Payout

When we returned to the common room inside The Noble Lady, it was understandably empty. Everybody had come out to watch my duel, and I assumed that the bettors were still settling their wagers. I decided to take a seat at my usual table at the back since it was no longer occupied. After my public duel, I didn't think the former occupants of the table would mind. I took a seat against the wall.

"Please order us a quick lunch. I'll be right back," Maisen said and stepped out again.

When Amelica stuck her head out of the kitchen and saw me, I called out, "We need something quick to eat." She nodded in understanding and immediately returned to the kitchen.

The front door opened, and I saw Giudot and Sankryn entering the common room followed closely by Captain Maisen. When I saw the sullen, facial expressions on both men, I wondered if their return to The Noble Lady was voluntary or coerced. My suspicion was further raised when the tall, powerful woman pushed their backs and propelled the duo further into the room.

"I believe these gentlemen have something to say," Maisen announced aloud to get my attention.

I looked at my former tormentors with a blank expression.

The silence hung for a long moment until Giudot finally relented. "I apologize for tripping you, milord," he said and then bowed deeply in my direction.

"I apologize as well," his friend quickly followed with an equally deep bow.

Maisen gripped each man by his shoulder and said, "See? Now that wasn't so hard, was it? Why don't you join us for lunch?"

The giraffe turned toward his superior. "Um, we already ate lunch," he replied.

"Yeah," the toad nodded.

"Nonsense!" the captain replied. "I need the two of you to be alert and full of energy when we start patrolling the town this afternoon." She looked around the room and saw that it was almost empty of patrons. Maisen pointed at my table. "I'm ordering the two of you to join us. Lawrence will pay for your lunch, isn't that right?" She turned her head toward me and raised her eyebrows.

Looking back at her, I suddenly realized what she was seeking to accomplish. She assumed that the two men were short on coins and couldn't afford to buy decent lunches for that reason. By making me pay for their meals, this will generate some goodwill from these two Watchmen toward me. Furthermore, the duo will serve as my de facto bodyguards while I patrolled the town, actively seeking out any remaining wererats in Tregome. I smiled at Maisen. "Since we will be spending some time together on patrol this afternoon, it's only fair that I, the newcomer, pay for your meals. The meals will serve as compensation for all the things that you will teach me this afternoon," I replied graciously.

The captain smiled back and gently nudged the two hesitant men forward.

Giudot scowled but he obediently walked across the common room to join my table; he sat on the opposite side, though.

Sankryn followed his friend's lead and sat directly across from me.

The two men stared at my butterfly-adorned scabbard as I took it from the table and leaned it against the wall behind me.

Maisen finally joined my table and sat next to me; she faced Giudot.

When the four of us were seated, Amelica approached our table with a tray. She placed a steaming hot bowl of soup in front of me and then the second bowl in front of Maisen. She also put a small basket of buttered roll in between us; each of us received two rolls.

I stared at the large chunks of beef, potato, and carrot peeking out from under the thick sauce like the floating icebergs in Antarctica. My mouth was starting to water at the delicious feast before me. I was very pleased with my girlfriend's selection for lunch; the soup and bread will be quick to eat but still filling. "Amelica, please give my friends here the same meals and put it on my tab," I requested.

My girlfriend looked at me with surprise but nodded in acknowledgment of my order. "Two more bowls of beef stew coming right up!" she said cheerfully and waltzed her way back to the kitchen.

The two Watchmen stared wistfully at her receding figure; when they turned their heads back to me and Maisen, the captain asked, "What was your assignment yesterday?"

"We patrolled the southern part of town in the morning, guarded the front entrance to the HQ in afternoon, and then attended the ceremony at the Public Square in the evening," Sankryn quickly recounted his assignment.

"You two were paired together?" Maisen asked as she turned her attention to Giudot. She would have preferred to break up the troublemakers, for at least one part of the daily patrol. Her mind started going over possible partners for the two while awaiting an affirmation to her suspicion.

"Yes, sir!" the Watchman confirmed.

"You heard about the wererat incursion at the dojo?" she pressed on.

The two Watchmen looked at each other and then faced her. "We were fortunate that we weren't pulled from our assignments," the short man admitted and squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

"Neither of us carries a silver blade; we wouldn't be able to fight the wererats anyway," the taller man added and shrugged helplessly.

I secretly triggered my magic detection and detected no aura from their equipment. Evidently, neither Watchman carried magical gear. I ignored my pop-ups.

The captain smiled inwardly at the two in understanding. The two men were average fighters and therefore her predecessor, Peng, didn't believe that either man merited anything better than standard equipment. "I want your honest opinions," she continued. "Would you respect someone who voluntarily entered the underground lair of the wererats and fought them?" she asked.

The two men looked at each other and then back at her quizzically. They had no clue where she was headed with her conversation. "Of course!" they replied in unison.

"We know that you fought bravely with the late Captain Li, and we admire your bravery and fighting prowess," Giudot noted.

"You stood your ground and had the former captain's back against impossible odds. No one can deny that Captain Li made the right decision in choosing you to be his successor," Sankryn added.

The captain grinned at their naked attempt at flattery and continued with her inquiry. "What would you say to the one who fought the wererat boss solo—and won?"

The two traded looks again.

"Um, pardon captain, but are you saying that someone else fought the leader alone and won?" Sankryn asked incredulously. Since the members of the were-pack were part human, they would follow a hierarchy where the best fighter served as the leader of the pack. While Sankryn knew how to use a sword and could probably fend off a wererat if the man had a silver blade, he also knew that he wouldn't be able to defeat the boss by himself. The only person capable of doing so in the Watch was Captain Maisen, and thus the Watchman had assumed that she was the one who defeated the wererat leader. Now, she was suggesting that someone else accomplished this feat?

"There's no way that's true!" Giudot folded his arms and smirked. What was the captain trying to pull? He was wary of her tricks.

"What if I can prove to you that this actually happened?" the captain pushed back.

I opened my mouth to say something but she nudged me in the ribs. Hard. I ignored the pop-up and wisely kept my mouth shut.

"If you can prove this happened, then I will get down on my knees and kiss his feet—whoever did it," the small man replied arrogantly.

Maisen had a wide grin on her face when she turned toward me. "Lawrence, have you been taught how to detect a lie with your truth stone?" she asked.

"Not yet," I shook my head.

"What are you asking?" Sankryn interrupted.

Maisen's grin widened as she pulled her sword, Jiang, out of its scabbard and held it parallel to the table. "One of this sword's magical properties is to detect lies. If a person tells a lie and then touches the blade, it will deliver an enormous electrical shock and knock the liar unconscious," she explained. The captain turned toward me. "Lawrence, please tell these gentlemen the truth."

My eyes darted around the common room. Unbeknownst to me, it had filled up again with patrons. However, everyone's attention was turned toward our table—and our conversation. I sighed aloud and gave the mischievous woman a dirty look for putting me in the spotlight again. "I killed Ebenthal, the wererat boss, in solo combat," I announced. As murmurs erupted around the room, I placed my right palm on the golden blade and braced myself for the shock.

However, the expected jolt was not delivered. Instead, the sword glowed and bathed the entire room with its golden light as if pronouncing its judgment that I was truthful.

Amelica nonchalantly walked up to our table. "Please put the sword away so that I can give these two gentlemen their soups," she requested in a loud voice that broke up our inadvertent public demonstration.

"Sorry," Maisen muttered an apology and quickly replaced Jiang in its scabbard.

When my head turned from Amelica back to my new companions, I noticed that Giudot was staring at me intently; his face was inscrutable.

"Please get up, milord," the short man requested politely.

My brows rose at the sudden change in his attitude, but nonetheless, I complied with his request and arose from my seat to stand next to the table.

Giudot also got up. He maneuvered around the table until he was before me. The man got down on his knees and then lowered his head. He kissed my left shoe and then my right shoe. When the Watchman got back to his feet, he offered his right hand.

When I shook his hand, Giudot said, "Thank you for saving Tregome."

Sankryn gently nudged his friend aside and shook my hand as well. "We will be honored to serve under your command," he added as his eyes shone with pride.

My eyes turned nervously toward Maisen and they were met with another grin on her face. Somehow, she knew how to push their buttons and managed to convince the two formerly hostile Watchmen to serve me with pride and loyalty. Maisen was not just a powerful fighter but also a wily and manipulative politician. I had to remind myself to be guarded around her because apparently, she had an agenda of her own. She was my bodyguard two days ago and became my superior today. What will she be tomorrow?