Reception

The huge hall shone with hundreds of lights reflected from the magical lamps that hung from the ceiling, illuminating everything around with a pleasant daylight colour, the hall was barely half filled, the people were still gathering, the people already present were a hodgepodge, mostly humans, but there were ogres, dwarves, a couple of elves and as the cherry on top of this vinaigrette - a healthy two-meter tall orc, wrapped in skins and angrily munching on some snacks.

The people were frankly bored, the main guests had not arrived yet and they entertained themselves with light aperitifs and small talk.

A grey-haired and moderately attractive man, dressed in armour, intercepted a glass of wine and, having bowed to all his acquaintances, approached a pretty brunette dressed in a black dress and a wide hat. The girl was standing in the corner staring at a book and did not pay any attention to the approaching man.

"Greetings on behalf of the krown, the head of the Mages Guild Mira of Fanland." The man made a bow, and looked carefully at the girl's reaction. She reluctantly tucked the book into her spatial pocket, and answered him with a curtsy.

"The royal family is late." Mira remarked in a tired voice, not really wanting to engage in small talk, but her position obliged her.

"You are as perceptive as ever, but I don't think we should worry, the performance is about to begin."

"A performance?" The girl looked at the Guard commander in surprise; it was not his habit to make such tasteless jokes. 

"What else should I call it, you have also come to see our newfound star of the day." The man smiled and took the second glass of wine from the footman, draining it in one go.

"Since we're waiting, why don't you tell me firsthand what Lord Bondrewd is like?" The girl gave Margil a radiant smile and an interested gleam in her eyes.

"You're not the first person to ask me that, it's a bit annoying, and I'm sure if the wanderers could talk, they'd ask me the same question." The man sighed tiredly, he had not been able to sleep well after the battle, too many things required his personal presence, especially the search for the remaining necromancers in the city. So he only got about four hours of sleep.

"He's strong, straightforward, and I don't know for sure, but he definitely seems very intelligent to me, he sounds about 30 years old." Mira listened attentively, she didn't get any new information, and she wanted to ask leading questions, but the hall was filled with the deafening roar of trumpets, the seneschal who came out on the balcony said loudly and clearly.

"The head of the trade guild, Aivina of Peria, has arrived at the reception," the hall erupted in liquid applause, and a tall, slender and incredibly beautiful woman emerged from the doorjamb, her extremely frivolous dress leaving no room for imagination, emphasising her figure and framing her "mountains" that bounced up and down with every movement. The entire male half of the hall, glared at the woman with lustful eyes, and to Mira's surprise, even Margil, a stately and noble knight, drooled at the figure of this slut.

Mira involuntarily looked at her body, she did not consider herself a standard of beauty, but she did not understand such a reaction of men to Aivina.

"Ahem... Ahem... - the girl coughed, pulling the guard away from her occupation." Ah... yes... sorry, I was thinking.

"I can see that," she said with a touch of resentment in her voice.

"The head of the guild is as beautiful as ever" The woman strode to the centre of the hall and was immediately surrounded by a crowd. - Mira pulled out her book, hoping in her heart that the wait wouldn't be long.

...

Bondrewd walked through the dark corridors of the palace, a footman leading the way, lighting the way with a magic lamp, Dick on his right, in his unkillable outfit ala the forest robber. He refused to wear a camisole, as it was not for him. To the left of Lord of Dawn, Ozen was walking briskly, rolling from paw to paw, for the time since the end of the battle, she had managed to get incredibly fat, but there was no shortage of corpses, and the contented animal followed his master with an even more contented rumbling.

"Bondrewd, I was wondering why you brought Ozen with you, I don't think a pale ghoul is the best pet." He remembered the faces that greeted them at the entrance to the palace, if not for the distinctive appearance of Bondrewd, whose exact description the whole town knew by heart. They would have been slaughtered on the spot, but the sight of a pale ghoul, and a fucking healthy one at that, made the noble ladies and partly men faint. 

"By the way, Dick, I want to brief you on the reception." Bondrewd confidently walked forward, Dick staggered slightly behind, with a leg became noticeably better, but the bandit slightly limped.

"Yes, what do you want me to do?" Dick asked, scrutinising his suzerain's back. Suddenly he turned round and, continuing to walk with his back to Dick, pointed his finger at him and said.

"You smile, and you." He pointed his finger at Ozen, "Don't smile."

Bondrewd hung back a little, but recoiling from the shock he asked a very interesting question. "Bondrewd I don't think she quite understands the meaning of your words."

"The Lord of Dawn stopped and laid his hand on Dick's shoulder, who shivered, but did nothing."

"Dick!"

"What?"

"It's too early for you to think." The brigand's face was flushed with colour, and he was ready to swear that there was a wry smile on his new suzerain's face, and he was not far from the truth.

The huge oak doors swung open, and to the introduction of the same seneschal, the trio entered the hall.

"Lord Bondrewd, saviour of the capital and slayer of necromancers, and his squire Dick of Licholesia had arrived." The crowd stared intently at the new arrivals, drowning out the seneschal and the music with their applause. Next, Bondrewd spent quite some time getting to know and bowing to all the cream of the city. Countless nobles, mages, priests, heads of guilds, diplomats and simply rich people, of the important for himself Lord of Dawn noticed the head of the blacksmith guild - a stocky dwarf in a strict robe, almost completely covered by a thick red beard.

Several diplomats: a refined elf in luxurious white robes, even through his smile you could easily read the squeamishness, a healthy lizard more than 2 metres, shrouded in a strange mixture of leather and bronze armour, rather tastelessly decorated with a scattering of feathers and skulls. But what impressed Bondrewd more was the sheer number of teeth in its mouth, which it wasn't shy about showing off. And the most conspicuous, a two-metre tall green man wrapped in a white hide, and with him, the first problems began.

"I imagined you taller, little man, rumour has it that you single-handedly killed a swamp dragon, I imagined a huge man-killer capable of devouring a cow in one sitting, but in front of me stood another dead man." The green giant spoke with a touch of bitterness; his expectations had not been fulfilled, and Bondrewd was no longer of interest to him, and the orc retreated back to the table.

"Don't pay attention to this savage, he stopped eating people not so long ago, and he is not distinguished by any special intelligence." A woman with fiery red hair appeared from the side.

"The head of the trade guild" Aivina of Peria, I believe - said Bondrewd, putting her outstretched hand to his helmet, bowing slightly.

"Aivina, just call me Aivina, I want to express my gratitude to you, you not only saved the entire city, but managed to do it with minimal losses." The woman didn't embarrass herself and moved almost close to the Lord of Dawn, her 'mounts' about to bump into his chest. But Bondrewd held his ground and did not even show interest.

"I'm glad to hear the praise, I hear you're doing well again."

"I can't hide anything from you, I'm sure it's true, people need help and our caravans are moving out in all directions again." The woman smiled and snuggled even closer to the Lord, wrapping his arm around her.

"Why don't you come and see me after the reception, I think I have something to surprise you in my humble residence." The helmet did not show the man's emotions, Aivina was sure her feminine charms were working without interruption, but the Lord of Dawn didn't care, the man had made a note of her possible usefulness and decided to play along.

"I will be grateful and gladly accept your offer," Lord of Dawn brazenly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him before the woman could be frightened, he whispered, "I think our cooperation will be very constructive." The woman blushed and shook a little....

"Lord Bondrewd, a short, pretty girl in a wide brimmed hat suddenly came from behind."

"Greetings to... you." "Greetings."

"Lord Bondrewd meet Mira of Fanland, the head of the Mage Guild, the youngest in the history of its existence." Aivina stuttered slightly, she hadn't expected the Lord to be so quick, and that bitch Mira would be around at such short notice.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Aivina said quickly and strode off towards the exit.

"I don't like it when people come on to me like that," Bondrewd said calmly, Mira looked on, curiosity flaring in his eyes, powerful artefacts, inhuman strength, so interesting. 

"Aivina is an extremely frivolous person, I think you should be careful with her."

"That was already clear, but should I be careful with you?" Mira smiled, this person is extremely unusual and she already likes him. 

"That's for you to decide Lord Bondrewd," Lord of Dawn took a step forward, but the girl repeated his manoeuvre, only backwards.

"It's not going to work on me, like it did on Aivina," Mira was perfectly calm; he wouldn't lunge at me in a crowded room.

"It's a pity, but it was worth a try," The second pause was interrupted by the loud laughter of the couple.

"Ladies and gentlemen, guests and citizens of the capital, the royal chita has arrived at the reception: King Avitus and Queen Lily." The Seneschal was tearing his throat as the people hurried to the balcony where the monarchs were already standing. The King waited a few moments and raised his hand, the crowd immediately fell silent.

"I King Avitus of Markia call Lord Bondrewd and his retinue to me." The crowd immediately parted and allowed three figures to pass through. A monster, a bandit, and a knight. The twosome approached the balcony, and Dick and Bondrewd knelt, Ozen proudly choosing to refrain.

"Greetings, your majesty." Bondrewd said loudly, looking straight at the monarch, 'Now the fun begins.