"No, something feels off about this. We were just talking about Princess Yalan, and then suddenly, she shows up here?" Jasaien said, sitting with Linton while they waited for Jollab to assign them their tasks.
The Imperial Princess had gone missing in their territory, so naturally, Jollab couldn't ignore it. He'd be held responsible for anything that happened. The banquet had been abruptly called off, and Jollab had already begun gathering forces to search for her. Jasaien and Linton, of course, were expected to join the search, and they were waiting for orders.
"This is what you call fate," Linton remarked. "Haven't you read similar novels? This is obviously set up for me, the protagonist."
"Heh, sure, I believe you," Jasaien sneered. "So, according to those bard tales, you're going to find the princess and then heroically save her in the nick of time?"
"You really do know how this goes!" Linton nodded. "Stick with me, nephew, and you might just share in some of the glory of saving the princess."
"Stop talking nonsense," Jasaien said. "I'm too tired for stories. I'll find a place to take a nap."
"Wait, wait," Linton urged. "Forget about finding the princess for now; this is a good opportunity."
"A good opportunity?" Jasaien asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, aren't you investigating how your father died? Isn't this the perfect chance?" Linton explained. "Those assassins probably haven't given up yet. And I'm one of their targets—maybe you are too. With everyone distracted looking for the princess, the Melowei family is in chaos. This is the best time to make a move."
"So, you're suggesting… luring the snake out of its hole?" Jasaien's eyes lit up.
"Exactly. Look at us, two perfect decoys. Normally, if we got ambushed by assassins, they might get suspicious. But now, with all the confusion, it wouldn't seem strange if we ended up isolated. Isn't this the perfect chance?"
"Your idea sounds good, but what if we really do get ambushed by assassins? Wouldn't we be in danger?" Jasaien asked. "My father was a better swordsman than I am, which means someone in that group is stronger than me. And you're just useless. What if this plan turns into a suicide mission?"
"You've got a point," Linton acknowledged. "I never expected you to be this smart. Odd, I remember you as a brainless oaf. Who are you really, and why are you pretending to be my nephew?"
"Enough with the insults! Call me brainless again, and I'll kill you," Jasaien snapped.
"Don't believe you," Linton teased. Seeing Jasaien about to lose his temper, Linton quickly added, "How about we find a skilled bodyguard the assassins wouldn't recognize?"
"Huh?" Jasaien was puzzled. "A skilled bodyguard? Who?"
"How about that guy?" Linton pointed at Barry, the captain of the Maple Guard, who was talking to Jollab. "He looks like a top-tier fighter, and the assassins probably don't know him."
"Barry, captain of the Royal Guard's Maple Division, is certainly a top-notch warrior. But how are you going to convince him to protect us? He's focused on finding the princess."
"Watch and learn," Linton said confidently as he approached Barry, leaving a bewildered Jasaien no choice but to follow.
"Captain Barry, right?" Linton greeted. "I've got something important to discuss. Could we talk in private?"
"Something important?" Barry immediately thought of the princess. What could be more important than that? Though puzzled, he stepped aside to hear what Linton had to say. Jollab, confused, didn't intervene, knowing it wasn't his place.
"Here's the thing, Captain Barry. I'm guessing the princess didn't get lost or get kidnapped; she ran away on her own, didn't she?" Linton asked.
"Huh?" Barry was slightly surprised but nodded. "Yes, that's not a secret. From the traces left behind, it's clear the princess left on her own, not by force."
"And I bet you also know why she left," Linton pressed.
"Yes," Barry confirmed. "But why do you ask? What's this important matter you mentioned?"
"Well, since she ran away on her own, she'll probably avoid any soldiers searching for her, making it difficult to find her," Linton explained. "Could you tell me what she's after? Maybe I can help."
"Help how?" Barry asked, intrigued.
"Truthfully, I'm pretty good at finding things," Linton said. "Every lost item in the Melowei family, even the eight dogs that went missing, I found them all, one by one."
Jasaien cringed behind him. *Come on, man, that's all made up! There were no missing dogs! And did you just compare the princess to a dog? What are you doing?*
Barry frowned but, after a moment, replied, "The princess came here to find a magical beast."
"A magical beast?"
"The Fire-Eater, Delfina," Barry said.
"What?" Jasaien was startled. "Isn't that a mythical creature?"
"It was sighted near here recently, and I believe the princess is trying to find it," Barry said.
Jasaien was about to ask why, but Barry shot him a glance that made him quickly realize it wasn't his place to ask such questions. He wisely stayed silent.
Linton, noticing this, continued, "If she's hunting a magical beast, instead of sending soldiers to search aimlessly, why not take the initiative? We could disguise a small group as adventurers and search for the beast. If the princess sees us, she'll just think we're adventurers and might even approach us, thinking we're after her prey."
Barry hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "You might be right. I'll have my squad…"
"No, no. The princess knows your men. If she sees them, she'll definitely stay hidden," Linton interrupted. "Here's what I suggest: disguise yourself, just you. Since the princess knows you, she might still show herself. My nephew and I know the area well and can guide you. Plus, the princess doesn't know us, so we won't blow our cover. Just the three of us searching will likely yield better results, don't you think?"
Barry considered this, nodding slowly. "You might be onto something."
"Bringing you along is essential since you recognize the princess. Otherwise, how would we know it's her? Just wrap yourself in a simple disguise," Linton suggested. "It's only a three-person team, but I'm confident it'll work. Meanwhile, the others can continue searching to avoid raising suspicion. How about it?"
"Your plan… sounds reasonable. Are you really good at finding people?" Barry asked.
"I'm absolutely confident in my skills," Linton replied.
"Alright, time is of the essence. Let's move," Barry agreed.
"But we should disguise ourselves first. Let's head into town and buy some gear," Linton suggested.
Barry looked down at his armor and realized it wasn't suitable for an adventurer. After a moment's thought, he nodded. He briefly spoke with Jollab, who looked at them curiously as they left. The large-scale search was left in the hands of Jollab and Barry's subordinates.
Once they were outside, Jasaien muttered under his breath, "You've really done it now. If we don't find the princess, we're dead…"
"Trust me. In a typical story like this, I'm bound to run into the princess," Linton assured him.
"Where do you get this ridiculous confidence?" Jasaien snapped.
"Walk a bit more obviously, let the assassins notice we're leaving. Otherwise, how will you find them?" Linton instructed. "I went to great lengths to lure Barry into this. If he gets attacked, we'll have a much easier time identifying the assassins."
Jasaien understood Linton's goal: if Barry, a high-ranking captain of the Royal Maple Guard, were attacked, it would involve the royal family. The assassins' identities would be exposed more easily. But Linton was being incredibly bold, dragging a royal officer into this. If things went wrong, they could be in serious trouble.
Jasaien realized he was in way over his head, and now there was no backing out. He glanced at Barry, who seemed oblivious, and then at Linton, whose newfound confidence was baffling. Jasaien couldn't figure him out anymore. Where had this confidence come from?