Summary: The Hyrule Treasury needs to mint more Rupees than usual. Queen Zelda asks Link to start investigating.

Looking back now, he could say that this was the moment when they got their first inkling that something was wrong. At the time, though, it wasn't all that clear. Really, who knew that the first warning would come from a report by the Hyrule Treasury? Though, come to think of it, you could even say the story began further back, with that stranger Link ran into when he was returning from his visit with Daruk, the one eating lunch at Foothill Stable. Then Link chuckled to himself. You could tell he was an old-timer. He still called them stables, but to most people these days, it was the Foothill Service Area now.

But it did take some time for the pieces of the puzzle to come together. And that's how Link needed to tell the story. In the meantime, people got on with their lives, and he needed to write about those events too.

But enough thinking! He had best get on with writing before Mila complained he was taking too long again! He could hear his dear daughter's voice now.

"Dad, please, just keep on writing!" said Mila. "You refuse to use the Tab dictation rune, so you have to write it all down. Explain what happened in your own words, and what you thought at the time. My editors and I can clean it up for publication."

Yes, Mila had editors to help her now. Well, so be it, thought Link, as he began writing the chapter.

It was early morning at Hyrule Castle as Tila awoke to see her husband Link floating next to her, still sound asleep. She reached for her Tab at the side of the slumber pool and noticed the time. Then she turned back to Link.

"Wake up, sweetheart," said Tila. "Don't you have to work today?"

"Ummmm," said Link stretching out his arms, then opening his eyes. He looked over at Tila and smiled.

"No, I have today off," said Link. "Did I forget to tell you?"

"Obviously," said Tila. "And why are you off today?"

"Today is the monthly minister and ambassador meetings,' said Link. "Princess Zelda and her mother won't leave the Castle all day. The regular guards have everything well in hand."

"Wonderful!" said Tila as she reached out and touched his cheek. "Do you want to sleep some more? Or, as long as you're awake..."

"Yes, as long as I'm awake, that one," said Link as he reached for her, and they embraced then started kissing.

Meanwhile, at another part of the Castle, both Queen, and Princess Zelda were attending the monthly Ministers meeting, to be followed immediately after that by the monthly Ambassadors meeting. Princess Zelda had become an active meeting participant now. She needed to learn about the business of ruling Hyrule, but she also wanted to find ways to help her mother. Her mother had been shouldering this responsibility for over thirty years now and deserved some help.

"We are making excellent progress extending high-speed transportation on both land and water to all major areas of Hyrule, Your Majesty," said the Transportation Minister, Morton. "The major villages are already well-served except for Goron City. The Eldin Region remains an engineering challenge because of the harsh climate there and the unstable geologic conditions caused by the active volcano. Our engineers are suggesting it may be wiser to limit the ground transportation from there and wait until air transport is perfected."

"When do you expect passenger air transport to become feasible, Morton?" said Queen Zelda.

"The engineering department would know best, but I expect the first passenger air service could be in places in as little as three years," said Morton. "They are still testing prototypes with limited flights, but the results so far look promising."

"Very well," said Queen Zelda. "Then we should follow the engineering department's recommendation, and build only one ground transport route from the Eldin Region to a terminus where passengers can connect."

"Excellent, Your Majesty," said Morton. "We will proceed in that manner. That is all I have to report at this time."

"I am next on the agenda, Your Majesty," said Tildon from the Treasury Department speaking next. "The Hyrule economy remains strong. I have supplied the monthly figures in our usual report by Tab, and unless you wish me to go over them, I will be happy to answer any questions."

"Yes, Tildon, I read your report," said Queen Zelda. "I notice there has been an increasing trend in Rupees minted, but no corresponding increase in the money supply reflected in the economic figures, the number of Rupees in circulation used for goods and services. Is there any explanation for that anomaly?"

"Yes, we noticed that as well, Your Majesty," said Tildon. "And so far we have been unable to determine the cause. It seems Rupees are either being hoarded or spent in ways we cannot track."

"But can you isolate where the demand for additional Rupees is coming from?" said Princess Zelda, speaking up.

"It's not just one region, Your Highness," said Tildon. "The increase is in several locations, though the Gerudo region shows the most increase. I regret I don't have any more information than that at this time."

"Is this any cause for concern, Tildon?" said Princess Zelda.

"No serious concern, I believe at this point, Your Highness," said Tildon. "The Treasury stands ready to supply Rupees at the increased level demanded."

"Well, please watch the trend and keep us informed, Tildon," said Queen Zelda as she puzzled over it. "Anyway, let's continue to the next item on the agenda, the Minister of Education."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Elmond. "My report, as usual, has been supplied by Tab. We have increased the number of classes available by Tab to those unable to attend in person. And the curriculum is being updated each year as you requested to reflect new scientific discoveries."

"The standardized test scores have not shown any improvement in the last two years, Elmond," said Queen Zelda. "And it is not that there isn't room for improvement either. I am expecting better. From the report I read, it seems science is a weak area. What are you doing about that?"

"We are seeking more qualified instructors, Your Majesty," said Elmond. "It has been difficult finding them."

"Then you need to look harder, or start looking yourself for other work," said Queen Zelda. "I am unhappy at the level of science aptitude in our schools, and the fact the strong progress we initially made after I became Queen has stagnated. I want to see that improved. Have I been clear enough?"

"Very clear, Your Majesty," said Elmond.

"The next item is the Ministry of Health's report," said Princess Zelda.

Meanwhile, in Zora's Domain, three of Link's children were having breakfast.

"Morning Mi and Laff," said Midon as he joined them at the table for breakfast. "Where's Mom and Dad?"

"Mom had an early meeting with Grandfather, and Dad left for Hyrule Castle. He has an ambassador's meeting today," said Mila.

"Good thing we cleared up Dad's relationship with Zelda," said Midon.

"Midon, I swear, you are going to feel my fin across your face if you say one more word about that!" said Mila angrily. "It's not a joking matter! I still can't believe you could even think that about our father!"

"I agree with Mi," said Lapha. "If Mom or Dad overheard you, they would be deeply hurt to think that's how you felt about Dad."

"I'm sorry," said Midon. "It was a joking comment in poor taste, and it won't happen again. You know I love and respect Dad as much as any of you."

"Then try to show it!" said Mila, still visibly upset. "Can't you see how hard this must be for Mom and Dad to deal with? And here you are making wisecracks!"

"I said I'm sorry, and I meant it, Sis," said Midon. "Really."

Meanwhile, outside the meeting room, the ambassadors from four of the five major areas of Hyrule were waiting for their turn to meet with Queen and Princess Zelda. The Rito ambassador usually timed her arrival at the last minute since she could fly directly there. Gerudo ambassador Raynia was chatting with Goron ambassador Hadon. Link was Zora ambassador, and he saw North Hyrule ambassador Laray waiting alone nearby. Laray had lost her sister Tiray to the sorceress Vera slightly over ten years ago now. Link went over and spoke to her.

"Laray, it's good to see you again," said Link. "You are well, I hope?"

"Yes, very well, thank you, Link," said Laray. "And you and your lovely family are well too?"

"All fine," said Link. "Mipha is the same as always. The children are all grown, but we have three living at home now, which is great."

"That's wonderful," said Laray. "I still remember that Cross Currents concert we all attended. I had so much fun, and I needed some fun back then. I'm still very grateful to you and Mipha for your help. You're probably tired of hearing it, but I am so sorry for what happened with my cousin Sopha. All of us in the family were shocked, and Queen Faray feels especially bad about it, that she let you down."

"Thank you, but it wasn't anyone's fault, but Sopha's," said Link. "I never fully trusted her. But on a brighter note, my son Link seems to be very happily married to your other cousin, Tila."

"Oh, yes," laughed Laray. "And we've never seen Tila happier either. I guess that's a good sign when both husband and wife are ecstatic over each other. I understand Princess Zelda is attending these meetings now?"

"Yes, her mother wants to make her comfortable with her future responsibilities," said Link.

"But Queen Zelda is still so young," said Laray. "She is not thinking of abdicating, is she?"

"No, no, I don't think so," said Link. "She's just always been worried about leaving Hyrule unprepared, so she errs on the side of caution. It's probably because of all she went through when she was young."

"Oh, it looks like the ministers meeting is ending," said Laray. "We can go in now. And here comes Rayna, right on time."

Rayna was the Rito ambassador, and she had flown in moments earlier.

Queen and Princess Zelda greeted everyone, and then they got down to business.

"Thank you all for attending," said Queen Zelda. "I know we usually conduct these meetings by Tab, but every six months or so, I like to meet in person. It gives us all a chance to get to know each other at lunch or in conversations outside our meeting. Shall we begin with the Gerudo report, Ambassador Raynia?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Highness, and fellow ambassadors," said Raynia. "I agree it is nice to meet in person from time to time. As usual, my formal report should be available on everyone's Tab. Things have been going well. Chief Baleria has grown comfortable with her responsibilities. And our economy is still strong."

"Ambassador Raynia," said Princess Zelda. "Thank you for your Tab report. We heard earlier that there was a heightened demand for Rupees in the Gerudo region. Can you think of any reason for that?"

"No, I'm sorry, I cannot," said Raynia. "I was not aware of that. But that is all I have to report."

"The Goron ambassador is next, Hadon?" said Princess Zelda.

"Thank you, Your Highness. We've seen increased Hylian tourism," said Hadon. "And that's very welcome! We are hoping the Hyrule engineers can finish the high-speed transport system soon. We think that would enable even more tourists to visit us and see our remarkable sights as well as soak their aches and pains away in our recuperative hot springs. That is all I have aside from what is in my written report."

"Yes, we are actively working on the transport system, Ambassador Hadon," said Princess Zelda.

"The North Hyrule ambassador, Laray is next," said Princess Zelda.

"Thank you, Your Highness," said Laray. "We have developed some upgrades to the Compendium Rune that we are testing in North Hyrule. We will transfer the technology to your science department when it is fully tested. The Sheikah in charge of the Shrine of Transformation have installed some further safeguards to prevent the unfortunate incident that occurred. So, in the future, no one will have the ability to duplicate themself. There are several other construction and development projects underway that I included in my report, the most interesting one probably being the work on air transport. That is all I have to report."

"Yes, I always find your reports interesting reading, Ambassador Laray," said Queen Zelda. "We owe your land and the Sheikah technology from there so much."

"Rito Ambassador Rayna is next," said Princess Zelda.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, and fellow ambassadors," said Rayna. "As always, our written report is available on your Tabs. I have nothing to add to it. But we are very interested in any decisions involving air transport. We are concerned air transport could prove hazardous to us and want to make sure there are safeguards in place before this proceeds too far."

"We will have safeguards in place to avoid any such accidents, Ambassador Rayna," said Laray. "It's no different than avoiding running someone over with a motor-driven cycle but taking into account one more dimension. Trust me, that will not be a problem. But we welcome any Rito who are interested in reviewing our work and assisting in the project."

"I will let the Village Elder know," said Rayna. "Thank you, Ambassador Laray."

"That leaves the Zora Ambassador, Link," said Princess Zelda.

"Sorry, you always have to go last, Link," said Queen Zelda. "But we do it alphabetically by region."

"That's alright, Your Majesty," said Link. "It gives me more time to prepare. My report on water quality was sent to everyone by Tab. The water purity remains at high levels and the quantity of water supplied by the Domain meets all demands. We have improved transportation to and from the Domain after the construction of the terminal at Spool Bight. I don't have anything else to add, and the rest of the everyday items are in my report."

"Very well," said Queen Zelda. "Now you are all invited to a buffet lunch in the dining hall. And I hope you are all as hungry as I am after sitting through meetings all morning. Meeting adjourned!"

They all made their way to the dining room and had a pleasant lunch. It was after lunch that Queen Zelda asked Link to meet with her privately.

"What is it, Zelda?" said Link after he joined Zelda in a private meeting room.

"Maybe nothing, but you know me. I worry. And I don't like things I can't explain. It's the scientist in me."

"Yes, I do know the scientist in you, ever since you wanted me to eat that frog," laughed Link.

"You still remember that?" laughed Zelda. "Oh, how young we were back then! I was a bit nerdy, wasn't I? But anyway, yes, something is bothering me. It's this issue with extra Rupees. What is causing a demand for Rupees and why? And what is happening to the extra Rupees? They don't seem to be being spent if I can understand the economic reports."

"Well, I know I won't understand the economic reports," said Link. "But you suspect there is something sinister about it?"

"I don't exactly suspect it, but I fear it," said Zelda.

"Alright, what would you like me to do, Zelda?" said Link.

"Link, I know we're both getting older, but you are still my go-to person for one-off assignments like this," said Zelda. "You are still the hero of Hyrule. I would like you to investigate, see if you can figure out anything. You have a nose for evil and can take care of yourself."

"All right," said Link. "I think Mipha won't be thrilled. Though on the one hand, she keeps reminding me I'm young. But then she reminds me I shouldn't be going off on adventures anymore, either. At least our family is all grown, so I don't have young children to worry about."

"If she feels strongly against you doing this, then I will think of someone else," said Zelda. "But as of now, I don't have anyone else with your vast experience in such matters and who can handle themself if danger threatens."

"So, I need first to figure out why the Gerudo need more Rupees. Is that it?" said Link. "That probably means a trip to Gerudo Town and the Kara Kara Bazaar. I had better dress to stay cool!"

"Well, you've kept yourself in good shape," laughed Zelda. "You can probably still pull off that woman's disguise at Gerudo Town."

"Oh, yes," laughed Link. "I love doing that! Have you ever tried eating with a veil on?"

"No," laughed Zelda. "But seriously, we don't want to alert whoever is behind this that we suspect anything. If indeed anyone is behind it."

"I understand," said Link. "But to investigate this without arousing suspicion will take time."

"Of course," said Zelda. "Take as long as necessary. Be secret and be safe. Now, have a safe trip home and give my love to Mipha and the family."

"I will," said Link.

Then he and Zelda embraced, and Link left to return to Zora's Domain. On the way, he picked up some Blue Nightshade flowers. Maybe Mipha would like them.

"Hi sweetheart, I'm home," said Link when he arrived at their house. Mipha was home, but the rest of the family was out.

"Welcome home, sweetheart!" said Mipha as she ran to him, and they hugged and kissed.

"I could use another kiss," said Mipha. And they kissed again.

"I brought you some flowers," said Link handing her the bouquet.

"Oh! They're beautiful. And my favorites too!" said Mipha. "I love them! Now tell me what you did wrong."

"What? What do you mean?" said Link.

"You never bring me flowers unless something's wrong," said Mipha.

"I don't?" said Link. "I'm sorry to hear you say that."

Link proceeded to tell Mipha about Zelda's concerns and the mission.

"Did I guess it or not?" said Mipha. "I knew something was floating! You know I could ask Father to forbid you to do this. Long ago, we settled that you are a Zora citizen first, Prince Link, and a Hylian citizen second."

"I agree," said Link. "And Zelda said if you had reservations about me doing it, she would find someone else. But it doesn't sound perilous, Mipha, and Zelda has no one else to turn to for something like this."

"You know, this reminds me of the time after our marriage when you went off to save Gerudo Town. Back then I was getting ready to hatch Mila and Midon. You remember?"

"Of course," said Link. "And I promised to be safe then, and I will this time too. I need to nose around a little, keep my ear to the ground, so to speak."

"What two horrible Hylian expressions those are!" said Mipha. "You should say, click around and listen in the lake."

"Yes, I should use Zora expressions here," said Link. "I'm still trying."

"And you don't know this is not a perilous assignment," said Mipha. "What if there is indeed something sinister going on, and whoever is behind it finds out that you are investigating it?"

"I'll be careful," said Link. "I've dealt with danger before."