Straf and Cycelia are in the main market, and Straf is looking through a weapons stall.

「They are all fine swords sir. It's really down to your preferred length and balancing.」

Rubbing his hands, the weapon merchant tells Straf as he is inspecting one of his swords.

「Oh yeah? Explain the price differences then.」

「Well, some are made of different materials, too.」

The merchant shrugs his shoulders. Straf focuses on the sword he's holding.

『Glimmermetal Longsword』

[Durable] [Bonus vs Non-physical]

A longsword made of glimmermetal. Is capable of damaging non-physical beings, such as 『Wraith』 type. Deals aggravated wounds to beings that are not fully physical, due to magic or otherwise.

The sword slowly bends itself into shape if deformed.

Durability: 890/900

[||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||]

「How much is this one?」

Straf looks up from the sword at the merchant.

「4 gold coins, sir. But it's a very, very fine sword. It's forged of a really durable metal, you have a really good eye!」

The merchant grins, nodding and rubbing his hands.

「Fuck me.」

Straf sighs, rubbing his chin and intensively thinking. After a moment, he drops 4 gold coins on the stall.

「Can I get a sheath for this in that price, or are you really going to pinch me for every coin?」

Straf puts his free hand in his hip, with his mouth in a slant.

「No no, of course. Here's one! It should fit well!」

The merchant quickly digs through the pile of leather sheaths under his stall, and pulls one out, presenting it to Straf. He immediately rubs his hands after Straf takes it off them. Straf sheathes the sword, and ties the sheath around his hip.

「You really ought to stop rubbing your hands like that, though. Seriously.」

Straf says as he walks off with his hand on his new sword's pommel. The merchant gets a little self-conscious, and his hands stop. They return to the main street, and Straf stops to look in each direction.

「…Straf? Did that feeling come back?」

Cycelia asks, looking with concern at Straf.

「Nah. At least not right now. I did get it for a moment a few times before, after we left the arena. Want to stop by that restaurant now?」

「Yeah, if it's not a problem…」

Cycelia nods, and Straf picks a direction along the street. They walk side to side, taking in the sights of the pastiche buildings, and the pastiche people. The traffic on the streets has considerably died down ever since the tournament ended. Straf begins to chuckle to himself as he walks with his hands in his pockets, giving Cycelia another cause for concern.

「Straf? Are you okay?」

She looks at him with big emerald eyes. He sighs, glances down at her, and returns a smug smirk.

「Yeah, I'm fuckin' great. Ohhh…」

He lets out a big amused sigh, then begins chuckling once again.

「I… I'm getting concerned you might be actually resentful about how the tournament ended, Straf.」

She lowers her gaze, furrowing her brows.

「Huh? No.」

Straf looks at Cycelia, as her words come as surprise to him. His surprised face is twisted into a grin.

「Well, but… 10 gold is a lot, but… That's still the difference of 40 gold.」

Cycelia says meekly, mostly looking down and only glancing up at Straf for a second at a time.

「Hey, don't worry about it. Seriously. More importantly, how much did you win from all the betting?」

Straf shrugs with a content smile as he looks down at her. He asks, and Cycelia's eyes widen. She looks away in awkward, embarrassed panic.

「I, uh… Um… I made a few bad bets, and I… Um…」

Red faced, Cycelia mumbles as she fiddles with her medallion, looking away as he walks beside Straf.

「Lost it all, huh? Did you have fun, at least?」

Straf asks, smiling at Cycelia. She glances up at him, and smiles back when she realizes he's genuinely not upset about it at all.

「Yeah. It was a nice break from all of this.」

Cycelia nods and returns a wide, happy smile as she walks beside Straf with her hands clasped behind her back.

「Well, as long as you had fun. It was your play money to begin with. Hope you learned when to call it quits and be happy with your winnings, though. Take that important lesson home with you, Lia.」

Straf shrugs and looks away, paying attention to not bump into anyone. Cycelia's eyes drift away as her face gains an awkward grin.

「Y- Yeah… I will…」

She quietly plays with her hair as they make their way to the restaurant from before…

…

An hour or so of walking later, they make it to the restaurant. Cycelia uneasily glances at Straf's face, much to his surprise, and he follows her in.

「Good day, table fo- Aah, uhh… Hello… Again…」

The waitress from yesterday immediately walks up to greet them, but her face twists into a nervous tight-lipped grimace when she recognizes Straf's handsome face and connects Cycelia to it. Cycelia nods in response, with a very docile and timid expression on her face.

「Hello. I just wanted to thank you for the last night…」

Cycelia finds herself unable to look the waitress in the eyes as she twiddles with her thumbs. Realizing that Cycelia is not out for her blood, the waitress places her hand on her chest, sighs with relief.

「There's no need, it's my job. I'm happy to hear you had a good time, though.」

She smiles, and nods at the sheepish secret princess. The fact the waitress holds no grudge relieves Cycelia greatly, and her shoulders spring out of their slump.

「I still feel bad about the table cloth… I had a little too much wine, and-」

「Please don't concern yourself with that, we're not such a cheap establishment to mind a little damage or stain to them.」

The waitress smiles again, adding one more encouraging nod to her head.

「See? Everything's great, and you were worried about nothing. Maybe tell everyone at the court what a great time you had here later.」

Straf smirks, speaking at Cycelia from behind her.

「My, you're nobility!? I'm sorry for being so familiar, I should have figured it out-」

The eyes of the waitress widen in surprise, and she covers her mouth with her hand.

「No no no no, it's okay. I don't like to elevate myself above anyone for no good reason.」

Cycelia vigorously shakes her head, interrupting the waitress.

「Anyhow, I'm really just doing my job. I'm glad you had a great time, and despite the table cloth… We get much worse visitors. Very demanding, rude, hostile… It's just the price of being a high-class restaurant. None of them ever came back to even say a little thank-you, so I appreciate it.」

She lowers her hand, revealing a gentle smile. Cycelia and the waitress look each other in the eyes, seemingly gaining mutual understanding of each other.

「Okay, that's great. How about we go back to the inn, get a good rest in, and then go get that sword, Lia?」

Straf rolls his eyes and impatiently interrupts the heartwarming scene. Both of the women turn their attention to him as he stands with his fists on his hips.

「Huh? Yes, I'm still feeling a little sick, so I suppose turning in early…」

「In that case, have a good day, and please come back soon.」

The waitress says, and very politely bows low. Straf opens the door, and Cycelia returns a slight bow before slinking outside…

…

Straf and Cycelia return to the inn, and take a seat at a table. The unfired barmaid immediately jogs up to them with a smile.

「Hello again! Any food, drinks?」

She asks, looking at the both of them.

「Guess I'll have one ale or something. And maybe a small sandwich with some meat. How about you, Lia?」

Stray replies to the barmaid, slouching onto the table with his elbows before turning his head to Cycelia.

「No no no, I don't feel like drinking or eating anything…」

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

She quickly waves her hands in front of her face as she shakes her head, then sighs.

「Well then. An ale and a little sandwich for me, I guess.」

Straf shrugs.

「Got it, I'll get that bald bastard to hurry up!」

「Yeah, appreciate it.」

The waitress hops away, and begins speaking to the bald innkeeper in a very demanding tone, pointing at Straf and Cycelia. The innkeeper walks into the kitchen with his head hanging low. She returns to the table, delivering Straf his ale, then bows and leisurely walks to serve another table.

「Huh. He really wants to avoid searching another one, huh? So, Lia, since we're heading out tomorrow, what can you tell me about that place with the sword?」

Straf asks, then takes a sip of his drink.

「Ah… Well. It's a logging village. I don't really know much about it, other than the sword is there. I've passed the road to there when I was running from the manhunters, so I know where to find it, but not much more…」

Cycelia explains herself to Straf, unclasping her hands for just a second to gesture with them as she talks.

「No notorious monsters? No dungeons? No fairies? No sword legend? It's just there, in a rock? And anyone can pull it out?」

Straf asks with his brows raised, and takes another sip.

「Yes, at least that's as far as I know. I think the hero intentionally picked a quiet village to leave the sword in, so it wouldn't be difficult to recover in the future.」

「Cool. So I can expect low level monsters like slimes, huh…」

Straf scoffs, and takes his next sip.

「Huh? Slimes are deadly, Straf.」

She tilts her head, mildly surprised Straf doesn't know such an obvious fact.

「Oh, so it's following the other fantasy standards then-」

Straf lowers his tankard, talking with a smirk on his face, but the waitress returns with his sandwich.

「Here you go! Thank you again for everything. I really hope I'll see you again.」

「Unlikely. But if I come back, you better have an entire encyclopedia of baldness-centered insults for me ready.」

Straf looks at the proud waitress with bored eyes down from his tankard. She nods.

「Sure thing! I'll make sure to note down every good one!」

The waitress grins, bows towards both Straf and Cycelia, then returns to serving other customers, albeit at her own pace.

「Oh yeah. Everyone was asking me, what do I do after the tournament… What are you going to do after I off the usurper for you, Lia?」

Straf asks, lifting the tankard up to his lips. Cycelia looks in his eyes, then down at the table.

「I… I'm not sure, Straf. To be honest, it seems like a fantasy to me…」

She responds with a slight frown.

「And what am I supposed to say?」

Straf's brows rise, and he takes another sip.

「Huh?」

「What I mean is, you need to adapt to new situations faster. Come on Lia, fastball. I kill the king, the first thing you do. What is it?」

Straf shrugs his shoulders, and asks again. Cycelia is a little disconcerted as she looks into his eyes. She furrows her brows, and her gaze drifts onto the table again.

「I don't know, Straf… I didn't even expect to survive this long. It's pointless to ask me what I'm going to do after I get the throne back, because I just haven't thought about it… I suppose putting the Ostris dynasty back in power over their lands is on my list…」

Cycelia speaks with a meek tone again, twiddling with her thumbs under the table. Straf slams his fist on the table, cracking one of the legs and greatly startling Cycelia with the sudden noise.

「For fuck's sake Lia. Come on. Are you not the rightful heir? Isn't that what you introduced yourself to me with? You have to think two steps ahead of life itself. What kind of a writer doesn't know the ending, or the plot? What kind of a writer forgets about the characters he wrote? What I'm saying is, this is your kingdom Lia. What are you going to do with it next?」

Straf sets down his tankard on the uneven table, and starts biting into his sandwich.

「I… I suppose I'll introduce some changes…」

She timidly responds, fidgeting with her medallion.

「Yeh, das grate.」

Straf says with his mouth full, then swallows.

「But what do you want to do? I mean, monarchy is basically allowed to do everything. Any wacky laws you want to introduce? Or something fun you want to ban?」

He swallows, and continues his thought.

「Huh? Not really, but… I had an idea for a long time…」

She looks aside, still toying with her medallion.

「Great! You should develop that idea right now, and when you're on the throne, the world- Well, the kingdom is your oyster.」

Straf snaps his fingers and points at Cycelia.

「But… I don't know how the people will react to these changes. They could end up really, really hating them…」

Cycelia speaks quietly with voice lacking any confidency or certainty, and unbecoming of someone in a position as high as her. Straf rolls his eyes in response as she speaks.

「Liaaaa… What are you afraid of? Some insurrectionists? We basically have the whole country against us already, and we're going to win. Who cares if some unwashed peasants don't like it? I'm going to beat them until they love it and sing praises of you.」

Straf rolls his eyes, then gestures with his half-eaten sandwich.

Ba-dump.

「Straf…」

Cycelia looks into Straf's eyes as he devours his sandwich. A small fire starts in her heart, as Straf promises her infallibility by force. Her fingers float to her medallion again, as she begins to toy with it, spin it in her fingers, and feel for its shape while her smile grows larger and larger.

《Would Straf do anything I ask? What if I turned into an utter tyrant?》

Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

She thinks, as her face begins to slowly flush red

「Straf… What if I did something really, really unpopular?」

Cycelia probes for answers cautiously.

「Want to raise taxes immediately, huh? No matter what it is, I have your back, Lia.」

Straf scoffs. His face turns into a soft smile as he answers.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

《Straf would become my own personal demon at my command?…》

Cycelia grins as she looks at the table, still playing with her medallion. Many wicked thoughts drift through her head as she thinks about the limits of Straf's loyalty. Her eyes drift up to Straf's.

「Lia, you feeling alright? You're looking kind of… Off…」

Straf's brows rise as he's chewing the last of his sandwich.

「Then… Straf… Would you do anything for my sake?」

Cycelia asks, her face is ominously serious, and her emerald eyes surprisingly focused on Straf's gaze. Her lips are turned upward only faintly so, that it may be called a light smile.

「…Yeeah?」

He replies in a questioning tone, adding a few more chews before swallowing the bite.

「I mean, as long as it's physically possible, sure. And even then, there's ways to get around that.」

Straf continues, shrugging his shoulders as he looks aside and thinks.

「Anything?」

Cycelia leans forward, and asks in a hushed tone. Her elbows are on the table, and her fingers are intertwined. Her face is still uncharacteristically serious, and she stares deep into Straf's eyes.

「…Alcohol prohibition? It doesn't matter, Lia. You're in my harem, after all. I'll put you on the throne and keep you on it no matter what you do. I'll do my best to satisfy your whims.」

Straf finishes his last bite, and answers. Cycelia starts giggling under her breath, and she starts fingering her medallion again. Her grin grows ear to ear.

「Uhuhuhu… So if I told you to go to my room…」

She looks down at her lap, turning and twisting the sapphire-set medallion hanging off her neck in her fingers.

「…And?」

Straf's brows slowly rise.

「And if I told you to…」

Her voice trails off, and her grin turns into a wobbling smile as her lip trembles. Her ears are red, and so is her face, covered by her chestnut hair. She abruptly stands up from her chair.

「Nevermind. I'm going to sleep early, I drank too much. Goodnight.」

Cycelia quickly utters out, and leaves in a hasty step towards the stairs up with her face turned away from Straf.

「Okay? …But you drank yesterday?」

Straf comments with his hands spread. Cycelia doesn't reply, and simply disappears on the higher floor. Straf shrugs.

「Man. She's really a lightweight, huh? Whatever, more time for me to cultivate.」

Straf gulps down the last of his ale, and heads up to his room as well…