Inside the palace Rose knocked on the princess's door.
"Princess, the Queen is looking for you."
Rose knocked again, harder, still no respond.
She tried the handle.
Creak.
The room was empty.
Rose stepped inside and looked once. At the night stand she found a note.
"Tell the queen, I'm sorry.
I want to look at the world with my own eyes.
Celia Rosenthal."
Rose gaze turned cold, her rosy lips mumbled, "Fire."
Swossh!!!
Fire appeared on her palm, burning the paper to ashes.
Rose than walked to the open window, letting the wind blow it. Her eyes narrowed. She leaned out and looked down the stone wall.
'A footprint…'
Someone had stepped there recently.
Rose pulled back and shut the window. Her jaw tightened.
The princess had escaped, but she couldn't let other know. As the Queen guard, it's her job to make sure something like this never happened.
For Rose it's matter of pride. Rather than it become her mistake, she prefer to take care of this alone.
'I will find her first, how far a spoiled girl like her can escape?'
Rose left the room and closed the door behind her as if nothing happened.
Two guards stood at the hallway post. Rose stopped in front of them.
"Do not panic, or tell anyone. The princess is missing, look for her."
Both guards went pale.
"Close the east stairwell. Lock the inner doors. Check the roof paths and the servant routes. If you find her, escort her back like nothing happened."
"Yes, Captain."
Rose pointed at two more knights turning the corner.
"You two, take three men each. Search the balconies near the royal box. Be discreet."
They nodded and moved out fast.
Outside the nearest window, fireworks burst over the sky.
On the stage below, Roland's face tightened. The bribed knight should have been there by now.
Roland cursed under his breath.
'I need to find him, and make sure everything is okay. Worst case we will just look for other opportunity.'
He slipped behind the stage curtain and into the castle corridor.
Meanwhile above the festival square, the airship hovered. Most people did not notice it, because it was hidden on purpose.
It didn't turn on any light, while the stage lights were bright and the fireworks kept popping on other area.
On the front rail stood a girl in dark clothes. She had a lean body and short black hair. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes stayed on the show the whole time.
She didn't even notice the figure running on the rooftop.
Celia that moved slowly froze, as she heard sound behind her. When she turned her head, she saw a familiar crest rising over the roof edge.
A Suncrest Knight.
"Who's up there?"
Celia didn't hesitate, she quickly ran.
"Over here!" the knight shouted.
More boots could be heard coming at her.
Celia reached the roof corner. She took a deep breath looking at the distance. She looked back toward the knight that was now already halfway on the rooftop, his eyes looking at Celia.
"Princess!"
The word made her hesitation disappear, she jumped.
For a breath she hung in the air, then slammed onto the next roof. Her palms stung as she rolled and caught herself. She forced herself up and sprinted again.
Back at the stage Zack's sword hit the "king's" staff.
CLANG!!!
He stepped back, grinning at the crowd, then flicked his eyes toward the support pillar.
Roland should have been there. He should have given the signal.
But the pillar was empty.
Zack's smile stayed on his face, but his stomach tightened.
He took a half-step closer to Lena during the next exchange and spoke without making a sound.
"Roland's gone."
Lena's cane snapped up to block a strike. Her face kept smiling at the crowd, but her eyes sharpened.
"No idea?"
Zack shook his head slightly.
Lena clicked her tongue. She than said in loud voice.
"Looks like our brave prince forgot the script again."
The crowd laughed, thinking it was planned.
Zack raised his sword and bowed like he was embarrassed. Inside, he was already calculating his next move.
Lena's smile did not change.
They needed to stall for some time now till Roland returned.
Zack turned to the stage knights.
"Suncrest Knights, I have a serious question."
The knights hesitated, then one answered in character.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
Zack paced like a commander.
"If the princess gets kidnapped, what is your plan?"
The knight lifted his shield.
"We will capture whoever responsible!"
Zack nodded.
"Good. And if the villain runs."
The knight blinked.
"Then we keep pursuing."
Zack slapped his forehead.
"Amazing. At this rate, he'll escape, retire, grow a beard, and you'll still be shouting 'Stop right there!'"
The crowd burst into laughter.
Lena stepped forward, cane raised like a judge.
"I would like to report a crime."
Zack turned to her.
"What crime?"
Lena pointed at the knights. "These men just stole my hope."
More laughter. The band hit the drum harder to rouse the crowd.
Zack spun back to the "king"
"Do not worry, citizens. Even if the knights get old on the way to the princess, I will still rescue her!"
The crowd clapped and whistled. Lena threw a flourish and the king staggered like he was offended.
Back at the roof, Celia's foot slid. She accidentally stepped on a frost and lost her balance.
She tried to grab the edge, but her fingers caught nothing.
"Kyaa!!! No!"
Zack saw a shadow drop near the audience.
His grin vanished for a heartbeat, then came back even sharper.
"Time for the finale!"
Zack could see the shadow was a figure of person. He didn't know who, but he couldn't just let someone fall to their death like that.
Before Lena could ask anything, Zack sprinted and leaped off the stage.
The crowd cheered.
Zack landed on the front platform edge, kicked off, and launched toward the rope still hanging from the earlier stunt.
He reached up and grabbed it.
The rope burned his palm as he swung out over the front rows. People shouted and pointed.
Celia dropped into his path.
Zack stretched his arms and caught her.
The impact hit his chest hard and almost ripped him off the rope. They swung together.
Her hood fell, golden hair flashed.
Celia stared at Zack, eyes wide.
Zack stared back.
For half a second his brain went blank.
'So beautiful…, who's she?'
Then a voice sounded in his head.
[Quest complete: You have kidnapped the princess.]
[Reward: Realization Points +50.]
Zack's eyes widened.
He looked down at the girl in his arms.
'She's the princess?'
The crowd went insane. Whistles, cheers, laughter, people shouting Zack's name like he was a real hero.
On stage, Lena reacted instantly. She threw both arms wide and yelled.
"You heard him! The prince got the princess!"
The band slammed into a loud beat. The stage knights dropped to one knee like they were defeated. The king clutched his chest and stumbled back.
Lena pointed at Zack like she was announcing a legend.
"And now, our prince will carry the princess to the paradise!"
Zack yanked the rope twice in a long and short pull.
It was their real signal.
Above them, the airship.
The rope snapped upward. Zack and Celia rose.
The stage turned small, the crowd turned into one loud roar.
Celia's hands were still gripping his coat. She looked down once, then looked back at him.
Zack forced a grin.
"Beauty, hold tighter. Try not to fall again."
At the edge of the festival square, Rose arrived with a line of knights behind her.
One knight ran up and saluted.
"Captain, The princess was seen on the roof. She ran. Then she fell near the stage."
Rose's gaze snapped up.
She saw the rope. She saw the airship pulling away into the darkness.
"Prepare the horse! Hunt them down!"