"W-What do you mean she wants to conquer a dungeon?! She'll get herself killed!" A priest of the Kou empire exclaimed in a panic.

Judar, who was entirely too thrilled about the whole event, replied calmly, "You geezers need to calm down. Aside from her mother, this little princess was one of the kingdom's most powerful warriors. Besides that, do you really think I'd let her die after all the work I put into getting her spirit here? Sheesh." Judar's long braided hair flung aside as he turned to leave.

---

It had been about two days since I requested to go to another dungeon. Judar told me he'd make all the necessary preparations and that I should become reacquainted with my metal vessel.

I stood in the empty palace courtyard, my small blade in hand.

(Did they really have you stashed away somewhere with intentions of resurrecting one of my family members? Who would have even thought to plot something so... crazy?)

My mind flickered through old memories of my family... Siblings, servants, colleagues, and... Natalia, my mother.

(She was only powerful because of...)

I shook my head. Now wasn't the time to reminisce on old memories. I needed to master the use of my metal vessel!

(But what is your name again?!)

I stared at the sword in my hands almost ready to admit defeat for the time being until realizing that the Djinn hadn't actually spoken to me at all.

(I remember it speaking to me so clearly back then though... And I remember that... it's a woman.)

"Don't think too hard or you might hurt yourself there, Princess," a familiar voice echoed softly in my ear.

I started a little at the sound but turned to see Judar grinning at me.

"Why don't you take a break from that and come into the town with me? I'm sure you didn't get to do enough exploring here in this stuffy old palace," he said.

My eyes drifted down to my sword again but I figured I wasn't going to remember anything more about it just by staring at it longer than I already had been. I nodded, sheathing my sword and heading back inside with Judar at my side.

---

The market was lively, bustling with people down every alleyway.

"I don't ever remember being around so many people," I said quietly, more to myself than anyone else.

Judar didn't reply to my comment, walking determinedly through the throngs of people. I did my best to stay right on his heel but after several instances of me falling behind, I finally managed to get lost in the crowd.

A feeling of dread washed over me and I panicked. I stood on the tips of my toes, glancing over every head in the crowd around me.

(No, I can't get lost here! Where did he go?!)

Right at that moment, someone bumped into me, knocking me flat on my bum.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss! Here, please! Let me help you up," the man said, reaching out his hand towards me.

I was more than wary of everyone around but there was no mistaking the kindness in this man's eyes. His blond hair almost shined like the sun above me.

I placed my hand in his and he pulled me up from the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked.

I could only nod. For some reason I was at a loss for words.

"Good," he said with a bright smile. "Are you lost? You looked like you were searching for someone," he said, glancing around at the crowd that was moving past us.

The words were in my throat but I couldn't speak them. I felt like a bundle of nerves, unable to utter a single sound.

Saving me from further embarrassment, a child had come running through the crowds towards us. "Alibaba!" the child exclaimed. "Alibaba, you've gotta come check out these- oh?"

The blue-haired child was now staring up at me, his eyes scanning me up and down as if sizing me up.

"Hey, Aladdin," the man greeted him. "Sorry, I just ran into this girl and knocked her over. I think she might be lost," he explained.

"Oh, yeah?" the kid said, examining me again from head to toe. Almost as abruptly as he'd appeared, the boy gasped quietly, his focus locked onto the sword on my hip.

(Why's he staring at my metal vessel? There's no way that he can tell what it is just by looking at the exposed handle, right?)

Panic started to settle in again until I felt a warm embrace from behind me. Two slender, muscled arms snaked around my waist and my body's tension immediately evaporated.

Judar's chin rested in the crook of my neck, his voice a soft whisper in my ear, "Out of all the people you could have run into... Really, Princess, you shouldn't get lost so easily."

I hadn't realized that I was holding my breath. I let out a small sigh and my eyes shifted between the pair that I'd just met.

(Alibaba... and Aladdin? Judar doesn't seem too happy that I've met them.)

Judar then stepped around me, coming between me and the other two. "Nothing to see here, baby magi. What are you doing here anyway? As far as anyone is concerned, this is my turf," Judar said, his tone sharp.

"We were just passing through actually," Aladdin replied nonchalantly. His eyes trickled back to me and then down to my sword. Reflexively, I turned as if to try and hide it from his sight.

"That's right, Judar. We have no other business in Kou," Alibaba said firmly. "We're only traveling through."

"Well, get out of here quick. You're lucky I have other things to tend to," Judar snapped.

Alibaba peeked around Judar at me, giving a quick wave as well, "Sorry again, Miss..." With that, the two disappeared into the passing crowd.

I glanced up at Judar whose eyes were still fixed on the crowd. His expression was unusually serious and it sent a chill down my spine.

"Judar?" I squeaked his name, almost too quietly to hear. His attention was now on me. "You called him 'magi'," I said.

He hesitated for a moment, as if recalling the conversation. "Oh, yeah. Don't worry about it. Just know that they're trouble," he answered me sternly.

I nodded and we began through the crowds once more only this time, I was careful to follow closely at his side.

---

"Hey, Aladdin," Alibaba said, his voice particularly concerned. Aladdin glanced up at him, waiting for him to speak again. "That girl... The one that was with Judar..."

Aladdin nodded. "She's a metal vessel user and there's no doubt that Judar has probably named her as a King's Candidate."

Alibaba looked a little stunned but quickly composed himself. "I wonder just who she is exactly."

Aladdin's expression was troubled as he gave another quick nod.

"But I guess now isn't really the time-," Aladdin said, his entire atmosphere shifting into something lighter.

"I guess you're right," Aladdin grinned deviously as two brothel women sat on either side of the boy.