When Nulla got up, he found a letter on his desk.

“I have a secret request for you, D-rank adventurer Nulla. Please help pretend to be a small-time noble from the Kingdom of Tranian. You’ll pretend to be my fiance, and act as a guard if needed.

Meet me at …

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Lance”

Nulla soon headed out, not questioning it.

∅∅∅

“Thank you for your kindness in meeting me here. As mentioned in my letter, I am Elizabeth Lance. Have you come to accept my request, or do you have questions?”

“Both. Why me?”

“I chose you because you’re unknown, powerful, and adaptive.”

“Adaptive?”

“My spies have told me of how quickly you gain the hang of specific tasks quickly.”

“I see. So what do I need to do?”

“Take this,” Elizabeth snapped her fingers, leading to a nearby servant handing a box over to Nulla, “You’ll pretend to be a count from the far reaches of the Kingdom of Tranian.”

Nulla took the box and looked inside. What he found was clothes and an ID card. The clothes felt… strange. Nulla focused and saw the enchantment woven into them. “Match wearers size.” Checking out the ID card, it introduced Nulla as a viscount named “Viscount Nulla Lance.

“Why Lance? Isn’t a last name supposed to change after marriage?”

“It’s quite common. Those nobles love showing how they own people,” Elizabeth responded.

“I see. So after changing, where do we go?”

“The Eastern Palace. Get changed, and we’ll head out in this carriage.”

∅∅∅

Nulla watched the forests and roads pass by through the window.

“So, how should I introduce myself?”

“Just do what you think is best. Just make sure you introduce yourself with name and rank.”

“Alright,” was all Nulla said before continuing to stare out the window.

∅∅∅

“Ah, welcome Miss Elizabeth. And your companion?”

“I am Nulla Lance. I am Lady Elizabeth's fiance.”

The guard checking the entrants was frozen for a moment but quickly snapped out of it.

“Welcome Mr Nulla.”

With that confirmation of identity, Elizabeth and Nulla were let into the party, where almost immediately they were swarmed by a mass of nobles.

“Ah, Elizabeth has arrived. You still are such a wonderful gem. And who is your companion here?”

“I am Nulla Lance. I’m a viscount from the Kingdom of Tranian. It’s a pleasure to meet such wonderful individuals such as yourself. I’ve recently been given the honor of being Lady Elizabeth’s fiance.”

Much like with the guard, the nobles were frozen, although for a tad longer.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Why, how shocking. ‘The Chastate Princess’ has found a husband,” one of the crowd dryly commented.

“You know what they say, ‘Strike while the irons hot’. If I didn’t get such a great catch, someone else would’ve swooped in and taken him.”

“Oh? A diamond in the rough perhaps?” a noble lady snuck in, a hungry look in her eyes.

“The rough? Hahaha, not at all. Why, he’s a polished gem.”

While the introductory conversation continued, the musicians began to play.

Nulla scanned the room and noticed a couple of things. First, the men are asking for the women's hand for the dance. Second, a few members of the first crowd had magical items on them, sending a message. With a bit more focus, Nulla read the enchantments and messages.

“Transmit to pair, and hide magic,” for the enchantments on all of the tools. They all sent a very similar message, “Kill Nulla Lance, fiance of Elizabeth Lance.”

“May I have this dance, lady Elizabeth?” Nulla asked, hiding his knowledge of the conspiracy on his life.

“But of course. Lead the way.”

As Nulla took her away, the assassin hirers looked very angry, and after a quick glance at each other, slipped away.

Nulla kept his attention on them and their messages while scanning the room to figure out how to dance with a partner.

“You’re quite good Nulla. Where’d you learn?”

“I’ve been copying the other dancers,” was Nulla’s reply, as he noticed another message going out.

“Kill Nulla Lance, and kidnap Elizabeth Lance.”

Nulla kept dancing and saw the conspirators file back in slowly, seeming to hide their mutual arrangement.

“Those four, that just entered the room. They’re working together and hired some assassins to kill me and kidnap you.”

“Unsurprising. They’ve killed my family, trying to get me for themselves.”

“Why?”

“I’ll tell you if you manage to fend off the assassins.”

With those final words spoken, Nulla and Elizabeth continued to dance, although now in silence.

∅∅∅

The party continued uneventfully, so Nulla and Elizabeth left at the start of people leaving the party.

The three moons were all full tonight, keeping everything well-lit despite the time of day.

Climbing onto their carriage, Nulla kept watch, looking for the assassins. The carriage left the castle and entered the forest along a different trail than the rest took. At the deepest part of the forest, where any further travel would take one closer to the edge, the assassins struck.

Nulla burst out, impaling the assassin at the door. Scanning around, Nulla sees 18 more. Many retreat back, but a couple charge forward. Circling around Nulla and swinging in unison, Nulla [Time Stops] and cuts them down.

Nulla continues the assault, piercing one, two, three assassins.

While an assassin appears to vanish, two others send fireballs flying at him. Deflecting them, Nulla makes a rock pierce out of the ground and kills the third mage behind him who was casting a razor wind stealthfully.

Pressing the advantage, Nulla beheaded the mages while they were still stunned. The remaining assassins grouped together, with two protecting the rest while they prepared a powerful spell.

But Nulla wouldn’t let them. Dashing forward, the assassins blocked the initial swing but were pushed back by the force. Swinging again, the blade aimed to bisect the assassin's head. The assassin tried to parry and was successful. Instead of killing them, it instead removed their arm. The other assassin tried leaping in but was skewered on Nulla's blade. The disarmed assassin watched their ally's demise and didn’t resist as Nulla ended them.

Turning his attention to the 5 mages, Nulla saw their spell was nowhere near completion and charged an attack of his own. In a single swipe, they were all bisected at the waist.

Nulla exhaled a small puff and turned to look for the final assassin.

“PLEASE SPARE ME!” they cried, appearing from thin air.

“Sure. Are the nobles who hired you nearby?”

“Yes. They hid a short ride ahead of us, planning to ‘rescue’ the target,” the assassin spoke quickly, face still pale.

“Thank you.”

While Nulla chatted with the kneeling assassin, Elizabeth left the carriage.

“You’re very skilled Nulla. Wiping out nineteen Garden of Nightmare assassins single-handedly and unharmed. Why don’t you do this more often?”

“Nobody has asked. You know, the jobs I get offered over the table are very similar to each other. Hunt or deliver something. No guarding, no spying. It’s a limiting job.”

“Just make a group that does that them.”

“Why, that’s a good idea. Assassin, I offer you an employment contract. You’ll be in charge of bookkeeping, and compiling requests. In exchange, I’ll grant you life, and power.”

“Sure!”

Standing up, Nulla brought the assassin into the carriage and all of them headed towards the nobles.