The lookout shouted, and I heard the unmistakable sound of my Crossbow firing. We suddenly stopped, and I flew out the door, with my Knuckles ready, and Jeanette with her blades. What we saw were five grotesque toad-like monsters, one with a bolt stuck in its eye, clearly dead. “Damn, must be mating season! Damned Toads never group up outside of mating season!”

  I didn’t care, I just leapt into action. Halfway to the Toads, a second bolt slammed into a head, which stunned it long enough for me to finish it off with a pierce of my Knuckle’s spike. I pulled it out and leapt over a darting tongue. The retaliation of my fists caved in its skull, as a third bolt slammed home, killing the fourth Toad. I performed a Back flip, avoiding another tongue lashing, and kicked the final Toad in its head, slamming my spikes down a split second later. “I love my instincts at times like this!”

  I collected the bolts, none of which were damaged. I returned them to the quiver, as the guards stood in amazement. “Your Silver plate, it’s a Lie, right? Surely you must have at least Gold!”

  “It’s only my second day as a registered adventurer, so I think Silver is pretty high at this point, right? Maybe I got some more power from that one assassin, or whatever he was, but I bet these guys are worth more.”

  Jeanette looked a little pouty. “I’m starting to feel useless here, you know! First the Boar, and now this! Let me have some fun too!”

  I grinned. “Are you telling me you seriously wanted to play with the Nasty Toads?!”

  Jeanette shuddered, “On second thought, I’m not mad at all, feel free to kill the Toads,…and Slimes too, I look forward to seeing that!”

  All the men chuckled at that, and I suspected slimes had a particular effect on clothes. I grinned, “As long as there’s no men around, I’ll deal with as many slimes as you want! What’s more, I’ll strip beforehand, so I don’t need to replace anything later!” Jeanette blushed mightily.

  “Speaking of Slimes, if that’s something likely to happen, we should make Chain mail Bikinis, then we don’t need to worry about our clothes getting dissolved, right? They only affect cloth, and maybe hide, or am I wrong?”

  Jeanette looked dumbfounded again. “So simple, Chain Mail can’t be dissolved by slimes, why has nobody thought of that? Sure, it’ll be a little expensive, but not to the point that it will matter when you continue to clear out all the slime requests that keep building up. We should do that, I don’t have a problem with slimes, it’s always the loss of clothing, the slimes themselves are kind of cute honestly.”

  All the Men stared, another brilliantly simple concept shaking their common sense. “Before that, is there anything on these things that we need, cause I’m hoping not!” Everyone shook their heads. “Good, then let’s pull these things out of the way, and leave them for scavengers.”

  “That was truly impressive, the Kingdom is lucky to be gaining such a talented fighter!”

  The Captain was very happy with my performance. “Well, I can’t take any credit, I just move on instinct at this point. I hope someone can give me proper lessons soon, put this raw ability to use in a more refined manner.”

  He looked baffled, “I can naturally arrange for a trainer, but do you need it?!”

  “Seriously, any true martial artist would laugh at my fumbling around, no matter how well it turns out, I’m an amateur in terms of actual skill.”

  The Captain shrugged, “If you say so, I’ll see if there’s anyone who can teach you to use those weapons with more intention when we reach the Capitol, which, thanks to your efforts, is only half a day away. If only we had a light mage, we could make it tonight. The horses had a decent break with the Wheel repair, so they could handle it.”

  I thought for a Minute, then decided why not try. I pictured the light from one of those ten thousand lumen LED spotlights, and willed it into being. Surprisingly, it worked, unfortunately, it was aimed at me. “ACK!” Temporarily blinded, I cancelled the magic. “I think I got the Light Magic covered, just give me a second to get my eyesight back, and I’ll try aiming it forward instead.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at myself for that fumble. “Silent magic! Something so advanced, yet performed like you’ve never cast a spell before, it doesn’t make sense.” One of the Guards exclaimed at the incongruity.

  “Well, I never tried it before, but I thought, what’s the harm, just don’t make any noise, and nobody would know if I failed. Didn’t fail exactly, but blasting my own eyes feels more like a fail, I have to admit.”

  Once my eyes recovered, I climbed up between the lookout and the driver, and activated my new light magic now facing properly forward. We were able to continue despite the darkening night. The road had improved as we neared the Capitol, and our speed had increased as a result.

  Two hours later and a group of bandits appeared on the road in front of us. They raised their bows, and I instinctively increased the light to about ten million lumens, causing every bandit to scream in pain as their eyes were seared with pure light. Then I dimmed the light back down to the previous setting. The Men and Jeanette didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the opening I had made.

  I decided to sit this one out. Less than a Minute later, every bandit had been bound and disarmed. They were then tied in line behind the Carriage on my insistence rather than killing them. “You can’t interrogate dead people, Those cloaks look very similar to the guy who tried to take me out; I’d rather not take chances that there’s a larger structure involved in this. Too coincidental for my taste, seems like a Plot at this point.” The Captain was startled at the thought that the incidents might be connected, but agreed instantly when I had explained my concern. Four hours later, having had to slow for the bandits being blinded and we reached the Capitol wall.

  The gate guard was about to demand we halt, but when they noticed my tiger nature, as well as the crest on the carriage. Instantly, the gates were opened to allow us inside before we halted. “These bandits attacked us, don’t kill them, they need to be interrogated, there might be a conspiracy since they resemble the person killed by our Light mage here, she doesn’t like the thought of someone having targeted the Princess, so we need to be thorough here.”

  The gate guard saluted and took the Bandits away. “I’ll see to the Interrogation personally, I know just the people, mage breakers all of them. We can get every scrap of information out of them without any resistance.”

  I spoke up. “Not to but in where I don’t belong, but please don’t kill them if there is a conspiracy, we’ll need them to testify in court in that case, their deaths can be postponed until after anyone else is brought to trial, and depending on their behavior, their sentence might be commuted to slavery instead, at the King’s discretion.”

  This startled the Gate Guard, but he bowed politely at the suggestion. “A wise notion, I’ll see to it personally. Having their own Bandits forced to testify in front of the Court will certainly be a powerful move.”

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  With that settled, I returned inside the Carriage, there was enough torchlight for the horses to return to the Castle on their own. “This has been a Tiring journey, but you cut over half a day off. I’m sorry you won’t be able to rest properly until after Father has met you first.”

  “I figured, I’m used to long nights at my former job, I can manage, just please cover for any social blunders I make out of ignorance.”

  Adel smiled. “Naturally, your situation is most unique, I think much can be forgiven, and besides, your behavior isn’t unpleasant. You aren’t Rude, and some polishing will set you straight when you have to address the court in the future.”

  Soon we reached the Palace steps, and we exited the Carriage. I asked for my Pack and Jeanette’s. “There’s no need, the staff will tend to it.”

  “Maybe so, but handing them directly ourselves to be placed in whatever room we’ll be assigned is a better idea, and besides that, we have good clothes in our packs, not quite Noble quality, but originally made for a Merchant, so it should avoid any embarrassment for the Crown in that light.”

  “Ah, splendid, we can take a few moments to freshen up on the way, I prefer to don new garments as well.” Carrying our packs, we were led by Adel into the Palace, and to a side room with some maids, a full-length mirror, and several dresses of the Princess, I presumed.

  Jeanette and I changed into our good clothes, as the maids aided Adel. I kept my Crossbow, but placed the bolts in the pack, and my knuckles as well. “You intend to show the Crossbow, but are leaving the bolts, did you say? So as not to alarm the Guards, yes?”

  “That’s the idea, I want to showcase my assets as it were.”

  “In which case, we should have your rank examined before we enter the Audience Hall. We have one here, luckily, so it won’t take a Moment, and your Plates can be updated if warranted.” Adel led us into another chamber where indeed there was a Guild member with a Tablet. He startled awake, but took no notice of dealing with our update, and sure enough,

  Jeanette and I both increased to the next tier. “I’m an Iron rank already?! Then you’ve already reached Gold, you only have Cobalt, Mythril, and Orichalcium till you reach Obsidian, which is the highest tier anyone has ever gotten!”

  “Huh, this is some crazy progression, even I don’t get it!”

  Adel positively glowed with Happiness. “Father is going to be so thrilled, luckily at this late hour it will only be Mother, Father, and my Sister when we reach the hall, my Brothers are all off on Missions, and even if they weren’t, they couldn’t be bothered to attend my return in any event.”

  We moved quickly with our new plates to the Audience Hall. “Welcome home, Adel! I’m surprised you arrived so late, and who might you have brought with you? … A Tiger I don’t know, how is this possible?”

  Adel beamed at her father as she curtsied. “I am glad to be home, but more so to be bringing Miss Jane Rae Richards of a foreign country, and her Companion Jeanette, who witnessed her arrival in our Country only three days past. In just those three days, Jane has already reached Gold rank as an adventurer, as just confirmed before our entrance. Furthermore, she has brought a new form of Steel Ingot that she has taught one Smith how to make, and intends to teach our Smiths as well, it is called Stainless Steel, and doesn’t rust, though not anywhere near as strong as Mythril, it is affordable for the Military’s use, relying heavily on reusing scrap iron during the formation of the Ingots. She also has introduced two weapon types, one of which she left in her Pack, because it’s a Melee weapon, while the other is a Projectile weapon, and she left the ammunition behind out of respect to the Guards.”

  The equally Beaming King addressed me. “Please approach Jane, show me this Weapon, and I hope to see the other one later. Also, I hope you realize that I will need to marry you into the Nobility.”

  I rose and approached. “I do understand that need, but I must state that I can neither marry a Man nor be a Mother, so that will need to be taken into account when asking who will offer for me. It feels as though I’m some sort of dangerous creature, and someone must sacrifice themselves by covering me with their own body to protect others.” I chuckled a little.

  The Princess on the Dias next to the Queen spoke up. “That’s perfect for me, Father, I’ve always wanted to be the Mother, but none of the Noble ladies who would have taken me would have let me do it!”

  I flinched a little. “There’s a Cultural issue to consider, too. I say this due to your apparent age, which may not be your actual age, but in my original country, nobody under eighteen years of age was allowed to engage in physical intimacy, or to marry. I would find it difficult to accept someone under that age, and Impossible if she were under Sixteen.”

  “If it’s only the number that’s the problem, and not my appearance, then there’s no issue, I am, in fact, the first Princess, you’ve just come home with the Third Princess.”

  My eyes widened. “That I can work with, if you're sure you want me, that is.”

  She smiled. “Well, do you like what you see, or is it more that you can accept what you see, because I’m old enough?”

  “I would have liked what I saw either way, but I can accept it because you’re old enough, even if you’re still younger than I am.” Now it was the Princess who looked startled. “Your Majesty, if I may ask, how old are you?”

  “Thirty Five my dear, why do you ask?”

  I chuckled again. “Well, that means I’m the oldest person in the room, I’m forty-two.”

  Total Silence. “You two are indeed perfect for each other. This will be a wondrous occasion.”

  “There’s more to tell besides my age. My country, the one I came from, is in another world entirely. I was falling to my death when a Blinding White light enveloped me; the next thing I knew, I was falling face-first onto the ground in a Forest, naked as the day I was born, right in front of Jeanette.”

  The King looked like he was about to explode at what he thought was a lie, when the Princess who’s name I still didn’t know said “She’s not telling a Lie, my senses are better than most, and her scent is super strong, I think most people could read her if they were close.”

  The King looked startled at his Daughter. “I see, is there more to tell?”

  “Two things, one is that my species changed during that transport, it seems like my original species doesn’t exist here at all. The second thing, I feel, only pertains to the Princess if she truly intends to marry me, then she deserves to know this last fact, which will explain my behavior much more than what would generally be needed. It’s her right to know it, and I’ll accept her Judgment on whether you should know too.”

  The King nodded at that. “Go, daughter, learn this last secret, and make your decision .” She came down from the Dias, and I whispered into her ear that I was originally a Man, and that my Gender change is why I can’t be the Mother, and would never be comfortable in a Dress.

  “Father, as it is my choice, I find the information, though indeed startling, something that can be a general family secret. It turns out, Jane was formerly a Man. The transportation altered his gender, as well as his species. This explains the near lie of her Name earlier; Obviously, she changed it to fit her new gender, and for no other reason.” I nodded, now nervous about the reaction.

  The King went from shocked again to smiling. “So you have a Man’s fighting spirit in a Woman’s body, I couldn’t be happier; tell me what was your original name, I’d like to know just how much you changed it. Three names are quite startling here, but perhaps it is different where you come from.”

  “Yes, your Majesty, my original name was John Ray Richards, so I altered to the Female versions of my first and middle names. My original country had Massive numbers of citizens, and all registered, with instant communication between facilities over the entire country, and travel across the whole country within a week at the outside, people had to have three names to prevent any repeats. If someone else in my extended family was named John, and I know there were quite a few, each one would have a different middle name, thus avoiding any legal confusion.”

  A look of startled understanding could be seen on the King, Queen, and Adel were smiling with Pride for having brought me to her family directly. “That makes me curious about those Massive numbers; what was the average size of a City in terms of population?”

  “Most settlements were no less than five thousand, and no city would have less than a million, and major cities might be slightly over a billion. Medical Care, and Good Nutrition, along with decent Police Presence make for long lives, and decent birth rates, despite all the birth control methods available.” I let those numbers sink into the King’s head for a bit. “Your Majesty, your Grace, and your Highness, I’m afraid I am unaware of your names, having only been in the country for three days, that information was never taught to me yet.”

  “Ah, Understandable, I am King Donican Marion, this is my wife Queen Vanessa Marion, and our First Daughter, who has decided to accept you as her Wife is Princess Alian Marion, our Sons are currently abroad in the country, and our Second daughter is soundly sleeping, I shall introduce you to her in the Morning, and our Sons as timing allows.”