“Never think an important person is out and about unguarded. They almost always have a dozen guards hidden around them for every one they openly show.” - Saying attributed to King Aethelbald Stahlfaust the IIIrd of Knallzog.

“So Uncle Angus- Pardon me, I meant Graf Harscape will be arriving in town within a few days as well?” asked Reinhardt to the Crown Prince.

They were in Varsha’s office, with the only attendants being the Crown Prince, his elderly guard, a dwarf dressed in robed Reinhardt assumed to be Mæster Goerenbrandt himself, and Varsha. Reinhardt was just accompanied by Elfriede, and the Crown Prince was filling him in on the details of what he’d need to know for the plan.

“Correct. I have been going incognito and keeping my presence hidden to frustrate my uncle in this journey so far, but the upcoming inspection together with Graf Harscape is public knowledge amongst the crown’s advisors,” replied the Crown Prince with a nod. “I know for certain that at least a couple of them are on my uncle’s side, so he ought to receive the news as well.”

“I see. So Your Grace’s publically known covert inspection here would be the best chance for any plans he might have,” exclaimed Reinhardt in understanding. Elfriede had at times told him stories of her youth, and from those, the Company had worked up plans to protect their employers from assassins, making use of her inside knowledge on the matter. “Since my Company happened to be on break here, I assume you wish for us to guard you more covertly?”

“Exactly so, Captain Edelstein. It was honestly a happy coincidence that you were around, as I had originally intended to enlist Madam Creussens’ guards otherwise. Your men and women would be even better since you’ve been in town for a while now,” replied the Crown Prince. “Graf Harscape will not have that many guards around with him, only half a dozen or so, while I keep my entourage of four and pretend to be one of his entourage along with them. I want your people all around us in a natural way, while some keep guard over the entrances of the lower city as well.”

“That is something we can arrange, yes,” nodded Reinhardt in agreement. He would have to tap in on people he trusted the most and were skilled enough for this sort of assignment. Fortunately the Free Lances as it stood did not exactly lack such people. Since they were already prowling around the city with their families, that also made for a very effective disguise when they were guarding the Crown Prince. “I will have people pretending to go around the city with their families while they guard you, handing off the duties to others as you pass different sections. We have enough people whose entire families work for the Company to make this easily doable.”

“Excellent, Captain. I promise that you will find the reward for this job a satisfactory one.”

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Gras Angus Harscape arrived in Zephirous two days later. Unlike the Crown Prince, he came into town openly, as the temporary regent of the region. Bærengant happened to be the closest region of Knallzog to the territories they won from the Holy Kingdom, and for the time being, Graf Harscape was appointed as the temporary regent of the region.

After another half century of integration or so, the region would be turned into another administrative region of Knallzog, with its own regent at the helm, but that was a matter for the future.

Reinhardt joined Varsha in welcoming the Graf, although not in official capacity but more as a friend of the family. The Crown Prince was with their group as well, and he noticed him giving the old Graf a conspiratorial wink. The reception itself went off without a hitch, as it took place in the Mayor’s office, which was likely the most guarded place in the city at the moment.

No, the time when any assassins might potentially have a shot at the Crown Prince was during the inspection, where they would be going around the city.

Naturally, the Free Lances – at least the ones who had been picked for the job – were set in various places throughout their route along the city. When they were in civilian clothing, they blended in easily with the locals, as Reinhardt had primarily picked out members who originated from the Holy Kingdom. He kept most of the more easily noticeable therian members mostly around the underground city’s entrances, for when they needed to quickly guard the place in order to prevent any escapee from going underground.

Of course, a few of them joined the guard detail as well, like Bjørn, Varilya, and their whole family. The couple had four children, the elder two being part of the Company’s support staff while the younger two were the twins in Erycea’s unit. Mischka also accompanied them under the pretense of just being a grandmother accompanying some of her grandchildren.

Reinhardt, Elfriede, and Erycea themselves accompanied the Graf's main group together with Varsha and a few of her people. Their presence was more easily excused, as Reinhardt’s adopted family were old friends with the Graf’s. Of course, none of them went around unarmed, though only the Graf’s guards went around openly showing their weapons and armor.

They were greeted quite enthusiastically by the locals. After all, the people that remained were those that were either ambivalent or had been dissatisfied by the Holy Kingdom, which made them welcome their new rulers with open arms. Those who still stubbornly held loyalty to the dead kingdom were sent to join the kingdom they loved so much in the afterlife.

After all, neither Varsha nor Graf Harscape were strangers to removing dissidents quietly using some more unsavory means. In fact, Varsha being who she was, she kept a few of her old subordinates for times when she needed someone quietly “disappeared” without making a fuss. Karenina and the others who left were those who couldn’t stand the long periods of relative boredom between each job.

The first day of the “inspection” went smoothly without any incident, and so did the second day. It was on the third and final day that the Crown Prince’s gamble lured in its target, and someone made an attempt for his life.