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Re-reading the rulebook and there's no mention of Prepare shot or Protect companion having to take effect in same/next ROUND, only next ATTACK against the defended player/the next ranged attack, nor is there any mention one can't change stances between task and effect to happen. Is this rules as intended or I'm missing something that says the effects having to happen in current/next round respectively??

Well we got an answer from Michele in the unofficial Discord
which reads: "They are intended to take effect no later than by the end of the next round (but I acknowledge that nothing explicitly states that)"