Odesvale was situated in the northern mouth of Odes Canyon, sandwiched between two tall cliffs that stretched onwards to the south for many miles. It was down in this canyon where the town's many mines were situated.

  It was also to the south, just past the outskirts of town, where Sayuri lived. The structure was an abandoned and forgotten storehouse for ore that had gone unused for decades.

  Inside the building, storage racks had been converted to bunk beds, and the floorboards had been partially torn up to make a small contained cook fire. As the sun slowly set, a group of eight children waited restlessly.

  "She's running a little late," said a girl by the name of Ophelia. She had short pink hair, and wore a tattered dress that looked like it could have been quite nice at one time.

  "Yeah, the younger urchins are getting a little restless," said Miko, a boy who stood beside Ophelia. He was rather tall and broad-shouldered for his age. "Case in point…"

  Clutching his side was a very young three-armed girl, appropriately named Three-Arms. She let out a vaguely coherent grumble about food, while making it clear she wasn't about to let go of Miko any time soon.

  Some of the other urchins–Marzipan, Harmony, and Brimstone–were waiting impatiently by the window. Duke and Silent Eve, however, managed to preoccupy themselves with a handball and a novel, respectively.

  "Alright," said Duke, "You three, quiet down."

  Harmony and Marzipan both scowled, then giggled quietly. Brimstone wandered over to the corner of the room.

  In that corner was the "throne" of the Bandit Princess: a huge pile of metallic yellow-tinted chunks that nobody had bothered to collect when the storehouse was first abandoned years ago. The pile served as a makeshift chair for Sayuri, and was where she usually sat in the evenings. With her running late, the pile was unoccupied, and young Brimstone took it upon himself to claim her throne for himself.

  "No," Duke said sternly. "You know that's where Sayuri likes to sit."

  Brimstone held up his hands, innocently. "So? She's not here, is she? Besides, she never said sitting in it is off-limits to anyone!"

  Duke stood up abruptly, puffing out his chest with a stern expression. Brimstone shrunk back slightly.

  "Hey!" Ophelia spat, quickly moving to position herself between the two boys. "Knock it off you two! You're both just hangry. Sayuri will be back any minute with the curry, and then we'll have a chance to eat, okay?"

  Both Duke and Brimstone backed away, mumbling under their breath.

  Ophelia pursed her lips for a moment, then grabbed one of the rocks from Sayuri's throne. "You know what this stuff is, right?" she asked, grabbing their attention again.

  "Of course I do," answered Brimstone, who was quite interested in geology. "It's native gold, right?"

  "Correct," Ophelia said. "Gold. Shiny, and pretty…" she tossed the chunk back into the pile, "… and less valuable than dirt. But it wasn't always like that, you know."

  "Really?" Brimstone asked, leaning forward with interest.

  "Indeed," grinned Ophelia.

  Soon, the other urchins had crowded around to hear what she had to say. Even the older urchins, who had known all this already, still were eager to hear Ophelia's rendition.

  "You see, back then, gold wasn't just shiny and pretty. It was really rare as well. Odesvale was founded just because Odes Valley had particularly plentiful veins of gold, you see. Even now, many of those veins of gold ore remain untapped."

  "And why is that?" Harmony asked, getting into the story herself.

  "Because somewhere, far from here, a group of explorers found something special," Ophelia said. "For all the gold that can be found in Odes Valley, it pales in comparison to the limitless source of gold they discovered. They began to bring that gold to the surface, and overnight, they had become more wealthy than some nations."

  Then, Ophelia lowered her head. "But all that gold meant it was no longer rare. Within a few years, gold was everywhere," she explained. "This led to what we now call… the Great Gold Crash."

  "The… Gold Crash?" asked a confused Marzipan.

  "Oh yes," Ophelia said. "Gold was once synonymous with wealth, but suddenly it had become so abundant that it lost all its value. People who had built their fortunes on gold found themselves facing financial ruin overnight. It was a dark time for many."

  Ophelia paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "But that's when the true spirit of Odesvale emerged," she said. "Faced with hardship, our town's mayor, Sasha Vance, made the bold decision to branch out into other resources. The townspeople expanded the mines, built forges and crafting workshops, and worked tirelessly to adapt. We domesticated the valley's lizards for food, cultivated cave rice fields and mineapple groves underground where the sun doesn't shine. Through determination and hard work, Odesvale not only survived, but flourished!"

  As she spoke, Ophelia's eyes shone with pride for their hometown. Her audience listened with rapt attention.

  "In time," she said, "gold became little more than a symbol - a reminder of our humble beginnings. And in time, our people found new sources of wealth in the land."

  Just then, the window burst open, and in strode none other than Sayuri herself. She sauntered in with a wide grin, her green hair wild and untamed. She triumphantly hoisted a pot full of Mr Orden's famous curry.

  "I've returned with your bounty, my subjects!" Sayuri proclaimed.

  The other children crowded around her. Their eyes sparkled with joy when they saw - and smelled - the mouth-watering curry. Sayuri beamed at their delight. "That's right, darlings! Come, gather 'round! Your Bandit Princess has returned with a feast fit for kings and queens!"

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  The urchins cheered and gathered around Sayuri, their hunger and impatience forgotten in the face of her triumphant return. Ophelia smiled and shook her head, amused by Sayuri's flair for the dramatic. "Glad to see you made it back in one piece," she said, relief evident in her voice.

  Sayuri just winked at her, then began dishing out portions of the fragrant, steaming curry for each child, making sure everyone had enough. "Eat up, my loyal subjects!" she declared. "Your Bandit Princess provides!"

  As the urchins eagerly dug into their meals, the sound of contented sighs and slurping filled the hideout. Sayuri settled onto her golden throne, watching with a satisfied smirk as her friends ate their fill. Despite the satisfying scene before her, Sayuri's vibrant green hair seemed to lose a bit of its luster as Ophelia approached her. She watched as the shorter girl's eyes scanned the room, noting the tattered clothing and the worn expressions of some of the youngest members of their rag-tag gang. Sayuri could almost hear the gears turning in Ophelia's head, and braced herself for what was sure to be another heartfelt lecture.

  Ophelia lowered her voice, ensuring that her words wouldn't carry over the contented din of the other children. "Sayuri, you know I think you're incredible. You manage to steal from the rich and bring food and joy to your friends here in the forgotten corners of Odesvale." Her eyes flickered toward the youngest of the gang, her voice taking on a more somber tone. "But you know as well as I do that curry can only do so much. We're well stocked on food, but running low on just about everything else. Clothing materials, medicine, cleaning supplies, and so much more. These children, Sayuri, they look up to you. They rely on you." Ophelia's eyes met Sayuri's, the weight of her words heavy in the air. "Perhaps it's time to start thinking about the future, not just the next meal."

  Sayuri was quiet for a moment, her usual carefree demeanor replaced by a pensive frown. "You're right, Ophelia," she said quietly. "I know you are. It's just… this is all I know how to do." Sayuri gestured towards the bubbling pot of curry, her voice taking on a tinge of despair. "I steal, I provide, I keep things together the only way I know how. I'm not sure I have what it takes to be the leader these kids really need."

  The younger girl placed a hand on Sayuri's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You know, you could start by teaching us some of your tricks. If we could provide for ourselves a little, maybe–"

  "Absolutely not," Sayuri said, her voice unusually firm. Ophelia blinked, taken aback by Sayuri's sudden change in tone.

  "Why not?" she asked, a hint of hurt in her voice. "Don't you trust us?"

  Sayuri sighed, running a hand through her wild green hair. "It's not that, Ophelia," she said softly. "It's just… I don't want this life for you. For any of you." She looked around at the other children, her eyes filled with a mix of love and sadness. "Back when I was the youngest urchin, everyone had to fend for themselves, and every other day I'd barely escape by the skin of my neck. It was only after countless near-brushes with capture or worse that I managed to get so good at all this. I wouldn't wish that sort of constant fear and danger on anyone, least of all you guys." Sayuri's gaze landed on Harmony, who was quietly humming a cheerful tune as she ate.

  Ophelia was silent for a beat, then folded her arms. "Hmph, I'll drop the issue for now, but you're not off the hook!" she huffed. "We'll revisit this later, Sayuri. You can't protect us forever, you know."

  "I know," Sayuri sighed, her voice heavy. "But for now, can we just enjoy this moment of peace?"

  Ophelia nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Of course," she said. "Let's enjoy this victory while we can."

  The two girls joined the rest of their little family, allowing themselves a brief moment to simply revel in the warmth and safety of their makeshift home. Tomorrow's worries could wait until tomorrow.

  —

  With their heads hung low, Benji and Lulu returned to the miner's festival by the late hours of the evening, having failed to apprehend the notorious Bandit Princess. As they approached the bustling plaza, they could see that the festivities were still in full swing, the air filled with the sounds of laughter and the aroma of delicious food. But for the two guards, there was little joy to be found in the celebration.

  Benji's brows furrowed with frustration, his mind still reeling from their failed pursuit. Lulu, her thick arms crossed tightly over her chest, looked equally dejected, her usual boisterous energy dampened by their defeat.

  As they made their way through the crowd, they spotted Mr. Orden, who had just finished serving his renowned curry to the townspeople. He looked up from his empty pot, his eyes meeting theirs with a mixture of expectation and dread. "Well?" he demanded, his voice gruff. "Did you catch that little thief?"

  Lulu and Benji exchanged a glance, their silence speaking volumes. Mr. Orden pinched the bridge of his nose, but didn't seem all too surprised by their failure. "I should've known," he sighed, disappointment evident in his tone. "That girl is too quick for her own good."

  "But we were so close this time!" Lulu protested, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "If only I'd been a little faster, or if Benji's plan had worked like it should've…"

  "It's not your fault, Lulu," Benji said, his voice soft but firm. "Sayuri's just… she's something else. She always seems to be one step ahead of us."

  Mr. Orden regarded the two guards, his expression a mix of frustration and understanding. "I know you both did your best," he said. "But we can't let Sayuri continue to run rampant like this. She's a bad influence on the town's youth, and her antics are disrupting the peace."

  Benji nodded, his jaw set with determination. "We won't give up, sir."

  "We'll catch her next time, Mr. Orden," Lulu added, her voice filled with renewed conviction. "No matter what it takes."

  Mr. Orden sighed, his stern demeanor softening slightly. "I don't fault the two of you for being unable to catch her. Least of all you, my son," he said to Benji, placing a firm hand on his upper arm. "Over the past few years, it's become clear as day to me that her skills are… uncanny."

  "Father–" Benji began, but Mr. Orden interrupted.

  "That's why I sent out a radio call to the nearest chapter of the Bounty Hunter's guild," he continued.

  Benji's eyes widened in surprise, and Lulu's mouth fell open. "You did what?" she blurted out, her voice rising in pitch.

  "I put a bounty on her head," Mr. Orden repeated, his tone resolute. "Someone with the skills and experience necessary can come deal with our little Bandit Princess. It's not an ideal solution, but at this point, I believe it's our best option."

  Benji and Lulu exchanged an uneasy glance, the weight of Mr. Orden's words sinking in. The arrival of bounty hunters in Odesvale could change everything - not just for Sayuri, but for the entire town.

  As the news settled over them, the celebrations seemed to take on a more somber tone. The air was still filled with laughter and music, but for Benji and Lulu, the festivities now felt hollow, tinged with uncertainty and apprehension. The two remained silent for several minutes, until Lulu abruptly and loudly spoke up.

  "Why didn't you say anything to him?" she demanded, turning to face Benji with a fierce glare. "About the bounty hunters, I mean. You just stood there and let him announce it like it was nothing!"

  Benji sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "What was I supposed to say, Lulu?" he asked, his voice tired. "He's my father, and he's the head foreman. It's not like I could just outright defy him in front of everyone."

  Lulu let out a huff of annoyance, then crossed her arms and fumed for several seconds, before finally softening a little. "Sorry, I'm mad at him, not you. I refuse to let some out-of-town sellswords who care more about money than justice show us up after all our hard efforts!" she said, getting worked up again almost instantly.

  "Believe me, I agree," Benji said. "Think about it. The townspeople need to have faith in the town guard. The Bandit Princess has gone unchallenged for years, now. If a bounty hunter shows up and does our job for us, it will only undermine our authority further."

  Lulu nodded, her expression grim. "So, what do we do?" she asked, her voice low and serious. "We can't just sit back and let them take over."

  Benji thought for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. "We need to step up our game," he said finally, a glint of determination in his eyes. "Starting tomorrow, we train harder, study Sayuri's patterns more closely, and make a real effort to gain the trust and respect of the people. We'll show them that we're more than capable of handling Sayuri ourselves."

  Lulu grinned, clapping Benji on the back with enthusiasm. "Now you're talking!" she exclaimed. "We'll show them what we're really made of!"