A visit, a meeting

It was noon, Alfred was in the mansion's hallway, waiting for Arnold's arrival.

"Welcome, boss."

"Hello, Alfred," Arnold sighed. "I received a letter, it was from the queen. She's coming for a visit."

Alfred was surprised, nodded, and asked, "She's visiting?"

"Exactly, surprised? She comes every weekend."

The Bearelf mansion was one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite places to spend time in solitude. Despite being the monarch, she occasionally needed a moment of tranquility away from the palace and its responsibilities.

For this reason, once a week, the queen visited the Bearelf mansion to enjoy its calmness and the beautiful view of the nearby lake.

"Understood, Master. I'll inform young master Dante."

"Alfred, are you ready for the meeting?"

"Yes, sir. I am ready."

Alfred nodded and left the hallway to notify the mansion staff about the queen's arrival. Meanwhile, Arnold headed to the living room to wait for her majesty.

Shortly after, the queen arrived escorted by her personal guards and was greeted by Arnold with a bow.

"Welcome, Your Majesty. It's an honor to have you here once again."

"Thank you, Arnold. It's always a pleasure to visit this beautiful mansion," the queen said with a smile.

Arnold led her to the living room, where she sat on a sofa while her guards remained around her.

Queen Elizabeth looked at Alfred with a kind smile.

"Alfred, how's life as a butler treating you? It must be quite a change from being a lone warrior."

Alfred nodded and approached the queen.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's been a significant change, but I'm glad to have found my place here in the Bearelf mansion. After what happened years ago... it's never too late to change, right? It's an honor to serve the family and ensure everything is in order."

The queen nodded approvingly.

"That's admirable, Alfred. Your loyalty and dedication are highly valued. I'm glad to know you've found happiness here."

The queen's guards remained watchful as the conversation continued in a calm and friendly tone.

As time passed, Queen Elizabeth entered Arnold's office and closed the door behind her. She sat in a chair facing her friend and the head of the Bearelf household, with a serious expression on her face.

"Arnold, how is the work of the Bearelf family going?" the queen asked, looking steadily at her friend of many years.

"It's going well, Your Majesty," Arnold solemnly replied. "We've completed all the missions entrusted to us and maintained the stability of the kingdom."

The queen nodded, satisfied with Arnold's response. But her expression softened a bit as she shifted to a more personal topic.

"And tell me, Arnold, how is your life in the Bearelf territory?"

Arnold smiled with a touch of melancholy as he remembered his life in the Bearelf territory.

"It's been tough at first, but I've gradually adapted to life in the mountains. We Bearelf are strong, and our people are brave. I feel honored to serve as their leader," Arnold said proudly.

The queen nodded, understanding the importance of having a strong and brave leader in the Bearelf territory.

"I'm glad to hear you're doing well, Arnold. You're a great friend and a valuable ally to the kingdom," the queen said sincerely.

Arnold inclined his head in a sign of respect.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will always be at your disposal to serve the kingdom and protect our people," Arnold said with determination.

Queen Elizabeth couldn't help but inquire about Arnold's son, Dante Bearelf.

She knew he was a talented and promising young man, but she also knew he was being prepared to take his place as the leader of the Bearelf and that it meant facing dangerous and violent missions.

"And tell me, Arnold, how is Dante?" the queen asked with a concerned tone in her voice. "Is he adjusting well to the dark work of the Bearelf?"

Arnold sighed and looked at the queen with sadness in his eyes.

"It's hard for him, Your Majesty. He's an innocent boy... he wouldn't harm a fly," Arnold said sincerely. "Dante is a smart and brave young man, but the work of the Bearelf is not easy. I'm training him to be an assassin, and it's not something to be taken lightly."

The queen nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, and then chuckled. "I understand. That's why you gave him training," the queen said seriously. "But it's important that he continues his training and learns to protect his people. I know you put on the facade of a fierce, cold, and serious leader, but you're nothing more than a worried father. The Bearelf are an important part of our kingdom, and we need their strength and skills to maintain peace and stability."

Arnold nodded, knowing the queen was right.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Dante is doing everything he can to prepare and protect our people. But I'll always be afraid for his safety. He's my son, and I can't help but worry about him."

The queen placed a reassuring hand on Arnold's shoulder.

"I understand your concern, Arnold. But you have to trust that you've prepared Dante well and that he's capable of facing any challenge that comes his way," the queen said with determination. "Come, I have another important matter to discuss with you and Alfred."

Arnold nodded, and together they headed to the meeting room. Alfred felt uneasy about the queen's presence but knew he had to maintain his composure and remain alert at all times.

When they entered the meeting room, Alfred stood behind Arnold and watched as the queen took her seat.

"As we all know, the Assassin's Creed has been attacking our cities and towns more frequently in recent weeks," the queen said.

The discussion began, and Alfred realized this was a very tense and delicate situation. He felt the responsibility to speak, but as a servant, he wasn't allowed to do so.

The meeting room was spacious and adorned with elegant furniture and precious artworks. The large round table in the center was covered with papers and documents, and a guard spread the map of the Azzai kingdom on its surface.

The queen spoke with a serious tone as she pointed to different areas on the map that were being affected by the Assassin's Creed.

"It's a problem we can't ignore, Your Majesty," Arnold responded.

"We need a strategy to put an end to these attacks," added the guard holding the map.

Alfred wanted to say something, but he knew it wasn't his place. However, the queen noticed and asked him:

"Alfred, do you have any suggestions?"

Alfred was surprised by the question but answered confidently:

"Your Majesty, I believe we should send some of our best warriors to track down the Assassin's Creed and put an end to their attacks once and for all."

Suddenly, a voice interrupted the discussion.

"Apologies for the interruption, but I have a proposal that might be of interest to everyone."

Everyone in the room turned to see who was speaking, and Alfred was surprised to see Dante standing at the door, a smile on his face.

"Dante, what are you doing here?" Arnold asked in surprise.

"Just came to offer my assistance in the meeting. After all, this also affects our territory, doesn't it?"

Arnold thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Fine, you can stay. But keep your composure and don't interrupt."

"Oh..."

The queen showed a slight smile.

Dante smiled and approached the table, while Alfred remained standing behind him, observing closely. The discussion continued.

"My words may not count, but I offer my help as the heir of the Bearelf family, my beautiful and gracious Queen. I believe this might interest you..."

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind: the queen was the same woman for whom he had played the dating game in which he had fallen in love. Could it be possible to make her fall in love?

Fortunately, Dante knew how to keep a cool head in difficult situations.

The queen was surprised for a few seconds, while some guards became agitated with Dante. "Remember your place!"

The queen became furious, and with a hand gesture, she silenced her guard, looking at Dante with a seductive gaze.

"Please, go on."

Dante became excited. "From what I've heard, this meeting is about the investigation of an assassin's creed, right?"

The queen took over the conversation. Her voice was firm and clear, but Alfred could sense a certain tension in her gaze.

"Certainly, you're right, a new assassin's creed has appeared in my kingdom. This organization is very dangerous and has begun to commit acts of violence in some of my most important cities. I've asked the Bearelf family for help because I know they're the best in these kinds of situations. I need them to investigate this creed and find out who their leaders are and what their objectives are."

I see... This meeting never happened in the game because Dante never showed up. Thanks to my presence, I can intervene... But before ending this meeting, I'll ask about the creed's name, 'the Nascents'. I obviously know what it is, but to be sure.

"Understood, Your Majesty. We will do everything within our power to assist. Do you have any additional information you can provide us about this creed?"

The queen consulted one of her advisors before responding.

"We know they call themselves the 'Emergents,' and they have been recruiting young individuals from our poorest cities. So far, we have been unable to determine their leaders or their main objectives. But we know they are very dangerous, and we must act swiftly."

Dante remained silent, but Alfred could see he was paying close attention to everything said in the meeting. Alfred, on the other hand, was eager to begin the investigation, although he also knew he had to be cautious and not underestimate this new creed of assassins, until he noticed Dante's sadistic smile for a moment... Young... Dante?

"We will, Your Majesty. Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to protect your kingdom and its people, and with the help of my father."

Dante speaks up, with a serious expression on his face.

"Your Majesty, if you permit me, I have a plan that could be highly useful in dealing with the Emergents."

The queen nods with interest. "Of course, we will listen to your proposal."

Dante takes a scroll and begins to unfurl it on the table, revealing a detailed map of the kingdom.

"My plan is to infiltrate the creed and reach their leaders. But we won't do it as mere investigators; we will do it as members of the creed."

Arnold furrows his brow.

"What do you mean by that, Dante?"

Dante smiles maliciously.

"I mean we will infiltrate their ranks 'as members' and eliminate them one by one until we reach the head of the snake. Need me to explain it to you again, father?"

The queen appears intrigued. "How do you plan to do that?"

Dante points to a spot on the map.

"In this nearby village, there's a mercenary organization that has worked for a corrupt noble in the past. How do I know? Well, I did my research. They'll help us pose as recruits and gain the trust of the Emergents, but to gain the mercenaries' trust, that'll be my job. Once inside, we'll start eliminating the leaders one by one until none are left alive."

The queen furrows her brow, concerned. "Don't you think that would be dangerous? You could be putting your men at risk."

Dante smiles confidently.

"Men? My queen, I only have Alfred and Eileen on my team. And besides, Your Majesty, I'm aware of the risks. But this is the kind of plan that should be executed by people like us, who know what they're doing. And if we manage to eliminate the Emergents, we'll have saved your kingdom from a great threat."

The queen ponders for a moment, then nods.

"Very well, Dante. I accept your plan. But we must be cautious."

Arnold nods, and Alfred is impressed by the confidence Dante exudes.

Finally, they reach a satisfactory agreement for both parties.

Arnold approaches Dante - "You... how?"

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