A Royal Decree for a Head

"I apologize for the short notice," Princess Aurelia of the Kingdom of Valoria began, her voice echoing slightly in the throne room, "but this is a matter of extreme urgency." The three of us stood before her throne. "We've received a report from Tenebra, a small hamlet to the west. Bandits have been wreaking havoc and terrorizing the populace. We received a telegram just yesterday from the mayor, Alaric Thorne, pleading for aid."

"So, you want us to travel to Tenebra and deal with these bandits?" Brielle inquired. Like me, she was already in her standard gear.

"Yes," Princess Aurelia confirmed.

"My apologies, Princess," I interjected, adhering to protocol, "but with all due respect, I cannot accept this mission without direct authorization from Captain Thorne or HQ. My orders are to remain on standby while he and Bard are on their scouting mission." Although I would never say it aloud, I wasn't particularly eager for another assignment so soon.

A knowing smile touched the princess's lips. "Do not worry, Lieutenant Arc. Your participation has already been approved by Captain Thorne. In fact, he specifically requested your marksmanship skills. He did, however, insist that you remove any identifying insignia from your uniform. And one last thing…" She tapped a finger against her chin thoughtfully. "I believe he said something about a 'mission update' and… 'that's an order,' or something to that effect."

I could almost picture Thorne's smug grin; the man was always one step ahead. I brought my attention back to the princess. "Why does this particular mission require my skills?"

Her expression sobered as she sighed. "Because your objective is the elimination of the bandit leader." Her eyes met mine. "Captain Thorne mentioned you can engage a target from 1,500 meters. Is that correct?" I gave a slight nod. "I know you would prefer to take him alive," she added. Not always. Not for this.

"Understood, Princess!" I snapped a salute out of pure reflex.

Just as we were about to depart, the princess spoke again. "One last thing. Though the reports are unverified, there are rumors of human trafficking centered in that town. Your priority is to stop the bandits."

"We understand, Your Highness," Brielle replied. "However, a mission of this nature carries significant risk. I would like to request adequate supplies."

"Of course, Brielle. You will be provided with medicinal supplies and other necessities," Princess Aurelia answered. "I wish you all the best of luck."

We bowed, and with a final salute from me, we exited the throne room to prepare our gear.

Back in my quarters, I meticulously cleaned my H&K MP5A3, ensuring it wouldn't jam, and mounted a red dot sight for faster target acquisition. I chose the MP5 specifically because its 9mm Parabellum rounds had less stopping power than the 5.56mm rifle ammunition. Our primary objective was to stop the bandits, not necessarily to kill every last one of them.

I pulled on my combat gear, rolling the sleeves of my Army Combat Uniform up to my elbows for that 'tacticool' aesthetic. I removed the G.A.I.A. patch and any others that might identify my unit or nationality. It was a circular green patch depicting the continent of Aethel, with 'Global Concord Mission in New World' on the upper border and 'Global Assessment and Interdimensional Annexation' on the lower. For some reason, I'd forgotten my boonie hat.

I packed the supplies from Princess Aurelia into my assault pack, and finally, slung my Romulus M25A3 SWS over my shoulder. My part in this was to eliminate the leader. A sniper's job is conceptually simple: find a suitable firing position with good cover and a clear line of retreat, take the shot, and disappear. It would be significantly easier with a spotter.

After a final safety check on both weapons, I hoisted the assault pack onto my back. Just as I was about to leave, a thought gave me pause. I turned and picked up an old photograph from the nightstand.

There were four people in the frame. My mother, holding a toddler-aged me. Standing beside her was Nee-chan, my older sister, still in elementary school. The last figure was a young man with short, jet-black hair and dark, serious eyes. Unlike the rest of us, he wore the service uniform of the JGSDF. "Otou-san…" I murmured.

"Arc…" a voice called from the doorway.

I looked up to see Princess Aurelia standing there. I quickly tucked the photograph into an inner pocket of my plate carrier and saluted. "Princess!"

She offered a gentle smile. "You don't have to salute me, Arc. I may be a princess, but I am not your superior officer."

"My apologies, Princess," I said, lowering my hand. "Force of habit. Back in training, if you forgot to salute an officer, the instructors would make you pay dearly." I could still hear the drill sergeant's roar: "Drop and give me fifty!" I refocused. "What can I do for you, Princess?"

"Nothing, really," she answered, shaking her head. "I just wanted to speak with you before you embarked on your first official mission in this world." She smiled, a disarmingly charming expression. Tilting her head, she asked, "Are you nervous?"

"To be honest, yes," I admitted, scratching the back of my neck. "I've been on my share of 'impossible' missions, but the nerves never completely go away. And I still don't have the same grasp on how things work here as Brielle and Elara do."

"I see," the princess mused. "Do not worry, Arc. I have every confidence in you." She reached into a pocket and retrieved something. It was a silver cross-shaped necklace, with a brilliant, shimmering gemstone set in the center. "This belonged to my ancestors. Prophecy dictates it should be given to the strongest knight in a time of great need, but I believe the choice should be mine to make."

I looked from the exquisite piece of jewelry to her earnest face. "Your Highness, I'm honored, but I'm not worthy of this. Our commander, Captain Thorne, is far more capable than I am. He should be the one—"

"I know you are the one who deserves it, Arc," she interrupted softly. "You possess the spirit of a true warrior. I can see it in your eyes." She took my hand and gently closed my fingers around the necklace. "Please, think of it as a lucky charm." Her grip loosened. "Just… please be safe. I know you can do this."

"Princess…" I whispered, gazing down at the necklace in my palm. I slipped it over my head, tucking it beneath my shirt. "I understand, ma'am! I will complete this mission without fail," I declared, my voice filled with military conviction. I was rewarded with another one of her charming, princess-like smiles.

When I exited the palace, Brielle was waiting by the main gate. "What took you so long?" she asked.

"Not much. Just a quick word with the princess," I replied. "So what's the plan? And where's Elara?" I asked, scanning the area for the familiar elf.

"Her mission is a little different, so she's already departed," Brielle explained. "We'll be leaving shortly. Tenebra is well within our borders, so we should arrive by dusk." She paused. "We're traveling by horseback, but we only have one."

"Well, I guess I'm not riding then. They never taught me how," I confessed.

She gave me a bewildered look. "What? You're a soldier, aren't you? Why wouldn't they teach you how to ride a horse?"

"Back home, horses are mostly for sport," I clarified. "We have vehicles that are much faster."

"I see," Brielle mused, her expression turning deadly serious. "Now, listen to me, Arc. We are going to stop these bandits, not slaughter them. That means I don't want you killing anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. Is that clear?"

I avoided her gaze and nodded. "Right. I'll keep that in mind."

After retrieving a horse from the stables, we set off, the road to Tenebra stretching out before us.