Far from the lush northern marches was the town of Brimmingham. Set upon the Arlington Mountain on one side, and the Petrichor coast on the other, this southern port town lived up to its name with its brimming coastal trade routes. Jizzarian merchants used it as the first stop towards their continent-spanning spice network, and Londinian traders would be remiss to exclude it from their caravan routes.

In the center of town, behind the stone-white palace walls, an elegant young lady sat in a large, marble-tiled room while another, dressed in white-and-blue uniform, brushed her long, golden locks of hair.

"It's a fine day isn't it?" the lady said.

"It is, Your Highness," the other replied, "a perfect day for a stroll around the town."

"Ah! That's right, the poppies are in full bloom today, too!"

"Then I shall prepare for Your Highness' departure."

She giggled. "Thank you, as always, Eileen."

It had become her habit, during warm days, to tour around the town and take in the sunrays through her parasol. Today, she followed the cobblestone paths to the upper part of town, built on the gentle slopes of the base of the mountain. Most structures there were constructed with light, flexible materials - wood for the most part. In conjunction with the mostly stone construction of the lower and coastal quarters of the town, it formed a layered aesthetic that changed gradually with the elevation. Sailors came and went in its port admiring the view it offered out at sea.

Gentle murmurs followed her wherever she went. The townsfolk basked happily in her beauty and radiance. Everyone knew her and passed no opportunity to greet her. Children would often run up to her and play with her. To many, she was known as the treasure of Londinium.

She thought nothing of it, however, and shrugged it away with a giggle. "It's peaceful today, isn't it, Eileen?"

Her escort, now clad in shining, silver armor, smiled and said, "Of course, everyone loves Your Highness, after all."

"Now you're just teasing me." She looked away and pouted.

Eileen subdued a chuckle as she muttered, playfully, "But it's true."

"Oh, stop it."

They were in the midst of their playful banter, when, suddenly, the earth shook, violently.

The princess wore heeled sandals that made it difficult to keep balance from merely walking over uneven ground. But a tremor - alas, she was swept her completely off her feet.

"Kya!" she cried.

"Your Highness!" Luckily, Eileen was quick to the rescue, wrapping herself around her liege and cushioning her fall.

On the ground and in each other's arms, they waited.

Rather than a shock, it was more of a prolonged quiver. Almost as if they were sitting atop a table that was grinding against the floor as it was being pulled sideways.

But soon enough, the tremors subsided. Thankfully, it left little damage around them. At worst, a flimsy stall had crumbled because its primary pole toppled over; and apart from a basket's worth of spoiled goods, no further harm was done.

"Oh, dear..." The princess looked worriedly around her, when Eileen abruptly squeezed her by the arms.

"Are you alright, Your Highness!?" she anxiously said, "Is your leg hurt?"

"Huh?" She shook her head in confusion. Her mind completely flew over her own situation, but there they were, laying, in the middle of the road. She had suffered no injuries, whatsoever, thanks to Eileen and so, she smiled at her and said, "Oh, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Hihi, you're overreacting again, Eileen. If you keep that up, you'll get wrinkles early."

"Haah... maybe it's because a certain princess has a tendency to hide the fact that she is hurt until she is bedridden?"

"E-err..." She averted her eyes. "That happened only once..."

"Twice. In a row."

"A-ahaha ha..."

Even the onlookers were stunned for a moment, but as the princess finally stood up and restored her former grace, they quickly returned to normal, as though nothing even happened.

"Your Highness, that must have come from the northern wall."

"Again...?"

"So it seems."

Elizabeth's face turned glum. "...shall we take a look?"

"The earthquakes have stopped but... nevertheless, please be careful, Your Highness."

"Of course."

They passed though the uptown in a hurry. Along the way, they met with some guardsmen who were, themselves, in the middle of a dispatch to the scene. They were armed with thick, long polehammers, the heads of which more resembled oversized picks with the great steel nails protruding from them.

When they arrived at the gate leading to the Arlington Mountain, they found it left ajar. The dozens of guards stationed atop the bastions stared blankly at something outside. Though people were still running around, it seemed from the silence that battle was over.

And so it was. Beyond the fortified walls laid the body of a massive creature. Its plump body was covered with visibly rough, sand-yellow skin. Itshead sagged onto the ground down as if it were about to fall off, as a large gash spurted blood out of its thick, long neck.

Elizabeth felt her stomach turn. In a defensive reflex, she turned right back around, took a deep breath and held it in.

"I-is it dead...?" she mumbled, clutching chest.

In that moment, Eileen took her hand. "Your highness..." She inched closer, lending her shoulder for her mistress to rest her head. It, too, was a learned response. In the past, it wasn't rare for the young lady to pass out, seeing such scenes.

But this time the princess forced herself to endure.

Even now, the soldiers were doing their job to the fullest. What face could she show to them if her knees now buckled and weakness overtook her?

"Hey!" shouted a middle-aged man in a suit of armor, "Make sure it's dead! These earth lizards are tough as boulders, ya know!? And that ain't no joke! These critters have literal rocks growing on their skin, so be sure to stake 'em right!"

The princess approached this man, careful not to lay eyes on the gore at the edge of her vision. "Captain Tullard," she said, "is everyone alright?"

"Oh! Yer Highness!" The vicious scowl on his face vanished the moment he laid his eyes on her. "Absolutely! We've gotten used to protecting the walls from these darned lizards! Ol' Tim did get scratched while the beast was-a strugglin' but he'll be fine tomorrow. Hahahaha!"

She placed her hand over her chest and let out a sigh. "That's a relief."

"Still..." The man crossed his arms. "If we don't do nothin' about the nest itself, it's only a matter of time before someone gets really hurt, like before..."

She flinched.

It wasn't the first time the earth lizards had ventured out of their nest - the dungeon that encompassed a deep cavern dug into the mountain itself. But one time, it happened, and the town was ill-prepared. Despite their best effort, the wall was breached.

It was only through the help of a passing adventurer that the city was saved, then. And as soon as the lizard had died, the adventurer quickly disappeared, not even claiming a reward for his, or her, efforts...

It was the first and last time it ever happened - she promised herself that it would be so.

Captain Tullard scratched his head. "...but we don't have the manpower to sweep the nest... a few times we sent some men to scout it out, and it's really packed with these things. My men can hold a wall... but raiding a dungeon... that just ain't our expertise."

But the adventurer's guild has failed to answer my call for far too long... and at this rate... I'm just waiting for a disaster!

She hung her head and uttered, "I'm sorry..."

Kuh...! How frustrating...! Eventhough I hold such a title... how could I still be so powerless!?

"Y-yer highness! There ain't nothin' to be sorry about! It don't matter if it be a lizard or a demon! Me an' the boys'll keep our fair town safe!"

His words drew out a bittersweet smile. "Thank you, Captain Tullard. I'm glad I could count on you."

The man turned red and grinned. "Heheheh!"

There must be some way to be rid of these monsters... without needing to trouble father. He has grown so pale lately. Aside from that, I am still a Lady of the Royal Court! I ought to be able to solve an incident or two with my own resources...!

She turned to her escort. "Eileen, has there been any replies from the guild?"

But all she got in response was a sullen expression.

Tsk... when the guild scribe paid a visit and rated the quest I posted, I was ecstatic to know that they've given it the highest qualification possible...!

I thought that, surely, a Master-level dungeon would attract some heroic party of adventurers in a heartbeat, but...

She clenched her teeth.

It's been far too long since then. Worse, still, neither I nor my consorts have any ties with these adventurer types...! Kuh, to think there were such disadvantages with being surrounded only by nobility...!

But in that moment, the spark of inspiration struck her.

...wait, nobility...?

Her eyes widened.

Wait a second...! There is one!

"That's it!" the Princess suddenly yelled, to the surprise of both her escort and the old guardsman. "Eileen, call for a messenger!"

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"A... messenger, you highness?"

"Mm! We're calling for help."

The lady knight gasped expectantly, saying, "You mean, Your Highness will finally stop being stubborn and ask the King to-"

"No!" Lifting her finger, she then exclaimed, "The Heroine!"

"Uh… eh?"

"Haven't you heard!? She's already proven her strength in Ealdton... and I heard that she was awarded Dellwick because she subjugated the dungeon nearby! They say the guild post-rated it as a Master-level dungeon, you know!? And she's the heroine! She would be remiss to deny a call for help, right?"

"I-I see... indeed, the heroine sounds like a capable person… I shall send a message at once."

And when I finally meet her in person...

While no one was looking, her lips then widened, forming a lecherous grin.

…then I can finally play with her cheeks!

She sipped the drool overflowing from her lips and cackled, "Ehe... ehehe... ehehehehe...!"

A cold breeze swept across Sylphia's back, sending a chill down her spine.

"Brrr...!" She clutched her upper arms and shuddered. "It's pretty cold for a summer day... Maybe it's because of this thin dress I'm wearing..."

She was her on her way back to the inn after having finished another day of her rounds. Today, she wasn't able to escape early in the morning as, somehow, Eris had become privy to her sneaking out while her secretary was, supposedly, still asleep. Thus, she was only able to leave in the afternoon, when she was finally allowed to go - only after finishing a great big stack of documents.

Uuuu... what a miserable day. I didn't even finish a whole lot in the cave, thanks to Eris...

"No, no." She shook her head.

She's just doing her job.

And with a deep breath, she let out a sigh.

But still...

She didn't notice it right away, but slowly, a clump of people began to form around her.

"Eh?"

They looked menacingly at her, and by the time she noticed, she was already surrounded by what looked to be an angry mob.

She sucked her cheeks inward.

E-eeeeeeh!?

Soon, a man stepped out from the crowd, asking, "You're Lady Sylphia, right?"

"Uh... y-yes?" Cold sweat dripped down to her chin as she nodded. "That's me. Can I... help you?"

They loomed over her.

"E-eh...? What?"

Eris was resting in her room, later that evening. She had just finished compiling tomorrow's reports, when, all of a sudden, her door blasted open.

And in ran a little girl, screaming, "Eriiis! What's the heck is happeniiing!?"

"M-my Lady-" She hardly had the time to assess the situation when she caught the girl who just leapt into her chest and wept. This ticked her off. With a bit more force than she intended, she pried Sylphia off of her, saying, "Please calm down, my Lady."

But the latter did not yet seem to be in the mood for calm discourse. "Uuuu..." She sniffled, "I was bullied by a bunch of angry people on my way here! They said I was lazy and stupid, and that I was the cause of the bandit attacks around here! I mean, what bandit attacks are they talking about!?"

Eris sighed. "I was going to report that tomorrow morning, but..."

"Tomorrow!? But I was bullied today!"

She turned a sharp gaze to the little girl. "Perhaps I could have delivered it sooner, but my Lady was nowhere to be found..."

"Geh-" She averted her eyes. "F-fine... Give it to me, then."

"As you wish." Alas, she picked up her glasses and donned them once more. She stood up, and allowed her sullen lady to sit in her desk as she delivered the news. "For the past few days, bandit activity had been slowly rising. It seems to have exploded today, with large-scale raids reported along the caravan route towards the province of Brandonbury. In total, five caravans have been struck. One two days ago, and a total of four over the course of today.

"Losses of life have been reported," she continued, "2 merchants, of whom 1 is missing but presumed dead, 6 caravaneers including farmers and caravan guards, and two of Dellwick's guardsmen who were assigned to the road. Material losses are also severe. Of the 4 caravans, 18 carts of goods have been stolen.

"As a precautionary measure, I have taken the liberty to withdraw all the guardsmen from road patrols. To minimize casualties, I have sent out the instruction to all caravaneers to simply give up their goods if attacked. However, if this keeps up, all trade will be frozen. It being in the middle of harvest season, I cannot overstate how dire this situation is."

"Aaaaaagh!" Sylphia scratched her head furiously.

"I'm sorry, my Lady."

After releasing her futile rage, the girl soon simmered down. "Gnnn... stop apologizing. I'm not blaming you or anything!" She then wilted into her seat and, with a disconcerted face, grumbled to herself, "Geez, why did this have to happen now!? Did we piss them off somehow? But if they have enough men to commit an attack like this..."

"My Lady," Eris interjected, "nonetheless, we need to resolve this situation somehow."

"That's a given."

Her eyes sharpened like a hawk's.

Here's my chance.

"Then," Eris placed her hand on her chest, "if I may..."

"Hm? Sure."

"Thank you, my Lady. I have a suggestion that may come to resolve my Lady's predicament. My Lady remembers that Count Rosteforough has been asking for food deliveries?"

"Ugh." Sylphia winced. "I wish I didn't, but go on..."

"It is no secret that he maintains a large garrison in Linden. However, a town of its size couldn't possibly support such an army. Which, I deduce is why the Count was insisting so much for the food."

"Heh... so that's it." Her eyes flickered. "You're pretty well-informed."

"It is part of my job, after all."

"And then?"

"I believe it would be possible to arrange a deal where Dellwick should come under his army's protection. In return, it should be a fair to provide those troops with their much-needed supply of food."

"Ugh," Sylphia's eye twitched, "that does make sense... but if I come crawling to him now, I could only imagine what he'd be gouging me for, in return."

Tsk, perceptive little brat.

"Sorry, Eris, let me think for a while," she added, before reclining into the chair, hand on her chin. She rocked back and forth as though she were trying to shake loose a nail stuck between the cogs of her mind. After a short while, the girl then muttered to herself, "Damn it... This's really cutting into my timeline."

Eris sighed. "I could see no other plausible solution to the problem."

It didn't seem that the girl was listening, however, as she just kept mumbling inanely under her breath. "Should I use... no, too risky... and without trai-"

And her patience was wearing thin. Aiming to force the issue, she then stepped closer and forcefully interjected, "My Lady, if you would allow me, I shall make sure to negotiate an advantageous deal for yo-"

But she, too, would be cut off, when Sylphia suddenly stood up. "No," she then girl said.

Startled by the chair sliding towards her, Eris staggered backwards. "…Huh? But my Lady!"

"I'm sorry, Eris, please leave me alone for now. I'll try to figure something out."

"Are... you certain? I urge that we request for help quickly. Even if Linden is but a day's carriage away, that cannot be said for a contingent of soldiers on the march..."

"Yes. It's fine. Oh, and, don't take this the wrong way, but from now on, I want to take over the security of Dellwick."

She felt her stomach clench, hearing those words. Nonetheless, she suppressed any other reaction she might have had, particularly on her face. And, as though it were a matter of fact, she responded, "Of course, my Lady."

"Thanks," she said, as she made her way back out of Eris' room, "well, that's all, I guess. See you tomorrow."

"Wait, that's it? My Lady, forgive my insolence, but, I seriously doubt that the crisis will be solved by simply rotating the guards in a different way..."

"I know." Sylphia glanced over her shoulder. "As I said, leave it to me."

"But-!" She reached her hand out, but by this time, Sylphia was already outside the door.

"Good night, Eris." And with that, she closed the door and left.

"Good... "

An oppressive silence remained.

"Night…" The secretary hung her head. "…my lady."

Meanwhile, Eris just stood there, alone; baffled. The quiet night only seemed to amplify the noise in her head - her inner voice, trying to make sense of her own situation.

...something? Something!? What something? What can a bankrupt Lord possibly do at this situation? I hold out the single lifeline that can save Dellwick - save you, yourself! And you swat my hand away!?

She gnashed her teeth.

Fine, then. Maybe you simply don't understand the gravity of your situation.

She then sat back down on her desk, slipped her hand into the inside-pocket of her blazer and pulled out a key. With it, she opened the desk's main drawer and pulled out a small, rectangular, box.

In that case...

And from it, she drew not one, but four gleaming gold coins.

...I will make you understand.