Chapter 4: The Princess

As more and more people keep stepping out of their houses. The assassin didn't have a choice but to stay near the alleyway or the rooftop.

Henry and the princess blended in the crowd. Henry told the princess to "take a deep breath and don't be afraid." Henry then let go of the princess's hand.

Henry stayed away long enough to safely shout and point at her. "Look, it's the princess." He shouted bravely, knowing the Labeso knights will be able to protect her, while the assassin can't do anything because of the citizens that gather and have seen her.

Everybody heard this when Joshua Alexandro Labeso suddenly appeared and shouted the word.

"Protect the princess."

The knight of the Labeso County, directly under the Baron, surrounded her with their sword drawn.

The townfolk that were outside bowed, realizing the imperial princess was right in front of them.

Henry shouted again and said, There's someone suspicious on the rooftop and in the alleyway.

The assassins were startled and tried to escape when the knight quickly subdued them, in which only the ball-cracked assassin escaped.

Joshua stared at the princess. "You are now safe, Your Highness, Lady Marci Lyne Narrafell. My name is Joshua Alexandro Labeso, the second son of the baron," was said with respect and a bow.

The princess asks Joshua, "My knights, have you found them?" with a voice of concern.

The townspeople, the knight, and Young Master Joshua thought to themselves, "A boy?" 

The princess knew what they were thinking and loudly said, "I'm a girl! while blushing and annoyed.

Young Master Joshua paused for a second, then gave a little "ahem" and respectfully answered, "Yes, my lady, they are being treated at the mansion." He then told her that it is an honor for him to escort her and no harm will be done to her.

Townsfolk: Tsk, I thought young Master Joshua was really running naked.

Joshua, hearing the folks whisper, shouted, "Who is the one who shouted, 'I was running naked'?" shouting while angry, but also said sorry to the princess for his manner.

The princess replied, feeling displeased, "Be grateful that your name was used by the hero that saved the one and only princess of the empire."

Joshua got a shiver all over his body that, with one wrong word, he may offend her and get his head cut off. He said sorry to the princess for his manner and didn't know the seriousness of the situation.

Henry saw all of this and laughed at Joshua. Henry, knowing Lady Marci was safe, decided to go back to the mansion because his wannabe hero work was done.

Later, in Henry's room, wondering, where's Gobber?

Meanwhile, at the Hyena Pub, Gobber is hugging a drunk man while asleep. Miss Hyena, blushing and laughing.

...

Henry, still a bit drunk and tired, falls asleep without changing clothes. 

Back at the ball-cracked assassin, he was running in the forest from his failed assassination. When a man in his mid-40s shows up in front of him, he screams, "Get out of the way, old man!" and cries while holding his balls.

It was Baron Billy Jonathan Labeso, wearing a simple white tunic, brown pants, and leather shoes, having broad shoulders packed with muscle. Brownish hair that looks like it was cut by a sword, a messy beard, and a big, messy eyebrow almost covering his eyes. A man built for war, not nobility.

"How dare you try to kill the Imperial Princess in my domain?" He draws his sword, showing a handle without a blade, and it emits a blue ray of light flowing like water. "As one of the swords of the Emperor, I judge unto you, DEATH!" 

Baron Billy shifted into a sword stance. He took one step back, blade angled to strike. The blue ray of light turned red. He slashed his bladeless sword toward the assassin, dealing no damage, and not one cut can be seen.

The assassin halts for a second, confused at what happened. "Huh? Is that all you..." Blood suddenly appears from his eyes, mouth, ears, and butt...Damnnnn!

Baron Billy walks away while leaving the assassin on his knees, lifeless and ball-less.

...

At the baron's mansion, the princess has arrived; she instantly runs to the room where his knight is currently being treated. She opened the door loudly, eager to see them.

The moment she opened the door, all of the knights instantly bowed and bashed their heads at the floor while still standing with their hands at their backs. "We don't deserve to live, Your Highness!"

Every last one of them bowed, and at the very front was a big, bald guy with a huge beard named Sir. Arthur, the captain of the Princess Guard, loyal to the emperor, and a claymore user.

Random Knight: "Your Highness, permission to stab myself!"

The princess replied, "Do it then" with a straight and cat-looking face. She was not amazed.

The random knight looks at Sir Arthur, trying to signal to him what to do. Sir Arthur looks the other way, saying to himself, "You just had to dig your own grave, you idiot."

The random knight, having no choice, said, "As you command, your highness." He was ready to stab his own heart. When an old guy hit him in the head. "Idiot! don't stab yourself!"

The princess's butler, Mr. Buttercup. An elegant-looking butler wearing a suit with a white necktie. The personal butler serving under the princess, Lady Marci's closest friend, her teacher. And the princess considered him the closest family she had.

The princess, seeing this, was delighted and cried after seeing the old guy. She hugs him tightly and cries on the old guy's clothes. 

"Oh my!! You shouldn't act like this, my lady." He tried to bow to her highness to say, "Forgive me for failing to protect you."

Lady Marci stopped him from bowing to her and said that none of this is their fault. She said that the good thing is someone saved him.

Sir Arthur questions her highness, who saved her from danger.

She explained everything that happened... A moment later, they decided to find the unknown hero to give their thanks. When Lady Marci said that it is impossible, that other than his voice, there is no other information about him.

Butler Buttercup and Sir Arthur ask, "Can't you use your eyes to sense his mana, your highness?"

Joshua was confused and curious about what the butler said. He asked them, What do they mean by that?

When suddenly the Baron Billy spoke and said, "The empire bloodline magic, mana sense 'Spectrum.'"

Baron Billy: It is a pleasure to see you once more, your highness.

Princess: The pleasure is mine, Baron Billy.

"Once in every 300 years, a child born with empire blood will inherit this bloodline and will see the world as a blank canvas. In exchange, they will be able to see the mana of all living things."

Joshua was more confused. He asks. "Can't we all sense mana?"

Sir Arthur answered that it is more complicated than that. He said that Her Highness truly sees it, unlike those who can only sense and feel it. She can do more than that. She can see its color.

A blank canvas being painted by all living beings. She can see the truth and the lie through a person, she can see the potential and talent of all living beings, and she can see their goodness or badness.