Darius and his squires entered the Northwood family carriage with a mix of nervous uncertainty and expectation. Several carriages and wagons led the family's personal carriages forward while even more knight-led carriages trailed behind. Knights and guards walked the road or galloped while riding on the backs of Herals nearby.

Darius was bored.

His father was in the carriage in front of him with his sister. They shared the carriage all to themselves. He was jealous for a few moments before he realized he now bore a responsibility over the brats he'd been assigned. Each of them had their own problems associated with them. One was too timid and scrawny without any self-preservation whatsoever. Another was an annoying prick who seemed to think the world revolved around him. And the most recent one... With a True Lotus body like Thousand Roses. He had immediately accepted him as his squire but was unsure how he should approach him.

Darius snapped himself out of his thoughts as he paid attention to the children's conversation instead of tuning them out. He could focus on more serious subjects later.

"I can't wait to see the Capital! I've heard the food is wrapped in gold and stuffed with pearls!" Daniel's eyes beamed with excitement as he remembered how his father had described Avia to him when he was younger.

"I hope I don't get in trouble. I don't want to mess anything up." Talia looked nervous as she was scared of having bad etiquette. Rhea had reprimanded all four squires on improper manners and posture almost every day, and Talia had a bit of a complex toward failure.

Roderick pat Talia on the back as he responded, "Don't be such a worry wart! I'm sure we'll be fine, Talia! What I'm curious about are the magic shows! I wonder if we'll see any magic or knight's battles at the ball? I've heard stories of demonstrations being done before?"

Elaine smiled at the group of children before saying, "Yes, it's definitely possible. Magic demonstrations are a very common practice for Noble social events. We used to have them once a year ourselves, but there's no way to know for sure." She turned to look at Talia and ruffled her hair, "And don't worry about getting in trouble. You could offend the Princess, and all you'll get out of it is verbal discipline. Unless of course, you plan on hurting the Princess in any way?"

"No, never!" Talia vigorously shook her head as she continued, "I would never hurt anybody! I promise!" Talia looked like a scared kitten caught in the middle of a firestorm. Darius had to practically cover his ears from the booming sound of her heart beating.

Swallowing back his annoyance, Darius tried his best not the use the word weak as he said, "Don't say you'll never hurt anyone. We can only hope we never have to hurt anybody, but that's unrealistic, Talia. Just move forward while doing your best in any given situation."

"O-ok, young master!" The look of incomprehension on Talia's face made Darius scratch his head as he tried to put it in simpler terms, "Just do your best, ok."

With a cheery smile, she said, "Yes!"

The carriage slowly made its way past the city of Renee and continued down a large Highway that connected the Northwood Duchy to many cities, towns, and provinces in Elion. Each new town and city the carriages passed caused ooohs and ahhhhs from the watching children. Darius couldn't remain cold-hearted watching the children light up with wonder.

The children talked for hours with Darius interjecting into their conversations every few minutes. A warm sun and pleasant weather lent to a relaxing path forward.

*************

"This is our chance! We can even use a bandit troop to hide our tracks!" Rowan excitedly shouted to Derick in a small one-room apartment in the middle of the city of Renee. Had they not set up a soundproof barrier before speaking, Derick may have outright killed Red for being so stupid.

"Rule #1 of the Seekers. Execute missions with thoroughness and precision. Never face a situation unprepared. Row, we can't leap in head first whenever an opportunity arises. We've talked about this before." Derick walked back and forth in thought.

"On the road. With minimal guards and outside of the range of the Tower! When will we ever get a better chance? Blue, weren't we waiting for the moment the children travel to the Magic Academy? Isn't this just an earlier opportunity? While they are weakened no less?" Crossing his arms, Rowan frowned as he glared at his partner.

"When we get approval from the Emperor to expand the resource for our mission, that is the moment we should strike."

"Derick! We can't twiddle our thumbs for the entirety of our mission! We have to get some results!" Rowan looked as though he were on the verge of breaking a table as he looked at his overly cautious partner.

"But... That doesn't mean we should do nothing. We should do a little fishing and see if we get an opportunity to strike." Derick broke into a smile as he stopped walking back and forth.

Rowan calmed as he saw the look on Derick's face, "Go on."

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"Let's do as you suggested and find a bandit troop or two to manipulate into attacking the Red Tower master's entourage. If they provide ample enough distraction, we might even be able to finish our mission right now."

"Isn't that what I just suggested?!"

"Haha! Almost. We can throw out some bait and see if it catches. Not everything has to be an end all be all you know. Sometimes all you need to do; is watch how a situation turns out and pick up the fallen pieces."

"Well, sometimes it needs to be, and I'd prefer jumping at chances than being forced to jump when the timing isn't optimal. We've had too many close calls to do things piecemeal." Rowan and Derick shared a knowing look before sighing.

"So you do think sometimes. Interesting, I was beginning to think you were a rare breed of talking gorilla."

"Blue-haired bastard! I'd think you were a blue-gilled lizard with how you're always glaring!"

The two men laughed before quickly getting their weapons and equipment prepared.

Derick added, "We need to give a proper excuse for our absence. Now is not the time to burn our identities. Just in case things don't go our way."

*************

The road to Avia was long. It was a three-day trip by carriage, and that was with very little rest in between. The wonder and expectation began to die down after the second day as the children grew tired from traveling.

"Are we almost there?" Aaron had been glancing at Darius every few minutes during the trip to Avia, but while he had yet to apologize he found it easy to complain.

"We'll be there by mid-afternoon tomorrow. If you ask again the answer won't magically change." Elaine gave Aaron an exasperated look before hugging her son. "I'm just worried about what will happen when we get to the ball. I can only imagine the Princess falling for my impish son as soon as she sees him." Darius could only glare at his mother's teasing before returning to his cultivation.

"Mi-Miss Elaine, what will we do when the ball starts?" Talia looked as though she had been holding on to that question for over a day as she asked.

"You'll follow Darius around and interact with other squires. You'll talk with the Princess and her new squires as well as other noble children and possibly royalty, and they will probably try to intimidate you." She looked at Darius as she continued, "As long as you are with Darius, you'll be fine. Whether he acts like a big shot or not my son knows how to protect his people." Darius looked at his mother and nodded his head. He wouldn't disagree with her assessment when it was common sense.

"Just remember to walk with the dignity of being the Tower Master's sons squires and his future knights. If you complete your knight training in the future, your position won't be inferior to a Royal Knight's. Don't forget it."

"Yes!"

"Yes, my Lady!"

"Yes, miss Elaine!"

"Yes, ma'am."

All four children blurted out their answers as they saw the serious look plastered on her face. Elaine pulled out snacks and water from underneath her seat and began distributing them to everyone in the carriage.

"No need to be so tense! You all need to eat. We still have a long way to.."

The carriage came to a sudden halt as messages were quickly exchanged between drivers. Sounds of shouting came from outside of the carriage as the Herals started whinnying.

"Quiet for a moment." Elaine shushed everyone in the carriage and knocked on the small window between the carriage and the driver. It opened, and the driver stuck his head through the window and shouted, "Lady Elaine! Bandits! They've blocked the road and surrounded our group on all sides!"

She sighed as she said, "I'll take care of it."

"Yes, Lady Elaine!"

"Mother, I'd like to join."

"No." Darius' mother didn't even have a change in expression as she looked at her son. Her look seemed to signify that her answer was final.

"I can handle a group of bandits myself." Darius gazed into his mother's eyes undaunted as the group of squires gaped their mouths in horror. Even Aaron looked scared at the unknown situation.

"Y-young Master, please don't go outside!" Darius looked down to see Talia gripping his shirt with a look of fear on her face.

"Son, you're better off here protecting them."

He took a deep breath and said, "I'll watch the situation from the carriage roof. I'd prefer looking at the trouble coming directly. I can protect my squires better if I can see danger approaching from far away."

Elaine scratched her head while breathing in exasperation, "Fine." She opened the carriage door before looking at each one of the squires, "Each of you, get under your seats. Stay here until we clear out the bandits. Under no circumstances are you to leave this carriage until I say so! Nod if you understand."

The children all nodded their heads before looking at Darius. Darius looked back at them for a moment before saying, "I'll be right back. We'll all be fine." He smiled as he leaped out of the carriage and jumped on the carriage roof.

Elaine jumped from carriage to carriage as she looked at the surrounding bandits, "You dare to attack the Red Tower Master and his entourage? Do you all have an archmage hiding in your mountain cave or something?"

A bandit walked in front of his troop. He was fat with a scar running from his forehead down his nose and upper lip. He had dark tattoos and brandings of different animals across his chest and arms while he twirled his two swords in his hands. "I've heard that you all are missing the Tower Master! We've gotten word that he's out of commission! If you don't surrender all of your goods right now! We'll be having some extra fun with the women and children!" He started laughing devilishly as he whistled to his group, "Surround them! Prepare for battle!"

"I have nothing more to say to the dead. Flame Armor! Wind Treader! Flaming sword!" Multiple spells came to life in mere moments around her as she shouted, "Knights! Guards prepare for battle! Protect the carriages!" She dashed from the top of her carriage straight for the fat brigand in the middle of the group. The brigand yelped as he formed a small earth wall in front of him, but Elaine ran at such a terrifying speed that he was unable to make any distance before she reached him. With one swing of her flaming sword, the earth shattered, leaving her unobstructed.

"Stay away! Kill her!"

One more swing of her blade and the bandit leader was split in half and set on fire. With the leader slain, the rest of the group fell into chaos and disorder. "Flame arrows!" Dozens of arrows shot from Elaine's position as she leaped head-first into the bandit troop like a dragon diving into a group of sheep.

"Demon!"

"Monster! Run!"

Bandits quickly fled in every direction less than thirty seconds from her initial attack. The result of the battle became evident in less than a minute. Annihilation was the only outcome the bandits could imagine as dozens fell in seconds.

"Retreat!"

Only thirty out of the hundred or so bandits that had attacked them managed to flee on time as the Red Tower's entourage started a massacre.

Just as bandits were quick to jump at an opportunity for loot and pleasure. They were just as quick to retreat from danger.

Elaine returned to the carriage as she shouted, "Treat any wounded! And check for damage to Herals and Carriages! Then we move again when ready!"

Darius could only look at the results in wonder and disappointment. He had really wanted to fight.

************

"That's why you don't dive into things head first, Row!" Derick had a look of disbelief that had still not left his face.

"Maybe your right. I might have underestimated the Red Tower a bit." Rowan shuddered as he looked back in the direction of the smoke he had fled from. The battle had gone the way he had expected... but not as quickly as he had expected. A demon beast prowling in a flock of ants wasn't as terrifying as the Red Lioness slaying bandits as easily as a farmer picking cabbages.

Derick shook his head before saying, "Information is the reason we're here. And what we've gathered today is important. The Red Lioness is a threat capable of neutralizing at least two seekers, and if that's the case, she's on the verge of breaking through to High Mage."

Rowan smiled, "Mission accomplished. We gathered valuable intel. Whether or not that information is good or not doesn't matter! The bad news is good news, depending on how you look at it!"

They both laughed. "At least we survived!"

"Derick, I guess I owe you an apology! We'd probably be dead if we rushed in with those bandits!"

"Rule #1..."

"I get it!"