"Okay, you people have GOT to be kidding me?" 

Traveling from Frostleaf to their newest big destination, Alaska and her crew were now about to be tied up with some unfortunate events. 

They were in the nation's third-biggest city, Whitewall, at the moment, the Templars caught up with Alaska and was now standing before the leaders of this city's organization. 

"That's no way to talk to your superiors, you know that? But you really have no choice in the matter, we've seen your line-up, it's small but deadly." 

"That's what she said."

"Are you serious?" 

Oh, so they were keeping watch on her while she was in Frostleaf, she guessed they were talking about Ayame who waiting for Alaska back in the inn they were renting. 

"But, we've never done a protection job. Hell, we've only just really got together, are you sure you want us to protect such a high-value target? Isn't this what the National Guard or Royal Guard is supposed to do?" 

"Well yes, but the national guard is actually on the defense because of heating up tensions between us and our neighbors. The Royal Guard is busy protecting the rest of the royal family. This is a low-key operation, you only need to hop two cities and you'll be finished." 

Alaska mentally grimaced at the idea of protecting some princess. She liked the idea of meeting one but traveling with one is gonna be a pain, she's had enough of high society from her last life, and she didn't want to deal with it here. But as said before, she didn't have a choice in the matter. 

It was either do her job or get kicked out of the Templars, though she doesn't really care about the organization as a whole, she really liked wearing the red crosses so she might as well accept. This old fashion was in her soul now. 

"Okay, I'll do what I must." Alaska bowed as the person in front of her smiled. 

"What if she's cute?" 

What a thought from Lena, Alaska was too worried about her personality that she didn't even think about that part. Wait no, she was trying to hit it off with Ayame, she couldn't be so openly horny in front of her and she wasn't trying to NTR her Oni either. She'd have to keep the flirting to a minimum then, in other words, basic friendly flirting is allowed and nothing else. 

"Great, she'll meet you at the inn you're staying at, she'll be dressed as a Templar so no worries about her clothing. By the way, she can hold her own in a one on one against most average people but don't expect anything crazy out of her, you hear? We're putting you in this for a reason..." 

Alaska nodded again and with permission, she flipped up her hood and left out of the room and then swiftly out of the grandiose building. Back onto the streets, she might as well go and see her new companion first and alert her team to the addition until they reach the capital. 

"Think about it, if she can fight at a basic level, that means she won't be so stuck up, right?" 

"No, you'd be wrong. The more one of these high-society people can do, the more important they think they are. I'm hoping she's just a hard tsundere because at least I can get some sort of satisfaction out of this, otherwise, this is just gonna be a pain." 

She and her crew even had plans to see what the lower levels of the city were like, and maybe even buy some barely legal stuff to see what it was like but now, that plan seemed like it would be a oneway ticket to kidnap town if they brought the Princess down there. So, they would have to stay above level. 

"Hm, maybe you're right but still. Let's not assume the worst yet. We don't know what she's like...!" 

"What? Would you like to talk to her first then?" Alaska teased the idea and Lena denied her fast. 

"No way! I have a fear of royalty and anything of the sort!" 

Alaska held her head because of the sudden screaming which Lena apologized for right away. It looked like neither girl was prepared for what they were about to face in just a few minutes, once arriving at their pretty average inn, they took up to the rest area to indeed find a girl sitting there wearing gear similar to Alaska. 

And damn it, she was cute. Her hair was fluffy and a mix of red and dark orange, she really gave off a firey spirit look. Her eyes were golden and she had a cute face to contrast with them. 

Of course, they both know who each other are on sight but Alaska didn't expect to see her friends talking at a table just a few feet away from the person they were about to protect. 

Ayame glanced past Lisbeth sitting in front of her and spotted Alaska, she immediately called out to her and ran over. Of course, the Oni was currently hiding her horns away with magic to appear more human. 

"You're back sooner than I thought you would be?" Ayame was happy to see her back so early, Lisbeth stayed back at the table to watch what was happening, "So, what were they calling you for?" 

Truth be told, Ayame was still on edge about being in such a big human environment. When a guy wearing white and a mask approached them while walking through the city telling Alaska to come along with them, you could say she was ready to attack but Alaska told her off saying that they were a Templar. 

She was extremely happy to find Alaska had returned so quickly and unharmed at that. 

"They're sending us to protect the country's princess..." Alaska mumbled as you never know who could be listening, just because of that, Ayame understood the importance of secrecy. 

"Where is she?" 

"Right behind you." 

Ayame turned around and was jump-scared by the golden-eyed girl standing right behind her like a statue while yelling, "FUCK!?" 

Alaska shrugged while Lisbeth walked over to figure out what the hell was going on. 

"I told you she was right behind you?" Alaska couldn't find how she got so scared when she was told right where the girl was. 

"Right behind you doesn't usually mean actually RIGHT behind them!" 

"So, what are we doing?" Lisbeth's first comment into the conversation was directed at Alaska who flicked a thumb towards the princess. 

"We're protecting this little girl." 

"I'm not little." 

No, she was. She looked to be about 15 or so. Alaska herself was only about 16 so she didn't have a massive age gap on her, but in terms of height, Alaska was taller than her. 

"Okay, why are we always doing something weird? I mean, we're protecting this random-" 

"I'm the princess of this Kingdom...?" 

Lisbeth then looked at Alaska's crosses and realized what was going on here. So, this was gonna be a tough one as she could already feel the weird restrictions that were about to be put on them during this escapade. 

"Fine, why are we always stuck with some weird girl?" Lisbeth changed her question but the girl immediately frowned at being called that. 

"Weird?! In what possible way am I weird?! You just met me about ten seconds ago and you're already insulting me, if anything, you're the strange one! Like what even is that thing on your hip!" 

Lisbeth leaned over smugly and said, "It's called a gun, shorty." 

"Shorty?!" The girl kicked Lisbeth's knee as hard as she could making the gunslinger almost fall over from the surprise pain, the princess threw open her cloak and once her balled fist were visible, Alaska stepped in and started pushing the girl back, "Who's short now, huh! Let me at her, I'll beat her up!" 

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop it, Lisbeth! Stop flirting with the kid!" 

"Kid?! I'm only three years older than- wait, I'm not flirting either!" Lisbeth pointed accusingly at Alaska for insinuating something so dastardly. 

"I mean, you finally go bi and the first girl you look at is way younger, you're a bit of a weirdo...?" 

Lisbeth said nothing back but instead quickly drew one of her revolvers and pointed at the pair of girls standing in front of her. The princess stopped laughing and put her hands up because Alaska did the same, she had no idea what the thing was gonna do but for one, she thought it would probably fire something at her. 

"It was a harmless joke, harmless!" 

"Yeah, and besides. I'm actually 16! You're not that much of a lolicon-!" 

Alaska covered the princess's mouth before she could completely get that sentence out. 

"How have we just met her and I already wanna put a bullet in her?" Lisbeth raised an eyebrow. 

"You can't shoot her, we'll have our heads chopped off!" Ayame made the girl lower her weapon before she could actually shoot at them, "How about we all calm down, okay? Ms. Templar, would you like to introduce yourself to us?" Ayame was getting tired of playing the mediator role recently. 

But, she got things under control, Lisbeth put her gun away and crossed her arms while Alaska moved her hands away from the princess's mouth. 

"...Well, as you three know, you're here to protect me. I'm Templar Erika, pleased to meet you." She did a small bow after her introduction. 

"See? Now, that wasn't so hard. It's actually quite late though, we'll have to procure some decent travel this time around, no horse riding..." 

"I'm fine, however. I'm assuming you were headed for the tournament in a month, right? As long as we make it in the time for its start, it doesn't matter when I arrive." 

"Shouldn't you have... I don't know, some princess duties to attend to?" Alaska was surprised at her telling them to not rush her to the capital. 

You would think someone like this would hate being away from a big room with a bed big enough for four people but she was sounding otherwise. Alaska probably should've guessed from how quick she resorted to violence that she was more of a fighter than a princess. 

"No, it's whatever. I'm registered at the Explorer's guild anyway, I'm barely a princess." She crossed her arms triumphantly. 

She pulled out her card and well, she was decent. E was her rank so she could really handle most small threats by herself which surprised them, after all, they were all High-D rank themselves. 

Except maybe Ayame who hadn't been tested yet. She was probably more like a C in rank instead of D. That's what they should probably do tomorrow along with trying to figure out how to burn some time in this city... 

"Also, did you say Explorer's Guild? Isn't it Adventurers Guild?" Ayame asked for all three of them, even she knew that didn't sound quite right. 

"You didn't hear? It was just changed to Explorers instead of Adventurers. The owner thought Explorers sounds cooler and went through mountains of paperwork and money just to change the name. Pretty stupid, right?" She chuckled at so much work for such a simple thing. 

But, they were probably traveling at the time so it should be no surprise they hadn't heard of the change. But now they knew and well, Explorers did sound cooler.  

"Anyway, should we rent her a room?" Ayame asked the most important question. 

"No way, for me to be in a different room from you all would be dangerous, would it not? You all are already sleeping in the same room, right?" 

Well, she was right about that. They were all sleeping in the same room, to be exact, it was a double bedroom while Alaska slept on Beta's tails, you could say it gets a little crowded at night depending on the arrangement but thankfully, not here. 

"You're right about that... you could sleep on Beta's tails while I sleep on the floor?" 

Erika's face simply asked what the hell was a Beta? Alaska snapped and the magical fox appeared before them in a medium size. He was about the height of a table and maybe a little bigger. 

"...You sleep on that?" Erika was just as shocked as most people would be, "They get bigger, don't they?" 

Alaska nodded and snapped once again for the fox to appear in its full size standing over Alaska and his tails were touching the ceiling. 

She looked up to figure out why the fox was standing over her like this but found out something else instead. 

"Oh, Beta is in fact not a he, but a she." 

the fox transformed back into a smaller form and licked Alaska for finally getting it right. 

"How was I supposed to know? You should've told me sooner...! Anyway, it's sorted. We should head to our room now, besides, it's already late." 

When they arrived, it was already quite late in the evening. So, they wanted a spring day tomorrow so turning in a little early was just on the cards for them. Erika decided to take the foxtails for a bed while Alaska went for a sleeping bag, it looks like things lined up just perfectly for them. 

Hopefully, tomorrow would proceed smoothly as they had more than enough time to kill...