Preparations

At the Royal Patch Academy's visitor receiving area...

"What are you doing here, Bason?" Prince Ren coldly greeted his former bodyguard upon entering the visitor's lounge of the Royal Patch Academy. He wasn't expecting someone from his father's troops to actually meet him at school.

"I brought your ball clothes, Your Highness." Bason gently pushed an elegantly wrapped box towards him. The prince recognized his mother's elaborate work on it.

"Father could have just mailed the whole package. Did he also send a quarter of his soldiers just to guard me here?"

"The king is just taking preventive measures especially that the monarchs of the enemy kingdoms will be attending."

Prince Ren sighed, "The academy has tapped the royal police to address security issues. Wasn't that enough?"

"Extra caution is necessary my prince. The port is beginning to get crowded with royal ships arriving from different parts of the world. It's not only King Yuan who had this idea. Besides, your father is also curious as to whoever you would bring to the ball."

"Don't you dare meddle with my personal life, Bason. Let us be." The prince hurriedly took the box.

Bason smirked as he watched the Kaminari heir leave. Oh you have a date? And I thought you'd come to the party as a loner. I have to report this to the king that his son is already starting to move on.

At an abandoned wine warehouse near the port of Morphia..

Luchist Lasso caressed his chin where his goatee once had been. He felt naked without his facial hair but losing it was all worth it. After this task, he would be running off with so much gold coins he need not kill a single person ever again. He was trying on his fancy mask when he heard the front door creaked.

"You look younger," a tiny voice complimented him.

"You're back. Have you finished installing all your devices?" Luchist inquired.

"Yes, it was too easy to infiltrate them," Opacho boasted. He laid down a small wooden box on the floor.

His tall partner wrinkled his nose as he took the box. "Are these fish? They stink."

"Yes, this is dinner. It's payment for my services today."

Luchist eyed him from head to foot. No one would ever think that this innocent-looking child in the guise of a cabin boy was a young brilliant assassin.

"I can tell you're excited." The smile was unmistakable.

"Yes, I am grateful that you let me play with fire once again."

"Don't thank me. It was a splendid plan after all."

"Do you think you'll see the prince who ruined your life?"

"I wish I would. He would no longer be a little boy by now. When I find him, I will not hesitate to kill him. His will be the first blood spilled."

At a secluded forest near the Kasai border...

"What a pleasant surprise, Amidamaru!" Faust let the Kasai warrior into his hut. "Have you been to Kouku again to investigate your friend's death? If you spend too much time across the Great Spirit's River, King Mikihisa might think you went rogue and went to the other side."

Amidamaru quickly drew his sword and pointed it at the medicine man's throat at the same time that Faust's wife came back with a steaming pot of tea. The tray went crashing down the floor.

"Now, now, Amidamaru. You're scaring my Eliza. Let's sit down and talk this over."

"What's your involvement with the murder of Mosuke and the Kouku royal family?" the warrior demanded.

"Nothing. I'm innocent. Aren't you suppose to be spying on Kouku instead of meddling with another kingdom's affairs?"

Amidamaru ignored him and took out a bundle of papers from his satchel. "Innocent? Why did you give Mosuke sleeping powder in great quantities? It was clearly written in here."

Faust glanced at the familiar-looking logbook. "I did not give the sleeping powder to him. I SOLD it to him but it was not my habit to ask my clients where they would use my concoctions. That book you are holding is where he records his orders from me. My my, you're stealing things from a dead man?"

The angry warrior touched his neck with the cold steel but confusion was painted all over his face. Mosuke was a blacksmith. There was no use for Faust's medicine in his line of work. "What do you mean he orders from you? I heard rumors that the palace people were put to sleep before the Kouku royal family was murdered. Are you in cahoots with the criminals?"

"I am going to say this again, I have nothing to do with the murders of the royal family. You can kill an innocent man but please spare his beautiful wife."

Eliza began to wail.

"Then is Mosuke…?" Amidamaru couldn't bear to finish his sentence.

Faust seemed to have read his mind. "Mosuke won't do such a thing. Your friend lived to create swords but the kingdom of Kouku had been strict in following the terms of the peace treaty. During times of peace, sword-making business was not as profitable and it's not everyday that Mosuke gets to meet a warrior like you. When I was exiled to the border, I assisted him to make both ends meet by allowing him to resell my medicines. You see, we were friends in Kouku even before you knew each other."

"Friends in Kouku?" Now that was harder to digest for Amidamaru.

"I've been away from Kouku long enough, had even served the ruler of its enemy kingdom, Kasai, but I would have never ever orchestrated the murder of our royal family. If you would be so kind as to sheath your sword, I'll tell you everything."