A Lazy, Cowardly Princess

"A Lazy, Cowardly Princess" is the seventeenth episode of the Log Horizon anime. It aired on January 25, 2014.

Synopsis
The scene opens looking over the forest at night with explosions visible in the distance. Minori, high on a tree branch, observes the battles through a telescope. She receives a call from Naotsugu, informing her of a couple of squads of goblins heading her direction. When she relays the message to the rest of the party Tohya acknowledges his role will be to lure the goblins in. Rudy questions how well she can see, to which Serara tells him she is using magic eye drops borrowed from Naotsugu and would be able to see like a cat for a full day. Feeling responsible for getting others to agree to the preemptive strike, Minori remembers how she managed to convince Maryelle, Naotsugu, and Nyanta to let her party begin a surprise attack against the goblin forces to confuse them and draw them away from attacking Choushi

Deliberating at the Palace
The scene shifts to the Palace where Shiroe, Krusty and Michitaka are discussing the trainees independent decision to defend Choushi. Michitaka is annoyed that action is being taken before any thing has been decided. Krusty points out if they were there they would want to do the same thing. Shiroe states the three of them make up the political power of the Round Table and must come to a consensus before meeting with the Eastal Lords

Meanwhile, at the council of the Eastal Lords, they begin coming up with wild theories that the goblin invasion is a plot by the Adventurers. When Baron Krandit points out how such a claim is a drastic leap, the other lords remind him this private meeting was so that everyone could speak their mind. One of the lords remarks he doesn't expect Choushi to hold out long, and Lord Kiliva's Tsukuba City is the next likely target or possibly Maihama. Shiroe, Krusty, and Michitaka are still waiting to be called into the conference, with Michitaka growing steadily impatient. Krusty remarks the lords are probably discussing matters they didn't want to mention to the Adventurers. Shiroe theorizes that the lords probably don't want to be indebted to the Adventurers and would thus likely try to enlist the aid of the Izumo Knights.

Duke Serjiad Corwen informs the other lords that the Izumo Knights are missing, and his scouting parties have found no clue of how or why they vanished. Lord Kiliva responds that all the lords must combine forces to attack the goblins, and another suggests that the goblins be lured into attacking a well-defended city, then surrounded and destroyed. However, just as Kiliva assumes, this meant sacrificing Tsukuba. As he strongly objects, Duke Corwen suggests they take a break.

Minori's side
Back in the forest Minori watches and coordinates the others from her branch. As Tohya lures in the first group of goblins Serara snags them with vines Rudy, enhances Tohya's sword for the finishing blow. Just as Rudy is commenting on their victory Minori announces the second group is inbound. Isuzu boosts Rudy's magic and he blasts the second group quickly. As the scene leaves the forest we see Minori watching everything.

Final Preparations
Shiroe prepares specific roles for himself, Krusty, and Michitaka for their talks with the Eastal Lords for when they are finally summoned. He would support assisting the Landers, Michitaka would oppose, and Krusty would act as the mediator and would make the final call.

Meanwhile, Rayneshia sits alone at the gazebo when she overhears two of the lords talking about the possible sacrifice of Tsukuba and how expensive it would be to hire the adventurers. However, what shocks her the most is the revelation that the Izumo Knights had disappeared. When the Round Table Alliance's representatives are finally summoned, she crosses paths with them, and after a little banter with Krusty, she leaves them to attend the meeting.

Rudy's Side
Minori is reporting by telepathy they have cleared the area of enemies and are resting. As Rudy polishes his magic bracers he recalls how he acquired them. They are the first item the group acquired together and when Isuzu suggests that Rudy be the one to use them he breaks character and humbly accepts. Returning to the present Minori has the group move out to look for more enemies.

The Final Talk
Having predicted that the Lords would try to gather more information from them, Shiroe uses the same tactic against them, prompting an outburst from Kiliva, who stated that the Adventurers have a responsibility to act. In response, Michitaka violently retorts that they deserve more respect than what the League has shown them, angrily smashing a fist into the table, breaking it. Shiroe looks on coolly, thinking to himself that although Michitaka was supposed to oppose providing assistance to the Landers, his anger wasn't completely scripted. Michitaka then reveals that they were that the nobles were holding meetings without them thanks to Akatsuki, who had spied on them.

At this time, Rayneshia reluctantly makes a sudden appearance with the intention of asking Krusty to take her to Akihabara. She remarks that she understood that the Adventurers were free thanks to the time she spent with Krusty, and as a member of the Corwen family, the way the nobles were treating the Adventurers was improper. When she reveals that the League was hiding the fact that the Izumo Knights had gone missing, the nobles become outraged, but are silenced by Duke Corwen. Rayneshia continues on, saying that she was willing to go to Akiba and plead with each Adventurer individually if that was what it took to raise a volunteer army to save Eastal. After her impassioned speech she collapses into Krusty's arms.

Afterwards, as Minori's party continue fighting with their own resolve, Shiroe, Akatsuki, Krusty, and Rayneshia make their way to Akihabara as Shiroe remarks that Rayneshia may be the one to change the Cities of Eastal.