Shadows Among the Crowd

"My! If it isn't my most trusted patron!"

Down the pavement of cut stone, a man leading a horse-drawn wagon waves towards the prince. His physique assumes him to be less of a soldier. The seemingly exotic furs and fabrics around his body cause him to stand out amongst the crowd, drawing all eyes to both himself and his wares.

"Odart, my friend! How has business treated you?"

"How kind of you to ask! The festivities draw much demand and I am more than prepared to provide the supply."

The merchant runs a hand through his brown hair before resting it upon a cyan scarf. His other hand rests in the pocket of his navy tunic, just above a belt carrying a sizable coin purse.

"I'm on the way to meet with one of my suppliers from Cadell. We would normally meet in a neighbouring village, but the beastfolk attacks have increased beyond my liking."

"I apologise for the inconvenience! Our knights are preparing to remove the threat as we speak!"

Duncan tries to bow his head to the unsatisfied merchant, but a hand on his shoulder stops him.

"There's no need for that, Your Highness! We are well aware of the effort you and the knights have expended for our safety. I have faith that the threat will be handled before I will have realised it!"

"You are too kind! Shall I escort you in return for your detour?"

"My goodness! I could not possibly interrupt your business!"

Duncan and Odart continue to fall into their own world of pleasantries and manners. Leave it to a monarch and a merchant to act cordially to an unpleasant degree.

I began to observe our surroundings, something I found challenging with Duncan constantly demanding my attention. My eyes focus on every last individual in this busy street. A majority of the passersby are harmless, carrying nothing resembling a weapon and taking no actions worth mentioning. However, this does not appear to be the case with everybody.

"One on the roof, ten metres. Another down an alley, five metres."

Two men out of a hundred are not minding their own business.

The first is shorter and perched just barely out of view from most on ground level. He carefully watches the movements of not only Duncan, but all of the patrolling knights in the vicinity. The second is tall and slender, his form barely visible in the shadows of two buildings. Just off to the side of this alley is a stall selling baked goods, their shaded cart fixed in place using a bag of flour. Against the wall of the building the two mysterious men occupy is a heavy basket held up by a pulley.

"There should be at least one more…"

They may appear to be bandits, but this plan doesn't seem to have been without preparation. The stage has been set for a crime, all that remains is the one to perform the deed. Whoever the final member is, they are managing to perfectly blend in with the flow of people. The other question is the target. Duncan? Myself?

"Odart! You certainly know how to jest! Grilled salamanders could not possibly be palatable!"

"Wait until you've tried it, Your Highness! For you, I will provide a steep discount next time I have stock!"

The two chatting next to me fail to notice the coming events. A burly man follows the crowds and finds his way directly at the back of Odart. The sudden shuffling of my other two suspects reveal the identity of the third.

"AHHH!"

A group of pedestrians scream in surprise as the world becomes clouded in dust. Many begin to cough as the sack of flour flies across the street, launched by the kick of the suspicious individual down the alley. Using my mantle as a shield, I manage to witness the remainder of the crime. The burly man relieves the merchant of his coins with brilliant dexterity. I may not be an expert on cutting purses, but even I can tell that this man is experienced.

"What is happening! My purse!? Where is my purse!?"

The sudden shift in his weight alerts Odart despite his current lack of vision. Despite also being shocked and partially blinded, Duncan manages to push past the merchant and draw his blade at the fleeing thief. However, the bandit on the rooftops has no intention of letting the prince intervene.

"Duncan! Above!"

My voice precedes the whirring of a small blade aimed directly at the prince's face. Hearing my warning, Duncan halts his pursuit and raises his sword in defence. The clashing of metal confirms his success in blindly deflecting the thrown dagger.

This window allowed the burly man to sever the rope holding its mounted basket in the air. He grabs the rope as the luggage descends to the ground, pulling his own weight to the rooftops with his ally. At some point during the chaos, the one orchestrating their distraction also ascended to the roof.

"You dirty thieves! I'll have you arrested and—"

Before Duncan can finish his threat, the now unimpeded cart selling pastries rolls and crashes into him. The snapping of wood resounds with the crashing of metal against stone pavement. While slow enough to cause little harm, the collision was more than enough to knock the disoriented prince to the ground.

He struggles to free himself from his splintered cage as the dust finally settles.

"Curses! Clement, after those thieves! They must be punished in the name of Melior and its people!"

"Dead or alive?"

"It matters not! Simply bring them to justice!"

The orders of my employer echo down the crowded and disorganised streets. At his words, the pedestrians crowded around the scene begin to back away and provide us knights with much needed room to work with. Now at the centre of this commotion, I begin simulating the next 60 seconds.

Having already predicted my role in this event, I found a path that would allow me to reach the rooftops. The distance between us and the bandits is growing by the second, but I should have no issue in catching up. This body feels no different from the one I left on Earth and should have retained its capabilities. I need only follow the path planned out by the bandits themselves.

I stand straight and place my right hand on the leather shield over my chest. In the light shines the crest of Aufrey.

"Consider your mission accepted."

My eyes lock with Duncan's for hardly a second before I swing into action. My body flies across the pavement before landing atop the cart's shade. Ignoring the groans of the prince below, I leap once more and grab onto the overhanging edge of the roof. A kick off the wooden walls is all I needed to rotate through the air and onto the layered tiles.

"Let us make this quick."

This simplified world visible through only my eyes has three humanoid objects highlighted in red. After a deep breath, I push against the structure beneath my feet and give chase.