And so, I had learned. Not just the art of swordsmanship, but also the importance of discipline, of perseverance, of believing in myself even when the odds were stacked against me.
And perhaps, just perhaps, I had even learned a bit about patience.
Which was a good thing, considering my current predicament...
"It’s my fault," I muttered, pacing back and forth in my small, rented room, Vykekard’s helmet bobbing along beside me.
"Lady Ophelia insisted I oversee the retrieval personally. ’Be there at all costs,’ she said. ’Those mages are incompetent fools,’ she said."
And look who’s the fool now...
"I should have listened to her. I should have been there."
The memory of that fateful conversation, the one that had led to the theft of the shipments, still made me cringe.
Lady Ophelia had been adamant that I personally oversee the transport of the valuable artifacts from Elandria to Aurean. But I, in my arrogance, had dismissed her concerns.
Those mages are more than capable of handling a simple delivery, They’re four-star mages, for crying out loud. What could possibly go wrong?
Famous last words, apparently.
It turned out that a group of highly skilled thieves, their abilities far surpassing those of the average mage, had intercepted the shipment. The four-star mages, caught off guard and outnumbered, had been swiftly defeated, the valuable artifacts vanishing without a trace.
When news of the theft reached Lady Ophelia, she was furious.
Not just at the thieves, but at me.
"You were supposed to be there, Julian!"
"I entrusted you with this mission, and you failed me!"
Those were the words Ophelia had said to me after my absolute blunder.
I had tried to explain, to apologize, but my words had fallen on deaf ears.
And now she had sent me to Elandria to retrieve the stolen goods and apprehend those responsible.
To make matters worse, she had sent Mel and Fletra, two junior guards fresh out of an academy, to "assist" me.
"Support," she had called it. More like a constant reminder of my failure.
But here I was, stuck in Elandria, trying to avoid a diplomatic incident while simultaneously tracking down a group of highly skilled thieves.
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Which is why... I, Julian Ryker Uzziel Godford...
...
"Excuse me, can I please get one chicken risotto please?"
"Ah!... um... right away sir..."
Is eating earthly food in an elven tavern as we speak.
"...BUURRP"
The food at the Leaky Tavern was just too good to resist. I kept finding myself back here, even though the waitress I’d helped was back at work, despite being harassed over and over.
It’s not like I came here for her though, I just came here for the food.
"Excuse me, can I get another one please?"
"Y-Yes sir, right away!"
As much as I wanted to just storm into that building and take back what was stolen, I couldn’t help but think I’d just be making things worse for Lady Ophelia.
If I got caught, it wouldn’t just be my head on the chopping block. It would be Ophelia’s reputation, the Florence family’s influence, and their trust between with their respective kingdoms.
I shuddered, picturing the headlines: "Rogue Florence Agent Ignites International Incident!"
Not exactly the legacy I wanted to leave behind.
Besides, there was something else bothering me, something about this whole situation that didn’t quite add up.
The thieves were too organized, too efficient.
They had managed to intercept a shipment guarded by four-star mages, and they had vanished without a trace.
It was as if they had inside information, as if they knew exactly when and where to strike.
And then there was the missing princess.
Was it just a coincidence that she had disappeared around the same time as the shipments?
Or was there a connection, a hidden link that I was missing?
"Another risotto, please," I called out to the waitress, pushing my empty bowl forward.
It wasn’t just the surprisingly delicious food that kept me coming back to the Leaky Barrel; the constant flow of gossip and rumors flowing through the tavern provided valuable intel, painting a clearer picture of what’s going on in this city.
And the most prevalent rumor, of course, was the disappearance of Princess Aziel.
I knew that in the novel, she was quite the beauty, with silver hair and emerald green eyes.
"A true Elven rose," is what they called her.
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I had to admit, I was curious to what she looks like and how she’d compare to other heroines of the novel.
But my primary mission was to recover those stolen shipments, not play hero. Though, if they happened to offer a handsome reward for the princess’s safe return... well, a little extra coin never hurt anyone.
"Another please..."
"Of course, sir! Right away!" the waitress had seemingly gotten more confident and her voice was more welcoming than before.
As I waited for my refill, I felt a presence behind me. Two pairs of feet, hesitant yet determined, stopped just a few paces away.
"Chief?" a tentative voice spoke.
I turned, and there they were, Mel and Fletra, looking slightly worse for wear but their eyes shining with a newfound excitement.
"We, uh... we think we found something, sir,"
"It’s not... conclusive evidence, but it’s definitely a lead," Fletra added, her hand clutching a crumpled piece of parchment.
"A lead? Tell me more."
The pair had spent the past hour scouring the eastern district, following the whispers and rumors, piecing together fragments of information from those around them.
Eventually, the two junior guards discovered a hidden alleyway, a secret meeting place where shady figures exchanged coded messages and whispered about a "big score."
Fletra and Mel had even managed to overhear a conversation mentioning a hidden warehouse near the docks, a place where "the goods" were being stored.
"We’re not entirely sure if it’s connected to the stolen shipments, sir," Mel concluded, "but it’s definitely worth investigating."
I nodded, impressed by their initiative and their thoroughness.
"Excellent work, you two. This is exactly what I was hoping for."
Although I already knew the location.
I glanced at the map Fletra was holding, tracing the route to the hidden warehouse with my finger.
"We’ll check it out when I confirm the location. But first," I said, turning towards them, "you two need to rest. You’ve been working hard, and I don’t want you burning out before we even get started."
I pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden token.
"Take this, It will grant you access to a safe house in the eastern district. Get some rest, and meet me back here at nightfall."
Mel and Fletra, their faces beaming with gratitude and excitement, took the token and bowed their heads respectfully.
"Thank you, sir!" they said in unison.
As they turned to leave, Mel hesitated, glancing back at me with a questioning look.
"Sir, we also heard some rumors about the missing princess. Should we be looking out for her as well?"
I shook my head.
"The princess is not our concern. Focus on the shipments. That’s our priority... Unless, of course, they’re offering a hefty reward for her safe return. Then, by all means, bring her in."
Mel and Fletra chuckled, their shoulders relaxing slightly.
They bowed their heads once more and disappeared into the bustling streets, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the lingering scent of chicken risotto...