The trial was coming to an end. The tension has risen to a fever pitch! Kendrick's testimony had overturned most of noble society, but now it's his turn on the chopping block. The king gracefully rises from his throne and delivers his verdict,

"While under normal circumstances I'd have you executed with the rest of your family, these are not normal circumstances. Your testimony has brought so many to justice, that I feel it would be wrong to end you on the spot. However that does not mean that there will be no consequences for being an Alastair. From this point on you will be stripped of your status as a member of the  nobility and your engagement with my daughter shall be revoked!"

Kendrick kneels,

"I thank his majesty for his mercy."

Ruri seems to be making an uproar about this decision, but Kendrick doesn't mind it at all. Really this is a boon for him. He doesn't need to restructure Anwir's terrible systems nor rebuild the Alastair's burned estate. As a commoner he'll have no responsibilities whatsoever. Like that the trial ended with everything looking up for Kendrick.

------

Ruri stopped Kendrick as he made his way towards the barracks. There was that  same glint in her eye as there was when she called Kendrick out at her birthday party.

[Oh man, she looks pissed!]

"You! I have some questions for you!"

"Well I suggest you make them quick, us being seen together after our engagement was broken could cause a scandal."

She clicks her tongue,

"Tch, I don't care about a scandal! I care about you leaving Silvia Frost out of your testimony and screwing up my engagement with Dan!"

[You introduced yourself as Kendrick, but the king referred to you as Dan. I just assumed it was your alias or something but now this princess is talking like Dan is somebody else entirely. What is going on?]

[Now's a bad time Nihka.]

[...]

"To be fair, I had no clue the king would do that. I'm sure you can somehow convince your father to reinstate the engagement at some point."

A lie, but pissing off Ruri at this point would probably be suicide. Hell, even with his attempt at appeasement, Ruri still looks like she's trying to kill him with her eyes.

"As for Silvia, well... I wouldn't want someone else to steal my prey, you know?"

After glaring into his eyes for awhile, Ruri sighs. This world is based around forgiveness after all.

"Fine... I get it... I'll try and nag my father more. You seem to know what you're doing with Silvia, so I'll trust you."

"I'm glad that you're willing to put so much faith into me!"

"D-don't think that I've completely forgiven you! N-no more apple fritters from me you hear!"

It's a shame to lose his unlimited source of free apple fritters, but it's not the worst thing that could've happened to him. If it's only that, then he'll be fine. Kendrick bids farewell to the princess and continues with his task.

 Upon entering the barracks there is a sort of reception room. At the back of the room is desk where a guard sits reading a book. Kendrick calls out to him,

"Yo Steve! I didn't realize you were working front desk today."

The guard jumps after hearing his name called. After seeing that the voice came from Kendrick he gives a friendly smile.

"Back already? Did you miss your cell that much?"

Kendrick chuckles,

"Haha! Nah I'm here to pick up Cyprien."

"Figured as much! That'll be 50 gold coins."

Kendrick slides over a pouch which Steve opens.

"Yeah that looks like about the correct amount. Oi! Carol! Go grab the cell keys! Someone payed a prisoners bail!"

A tired looking female knight walks out from a backroom.

"Which prisoner?"

"That Cyprien fellow. You know the bard that got a little too candid with a noble?"

"You mean the one that called Baron Rye a cuck?"

"Yeah that's the one."

"Go do it yourself!"

"But I have to watch front desk."

"Bullshit! you just want to continue reading that book!"

"Nonsense! Someone like this can show up at any time you know?"

Steve points towards Kendrick. Carol sighs,

"Fine! You gotta clean the floors for me though."

"I can do that."

With that spat cleared up, the female knight leads Kendrick towards the dungeons.

-----

Cyprien was starting to grow concerned. While Cyprien's primary trade is being a traveling minstrel, he has a second, more lucrative profession. A side hustle if you will. Cyprien also works as a spy. He knew this job was too good to be true, but he took it anyway. 50,000 royals just to observe some foolish noble lad locked in a cell. Cyprien even would be given secret meals so he wouldn'thave to eat prison food. It was all set up for him. All he had to do was take some notes and stache them in a secret cubby. Practically a vacation for him. Easy. Peasy. Lemon. Squeezy. 

He was supposed to be extracted two days ago. Cyprien hasn't heard anything from the employer, nobody has collected his notes, and his secret meals haven't been delivered. The bastards who hired him seemed to have decided to let him rot and Cyprien was LIVID.

Just then Cyprien heard footsteps approaching his cell. He looked up and his mind started to kick into high gear. Dan Alastair had decided to grace him with a visit. Something about this kid was special. . . important. . . threatening. He wouldn't have been hired if that wasn't the case. Why would you need to watch someone locked in a cage if they couldn't still hurt you? Dan was now out of that cage. If Dan could cause worry while in the slammer, what could he cause while in the wild? The thought brought a genuine smile to Cyprien's face. It wasn't like he disliked the kid, hell Cyprien respected him. Dan was on the surface friendly, but underneath is a devilish cunning. Why else would he give him the alias of Kendrick? Cyprien's skill set would go a long way in enabling that cunning. Yes these two would get along like two peas in a pod.