After securing a ride from a nearby village, Fabrice's traveling party was on their way to the Echo Bell capital. They sat in the wagon loaded with barrels of berries, making themselves comfortable on the provided mats of hay. A rather large Munchlax steered the wagon, which was pulled along by a group of Dodrio that chattered openly along the open road. Thankfully, the group was spared of their talkative nature with the wagon cover drowning most of the sound out.

Fabrice nestled in the back between two barrels, strumming a lute and humming a song under his breath. The twins occupied themselves with the barrels, convinced there was treasure hidden in one of the barrels thanks to a friendly tip from Klaus. They swam through the barrels' insides, fixated on finding a nugget of gold. Klaus himself rested on his hay mat with his eyes closed as he picked his teeth.

Melissa, meanwhile, took an active approach toward the long ride. Since they had a week of travel to endure, she thought it would be best to train her Faithless Imitation. At the moment, she couldn't do much to copy her travel companions, save for decent impressions of their mannerisms. Fighting and move practice were also off the table, so she focused exclusively on channeling those impressions and matching the aura.

She held up a piece of hay and, channeling Jet's aura, commanded Razor Shell to manifest through it. She took quick swings at the air, getting a feel for the weight, before dispelling. Next, she tried Jason. Sparks crackled through her fur, causing them to stand on end. She attempted to vibrate her arm to match Jason's battle speed, but managed only an uncomfortable tingling through her veins. Her arm jolted against her will and bent backwards, slapping herself across the face.

Ooookay then, needs work.

She decided on a different personality she hadn't attempted: Althalos. From her training and guidance from Jason, they concurred she has an easier time manifesting aura she had a strong emotional experience with. Easiest one she could summon was Amos, for obvious reasons, but Althalos seemed like a close second. Plus, she really wanted to use those Abyss Clouds after the trouble they put her through.

She held her hands out and concentrated on the part of Althalos. She asked herself, who was Althalos? What would Althalos say? What is Althalos thinking? How would he use his signature move? What makes up the mind of Althalos?

A sense of duty to the cause. An empathetic soul forced to do wrong. A mastermind of the criminal underworld.

Melissa breathed in, then let the aura flow through her. A deep purple aura formed around her, taking the shape of a miniature Dusknoir. The aura coiled around her arms, balled up into her hands, then split apart into clouds of darkness. Melissa opened her glowing purple eyes and stared at the Abyss Clouds.

"Hmm. A fine first try, I suppose," she told herself in a dry tone. "Although, replicating the advanced techniques for this move won't come easy."

"You aren't going to throw that in here, right?" Melissa snapped out of her trance as Klaus addressed her. "Neat trick, by the way."

Melissa dispelled the Abyss Clouds and shook her head, clearing her mind. She giggled nervously and scratched behind her head. "I have been learning so much from Jason, so I hope to surprise him with everything I learned on the road."

Klaus rolled onto his side, showing a lazy smile. "You planning on bagging some bounties while we're out here? You know you have homework, right?"

"I am focused completely on planning my heist, but I want to use the time I have wisely."

Klaus yawned and returned to laying on his back. "I'm not one for training, personally. Seems like so much work."

"But did you not have to train to become a Forester?"

"I failed the exam a few times. I never had the constitution for this kind of stuff, which is why becoming a Greenwood is up my field. Giving orders, coming up with plans, staying out of the fight as much as possible; sounds like a dream come true."

Gold poked his head out of a barrel and grinned. "Seems unwise for someone of your condition to pursue a field of extraneous activity."

Jewel popped out next to him. "And a thief with no charisma has no future as a leader."

Klaus glared. "Private conversation. Shove off." The twins giggled and returned to their treasure hunt. He sniffled and wiped his sleeve along his nose. "Though, they're not wrong."

Melissa shuffled closer to Klaus, though kept a reasonable distance from what she called the contaminated zone. "It sounds like you would rather be anything else than a Forester."

Klaus shrugged. "I had nowhere else to go. Plus, it's where Percival is, so I figured I could give it a shot."

"You talk about Percival a lot. You must really look up to him."

"How can I not? I have a lot to owe to the Foresters, Percival especially." He folded his arms behind his head and lay into them. "The Foresters may look like a bunch of heartless thieves who would rob a noble blind, but they do look out for little guys like me. No one really pays any attention to the sickly kid who looks like he's carrying an infection with him twenty-four seven." He glanced at Melissa. "Know anything like that?"

Melissa froze with an embarrassed blush blooming in her cheeks. "I, uh…I do not mean to offend you—" He raised his hand and stopped her.

"Save it. I've heard it all before. I'm numb to it." He sighed and looked up at the wagon cover. "I was born during a pretty nasty blight in my village. It's a miracle I was born, though didn't do wonders on my immune system. Kids avoided me, called me a walking ball of pestilence, and feared I brought death wherever I walked. I was weak, uncoordinated, basically useless. It hurt, but I like to think I grew a tougher skin after all that verbal harassment. Seems arbitrary to care about what others think."

Melissa rested against the wagon's walls and sighed. "I wish I had your brand of enthusiasm. All my life, all I ever wanted was the approval of my father. I had high hopes becoming queen."

"Why are you so fixated on becoming queen? You could probably do better out here as a thief than as some stuffy monarch."

Melissa closed her eyes and sighed. "It is a matter of principle. If I can make a change in the Verde Kingdom, maybe I can do the same for all other kingdoms." She looked up at the wagon cover and smiled. "My dream is to unite all ten kingdoms and bring peace back to Virdis, just like in the days of old."

Klaus smirked. "You do realize the ten kingdoms are responsible for the Great Kingdom's downfall, right?"

"And I will do all I can to see it never happens again."

"You are a sappy optimist, you know that?" Klaus snickered through his teeth. "Then again, without people like you, I'd be drowning in my own pessimism. Still, I don't think your subjects will appreciate you actively joining a thieves guild and stealing from one of your allies."

Melissa paused for a moment. Now that he mentioned it, there was a big risk to committing a crime in the Echo Bell Kingdom. Being exposed as the missing princess was bad enough, but stealing from an allied kingdom could fan the flames of war. How good would it look on the Penworth family name if their only heir took part in crime against an ally?

Granted, she could stick to a smaller, less impactful heist. It mitigated the chances of her getting caught and any aftermath in the probable event of capture. That was the safe option to ensure her father wasn't dethroned by an angry mob, or worse an army.

Fabrice, however, made it clear to them that the heist couldn't just be some petty robbery. Melissa would be in charge of leading a team, maybe even Green Scouts of her own. How well would it reflect on her performance to rob a jeweler or a bakery? Unless it was the royal birthday cake for the twin royals or an expensive custom-made necklace, there would be no point.

She either needed to find a safe, but impactful opportunity for a heist, or throw caution to the wastes and take the mother of all risks. What to choose, though?

Food for thought when they arrived, she supposed.

"I will…cross that bridge when we get there," Melissa finally answered.

Klaus smirked. "Putting it off to the last minute? You're speaking my language."

"Oh hush."

Fabrice stopped strumming his lute for a moment and looked up at the two. "Heh, you remind me of when I was fussing over my assignment."

"You said you stole a vase from the emperor of the Great Gate Empire?" Klaus asked, sitting up.

Fabrice nodded. "Oh yeah. I figured I would get some recognition if I went after the emperor specifically. I planned everything down to the tiniest detail, from entrance strategy, contingency plans, contingency plans for my contingency plans, and so on. It's a lot of work. Even our most basic raids need to be detailed out. I used all my resources and sought assistance from my superior at the time, Shingo. He taught me some neat tricks to blend in with my surroundings and sneak through enemy lines. He, uh, plans ahead for just about anything that involves escaping. He…really hates being confined."

"What's your point?" Klaus asked.

"You have to know what you're working with. We're familiar with the tricks and trade of the Verde Kingdom, but other kingdoms have their personal advantages we spend weeks planning around. Take, um…Basil, for instance!"

Melissa's ears perked up. "Oh, that is right! Basil is a Greenwood Leader. But I thought he handled internal affairs in the fort."

"He's qualified for both, though he's on suspension right now. Basil may seem like he has his head in the clouds, but he pulled quite the con on some nobles in the Algus Kingdom. He managed to trick ten nobles to not only cut ties with each other, thus causing in-fighting within their alliances, but also acquired deeds for far off land they owned. If there's anyone I could say had a perfect raid, it was him."

"Wow," Melissa awed. "That is amazing."

Fabrice laughed. "Yeah. We Greenwoods have lots of stories to share and brag about. It becomes a contest for us. Who had the better heist, and who has the best story? There's something thrilling about making the perfect heist. I hope you four get to experience that when you finalize your plans."

Melissa rocked back and forth on her hands. "The best story for the best leader. That is what I want…"

Klaus grinned. "Do we get anything else besides bragging rights?"

Fabrice shrugged and played a few strings on his lute. "I guess there's a pretty big meal to celebrate your success."

"Good enough for me."

Gold and Jewel reemerged from the barrels and sat on the floor. "Well, prepare to be outmatched by my sister and I—" Gold started.

"—for we are the masters of theft. A team would just slow us down," Jewel finished.

Fabrice laughed. "Sorry, you two, but you signed up to lead teams. Even if you successfully pull off your heist, you'll fail if you leave your team in the dust." The twins pouted and huffed.

Melissa shuffled toward the back of the wagon and hung her arms over the edge. "So, the perfect heist…I could steal from a noble family, or maybe I can pull off a big con like Basil. Perhaps I could a valuable painting from the kingdom's art museum. There's many priceless pieces to choose from."

Klaus folded his arms behind his head and leaned against the wagon wall. "I have to ask, Fabrice. Do we get to choose who we lead in our teams? After all, leading a team requires you know who you're working with, right?"

Fabrice smiled. "There is some room for choosing, though we want to make this as authentic as possible. You will be left in charge of the newer recruits we're expected to get. Again, there will be supervision by your superiors to ensure nothing bad happens, but you will be in charge of monitoring and guiding any newbie Woodlands. We can't always work with the people we're close with, so it's best to know how to manage scouts under you."

Klaus sighed. "A shame, but understandable. You guys aren't holding back with this. You might as well give me a sack of flour and tell me it's a baby."

"All Greenwoods had to go through this same process. Jason wants to make sure whoever is promoted to lead teams knows the risks and expectations placed upon them. We can't have just anyone leading any of our new scouts into probable danger."

Melissa continued muttering to herself while passively listening in. "I guess that means we will be assigned scouts to work with when we get our heists approved. If I can choose the people I want to work with, who would be the most help?"

Klaus reached over and pulled her tail, snapping her out of her deep thought. "Virdis to princess, come in, princess!" he called out in a hush tone.

Melissa turned around and covered her tail. "Do not do that!"

Klaus laughed it off. "Don't overwork your brain. We still got some time before we reach the capital. Tell you what, I could accompany you around the city so we can trade ideas off with each other. Makes things easier for the both of us. Plus, I lived in the Echo Bell Kingdom for some time, so I know a thing or two."

"Oh?" Melissa sat down and smiled. "Oh yes, I would appreciate that."

"Just so long as you don't go on another unsupervised manhunt."

Melissa shot him a deadpan glare. "Haha…and I was supervised. Just by Basil." Klaus threw his head back and laughed. She wanted to retort, but stopped as her stomach growled. She covered it and blushed, laughing sheepishly. "Well, all that thinking has made me hungry."

Fabrice set his lute aside. "Now's a good time for lunch." He reached for his bag and opened the front pouch. "I made sandwiches for everyone. Help yourselves." He tossed them one by one.

Gold, Jewel, and Klaus caught theirs. Melissa raised her hands as hers came flying. However, right as her fingers curled the wrapped item, the wagon hit a pothole, causing Melissa to jump and accidentally throw her sandwich over her head. It flew out onto the street.

"AH!" came a passing yelp.

Melissa looked over the wagon's edge and saw a purple cloaked Zangoose and sword-carrying Accelgor on the side of the road. The sandwich sat in pieces on the Zangoose's head. Melissa blushed meekly and raised her hand.

"S-Sorry!" she shouted to the best of her ability. She turned and sunk to the floor, hiding her shame.

Fabrice chuckled and pulled out another sandwich. "Good thing I made extras." He slid the wrapped sandwich across the floor, hitting Melissa's feet.

Melissa picked it up, still covering her face with her ears, unwrapped the sandwich, and nibbled it. The twins broke out into fits of laughter while Klaus and Fabrice did their best to spare Melissa of their own amusement.

"S-Sorry!"

Regina von Elmnou wiped the sandwich off her head, spreading tomatoes, lettuce, mustard, and various other ingredients into her fur. Her right eye twitched, but she remained composed as she leered at the fleeting wagon.

Katsu gripped his katana and asked, "Shall I pursue them, Lady von Elmnou?"

Regina took a deep breath, then huffed. "Forget it. We shall not waste our time with lowly commoners, my faithful servant. Spending a single moment, wasting our time with petty acts of harassment, on anything but our true mission is unacceptable. We are here to find and capture a Forester, one with a high bounty."

Katsu released his katana and nodded. "Very good, my lady. However, may I ask why we are heading to the Verde Kingdom? Though it is a hotspot for their activities, we would run the risk of gaining their full attention."

Regina threw her head back and laughed. "That's precisely the point, dear Katsu. I dare not think of engaging them all at once, but I intend to pick off the weaker ones. Though a higher bounty is preferable, I dare not engage combat with the likes of the Fairy Knight or one of his elites. Perhaps that Harlow, too, if we ever happen upon her."

"Ah, so you plan to win the bet by means of quantity?"

"Yes." Regina scoffed. "I doubt our other competitors will be able to round up that runaway gang The Ghost brought up, nor do I believe they can snag one of the higher bounty Foresters. I know through the grapevine that the Foresters take in newcomers every so often. There's a chance we may find one out on their own. With your skill and my wit, we'll outplay the weaklings and take home that deed for ourselves."

"Brilliant as always, my lady. What will be our course of action?"

"What is the closest residency in this direction? We would need a place to rest and set up base."

Katsu pulled out a map and traced the road they were on. "The village we're coming up on, Marshland Village, is five or six kilometers away on foot from the Forbidden Forest. The distance gives us an easy trek to and from the village."

"Perfect!" Regina rubbed her hands together. "That keeps us in range of the Foresters and an easy place to escape to." She threw her head back and laughed. "No longer will I be treated like a weak link. My family will rue the day they kicked me out of the house and denied me my rightful inheritance! I shall become the most influential noblewoman in the Echo Bell Kingdom and beyond!"

"The deed was for land in the Umbra Clock Kingdom," Katsu corrected.

"…The most influential noblewoman in the Umbra Clock Kingdom and beyond!" she exclaimed.

"Also worth pointing out, weren't you kicked out of the von Elmnou House because you illegally changed your great granddad's will?"

Regina pouted. "Well, they started it!"

Katsu sighed. "You're so petty."

"Am not!" She groaned and crossed her arms. "I don't pay you to criticize me, Katsu."

"You're broke. You don't pay me at all."

"Well…shut up!" She marched ahead of him, fuming through her red cheeks and mustard-stained face.

Katsu rolled his eyes and hurried after her. "My lady, if getting that deed means so much to you, I will use all within my power to help you win this bet. My sword and will is an extension of your will."

Regina sighed. "You're a good bodyguard, Katsu, and better company than my sisters." She huffed and raised her head up high. "They'll see the error of their ways for mistreating the great Regina von Elmnou! I will carve my name into the history books and become the most influential—"

"You already said that."

"…" Regina sighed and slumped forward. "I'm tired."

Katsu glanced to his right and saw a stream by the road. "Shall I prepare lunch while you clean yourself, my lady?"

"…Yes, please."

They stepped off the road and down to the running stream. Katsu set their belongings down and turned his back to Regina as she removed her cloak, armor, and other garments. Katsu dug up some earth and made a small firepit, threw some kinder in the pit, and clapped two rocks together to get a fire started.

"What do you request?" Katsu asked.

Regina dipped into the water, stopping at her neck. She sighed and leaned her head back on the bank. "I could go for some of those delicious noodles you make. What do you call it again?"

"Soba."

"Yes, that, please."

Katsu pulled the ingredients from his bag, along with a large skillet, and set it on a rack over the fire. As he started prepping, he looked up at the clouds. "I will serve your needs at your command, my lady, but are you certain you wish to pursue the Foresters like this?"

"What other choice do I have?" Regina groaned. She splashed some water on her face and rubbed the stains out of her fur. "Either I continue wandering around and cashing in on small bounties, or I go for the big fish and retire early."

"You know I am the reason we even acquired those bounties. You hardly raise a claw to fight."

"I so know how to fight."

"I'm sure you do, my lady."

Regina turned around and crossed her arms atop the bank. "That's sarcasm, isn't it?"

"Oh no, of course not."

"You're mocking me, Katsu. How dare you!"

Katsu dumped the ingredients into the skillet, then stirred it. "Solely for your benefit, of course."

"What benefit do I get out of you mocking me?"

"Personal growth, for starters. See, I am always by your side, protecting you from your own screw-ups. Need I remind you of that little fiasco in the pub? Our little trip on the outskirts of Umbra Clock's territory?"

Regina frowned, turned away, and sunk deeper into the stream. She muttered a response, bubbling off the surface.

"I've never actually seen you fight, my lady. Unless you've been secretly training behind my back, I must perform my duties as your bodyguard to ensure you don't wind up in any danger. That is why I agreed to come along with you even though my services were technically no longer required. Though you don't pay me, I have a strong obligation to keep you safe."

Regina lifted her head and said, "And I appreciate all you've done for me, Katsu, but I can take care of myself. I didn't make the decision to become some vagabond bounty hunter without a plan. I can totally take care of myself."

Katsu closed his eyes and laughed dryly. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind proving it to me with a little demonstration?"

Regina's eyes widened. "Wait, are you asking me to fight you? Katsu, I couldn't."

He shook his head. "No, no. Not me, and certainly not at this very moment."

"Then when?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out when we get to that. Perhaps you'll catch me by surprise should you find yourself in another dispute with a pub owner over your nonexistent tab."

Regina puffed out her cheeks. "Jerk."

"You're a grown woman. Pardon my rudeness, but deal with it."

Regina groaned, then stepped out of the stream. "Throw me a towel, please." Katsu reached into her bag, then threw a towel without turning around. Regina caught it and started drying her fur. "Thank you."

"I'm harsh on you because I want to see you grow, my lady. If you say you can handle yourself, prove yourself without having to rely on me. You're still unknown to the bounty hunting world. Once you get more recognition, people will want to call upon your services. Even if we don't win the bet, better to start building yourself up as a renowned bounty hunter."

Regina finished wiping her face, then smiled. "You're right, Katsu." Her smile contorted into a devilish smirk. "Then perhaps one day, I'll be called upon to take a job against my ungrateful family and make them pay! That'll show them who's boss!"

Katsu sighed as he scooped soba onto a plate. "And we're back to that."

Meanwhile, on the edge of the Forbidden Forest…

"Your Majesty, I have some notes about this…plan of yours."

"Is it not brilliant, Ortwin? My most genius work?"

"Genius may be the last word I would use…"

Determined to find a new heir to succeed him, King Roscoe Penworth would go to any means necessary to secure a promising disciple to learn the ways of the royal lineage. Of course, Ortwin underestimated what the king meant when he said any means necessary for what may be the stupidest plan ever concocted. He overcomplicated the simple matter of picking a child from an orphanage because he didn't want to play favorites or ruin every else's dreams, and refused to consider taking in a noble kid due to the pattern of egotism that comes with today's youth. Melissa, a saint she was, had even displayed minor levels of egotism and superiority, if not in a more subdued and perhaps adorable manner.

No, instead the king wished to see if there was a child worthy of taking over the mantle found in the lowly, yet humble reaches of their territories. To some end, Ortwin saw his reasoning, as these children would have to learn the role of responsibility and make take to the position with more grace and honesty. Humility founded by the lower class, he supposed.

That said, the manner Roscoe intended to approach this with had…a few concerning details.

Standing before the elderly Noivern was the ragged, decrepit form of his king, a shambling imitation to the refine king he advised. Gone were his royal apparel, replaced with grimy, hole-ridden fabric composed entirely in a patchwork configuration. Dirty browns with squares of green, tears found at the sleeves' wrists, and a single suspended keeping up the loose, faded pants. Topping the look, Roscoe adorned a ragged beard that matched his fur color and purposely messed his wooly ears up to make them disheveled. All of this with a stone gray cloak hanging drearily off his body.

"Of all the ideas you could've considered, you choose to live among our subjects as a vagabond?" Ortwin finally asked.

Roscoe dusted his jacket off. "I admit, I wish I could dress with a bit more style, but this will ensure I do not draw any attention to myself. I wish to observe my subjects from afar so that I may more accurately judge them. If they were to know I was king, they would go out of their way to win my favor."

"Your Majesty, this is ludicrous. You're just as susceptible to harm's way dressed like that."

"If you refer to bandits, what desperate fool would harass someone of my dress?"

"The lower class isn't always filled with humble farmers and poor orphans like you read in stories. Some can be just as cruel, if not worse, as the upper class. You are asking to be tormented if you make a show of yourself."

Roscoe waved him off. "I know how to blend in, Ortwin. I can easily play the part of the lowly hobo with nothing to speak of. I studied the part quite well."

"Studied?"

"I am no actor, but I frequented the theatre a lot in my younger years. I am sure I can take a little of what I know and apply it to play my part."

Ortwin facepalmed, sliding his hand down his snout. "I'm too old to deal with this. But what about the knights we have stationed in these villages? If they don't recognize you—"

"Ah yes, if I can convince them to treat me like a lowly hobo, that will guarantee my integration with the villagers!" Roscoe exclaimed.

Ortwin gawked. "W-What? Your Majesty, you might be in danger!"

Roscoe scoffed and turned to his advisor. "Honestly Ortwin, you must not worry for me. I am Roscoe the Rain Splitter. To worry about some bandit is beneath me. If anything, you should pray for the safety of whatever fool tries to assault me. Besides—" He lifted his cloak, revealing the two rapiers hidden on his back. "I am well-armed."

Ortwin sighed and shook his head. "There's no talking you out of this, is there?"

Roscoe glared. "As much as I want Melissa back, I need to think about the good of my kingdom first. And I certainly cannot rely on Tetrarch or Visconti to form an alliance with the Senbo Kingdom."

"Why is that?"

Roscoe sighed. "Visconti is a good man, but has his head in the clouds too often. And Tetrarch…" Roscoe narrowed his eyes, almost glaring at the ground.

"Your Majesty?"

Roscoe clenched his eyes shut, took a deep breath, and faced the old Noivern. "Look, above all else, I need to ensure the Verde Kingdom is secured by the time I meet my end. Even if not by blood, I must continue my lineage."

Ortwin narrowed his eyes, then sighed. "You truly are headstrong, my king. It will be a shame the Penworth bloodline won't continue with a true blood Penworth, but the safety of our kingdom is imperative." He bowed to Roscoe. "I will leave you to your devices. If anything happens, though, send a message to me and I will send our finest knights to come to your aid."

Roscoe nodded. "Thank you, Ortwin. Return to the castle and assume my responsibilities by the time I return. And have the maids prepare one of our spare rooms. I intend to return with the Verde Kingdom's next heir." He adjusted his fake beard, then marched out of the forest.

Ortwin turned and hobbled back to the carriage waiting for him. He squeezed inside and eased into the seat. As the carriage started its ride back to the capital, Ortwin poked his head out the window, catching a final glimpse at his king.

"I understand what you're doing, Your Majesty, but…" Ortwin leaned back into the seat and looked up at the ceiling. "Is that the only reason you're going through all of this effort?"