"So what’s the plan?”

I turned to a disgruntled Logan who was probably thinking about the Princess going on a date with my brother. 

Behind him were thirty of the Duchess’s personal knights and the daughter of said duchess. 

Violet, unlike her usual blank or glaring self, was biting her lip while stealing glances at Logan who was focused on me. 

I could see a faint blush on her face but whenever Logan turned to where I was looking she’d go stone faced and ask ‘what?’. 

I groan a little at these kids and point into the empty street, 

“As Violet has kindly stated for us plebians that” pointing at a hatch where a few stone buildings were gathered together in the poorer parts of the Capital, 

“Is where slaves are being kept. Sooner or later one of them, thanks to Violet, will escape giving us both a reason to act and a way inside. Isn’t that right Violet?”

Thankfully she didn’t question how I knew and was simply too distracted by me talking about how she and Logan would get closer together. 

That blushing maiden was nowhere to be found as the Villainess was glaring daggers into me. 

I was simply fulfilling my end of the bargain however, it was our agreement (or payment rather) that in exchange for her convincing her mother to lend us her personal army: I had to help out Logan with his first music and praise her beyond the roof.

 All in order to get her closer with the man who first helped her in her time of need. 

‘He helped me with the sword!’ 

‘He taught me to smile again!’

‘He made me want to see the world!’

I groan a little as I start to remember the mind numbing hours I played that game for and the amount of similar lines I had read. Both while drunk and sober. 

Logan scratches his white crew cut and groans,

“I understand the Duchess helped us out but are we really going to wait here until someone just esca-!” The hatch flings open and we watch as a skinny looking teenager with brown hair and eyes fumbles out. 

Not wearing his round spectacles he was always drawn wearing, it took me a moment to recognise his face.  

I move, kicking off the floor and unsheathe my sword as I cut in an arc. 

The man following him was unprepared and I heroically cut him down before he could arm himself. 

“NOW!”

I yell and everyone charges. First up as planned: is Violet who, in a showboaty fashion, leaps into the air and keeps the door open before it can be closed by attacking the men guarding it. 

It was good, the wood might look weak but there is some high end strength magic inscripted into the material. The type that takes weeks to wear out. 

I run out next with the crowd securing the boy. (as well as doing what I can to show how ‘kind’ I am)

“Are you okay?”

I take the lines from the game, one by one and to my surprise the former slave reacts in the same way. 

‘W…who are you?’

“W…who are you?”

“I’m someone who will help you. Get some rest now, I’ll take care of it.”

‘But-’

“But-”

I smile, doing my best to show off my endearing side. “Sleep.”

The brown haired teenager closes his eyes and goes limp in my arms. 

=====================================================

“My Lady, why are you smiling?” 

I turn to the Captain of my mother’s personal army and glance over his worried face.

Instead of replying, I focused on stabilizing my breathing as quickly as possible, it was one of the many things that Trash had taught me whenever we sparred. 

‘Maintain a proper stance.’

‘Find your attack range and use it.’

‘Always take the advantage.’

I had gone half crazy from how seriously he treated our sessions. I had been expecting it to be a learning experience but never to that level. 

Every mistake I had was punished, every advantage was taken. All the while he grinned and taunted me. 

And that’s if I was doing well, anything other than my peak was met with a bored look. 

When that Trash came to me with a plan I wasn’t expecting anything.

‘I don’t know how many are inside so just go crazy. Watch yourself and all that.’

‘You worried about me Trash?’

‘No. Just make sure you don’t mess up infront of lover boy.’

At the glare that usually caused people to flinch or even tear up, his quiet face contorted into a grin that didn’t suit the delicate features he shared with his brother. 

He just looked happy he got a reaction out of me.

“My Lady?”

I’m broken from my thoughts by the Captain still speaking to me and I chuckle now with a calmer breath.

“..What’s there not to smile about?”

I look towards where the sounds of combat had died down and find Logan comforting the slaves while knights bearing the Beauregard symbol arrested anyone who surrendered while cutting apart those who did not.

Logan looked at me and smiled, causing my smirk to fall as I turned away. 

Without my permission my face began to grow hot so I turned my eyes away.   

With the fight over, I walk up the stairs a little to find the older of the Glennden twins on his knees holding the the teenager who made all this possible. Blood dripped down his face and soaked his hair but the idiot himself seemed unbothered. 

How did he know he’d escape anyway?

The thought enters my mind but when I see him looking over at me, I stick my tongue out. 

He’s probably insulting me in his head.

======================================================

I stared at the batshit crazy kid covered in blood sticking her tongue out at me in disbelief before I did the same. 

Overall, she had minimal injuries and the red earring she wears whenever she fights was still glowing, meaning she was fine: the barrier had worked as intended. 

…

Christ, I really should start calling Violet a teenager now too. 

Not a lot of ‘kids’ could fight off multiple grown men while waiting for Logan and the rest of the knights to charge the small distance from where we were to the basement door… Entrance?

“What the-!”

I turn my head to find the ‘kind’ noble who should’ve been here backing away at the sight of an arrest going on. 

I think about chasing him but figure his future actions made up for his current ones. 

After all, why else would a noble be walking around the poorer areas of the city late at night? And why would his first thought have been to pay off the guards with money he seemingly had on hand?

That was my theory at least, my friend never confirmed or denied, not up until he-

“Young Master.”

I look up to find one of the knights addressing me, he had a few injuries where his enchanted armour didn’t cover the thick fabric of his uniform but overall he was okay. 

The game never specified how many possible criminals there were inside so I opted for overwhelming strength to ensure as few deaths as possible. 

Making it harder for Violet to convince her mother and increasing just how much I had to praise her. 

He pointed to what looked like a few of the more mistreated slaves and spoke up, 

“Sir, what do we do with them?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Treat them then let them be free, while this shitty kingdom doesn’t do much in the way of helping slaves they’ve never outright endorsed it.” 

The knight looks at me stunned before shaking his head and nodding, “Y-yessir!”

I let out a tired groan as I made a mental checklist of everything that had gone down. 

I had: (hopefully) befriended a golden goose, helped Queen Bitch out with her love interest, helped said love interest with gaining achievements and shut down a slave ring. 

All in all, good day. 

I stretch out as I pick up the teenager in my arms and give it to the closest knight. He looked at me confused but didn’t openly question why I gave him the boy. 

“Let him know who I am and what we have done.” 

Roan.

That was his name and he never let a debt go unpaid. 

I don’t see it but the knight shudders as a smirk creeps onto my face. I subconsciously speak, voicing my thoughts.

“Truly, knowledge is the best.”