Now that things were settled between Micky and Princess, including “Your name is actually Princess?” things had calmed down. Of course, Micky and Princess unanimously agreed they were not married even if it was an ork mating ritual. It was just a humans way to kill each other, with honor.

“I still can’t believe you won.” Said Princess exasperated. “And call me Big P or Prin, only my family calls me Princess, mostly because it would get me executed otherwise.”

“You were never going to beat me and you know it, I am the master!” Micky said preening, then realized the context of that phrase. Then he had the shame to at least look embarrassed as he took Prin and Olga’s judging eyes.

“Fair is fair, I lost, I am now your sworn, do with me what you will.” Said Prin.

“Wait what? No! I beat you so that you wouldn’t become my sworn!” Said Micky.

“Well, if you lost she would have just bossed you around as your boss. Since you won she has become your sworn, those were the stakes.” Said Olga.

“No, but, that’s not! I didn’t! No…?” Micky said, as his life cracked and fell to pieces before his eyes. Olga would have been fine, she was sweet in a motherly sort of way, but Prin… Micky wanted to cry, his future self seemed to pat him on the back commensurately.

Mathew came into the scullery in good cheer, though he wondered why he found Micky and who he assumed was the bandit leader’s daughter cleaning it. He may have sold the sponsorship cheaply but at the same time, without power Micky was always going to be forced to do that. So it was a good price. Now they had protection into the bandit lords little investment as well as future investments for Micky should he ever need them.

Even the bandit lords daughter would be able to use the shadowy left on occasion for her new lord. Becoming a sworn was not a light thing, and couldn’t be taken lightly. The system enforced contracts were bound in magic that was constructed by the system. While the system’s role was just to give shape to the magic, it was not something easy to get out of. This was because the binding was something that grew with the bound.

So even Mathew knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to betray Micky, though it was not exactly a slave contract, swearing to be a knight of someone would mean that you put their lives, wants, and needs above your own. It was not a light thing in any way, shape, or form.

Micky had borrowed a cheap sword for the occasion. This was because of a few things, but mostly because he knew that he was not going to be using his current staff for much longer. But this did not mean that the staff he was using wasn’t important to him.

The problem was that if he did use it in such a way it would become a betrayal of the oath if he put it down and didn’t use it again. This would be a big problem. On the other hand, he was using a ‘ceremonial’ sword. This was just a stand in, so while it would still affect the oath it wouldn’t as much as betraying the staff, a symbol of his leadership, would.

Micky raised the sword and placed it on each side of her shoulders. “Do you swear to become my sword and shield, to protect me and my own, so that you may have you and your own?” He said the scripted words.

“I do, Lord.” Said Prin.

“Do you swear to take my as your one and true lord, to only obey my command, to never betray my trust?” Said Micky

“I do, Lord.” Said Prin.

“From now one you may serve as my knight, and will enforce my will onto lands near and far. You may choose your oath now.” Said Micky.

“I swear to be your sword and shield, to do what I must, to serve you in whatever way you need...” Said Prin, but she had started to go off script. This worried people.

“... I swear to service you to the best of my ability, to protect and serve your house and your harem to...” Said Prin.

“Well I swear that your life is your own, that you can do as you wish, that you need not be bothered with me!” said Micky.

“I swear to do your bidding, no matter what it may be, no matter how disgusting or perverted. I swear to help you in all ways, with all situations.” Said Prin.

“I swear to not need your help, nor want it. I swear to leave you alone and...” Micky said “Enough!” Yelled Mathew, Olga, and the bandit lord at the same time.

“Luckily for you, the system recognized this for what it was, not the sacred ceremony of knighthood but two children squabbling. Now do it again and do it right!” Said Mathew. His face was in his palms as he was trying to contain his rage, and his tears.

Micky raised the sword and placed it on each side of her shoulders, again. “Do you swear to become my sword and shield, to protect me and my own, so that you may have you and your own?” He said the scripted words, without adlib.

“I do, Lord.” Said Prin.

“Do you swear to take my as your one and true lord, to only obey my command, to never betray my trust?” Said Micky.

“I do, Lord.” Said Prin.

“From now one you may serve as my knight, and will enforce my will onto lands near and far. You may choose your oath now.” Said Micky.

“I swear to serve you always, till the last of my breath. I will never fail you and never fail myself. I will protect you and your own, and invest myself in your interests.” Said Prin.

“I swear that I will take your interests as my own. That I shall way what’s yours against the costs, and that you shall be considered in all ways.” Said Micky.

The ceremony and the mana and aether in the air flowed into the binding forming a golden chain that flowed from Micky to Prin. Micky could feel a little bit of the old [Oath] mixing with the new one to make this chain. Then as it surrounded Prin it formed a coat of arms that intermixed with her class. Of, course this was all metaphorical. There was no physical or magical binding. And at the same time it was all the stronger for it. Being bound on a level just above the [Bond] he shared with his [Tamed]. Prin herself was forever changed, as was Micky.

It did not actually change her class, and the possibility to form a [Knight] variant or title was in question since Micky himself didn’t exactly have a [Noble] title, but at the same time Micky was considered a lord of some kind just because of his scholarship. This meant that in some way the [Count]’s family had given him a title, just not a [Title].

Micky and co. were now getting ready to leave. What’s left of the left wing, which was basically a bunch of bedraggled beggars were also set to follow. They had an escort of several bandits, doing their second job, merc. work, paid for by the bandit lord.

It was amazing to Micky that they had an actual legitimate business that they were running. This legitimized their gains and allowed these bandits to travel in the [Town]s and [City]s unmolested, so long as they didn’t have a bounty on their heads.

It was actually pretty common for mercs to have a bounty on their heads anyways, but the bandits didn’t want their ticket to freedom to be tagged with the stigmata that it was a cover for bandits to enter the city. Which it was, but they didn’t want people to know that.

The travel the rest of the way was actually pretty casual, considering. Although the left wing wanted to glare daggers at the right wing, they didn’t dare to with a group of bandits escorting them, don’t want to disappear just after they negotiated for freedom now.

Really the left wing was just following behind the right wing, surviving on their coat tails. Of course the bandits were asked to protect them, but they didn’t know that. No, they were most pissed at their leader for abandoning the right wing. It may have been a unanimous decision but the leader was the leader, and now that meant the scapegoat.

Of course he was the worst of the bedraggled mess. Because the rest of the left wing wouldn’t let him go. They told them where he had tried to hide all the little bobbles he could. So the bandits took that as liberty to get a bit… invasive. All the while the left wing only helped that along. The entire time the leader of the left wing looked aggrieved at his former compatriots, like a husband that was just sold by his wife for drinking money.

So now they trundled on, begging for scraps and hunting up whatever they could find the moment the party made camp. They chased after the others all throughout the day without lunch, and only whatever they could smoke from the day before for dinner. They were looking a bit malnourished by the time they got to the [Town].

Of course they thought of ousting the bandits the moment they saw the walls, but their better judgment looked on and shook its head. The bandits were a recognized merc corp that was also a recognized bandit corp under the [Baron]’s banner. They would probably be blocked at the gates if they even thought of ousting them. Heck, they looked at themselves and realized that they might even need their help to get in. They looked like monster refugees.