Arthur glanced around Arianna's bedroom before walking to one of her dressers and rummaging through its drawers. Most of her clothes were tailored from soft luxurious fabrics that Arthur tossed behind him until he found one suitably common.

Drawing his sword, Arthur shredded the rough fabric until only a malformed square remained. Then he held it out to Arianna by the tip of his sword. "Use this to cover your hair for now. The shininess gives away your status."

"It should be obvious, but keep her status a secret. It may prove valuable in the future." Arthur added.

His plans for Arianna didn't end at free spell work. Arthur was still painfully ignorant regarding Minaan worship, so he intended to pick her brain about it to find ways to reprogram the people of Helagaust. Her status as a Bernish noble might also prove useful in ruling over the population as well.

Saria returned with a metallic collar, placing it upon Arianna's neck before handing its key to Arthur.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's move on to more lucrative endeavors. I have two questions for you. Your treatment going forward will depend on the outcome of your answers, so answer carefully.

First, is there anything of value hidden or otherwise difficult to find within or around this tent?" Arthur asked.

Arianna hesitated to speak momentarily before sighing. "I-I buried my jewels and coin behind the tent. I don't care for any of it except a single necklace given to me by my late mother. Its value isn't exceptional, so I hope you won't sell it and allow me to earn it back in due time."

Jeren frowned. "You're a war slave. You have no right to ask the lord for favors."

It was a fair proposition. In exchange for holding onto the necklace, Arthur gained an uncertain degree of leverage over her. So if that was all it took to ensure she behaved, then there was no reason to say no.

"It's fine, Jeren." Arthur glanced at Saria. "Go dig it up and bring it to me."

"As you say, lord." Saria replied before exiting the bedroom.

"I don't mind holding onto it for now as long as you perform your duties without issue. However, should you fail to do so, I won't hesitate to melt it down and sell it as scrap."

Arianna nodded respectfully. "That's all I ask."

"Now, onto my next question." Arthur smiled. "Where is the war chest?"

Foster panicked. "Young master, you shouldn't be too greedy. If the other commanding lords found out you kept the enemy's war chest to yourself, they may turn on you."

"Relax. I only intend to take my fair share before someone else finds it and claims the chest was lighter than expected." Arthur assured him before glancing toward Arianna. "Well?"

"It should be hidden away in Duke Verac's tent, but he was first to flee, taking all the mounts for himself and leaving us to die. So I'm unsure as to whether it remains where it once was." Arianna replied.

Arthur thought to himself for a moment before slapping his knee and rising off Arianna's bed. "Good, take me there, and let's find out."

As Arthur exited the tent, Saria and a few guards were carrying a chest large enough to contain him with room to spare. "Place it down for now and open it." His smile grew as he suddenly felt that Nithe wasn't so bad after all.

While the chest wasn't even half full, it still contained far more silver, gold, and mithril coins than he had imagined. Of course, they were all Bernish coins, but that didn't change their value too much once they were exchanged or melted down.

Besides the coins, there were loose gemstones, aether crystals, and an assortment of extravagant jewelry. It was enough to make Arthur's mouth water.

Arther contained his excitement and turned to face Arianna. "Why did the noblewoman you served carry so much wealth in a warzone?"

Arianna quickly picked up on his intention. "Her lands were at risk, m-master."

"Very well. Show me the necklace you mentioned." Arthur said, beckoning her over to the chest.

Arianna pointed toward a thin silver necklace with a locket attached. "It's this one."

Arthur picked it up and analyzed it but found it rather mundane compared to the other pieces of jewelry within the chest. It would only sell for a hundred Riis max if he sold it, so he felt even more inclined to hold on to it. Especially since with it came the increased willingness of a sixth circle scholar to serve him.

"Everyone get over here!" Arthur shouted, pocketing the necklace and grabbing a handful of gold coins.

Once the forty men and women stood before him, Arthur tossed three gold coins to each of his personal guards and one to each of the soldiers who followed him.

"L-lord, I'm not a part of the Revan levies." One of the soldiers nervously stated after receiving his coin.

Arthur innocently laughed and tossed him a silver coin. "That coin is for your honesty. Don't worry about where you're from. When you follow me, I consider you my own."

After accounting for exchange rates, this display of generosity had cost him a little over fifty-five hundred Riis. However, the coins given away were only a fraction of the chest's wealth, so it wasn't much of a loss.

The little act wasn't simply for an ego boost. On the contrary, due to it, the soldiers would probably espouse Arthur's magnanimity to their comrades when they returned to camp, and in turn, those comrades would be more likely to follow Arthur in the future should he require it.

It was also the reason he raised his voice when notifying Baron Iken of the enemy camp. He wanted the soldiers to hear how he found the enemy camp so that they'd gossip over it amongst themselves.

Since he decided to take the credit, Arthur fully embraced a new persona. At least as far as the soldiers were concerned, Arthur wanted to portray himself as generous, gregarious, and competent in the art of war.

Arthur looked over his guards before focusing on Saria. "Can you read and write?"

Saria nodded. "I can, lord, just not very well."

"That's fine. I'm going to take half the soldiers. Have the rest break down all these tents and haul them over to our temporary camp. Make sure to take inventory of everything, including the chest's contents and whatever is inside each tent. Take your time with it and write me a full report on the plunder." Arthur replied.

Arthur would've preferred Jeren or Foster take inventory since they both could likely write well, considering their backgrounds. But then he'd be left with one less guard he could trust, so he had to make do and hope Saria's writing was legible enough to understand.

After rounding up half the soldiers, Arthur had Arianna lead him through the camp. He remained on edge around her despite her circumstances, opting to have her walk surrounded by his mounted guards just in case she attempted to flee.

"This was it, master." Arianna declared as she stopped in front of a pile of ash.

Arthur looked around. It was clear a large tent once stood there, but most of it had been reduced to blackened soot. However, the furniture remained relatively intact despite having charred exteriors.

"I assume it's a chest?" Arthur asked her.

"The last time I was brought here, I noted four chests of equal size as the one found at my old master's tent." Arianna replied.

Arthur smiled. "Search this area for four chests. The one who finds them will get a bonus of five hundred Riis."

"Jeren and Foster keep an eye on her." Arthur added as Foster excitedly stepped toward the burnt tent.

Foster froze before turning around and displaying a look that made it seem like Arthur had wronged him. "Young master! But then I won't be able to earn the bonus!"

"Just stay put and watch her. If we find the chests, I'll give you two a lesser bonus, and you won't even have to wade through soot to get it." Arthur assured the whining man.

While he waited, Arthur took in the scenery feeling pleased with his new wealth. Then, he heard cheers erupt from the west as Ollerinian soldiers returned from chasing down the remnants of the Bernish-Agelian force.

Near the crowd of returning soldiers, he spotted what looked to be Marquis Bennet walking on foot separately from the rest. The armor appeared to be the same, but he was without a mount and held his head low as if disparaged over something.

Arthur's eyes squinted to get a better look at the odd sight, but with the sun only now rising, it was much too dark to be sure. And since he couldn't be sure, he didn't bother paying it anymore mind.

Foster poked his sword at a small end table at the edge of the burnt ground. "Young master, shouldn't we check the furniture too? If the guy who lived here was a Duke, he probably has nice things outside those chests."

"We will, but the chests are more important right now. If..." Arthur's words trailed off as he caught sight of someone approaching from the corner of his eye.

Arthur turned to face the intruder, puzzled as his previous guess turned true. Marquis Bennet didn't appear to notice his gaze, his expression was blank, and he seemed without purpose, as if sleepwalking.

"Marquis Bennet, are you okay?" Arthur cautiously asked, resting one hand on his sword pommel.

The marquis took a final step before he froze in place a few feet away. He slowly turned to face Arthur, locking eyes with him as his blank expression contorted and his eyes went wild.

Foster walked closer and glanced around curiously. "Young master, who are you talking to?"

 

 

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