Cause of Death: Poisoning

I admit I wasn't expecting a feast, nor a lavishly laden small table from which I couldn't eat a thing, even though I was starving. Still, I wasn't about to eat the raw meat and fish before me. I believed they were of the highest quality and freshly caught, but I was still not tempted. I had the impression the princess sitting across from me had done it on purpose; she was clearly fanatical about observing the reactions of those she oppressed.

After all, I politely asked for something else, to which she merely rolled her eyes. I was given a bowl of fruit, and I barely refrained from lunging at them. I was afraid to ask if they had anything more substantial, like bread, or if they could, as an exception, change the state of the food from raw to cooked. However, this princess was unpredictable, so I didn't want to risk her sudden change of heart.

Just as Tifia had brightened my perception of dragon-people, the creature sitting across from me shattered it all in an instant. I watched her dig her claws into chunks of meat, tearing them apart effortlessly with her fangs, and the pleasure she took in sinking her teeth into fish. She reminded me how dangerous they were, so I didn't even dare to speak, but even the sweet fruit became difficult to swallow.

I was certainly not dealing with a stereotypical princess; she was certainly not a lady with etiquette at her fingertips, perfect in every way, without room for error, intelligent, distinguished, and beautiful. She watched me intently, making it clear that food took precedence, and conversation would take place after at least the first hunger had been satisfied.

This gave me a moment to consider the conundrum I'd asked Tifia about earlier. After all, they must have had a king or queen as well; at least from what I knew, I could assume they should have been above the princess, yet until now, she seemed to be the only one in real power. Besides, no one paid much attention to conventions; the princess was simply a princess, not "Your Highness," "Excellency," or "Lady." She was also very accessible, yes, treated with respect, and her orders were followed without hesitation, but that was still a completely different level of relationship with her subjects, although I doubted they considered themselves such. Perhaps they had introduced monarchy not so long ago, or they simply didn't care and operated within a very simplified model and their version of that system.

"At least now it's possible to be in the same room with you, man."

The princess took a sip of water from a simple metal mug. So, shall we begin to negotiate? Not that I had much to offer or conditions to set.

"My beginnings in this world weren't the easiest," I replied sulkily, my stomach still not fully filled.

"You brought this on yourself." "She reminded me with contempt in her voice, and I was already glad she'd omitted the "stupid" one earlier when she addressed me. "Now let's talk about a more important matter. I want you to go beyond the Wall as soon as possible. I've considered sending someone with you to watch over you, but I don't have anyone like that. Besides, why force anyone through this torture…"

I was actually pleased; it would be nice to have someone who knows this world, but on the other hand, I probably wouldn't necessarily spend so much time with someone who is absolutely devoted to the princess. I wondered what she meant by torture—the stay there itself or the issue of assuming human form? That was the part I had to be especially careful with; I couldn't fall for that beautiful illusion a second time.

"I was also considering the problem of communication. We don't use the means to do so over long distances, and constant trips to the Wall to deliver information would take too long," she explained to me another aspect of her plan for me.

"Can we solve this issue somehow?" "I interrupted, just to feel like I was even participating in this conversation. The princess glared at me, and I realized I was supposed to just nod and politely follow orders.

"I'll give you three months to start. You'll return with a report, and if I'm satisfied, our cooperation will continue. I've considered various options, including betrayal, for which, as you can imagine, I'll kill you, even though you don't have much to offer them anyway. If you die, I doubt it will be a significant loss, whether at the hands of your own people or by your own doing. You have a predisposition for that," she cackled, as if she'd just told a distasteful joke, but as far as this world is concerned, she was right.

I wondered how badly I'd damaged my ankle, and if the injury were serious, whether I'd regain full mobility. The pain was bearable, though, and I tried to take some weight off my leg. Still, I wouldn't have minded crutches.

"I'm not going to waste any more time. I've told you everything you need to know. Do the job well, and you'll live a little longer." She stood up and didn't even bother to say goodbye. "I've already ordered supplies for you; you'll leave immediately."

"Can I ask for crutches?" I asked, having had a flash of insight.

"What are they?" The princess wasn't happy that I still expected something from her.

I briefly explained to her why I needed them. When she heard that I had something wrong with my ankle, she rolled her eyes. However, she had no intention of granting my request, at least not without better arguments.

"People have a certain amount of compassion within them and often feel sorry for someone," I noted. "The sight of a wounded person can trigger a surge of these feelings and a desire to help, even though they're strangers to them. Perhaps this will help me gain their trust and…"

"Fine, I'll give the orders right away." She waved her hand, telling me to stop talking and finally begin my mission.

My kit wasn't heavy and fit into a small leather backpack that had seen its best days already. I didn't want to look in there while being watched by my two favorite dragon-people, lest the princess resent me for demanding something more. The expedition had already been delayed by the search for something that could actually act as crutches. I received a very simplified model, but it was still better than nothing.

I guessed we'd make our way to the Wall the same way we'd made our way to this truly royal sanctuary. For a moment, I was tempted to spread my arms and say, "Let's fly, guys!" But I decided it wasn't worth the risk of an unfortunate accident along the way.