Good morning, everyone. My name is Felicia Belphere Metrune. I am the only daughter of Baron Alphonse Lartes Metrune. I am 11 years old. I haven't always been Baron Metrune's daughter though. I was originally a 29 year old man who lived in Cornwall. One day I got hit by a truck and you've probably guessed it, I was reincarnated into what seems to be medieval Europe. No, I'm not a pervert! Lili, why won't you believe me? It's a misunderstanding! Felicia's Second Life Chapter 7 A tale of love (?) and change (lol) in a medieval era. By Shinieris

Gooood Morning! Welcome to The Delicious Roast! I am your hostess, the beautiful barmaid Felicia. Would you like a breakfast, a bath, or.... me?

Just kidding!

Because of the incident a few days ago, Lili and I had to work here to pay our debts. In case you don't remember, I was robbed on my way to dinner and we ended up eating without paying for it. So now we're something like bonded slaves for a week, since we're not actually paid to work here. All we get are two meals, three mugs of cider and a bed to sleep in. We can drink fresh water as much as we want, though.

Not that I'm complaining. It may look humiliating, but this has been a very valuable experience. Do you still remember that I said some time ago how I planned on opening my own fast food restaurant, the one that will go by the name of Felicious? The experience I earn here will be of much help in setting it up. Besides, I'm swimming in silver!

That's right, silver! It may not be gold, but 15 silver still equals 1 gold. You ask why I'm swimming in silver when I'm not even being paid? Fufufu, the answer is... TIPS! Just by calling someone 'daddy' or 'big brother' someone would give me money. How awesome is that? Since I'm not paying anything for food and lodging, all of it is mine to keep. Muhahahahah!

The same is true for Lili. She's not raking in the cash like me, but her timid and shy personality invokes a protective instinct among our patrons. The moment she said 'big brother' or even 'thank you' with that shy demeanor, someone would slip a big copper into her hand. For some reason, everyone kind of think that she's an orphan. Every time someone proposed to take her into his or her family, she would say that she was in love with someone and that she’s only working here so that she can return home together with that person. I know you're talking about me, Lili, but you shouldn't use that sob story to make money. Jeez, girls are scary.

Ah, I forgot to mention that we're still in Lytis. I don't know how the ransom negotiation has been going, but I would have known if it's already concluded. After all, I am working at a tavern, and a tavern is a great source of gossip. People will definitely talk if the negotiation has ended and they see a lot of unarmed soldiers leave the prince's castle. So far, there has been no such rumour.

I may have mentioned this earlier, but working at a tavern is apparently a very lucrative job. It had only been four days since I started working here, but already I had a total of 83 silver coins from tips alone. Fufufu, and I'm not even being paid to work here.

Come come, come visit me, barmaid Felicia at The Delicious Roast. Bring your purse, lots of silver and get ready to lose them quickly. My personal services are very expensive. So please, daddies, mommies and big brothers, spare some silver for this cute and absolutely adorable barmaid Felicia. Please oh please, make me rich. Muhahahahaha!

Barmaid costume, except the one Felicia wears is less colourful

******

It was a little after noon, we were just done serving a large number of patrons. Surprisingly, this small, dirty restaurant that used to have just a small number of loyal customers became something like a prime meal spot since a few days ago. Nara was baffled at how fast the food stocks disappeared but Nira always seemed to be grinning at Nara's confusion.

"Felicia, come here," my boss Nara called. In case you forgot, this is the big sister waitress.

"Yeess! Anything you want me to do, boss?"

"Don't get cheeky with me!" she did a light karate chop on my head, "I'm giving you some time off until dinner, hurry and get out of the restaurant."

"Eeeeh?!!!"

"Don't 'eh' me! You've been flirting left and right. I don't want the restaurant to have that kind of reputation, especially since you're just a temporary worker. Unless you plan on continuing to work here long after your trial period is up, I'm having you cool yourself off."

"But... where would I go?"

"Why are you asking me? Have a nap, go for a walk, bet on a horse, I don't care," then she took out 5 big coppers and handed it to me, "Here, take this as your spending money."

I accepted it gratefully and was about to put it into my barmaid's apron pocket when Nara said, "On second thought, give it back."

"Ah? What's this noise I hear?" (lol)

"No, give it back, Felicia. You're already making a lot of money."

"Oh, what is this? Why is the noise getting louder?"

"Felicia, don't ignore me. Give it back."

"Jeez I can't hear a single thing! (lol) See you later, Ms. Nara. Thanks for the money."

"FELICIA, COME BACK HERE!"

******

"Eeyahhh, it's nice to have a break once in a while. Too bad Lili can't be here," I said to myself as I spent some time watching a street theatre at Lunar Plaza. I caught the performance by surprise, really. I was just minding my own business when I saw a lot of people crowding. So naturally, I went to take a look as well and stayed for the rest of the performance.

It wasn't exactly a West End theatre production, but it was pretty good. Especially considering that it was a street performance. Apart from theatre, they also performed songs and musicals. Some of them sang off-key, but that was fine, since it was still pretty enjoyable. So I placed a single big copper into the donation box they set up in appreciation. Can't give them a silver, they weren't that good.

But this reminded me of something that we've been missing in Mruna - entertainment. Sure, nobody dares to complain about the lack of entertainment and since we have the harvest festival every year, it can be said that the populace is content. However, for a society to grow, it needs an investment in culture. By culture, that means entertainment, art, literature and a social identity. All the great civilizations have them. Greek, Rome, Cartage, Egypt and India all share the same idea of a culture that defines their civilization. Not only does culture keeps the populace content, it also gives them a common identity, which translates into a more loyal populace.

Even computer games promoted this. I can't believe I've been ignoring something so obvious. Alright, when I get back to Mruna, I'm gonna build a theatre. Everyone gets to watch the performances, so maybe it has to be big enough for 1000 people? No, let's make it small scale first, it will be bad if I can't afford the final result. It's not like everyone in Mruna will be watching anyway. Maybe they can take turns as well. Or maybe have sponsored performances where anyone can watch for free while allowing pay-to-watch performances.

"Hm, yep, that should work," I said to myself as I walked towards Lytis's south park.

Lost in thought, I didn't realize that my foot had stepped on something soft. I looked down and under my feet was a purple-haired little girl, lying face down on the park's walkway. She was very small and just by looking at her from the back, I could guess that she was much, much younger than me.

I poked her with my foot. No response.

I poked her with a stick. No response.

I kicked her lightly with my foot. Still no response.

Ah! It must be a doll or a cushion.

I took hold of both its legs and dragged the doll towards one of the big rocks that functioned as park benches. Then I draped the doll's body over a rock and sat on it's back. The doll was soft, it was pretty comfy. Despite the technological backwardness of this world, they can make pretty realistic looking human-shaped cushions. I should get one of these for my workbench.

"... vy..."

Ha? I seem to be hearing voices.

"...Heavy..."

There it is again! Oh dear ancestors, am I cursed?

"...Get off..."

I looked down at my seat and saw the doll looked at me with a dreadful expression. It became a real girl! So I jumped up and wondered what kind of sorcery this was. I had never heard of a magic that could turn a doll into a human in this world. I silently prayed to the ancestors to protect me from evil spirits.

Just then, I heard the sound of a grumbling stomach.

"Eat slowly, won't you? You're making me embarrassed," I said as I watched the little girl stuff her mouth with all the food that I ordered.

Apparently that wasn't a doll or a cushion, it was just a starving beggar.

"REFILL!" she called.

"Oi! Learn moderation!"

"But I'm hungry..."

"You've already eaten five people's share!"

"But I'm still hungry..." the little girl made a pitiful face.

"For your information, I'm running out of money here. I don't want to work for a week here as well."

Let me clarify. After realizing that the doll was in fact a human being and not a cursed doll, I found out that she had collapsed due to hunger. Since there was not a single food stall at the park, something to do with city regulation, I dragged her to the closest restaurant. Of course, I didn't have the strength to carry her. I also didn't want to waste money hiring someone to carry her. So I just dragged her to the restaurant by her feet with her face collecting dust behind me.

If I had known that she would've completely emptied my pocket, I wouldn't have bothered.

"Why didn't you go to Knave's Path if you were so hungry? There's a food kitchen there."

"I went there before but they kicked me out after the first time."

"Kicked you out? Why..." I was about to ask why they had kicked her out of a soup kitchen, but looking at the pile of plates and bowls on the table, I already had a pretty good idea why.

"Fine, just one more refill. After that, we'll go our separate ways," I said after ordering a refill for her chicken soup.

"You're not eating?" she asked cutely, or as cute as she could be with her lower face covered in soup, gravy and apple juice.

"No thanks. I've already lost my appetite."

"Oh? That's too bad," the little girl said as she stuffed her face with more food.

"How are you able to eat all that stuff with your small body?"

She answered between munches. "Umm, this... because it's hard to get food... so I eat a lot... and then I can sleep for the whole week."

"Are you a bear?!"

******

I was walking back towards The Delicious Roast after spending all my money on that gluttonous beggar when I turned around and said, "So why are you still following me?"

"Umm, I want to repay the favour."

"If you're looking for more food, find someone else. I'm broke."

"No, no, not looking for more food. But if you want to give me..."

"Go away."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll do anything!"

"I said go away!" I started running.

"Pleeeease!"

"Ahh!!! Annoying!" I cried as I ran as fast as I could through the crowd.

It took me more than half an hour of zigzagging across busy streets, crawling under tables and leaving through the back door of houses before I finally arrived at The Delicious Roast.

"Huff huff... finally lost... the pest." I said with ragged breath once I arrived at The Delicious Roast.

"Oh, welcome back, Felicia. You're back early. I thought big sis told you to take a break until dinner time?" Nira who was carrying several mugs in her hand said while delivering drinks.

"Huff huff... there was... a glutton."

"By the way, who's the cutie?"

"What cutie?"

"The one holding on to your skirt?"

I suddenly had a bad feeling. Slowly, I turned my head to the right and just slightly behind me, holding on to the hem of my barmaid skirt, was the little girl from earlier.

"Kyaaaaa!!!!!"

"You're so cruel. It was hard to run while holding your skirt, big sister. I almost lost my grip several times."

"It's a ghost!!!"

"How rude. I'm not a ghost. I'm a loli."

"How is that better?!!!"

"Aha? Could you be looking for work, little girl?"

"Work? Can I?"

"You sure can. Someone so cute and small like you is always welcomed. Uhehehehe," Nira said with drool dripping from her wide grin.

******

"Good work, everyone," Ms. Nara said as we closed shop.

Technically we didn't close anything, we simply propped the chairs up onto the tables and snuffed the lanterns in the kitchen. Anyone could still enter since we shared the same entrance as the inn. I heard from Nira that the inn was originally owned by their family, but after their parents were cheated of their money, they lost everything. They were about to be kicked out to the streets when one of the patrons who had been in love with Nara proposed. The patron turned out to be the second son of a merchant family and used his savings to buy the restaurant and attic part of the inn so that both Nara and Nira wouldn't be sleeping on the streets. Eventually both Nara and Nira went to stay with him in his own home.

Tonight though, we didn't snuff the lanterns. After we were done closing the restaurant, Nira told me to call the little girl, Sul, for her waitressing lesson. Yes, it was decided that the gluttonous little girl was going to be working here as well. Nara refused, of course. But a liberal use of the words 'Please, big sister" and "I love you", Nira eventually got her to agree. Ms. Nara was surprisingly weak in front of her little sister.

I entered the attic that I shared with Lili to see Sul sleeping peacefully on our bed. She looked so adorable with her light purple hair, her cute face, her slightly puckered lips and that slightly flipped skirt showing - what the hell was that?

No, it wasn't a penis. Jeez!

I went closer to her sleeping form. Noticing something drawn in the inner side of her left thigh, I became a little curious. Was it a tattoo, a birth mark or a bruise? Was she abused? I flipped her skirt up and pulled her thighs apart, seeing a tattoo-like symbol drawn on the inside of her left thigh. It was a tattoo of a cat-like animal in front of an eight-sided star. The whole tattoo was framed by a circle.

Curious, I examined it closer. Upon closer examination, with my face mere inches from the tattoo, I could see that the circle wasn't actually a circle. It was actually a continuous set of runic characters, which I couldn't identify. It probably wasn't Imperial.

It was at this point that Lili entered the room. I looked up from my examination to see her face of shock. I looked back to the tattoo that I was examining earlier and looked back at her shocked face.

I tried imagining this view from her eyes. Me spreading a little girl's legs, her skirt flipped, with my face between her thighs. This looks like...

A pervert...

"My lady!" Lili wept as she ran away.

Wait, Lili. You got it all wrong! I'm not a pervert! I'm not a pervert!

That night, Lili slept as far away from me as possible. All attempts to talk with her were received with silence. Meanwhile, that pest Sul slept between us. I had wanted to persuade Lili with a bit of whispering and touching. This is all your fault, you damned gluttonous loli!

The next day came and Lili still wouldn't talk to me. I was very sad.

Is this punishment for looking up another girl's skirt? Ancestors, are you punishing me for a moment of weakness?

"Felicia, which card do you think I should take?" one of my patrons said as he shifted me on his lap.

"Jeez, big bro Meul, I said no touching, remember?" I said, referring to his right hand on my waist.

"I'm sorry, little Felicia. It's just gotten a little uncomfortable, that's all."

"Is it because I'm heavy? Should I get up, big bro?" I said as I tried to get up. I knew very well it wasn't because I was heavy because I could feel that hard thing under my butt. I knew exactly what that hard thing was. I used to have that hard thing too.

"No! Don't get up, it's nothing, don't worry about it. Yes, how about you pick the card for me, Felicia?"

"Is it okay, big bro? I don't know how to play."

"It's fine. It's just a light game. Don't worry."

"Okay, if you insist, big bro."

Let me explain, we are currently playing a card game called Rebellion. It is a combination of the card games Invasion, Assasination and Coup. The gameplay is quite simple. You have your own deck of 20 cards, which you mix together with your opponents' decks and then split into the amount of people playing. So if there are two players, it will be split into two stacks, if four, four stacks. The split stacks will then be placed face down in front of each player. To start playing, the players will take turns taking two cards from the stack in front of them in a clockwise order.

After that, the players will take another card, either from the stack in front of him, to his right or to his left or from the hand of the player before him. In the case of two players, the card may be taken either from his own stack or his opponent's stack but never from his opponent's hand. From sixth round afterwards, the players will either have to increase bets or maintain bets or fold if they want to bail out. There is also another type of Rebellion called Absolute Rebellion, where there is also the option to split a hand.

The objective of the game is to acquire a Campaign card as well as one of the conditions for victory, which is Invasion, Assassination, Coup or Rebellion. Invasion is defeated by Assassination. Assassination is defeated by Coup. Coup is defeated by Invasion. Rebellion is a special one where it beats everything and everyone still in play, but the player holding it must be the one to use the Campaign card. If any other player uses a Campaign card and any victory hand against the owner of Rebellion first, the Rebellion owner loses by default.

Each deck is formed following the rules of 2 kings, 2 queens, 2 generals, 3 soldiers, 3 archers, 3 cavalries, 4 cards of choice (4 cards of any other suits) and 1 campaign card.
Invasion consists of 1 king, 1 general, 2 soldiers, 1 archer and 1 cavalry
Assassination consists of 1 queen, 1 general, 2 soldiers and 2 archers
Coup consists of 1 general, 2 soldiers, 2 archers and 1 cavalry.
Rebellion consists of 4 soldiers and 2 archers.

"Umm, I want to take a card from big brother Cuzo's hand," I said pointing my finger at the man on my right.

"It's big brother Cuto, dear," he said while holding out his hand.

"Well, anyway, I'm taking this one!"

I picked out a card, which turned out to be a Campaign card.

"Wahahaha! I call Invasion on Yami!" big brother Meul laughed as he put down 1 King, 1 General, 2 Soldiers, 1 Archer and 1 Cavalry alongside the Campaign card. He put aside 1 Queen as it was not necessary.

"Shit!" Yami cursed as he put down 1 General, 2 Soldiers, 1 King and 3 Archers. It was possible he was planning on an Assassination win, but couldn't get the Queen card. Had he gotten a Queen card, the table would've turned and big brother Meul would be the one to lose.

Big brother Meul kissed me on the cheek with his arm around me while saying, "Thanks for the win, baby!" before he scooped up the small pile of silver from Yami's betting pile towards his side of the table.

I openly picked up three silver coins from the pile.

"Eh, why are you taking the silver coins?" big brother Meul asked.

"Shouldn't I get something for that sneak kiss and hug, big bro Meul?" I said with a wink before I got off his lap and resumed my barmaid duties.

Meul then laughed boisterously behind me and resumed the game. Yami excused himself with a polite curse, stating that he had already wagered his entire lunch. Meul instead laughed again and paid for a cheap lunch for Yami.

Meanwhile, that little pest Sul sat on the bar's counter with her thin bare legs dangling and a harp in her hands. It was a harp that Nira found among the storage heap, courtesy of a guest who couldn't pay for his meals some weeks ago. Sul was apparently skilled in the use of a harp and for a small 'donation', would even sing for the patrons. Her voice was surprisingly good and pleasant and her choice of lyrics and melody was not only cheerful but also uplifting. This little pest might actually be someone talented.

Sul also wasn't paid to work here, as Nara offered her the same deal that she offered Lili and me. Most of the time, she would be taking orders and delivering drinks, just like us, though we also delivered food now. With the amount of customers we've been having for the past few days, we really needed another pair of hands. During breakfast and dinner though, she would be sitting on the bar's counter playing her harp. She would only be able to play five songs, as her fingers would hurt if she had played longer, but this was where she got most of her tips. Some would pay even five silvers to hear her angelic voice singing some happy tunes before they went to work and after they returned from work.

The songs that Sul sang were common throughout Lytis, but with her beautiful voice and skilled play of the harp, there was a world of difference. Considering that women bards were seen as women of loose virtue and prostitutes often sang to promote themselves, there were hardly any female singers in Lytis outside of the dark alleys. So that was perhaps Sul's selling point, as not only was she talented, she was also too young to be seen as a woman of loose virtue.

Oh by the way, Lili still wouldn't speak to me. I'm so depressed... (TT^TT)

A loli playing a harp, nuff said.
******

It was our sixth day of work that Lili finally spoke to me again, but only because of a certain event.

"My lady, we need to hide!"

"Lili, you're finally speaking to me again. I miss you!"

"No, that's not the issue."

"Lili, I zweear, I whuzn't a perfert. You mizundeztooood!"

"Yes yes, now let's go hide."

"Lili, phleaze zay you blieve..." I said with my nose full of snot.

"Yes, I believe you. Let's hide."

"Why?" I asked as I blew my snot on a piece of napkin.

"That pirate captain is here."

"Eh?" I poked my head to the side a little, and at the entrance, a bunch of guys walked into the restaurant.

Leading in front was that pirate captain Keimo, Keiro or Keizo. He walked with a strong, dignified gait suggesting that he was a man of strong character or someone respected. With his bronze breastplate and four henchmen following behind, he looked like someone who was no stranger to battle. Unfortunately, this whole atmosphere was ruined by the presence of my girly Dusk Claw, a beautiful thin steel sword that he hung on the left side of his belt.

At least he hadn’t seen us yet.

"Lili, let's run out from the back door!"

"Yes!"

"Felicia! Why are you skulking around like a thief? And you too, Lili!" Nara scolded when she came around the kitchen with a tray full of lunch.

"Princesssss!!!!"

Aw shit, he saw us. Too late to run now.

"Princess, we've been looking all over the city for you. We were worried something happened to you."

"Err, hi Koizo," I said as I slowly walked to his table.

"It's Keito."

"Whatever. Anyway, what do you want to eat?"

Koito looked at me, then noticed Lili and looked back at my dress. "Princesssss!!!! What's the meaning of this? Why are you and your attendant dressed as bar wenches?!"

"You're noisy, make an order or get out. You're disturbing the other customers."

"Prinzezzzz, lezz go baaack. You need to go baaack!" he cried while clinging to my hands.

What's with this childish behaviour? This is totally different from the time when he was captured. Is this how he normally acts when he doesn't have to act tough? Is this what is called ‘personality gap’? To tell the truth, it's annoying.

"Lili," I said as I pulled back my hands and folded my arms under my breasts, or under what should be breasts, if I had any.

"Yes." Lili then proceeded to put the pirate captain in an armlock.

"Order. Now," I commanded.

"Today'z zpecial, prinzezz," Koito said wincing with his left arm locked behind him.

"Alright, 5 today's special and beer."

"Umm, princess, I'd like roasted lamb if you have it?"

"4 today's special, then."

"Princess, I'd like braised chicken."

"Jeez, if you want different meals, you should've asked earlier! Fine, roasted lamb, braised chicken and today's special for the rest of you."

"I'd like-"

"Too late! Today's special for you," I said as I delivered the order to Nara.

"I know you're a noblewoman but are you really a princess?" Nara asked.

"Ah no, don't listen to that idiot. He must've been dropped as a child."

"Prinzeeeezz, lez go baaacck..."

"Oi, quiet over there! You're my first knight now, act like one!"

Without my knowing it, my reply reinforced their beliefs that I really was a princess. It became annoying very quickly, but I couldn't be bothered to fix the situation. Too many things happened shortly afterwards that were a lot more important than being misunderstood as a princess.

"So talk," I said as I sat on a chair that one of the men politely vacated after their meal.

"Prinzeezzzz, where 'ave you beeeen? We looked all over the zity!"

I flicked Koito's forehead with my fingers.

"Talk like normal people."

"Uhh," Koito took a few seconds to compose himself. He wiped the tears in his eyes and blew the snot from his nose before he said, "The ransom negotiation has concluded."

"Oh? That's great news. Took longer than expected, but at least it's done. So is father and brother already on the ship?"

"That's the problem, princess. They left your father and brother behind."

It took a moment to sink in, but when it did, I yelled, "THEY DID WHAT?!!!!"

My yell was accompanied with sounds of shuffling feet and screeching chairs. Through the red haze of my vision I could see that the patrons near our table were listening in to our conversation. But that wasn't my problem at that point.

"That's not all, princess. They also wanted to set sail immediately without you. Gani and Mr. Lustri are doing their best to dissuade them, but they can't go against the nobles, princess."

"Those blasted bastards!" I said with gritted teeth.

"Umm, if possible, would you not release your anger on me, princess?"

Ah, I only just realized that I was gripping Koito's upper arms with my iron-like grip.

"They've also taken over your cabin, princess," one of his henchmen added.

"WHAT?!!!" I pushed Koito hard, causing him to fall against the chair under him, smashing the chair into splinters.

"You idiot, was it so hard to wait until she let me go?"

"Sorry captain."

"Return to the ship at once!" I ordered.

"Wait, my lady. Change first," Lili suggested.

I looked at my clothes and realized that I couldn't just go rampage in a barmaid's dress.

"Change clothes at once, then return to the ship! Boss, I'm quitting the job!"

"Sure," Nara said from the bar.

******

"What the hell are you doing not ransoming anyone from Mruna?!" I yelled once we were back at the ship.

Count Suletrius, in his unchanging, broody face answered with, "The prince raised the ransom. We couldn't afford to ransom anyone from Mruna."

"Prince Hans is a fair negotiator. He wouldn't raise the ransom amount unless you pissed him off. You pissed him off, didn't you?"

He made a slight frown on that brooding face, which lasted about a second before it turned back into his usual expression. "How would you know that? You weren't there."

"What's going on here, why are you making a fuss here, little girl?" a voice that was a little boyish, not yet a man came out of my cabin. The owner of the voice flamboyantly walked out of my cabin looking fabulously fashionable with a purple velvet tunic and pants as well as a large peacock feather attached to his equally fashionable hat.

It was our crown prince. The same one who ordered the charge on the muddy battleground of Harrow's Pass and caused the wholesale slaughter of our armies. It was the same prince that our king handed over to Prince Hans as hostage to ensure the safety of the captured soldiers and nobles.

"You bastard!" I grabbed the brooding Count Sulestrius by the scruff of his shirt and whispered, "His Majesty specifically stated that he was NOT to be ransomed until everyone else was ransomed as well!"

"The others aren't important. What kind of noble would I be if I let our crown prince stay in that dank dungeon?"

You asshole! You think I'm just a stupid girl, aren't you? He's royalty, a crown prince! They wouldn't keep him in a dank dungeon! He'd be sitting with the prince and the nobles at a feast!

"Little girl, let go of that man! He was my saviour."

"As His Highness said," the brooding man in my hands agreed.

I let go of the worthless noble and curtsied in front of the crown prince. "Captain Felicia Belphere Metrune greets the Crown Prince, His Highness Prince Ono Rolenus Fevrus and welcomes the crown prince on board The Abundance of Lolipops."

"Captain?"

"Yes Your Highness, this ship is under my command-"

"What foolishness! Which idiot would put a little girl fresh from her mother's teats in command of a magnificent warship such as this? Quickly bring the captain here so we can get home!"

Aren't you the one fresh from his mother's teats, you royal bastard? Whose fault was it that we're here in the first place? Ahhhh! Patience, patience, everything has its time and place.

"Mayhaps Your Highness would like to rest? It will take several days to reach the port. Since Your Highness came on board without a single retainer, may I offer my servant to serve your every needs?" I said while gesturing Lili to come closer.

"My lady?"

I held one of Lili's hands as I said, "Lili here has been taught from birth to serve me unconditionally. She can cook, very obedient and has a pleasing appearance I trust Your Highness will agree. If it satisfies Your Highness, would you like to have her serve you and obey your wishes for the duration of the voyage?"

"She'll do. At least someone on this ship knows manners before royalty. Bring me wine, girl, and I don't want anyone else disturbing me until we reach port," the prince said as he walked into the cabin and closed it behind him.

"My lady, I can't-"

"Hush, Lili," I pulled her close by the waist and whispered into her ears so that nobody else would hear, "I want you to keep him asleep. If possible, I want him asleep until we dump him off at the port and into a carriage heading straight for the capital. Can you do that?"

"Eh? So you're not giving me to him?"

"Of course not, you're my friend. My family. Why would I give you to that douchebag of a prince?"

Lili hugged me gratefully. "I don't know what a doo-shu-beg means, but thank you, my lady! Yes, I can do it. I won't let him sully my body."

"Good, now off you go!"

"So can we raise anchor and set sail now?" the annoying voice of another annoying douchebag could be heard again.

Right. I forgot about this particular bastard.

"Give me back my 200 gold."

"Impossible, I don't have it. As I said, the prince raised the ransom and we had to use it all to ransom the crown prince."

"What about that promise you made six days ago to bring everyone home?"

"Mruna is just a poor and insignificant barony. By degree of importance, even a thousand of you Mrunas can't compare to the crown prince. We had to sacrifice the others."

"I see, so you broke your promise, squandered my gold and abandoned my people, did you?"

"Now, I did not squander-"

"Mr. Lustri! Do you see Count Suletrius and his entourage?" I pointed at Count Suletrius and four other noblemen.

"Yes, captain."

"Throw them off my ship."

"Wait, you can't do this! We're the kingdom's negotiators, we're envoys of the Duke of Renus and the King himself!" Count Suletrius complained as the crewmen threw the nobles one by one into the water.

"And you've done a fantastically poor job of obeying the king. Be grateful that I let you off here instead of shark infested waters."

I tried to show the nicest smile I could make while watching Mr. Lustri threw Count Suletrius into the water himself. It was very satisfying to see these blue bloods swimming in the blue water, their expensive clothes soaked and the dyes of their robes leaking out into the water. I had Mr. Lustri drop them an empty rowboat as it looked unlikely that they would be able to swim to shore. In case you forgot, we weren't allowed to bring the ship into port, so we had to set anchor outside the port.

"You'll pay for this!" Count Suletrius cried after he climbed into the rowboat in his drenched expensive clothes.

"I've already paid, you bastard! You robbed me of my 200 gold coins!"

"You little bitch! Your money was so little it was completely useless. Compared to the prince your family has no value, utterly worthless! You should be happy that they're being sacrificed for the greater good!"

"I want ten archers on deck now!"

The crewmen immediately opened the arms casket containing bows and arrows. One of the ransomed noblemen, a titled count from some western county approached and asked me to forgive Count Suletrius. I didn't know this guy, but I couldn't forgive someone who would leave my family to rot in the enemy's dungeon.

"Fire warning shot!" I ordered as the archers fired into the waters around the rowboat, intentionally missing the five noblemen.

"Do not forget that as captain, my word is law. If you do not start rowing away by the count of five, I will have you executed for the offence of mutiny and insulting my house's honour. It will be an execution by arrows. One!"

I didn't even need to count until five, as they started scrambling to row away the moment I said 'two'. It would've been funny, watching them row in circles, but my anger was still quite intense. So I wasn't able to enjoy the spectacle even as the crewmen laughed at the formerly arrogant noblemen's antics.

Now, what should I do about the Surfesian prince?

Ah before I forget, could someone please remind me once we got back to Mruna to market the toilet paper as Suletrius Paper? I'd really like to hear someone say, "I wipe my butt with Suletrius every day."

******

The next morning, I begged the prince for an audience.

"Lady Felicia Belphere Metrune thanks Prince Hans Lord of Lytis for granting me audience," I said while performing a curtsey, with my eyes looking at the floor.

In Forlendia and Surfes, women had no rights, except those granted to them as well as the most basic ones. In most cases, women were only expected to be seen, but not heard. Although it wasn't common, there was no law to protect women who speak out of turn in public from being stripped and flogged on the spot. Women were also expected to turn their heads down and never look up in defiance.

Duke Cladis who died 82 years ago was an extremely famous example of this difference in treatment. It was said that he married a daughter of one of his noble vassals after his first wife died. She was said to be very beautiful but because of her very strong character, nobody wanted to marry her. The story goes that every time the girl raised her head or refused the duke, she would be stripped naked and put in stocks in the middle of the city for days. Let's not mention what could've happened to a beautiful naked noble girl who incurred her husband the duke's wrath for the entire time she was in stocks unguarded. Her mind broke after a month and she was divorced when she became pregnant.

While Duke Cladis was one of the most extreme examples, such injustice did happen frequently. It had been better for women since Duke Cladis's time due to new laws that protected noblewomen. It was owing to the fact that noblewomen were all mothers, wives, daughters and sisters of noblemen, but there would still be men with such old values. I couldn't know if this prince in front of me was something like Duke Cladis or more like my father, who had always treated women with respect.

"Metrune? Are you related to Baron Alphonse Lartes Metrune from Mruna?" the enemy prince asked while sitting on his throne of white marble.

Only a prince yet already acting like a king. To be frank though, I was actually expecting someone a lot older. Daddy Soom and Daddy Malor did say the prince was young, but I wasn't expecting him to be THIS young! He couldn't possibly be older than 15.

THIS is the lecherous prince?

"The baron is my father, Your Highness. I am the only daughter of the Metrune household," I said, still curtseying.

Come on, you douchebag. Tell me to stand at ease. My ankles and knees are starting to ache from maintaining this position.

"I wasn't expecting to see his daughter here. Your father is a good man. He delayed my soldiers enough to allow most of the common soldiers to flee. Otherwise, they would have all likely been slaughtered by my men."

"I am grateful that Your Highness would speak so highly of my father. He is indeed a good man and it is my understanding that he's still here?"

Ah no good. I'm starting to wobble on my feet.

"Yes, he's still here. By the way, why are you still doing that?"

"Eh? You mean the curtsey?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes, isn't that uncomfortable?"

"Very."

"Oh right, must be one of those stuffy Forlendian customs. Carlton, give the lady a chair."

The man beside him, a knight by the name of Carlton brought out a high-backed chair and placed it behind me. I said thanks as I sat on the chair and rubbed my ankles as discretely as I could.

"So let me guess, you're here to ransom the baron?"

"Yes, as well as the others that Suletrius didn't ransom."

"Good. Do you have the money?"

"I'm afraid Count Suletrius cheated me of my money. I only have 120 gold left on me and this I offer you, Your Highness," I said as I urged Koito to come forward with the chest containing 120 gold. I had Koito open it and show it to the prince.

"My lady, this is nowhere near enough. I thought I made it perfectly clear in my letter to the Duke of Renus that the ransom for soldiers from Mruna is 200 gold?"

"Please have mercy, Your Highness, I have no more money. I brought 300 gold but Count Suletrius took 200 of it. I had to sell my personal jewellery to get another 20 gold. I have nothing left on me except this dress," I pleaded as I let the waterworks flowed.

Tears, a woman's most powerful weapon. Of course it was fake, but he was a man, how would he be able to tell the difference? Just to make it more believable though, I rubbed my eyes with the fingers that was still covered in dried onion juice. Onion ninjas for the win!

"I'm afraid no matter how much you beg me, it's still nowhere near enough. I suppose I can allow you to ransom both the baron and your brother with that amount out of the sheer goodness of my heart, but what about the other hundred soldiers? Are you going to leave them behind like Count Suletrius did?"

"Hundred?" I asked with my eyes red and teary from the onion ninjas, "But only 29 soldiers from Mruna were captured, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but there are also 112 Forlendian officers that were still left behind."

"That's the whole total of lower ranked officers that were captured at Harrow's Pass!"

"Yes, he only ransomed the nobles and the prince."

I'm gonna kill that bastard.

"But he brought 5400 gold, shouldn't it be more than enough for everyone?"

"I don't know anything about 5400 gold. I only received 4900 gold. Out of that, 2000 gold was the prince's ransom."

I'm gonna kill that bastard, beat him to pulp in my automated blacksmithy and then I'm going to stab that bastard's face with a blunt knife.

"H-how much in total?"

"Because the young lady of Metrune household herself came to beg me, I'm willing to reduce it to 400 gold."

"But that's more than triple what I have now!"

"I'm sorry, my lady, not my problem. Unless you're fine with taking only the baron and your brother with you, you have to pay me 400 gold to release them all."

I felt the colour drain from my face as I contemplated the amount. I could in theory, go back to Mruna and bring enough money, but it would take two weeks to return to Lytis. Who knew what could happen within that time?

"I have some trade goods in my cargo hold. I can give you a monopoly on lolipop candies and alcohol-"

"Stop there."

I stopped.

"I don't deal in trade goods, only gold. I know nothing of commodity prices or futures and I can't be bothered to learn it. I am a warrior, my place is on the battlefield of swords, not the battlefield of tongues."

"Uuuu... I shall return again." There was no other choice but to admit defeat this time.

"Don't take too long. I'm quite tired of having to feed more than a hundred enemy soldiers. You will probably see a familiar head at the end of a pike on the castle wall if you wait too long."

What can I say to such a threat? How can I maintain a superior position when I have nothing to back it up with? Should I threaten him with a localized war if he did that? With what army? My single ship? The mercenaries with my small amount of gold compared to his 4900 gold?

"I beg my leave, Your Highness."

"Carlton, please escort the lady and her men to her carriage."

The knight Carlton bowed and led us out to the castle courtyard where my carriage was waiting. We rode out of the castle feeling depressed of our failure to ransom the others. As the carriage neared South Market, I told the driver to stop and walked out of the carriage.

"Princess!"

"Koito, take the gold back to the ship. I entrust you with its care. I'll go back to the ship myself later."

"But princess, where are you going by yourself? Also, my name is Keito."

"Just going on a walk. Don't worry, I know my way around."

"Alek, get down from the carriage and escort the princess!"

I looked at Alek, one of Koito's henchmen, as he got down from the open seat behind the carriage and I said, "Fine, but don't get in my way."

******

"Princess, please give me another brandy!" one of the restaurant's patrons called from his seat.

"Big brother Meul, stop calling me 'princess'! I've told you my name is Felicia," I said as I delivered him another mug of brandy.

"Hahaha, why not? I can't believe I've had a princess sitting on my lap for five meals."

"Jeez, you're making it sound so vulgar, big brother Meul!" I countered, to which he replied with a boisterous laugh befitting his size.

Just then two more familiar faces entered the restaurant and I immediately went to greet them.

"Welcome back Daddy Malor and Daddy Soom! I've been waiting for you!"

"Felicia? How come you're here? I came here for dinner last night and they told me you quit the job," Daddy Soom said as he and Daddy Malor sat at the usual table.

"Something came up, and now I'm here again! What would you like to eat?"

"The usual, Felicia," Daddy Soom said that was echoed by Daddy Malor.

"Alright. Roasted Lamb set and Roasted Beef set coming right up!"

"I must say, Felicia, I wasn't expecting you to come back. I already had Nira find someone to replace you and Lili," Nara said when I passed her the order.

"I see them. Those two, right?" I asked while pointing at the two newbies, "They look awkward to me."

"You were the same!" Nara said as she delivered a karate chop on my head, causing me make a sound of 'aiya!'

"Jeez, stop hitting my head. What would you do if my brain breaks? Where's the pe-Sul anyway?"

"Sul is resting. She overworked herself with fulfilling song requests last night."

"Princess!" big brother Meul called.

"Big brother Meul, not so loud! Do you want another brandy?" I said once I was standing next to him.

"Oh no, not brandy, Kute and I was talking and we were wondering if you'd like to join us for a game of Rebellion."

"Rebellion?" I tried to confirm, because I have never seen women playing Rebellion before, I was wondering if it would be a cultural faux pas.

"Yes, you know the rules, don't you?" Mr. Kute said as another man sat on a vacant chair.

So it was going to be a 4-person game?

"Can I really play? But I don't have money..." I lied about the money, I didn't intend on losing even a copper in a card game.

"Then how about a kiss to the winner if you lose, princess?" Meul suggested.

"Hmm, a kiss? But if I win and you kiss me, I still lose, big brother Meul."

Mr. Kute laughed alongside Meul. "Of course we're not so shameless as to try such a dastardly trick on a princess, Felicia. How does one silver for a kiss sound?"

"So if you bet 3 silvers, I'm betting 3 kisses?"

"Correct," Mr. Kute confirmed.

"Okay then!" I readily agreed.

"Princess-"

"Stay, Alek!" I told my escort who had up until now been sitting quietly at the corner of the restaurant watching me work as a barmaid.

"Oooh! The princess's bodyguard is glaring at me, I'm so scaaaared!" Meul joked.

"Umm, can I sit here?" I pointed at the chair the other man was sitting, "I'd like to be able to see the door, if you don't mind."

"I see. So that you can see if someone's coming in, isn't it? That's fine, I won't pry. Here," he got up and offered the seat for me, "The sun's glare is too bright for my eyes anyway."

I thanked him for the seat. As I sat, he helped push the chair under me before going to the other side of the table. Just like others, he sat a little distance from the table, probably to make it easier to cheat or to keep their cards secret.

I was about to ask if I could borrow a deck when Nira came and handed me a stack of new playing cards, still in its leather packaging. Apparently she bought it yesterday and planned on giving it to me as a souvenir to remind me of my time here. It would've been a good souvenir, since Rebellion is exclusively a River Country pastime. We don't play it in Forlendia and therefore, the deck of playing cards isn't sold anywhere in Renus and Mruna.

Receiving it with thanks, I sorted out the deck, making secret of my choice of the four additional cards. I already had a plan for winning the game. I might not have played it myself, but I had been around and even sat on some of their laps whenever they played. Already, I had mentally pictured my path of winning.

The first game I lost to Meul's Assassination.

"Alright princess, give big bro a nice kiss," Meul said as he closed his eyes.

"Umm, is that fine, big bro Meul?"

"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't it be fine?" he said with eyes still closed.

"Okay!" I said as I kissed his cheek.

He opened his eyes and said, "That's not fair!"

"Still a kiss," I gave him a wink.

He laughed in good humour. Despite accepting it as his oversight, he told me that next time it would be on the lips. It seemed like he really believed there would be a 'next time' How arrogant! Meanwhile, that other guy, who was called Ordric, mixed the cards and set it on the table.

I took two cards from the stack right in front of me, yielding two soldier cards. I rubbed the lower corner of both cards' back with my long nails while I waited for the others to pick their cards. Once it was my turn, I took a card from the stack in front of Mr. Kute, who was sitting to my right, which meant he was also the person whose turn was before me.

A queen! Not what I expected, but not bad.

When it came to my turn again, I chose to take a card from Mr. Kute's hand. I received another soldier. So I had three soldier cards, which would be utterly useless unless I chose to get a Rebellion win, which required four soldiers and two archers.

This move is called Sabotage. Just like the name of the move, it's used if you think the person before you has received some beneficial card or if one player wants to slow the progress of the player before him. This move can't be done twice in a row though, or else one person would never have enough cards to get a chance at winning.

On my next turn, I chose to take a card from Meul's stack. Just as I pulled the card from his stack and placed it into my hand, I noticed that he gave my face a short gaze before he proceeded to take a card from Mr. Ordric's stack. I got a queen, by the way.

The game went on until I got a full set for Assassination, including a Campaign card. Thinking that Meul was somehow cheating, I decided to challenge Mr. Ordric, the man sitting in front of me instead. To my shock, he dropped a hand consisting of 1 general, 2 soldiers, 2 archers and 1 cavalry instead. It was a Coup!

Coup always defeats Assassination. Eventhough I was the one who called a campaign, he could still defend with a counter. Damn it!

I had to walk around to his side of the table and give him a quick kiss on the lips instead. You're asking how I could so easily give him my first kiss? No, that's not my first kiss. My first kiss was with Lili in Chapter 6, remember?

The third time I lost to Meul's Coup. I was doing my best, looking at all three of their faces and wondering what cards they hand on hand. But just as I was about call out "Invasion!", brother Meul said he wanted to take a card from my hand. He looked at my face as he moved his fingers above each of the cards slowly. At first I thought he was looking at my face for a change of expression, so I made the best poker face I could.

Then I realized that he wasn't actually looking at my face, he was looking behind me! Someone behind me was telling him what cards I had! Big brother Meul, your methods are old and outdated! Regardless of how much I looked down on his outdated cheating method, though, I couldn't do anything when he took my general and launched his own Invasion on me, which was no longer an Invasion hand as I was missing a general card.

You're asking what would happens if Invasion met Invasion? In that case it would be a tie. Both players would keep their bets but wouldn't be able to rejoin the game until the other two finished as well. So in this case, since I lost my general card, my Invasion wasn't complete. So I had to kiss Meul on the lips. Well actually he kissed me on the lips, even took his time too.

In the fourth game I won by launching an Invasion before Mr. Ordric was ready. I won 5 silver coins since Mr. Kute raised the bet during the 6th round. Everyone including me followed suit, as the only alternative was to bail.

I lost the fifth game to Mr. Kute's Invasion. I lost all my previously won silver. Damn you people! Why is everyone targetting me? Don't you want to win money? What's the point of winning kisses?

Just before we started the sixth game, I declared, "Sorry everyone, I'm going to have to make this my last game. I have to go back to work. Need to earn money."

"Why would you need to work? Don't you already have money as a princess?" Meul asked.

"Yes, but all my gold is at home. Unfortunately I can't go home until I've ransomed my father, brother and soldiers. But I can't ransom them since I don't have enough money. So I'm kind of stuck working here."

I tried to make my best sad face and even managed to push my tear ducts to produce some tears.

"Then how about we start the bet with 2 gold?" Meul asked.

"Eh?" Seriously, I was surprised. Why would he suddenly offer gold when we've been betting using silver?

"Don't 'eh' me! I really like you, Felicia, if you're not a princess, I would've asked you to marry me."

"Oi, you bastard! Keep that to yourself!"

"How dare you confess to our beloved Felicia!"

"You want to eat steel, boy?"

"I'm gonna punch your face, Meul!"

Meanwhile, my bodyguard Alek had already taken out his standard issue throwing knife and pressed it against Muel's neck.

"Hey hey, guys, calmed down! Nothing's wrong with confessing! You guys could've done that too, who's stopping you?"

Everything suddenly became quiet as we allowed the wind to blow.

"Felicia, I love you!"

"Felicia, I want to make you my little sister!"

"Forget little sister! Become my wife!"

"How about becoming my daughter, Felicia?"

"I don't care that you're a princess. Let's elope to the countryside!"

"Felicia, would you marry me?"

To this sudden harrassment, Alek suddenly took a chair and wielded it like a weapon. He held the legs with both hands and pointed the seat part at anyone who got within two feet of me. This suddenly felt tiring as everyone seemed to crowd around our table. I had to ask them to let my view of the door remain unblocked.

Seriously, you all fell in love me? You think I've never been a guy? You idiots are being so plainly obvious. You just want to get in my panties!

"So what will I have to bet for this 2 gold coins?" I asked as I rubbed my temple.

"The right to touch you should be of equal value, I think?"

"Touch me where?"

"Everywhere."

The noise then started again.

"You bastard!"

"Worthless excuse of a human being!"

"Your death won't be easy, Meul!"

"Start watching your back, bastard!"

Would the peanut gallery please shut the hell up? All this noise is giving me a headache. Maybe I should just kill everyone here and empty their pockets of all valuables. Patience, patience Felicia. You're better than this.

"How can the right to touch everywhere on a princess's body be worth 2 gold? Shouldn't it be higher?" I asked.

I'm not actually a princess. Since this misunderstanding is already in full swing though, let's just go with the flow. It's not my fault. So I'm going to milk this for all it's worth.

"But Felicia, I love you. Whether you're a princess or not doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you're a princess or a commoner, your worth is the same in my eyes."

"Cheap!" Again, the noise returned.

"You think that's smooth, you bastard?"

"Cheapskate!"

"Felicia is worth double that!"

"No, triple!"

"Felicia, if you become my daughter, I'll give you ten times more. I'll give you anything you want afterwards too!"

I rubbed my head as I patted Alek's shoulder. "Make them quiet, please. You have permission to be violent."

"Alright, you scurvy dogs! Who wants to be beaten up first!" Alek said with a voice that sounded very fired up.

There were some arguments, but everyone more or less quieted down. Despite everything they said, they were mostly just merchants and city workers who wanted a normal and peaceful life. Tangling with the bodyguard of a fake princess (lol) would be bad for their health.

"Let's go with 5 gold. Winner gets to touch and be touched," Mr. Ordric said as he held a pouch by its bottom and let out 12 gold. He pushed the shiny 5 gold to the center of the table.

"Who the hell does this foreigner think-"

I raised my hand to stop the peanut gallery before it started again.

"How long?"

"The whole night."

"I'm still a virgin."

"We can stop before we reach that point."

"How can I trust you?"

"You can't. But if I do go farther than that, I'll reimburse you well."

"I... don't know about this..."

"In fact, let's just forgo all hassle and decide on a one night stand." Mr. Ordric pushed another 5 gold.

"But..."

"I'm not going to lose!" Meul suddenly declared as he poured 10 gold on the table too.

Is this fine, big brother Meul? You're just a quarry worker, aren't you?

Mr. Kute suddenly took out his money pouch too and was about to pour it on the table when Meul said, "Kute, bail out!"

"Like hell! This is Felicia's virginity we're talking about!" Mr. Kute said as he also pushed 10 gold coins to the center of the table before he told Mr. Ordric to 'deal'.

Wait! Guys, I haven't even said yes yet! Was this planned? Were you all plotting to get my virginity today, you bastard lolicons?!

Before I could protest though, the cards were dealt and placed in four stacks in front of us. I looked at my first two cards and realized I got two soldiers. Okay, a normal spread so far, I thought as I placed both cards face down on the table. This movement wasn't lost on the other three players, but it was probably not all that strange to them.

On my next turn, my eyes were slightly blinded by the noon glare that came in through the wide open door and shined on the waxed back of the cards. I picked the card on Meul's stack and placed it face down on top and slightly to the left of the face down cards my side of the table. All three of them looked at me curiously, but didn't say anything.

On my next turn, I took another card from Meul's stack. Then again, I placed it face down on top and slightly to the left of the face down cards. Mr. Ordric and Mr. Kute glared at me for some reason.

Meul on the other hand, asked directly, "Felicia, don't you want to look at what card you have?"

"Oh that's fine. I don't have any confidence in winning on my own. So I'm praying that my ancestors will help me."

"Yes, but praying to the ancestors doesn't actually do anything," Mr. Kute argued.

"It's okay, I trust them with my life!" I said while showing great faith. They stopped arguing with me. I could see Mr. Ordric was trying to hold his laugh. That's good, keep on thinking I'm an innocent little girl.

On the fourth turn, I picked a card from my own stack, after the top was taken by Mr. Kute. Again, I put the card face down on the table. I could see Mr. Ordric making a small grin.

Should I start worrying about Mr. Ordric? Is he close to winning?

On the fifth turn, Mr. Ordric made a pained face when Mr. Kute took one of his cards. Mr. Kute reshuffled his hand before he continued the game. I chose to pick a card from his hand. The moment I took a card, the same card stolen from Mr. Ordric, Mr. Kute's eyes almost let out a tear. I knew without even looking that this was a Campaign card. So I had Sabotaged both Mr. Kute and Mr. Ordric in one move.

I tried to not make my pleasure known. Again, I placed it face down on the table. I now had six cards on the table.

On the sixth round, I realized that there was no particular card that I wanted. The only card that I actually needed was in Mr. Ordric's hand and unless Mr. Kute Sabotaged him in the next round, I couldn't possibly get it. So I took one card from Meul's stack without actually thinking about it. This time I looked at it briefly, finding a useless queen card. I put it face down on the table anyway.

It was this time that Mr. Ordric raised the stake. "Let's go double." He took out another pouch and placed another 10 gold coins on the table.

"Oi, you bastard! I don't have that much money!" Meul scolded.

"Then quit, nobody's forcing you to play," Mr Kute said as he took out another 10 gold coins.

If big brother Meul quit though, he would lose his 10 gold coins by default.

"Damn it! Malor, I need a loan!"

"Big brother Meul, you don't have to continue, you know? It's not worth it," I persuaded as gently as I could. To tell the truth, even I was starting to be afraid of his future. He was only a quarry worker after all.

"Felicia..." Meul said as he placed his hands on my lower arms, which weren’t covered by the barmaid's dress.

Hey hey, who said you're allowed to touch me?

"I love you, I really do. Don't say you're not worth it. It is I who am not worthy of you. That's why I have to do this, because it's the only way I can be with you, even if it's only for one night," he said with a face full of sadness.

Wait, did that actually make my heart skip a beat? Is this the River Country's version of a pickup line?

"Can you actually pay it back, though? That's the real issue," Daddy Malor asked when he stood inside the circle made by the peanut gallery.

"I can. I have money at a safe place. I just don't carry it around like these two idiots!"

Next to Daddy Malor was Daddy Soom. Daddy Soom looked at my face down cards and my face with a critical eye and whispered into my ears, "Don't bully them too much, Felicia."

I made a shocked face with my mouth looking like ('0') when he said that. Could it be possible that he already knew? Was I too obvious?

"So with this, it's three nights, Felicia," Mr. Ordric stated.

"Eh, hold on a minute. Why three nights? If it's doubled, shouldn't it be two nights?"

"You won't have your virginity on our second night."

"True, that," Mr. Kute agreed.

God damn these perverts.

"Why don't you just go ahead and get a full month already, you perverts?" I said with hint of anger.

Apparently they didn't notice my scathing comment as Mr. Ordric's eyes flashed in delight and took off an iron key with a fancy symbol from around his neck and placed it on the table. He pushed it forward, placing it next to the stack of gold coins on the table.

"What the heck is that?" I asked.

"This, my dear princess, is the key to the chest that holds the banner of Ordric's Band."

The wind blows again in this windless restaurant.

"I'm sorry, I must've lost sense of what you just said. Can you repeat that?" I asked.

It sounded something like a band? Is he offering to transfer something like a rock band to me? Is he some kind of talent agent?

"I own a mercenary company consisting of 200 longbowmen and 80 armoured footmen. Whoever owns this key, owns the chest that contains the banner. Whoever owns the banner owns my mercenary company. So if you somehow win, you get everything, though since we're still contracted to Prince Hans, we won't be able to work for you until two summers later."

A mercenary company? My own mercenary company?

"A question please," Mr. Kute interrupted, "How much is this worth?"

"Considering that the amount necessary to hire my company for two weeks is at least 200 gold. I'd say the key is worth at least that much."

"I can't match that!" Mr. Kute punches the table.

"Then quit! It's that simple."

On the other side, big brother Meul's face went pale. His eyes darted between looking at the generous amount of shiny gold coins on the table and the loan slip in his hand. Without noticing it himself, he started to cry like a little boy, despite looking like a heavyweight wrestler.

I lightly touched the back of his right hand. When he looked at me, I gestured him to come to me. And like a bear he pounced on me with a face covered in tears. He knelt on the floor, his arms hugging my waist as he cried against my budding chest.

Oh well, it's the least I can do for him after he lost 20 gold coins.

"Felicia... me too..." Mr. Kute said as he made a sad face, or tried to make a sad face.

That is the face of lust, Mr. Kute. You can try making a sad face, but I don't think that's working. Please don't go into the theatre business, Mr. Kute.

Regardless, I gestured for him to come. 20 gold coins is a lot of money, even by the standard of River Country's extremely inflated economy. So I thought it would be fine to let him have a little service. That was, until I slapped his hand away.

"No groping allowed, Mr. Kute," I said noticing his attempt to fondle my butt.

"But he gets to bury his face in your breasts!"

I looked at Meul's face crying against my chest. "This is different."

"Then excuse me!" Mr. Kute also buried his face into my chest with his arms wrapped around my torso just under my chest line.

I smacked the back of his head when he tried to rub his face on my right chest, but otherwise just let him stay there as he wanted. It wasn't like I had any breasts to be offended with anyway. When others that made up the circle took a step closer, I said plainly and with a calm voice, "Other people who try to sneak a hug will be slaughtered."

Those who tried to get close backed away immediately.

"So everything on the table and one month of personal midnight service from me, is for the winner of this game?"

"That's right. I can't wait to sleep with a princess," Mr. Ordric made a grin.

"I'm not actually a princess, you know?"

"Doesn't matter even if that's true. You're just my type."

Sigh. It seems like the River Country is full of people with too much money and no brain.

"Quickly pick up a card. I'm telling you, princess, I'll likely win with my next card, so it's best to just get it over with."

I sighed again.

Guess he hasn't realized it yet. For a high stakes gambler he's sure lacking perceptiveness. Oh well, his loss. Taking a card from my stack, I slowly show him how hopeless and bleak his future is. I open my cards slowly, one by one, going teasingly slower, thus allowing me to savour the change in this lolicon pervert's facial expression.

First card is Queen, let's throw this away.Then came Campaign. Archer. Archer. Soldier. Soldier. Soldier. And my last card, Soldier.

Now, what does that make?

"REBELLION!" everyone watching shouted together in disbelief.

"Is this a good hand, Mr. Ordric?" I asked while making the sweetest smile I could when in my heart, I was jumping in joy.

Seriously guys, your cheating methods are elementary.

Now you're wondering how I was able to get one of the rarest win in the game? Let me give you a hint: sun's glare. I purposely sat at the seat that would bring a lot of sunlight to shine on the table, at the right angle so that only I could see it clearly.

I've been marking the cards with my fingernails since the first game. Don't believe me? Read back to the very first time I started playing, I mentioned it once back then. For soldiers, I marked the back of the cards on one of its corners. For archers, on the side of its width. For campaign cards, on the side of its length. For any other cards, I marked it on the center of the card. It was hard to see the markings when it was in someone's hand. However, when it was on top of a stack, the markings shone like lasers.

From the start, I'd been aiming for a Rebellion win. The reason I'd been playing for five games without caring about getting a win was because I was spending all that time marking cards. That one win was actually accidental, either I was lucky or they allowed me to win. I had to make the 6th game my last because if I had continued, they would probably wonder why I'd still play even when I knew I couldn't win. So if they didn't take my bait to raise the stakes, it really would be just a mediocre last game there. Despite all that, I wasn't expecting this much win. (lol)

At this moment, Mr. Ordric had fallen face down, flat onto the table. He didn't faint, but you could tell that his soul was coming out from his head out of shock from the complete loss. Around him, both big brother Meul and Mr. Kute was making faces at the man who lost a whole lot more than them.

"How does it feel to become poor, huh?" big brother Meul teased while making faces.

"You lost everything, man. Alms for the poor! Alms for the poor!" Mr. Kute acted like a beggar who was holding up his cup begging for alms.

Mr. Ordric suddenly got up and punched both of them in the face. The punch must've been very strong because they both fainted on the floor with just one punch each. Then Mr. Ordric looked at me with sharp eyes, causing me to pull back the hand that was about to grab all that gold on the table.

"Princess..."

"...Yes?"

"Do I get a hug too?"

"Ah? Hmmm, sure, why not?"

He suddenly made three quick steps to my side and pulled me up into his embrace. I didn't notice it earlier as I was planning my strategy for winning the game, but Mr. Ordric is actually very big, probably even bigger than big brother Meul. While he hugged me tightly, I suddenly shuddered at the thought that I could've lost the game to this giant.

Imagining myself on his bed with this giant just above me... the thought is really TERRIFYING!!!!

It was only years later that I found out that he was cast out of his tribe because he was the smallest among them. It seemed like the average height of his tribesmen were 10 feet and they lived beyond the mountains of Surfes. Their food consisted mostly of dire bears, large snakes and crocodiles. A tribe of giants? So scary!

 

 

*Thank you for reading. As usual, your comments are greatly appreciated. Please comment, your comments make me feel all fuzzy and motivates me greatly.
**Many thanks to awesome Eric for proofreading this chapter so quickly.
***Had to split this chapter again \(>.<)/ I promise, next chapter is the last chapter of this arc. We can then go back to building an inventing again.
****For those who asked some questions last time and couldn't answer for one reason or another, here's the link to my blogpost http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog-entry/57338/delay-next-ch...