Fantasy series about a man, adventurer and talking cheetah/ leopard? who goes on quest to rescue a kidnapped princess. Spoiler.

[Bobalot]

A dying man who was on a quest to rescue this kidnapped princess washes up on a beach and asks the main character (a man) to rescue her.

The MC leaves his family and village and is eventually joined by a thief/adventurer and a talking tiger/leopard/cheetah? and they go on various adventures to rescue her.

Spoilers:
(view spoiler)[
The princess doesn't want to be rescued and loves the supposed evil character guy

The MC is a mage (he denies being anything greater than anybody in his village for the entire series, but it turns out his entire village is full of mages).
(hide spoiler)]