failed but Katarina's ruler magic combined with her demeanour made them willing to obey her at least, for now.
"First order of business, are the teleportation circles still functioning and where do they lead to?" Katarina looked at a pudgy man dressed in black robes.
His name was Simon and he served as the chief mage in the magistrates office.
"It's no good. The circles aren't working due to the interference from the mana the rhinos are emitting and we haven't even had the chance to contact the city that we want to teleport to." He shook his head and Katarina simply nodded and turned to face another person.
"Okay, I think I have a general overview of the situation."
After asking all the important people questions, Katarina said and stood up add the others subconsciously followed her. It looks like her ruler magic had already begun to take effect.
"Simon, I want you and your people to draw the basic circle for teleportation here, here, here and here. Just draw it and don't bother specifying a coordinate or anything else." She pointed to the center and the ball disappeared and was replaced by a glowing, translucent map of the city.
Four markers were inscribed on the map marking the locations and Simon nodded and left the room.
"Marcus, you appease the people and calm them down."
Marcus, the owner of one of the biggest trading companies nodded.
Despite his status, he was actually popular with the people and was kind of like an idol.
Well, with his fresh and refined looks, there was no way he wouldn't be.
"Got it." He took left and Katarina turned to the rest and gave them their assignments one by one.
Very soon, there was only two people left; the mayor and I.
I think he said his name was Rompeltiska- whatever. I'll just call him Rompe for now.
"Rompe, I need you to supervise them and watch out for any strange activity." Katarina said.
"I understand but why?" Rompe asked
"The attack was too sudden. It's most likely that the rhinos were teleported here. But every city has a barrier that prevents unauthorized teleportation within a certain radius so it's just odd that this happened. My guess is that one of the people that gathered here was responsible for it. I'm counting on you to look for them." Katarina explained and Rompe nodded.
"Sai." And then it was my train. Well, I already knew what I was going to do.
"I should find the person who is behind the attack, right?"
"It's nice that you're quick on the uptake." She flashed me a smile and not the kind that warmed people up.
"What will you be doing." I bent down and began doing some stretches and asked.
"I'm going to be bait." Katarina stood up and light bent around her and she went back to looking like the princes we all loved.
"You're planning on exposing your identity?"
"Not to everyone. Only those I designated can see me in this form." She began walking towards the exit and I got her reasoning and went to the window.
"Good luck to both of us." And with that, I jumped out.
...
"Are they really here?" Erina looked at the city below her as she rode on a griffin.
She received some information earlier that the second princess was in the city in disguise and was takes with eliminating her.
Erina was already in a bad mood from losing money at some random gambling den when the mission came in and she chose the most brutish method and kidnapped some rhinos and ordered them to assault the city.
"Those guys should give someone a break." Erina grumbled and looked at the horde of rhinos below her.
"Well, I guess it's nice to see people squirm as they're slowly squeezed to death." Her face twisted into a maniac look and she cackled evilly, unaware of the beings she was opposing.