I put my jewelry on again. The wharfmaster's office was located on a small promontory where one could see the whole cove. I climbed up the winding path and found two guards at the doors. The inside was very busy as I could hear people talking and moving inside. A crane squeaked as some cargo was lifted from the docks below.

"Halt! Who... Damn!" He was taken aback by the amount of wealth on display, catching the flickering light of the torches. I knew because his gaze wandered over the jewelry and didn't stop at my breasts.

Ignoring the leering, I spoke, spicing my voice with impatience and haughtiness. Just like a princess would, "I'm here to see the wharfmaster. Tell him that princess Lakerta wants to talk to him."

He grinned. "Lady, you shouldn't wander around with that much gold. Someone might want to take it for themselves," the other guard said.

The greed in their eyes was obvious.

"I must talk to the wharfmaster. Is he here?"

"Oh, yes, he is," thug one licked his lips. "But to make an appointment with him, you must first get our approval."

If that's the hill they chose to die on, who was I to deny them the cure for their stupidity?

I wove an illusion of myself and turned invisible at the same time. {Grandmaster Surreptitiousness} allowed me to slink away while I controlled the projected image to react shyly at their advances. It had a secondary effect. They got excited as the bulge in their pants grew. The Illusion flinched. At this sight of weakness, they struck, each grabbing an arm. The image had no substance but they believed it was real and reacted accordingly. I made the illusion struggle.

One of them groped it. That's when I struck as well.

> You stabbed Warfmaster Thug #1 with Elven Queen Blade. You deal 957,110 HP of damage. (base 54 x 2,28 Strength x 2.75 Skill x3 Mana Strike x4.92 Assassinate x2.66 Backstab x4 Death Blow x 3 Critical Hit x2 Favored Enemy Critical x 1.5 Enchantment)

>

> You stabbed Warfmaster Thug #1 with Elven Queen Blade. You deal 563,631 HP of damage. (base 53 x 2,28 Strength x 2.75 Skill x3 Mana Strike x4.92 Assassinate x2.66 Backstab x4 Death Blow x 3 Critical Hit x2 Favored Enemy Critical x1,5 Enchantment x 0,75 Off-hand x0,8 Secondary Target).

>

> Assassination Successful. Contract Fulfilled.

>

> for killing level 39 Warfmaster Thug #1, you gained 2,672,468,487 Exp (base 15,210 x 1,757,047 modifiers)

>

> for killing level 37 Warfmaster Thug #1, you gained 2,405,397,343 Exp (base 13,690 x 1,757,047 modifiers)

I cleaned and sheathed my enchanted blades. Then I re-read the notifications. Damn, so close to a million damage... Wait. The damage multiplier for some Skills changed. {Backstab} now dealt 4% damage per rank, while {Assassinate} rose up to 8% per rank of the Skill. Strength was 2% damage per point, and my {Short Blades} Skill gave 5%, one point more than a normal weapon Skill.

The bodies went into my item box as usual. I dropped them back and kicked the door in. It wasn't locked so it swung wildly, banging loudly against the doorstop. Summoning my memories of a brattish princess, I pretended to be outraged, "Impudent fools! A thousand deaths are not enough for you!"

The inside of the building smelt like brine, dead fish, and sweat. Merchants, warriors that could be either adventurers or mercenaries, sailors, and a man dressed in rich silks were staring at me. A guy with a nobleman servant's livery approached. It matched the emblem in a pin the rich man had so he might be the wharfmaster.

"Your Highness, what is the matter?"

"These two dead thugs out there dared touch my person. I demand compensation."

Some of the warriors whispered my level and HP to the others and they changed their stance. Instead of looking eager for a fight and possible spoils, they were looking for a way out.

"I'm terribly sorry," the servant said. "I'm sure my master will prove he's more than willing to apologize for this slight, Your Highness. What can I do for you?"

The wharfmaster found something to do in his office while I talked to his attendant. Actually, everyone found a renewed motivation to stay the fuck away from me. I didn't mind. After I explained to him what I needed, he was more than happy to oblige. The warehouse I was using was listed as owned by the town, which meant it had no owner. After passing a couple gold coins as "overdue taxes", I registered it under my ownership. Then I negotiated some supply deliveries with the wharfmaster.

I hired a mercenary company and bought some food crates from the wharfmaster's office and ordered it delivered to the warehouse. I escorted the guards to the warehouse to introduce the mercenary guards to the refugees and gave the kin orders to rest.

----------------------------------------

Ignoring protocol, a man shouted in front of princess Solana, "That snake guest of yours slaughtered all the slave traders!"

She summoned all her Willpower to avoid incinerating the mayor of Tijen's Cove. The bastard was getting more impudent the longer they stayed stranded on that island.

"Mayor Walden," her brother said with a neutral tone, "Princess Lakerta is royalty. She's a Lamia, a sentient race and not a critter."

"Bah! Sentient! She's a monster, that's what she is," He shot back, ignoring protocol and the respect the two Royals were due.

"Feel free to subjugate her, mayor Walden. Just one little tidbit of information. She has thirty-eight million HP last time I checked her Status. To oppose her is to court death. She won't have our protection. Assemble your guards and come to punish her."

"We have no involvement with that," She added. "But yes. She's not our subject or ward."

"Suit yourself. We shall see if there's any ship that wants to ferry you across these treacherous waters!"

Mayor Walden stormed away without even noticing Lakerta approaching.

----------------------------------------

After weaving a few porous Force wards all around the warehouse, I returned to the inn. The Auvani scions were in the common room with a bad mood.

"What have you done!" Solana burst out. "Why did you cause such trouble at the market? You even killed people!"

I just stared silently.

"The mayor came to talk to us. Ask why we were harboring a dangerous..." Albryan stopped before saying the "mo" word.

These two spoiled brats only understood one language. Since I didn't want to estrange them yet, I used said language and my {Talk Shit Like an Entitled Royal} Skill. There's no such thing.

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"Look. I have two things to say. First, I had to release some of my people that were unjustly enslaved. Two, dealing with all this drama and prejudice is almost as hard as just killing every commoner in this city. And I could use the Exp. I only punished the ones responsible for that!" I put a bit more oomph in my voice and rattled. Tapping my chin with a finger, I added, "Maybe I should talk with this mayor person about his lax regulations on illegal trade. Maybe he's also guilty of torturing my subjects. Maybe he needs to learn the meaning of 'Lese Majeste"."

My eyes fell on Sir Hector. The [Champion] nodded.

Some concepts were imported and seeded into this world's culture. It was obvious that it did not originate spontaneously as the similarities with the myths and legends on Earth were too many. Some knowledge was intentionally bestowed to the people here. But why they brought 'lese majeste' and not 'noblesse oblige' was beyond my understanding.

I didn't intend on going on a murder spree. It was all a theater, of course. I only wanted to get out of this stitch-thole of a port and see Lorna. The only change between now and a day ago was that now I had forty refugees to take care of.

"You could've talked to us! We would negotiate their release!" Solana said but Albryan shook his head.

I've seen how the two princelings are being pushed around. And I suspected that the fact there were no ships to Auvanini was because the town decided to hold them here, sucking every gold piece out of them. With the amount of gold they are pouring into the local economy, they could very well hire a ship to take them, and only them. I told them as much. Albryan's eyes told me he understood and sir Hector had a resigned frown. Only Solana scoffed at the notion.

"I'm right, ain't I, Albryan?" I prodded.

"Yes. And the mayor told us that unless we 'deal' with you, there won't be a boat to Auvanini in a long time."

If we couldn't hire a boat, we just needed to commandeer or get one.

"It seems I've overstayed my welcome if I ever had one" I hissed. "And so did you. I have a solution. Don't agree to anything else. Tomorrow, I'm going to get us a boat."

I withdrew to my room to get some rest.

----------------------------------------

I woke from my nap with the feeling of several sentients approaching the inn. The way they were organized and moved as a block meant only one thing. Soldiers. I put on some clothes, the fae silk bodysuit, a brigandine, and an armored skirt. I had nothing to cover beneath my navel but I liked it. I also strapped a kite shield to my arm. Time to get some training done.

I walked out of the room and saw the inn evacuated. The barmaid and innkeeper were behind the counter, looking at me with fear in their eyes. The Auvani siblings were at their corner table.

"Lakerta, we--" Solana started but stopped when her brother held her arm.

"Princess Larkrta," Albryan said. "We had nothing to do with it."

I smiled to calm them down. They were basically prisoners in this town. "I know. Relax you two. You have the Great White One's blessing," I grinned. "I promise I won't strike anyone until the sun rises. Solana, you might want to raise a sound barrier around you and your people. It won't be nice once I start to strike for real."

Outside, the street was empty save for two companies of guardsmen. I saw some familiar faces underneath their open helmets.

"Monstrosity!" The same man I saw storming out of the inn shouted. "Surrender yourself to justice! We shall avenge the dead merchants you so cowardly slaughtered."

I made myself comfortable one house down the street and wrapped my tail around me, forming my {Snake Fortress}.

"Who are you to make such a claim?" I shouted back.

"I'm the mayor of Tijen's Cove! You are an enemy of this city! Guards! Kill her!"

"I demand a {Champion's Duel}. Me against the mayor!" I declared.

> Contested Willpower test successful. {Champion's Duel} is active.

The guardsmen paused. The mayor pointed at a guy with a steel breastplate. "Captain, you are my champion. Kill the abomination."

"Sir, I can't defeat a level 99 [Royal Champion]," the captain reasoned. "We should negotiate."

"Nonsense!" Mayor Walden roared. "I paid you good gold to kill that monster plaguing my town. I will see it done!"

I twiddled my thumbs. "Who decided that this douchebag is the mayor anyway?" With a sigh, I pointed at him. "Come and attack me!" I ordered with the power of a {Royal Order} and a {Royal Geas}.

> Contested Charisma test successful. Mayor Walden is affected by {Royal Order}

>

> Contested Ego test successful. Mayor Walden is affected by {Royal Geas}

Another stealth update. Royal Geas now was resisted by Ego. It didn't matter but I was inclined to believe someone with {Pinnacle of Ego} would be immune to it. Being a locked Attribute and not something that people actively invested Attribute points on, I doubted I'd find any. Except for the Dragons. I bet all of them have it.

The mayor drew his weapon and lurched forward with terror in his eyes before he caught his own wrist, pulled himself, and fell down. He was writhing in pain for disobeying the geas. He had a Soul score of seventeen. Had.

I teleported to his shadow and sunk my enchanted daggers in him as I came out of the pool of darkness. With the feeble illumination given by the torches and some spells, missing a shadow was the difficult part.

> Assassination successful. Contract Fulfilled.

>

> You killed Walden, level 65 [Burgomaster]. You gained 74,235,237,863 Exp. (42,250 base x 1,757,047 multipliers)

> You reached Elemental Lamia [Water] level 10.

>

> You gained 2 human perk.

>

> You reached Royal Lamia Champion level 11.

>

> You gained 20 Skill Points.

>

> Attributes above the cap were redistributed.

>

> Withholding Attribute points. 2 / 100 withheld.

>

> You reached Cartographer level 49. You gained 2 HP.

>

> You reached Appraiser level 49. You gained 1 HP and 1 MP.

I tried the {Improved Curse Breaker} perk again. It failed. It gave me another one with a dubious function. I intended to try for {Vorpal Claws} with the other but decided to leave it in the rainy day fund.

> You purchased the perk: Erode Curse (rare): You slowly erode the curses cast on you. Apply your excess MP regeneration to erode the power of a curse, lowering its potency.

To test it, I selected {Cold Iron Vulnerability}. Immediately the excess MP from my Wellspring stopped topping my MP above the cap and went to erode that one. Then I updated my Status display. The power creep is real.

> Level 101

>

> Strength 64 - Dexterity 65 - Endurance 65

>

> Mind 60 - Willpower 60 - Charisma 60

>

> Magic 150

>

> Ego 150 - Luck 150 - Soul 150

>

>  

>

> HP 41,374,800

>

> MP 13,381,875

>

> SP 4,543,593

This is what is openly displayed now:

> {Princess}

>

> [Royal Lamia Champion]

>

> Level 101 lamia female.

>

> HP 41,374,800

The mayor's body vanished. I shouted triumphantly, "I, princess Lakerta of the Lamia, declare that Tijen's Cove belongs to me!"

A minute of silence, then Albryan and his sister stormed out of the inn. "You can't do that!"

"Every power in Pekothas will be after you," Solana added.

I shrugged. "Then it is good that we're setting sail for Auvanini tomorrow. Well, let me enjoy my day as mayor."

I started to slither away when Albryan said, "Where are you going?"

I stopped and turned, "The town hall, where else the mayor would go? Why don't you two go talk to the wharfmaster and tell him the order to stop ships from going to Auvanini is lifted?"

"This won't end well," Albryan sulked.

These two needed more spine. I, myself, had five meters of spine and could stretch that to seven if I needed more. Too bad they are just bipeds. I froze for a moment when I became aware of the train of thought going on in my mind. Yup, an alien mindset in an alien body.

I waved at them, "It will be fine. Go see the wharfmaster and focus on getting us a ship. Mayor's orders, I guess. And I'm bringing forty people with me. Make sure there's room for everyone."

"Sir Hector, lead the way," Albryan pointed toward the port and left with his entourage.

I turned to face the guards and the hired muscle. "Does anyone here want to die... I mean, contest my claim? I own this place now. Captain, set your men to keep the order. I don't anyone ransacking the city."

"Your Highness..."

"Captain, I'm leaving for Auvanini as soon as a ship is available. Of course, I won't rule from afar. It's temporary. I'm asking you to keep the order and follow my lead until then."

After a moment of hesitation in which I played with my enchanted elven daggers, the captain finished processing the pros and cons of following my orders.

"As you wish. You heard the acting mayor. Move, men!"

I found a middle-aged guy that looked like a muscular civil officer or a retired warrior working for the mayor.

"Hello. I'm princess Lakerta," I introduced myself to him.

"Barticus, milady," He kept his distance and just bowed. I could see ink stains in his calloused hands.

"Sir, do you work in the administration?"

He measured me, "Yes," he answered with a suspicious glare. "That's my friend you murdered, princess."

I didn't want to sound contrite as I aimed for sympathetic but I might've failed. "I assume you knew Walden for a long time, right?"

"Damn right. I'm not seeking vengeance," He took a step back without lowering his guard. "If you killed Walden in a single blow, there's no chance I'm carving that forty-one million HP pool of yours before you kill me."

"I appreciate it. I'm leaving Tijen's Cove in your hands when I depart. Take this money," I said and placed a bag of coins from the slave trader in his hand. "Pay the hired adventurers in full for their assignment. It is not their fault that the former mayor was such an idiot. I have some errands to do before leaving."

I stormed the town hall and cleaned the place. All the ledgers, books, furniture, and treasury went into my item box. Then I went to the mayor's house. After giving all the servants a day off, I also collected my spoils. Walden had a hidden stash of treasure in his bedroom, a veritable pirate chest that would make Ninefingers feel incompetent.

I had the mansion for myself so I did something I needed very much. I wove a force barrier around the house paying from my SP and went to sleep.