I walked out to the middle of the road and stood with my arms folded with Sparky on my shoulder, waiting for the first of the main caravan to come around the bend. Elita took up a spot to my right, with Prowl on my left. Remi casually stood behind us and to the side a bit, glancing behind us from time to time.

“Remi, that lizard person is running back this way to report seeing Sentinel to their captain. Take her down, but try not to kill her or hurt her too badly if you can avoid it. It wouldn’t help us win any diplomacy points if we killed their scout,” I said, without averting my eyes.

Remi turned to watch the road for the approaching lizard and gently fingered the fletching of an arrow from his quiver. He selected a shorter arrow with a broad tip, nocked it to his bow and drew back the string. He loosed the arrow a fraction of a second before the lizard was even visible. When she came running around the corner, she lined up perfectly for the broad head of the arrow to slice across her upper arm.

Marshoo, the lizard woman, was at full sprint and only stopped when she realized that Remi was standing in front of her with another arrow drawn.

“Why don’t you come have a seat and we can get that bandaged up for you?” Remi asked in a genial tone.

Marshoo looked confused for a moment before realizing that she was bleeding from a slice in her arm. “What? When did you?”

“I don’t have to miss,” Remi said warmly.

Marshoo swallowed visibly, “I believe you.” She set her spear on the ground and put her hands in the air.

“Good, now slowly walk towards me, that’s it. Stop. Turn around, kneel on the ground, hands behind your head. 17,” he commanded.

Prowl had been watching with her hand on the pommel of her sword, if needed. At Remi’s order, she stepped forward to Marshoo as she fished a short length of rope from her hip pouch. Once she bound Marchoo’s hands behind her back, she pulled the lizard woman up and marched her closer to the group.

“My arm is really starting to sting,” Marshoo complained.

“I don’t have any bandages on me, what about you Remi?” Prowl asked.

“Just death,” he replied.

I had some cotton cloth in my [Inventory] and pulled it out to tear some strips to be used as bandaging and handed it over to Prowl.

“I’m sorry Marshoo, I don’t have any ointment on me but I’m sure your camp leader will have some when you get back to them. The strips are clean though,” I said as Prowl wrapped up the arm.

Marshoo’s eyes grew bigger, “How do you know my name??” she demanded.

“You don’t want to know,” Prowl muttered as she tied off the wrap, “this guy kinda defies a lot of your common sense.”

I returned my gaze back to the road as I saw a horse and rider coming around the bend followed by another rider and several soldiers on foot. I could see the coaches peeking through the trees, surrounded by more soldiers on foot. The soldiers were wearing mostly brown leather armor suitable for travel with some light plate mail pieces on top. I saw the royal banner being carried with its eagle-in-tree emblem and gold and purple colors. One of the riders had a fancier set of plate mail with some embellishments that went with the tree and/or eagle theme along with a black cape with gold edging.

The fancy rider raised his hand to halt the procession when he spotted us. He looked beyond us, presumably wondering where his scouts were before his eyes fell upon Marshoo. Marshoo looked like she’d been caught doing something terrible and wilted.

“State what business you have with my scout, autos. If you have a bandit ambush waiting then you court your deaths,” he said in a tone that betrayed a well educated and aristocratic upbringing.

“I am the Automata, Prime,” I announced. “I believe that I’m the one that you’re coming for.”

He looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. He turned to one of the other riders and leaned over to whisper something to them. This other rider dismounted and ran back towards the coaches. The fancy rider then turned his attention back to me and gave me an appraising look before allowing a low snort of derision.

“Funny, I thought you’d be bigger,” he said. “Or at least... I don’t know, more impressive from what all I’ve heard. Still, I suppose it’s commendable that you at least had the good sense to surrender to his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince. Not that it will do your little village much good.”

I could feel Prowl’s nervousness to one side of me, and Elita’s agitation on the other but I kept my arms crossed and didn’t look away from Lord Fancy-Britches. Before I could refute his notion that I was surrendering, I saw a young human put a trumpet to their lips but they were given a sign to not play.

“No need for formal announcement. It’s only a few Automata, after all,” came a high, male voice from further back.

The soldiers and riders parted to the sides of the road, with the exception of Fancy-Britches. Filling in the gap, came an entourage of people. The first two were on horseback with the others on foot. On horse, I presumed the Crown Prince and his sister, the Princess. Both of the royal siblings had long platinum blond hair that was tied back in braids at the temples with jeweled rings woven in and thin circlets adorning their brows. Their skin was a deep red that reminded me of blood and their ears were long like an elf. Their eyes were almost volpine with their slitted pupils and golden color.

The prince was dressed in purple riding leathers with a scant few pieces of golden armor, while the princess was similarly kitted out but with a far less practical skirt of billowy proportions.

I went down to one knee, and lowered my head along with the others in my company. Elita was a little later and grumbled a bit under her breath, but also knelt. I had no clue what the proper procedure was for addressing royalty in this world, but I knew that to not show them any respect would kill any attempts at a diplomatic end before they even started.

An Automata with a massive sword stood in front of the prince. It looked to be the same model as the one that had been with the scouting party. Behind the royal pair I could see two more Automata but they looked more like servants, perhaps they were the attendants for the royal siblings. Standing tall above the others on foot, I spotted Ryoma Nagare, the Guild Master. Some top adventurers would no doubt be with him. I could see the gravity mage, Pythona as well as that wolf ninja, Victoria. Oh, and what do we have here? Looks like Shea came along for the trip, I guess she’s moving up in the world.

“Your highness will be pleased to know that this little goose chase should be coming to a quick and easy end, they’ve decided to surrender themselves,” Fancy-Pants said.

“Excellent,” the Prince agreed, “nice to know that whatever rogue artificer made this junk heap gave it at least some bit of sense. Good job little Automata,” he said as if he was addressing a child. “Now I order you all to lay down any weapons and present yourselves to Captain Khushrenada here.”

I had stopped looking at him and watched as Shea’s eyes widened, there’s being diplomatic and then there’s being a doormat. Royalty or not, I had no zero inclinations to be talked at rather than talked to, and I certainly wasn’t about to be railroaded into following their script. I could hear Elita’s voice in my head telling me that anything coming out of my mouth was going to be a stupid plan on my part, but it was too late for that.

“I’m going to have to stop you right there, your highness. I’ve made no such offer and Lord Fancy-Pants the Untitled Goose is presenting you with unverified and false information,” I said as stoically as I could. I spied the princess putting a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle, there may be an angle there for me.

“How dare you!” the prince accused.

“Who gave you an order to speak, Automata?!” the Captain roared at me.

“Good to see you again, Shea,” I said, ignoring both of them. “So tell me, are you here as a guide or as a hostage?”

Shea’s face flushed and was nearly the same color as the royals. Rather than answer me, she averted her attention to the ground. I really wanted to sneak a peek at Elita. I was super curious what she might be thinking about all of this.

The prince didn’t take kindly to being ignored or talked around, though as his face turned from one of irritance to one of fury. Chances were high that this twerp had never been ignored in his life. Before he could act on that rage, though, the princess moved her horse close to him and touched him on the arm.

His rage faded with her touch, but I could see it was still boiling underneath the surface. She gave him a look that seemed to be asking for permission and he gave her a slight nod in return.

“Master Prime, I am the Princess Relena Peacecraft du Fangwell and this is my older brother, the Crown Prince Milliardo Peacecraft du Fangwell. Miss Shea has been very helpful in explaining your situation. We wish nothing more than to be able to resolve this in a peaceable manner.”

As she was speaking, Carnivac noticed the prince give a signal to one of his officers and the golems and remaining Automata were prepared to move into position. The golems moved up in the caravan along with the giant ogres and their handlers, while the Automata and some of the soldiers moved out into the trees to flank me.

“I am grateful for your words, your highness,” I began, “for I too would have preferred to settle this in a peaceful way. Our village is unique in your kingdom in that it is populated almost entirely by Automata. As you may know, we Automata have no need for food or drink and can often get by with little to no rest. What this means for a village that has no need of sustenance is that we can devote our time to the creation of goods and skills, art and music. Our residents are free from their mortal struggle to survive and instead explore their own desires to craft and create.”

“That sounds wonderful,” the princess said, smiling.

“Yes, though I fear that your brother does not share your views. Even now, he moves his ogres and golems to attack, and has sent his own Automata into the woods to flank and ambush us few knelt before you.”

The princess looked at her brother, who would not return her gaze and only stared at me with the look of a predator.

“Your highness,” I said addressing the prince, “I’m honored you think so highly of me to bring such a force. I shall strive to exceed your expectations.”

“I don’t know how you could possibly know that, but well spotted little auto,” the prince said through gritted teeth. “Captain, kill them all.”