I sighed in relief as the paladin arrived. She was a strikingly beautiful girl, with the flawless features typical of high-level individuals. In a cheerful voice, she informed me that my time of penitence was over and that I should follow her to the judge for a final review, where he would also announce the decision regarding my token recognition request. It seemed they decided to wrap up both matters in one go.

It had been an intriguing experience, this stay in the palace jail, but I was glad it was finally coming to an end. Now, I had to head to the judge’s office, where I was expected to endure the delivery of a long sermon about refraining from drawing blood within the palace grounds. Oh, well.

As I followed my lovely paladin guide, I let my mind wander back over the events of the past few days.

Tom's visit to the adventurers' guild didn’t yield much. Our goal was to see if we could find any players still logging in, so the boys could send messages home. As strange as that might sound, it would have at least been a sign of life. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. Tom couldn’t find a single active player.

What struck me as odd was that most adventurers didn’t even seem to realize they had been controlled by players at some point. For some reason, only a small number seemed aware of it. It was strange, because when I was inside with Spartacius, it felt like everyone knew. Maybe they had forgotten, or perhaps only the characters of players who logged in during a specific time had become aware? I’m not sure.

In any case, Tom managed to find just one person who understood what he was looking for. But even that person warned him to tone it down and stop asking questions. There was a fear that word might reach the clergy, or worse, a royal inquisitor.

Oh well, this only meant that we wouldn’t be able to send messages home. It didn’t rattle me too much—my relationship with home was pretty strained anyway—but I could understand the boys’ frustration.

As these thoughts drifted through my mind, with my gaze fixed on the shimmering locks of my lovely guide's hair, it suddenly hit me that we have entered a heavily protected area. I paused, hesitating for a moment, and noticed that my paladin escort seemed tense. She was on high alert, ready to grab her weapon at any moment, though she tried to hide it. It was interesting to think I could cause such stress to a level seventy paladin. Theoretically, she should feel far above my level.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“You’re Dame Madorra, aren’t you?” I asked. I had already met her a couple of times before as she had escorted various persons to my cell.

She nodded.

“Aren’t you one of the queen’s bodyguards?” I wondered

She shook her head. “No, I serve directly under His Majesty, the King of Kings, under the command of Great Paladin Nebesko.”

Uh, someone from the King's Guard? How does it come that even the king is interested in me? Wasn't it enough to deal with the queen and the princelings? And that name—Nebesko! I remembered it. Cala had sparred with him a few times in friendly bouts, though I couldn’t exactly mention that now.

“Oh? Is Nebesko still level ninety-eight, or did he finally manage to level up? He used to complain about being stuck.”

“That’s Great Paladin Nebesko to you, Lady Lores, unless you’d like to extend your stay in jail. And yes, he’s still level ninety-eight,” Dame Madorra replied, her tone firm.

“I don’t think he’d mind, Dame Madorra,” I said, resuming my walk. As we continued, my mana sight revealed runes hidden behind a painting on the wall—runes I recognized from the lich’s tower.

Uh, fuck! That's not good! I thought at the same moment when a voice came from the shadows: “She’s right, I wouldn’t mind,”

I sighed and I inclined my head, nodding as I recognized the silhouette: Nebesko himself. He returned the nod.

“Shall we proceed?” he said, gesturing toward the next room.

Oh well, this felt like a trap, and just then I sensed a subtle ping of mana—it was Lynx’s signal, letting me know he’d reached the limit of how far he could shadow me while staying hidden. I was at the edge of his domain. Any steps beyond this, and I was truly on my own.

My heart pounded louder in my chest. Were they planning to kill me?

"It’s just standard procedure. The King himself will be present for your nomination, so we’re taking the highest security measures. Let’s not keep Judge Karambo waiting, shall we?” Nebesko’s voice was calm, almost reassuring, as he gestured towards the door.

This was the last moment I could’ve tried to escape with Lynx’s help. I knew he’d risk everything to free me, and we might even succeed. I hesitated, taking a deep breath, then stepped into the room.

The vast room was surprisingly crowded, with at least thirty to forty people present, not including the numerous guards stationed along the walls. The judge sat on an elevated throne-like seat on a stage to the left, surrounded by several attendants and clerks. Rows of benches lined the sides and the center of the room, mostly occupied by chattering nobles. Among them, I recognized a few familiar faces: a duke I had known during my time as Cala, and my recent "friend," the viscount. The walls were adorned with grand paintings of the king and scenes of glorious battles.

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As I stepped inside, a hush fell over the room, and every eye turned toward me.

"Finally!" the judge exclaimed, glancing up as I entered. "Let’s proceed," he said, gesturing towards a small podium where I was expected to stand.

As I walked, following my lovely paladin guide, I could hear whispers and murmured comments trailing my every step.

"Oh, great," I thought, "I should have dressed better." Slowly, the fear that had been gnawing at me began to dissipate. Maybe this really was just a formality. I almost chuckled as I glanced at the judge—Judge Karambo. Hopefully, the expensive wine Mike had procured would have softened his disposition toward me.

He now seemed much more in his element, and after a brief introduction by one of his aides, he launched into a lengthy speech about youth, and the dangers of sparring and fighting within the palace. Curiously, there was no mention of the freed slave, as though my actions had been nothing more than a reckless stunt. He wrapped up with some stern remarks, but then shifted to declaring me a "Hero of the Kingdom." It sounded promising at first, and for a moment, I thought everything was fine—until I noticed a girl approaching me, carrying my token and a small piece of silver.

"According to the laws of the Kingdom," the judge intoned, "every Hero of the Kingdom must solemnly prove their identity before the Noble's Council prior to their nomination and acceptance among them. Lady Lores, please proceed to solemnly imbue your token with your mana to synchronize it with the sample before your mission."

The pompous speech didn’t change the fact that they must have altered the laws!

"This must be a new law! Wasn’t it that the token could be presented by anyone?" I protested.

The judge sighed as murmurs rippled through the audience.

"It was so, but this is the new law of the Kingdom," one of his aides explained.

"Oh. So you can’t sell a token on the market anymore?" I asked, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

Another sigh from the judge, but the aide continued while I caught snippets of conversation among the nobles.

"We are not here to debate the laws," the aide said, "but to clarify, a token can still be sold and bought. However, it no longer entitles the buyer to a noble domain. Only the true hero is entitled to a domain. The token itself retains intrinsic value in gold and remains rich in symbolism."

"And what happens if I refuse this identification?" I asked, my tone now openly skeptical.

The aide sighed, and the chatter among the nobles grew louder.

"In a normal case, nothing much—you would receive compensation based on the token’s estimated value. But, since you’ve already claimed to be the Hero, that would count as perjury and could have serious repercussions. I don’t see why you’d refuse, though. Everyone knows you’re the true hero, right? Why refuse the identification?"

"Oh, fuck!" I thought "Not even my inventory recognizes me as Cala, so how could I possibly fool this token? I could've avoided this entire circus and just lived quietly as an adventurer. Why did I ever think this would be a good idea?"

But how could I have known they’d change the laws?

I was too far out—beyond Lynx’s domain. He’d signaled me when I was at the edge, so what now? Should I try to escape, or should I take the jail time and plan my escape later?"

Behind a heavy curtain, a level ninety-one mage, Thores, King of Kings, was deep in conversation with his second-in-command, the level ninety-seven paladin, Dame Adria.

“Is it her, or isn’t it? That’s the real question,” the king mused, a sly grin on his face.

Adria tilted her head slightly. “Why wouldn’t she come under her real name if it were truly her, Your Highness?”

The king chuckled. “Cala the Assassin! If you were the most wanted being in the entire world, what would you do? I heard the Golden Emperor has raised the bounty to fifteen heavy gulden!”

“That's fifteen thousand gold!? My word, that would solve a few budget issues!” Adria huffed, then quickly composed herself. “Excuse me, Your Highness!”

The king’s laughter was soft, almost conspiratorial.

“So, what’s your take—will she go through with it, or will she try to escape?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Adria raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning to capture her, Your Highness?”

“Only if she tries to flee!” the king replied with a smirk.

“But, Your Highness, are you certain it’s really her? What if it’s just an impostor?”

“She was rumored to have a level ninety-seven lynx mount. How many people have you seen strutting around with such an extraordinary beast?” The king chuckled again. “No doubt about it, it’s her!”

“Then why not capture her regardless?” Adria pressed.

The king shrugged. “Why take unnecessary risks? If she accepts the domain, she belongs to us. We know who she is, even if no one else does. We have proof it’s her, and we’ll know where she lives, making it easier to sell her to the Emperor if we ever need that ransom money.”

“But, Your Highness, do you think she could now still escape despite all our precautions?”

“A level ninety-four assassin—some say she’s even level ninety-five now. That’s not something to be taken lightly. I’ve witnessed her matches with Nebesko. She’s capable of causing significant damage and escaping if she chooses. Look at her perfect disguise—impossible to gauge her true level and class. Judge her by that!”

“Then why would she come forward to request the domain? Why risk exposure?”

“Greed, of course. It’s the downfall of many. Pure, unadulterated greed!”