"I can't believe I almost said my real name.... If they found out I'm still alive I'll never hear the end of it."

My stomach turns at the thought.

"I can't handle this stress..."

"After all this effort to hide my tracks too...Damn it."

Ray paces around the bar to calm his thoughts, or at least tries to.

"Do I move this place...No I can't. I'll definitely be suspected if I take all of these, and they'll spot my old gear as well... oh no...."

"Maybe they'll forget about it since it has been 5 years....Of course they won't, I used to be Hero."

"I need some alcohol."

Pouring himself a drink from a random bottle from the shelf, he reminds himself -

"Guess I'll just have to trust that princess then."

Leaving himself to fate, our Hero goes to bed that night. Before waking up and rolling around anxiously.

"I can't be found out....I will be found out...I can't be found out....I will...."

***********************************************************************************************

"So the assassination failed then?"

"...Yes, sir"

"Hmmm, maybe we underestimate that old fool's forces."

"My mistake, sir. Please punish me as you see fit."

"No matter, we shall continue to observe and prepare. You may leave."

"Yes, sir."

The kneeling shadow swiftly left the room.

"I may have to visit the Capital myself soon. Enjoy your peaceful days while it lasts, Telios."

************************************************************************************************

"Princess, are you sure you're alright? Nothing wrong? Do you need a doctor's examination or perhaps a -" - said an old man in a butler suit.

"For the last time, Alfred, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Those assassins were profes-."

"Stop talking about that. Did we find out about their allegiance?"

"Ah, yes, they were bound by a Soul Contract so we can't find out anything." - Alfred, with a serious tone.

"Mmmm....Which Kingdom out of the current 3 is currently hostile or appearing to be to us?"

"This old man doesn't know much about military, but word on the courts are, Extas is currently mass recruiting a large number of people for unknown reasons."

"An army... for what?"

"Princess may take this as an old man's rambling, but it could be they're preparing for an invasion."

"You, rambling? The current General would faint if he hear that. Imagine, great Alfred Felstein, Blood Wolf General, rambling."

"You overpraise me, milady. I'm just a retired old dog."

"Actually, there's one more thing I want to ask. Have you heard of "Unlikely Haven" ?"

"Oh, what's that?"

"It's a bar, inside an alleyway"

"Oh, dear me, Princess, those are terrible, youngsters shouldn't go there."

"It's not like those bars, this one is...strange."

"Oh? Strange how?" - Alfred suddenly seems interested - "To baffle even our Princess, it must be outstanding then."

"Usually I'd refute that, but this bar...seems almost holy in a way."

"Sounds interesting, let's go there." - Alfred said with a weird gleam in his eye.

"Now?"

"Now. Nothing like alcohol for the evening. You can't drink though. Please wait until your coming of age ceremony."

"Yeah, sure, old man. It's the owner I'm interested in."

"Now that's something, Princess, you finally decide to get yourself a boyfriend?"

"For the last time, Alfred, don't speak to me about "boyfriends". My father is annoying enough."

"Hohoho. Pardon me. Let's proceed then. "Unlikely Haven" eh? Let's see if it's worthy to be called a haven."

End of Chapter 3.