《The Shadow and the Lion (Mecha Isekai, Sci-Fi/Fantasy blend)》 The End of a Battle ¡°All teams, report,¡± Rani said into the radio. The response came crackled, but there was no helping that with how far the others were away. It wasn¡¯t as though it had ever worked perfectly anyway. ¡°Alpha Teamhere, we¡¯ve taken down the bridge. No-one or nothing¡¯s coming through that way.¡± ¡°Beta Team, took some doing but the canyon road is out. Sudden landslide.¡± A few more reports, all small parts of their operation that had gone off swimmingly. Good. It was a bit difficult to make out parts of them because of the noise outside, but there was no helping that. Finally, another voice came through, the faintest of them all. ¡°Rick - oh, Zeta Team here, Commander. The Governor has surrendered. Barely put up a fight at all, actually,¡± the young-sounding voice added, briefly tinged with venom. ¡°We¡¯re in control of the city now. How¡¯s everything on your end?¡± Rani paused at another noise from outside. ¡°Just fine. That herd won¡¯t be bothering you.¡± ¡°Ha, shouldn¡¯t have worried. When can we expect you all back?¡± Rani¡¯s gaze swept across the cockpit - the sparking parts of the console, and the error messages on the screens still functioning. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. I won¡¯t be walking away from this one.¡± Someone audibly cursed as Ricky replied. ¡°What¡¯s your location, Commander? We can be there in-¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Rani cut him off, calm as a frozen lake. ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t too late, the sound of your engines would just get you swarmed. We knew the risks.¡± It was easy to imagine him, in whatever room he was in right now, freezing up the way he often did. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you behind, Commander. None of this could have happened without you.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Another noise, this one right outside. ¡°Ricky,¡± Rani began. ¡°Do you remember what I told you when all this began?¡± ¡°¡®If you want to change things, you¡¯ll need to make a hard decision sooner or later,¡¯¡±. Ricky said, the words sounding brittle coming from his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve made one of those decisions for you today, and now you have another,¡± Rani murmured. ¡°Which is more important: a city where people don¡¯t have to be afraid of the people ruling it, or me? I think you know the answer.¡± They¡¯d often had these kinds of discussions, and they always seemed to go longer than was necessary. Not this time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rani. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. This is better than how I would have gone, if not for you. A lot of others felt the same. Remember that, always.¡± Rani reached over and shut off her radio. Nobody needed to hear what was about to happen. Something struck the outside of the cockpit. Weakly by their standards, which meant it only shook violently instead of being caved in. Rani turned to the only screen still functional, flipping open a keypad below. They¡¯d disabled the city¡¯s ability to send override commands remotely, but doing them manually was still an option. Another blow came as Rani typed, followed by a creaking noise. Sunlight entered the cockpit as it was peeled open a crack, along with a far less pleasant sight. It had a lost a few eyes and was bleeding heavily, but regrettably, it could still move. Rani continued typing, while it wedged two pincers into the opening it had made and spread them. The hole opened, slowly. It really was on its last legs if it was taking that long. You almost had to admire it wanting a last meal this badly. It was strange not to feel afraid, especially when this was something they¡¯d lived under the threat of for so long in one way or another. Maybe it was the hope Ricky had helped stir up, or maybe it had just been so long there was no longer any point to being afraid. Either way, Rani finished the command and confirmed it. The effect was immediate; the people who¡¯d designed this function had had only one thing in mind, and it certainly wasn¡¯t the pilot¡¯s safety. A sensation of heat came from below her, increasing from second to second. The creature outside the cockpit stopped just before lunging, perplexed at the suddenly hot metal beneath it. ¡°Sorry,¡± Rani murmured, ¡°it¡¯s just not either of our days.¡± Then there was light, followed by darkness. The Beginning of Something Else The next thing Rani saw was the roof of a house. That was odd. Outside the city the only homes belonged to nomads or hermits, who understood the value in ones you could pack up in a few minutes notice. On second thought, it was probably odder that Rani had eyeballs to see this, and a brain to consider it. Two arms and two legs, as well. Sitting up made it clear they were in a sturdy bed, in one corner of a room with wooden walls. ¡°Finally awake, are you?¡± said a fair-haired woman of some years sitting nearby. She was dressed in a simple, dark dress. As their gazes met, Rani took note of how sharp her eyes were. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t blame you for the rest, but I can¡¯t have you taking up one of my beds for too much longer.¡± She rose, gesturing for Rani to do the same. ¡°Come on, up - don¡¯t tell me I had the bad luck to grab someone who can¡¯t understand me-¡± ¡°I do,¡± Rani said, getting up. They were still dressed in their uniform. ¡°Where is this. Why-¡± The woman smiled at the verbal fumble. ¡°¡¯Why am I still alive¡¯, you mean? It is a fair question. You certainly would have in that situation, if an angel hadn¡¯t appeared.¡± ¡°And that would be you?¡± ¡°Metaphorically, at least.¡± Rani¡¯s host turned and walked over to a window on the far wall. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re confused about a few different things right now, one of which is how a home like this could possibly be anywhere near the wasteland you were fighting in, hm?¡± She opened it and gestured to Rani. She didn¡¯t look dangerous, but she also didn¡¯t seem to think Rani was anything to fear, either. On the other hand, if she¡¯d had murder on her mind it wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t had the chance before. Rani stepped forward and looked out. They didn¡¯t say anything for some time. ¡°You really haven¡¯t seen anything like that where you come from, have you?¡± the woman murmured happily, patting Rani on the shoulder. ¡°Come outside in the garden, and we¡¯ll chat.¡± Outside the window was - green. Other colors as well, but the trees outside may as well have been an ocean to someone used to the city, where even jarred flowers were a sign of the wealthy. It was unthinkable that a garden like this one could exist on the world Rani knew. As it turned out, that couldn¡¯t have been a more accurate thought. --- Soon after, they were in the garden, sitting at a table. A pot of tea and two cups had been prepared. Rani wasn¡¯t intending to touch theirs, but both were empty. ¡°I suppose introductions are in order first, aren¡¯t they?¡± the woman smiled. ¡°I have a few names and titles, but Constance will do for now.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Rani.¡± ¡°A lovely name,¡± Constance replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure one look out here was enough to tell you you¡¯re no longer at home - but I¡¯m also sure you want to know how. Correct?¡± Rani nodded. Constance beamed. ¡°I love dealing with direct people.¡± She suddenly snapped her fingers. A few moments later both cups were fill. Rani stared at the teapot, floating a foot off the table, and continued to do even after it had lowered back down. ¡°That wasn¡¯t some kind of trick,¡± they said after a moment. ¡°Well, depends on your perspective. Some might say magic is the biggest trick of all,¡± Constance said smoothly. Evidently that changed something in Rani¡¯s face, because she shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not trying to trick you.¡± She flicked her wrist off to one side: a crackle of bright lights flashed in mid-air before vanishing. ¡°Of course, bringing a person to another world was a bit more of a work-out. If I were a less great wizard, it¡¯d have been me lying in that bed, at best.¡± Rani took a sip, partly on the grounds that someone who liked the sound of their voice this much probably wouldn¡¯t poison someone she could subject to it. The tea tasted fine enough, not that they were the best person to judge. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Constance tilted her head. ¡°No games, please,¡± Rani said, setting the cup down. ¡°If it was that difficult to bring me here, you obviously wanted something. Or do you make a habit of eavesdropping on people and deciding whether or not to save them?¡± It came out angrier than they¡¯d intended, but Constance didn¡¯t appear bothered. ¡°Does the idea of being saved out of goodwill not make you happy?¡± she asked, sounding genuinely curious. ¡°Then I don¡¯t mind saying that yes, I did summon you here with a specific task in mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rani asked when that seemed to be it. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of things I¡¯m capable of, but I can¡¯t know if this falls under them unless you say what it is.¡± ¡°So you will do it, then?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Constance sighed. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s reasonable.¡± She stood up, gesturing for Rani to follow again. ¡°Explaining why would take too much of the day for my tastes. For now, you can do me a favor - but not while wearing that.¡± Rani looked down at their pilot uniform, skintight and dark. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± ¡°Goodness gracious.¡± --- Laid out on a table in Constance¡¯s cabin was a set of clothes in Rani¡¯s size: a shirt, pants, boots, and a cloak. Nothing fancy, but once Rani had tugged them on they fit nice and felt warm. They¡¯d also been cleaned recently, which while a luxury by their standards wasn¡¯t an unwelcome one. ¡°Now, don¡¯t you look dashing,¡± Constance murmured, walking around them. ¡°They¡¯re made for a man, technically, but you didn¡¯t seem like the kind of woman who would mind that.¡± Rani kept quiet. It would take too long to explain. ¡°They¡¯re not bad. What do you need me to do in them?¡± A tiny, yet quite solid bag was dropped into their hand, producing the sound of metal clinking against itself. ¡°Head through the path out of the woods and there will be a town nearby,¡± Constance began. ¡°You can¡¯t miss it. I have an order with a local blacksmith by the name of Emrick Mudrock. He might grumble a bit, but this is more than enough for the work.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s all I need,¡± Constance said frankly. ¡°But while you¡¯re there I wouldn¡¯t mind if you took a look around. It would explain some things better than I could.¡± Rani was handed a backpack in addition. ¡°There¡¯s some food in there if you get hungry, and a bit of extra coin if you feel like a drink. Have a pleasant walk.¡± It didn¡¯t sound like she¡¯d be explaining anything further. Feeling more than a bit foolish for it, Rani left. At least there would be a bit of quiet. Welcome to Leonhold More than a little, actually. Without Constance in their ear, it was clear to Rani just how much quieter wherever this was compared to their home. There was the wind, and the sounds of a few small animals nearby, but next to the constant buzzing of The City it may as well have been dead silent. In the pack was some portable food, among them a few apples. These would probably be worth a day¡¯s wages back home, if you were lucky. Rani bit into one while they considered their current situation. Even if they didn¡¯t quite know what here was yet, it wasn¡¯t home - not the same continent, and not even the same planet. That meant they wouldn¡¯t be seeing any of the others again. On the other hand, that was more-or-less what they¡¯d committed to on that battlefield, wasn¡¯t it? That wasn¡¯t how most people would have approached this, but Rani would be the first to admit they didn¡¯t think the same way as other people. That still left the question of what to do now. Constance hadn¡¯t outright said it, but it was easy to imagine why she needed someone like Rani around. It didn¡¯t really matter whether she had magic; even if they were all-powerful, some people simply didn¡¯t like to get their hands dirty. Did they want to go along with that? If not, then what? Ask to be sent back home, with everyone thinking they were dead? The path, if you could even call it that, was practically grown over from the trees on either side. If Constance liked visitors, she obviously liked them to be determined about meeting her. Finally there was an opening ahead. Rani pushed out, covering their eyes against the brighter sunlight. Outside the trees was a stretch of plains that went as far as the eye could see. Off in one direction in the distance were some more wooden buildings, and fields next to them with people working. In the other, though, was a more impressive structure: a great wall of solid stone. It was a different material, but Rani was all-too familiar with its purpose and what it represented. Here, the wilderness ended and civilization began; you were safe here. That said, the walls Rani knew never had the gates open like this one. There was one other thing that seemed familiar to them. Two, actually. Rani kept an eye on them as they approached the gate, which itself was watched by two men in armor. It was only steel armor, and they had swords at their belts instead of guns, but Rani recognized the look in their eyes: my job is to keep you out if it comes to it, but I¡¯d prefer it not come to that, if it¡¯s alright with you. One of them held up a hand as Rani approached, and they stopped obediently. He looked them up and down a moment. On his chestplate was an insignia showing a lion and a bolt of lightning. ¡°Come a long way from the east, have you?¡± The guard began, not unkindly. ¡°Here for the Royale,¡± the guard squinted and took a second look, ¡°Miss?¡± Rani had been wondering how the people here would react to someone with features like theirs. If there were natives who looked similar, that was good. As for his question, that was definitely a no, but some gut feeling made Rani nod. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± The other guard whistled. ¡°More of you solo types than usual this year. Got your Runic Knight stashed somewhere else?¡± ¡°Not that that¡¯s any of our business, of course,¡± his partner said, shooting him a glare. Rani¡¯s gaze flicked above. ¡°Yes, somewhere.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll need to head to the castle and hand in your name in the next few days. It¡¯ll be held on the end of the week.¡± The first guard smiled. ¡°Good luck, for what it¡¯s worth. And welcome to Leonhold.¡± Before they walked through the gates, Rani took one last look at what stood before them on either side. Another reminder of home, one Constance had to have known they¡¯d see on this little outing. If this was a coincidence, they¡¯d eat the bag of coins they were carrying. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Towering almost above the stone wall were two giant figures made of polished steel, resembling walking suits of armor. Set into the armor in places were what looked like large gemstones. Rani wasn¡¯t shocked by the sight - these were old-fashioned by comparison, but on principle identical to the Vanguard they¡¯d been piloting for years.
Leonhold seemed like a pleasant enough town past the gate. It moved into an incline going up, and Rani could see various shops on what looked like the main street. Past everything else towered - well, Leonhold Castle, probably. Ricky had shown them a picture of one once, among other things from this time, in one of his books. It looked a lot more impressive in real life. Asking about this Emrick Mudrock got quick results, thankfully. The shopkeeper they asked was quite respectful, in fact. Maybe they thought Rani was here for the Royale too, whatever it was. His shop ended up being a bit out of the way, close to the wall around the town, and shockingly small. Not in terms of how much space it took up, but the height: the door was actually a bit shorter than they were. Rani knocked, to silence. They waited a while and then knocked again, or at least made to. ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming, I heard you the first time!¡± The door opened, with no-one behind it. At least, not until Rani looked down. On the other side was a dusty-haired man in worker¡¯s clothes, complete with a pair of smokey goggles across his face. His age was indeterminate, especially with the thin-looking beard he wore, but his height was exact: about four feet tall. It was a strange feeling to tower over someone while not being particularly tall yourself. ¡°Got business for me, stranger?¡± Emrick, if this was him, did an about face back into his shop. ¡°Come on in, then - but I¡¯ll warn you, if this is about the Royale you may as well look elsewhere. Practically zero chance I¡¯ll get to your Knight before then thanks to all the rush.¡± Rani had to stop to enter, but inside the roof was thankfully a bit higher. As if to compensate, the floor was practically standing-room only. Various tools and papers had been laid around with the kind of logic only the owner truly understood. At the back, an impressive-looking forge stood. ¡°I¡¯m not here for that,¡± Rani said as they looked around. ¡°Constance asked me to give this to an Emrick Mudrock.¡± They jiggled the bag of coins. The name made him snap right around. ¡°Then, being Emrick Mudrock myself, that¡¯s music to my ears.¡± He practically snatched the bag out from their grip and turned to a counter nearby, clearing room with a sweep of his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Emrick murmured, spreading the coins out and counting each quickly. ¡°Hm,¡± he grunted after a moment. ¡°About the going rate, I suppose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you agreed upon?¡± Rani asked. They¡¯d been wondering about that, considering they were the messenger.¡± Emrick waved a hand vaguely. ¡°For the volume of work, totally accurate - but in this case there was also the innovation, the extra mental effort, off-sight work...if it hadn¡¯t been her as the client I¡¯d have practically been cutting my own throat.¡± He smiled. ¡°But then again, you can¡¯t really put a price on being owed a favor by the Witch of the North.¡± As he spoke, Rani took a look at the anvil before the forge. Instead of a weapon or some kind of tool, Emrick had apparently been working on a fine-looking, spherical gemstone, a bit bigger than their fist. He noticed their interest and nodded. ¡°Decent one, right? Not a pox on any of the really well-off competitors, but I always enjoy seeing what comes in when the Royale rolls around.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to put two and two together. ¡°Do you get many customers wanting their knights worked on before it?¡± ¡°A good amount,¡± Emrick nodded. ¡°Most of the big noble boys bring their own forge with them, and there¡¯s one up at the castle, but I¡¯m one of the only people in town who knows anything about working with Rune Gems. Only dwarf, too,¡± he added with a bit of pride. ¡°You¡¯re a dwarf?¡± Emrick gave them a look which said they may have just uttered the most idiotic thing he¡¯d ever heard. ¡°No, just a tragic accident involving a wagon. ¡®Course I am! You from the east? I know it¡¯s all deserts that way, but you have to have pictures of us, at least?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Rani said simply. ¡°No offense taken - if you wanted to offend me, there¡¯s a half-dozen other things you could have said.¡± Emrick turned back to the forge. ¡°Now, I really ought to get back to the finishing touches on this. Thanks for the delivery, and good luck if you are here for the Royale.¡± That seemed to be all. ¡°Afraid not, but you¡¯re welcome,¡± Rani said as they walked back toward the door, grateful they didn¡¯t need to haggle. ¡°Wise decision,¡± Emrick said, not looking up from his work. ¡°I don¡¯t even compete in the thing and some years I think it¡¯s too much trouble. Can¡¯t imagine willingly hopping into that lion¡¯s den, if you¡¯ll pardon the pun.¡± Having a funny feeling they knew who might be expected to do just that, Rani put their hand on the knob. Just then, Emrick¡¯s shop received two more visitors. These ones didn¡¯t knock. A Young Lion There wasn¡¯t too much to say about the duo that pushed themselves into the building. It was a tighter fit for one of them than Rani, and the piece-meal armor both wore didn¡¯t look like something they were here to fix. Neither looked like they were used to businesses in general, at least not as paying customers. "Something I can help you two with?¡± asked Emrick, turning away from the forge with a weary look in his eyes. ¡°Rune Gem inspectors,¡± the shorter one grinned. ¡°Just checking everything¡¯s up to board. Oh, and you have one on the go right there!¡± ¡°And I suppose you¡¯d have credentials for an important job like that?¡± The man grinned. ¡°Oh, of course, where are my manners?¡± A flick of his wrist brought a thick-looking knife into his hand. Up until now, any weapons they¡¯d seen in this world had been stuck in their sheaths, held by people with no interest in using them. This one and the intent behind it stirred instincts in Rani. They brought their fists up almost without thinking about it. ¡°Huh?¡± the man with the knife seemed to notice them for the first time. ¡°That your gem, then? Well sorry, Miss, but-¡± Of course, there was a world of difference between holding a knife and actually wielding one. A quick swing of Rani¡¯s hand meant he wasn¡¯t doing either. His eyes bulged in shock as it clattered away, a moment before Rani¡¯s other hand hit him in the gut. He doubled over, and a kick to his leg sent him to the floor. His companion snarled, stepping forward and lifting hands big enough to throttle the life out of someone. When he made a grab for Rani¡¯s throat they slipped away to his side, grabbing him by the arm near his shoulder. It was a throw they¡¯d done countless times before, and it wasn¡¯t any less effective for being done in another world: the large man went sailing back out through the door, even if it wasn¡¯t the smoothest fit. A landing like that wasn¡¯t something you got up from quickly if you were his size, and before he could even make it partway up Rani was upon him. They pulled back one fist for a blow that would neutralize him - and then looked into a pair of frightened eyes that hadn¡¯t woken up today expecting to encounter someone like them. Rani breathed out, letting the aggression go with it. Then, a voice rang out. ¡°City Watch! Put your hands above your heads, both of you!¡± That kind of shout didn¡¯t leave much room for disobedience, especially not to someone who¡¯d been listening to ones like it for years. Rani did as they were told, which was a wise idea: these men had crossbows. Museum piece or no, a direct hit from one of those bolts would take down anyone. The man apparently in charge of the three, who hadn¡¯t been the one to yell, let out a sigh, running a hand through his slightly grayed hair. ¡°Well, what do we have here? A bit of high spirits before the Royale? Hands happened to slip?¡± ¡°They were trying to rob the forge,¡± Rani called, not budging a muscle. One of the two holding the crossbows, the one who¡¯d yelled, was younger than his comrades and seemed like he had an itchy trigger finger. The large thief was getting to his feet nearby, eyes flicking between them and the guards. ¡°She¡¯s telling the truth, Royce,¡± Emrick called as he emerged from the damaged entrance, shoving the other robber ahead of him. It looked like he¡¯d taken a few other blows beyond the one Rani had given him, and one of his arms was twisted easily behind his back. ¡°Not that I needed the help, mind you.¡± Royce let out a whistle. ¡°Robbing a dwarf¡¯s forge, boys, with just the two of you? You¡¯d need to be completely desperate to try that - or know the pay was more than worth it. Which is it here?¡± Neither spoke, but from his body language Rani could guess the large one was nervous. If they¡¯d been hired to do this, would ratting out whoever had be worse than some time in jail? Assuming it wasn¡¯t straight to the guillotine for theft here. The thief being held by Emrick suddenly lunged backward with one foot, kicking the dwarf in the head. He grunted and loosened his grip, allowing the thief to snatch up something from his belt. The young watchmen with the crossbow quickly fired at him, missing by barely a hair before he threw whatever it was to the ground. To Rani it was like a flashbang had gone off. Intense, brilliant light filled the street around them, the kind that forced your eyes shut if you wanted them to still function properly. Rani heard movement around them, but it was pointless trying to stop anyone you couldn¡¯t see. When the light was gone, predictably so was the duo. The watchmen in charge, Royce, cursed as he rubbed his eyes. ¡°Damn and blast, they¡¯re bringing Spell Gems with them now too? Hate this time of year¡­Richard, come on back, son. If they had one of those, odds are good they have more.¡± The young watchmen stopped from where he¡¯d begun to run off. ¡°What, and just let them go, Sergeant? They tried to rob a Leonhold citizen!¡± ¡°If no-one got hurt, it¡¯s not worth risking anyone¡¯s life over,¡± Royce said matter-of-factly. ¡°Besides, if they¡¯re carrying tools like that no chance we¡¯re getting a proper confession from them.¡± ¡°But Sir!¡± Richard began to protest, only to be cut off by Royce pressing his helmet down over his eyes. ¡°You can relax now, Miss,¡± the older watchmen said, looking over at Rani. ¡°If Emrick vouched for you, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Rani had relaxed, but could see they were mostly a way out of that argument. ¡°Do you need me to give a statement?¡± they asked. Royce scoffed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t think so. Doubt those two will try anything again before the festivities, and then with any hope they¡¯ll be off for greener pastures.¡± He looked Rani over. ¡°You a participant yourself?¡± He cocked an eyebrow when Rani shook their head. ¡°I see. Well, if you¡¯re here for work,¡± the watchmen added, making the four-letter word sound quite significant as it came from his mouth, ¡°try to keep it where we don¡¯t see it, are we clear? Fistfights in the street are a bad look for the castle, and us.¡± Rani nodded, making Royce crack a smile. ¡°Lovely,¡± he murmured. ¡°It¡¯s always a rare pleasure meeting someone who respects the local watch. Have a pleasant day.¡± He and the other watchmen turned and left, a bit ahead of the squad¡¯s third member. Their younger comrade, Richard, had ran to retrieve his bolt, and was now sliding it back into his quiver. ¡°Not a bad shot,¡± Rani remarked, ¡°but you fired a bit fast.¡± They watched as he turned, raising an eyebrow at this. ¡°That¡¯s the idea, isn¡¯t it? Nearly got him, too.¡± ¡°At that angle you might have hit him in the throat, or the head.¡± Richard frowned. ¡°Well, if they were trying to rob the forge they might have hurt Emrick, or you for that matter. What¡¯s your point?¡± Rani wasn¡¯t certain themself, to tell the truth. ¡°Just wondering if you gave yourself time to think it through, that¡¯s all. Sorry.¡± The young watchmen furrowed his brow, but before he could work out a reply one of his superiors called from down the street. Shrugging at Rani, Richard hurried to catch up with them. And that seemed to be it for the few minutes of excitement. ¡°Thanks for that, incidentally,¡± Emrick said, still lingering by his door. ¡°Could have handled those two fine - probably - but not everyone here would have lifted a finger to help.¡± He scratched his beard. ¡°You staying in town? Wouldn¡¯t mind treating you to a drink.¡± Rani shook their head. ¡°I should probably get back to Constance¡¯s. She didn¡¯t seem like someone who liked being kept waiting.¡± ¡°Ha! I can tell you¡¯re a great judge of character.¡± Emrick waved. ¡°Take care then. Hope whatever she wants you for doesn¡¯t end up burning ya.¡± As they made their way back toward the front gate, Rani was wondering that themselves. --- ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back.¡± Constance smiled. ¡°How was Leonhold? Emrick give you any trouble?¡± The trip back through the woods was perfectly uneventful, and day had begun to give way to dusk. While Rani was out Constance had taken the time to produce some supper: some soup, bread and salad. Suddenly the soldier was incredibly hungry. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°He seemed fine with the payment,¡± they said, sitting down. ¡°It sounded like he did quite a job for you.¡± Constance smiled, taking a spoonful of soup. Rani got the picture, doing the same. It was a fine soup, hearty and filling. You wouldn¡¯t find anything like this at home, at least not for a casual meal. When they¡¯d eaten about half their bowl, though, they set the spoon down and looked up at the mage. ¡°I heard a lot in town about some kind of event happening soon, using those giant knights. You want me to enter and win it, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°My,¡± the older woman said, beaming, ¡°you¡¯re very quick-witted, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m glad. You¡¯re a tiny bit off, though,¡± she added. ¡°The Lightning Royale is indeed a competition between Runic Knights and their riders, and I do want you to enter it. But I want you to make sure someone else wins.¡± Rani considered this. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A very fair question. I suppose that means you didn¡¯t hear any specifics about the competition?¡± When Rani shook their head, she raised one hand and clicked her fingers. A small image of a figure blinked into view above the table. It was a knight like the ones Rani had seen in town, but many times more regal and ornate-looking. Its armor was equal parts red and gold, and it wore a large sword in a sheath upon its back. Most striking of all was the chest, which was molded into the shape of a lion¡¯s head. ¡°This is Leovold, the Duke of Lightning,¡± Constance murmured, gesturing to the image. ¡°You¡¯ve seen Runic Knights - well, this is what we call a Runic Lord. I¡¯ll spare you the exact details, but suffice to say, they¡¯re extremely powerful and rare. Leovold is the one in this country¡¯s possession.¡± Rani nodded. It certainly looked impressive, even scaled down. ¡°So, the winner earns the right to pilot it?¡± Again, Constance shook her head. ¡°No. They earn the right to sit inside Leovold and be judged. If they¡¯re of good enough character, he might permit them to be his rider. Runic Lords are a bit choosy.¡± That made things clearer. ¡°So you have someone in mind you think will fit the bill?¡± ¡°Someone I know will,¡± Constance replied. ¡°There¡¯s only one problem. The Royale is open to anyone with a Runic Knight who can afford the entrance fee. He can do both, but he¡¯ll be on his own against many others. Winning, or even merely doing well in the Royale is enough of an accolade for knights to fight their hardest.¡± Rani swallowed the spoon¡¯s worth of soup they¡¯d taken in the meantime. ¡°I can see another problem beyond numbers, in that case. You say you need to have great character to be considered worthy of him, but-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not needed to join the competition? Oh, certainly not.¡± Constance smiled in a way that didn¡¯t quite touch her eyes. ¡°Plenty of unscrupulous individuals join every year, and some of the most unscrupulous are too powerful to turn away: winning is a fine feather in any noble''s cap, and the wealth the event brings into Leonhold is enough that they can get away with plenty. I assume you saw something like that in town?¡± Rani nodded, trying the salad. Not something they were used to, but it was alright. ¡°So, if the person you¡¯re talking about joined ten years in a row, you don¡¯t think they¡¯d win once?¡± Constance waved a hand vaguely. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely, but possibly. That doesn¡¯t matter, though.¡± Her face was suddenly gravely serious. ¡°We don¡¯t have ten years to work with. We don¡¯t even have two. If the young man I¡¯m talking about doesn¡¯t become Leovold¡¯s Rider now, this kingdom is done for.¡± This might have sent anyone actually from Leonhold into a panic. Rani looked nonplussed. ¡°How do you know that?¡± they asked. ¡°Magic again?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Constance said smoothly. ¡°It was a vision, and normal folk are fortunate enough not to receive those. I remember what I saw in it about as much as people do ordinary dreams, but I can¡¯t forget what I felt from it: chaos, despair, desolation.¡± ¡°I think I understand,¡± Rani murmured after a moment to let that settle. ¡°If you could affect the Royale yourself, you wouldn¡¯t need to have brought me here. And I¡¯m guessing the people here wouldn¡¯t accept him being granted that honor for free, vision or no vision.¡± Constance actually laughed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯d be surprised. But they certainly wouldn¡¯t accept a commoner who hadn¡¯t earned it, which he unfortunately is. If I could wave my hands and make him a noble, this would actually be a lot easier.¡± She leaned back. ¡°So I needed someone like you. Someone who can solve problems even when the numbers are against them, who can improvise, who can be the one piece that flips the whole board upside-down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only one soldier,¡± Rani said, not for the first time in this kind of situation. ¡°What makes you think I can change the course of an entire battle?¡± Constance eyes locked with theirs. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve already seen you fight. If you can kill creatures like that, beating the caliber of knight the Royale has attracted in recent years should be easy.¡± That ¡®should¡¯ stuck out like a mine in a flat field, but it wasn¡¯t as though Rani could say she was lying when they¡¯d never even seen the event. ¡°Does this knight know you¡¯re doing all this for him?¡± Rani asked instead. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t,¡± Constance admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve never spoken to him once, in fact, even after I learned he was fit to be Leovold¡¯s Rider. He¡¯d never agree with this plan, for what it¡¯s worth, but what he doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt him.¡± She clicked her fingers twice, first to dispel the image of Leovold and then summon a new one. ¡°You¡¯ll probably want to know what he looks like, of course.¡± In place of the Runic Lord was the face of a boy in his later teenage years, with auburn hair, suntanned skin and brown eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a member of the city watch, and is the squire of a knight at the castle who is far above the caliber of those who come for the Royale. His name is-¡± ¡°Richard,¡± Rani answered. ¡°I saw him in town.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Constance said with a nod, ¡°since you¡¯ll be seeing a lot more of him - if you accept.¡± Rani had been wondering when she¡¯d get around to this. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen the capital city - if Leonhold is that, anyway. How many people live in this country?¡± ¡°Levina is its name, the land of humans. It¡¯s not the only country with them, but it¡¯s where they¡¯re most safe.¡± Constance pursed her lips slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not a head-counter by trade but there¡¯s probably, oh, around a hundred-thousand people here.¡± ¡°How many will die if this catastrophe happens?¡± It was the kind of question that could make people flinch when asked to answer it. Constance simply tilted her head. ¡°How many would be unacceptable to you?¡± Rani took a drink of water and set it down. ¡°One,¡± they said after a moment. The witch¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I think it may reach that number.¡± ¡°Then we should get started quickly.¡± Rani replied, raising from their chair. To their surprise, Constance shook her head. ¡°I think not, actually. The day¡¯s almost gone as is.¡± She locked eyes with Rani again. ¡°And besides, you being unconscious wasn¡¯t the same as resting. You¡¯re exhausted, I can tell.¡± Rani shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s nothing unusual. I was in that battle exhausted, and you saw how I performed anyway.¡± Constance smirked. ¡°Then I¡¯ll look forward to seeing how you do with a full night¡¯s sleep.¡± --- While Rani was forcefully getting an entire night¡¯s rest, someone was sacrificing part of their own. Leonhold Castle fielded a few squadron¡¯s worth of Runic Knights, and even in times of peace it wouldn¡¯t do for their riders to get rusty. Some years ago a complex training ground had been set up near the knights¡¯ barracks, letting them practice any time they liked. It was the work of a few professional mages who had asked for quite the fee, but keeping Runic Knights and the riders inside maintained was worth a fortune. In it currently was a single rider. The Runic Knight they were using was as ordinary a one as you could call them, clad in simple armor that just barely covered the inner frame, but it still moved with grace that should have been impossible for something so giant. Its sword swept through the air, cleaving through motes of light in the air almost as soon as they appeared. Finally a chime came, signalling the end of the session. The dome around the training field, which deafened any noise inside, faded away. The Runic Knight¡¯s rider took a deep breath, bringing the knight into a kneeling position and exiting the cockpit. It had been all Richard could do to keep his frustration from today under control, and neither the rest of his shift with the watch nor his duties as a squire had quite been able to make it disappear. A real knight didn¡¯t make their problems someone else¡¯s, so he¡¯d had to wait until now to use it on something. They may have just been magic lights, but you could imagine them being anything. Making sure the training knight wouldn¡¯t tip over, Richard walked back toward the barracks, stopping halfway. Watching him was a boy a bit younger than him, his fair skin and hair standing out in the moonlight. ¡°Lovely work, Richard,¡± he called. ¡°Basil!¡± the squire said, hurrying over. ¡°You know your pa will throw a fit if he catches you out this late.¡± ¡°Ha, and Sir Albert won¡¯t do the same if he sees you breaking curfew?¡± Basil replied evenly, shifting on the cane in his right hand. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be the only one out at this hour. Anything the matter, Richard? Controlling one of those is hard enough without doing it half-asleep, or so I hear.¡± The squire shrugged vaguely. ¡°Just the jitters, I guess. First time I¡¯m competing in the Royale, after all.¡± Basil nodded, and then after a moment added, ¡°So, what is it really? You know I¡¯m the only one of us who gets those.¡± He gave his friend¡¯s expression a closer look before he could look away. ¡°Did a competitor do something in town?¡± He really could read him like a book, Richard thought. Not that there was any shame in the Prince of Leonhold being able to do it, but he also wasn¡¯t under any illusion his friend needed any special royalty training for the deed, either. ¡°Just an attempt at a burglary, that¡¯s all. We don¡¯t even know if it was someone here for the Royale.¡± ¡°But you think it was,¡± Basil finished, gripping his cane. He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re probably right, too. A few of the noble heirs came to pay respects at the castle today: they all seemed like they¡¯d be fine tripping the person next to them if it got them what they wanted.¡± Richard scowled. ¡°Boils the blood, doesn¡¯t it? They can play dirty all they like, and the worst that can happen to them if they win is Leovold turning them down. What¡¯s the use of him if people can break the law in his country and get away with it?¡± Him and his big mouth; he could he¡¯d screwed up as soon as Basil pursed his lips. ¡°¡­Sorry. I know it¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only so long we¡¯ll be able to say that, though, isn¡¯t there?¡± Basil said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the crown sooner or later.¡± Before Richard could say anything more, the prince leaned forward on his cane. ¡°Don¡¯t know why we¡¯re talking about this so gloomily, though. We both know you¡¯re going to win the Royale, after all.¡± The squire broke out into a smile. ¡°Ha! Of course!¡± Richard thumped his chest-plate. ¡°We¡¯ll see how those dirty tricks match up against a real Leonhold knight, won¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Basil said, and pointed across the grounds at the barracks. ¡°Provided you get a good night¡¯s rest first. I¡¯d like to not see you here again at this hour until the event; prince¡¯s orders.¡± Richard couldn¡¯t argue with a request like that, crown or no crown. But as he walked back to the barracks the confidence he¡¯d inflated himself with faded like a bit of smoke. He could puff himself up all he wanted, but it wouldn¡¯t change how small his chances really were. The most he could really do in the Royale was avoid totally embarrassing the castle and his master. Actually winning would take an angel¡¯s intervention. Old Partner, Different Weapons Rani opened their eyes at the sound of footsteps, and raised themselves out of bed. ¡°Not a heavy sleeper, are you?¡± Constance commented from nearby. She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just after dawn. After breakfast, we can begin our first move.¡± It was eggs and bacon. Rani didn¡¯t know where she¡¯d have gotten either, but didn¡¯t feel the need to ask. They were good. ¡°Would that be entering me into the competition officially?¡± Rani asked once the last mouthful was gone. ¡°I assume you have the fee prepared.¡± ¡°A trivial matter,¡± Constance said with a nod. ¡°Alright. But we have one that isn¡¯t,¡± Rani replied. ¡°This battle royale is for those knights. Even if you have one lying around, I hope you¡¯re not expecting me to learn to pilot one in a few days.¡± Constance smiled. ¡°I do like people who ask these sorts of questions, you know,¡± she murmured happily. ¡°It saves time. No, I don¡¯t expect you to learn anything new. There¡¯s no time for that, as you say - and it isn¡¯t necessary.¡± Rani raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it-¡± they began, and trailed off as realization dawned. ¡°I really wasn¡¯t thinking clearly enough,¡± the soldier said ruefully, shaking their head. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, in hindsight.¡± ¡°Yesterday was awfully busy for you,¡± Constance said sympathetically. She rose. ¡°Come, it¡¯s close by.¡± It stood to reason if you thought about it. If Constance was able to bring someone to another world, why wouldn¡¯t she be able to do the same with what that person was inside? --- If the path Rani had taken earlier was a bit obscured, the one Constance led them to was practically invisible. Rani could have sworn a few of the trees even had to move aside as they made their way through. Eventually the trail opened up to another clearing, where it lay propped up against a particularly large tree: the Vanguard Rani had been piloting. Along with the City¡¯s massive walls, they were another symbol of defense against the wilderness outside. With two arms and two legs, they were capable of fighting in any terrain and wielding multiple types of weaponry. Practically every building in the City towered over them, but they in turn towered over humans. A full platoon of Vanguards was close to invincible, or so the local news broadcasts often said. The last Rani had seen this one, it had been disproving that notion quite well: the only way it could have gotten back to civilization was by being carried. Someone had carried out repairs on it in the meantime, and in the process modified its outer armor into a Runic Knight impersonation. The arms were now gauntlets, the legs greaves, and the torso a chestplate. Easily the biggest change was the Vanguard¡¯s head, which had been knocked clean off its shoulders in its last battle. It had been replaced by a simple helmet of black iron, unremarkable save for two curved, narrow eyeholes that seemed to give it an intense stare. As silly as the idea was, it was still an impressive piece of work overall. Rani could still recognize what it was underneath, but only because they¡¯d piloted one for years; the chances of any local noticing anything off about it were probably close to zero. How it looked was only one part of things, though. ¡°Can it move?¡± ¡°¡¯Can it move¡¯?¡± a voice called. Walking from out behind the Vanguard was a familiar sight. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t make something this shape move just because it¡¯s made of different metal, I¡¯d pack it up and head home to work the mines,¡± Emrick said with a satisfied look on his face. ¡°Which would be a horrible waste of my talents, obviously.¡± He looked Rani up and down and grinned. ¡°Knew you weren¡¯t just some stranger. Don¡¯t worry, Constance filled me in on the details.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have much choice,¡± the witch added. ¡°He¡¯d have had a look inside sooner or later, no matter what story I tried to spin.¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Emrick agreed. He turned back to the Vanguard, gesturing at Rani to follow him. ¡°I¡¯ll start by saying, if I were the one who¡¯d built this I¡¯d be giving you a hefty piece of my mind right now. Even if it still had power, some of the insides were one hard fight away from breaking down completely.¡± Rani frowned. ¡°The reactor¡¯s out?¡± Then again, considering it had been set to blow, being dead was probably the best-case scenario. ¡°If that¡¯s what you call whatever was powering it, yeah,¡± Emrick nodded. ¡°I tried a few different things looking for any kind of reaction, but nothing came. It¡¯s that cylinder inside the back, right? Had a funny feeling about messing around with it too much, so I didn¡¯t push the issue.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Rani murmured. A Vanguard¡¯s reactor had enough yield to make a large part of this forest disappear. Emrick barely seemed to notice they¡¯d said anything. When he got onto a subject, it seemed like the speed of his mouth did, too. ¡°Once I¡¯d made sure of that, the solution was pretty simple - incredibly time-consuming and going above and beyond the call of duty, but simple.¡± He followed her gaze and grinned. ¡°Pretty proud of it, if you couldn¡¯t tell.¡± Set inside the Vanguard¡¯s waist was one of the large gemstones Rani had seen embedded in the Runic Knights¡¯ armor; it looked as though a recess had been made in the armor for just that purpose. This one was a dark green, the hue matching the black armor around it well. ¡°Constance had that one, while I supplied these,¡± Emrick went on, pointing to spots on the Vanguard¡¯s arms and legs. Set in them around the joints were a gem each, slightly smaller and without any color. ¡°A Rune Gem for power, four empty ones to hold it, and some leylines underneath the armor to tell it all where to go,¡± Emrick concluded. ¡°Last part was the trickiest bit by far, but I¡¯ll spare you the details.¡± ¡°Do they work?¡± Rani asked bluntly. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Emrick shrugged. ¡°Dunno yet. They should, but from what I hear Constance already bonded you and the gem, so I couldn¡¯t test it if I wanted to.¡± ¡°A tiny mark matching the gem so it recognizes you as its master,¡± Constance said as Rani fixed her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Invisible to the naked eye, too. It was simple to apply it while you were sleeping.¡± ¡­alright. ¡°If it explodes, it won¡¯t be my fault,¡± Rani murmured, approaching their modified machine. As they did, the green gem began to glow, casting a light that swept over the soldier. It reminded them of being scanned back home. There was no noise to signify it, but after a moment the process seemed to finish. With a clunk, the cockpit¡¯s entry hatch on the chest swung open. Which was impressive, since opening the cockpit on its own wasn¡¯t actually something the Vanguard was programmed to do. Rani climbed inside, shutting the hatch behind them. It didn¡¯t seem like Emrick had replaced anything about the inside of the cockpit - which, if they had to guess, probably didn¡¯t resemble a Runic Knight¡¯s. Hopefully that wouldn¡¯t come up. They¡¯d expected the cockpit¡¯s screens to be totally blank, and most of them were, except for the main camera. That showed a view of the clearing below from the Vanguard¡¯s head, as it always did, but with the new quirk of it being split down the middle into two halves. Well, the head did have two eye-holes now. Another change Rani was noticing was the absence of the electronic hum the Vanguard¡¯s cockpit was usually full of. It wasn¡¯t entirely an unwelcome change, but it would take some getting used to. Something else had replaced it, though. Experimentally, Rani flipped the switch connected to the Vanguard¡¯s speaker. That, surprisingly, crackled to life. Did Runic Knights have something similar? ¡°It seems like it¡¯s working, but there¡¯s an odd feeling. Sort of a tingling?¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfectly normal,¡± Constance called from outside. Her voice seemed louder too, however she¡¯d managed that. ¡°Areas with concentrated magic cause that sensation even among those who can¡¯t use it, and that includes the inside of a Runic Knight. The amount a Rune Gem generates is harmless, though.¡± Did that mean there were concentrations that weren¡¯t harmless? ¡°I¡¯ll try to get it to stand up. You should probably move back a bit.¡± They both did so, Emrick looking a bit impatient as he did. It was for their own safety, though: a Vanguard could be temperamental at times while they were standing up, and Rani saw no reason to trust a new power source completely. They gripped the controls on either side, one for each arm, and slid their legs into the braces below, which each controlled one leg. Then they attempted to make the Vanguard stand up, which meant making about the same motions as a human would do the same. Rani grunted in surprise, not at the Vanguard failing to stand, but at how well it did it. Usually this was a clunky process, and newcomers to the squad often had theirs fall over their first time trying it. This one shot up like someone who¡¯d been caught sleeping in, nearly falling over forward before Rani pulled back. ¡°It doesn¡¯t usually move that smoothly,¡± they said apologetically. ¡°I did oil the insides a little bit,¡± Emrick called up, ¡°but it could be the Gems just work better than what you had powering it before!¡± That certainly wasn¡¯t impossible: Vanguards weren¡¯t exactly built to last, any more than the pilots themselves were. Rani took a few moments to test their unit¡¯s movements. The torso, limbs and head all seemed to move just fine, and pacing the length of the clearing went without incident. Then there was the matter of equipment. The Vanguard¡¯s weapons were gone, but anything else would have been a surprise to Rani considering they were the one who¡¯d smashed them in the first place. In their place was a Runic Knight-sized sword sheathed on its side, and an equivalent crossbow hung on its back. ¡°Not quite what you¡¯re used to, I know, but it¡¯s what we have to work with,¡± Constance said as Rani took out the former. ¡°It is a shame you couldn¡¯t bring that fancy sword you used; the way the blade spun around was very unique.¡± This one did feel much lighter than the Vanguard¡¯s typical load-out. Rani went to take a swing, and then held the sword up close to the main camera (for lack of a better word). The blade was only ordinary steel in its sheath, but was now wreathed in an aura the same color as the Rune Gem, which churned and flowed. It was like it was wrapped in a gust of wind, one you could see with the naked eye. ¡°Ah,¡± Rani said, noticing another colorless gem on the sword¡¯s pommel. ¡°They can slice through other knights already, but a bit of magic never hurt,¡± Constance murmured as the soldier took a few practice swings. ¡°I should probably say now that it¡¯s not a fight to the death, so take that into account for your form.¡± She gestured to the crossbow. ¡°You should practice with that a bit, too; I imagine it¡¯s even more different than what you were firing before.¡± A sword and a gun, the exact weapons Rani had used almost exclusively with the Vanguard. The thought of Constance watching their last battle still didn¡¯t quite sit right with them, but at least it smoothed things over here. Rani reached back and brought out the crossbow; most people would need two hands to wield a weapon like this, but the Vanguard could manage it in one. There were no bolts, but another gem was set into the stock. Constance clicked her fingers below, and some lights appeared in the sky above the clearing. They were immobile, but small. Rani took aim, and as they did the vague silhouette of an arrow appeared set in the string, also made of visible wind. It seemed like it could barely sit still, churning and flowing in place as though it couldn¡¯t wait to be shot. When Rani did, a gust of air blew back against their Vanguard as the bolt took off, sailing quick and true. A bit too true, in fact: the projectile sailed right above the light Rani had chosen, and then went right on sailing until it was out of sight. ¡°Not much fall-off on these,¡± they commented. ¡°Fall-off?¡± Emrick echoed. ¡°It¡¯s magic, lady.¡± Well, he did have a point. --- The castle official who¡¯d been put in charge of taking names and payment for the Lightning Royale had been working there for a number of years as an assistant treasurer. That wasn¡¯t a job for panicky sorts, and neither was this duty. Over the past week he had signed in over a dozen people who had to have a wanted poster up in at least one country, and plenty more he was undecided on. Then there were some of the nobles, though that wasn''t a topic he''d bring up anywhere but the safety of his own head. The knight before them didn¡¯t look like either of those, but he wasn¡¯t certain that was an improvement. Their eyes didn¡¯t have cruelty or malice, but they did have an intensity behind them greater than any common bandit or mercenary. ¡°I was told you were accepting people into the Royale here?¡± they said. A woman? He relaxed, just a tad. ¡°Yes, we are. However, that will require payment equivalent to one hundred-¡± The assistant treasurer fell silent as the Dame produced a bag easily containing that amount - and in Lavenia¡¯s actual currency, at that. A small bar to clear, but some applicants failing to do so had caused their fair share of headaches. ¡°Very good,¡± he smiled, the first genuine one in a little while. ¡°Now then,¡± the treasurer added, sliding a piece of parchment and a quill pen across the desk. ¡°Beyond that we only need your name, and what your Runic Knight is called.¡± ¡°Is where I¡¯m from not important?¡± the rider asked, writing down the two names. She didn¡¯t seem experienced using a pen, but still wrote more legibly than plenty of other applicants. ¡°Not at the moment, I¡¯d say,¡± the treasurer replied delicately. ¡°We don¡¯t announce every participant, if that¡¯s what you mean - it¡¯d be an all-day affair, haha.¡± He scratched his moustache. ¡°That¡¯s a question that comes up for the winner, I should think. Afraid I don¡¯t know for certain.¡± The young woman nodded, passing back the parchment. He took it and scanned the added names as he¡¯d done many times before. ¡°Rani, astride the Runic Knight Vander. A fine name. Good luck!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Rani murmured. The Pen, Part 1 Leaving the castle, Rani took a moment to consider their next move - and to marvel at how easy this had been. The guards were keeping a watchful eye, true, but it was practically an open house compared to what they were used to. Of course, it was what else they were going to take care of today that might be tricky. ¡°Alright,¡± they¡¯d said to Constance after lunch. ¡°You¡¯ve covered equipment, but now I¡¯ll need information. From the way you spoke before, it sounds like there are some powerful people taking part in this event.¡± Constance nodded. ¡°There are a good amount of nobles who¡¯ve come from across Levenia, but for most of them that only means a fancy title and some private land. Two of them, though, have real influence, and most of the riders participating are working for one or the other.¡± Rani waited patiently, and Constance went on. ¡°The first is Oxwald the Third, from the Walton family. They¡¯ve been around since before the country was founded, and own a significant township nearby. It has an academy for teaching Runic Knight riders, so many of the knights in the castle came from there.¡± She smiled. ¡°This will be the Third¡¯s first time participating, and I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t want to let his family down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Rani offered. ¡°And the other?¡± ¡°Another heir, Clive Cliffton,¡± Constance said, mouth twitching slightly at the name. ¡°His family don¡¯t have much of a legacy, but they do have money: a bit of shrewd surveying and land purchases by his father and father¡¯s father have made them the country¡¯s main source of the kind of metal suitable for Runic Knights. That¡¯s not all that goes into one, of course,¡± she added, ¡°but if you care about having a decent suit of armor around your Rune Gem, you have to go through them or cross the border." She didn¡¯t really need to explain why someone like that had followers. ¡°So it¡¯s a two-man race, essentially,¡± Rani had murmured. Then they¡¯d tilted their head. ¡°Do they like each-other?¡± Constance¡¯s smile was a sight to behold. ¡°As dearly as a house on fire.¡± And that was all the information Rani needed. --- Asking around for a bit told Rani their next location easily enough. No-one seemed to want to withhold information from a competitor, which made sense. There was probably no telling who might become a VIP later. A wagon service was leaving Leonhold for their destination. The horses didn¡¯t go particularly fast, but it was still quicker than walking. The wagon was mostly empty, but no-one seemed to want to bother Rani, giving them more time to reflect on how quiet this country was. Runic Knights were apparently restricted for ordinary transportation within Levenia¡¯s borders, so even they weren¡¯t heard very often. They could get used to that. A half-hour or so later, the wagon reached its next stop, the town of Wilmark. It wasn¡¯t especially large, but did have a sizable inn. As Rani moved toward it the quiet was drowned out by the sound of celebration coming from within. Rani swung the door open, making sure to put enough force it hit the wall behind. Beyond was a wide dining hall where most of the tables seemed to have been pushed into the center. The people sitting in them were now staring at the newcomer, not all of them in a friendly way. Without saying a word Rani approached the center table, ignoring a server who tried to get a word in edgewise. Sitting there was one of the young men Constance had mentioned, who raised a hand as they came close. One of his fellow diners sat back down slowly, letting go of a blade partly hidden in their belt. ¡°Quite the entrance, friend,¡± the young man said, a friendly smile on his face. ¡°You looking for me, or do you walk into every building like that?¡± Back home there had been well-off people, but food was scarce enough that someone Clive¡¯s shape would have been a sight to remember. The fancy clothes he wore certainly had their work cut out for them. On the other hand, something in his eyes gave Rani the feeling his body was still far more function than fat. Rani looked around at his entourage and then back at him. He was chewing a bit of chicken in the meantime, nonplussed. ¡°You¡¯re Clive Cliffton, correct? I heard you were hiring help.¡± ¡°Yeah, he did,¡± one of the men growled. Clive waved him off as he took a gulp from his tankard. ¡°Ahhh. Direct, I like that. Sit down, sit down.¡± He gestured for two of the men sitting across from him to make room. Once Rani sat down, the feeling of hostility from the other diners only grew. Clive was probably a walking meal ticket for a lot of them. ¡°So,¡± said the merchant cheerfully, ¡°you¡¯re a Runic Knight rider, I assume. How many years of experience?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Constance had warned them he¡¯d probably ask a question like this. ¡°Whatever your experience is, I¡¯d cut it down by a bit,¡± she had advised. ¡°He¡¯s already sharp, and you don¡¯t want him asking why a veteran is suddenly falling into his lap.¡± ¡°Five,¡± Rani said. That was half of how long they¡¯d really been piloting a Vanguard for. It was very impressive back home. As Clive¡¯s eyebrow raised enough it almost left his face, it was obvious they¡¯d said the wrong thing. The scowls on the faces of his entourage deepened. ¡°Right, Mr. Cliffton has better things to deal with than a liar-¡± one said as he rose. Without skipping a beat or looking away, Clive grabbed his fork and rammed it down into his dinner hard enough to make the plate rattle. The speaker sat down. ¡°My apologies, friend,¡± Clive said. ¡°Some of my new friends are just a tad high-spirited, coming all this way for the Royale. You know how it is.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°Five years as a Rider for hire, you say, and still with all your own limbs? Mighty impressive.¡± The merchant¡¯s lips pursed as he gave Rani another once-over. ¡°You look as though you¡¯re from the desert out east, which would mean you were probably working the wastelands or the mountains. Tough work, but with very lucrative clients, even by my own standards.¡± The implication was obvious enough he didn¡¯t really need to say it. ¡°They pay in money, but usually not in loyalty,¡± Rani said, now improvising. ¡°I wanted something more stable.¡± ¡°Ah, understandable,¡± Clive said, slicing a chunk of meat. ¡°If you want quiet, Leonhold certainly is the place to be right now, and there¡¯s plenty of places to find work.¡± He swallowed what he cut off and chewed it, slowly. Rani¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave his as he did. ¡°I see what you¡¯re thinking, and it is smart thinking,¡± Clive continued afterward. ¡°Not only does the Cliffton family have a long memory for favors, we¡¯re practically a household name in these parts. ¡®If that young lady can help him win the Royale, think what she can do for me!¡¯.¡± He leaned back in his chair, gesturing to the men around them both. ¡°Trouble is, a few other people had the same thought. What can you give me that they won¡¯t? Five years or fifty, one Rider is still only one Rider.¡± ¡°I can decide to not go help Oxwald instead,¡± Rani said bluntly. They were going to play this card eventually. Now seemed as good a time as any. Clive¡¯s smile didn¡¯t budge for a moment, and then he actually laughed. ¡°Well, I did ask - young master Oxwald prefers a pedigree for people he hires, but I¡¯d wager he probably would ignore that for someone of your experience.¡± He paused, one finger on his chin as the other diners simmered with anger. Finally the merchant clapped his hands together. ¡°Oh, why not? Letting a prospect get away completely is bad business.¡± He rose, gesturing to the room at large. A man in his later middle-aged years hurried over, and Clive whispered something to him as they stepped away from the table. That gave Rani a moment to take a look at the entourage working for him. They were trying to hide their faces, but the two men they¡¯d encountered yesterday were definitely present among them. Clive and the older man returned, the former leaning over the table. ¡°The mayor has graciously allowed us some space nearby,¡± he told Rani. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can make a good impression.¡± ¡¯Nearby¡¯ was relative, considering the size of what they¡¯d be fighting in. It ended up being close enough that the people of Wilmark would be able to see them, but not close enough that one slip would crush anything. The wagon Clive had commandeered came to a halt, letting Rani and Clive¡¯s chosen Rider off. ¡°Now, nothing too crazy here, you two,¡± Clive advised as they walked some distance away. ¡°The local knights have better things to do than worrying about a friendly match. We¡¯ll have you go until disarmament.¡± Once they¡¯d made enough distance, Rani reached into their bag, withdrawing the Vanguard¡¯s new power source. It had shrunk quite a bit when they¡¯d removed it, but it was the same gem that had been stuck into its waist. Constance insisted it was perfectly safe, and it would be hard for it not to be compared to the reactor, but it was still a strange feeling to be carrying it around like this. Rani raised it into the air, thinking back to what Constance had told them. ¡°The gem knows you¡¯re its master, so it will respond to your thoughts. Envision it in your hand, as vividly as possible.¡± Rani had done so, and like a magic trick the gemstone vanished from within the Vanguard and appeared in their hand. ¡°Now it also knows what shell it¡¯s meant to move,¡± Constance had gone on. ¡°If you think of your machine being where you are, the gem will make it so - within reason. It won¡¯t move it across nations, but a few miles is simple enough.¡± It didn¡¯t sound simple enough to Rani, but there wasn¡¯t much choice but to try it now. Raising the gem in the air, they concentrated. There didn¡¯t seem to be any magic words needed, so Rani pictured the Vanguard standing here in the field. Long enough passed that Rani wondered if they were doing it wrong, or could even do it in the first place. Then the Rune Gem floated up and out of their hand, stopping at a point about five feet off the ground. A second later it had grown back to its original size, and with a pop of displaced air the Vanguard was around it. No-one around seemed to find that unusual, but the Rider Clive had chosen to fight Rani grinned nastily as he looked over their unit. ¡°You were fighting with that knight out in the wilds? It¡¯s a miracle it even carried you here.¡± The insult made more sense when Rani saw the man¡¯s Runic Knight. Until now they hadn¡¯t actually seen their Vanguard next to what it was imitating, and the horned knight he had just summoned was both taller and wider. If a difference in size was the only thing that stuck out to him, though, that was fine by Rani. The Vanguard¡¯s hatch swung open again as they neared. Rani glanced back and saw a similar one on their opponent¡¯s Runic Knight. At least they wouldn¡¯t be found out because of something small like that. Once inside Rani had the Vanguard stand, drawing its sword as they did. Then they faced their opponent. The first one, at least. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention it would be three-on-one,¡± they called over at Clive, still sitting on the wagon. ¡°To be fair, I also didn¡¯t say it wouldn¡¯t be!¡± he shouted back, cupping his hands. ¡°You¡¯d expect to have to send at least three men for someone of your experience, wouldn¡¯t you? Think you can handle it?¡± Rani sized up the first Runic Knight, and the two that the extra pair of mercenaries had summoned. ¡°Absolutely.¡± The Pen, Part 2 It had only been about two days since Rani had piloted the Vanguard, but it felt much longer. The changes that had been done to their unit were much more than a simple once-over, and if there were any new quirks to it they¡¯d need to be figured out on the fly. Beyond that, they¡¯d also need to be sure to keep to the rules of engagement. Vanguard pilots used lethal force by default, but that wouldn¡¯t do while fighting fellow humans. Rani had actually never fought opponents who understood the idea of surrendering, so this would be good practice. ¡°Aaaaaaand,¡± Clive called out. He clapped his hands together. ¡°GO!¡± The three quickly approached, the extra pair fanning out to surround the Vanguard. A sensible maneuver, and one that gave Rani a bit of time to watch how their knights moved. Save for the ones standing guard at Leonhold, it didn¡¯t seem like there was any universal standard. The one with the horned helmet seemed like it was designed for the front of a battle, a line-breaker you could take cover behind and couldn¡¯t ignore if you were staring it down. It held a massive axe that looked like it would do a better job crushing the Vanguard than cutting it. From the way his knight walked, the mercenary seemed like the confident sort. The other two knights were smaller and made of more light-weight armor, each carrying specialized weapons. One held a pair of long daggers that looked perfect for finishing off enemies when they gave the opportunity. The other held a long spear that could hold off enemies or hem them in. These three together were enough to tell Rani they hadn¡¯t been picked by coincidence. You couldn¡¯t claim to be a veteran of any battlefield if you lost to a setup as simple as this. Well, this would be a learning experience for both of them. They made their move at the same time. The knight with the spear approached from the right, lunging with the spear to try to provoke them. On their left lurked the one with the daggers, not moving just yet but waiting for any opportunity. Ahead, the horned knight charged at them. Rani took a step backward away from the spear, and then quickly lunged forward, moving to one side of the weapon as they approached its wielder. From behind they heard a thud as the dagger-wielder¡¯s own lunge fell short thanks to the feint. Just a step or two brought the Vanguard in reach of their target; Rani gripped the sword, sizing up the spot where the knight¡¯s shoulder fit into the torso. The spear-wielder swung its weapon in an arc, aiming the side of its tip at the Vanguard¡¯s head. Rani flung up one arm, feeling it thud into the metal but perfectly willing to take some damage there to deprive a foe of a limb entirely. That was nearly a huge mistake on their part. In this world a spear wasn¡¯t just a spear, and it took the ground rising up under their feet for Rani to remember. They shoved out with one foot, quickly kicking away from the spire of earth that nearly impaled the Vanguard¡¯s head. Landing from that meant a moment of inaction, and the horned knight raised its axe for a skull-splitting chop. Rani grimaced. That was an amateur mistake. They prepared to jump, but they already knew they wouldn¡¯t be getting away without some damage. Or so they thought. Under ordinary circumstances a Vanguard¡¯s legs barely had enough force to get them off the ground. Nine times out of ten gaining altitude only made you a target, so there was no point anyway. Rani watched the three knights stare up at them before they landed a short distance away. They flicked the Vanguard¡¯s gaze downward. Air was rushing around its feet, which stayed a moment longer before it vanished. If they¡¯d envisioned anything, it was getting away from that axe. Was that all one of these gems needed? It made the Vanguard¡¯s old computer seem stone-aged. Rani had never been confident relying on that and didn¡¯t expect to change their opinion for this replacement, but it was something they could keep in mind. The knight trio spread out again. Rani clicked their tongue in disapproval. It was a lot less sensible of a maneuver when you tried it again after it had just failed. Now that they knew what the spear-wielder was capable of, their next move was obvious. Rani turned, sending the Vanguard rushing toward the Runic Knight with the daggers. The moment of hesitation made it clear the pilot hadn¡¯t expected that. Good. Their knight seemed like it was the nimble sort, but they could be chased down if you knew what you were doing. It made a few leaps away, but Rani was on it a moment later, swinging down the Vanguard¡¯s sword. What it cleaved through wasn¡¯t steel or mineral, however, but smoke, which burst across the Vanguard¡¯s eyes. Rani kept calm. When your vision was obscured, you used your ears, and those told them the dagger-wielder was off to their right. When they went to take another step, however, the machine nearly fell over as the ground suddenly shifted beneath one of its feet. The spear-wielder again. If they could make the earth go up, making it do the opposite was probably simple enough. Three sets of footsteps approached them, and the smoke showed no signs of disappearing. Rani tried to focus on the nearest pair. Even without a proper radar they could still tell when an enemy was nearby. The pilot raised an eyebrow as the Vanguard¡¯s cockpit suddenly lit up, not by the glow of a screen but an orb of light that blinked into being off to one side, just above the radar¡¯s former position. Three other, smaller orbs orbited it at various distances, one north, one west and one south. The last one was nearest, and getting closer. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! This wasn¡¯t the time to ask questions. But did it work? Rani waited just a fraction longer to make their next move, when the southern orb was almost on top of them. The smoke was still covering their vision, but that didn¡¯t matter. They didn¡¯t need to see to know where their weapons were. Snatching the crossbow from the Vanguard¡¯s back, Rani fired it straight down. They¡¯d experimented a bit with the gem yesterday, and it seemed like wind was all it could magic up. After the storms they¡¯d been caught up in out in the wastes, that was fine by Rani. It was easy to underestimate wind until you¡¯d experienced the kind that could tear bare skin. It didn¡¯t quite do that against the knight behind them, but Rani heard the sound of it stumbling back as the crossbow bolt exploded into an updraft. The smoke was still over their eyes, but that didn¡¯t matter now. Whirling around, Rani took one step forward, raised the Vanguard¡¯s sword and swung downward. The smoke finally vanished just in time for them to watch their target kiss the ground, daggers knocked out of its hands. Rani had only used the flat of the sword, but that was more than enough when it was this size. The soldier didn¡¯t have a moment¡¯s rest after, which was just as well considering they hadn¡¯t planned on taking one. They turned, backing just out of reach from a thrust by the rock-shifter. That meant they avoided the spear, but it wasn¡¯t alone this time, either. Flying toward the Vanguard came several rocks sharpened into miniature spears themselves. Rani could tell it wasn¡¯t a serious attack like the spire from earlier, but one meant to provoke them into making a mistake. Since that was what their opponent wanted, they did the opposite: casting away the crossbow, they lunged at the spear-wielding knight again, letting the rocks thud into the Vanguard¡¯s chest. There would be some scars, but anything that couldn¡¯t pierce the cockpit wasn¡¯t worth worrying about. What was finally came thudding up. The knight with the axe had picked up momentum on its way here, and it swung down its weapon again. Compared to the other two it didn¡¯t seem like it had any gimmick to its magic, just pure force. It was enough to send Rani¡¯s Vanguard and the remaining knight off-balance just from a near miss. That was what Rani had been counting on. As the Vanguard was startled they thought of wind, and it came. Propelled by the gust at its feet, their machine flew right into the spear-wielder. Rani flung out their free hand as they drew near, seizing the Runic Knight by the face and shoving it off its feet. As it hit the ground, they swept the spear out of its hands. Rising, Rani turned the Vanguard to face the last knight. It was still now, and from the way it stood Rani could tell the pilot was no longer so confident. He was probably thinking about where the fight would be now if it were one-on-one. Good. They made the first move, dashing forward at him. He was startled but had obviously expected it, quickly sweeping out his axe to keep them at bay. Rani leaned back, just outside its reach, and thrust their sword out. The Vanguard¡¯s old blade had been strictly for close-up encounters, but things weren¡¯t quite so rigid here, were they? Rushing across the sword and out of the tip came a gust of wind that slashed through the air like a razor. It swept over the axe-wielding knight, and a moment later something thudded to the ground nearby. It was the tip of one of the Runic Knight¡¯s horns. That flipped a switch. The Rider didn¡¯t shout at them or say anything at all, but suddenly Rani was on the defensive, moving backward to avoid furious cleaves and chops. They avoided them cleanly enough, but the ground suffered for it. At this rate the watch might be called even with the weight of Clive¡¯s purse. As the rider lifted his axe from another vicious swing, he saw his foe¡¯s knight suddenly stumble as it tried to retreat further. Ha, so it was as shoddy as he¡¯d thought. Raising the axe again, he took a mighty step forward. It was only when his knight¡¯s left foot came down on uneven ground that the rider realized he should have kept an eye on the terrain. As he fought to keep steady, his knight¡¯s sudden change in posture making the axe more of a weight than a weapon, the vagabond¡¯s knight stood up straight and dove to the side. Rani picked up the crossbow, rolled the Vanguard to its feet, and picked a target. This had been fine practice, but there was no sense drawing things out. One, two, three wind bolts slammed into the knight¡¯s stuck knee, throwing it even further off-balance, and then charged. The rider finally realized to drop the axe, but only just before Rani¡¯s Vanguard hit him with a body-check. A moment later their machine¡¯s foot was on the chest of his, holding it at sword-point. Rani turned to look at the other two knights, who had gathered up their weapons again. They didn¡¯t look like people who¡¯d been beaten. The pilot gripped their weapons. ¡°Alright, I¡¯d say that¡¯s about enough!¡± Clive suddenly yelled. It looked like he¡¯d walked up in the last few moments of the fight. ¡°Hate to say it, but any more and she¡¯ll probably leave all three of you without working Runic Knights - and me without three riders I¡¯m paying a good day¡¯s work to.¡± He smiled. ¡°No shame calling it against someone that experienced, is there?¡± Money was worth a lot more than pride to people like this. The two other knights knelt as their riders dismounted. Rani did the same, letting the horned knight up. They could sense the distaste from its pilot as both of them left their cockpits, but then Clive was in front of them, all smiles. ¡°Amazing work. Inspiring!¡± the merchant cried. You could have almost sold people his words if they were solid. ¡°But that¡¯s experience for you, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s head back to town and continue our chat. Speaking more with you would be lovely.¡± --- Not long later, Rani left the inn again, this time a bit heavier thanks to the coin purse at their side. Clive had agreed to pay half their fee in advance, and Rani had made sure to hold out for a bit more. They didn¡¯t know anything about the currency here, but it would be suspicious if they were too agreeable, right? All this had taken a few hours, but they still had most of the day left, and another person to meet. It was easy to imagine the difficult part was over, but if speaking with the merchant had caused a fight, who knew what the military man would bring? But whatever came, they¡¯d deal with it. ¡°That was mighty impressive.¡± It took a moment for Rani to realize that was directed at them. They looked around and saw a man in his later years hammering down a loose bit of wood on a building. He smiled. ¡°You beat them all outnumbered and barely left a scratch on any of them. I haven¡¯t seen someone your age fight like that in a Runic Knight in a long time.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Rani said, blinking. They nodded low. ¡°Thank you. I hope it wasn¡¯t, er, a problem.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± the man said with a smile. ¡°I hope you fight like that in the Royale.¡± Rani grasped for something else to say, and settled for another nod before walking away. They¡¯d been praised before in one way or another, but hearing someone congratulate them over a simple sparring match was new. It felt a bit strange. Strange, but not bad. Rani reached into their pack and felt the weight of the Vanguard¡¯s gemstone. Somehow they were getting the feeling this wouldn¡¯t be so impossible after all. The Sword Rani didn¡¯t bother to wait for the cart to stop at their next destination before hopping out. There wasn¡¯t much point, considering it was straight off the road anyway. They flicked a coin at the driver as they did, hearing his cry of thanks echo behind them. Oxwald¡¯s place of operations was far less casual than Clive¡¯s, and he didn¡¯t seem to be trying to hide. You could spot the group of tents from at least a mile away thanks to the low terrain, as well as the Runic Knights on standby around them. On the other hand, that meant the people using both could spot you from the same distance. Two of them spotted Rani as they approached, but not quite from that far away. They¡¯d been doing what looked like running drills, and happened to look up and see them. ¡°Halt, stranger,¡± one said as they lined up. ¡°State your business before you come any closer.¡± They both wore light suits of armor, with matching uniforms underneath. Present on the latter was the school¡¯s insignia, a charging ox. A good greeting, but one he was a bit too young to deliver with the right tone. Both of them looked like rookies, especially compared to Clive¡¯s chosen help. Oxwald¡¯s forces were apparently exclusively from his family¡¯s academy, and when you were building a squad from that kind of source they couldn¡¯t all be veterans. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Oxwald,¡± Rani called over, stopping as they were told. ¡°He¡¯s the one in charge here, from what I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°Are you a rider too?¡± one of them asked, frowning as Rani nodded. ¡°Oxwald¡¯s got all the help he needs with us around, so you¡¯ve wasted your time." Ah, loyalty. But did they have it more than other qualities? ¡°I can¡¯t go have a word with him, then?¡± ¡°Have a good reason why we should let you take up his time?¡± the other asked. Instead of replying verbally, Rani suddenly strode forward quickly, standing in front of them after a few wide steps. The attitude the pair had put up broke instantly. They backed up, reaching for the shortswords at their waists as Rani sized them up further. ¡°Did that frighten you?¡± the soldier asked. ¡°If it did, you¡¯d be petrified of meeting anyone Clive Cliffton has working for him.¡± It wasn¡¯t said harshly, but as a matter-of-fact. You couldn¡¯t avoid being a rookie for at least a little while, and in Rani¡¯s experience the one thing rookies were guaranteed to be good at was panicking. ¡°You¡¯re both here to help Oxwald win the Lightning Royale, right?¡± they said, taking the tone they¡¯d used for younger entrants to the squad. ¡°If I can be blunt, there¡¯s probably people in those tents worth five of each of you, at least. I definitely am.¡± They said nothing, but visibly tried to keep from looking at the other. ¡°If you want to help him have the best chance of winning,¡± Rani went on, ¡°letting me through wouldn¡¯t be a mistake.¡± The unsaid message was obvious, and dangled enticingly: if someone else could pull that much weight, they had less chance of getting hurt trying to themselves. Both stepped aside. No-one else stopped them before they stepped through the flap of the largest tent. Clustered inside were a group of people dressed similarly to the sentries outside, most of them older-looking. They were pouring intently over a map, but not so intently they didn¡¯t notice Rani entering. ¡°Who let you in here!?¡± one of them asked as he advanced, not sounding like they particularly cared. ¡°Wait,¡± another said. They were the lone exception to the older crowd: a young man with brunette hair, practically a boy, who stood only a bit taller than the table. The student who¡¯d approached Rani, several heads taller than the one who had spoken, froze at the command. Rani watched as the young man stepped around the table, looking up at them intensely. Their uniform was flashier than the others, sporting ornamental pieces on the shoulders and a row of brass buttons. On one of his blue eyes rested a monocle, which would have looked more impressive if he were a few decades older. ¡°You¡¯re certainly no knight,¡± he sniffed as he looked Rani over. ¡°Another mercenary here for an easy week¡¯s pay, no doubt.¡± He tilted his head, examining them further. ¡°And yet you came to me, Oxwald the Third, rather than chasing Cliffton¡¯s pocketbook. Why?¡± Rani had some ideas of what to say if they were ordered out to begin with, but it looked like that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. The Walton family apparently valued pedigrees, which Rani certainly didn¡¯t have, but also actions. Making him think they valued both was probably the right first step. ¡°There are dozens of ways I can make a living with a Runic Knight,¡± they began, ¡°but there are also things you can¡¯t buy no matter how much money you have. Reputation is one of them.¡± Oxwald¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t keep from glinting in pleasure. ¡°You seem more sensible than most sell-swords - but I¡¯m afraid your services shan¡¯t be required. I have the finest students of Walton Academy with me, after all.¡± The others in the tent stood to attention. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I see,¡± Rani murmured. ¡°You¡¯re not seeking help with the Royale, then?¡± ¡°Ha, perish the thought,¡± Oxwald said, standing up straighter. He reminded Rani of the kind of lizards or birds who puffed themselves up to look bigger. ¡°My apologies if you came too far hoping otherwise.¡± Well, they hadn¡¯t come expecting an instant ¡®yes¡¯. ¡°So, you¡¯re only going to be bringing students of your academy?¡± Rani asked. ¡°If that was not clear, yes.¡± They nodded. ¡°Perfect. How do I enroll?¡± Oxwald leaned forward in surprise quickly enough that his eyepiece nearly fell off. ¡°Enroll? You?¡± ¡°Yes. Is that a problem?¡± Rani asked, the picture of sincerity. ¡°I was told that the Academy values merit and skill. If need be, I¡¯d gladly undergo a test.¡± That was true about the Academy, at least partly. Money was always a factor, according to Constance, but there were also always exceptions. Not every wealthy son wanted to be a Runic Knight rider, or for that matter, was any good at it. On the other hand, if you found a diamond in the rough you¡¯d be stupid to turn it away. ¡°Hm,¡± was all Oxwald had to say after a moment. ¡°Master Walton, you can¡¯t-¡± one of the students began, only to be shushed by another wave of the young man¡¯s hand. ¡°Only my father may say what I cannot do,¡± Oxwald sniffed. ¡°Remember our motto: a knight can be hidden within anyone, man or woman. If she is serious and can prove herself, I see no reason to refuse.¡± The student shut his mouth and nodded. ¡°Of course, Master Walton. Please excuse my rudeness.¡± His fellows all looked equally impressed, though Rani couldn¡¯t help but notice the apology wasn¡¯t really directed at them. It seemed to be enough for Oxwald. ¡°Now then: your name, Miss?¡± he asked. ¡°Rani.¡± ¡°You foreigners can have such pleasant names.¡± Oxwald smiled. ¡°Come, we can speak further in my own tent.¡± --- Oxwald¡¯s personal tent was small and private. This was a good thing, as his demeanor once they were alone suddenly became very different. The kind of ''different'' that would probably hurt morale. Rani watched as he reached the end of the small dwelling and immediately about-faced, walking to the other end. This had been going on for a minute or so, and looked like something he did quite often. He was speaking to himself under his breath. ¡°You¡¯re giving it a lot of thought,¡± they pointed out. ¡°Hm?¡± Oxwald blinked, looking up. ¡°Oh, my apologies. Yes, it¡¯s, well,¡± he murmured, and then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a very tempting offer. I can see you¡¯re telling the truth about your skills, and it would be difficult not to be better in a fight than the first-years, but¡­¡± He shrugged, the gesture making him look even smaller. ¡°I promised my father I would win with the Walton Academy¡¯s students, and he¡¯d be outraged by some loophole like that. Fathers, you know?¡± Rani very much didn¡¯t, but nodded anyway. ¡°Some of your men outside didn¡¯t seem very prepared,¡± they said politely. ¡°¡¯The heir to the Walton family should be able to take coal and turn it into diamonds¡¯,¡± Oxwald recited. He cleared his throat. ¡°I do, er, see his point, of course.¡± It was a stupid point, but Rani could see it too just the same. They could also see the right offer to make now. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be marching in with an entire squad of your school¡¯s students, right? Uniform and all?¡± they asked. ¡°Correct,¡± Oxwald nodded, perking up. ¡°It should be quite the sight - if all goes well.¡± ¡°Meaning anyone not in your uniform couldn¡¯t possibly be working for you. They¡¯d be on their own, or part of Cliffton¡¯s forces.¡± Oxwald quirked an eyebrow. ¡°I would imagine? With his coffers he can hire virtually anyone he wants. My first thought was that you were a messenger from him, actually.¡± ...sometimes you had to be direct. ¡°In other words,¡± Rani said, locking eyes with him, ¡°you could hire me to help you, and no-one would actually have to know about it.¡± Oxwald looked like he¡¯d been about to resume pacing any moment, but now totally froze. ¡°You mean, lie?¡± He said it like it was a dirty word. ¡°That depends what you consider a lie,¡± Rani replied. ¡°I doubt anyone would actually ask you about it, and I certainly wouldn¡¯t tell them.¡± They shrugged. ¡°Depending on how we go about it, they may not even suspect that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t just, deceive people like that!¡± Oxwald blurted out, quickly clearing his throat before lowering his voice. ¡°Getting what you want so underhandedly is what people like Cliffton do.¡± This was going well. Rani nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt he does. Letting him win the Royale by throwing around money is the last thing you or your father want, I¡¯m sure.¡± They leaned forward. ¡°Can you and your men accomplish that?¡± ¡°We-¡± Oxwald began, and couldn¡¯t get further than that. ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± he finally murmured. ¡°Almost any victory is possible,¡± Rani asked, living proof of it themselves. ¡°How possible do you want this one to be?¡± Their tone had yet to change; they weren¡¯t speaking harshly, just with facts. Oxwald still looked uncertain, so Rani went for the final hit. ¡°If you had to pick between two options, which is worse: being the only one to you hired outside help to win, or everyone in Levenia knowing your school didn¡¯t win?¡± They knew they¡¯d won him over then, but Rani still felt a bit guilty at the expression that crossed Oxwald¡¯s face. This had all just been them imitating how Ricky used to negotiate with VIPs, and he¡¯d have done it a lot smoother. Still, if the disaster coming was as deadly as Constance claimed, it was for him and his school¡¯s own good. Not long after Rani left the tent, officially unofficially hired. Instead of money, their pay would be an official referral from the Walton Academy, more than enough to guarantee entry into any reputable knight order in Levenia and even some countries beyond. That seemed reasonable to Rani, even if they didn¡¯t plan on actually using it. This made it two very powerful people having an investment in Rani¡¯s aid, and it had taken less than one day. It would be stupid to think the easy part was over, though: getting two things in the air at the same time was simple, but actually juggling them was another matter. They¡¯d need to thread the needle now. Oxwald didn¡¯t want them around the camp again to keep up appearances, and Clive seemed content to let his men do as they pleased so long as they showed up the day of the Royale, but they still couldn¡¯t afford to get sloppy. It wasn¡¯t the battlefield they were used to, if you could call it one at all, but Rani felt their blood pumping quicker anyway. Interlude Many of Lavenia¡¯s knights were stationed at Leonhold, but it wasn¡¯t the only city in the country and those certainly weren¡¯t the only places worth protecting. The plains that made up much of the realm were vast, and the townships within them frequented by as many patrols as possible. Times were peaceful now, but there didn¡¯t need to be a war for people to be in danger. Keeping the commonfolk safe took men who were made of stern stuff. Right now, the knight overseeing the area wished he¡¯d been made sterner. His breakfast that morning was threatening to come up and take a look at it himself. ¡°So, you found it like this?¡± he asked, trying to keep his tone firm. ¡°Wished I hadn¡¯t, but yes Sire, yes I did,¡± the merchant rambled. If anyone needed a reassuring presence, it was him. You couldn¡¯t say he looked like he¡¯d seen a ghost, because the sight before them both was all too real. ¡°Came up the road to barter with him same as always, and it was uh, just like this.¡± ¡®It¡¯ was a small farm on the outskirts of Levenia¡¯s plains. Being willing to have a home so far from either city took a bit of bravery already, but it was a real sign of these peaceful times when someone was fine building it here. His grandparents must have told him different stories growing up. Peace had left the farm many hours ago, and was probably better off for it. The gate leading in and much of the fence had been crushed or snapped apart, and what remained of the house was barely a skeleton. Only the barn had escaped the damage, probably simply by being enough out of the way. Putting aside that the weather had been fine lately, this could have been damage from a storm. Until you saw what lay between the gate and the house: the farmer, or what was left of him. Not just him, either. Judging by the tracks nearby, at least some of his livestock had been fortunate enough to flee. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. It was easy to be afraid of the unknown, but right now the knight felt the opposite creeping up his spine: the fear of thinking he knew exactly what had happened here. He reached out to one side, picking up a tomato that had mostly survived the rampage. Then he, very carefully, dropped it on a particular spot near the farmer¡¯s body, and watched the results. ¡°What about this?¡± he asked the merchant after a moment, gesturing to something a few feet before the farmer. It was another body, but much smaller, around the size of a child. ¡°It was here when you arrived too?¡± The merchant nodded feverishly, looking ready to see the last of this. Understandable, really. ¡°Y-Yes,¡± he quavered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened here, Sire, I swear!¡± ¡°I believe you, only making sure,¡± the knight said reassuringly. He stooped over this body. It wasn¡¯t in a much better state, but from the way it lay, the figure had been running toward the house. Exactly why, only the two bodies could have answered. Standing, the knight turned and looked at what the farmstead had been built before. The farmer had been fine building it here, yet had still made sure the nearby forest would be within view at all times. Today the wind was calm, and the trees, vast and tall, were utterly still. Frowning, the knight looked back at where he had dropped the tomato. The sight made him nod, grimly. He had never expected to see it in real life, but it was just like the books at the castle had said. Around the bodies and the demolished house were many patches of blackened earth, each giving off smoke like a smoldering campfire. After a few moments of sitting within the one he¡¯d picked, the tomato had crumbled to dust, just like the grass that had been there. In a way, that wasn¡¯t even the worst part, however. The worst was the nature of the patches themselves. Each was in the shape of a massive paw-print. Drinking Partner ¡°What am I doing here?¡± It was a redundant question, so it was a good thing Rani wasn¡¯t asking it about ¡®here¡¯ in general, but about one of Leonhold¡¯s local taverns. People usually went to places like them after a job well done, Rani understood. They¡¯d never really seen the point. ¡°You¡¯ve certainly gotten a good head-start,¡± Constance had said with a happy nod. ¡°Now, what do you need back here?¡± ¡°Need?¡± Rani said, setting down their pack. ¡°Nothing. I think that¡¯s all I can do for today, so I came back.¡± They¡¯d cocked their head. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Constance pursed her lips. ¡°N-o,¡± she said carefully, ¡°but it¡¯s not even close to dinnertime yet. What are you planning to do the rest of the day? Nothing?¡± Rani shrugged, beginning to take off their boots. ¡°Practice with the Vanguard for a bit, probably. I put it back in the woods before I came here. Should I be doing anything else?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say should,¡± Constance said, raising one eyebrow. ¡°But after a day on their feet, and even using a Runic Knight, some people might want to relax a bit.¡± ¡°Do I not seem relaxed?¡± A look at her face had told them they weren¡¯t winning this argument, if they chose to make it one. Fair enough. It hadn¡¯t escaped them that they were being shoed out, but even women who weren¡¯t witches often wanted some privacy. Rani appreciated it too, but they weren¡¯t going to find it here tonight: they didn¡¯t know how many taverns Leonhold had, but this seemed like a popular one. Actually getting to the counter would mean a tight squeeze or a few elbows thrown. Before they could think of leaving, more people suddenly packed in behind them. Fine. Rani shifted to one side, sidling against the wall until they found the first open seat. There were a few on this table that weren¡¯t being used, actually. The sole occupant looked up as they sat down. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± Richard muttered. ¡°From the dwarf¡¯s yesterday, right?¡± His face was flushed, and he was still wearing his watch uniform, which probably went toward explaining why he was sitting along. ¡°Just got off for the evening a little while ago,¡± he said, noticing Rani sizing him up. ¡°So if you¡¯re going to break the law, don¡¯t be too obvious about it, alright?¡± Rani nodded. ¡°Had a rough day?¡± Richard waved his free hand in a way that managed to say a thousand words. ¡°Fistfights, arguments, and I¡¯m in a mood bad enough I don¡¯t want to say just how bad to a lady. Things been any better than you?¡± he added after taking a swig from his tankard. ¡°Not been involved in any other robberies, I hope.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t stopped any.¡± The young watchmen sputtered, nearly spitting out his next mouthful of beer. ¡°Good one. If that wasn¡¯t a joke, don¡¯t tell me.¡± At that point a waitress arrived, looking like she¡¯d shoved her way through the crowd. ¡°Another one, Richard? Or for you, Sir?¡± Before Richard could answer, Rani retrieved one of the coins from Clive¡¯s payment and slid it across the table. ¡°Is that enough for both of us?¡± It seemed to be judging by her expression, but the watchman grimaced. ¡°We don¡¯t make as much as you lot, but the watch gets a fair wage.¡± He dropped a few smaller coins in front of the waitress. ¡°I will have another, thank you.¡± Rani shrugged. ¡°Alright, just the one, then. Keep the change.¡± Richard whistled as the waitress scurried away happily. ¡°Doing pretty well for yourself, eh. Let me guess: you¡¯re working for Clive now, right?¡± ¡°Good guess,¡± Rani replied. ¡°Do you know him?¡± The face he made said enough before he¡¯d even answered. ¡°No, people like him never end up meeting the watch much. I¡¯m glad for it, though,¡± he said with a harsh sniff. ¡°Only friend a fellow like that has is his pocketbook.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. A slightly guilty expression then came over Richard¡¯s face. ¡°Not that that¡¯s any of your fault, I mean,¡± he said hastily. ¡°But it¡¯s plain enough to you what he¡¯s doing, right? Winning this is just a, a prize to him. And I b-bet he hasn¡¯t won anything in his life without paying for it first!¡± ¡°Have you been here long?¡± Rani asked mildly. ¡°About an hour,¡± Richard muttered. ¡°Just needed a place to, think alone. Tough luck, I s¡¯pose,¡± he added, waving a hand at the crowd. Rani nodded. ¡°Anything on your mind?¡± They didn¡¯t know if chatting with him was really a good idea, but it wasn¡¯t like they were going to blurt out who they were. ¡°Ah, nothing much. Just worried about the Royale.¡± Richard shook his head. ¡°Not sure how - well we¡¯re going to keep things peaceful until Saturday, that¡¯s all.¡± A good save. Not that Rani knowing he was competing would be such a disaster even if they hadn¡¯t already, but at least he knew to try to keep information secret. ¡°Has anything else noteworthy happened after yesterday?¡± ¡°Ah ah, can¡¯t be telling a citizen that,¡± Richard replied, shaking his head. ¡°Not that I know, anyway. Royce is in a bad mood, but,¡± he let out a little burp, ¡°that¡¯s pretty normal.¡± The watchman frowned. ¡°Why do you ask, anyway? If you¡¯re worried about some scheme of Clive¡¯s getting you locked up, don¡¯t be,¡± he added, not unkindly. ¡°He might be a snake, but he¡¯s not going to do anything that might get the event cancelled. Where¡¯s the money in that, eh?¡± He drained the rest of his mug. So there was something between those ears besides reaction speed. Good to know. Before they could exchange any more non-small talk, the waitress returned with their drinks. Murmuring a thank you, Rani took their mug and took a sip. It tasted fine enough, thought they weren¡¯t much of a beer person. They noticed Richard was looking at them in a particular way now. Intently, but trying to hide it. Poorly. ¡°So, you look like you¡¯re from out east,¡± he finally blurted out. ¡°What¡¯s that like? Is there really sand as far as the eye can see, and fighting all the time?¡± Rani was used to being looked at differently than other people and it had been no different in Lavenia, but in a way they hadn¡¯t quite been able to pinpoint until now. Richard¡¯s expression was like he was watching some rare animal, the kind you¡¯d usually see behind a window. It wasn¡¯t worse than how they were viewed in the city, but it wasn¡¯t better, either. ¡°That isn¡¯t wrong, but you know how stories can exaggerate,¡± Rani said after a moment¡¯s consideration. Better to not let any tall tales spread about them if they could help it. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a lot less peaceful than here, though,¡± they added. That seemed safe enough, and it was even true of their real home. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Richard said, a surge of pride in his voice. ¡°There¡¯s other countries where humans live, but this is the only one where they¡¯re totally free. I came here as a lad, and I¡¯ve been grateful for it ever since.¡± So he hadn¡¯t left Lavenia for that long, but still knew it was better than anywhere else? That was patriotism for you. ¡°You come here with your family?¡± Just for a moment Richard¡¯s face said it all, none of it good. ¡°Basically,¡± he murmured, before taking a thick drink. ¡°They¡¯ve never said much about where we lived before, though. Must have been awful boring.¡± ¡°Anywhere can be, if you live there long enough,¡± Rani said with a nod. If he didn¡¯t think it was any of their business, they were happy to keep it that way. Being his bodyguard was one thing, but they hadn¡¯t signed up to play therapist. That didn¡¯t kill the mood, but only because it hadn¡¯t been healthy to begin with. Rani finished the rest of their beer quickly enough. It didn¡¯t make them want another, but maybe being in the right mood helped. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking off now,¡± they said, getting up. ¡°Thank you for the company.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Richard mumbled vaguely. The tavern had cleared out a bit now. Rani drew near the door, paused, and then gave a sigh before looking for their waitress. She wasn¡¯t hard to find, and scurried over at their beckoning. ¡°Sorry to ask, but could you make sure he gets home alright?¡± Rani asked, nodding at their table. ¡°I¡¯d hate for something to happen to a member of the watch.¡± She actually laughed. ¡°Oh, believe me, we¡¯re well used to dealing with that bunch here. We have ways of sobering them up, and Richard¡¯s actually the easiest one to deal with. Only comes in every so often.¡± ¡°I see. Does he,¡± Rani paused, ¡°well, usually go this hard when he does?¡± The waitress laughed again. ¡°That¡¯s his third in as many hours. He¡¯s never been able to handle alcohol well. Take care, Miss!¡± --- Was that enough to be called an evening of fun? Hopefully, because Rani would be happy to sit down and be able to concentrate on their next move. If Constance still wasn¡¯t done, they could go find a tree somewhere. ¡°I¡¯m back, Constance,¡± they called as they entered. The door wasn¡¯t locked, but that wasn¡¯t unusual considering there was nothing to lock it with. What would a bit of iron do that magic couldn¡¯t? The silence that answered back, though, made them stop in the doorway, hand briefly searching for a sidearm they didn¡¯t have. As small as her cabin was, there was no way Constance could have failed to hear them. Unless she couldn¡¯t answer. Rani crept across the entranceway, masking their movements with care that came easy. On occasions you were outside your Vanguard, the best defense was making sure you weren¡¯t seen. Passing a sitting room on their left, they came to Constance¡¯s bedroom door. They should have heard the woman by now. Rani reached for the knob, and was surprised to find their hand hesitating on the way. They¡¯d felt this way before, but before venturing into a cave in their territory, or gearing up to clear out one of their nests. If they trusted their instincts, whatever was on the other side right now was just as deadly. Rani grabbed the knob and flung the door open. A Distant Revolution They¡¯d felt plenty of harsh winds and breathed stale air before, but Rani had never felt like still air itself could repel you until now. They¡¯d been in that room only hours ago, and now it felt completely hostile. In the center of it all was Constance, collapsed on the floor. Rani kept calm. They¡¯d been in this situation before, and panicking wouldn¡¯t make anyone more alive. Crossing the room, their feet feeling heavy as they did, they stopped before Constance. The old woman was still, but seemed to be breathing. What she was breathing out wasn¡¯t as reassuring: wisps of black smoke that quickly faded to nothing in the open air. A second glance showed they weren¡¯t just coming from her mouth, either, but her entire body. Whatever had happened to her, she needed help from an expert, whether they were a doctor or not. People seemed to know her in town, but the least Rani could do was not leave her like this. The only trouble was the floor around Constance. On it had been drawn a circle filled with markings Rani could only guess at the meaning of. She was still inside the circle. Was it just a marker, or the kind of boundary you¡¯d regret stepping over? Rani had seen a few different types of punishment for that, but for all they knew those were getting off easy compared to crossing a witch¡¯s border. There were always some ways of testing consequences, though. Rani reached into their bag, producing another of Lavenia¡¯s gold coins. Aiming carefully, they flicked it forward into the circle. It didn¡¯t explode, melt, or turn into anything else. But it was also made of metal and not flesh. Kneeling, Rani considered their hand for a moment before making a fist, and then extending their pinky finger. With the care of someone who¡¯d threaded this type of needle countless times, they leaned forward until the barest tip of their finger was over the circle. Nothing happened. Not completely satisfied, Rani extended their other fingers, one by one, before adding their other hand. Still nothing. Without any other way to test, the soldier stepped forward, carefully picking up Constance. They half-expected whatever they¡¯d been concerned might happen to strike down as soon as they touched the old woman, but it was the work of a few moments to lay her down on the bed. Being moved hadn¡¯t made her stir. Rani inspected the witch¡¯s breathing. It was still level and normal, but in the time it had taken for her to be moved, the smoke coming off of Constance had stopped. Was that a good thing? What couldn¡¯t hurt was some fresh air. Rani moved over to the window and slid it open, unlatching it to do so. The effect was like letting a fresh breeze into a cave, and the heavy atmosphere lowered a bit. Would leaving Constance here be wise? Rani imagined Constance had some ways of protecting this cabin, but they might not be working with her in this state. On the other hand, if this was a magic illness then staying here was next to useless. Carrying her wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but was this something that could spread? Leonhold was full of people, especially now. All these were questions they didn¡¯t know a clear answer to, so it was a good thing that Constance suddenly stirred. Right as the witch¡¯s eyes fluttered open, she winced. ¡°That was a mistake. I¡¯m really not as young as I used to be.¡± She looked toward Rani, seated next to the bed. ¡°I suppose you must have seen me in quite a state.¡± ¡°If you were going to do something dangerous, you could have asked me to stay,¡± Rani pointed out. ¡°I might have been able to help.¡± Constance shook her head. ¡°If anything had really gone wrong, not that it could have, you¡¯d have needed someone to help you. Better you not have to see it, really.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t scare that easily.¡± The witch let out a brief laugh. ¡°Ah, you mean you don¡¯t scare easily now. I¡¯m sure things were different the first time you fought those monsters, wasn¡¯t it? Because then they were the most terrifying thing you had ever seen.¡± Rani didn¡¯t get annoyed easily, either, but they had their limits. ¡°With respect, one battle isn¡¯t near enough to tell you why those things were a nightmare. Whatever attacked you, it¡¯ll have to do a lot to impress me.¡± Constance smiled. ¡°With respect, I¡¯ll try not to say I told you so when you¡¯re wrong about that.¡± --- Their host was still a bit woozy after her fall, so Rani took care of the cooking this time. They could cook fine, which was to say, they could turn ingredients into something that would fill your belly and wouldn¡¯t come back back up. Anything else was a bit of a frill. ¡°So, what exactly were you doing in the first place?¡± Rani asked over the sound of them chopping carrots. ¡°I assume it didn¡¯t go as planned, considering you were knocked out.¡± ¡°Well, yes and no,¡± Constance called from the sitting room; the kitchen was just adjacent to it. ¡°I¡¯d say I had made myself unconscious, but that wouldn¡¯t really be accurate. I was perfectly awake, just away from my body.¡± Rani raised an eyebrow. ¡°Magic can do that?¡± ¡°I can, and some others,¡± Constance answered. ¡°You just need enough concentration, a circle to tether yourself, and a lot of care. I felt something creeping about the kingdom that had no right to be here, and that was the quickest way for me to check.¡± She sighed. ¡°It found me first. Struck right as I was about to return to my body.¡± The carrots went into the pot, along with some preserved meat Constance had in the cubboards. ¡°You were breathing out something odd when I first found you,¡± Rani ventured. ¡°Was it trying to do something to you?¡± Constance sounded almost embarrassed when she answered. ¡°Ah, you saw that? You really do have sharp eyes.¡± She paused, one that seemed full of unease to Rani. ¡°It was trying, and I emphasize trying, to possess me.¡± That probably would have made a local drop whatever they were holding. The image of Richard spitting out his ale came to mind. Rani, though, kept working, furrowing their brow as they tried to work out the context. ¡°You mean, trying to steal your body? ¡°Ah,¡± Constance said, clicking her tongue, ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t be familiar, would you? Yes, that¡¯s more-or-less accurate. The circle was incanted to guard against it, but if it had managed to really get its fangs into me that wouldn¡¯t have been enough.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± Rani asked, stooping to check the flame they¡¯d lit. Still fine. ¡°Whatever you got your vision about?¡± ¡°It could be. You don¡¯t see things physically in that state, exactly, but I did get a glimpse of its mind, and it wasn¡¯t thinking anything pleasant.¡± Her guest leaned out of the kitchen. ¡°So, what exactly is ¡®it¡¯? You¡¯re not making it sound human.¡± Constance met their gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, yet,¡± the witch admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ll say now, there are only a few things in this world that can change from one body to another. None are human, and none are things you¡¯d ever want to meet.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Rani murmured, and went back to cooking. Some time later they were eating the stew the soldier had cooked up. It was better than they¡¯d expected, but then again, you had proper ingredients here. Constance seemed especially hungry after earlier, and finished her bowl first. ¡°Rani,¡± she began, setting her spoon down, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a bit.¡± The witch looked thoughtful, a particular kind of thoughtful Rani had seen before. ¡°When I decided to perform that ritual, my first worry was that who I brought through would panic. This world is completely different from your own, full of things that must have only been in stories there.¡± That was probably true. Rani had never read much of the books Ricky had gifted the squad. ¡°But no matter what, you¡¯ve accepted it all without a single complaint or objection,¡± Constance went on. ¡°Not even hearing about something that can steal bodies seemed to bother you.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Rani set their spoon down. ¡°And that¡¯s not normal, you mean.¡± They held up a finger before Constance could reply. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I accepted that a long time ago. You¡¯re right, I was terrified of those things at first. It just didn¡¯t take long before I was used to it, and used to other things.¡± Their face remained the same as ever as they spoke further. ¡°Others in the squad were like that a bit, but me most of all. If people here saw how things were like back there, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be properly horrified.¡± Constance had been sipping some tea while they¡¯d been saying all this, and set the cup down now. ¡°Alright,¡± she murmured. ¡°Try me. Really,¡± the witch added, her features softening. ¡°It¡¯s not fair I know nothing about you when you¡¯re helping my home, is it?¡± Drop all of that on an old woman? What would be the point? Rani made to shake their head no. ¡°He actually wants to hear what¡¯s been happening with us? The hell¡¯s he think¡¯s going on out here, a picnic?¡± ¡°May as well tell him. Maybe he¡¯ll finally get the hint and quit, go find a job that actually suits him.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Rani replied. ¡°But it won¡¯t be anything pleasant.¡± Constance raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯m a witch? Pleasant things are what I¡¯m not used to seeing.¡± The soldier shrugged. Them being strangers did go both ways. ¡°Well, to start with,¡± they began, pointing at the table and drawing a vague square. ¡°Say you were wandering around at night in Leonhold. If the watch saw you, they¡¯d probably stop you and ask some questions.¡± ¡°If they weren¡¯t sleeping, otherwise disposed, and didn¡¯t think you looked like too much trouble,¡± Constance agreed. ¡°But if you did that in the city I defended, you¡¯d be dragged off the street and interrogated for hours.¡± Rani¡¯s tone was dispassionate and matter-of-fact. ¡°If the police were in the mood for hearing you out, at least. You might get away with it if you were well off and they were in a good mood, but no guarantees.¡± Constance didn¡¯t look like she had questions yet, so Rani went on. ¡°That¡¯s how it was in the city itself, anyway. Some of us had never even seen it firsthand.¡± They paused. ¡°The branch of the military we were part of was made up of undesirables, you see.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the witch murmured, that small exclamation saying quite a bit. ¡°We weren¡¯t the only ones fighting period, but with them as our enemy someone had to be expendable,¡± Rani raised their fingers one by one. ¡°People with no families, with debts they couldn¡¯t pay off, even a few the government just wanted gone. We had someone in the squad for a little while who always said he used to be a journalist.¡± They waited to see if Constance might ask the obvious question, but it didn¡¯t come. ¡°The people in charge had ways of keeping us there, and there was nowhere to go but the wastes in any case. None of us wanted to fight, but we wanted to die to those things even less.¡± Constance took another sip, raising her eyebrow. ¡°You seemed quite far from any town or city when I first saw you.¡± Rani nodded. ¡°It was a large-scale operation, and not one the city ordered: we were expendable, but that many Vanguards weren¡¯t.¡± They paused briefly. Actually explaining all this had never been a job they expected to have. ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly our operation, either, at least in my eyes,¡± the soldier went on. ¡°The mind behind it was someone named Ricky.¡± Explaining him in just a few minutes seemed impossible, but they¡¯d try. ¡°He was our main line with the city itself, someone who took our reports and gave us orders back.¡± ¡°Not quite a tactician, then?¡± That almost got a laugh out of Rani. ¡°Definitely not. Some of them hardly even knew what was going on out there.¡± They gave a half-smile. ¡°The position rotated often enough that you didn¡¯t seem to need real qualifications. A few were as polite as they could be, a few treated us like scum, but most were just indifferent.¡± ¡°The easiest thing to be, I can tell you from experience,¡± Constance murmured. ¡°Did you ever learn why they seemed to come and go?¡± Rani shrugged. ¡°It might have just been a job that got shoved on anyone they didn¡¯t trust with important things, or a way for well-connected people to say they¡¯d technically served.¡± Spending some time working in the military was a prerequisite in the city, but not all jobs were equally difficult. ¡°For a while we thought Ricky was the second one: he spoke well and he was smart, but he didn¡¯t know a thing about war. He always seemed like someone who¡¯d be better off writing books behind some safe walls.¡± Rani smiled, this time a full one. ¡°We were all wrong. Ricky didn¡¯t know much about what was going on with us at first, but he learned quickly, and he didn¡¯t like it. He started going well and beyond what our other contacts had, sending us extra information. Last known locations of roaming swarms, terrain landmarks, weather patterns, things like that.¡± Constance poured herself another cup of tea. ¡°He sounds like a fine fellow. And, given what you¡¯ve told me, probably a mistake on their part that he had this duty.¡± ¡°No ¡®probably¡¯ about it,¡± Rani agreed. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure ourselves for a while, of course. But it was when we began getting bigger supply drops that we all knew he had to be breaking some rules. Sending us extra ammunition was one thing, but there was no way you could justify things like books or self-care products.¡± They could still remember what he¡¯d told them about it. ¡°¡¯Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a big deal¡¯, he¡¯d say to us. ¡®You deserve some nice things¡¯. Well, the city disagreed on both counts. Not too long after, a replacement was found, and in place of his shipments Ricky was sent to us instead.¡± Constance¡¯s eyes widened a fraction in genuine surprise. ¡°Your first ever ally and they simply gave him to you? It¡¯s a fine thing they didn¡¯t have a mind like mine among them.¡± Rani nodded. ¡°Arrogance can let you think you¡¯ll get away with anything. What was one amateur comms officer going to do? I can¡¯t exactly blame them when we all thought the same thing.¡± They shook their head. ¡°Both of us couldn¡¯t have been more wrong.¡± Tapping one side of the table, they drew a line to the other. ¡°Ricky seemed to know this was going to happen sooner or later, and he¡¯d made preparations. He also turned out to be more connected than he¡¯d let on.¡± Quickly, the soldier tapped several spots on that side. ¡°A lot more.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m sure those in charge had a less sure hold than they thought, yes?¡± Constance said, a mirthless smile on her face. ¡°People don¡¯t need to have morals to not like their toes being stepped on.¡± She would have been dangerous back home, wouldn¡¯t she? Keeping that thought to themself, Rani nodded. ¡°That¡¯s more-or-less right, but I¡¯ll spare you the exact details. The battle you saw was just one part of the operation, and preparing it took more than a year.¡± ¡°Some might call you a hero, you know.¡± Rani could tell from Constance¡¯s face that they had made one of their own. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. Ricky will probably be called that, and deserve it. All I did was what I always had.¡± ¡°Is that enough for people to follow you into battle against monsters like that?¡± Constance asked, a smile crossing her lips again. For once, Rani found they had no response. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± they said after a moment, shaking their head. ¡°Richard¡¯s going to be the hero here, not me.¡± ¡°Very well, leave the compliment if you must,¡± Constance said with a not-quite roll of her eyes. ¡°Is that about it, then?¡± ¡°More-or-less,¡± Rani replied. ¡°Not impressed, then?¡± Not that they¡¯d really expected the witch to collapse in tears, of course. The old woman raised an eyebrow. ¡°An odd way to put it, don¡¯t you think? It is very unfortunate, certainly.¡± She gave another not-smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure plenty of locals would have been horrified, in a ¡®thank goodness something like that would never happen here¡¯ sort of way. But I¡¯m afraid my reserve of excess sympathy dried up a long while ago.¡± Constance leaned back in her chair. ¡°I do think I understand you a bit more now, though.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± Rani tilted their head. ¡°There it is again,¡± the witch said with a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re genuinely curious, but it¡¯s like you¡¯re asking from one step back.¡± She held up a finger. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to help this Ricky with his plans, and it could have gotten you all killed. But you did anyway. Why?¡± They¡¯d asked themselves that question quite a bit. None of the answers someone else might give had ever really seemed appropriate. But they had come up with one of their own. ¡°Ricky always used to say to us that things could always get better, as long as people really wanted them to. He said it well enough that you wanted to believe it, whether you actually did or not.¡± Rani shrugged, feeling a bit pitiful at the action. ¡°By the time he showed up I was considered leader by everyone. If I¡¯d refused him, they all would have agreed.¡± They looked down slightly at the table. ¡°But I was still just a nobody. The only real talent I had was killing things. What right did I have to tell him anything was impossible?¡± In the silence that followed, Constance poured herself more tea. ¡°What right indeed? Idealism, real, true idealism, is like spying a unicorn at dawn. You can¡¯t believe your luck, but if you make a single wrong movement it will vanish without a trace.¡± She caught Rani¡¯s eye. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you value my opinion, but I will say this: I¡¯ve been alive for a good deal longer than you, and in my years I¡¯ve never seen a clearer sign of someone being a decent person than insisting they¡¯re not.¡± The witch smiled. ¡°And you, Rani, seem to love doing that.¡± That should have been a much more back-handed compliment than it actually felt. A short while later, Rani was washing the dishes. They turned their head briefly. Constance was still lounging in the sitting room, now flipping through a book. ¡°If you have something to ask, feel free,¡± she suddenly said, without looking up. ¡°The worst you¡¯ll get is no answer.¡± ¡°Well, you listened to all that about me,¡± Rani began, carefully wiping the tea-pot, ¡°but I still know almost nothing about you. Want to tell me anything back?¡± Constance tilted her head. ¡°Hm. About what, exactly?¡± She turned a page, the noise somehow sounding quite loud. Rani put the teapot away. ¡°Maybe about how you came to own a gem only Runic Knight pilots seem to have a use for?¡± For someone who could generate magic of their own, only one reason to keep a thing like that came to mind. The witch turned to look at them, and the look on her face almost made Rani regret asking. It was like no expression Constance had made before. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll tell you someday, if you manage to impress me as much as its previous owner. You haven''t made a half-bad start so far." Opening Ceremonies, Part One The remaining days before the Royale passed quickly enough. As part of their agreement, Rani stayed away from Oxwald¡¯s camp, and Clive didn¡¯t seem to have anything for them to do until then himself. That had been a surprise. They were far from a burglar, but Rani could still think of a few different ways they could help someone who wasn¡¯t planning to play fair. ¡°Hm? Oh, no, not at all,¡± Clive had said that day when they¡¯d offered, during the cart-ride back to the inn. ¡°Unless you have some good experience bean-counting, anyway. Compared to the others, you don¡¯t seem like you¡¯d give the ones I have a scare on sight.¡± He¡¯d shrugged at the look Rani gave him then. ¡°People get such silly ideas about how to make me happy. I¡¯m a simple man: anyone who can do one thing well, or even adequately, deserves to be paid.¡± The merchant sighed. ¡°Sadly, I¡¯m all-too often met with people who feel the need to compensate for not managing either.¡± That kind of claim to innocence was probably a lie on some level, but it also wasn¡¯t Rani¡¯s business. They needed as much time to prepare as possible. No matter how well the Vanguard or them were performing, this was still a fight with few rules and abnormal weapons. They spent the rest of the week running through drills within the forest, based on fighting as many different types of magic as possible. The Royale was held on Saturday, or at least a word close enough to it for Lavenia. It would be starting at noon sharp, but Rani had never needed a special occasion to wake up early. Slipping on the last of their outfit, they nodded to Constance. ¡°I¡¯ll be off.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± the witch murmured. She gave them another once-over. ¡°You look very dashing, you know. Play this right, and you could end up with an admirer or two.¡± Was that meant to be encouraging? Rani couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°With the way I¡¯ll be fighting,¡± they murmured, ¡°I doubt it. But thank you.¡± Anyone who had that kind of taste would just end up disappointed, anyway. --- It wasn¡¯t just competitors who were waking up early for the Royale. Today was as much about talking as it was fighting, and as the heir to the Levenian throne Basil had certain responsibilities today. Among them was, together with the rest of his family, honoring the winner of the Royale - whether they deserved it or not. As he made his way down the corridor to his father¡¯s bedroom, Basil paused as he heard voices. They were the hushed, fervent kinds he¡¯d come to associate with important knowledge. Raising his cane, the prince edged his way forward lightly. It was something he¡¯d gotten surprisingly good at. ¡°What exactly do you suggest I do?¡± his father, Roland Levenia, was saying, the king barely restraining his usual booming voice. ¡°Cancel the event off a whim while our neighbors are here? We¡¯d be a laughing stock in our own country, let alone what rumors all the foreigners would bring home!¡± A sigh came before another voice spoke: the calm, patient tones of the castle¡¯s sorcerer, Laius. ¡°I am not suggesting you do anything, Your Majesty. My job is matters of the arcane, not holding court. But if I sense something is amiss, I am still going to tell you.¡± Roland sighed. ¡°Skies ablaze, man, we have an entire army of knights, the delegate¡¯s forces, anyone here to compete, and you. How much safer could Leonhold be?¡± ¡°Safe enough not to count vagabonds and ¡®foreigners¡¯ as part of its defense?¡± Laius asked innocently. Basil could sense what was coming next, in the same way someone at sea might have been able to sense a lightning bolt coming. He cleared his throat. ¡°Father?¡± Roland quickly appeared in the doorway. ¡°Ah, Basil! Didn¡¯t know you were up.¡± The king looked every inch what his son wasn¡¯t: bright-red hair on his head and face practically formed a mane, while his body bulged with muscles middle-age still had yet to diminish. ¡°I could hardly sleep the night before the Royale,¡± Basil said cheerfully. ¡°Hello, Laius,¡± he added, giving the mage a nod. ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Laius said before Roland could, ¡°simply discussing my role today with your father. Nothing important, really.¡± Leonhold¡¯s local sorcerer was quick on his feet when it came to speaking. He had been serving at the castle longer than Basil had been alive, but no-one knew much about him save that he¡¯d studied in the west, and had the credentials to prove it. He didn¡¯t appear any older than the king, but rumors about what age he actually was often circulated among the castle¡¯s staff. ¡°Ah, right,¡± Basil nodded. ¡°You got a fine night¡¯s sleep, Laius, I hope? We can¡¯t have the event without you in top form.¡± ¡°Top form?¡± Laius gave a little smile. ¡°At this point I could manage it in my sleep, my prince.¡± He gave them both nods, though the look he gave Roland lingered half a moment longer. ¡°I should be off, though, for the preparations.¡± He walked off, with as dignified a stride as any nobleman. ¡°What was he talking about, father?¡± Basil asked, innocently. The biggest chink in Roland¡¯s armor had always been his son, especially in matters of honesty. ¡°Just some sixth sense of his. Thinks there¡¯s some danger afoot.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯s right?¡± Anyone else asking that question wouldn¡¯t have made Roland pause a beat, but for Basil he stopped, scratched his beard a moment, and finally sighed. ¡°I think any would-be conqueror of Leonhold would have to have more courage than brains to attack us today. But he¡¯s never been wrong, either. I¡¯ll have the guard at the main gate doubled.¡± He ruffled his son¡¯s hair. ¡°Now come on, we have guests to greet. It¡¯s been some time since you saw your cousins, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Carefully restraining a grimace, Basil nodded, falling into step with his father. Inwardly, though, his mind was moving far quicker. Laius wouldn¡¯t give a warning if he wasn¡¯t sure there was real danger, and his father was right: it was difficult to imagine anything attacking Leonhold unless it knew it could win. The prince suddenly had a very bad feeling. --- ¡°So, planning to defeat the floor in here before anyone in the Royale, Richard?¡± Richard stopped mid-turn to glower at the one who¡¯d spoken. The barracks were split up by rank, and while he was always happy to have a roof over his head that wasn¡¯t rented, sharing it with a few dozen other young men was never without its problems. ¡°Just catching my nerves. Pretend I¡¯m not here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been chasing them for about ten minutes now,¡± another squire said from their bed, flipping through a book. ¡°Takes you about ten seconds to cross the barracks, for the record, so that¡¯s six hundred seconds so far.¡± He looked up, frowning. ¡°Just get out there, already. It¡¯s damned annoying watching you be this nervous when you¡¯re a better Rider than anyone else here going for that role.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Looking nervous is exactly the problem!¡± Richard said, pointing at him. ¡°If I head out there like this, know what I am as soon as the others see me? A target, is what.¡± ¡°So, take a deep breath. Just be positive.¡± Richard shook his head. ¡°No, no, can¡¯t be too positive either. Reason is, if I walk in there acting like I¡¯m the toughest Rider there, know what I am? A-¡± ¡°You know what¡¯s really likely to make you lose? Us knocking you out after we got fed up with your pacing. Just go.¡± Well, they had a point. --- Rani heard the crack, and noticed without much passion that the receiver of the punch had lost a tooth. Getting that repaired here was probably expensive. Their loss. The smaller one of the pair from Emrick¡¯s workshop reeled, staggered, and then finally fell. His larger friend had taken less punishment this time, surprisingly. He lay collapsed nearby. The two had tried ambushing Rani partway between Constance¡¯s woods and the road to Leonhold, in a blind-spot made by some boulders and shrubs. On paper it was something only an idiot would try, which certainly fit these two. But if a foreigner disappeared during all this excitement, how many people would even notice? Rani felt irritated they were even considering this, since it shouldn¡¯t have come up at all. This location was perfect enough there was no way they hadn¡¯t seen them entering the forest at some point. That was careless. Walking over to the smaller one, Rani lifted their foot and put it down on his chest. Not heavily, but firm enough to make it clear it could become that way. ¡°Did you follow me the day I met with Clive?¡± they asked. The thug tried to look in any direction but at the eyes, and, failing that, nodded. ¡°Did someone put you up to it?¡± Rani probed further, pressing down a fraction more. His eyes darted back and forth again, but this time they said nothing. That made sense. Anyone you¡¯d do this for was at least as dangerous as Rani was right now. ¡°I see,¡± Rani murmured. ¡°But either way, this is the second time you two have attacked me.¡± They raised their foot and sent it swiftly downward. The thug gasped as the wind he¡¯d sucked back was kicked right out of him. ¡°You tried this because out here there are no rules outside cities, I¡¯m sure,¡± Rani said flatly. ¡°But that works both ways. I¡¯m sure you both think you¡¯re pretty tough, and you¡¯ve probably done some bad things. I¡¯ve seen and done worse.¡± They slowly removed their leg. ¡°But today, I don¡¯t want to. I didn¡¯t get the chance to say so before, but I will now: if you two try something like this again, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± The thug nodded dimly. Rani said nothing, walking around them toward the road. They wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if he¡¯d tried something even with all his new injuries, but nothing came. Good. Having a limb broken here had to be even worse than losing a tooth. No-one else bothered Rani until they were at Leonhold¡¯s gate. It wasn¡¯t the same pair as their first time here, but it was apparently obvious why they were here. ¡°Best get a move on, missie,¡± one said, waving a hand at the castle above. ¡°Plenty of competitors came by already.¡± ¡®Missie¡¯? Almost flattering. Rani nodded, heading past them both. There was still more than an hour until noon by their estimate, but no sense risking some technicality. They broke into a jog as the streets sloped upward. As they made their way through the main street, Rani noticed people watching them, either from doorways and windows, or chairs they¡¯d set up for the occasion. If they¡¯d cheered for anyone else coming this way they weren¡¯t doing it for them, but they weren¡¯t booing, either. Out of the corner of their eye Rani saw a few children staring at them, wide-eyed. They¡¯d probably never seen someone like them before. Well, they could look all they wanted. Rani didn¡¯t intend to make this event a habit, and being a one-time oddity was fine by them. They picked up the pace as the castle grew closer. Whatever happened, they¡¯d be glad to have this over with. --- After Richard reported in, he was escorted by one of the castle¡¯s knights to a waiting room for competitors. The Royale was going to be held within the castle¡¯s rear courtyard, the only space large enough for the event, so the room was located in a small corridor near a side exit. As he was led down the stairway to it the squire understood why: the din of the competitors inside would have been a complete racket in the middle of the castle. Richard had been lost in his own thoughts, but abruptly stood up straight as he saw the person waiting in the corridor, serene and dignified despite the noise. ¡°Sir Albert!¡± he said respectfully. The oldest knight in Leonhold nodded slightly, the kind of gesture you¡¯d give an equal rather than someone below you - and it had never escaped Richard that he was far, far below his master. It was only with his backing that a squire like him had even been allowed to join the Royale. Another reason he couldn¡¯t make a fool of himself today. ¡°At ease,¡± Sir Albert said, though to the knight next to Richard, who had adopted the same stance. He nodded and strode off. ¡°You too, Richard: you might be competing as a squire, but you¡¯re not on duty.¡± He smiled. ¡°Had a fine night¡¯s sleep, I hope?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Albert nodded. ¡°Are you as prepared as you can be for this?¡± Richard thought for a moment. ¡°No, Sir.¡± Albert could tell when he was lying even better than Basil. The knight laughed. ¡°Get used to that: it¡¯ll be the case far more than you might think.¡± He stepped forward and clapped a hand on his squire¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good luck, Richard, and trust your instincts. This will be a good opportunity for you, win or lose.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to bring the knight I¡¯m borrowing back in one piece, Sir.¡± Albert smiled. ¡°Leave the ones working the forge to worry about whatever dents you take. It¡¯s only an ordinary model, so it¡¯s not as if you¡¯re borrowing mine.¡± The smile turned coy. ¡°Unless you¡¯d prefer to be?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, Sir!¡± Richard said firmly. Even if he could use a Runic Knight as finely tuned as Albert¡¯s, the pressure would seize him up before he¡¯d swung the blade once. ¡°You do need to learn to take a joke sometime, Richard,¡± Albert sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching from the stands, along with the Prince. Whatever happens out there, the sun will still rise tomorrow. Remember that.¡± Richard nodded. The pit in his gut hadn¡¯t disappeared, but it had shrunk. ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± ¡°No thanks needed: if a knight can¡¯t calm his squire, what good is he?¡± Albert walked around Richard and back down the corridor. ¡°Yes, yes, at ease,¡± he called to someone else. Richard turned to see another knight leading another competitor down the corridor. This time he almost had to laugh. He¡¯d already met her in the town and the bar, so why wouldn¡¯t he run into that same woman here, too? Albert stepped past the two, though Richard noticed him give the woman the briefest of glances. The accompanying knight gestured from her to the door before departing as well, leaving them alone. ¡°Surprised to see me here?¡± Richard asked. He hadn¡¯t let it slip he was competing back at the bar, had he? The fact he had to ask at all was probably a bad sign. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised very easily,¡± the foreign woman murmured, the same way she¡¯d spoken every other time. He had no trouble believing that. ¡°But you¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t think you were one of the castle¡¯s knights.¡± Oof, he¡¯d earned that one, hadn¡¯t he? ¡°Just a squire for now,¡± he murmured. ¡°But I know my way around a Runic Knight just fine, don¡¯t you worry.¡± She didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°I¡¯d imagine so. But that¡¯s true of almost everyone here. For your sake, I hope you have more going for you than the basics.¡± Richard felt a flush from within, but kept it down. The last thing he needed was to lose his temper, let alone to something that reasonable. ¡°Of course I do,¡± he declared. ¡°You just passed the finest Runic Knight rider in the kingdom. He taught me everything I know about swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± she replied. The woman walked around him, toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep from engaging you up close, then. Thanks.¡± Richard kept his temper down this time, too, but only just. Without giving her more to work with, he followed the woman as she opened the door. But if he did run into her in the Royale, he definitely wasn¡¯t holding back now. --- Taunting him wasn¡¯t something Rani actually needed to do, but it served a purpose. Firstly, anyone thinking them and Richard were allies was the last thing they wanted in this battle, so him thinking the opposite couldn''t hurt. If Richard came after them because of it, that was fine by Rani: it would make it easier to keep an eye on him. Secondly, Rani was waiting for the moment when Richard proved Constance¡¯s praise right. They still hadn¡¯t gotten it. So far he had nearly shot someone rather than catch him, get drunk off hardly anything, and give away knowledge he shouldn¡¯t have. If he was supposed to be a hero-in-waiting, Rani wasn¡¯t impressed. The soldier pressed the door open, releasing the muffled noise inside into a total roar. Looking up at the intrusion, the competitors quickly sized up the newcomers. Aware of the eyes focusing more on them, Rani quickly moved closer into the room, away from Richard. Inside was a wide space, one that probably served as a private meeting or dining room when needed. It was already packed to the walls with people. Rani had done a vague headcount of Clive and Oxwald¡¯s camps, but it was only when you put them and the other competitors in one room that Richard¡¯s chances really came apparent. If this had begun as a way to prove merit, it wasn¡¯t now, unless you felt luck was a skill. Was there more they could have done to even the odds? Probably. But they¡¯d also done as much as they could to tip the scales without the chance of anyone noticing. Whatever happened now, no-one could say the battle wasn''t fair and square. All that was left now whether both of them could live up to their end of the bargain.