Faust

In the city watch barracks, I was having a meal with my brothers who bombarded me about what happened last night.

“I can’t believe you’re just hearing about this Ronald!”

“We were woken up in the middle of the night to help for the search!”

“Don’t worry we covered for you since you were working off your hangover and you paid for our drinks and gave us gambling money.”

“From what I hear the royal knight’s Commander Sir Joseph suspects it was a palace servant or someone that pretended to be a palace servant.”

“That is troubling news brothers to think an assassin was able to sneak in the palace and nearly kill the second prince. I am shocked!” I said with a slight hangover that I did not need to fake since I drank my worries away last night when I escaped.

So, they figured out it was a palace servant. That is not too worrying since there are a countless number of servants that come in and out so long as they do not keep track of everyone, they will never find out about Russ.

“What does our schedule look like for the day brothers? I assume we will be on gate guarding duty again today? Or has the Captain decided to finally give us different duties?” I asked as I stared at a spoonful of beans that had become a common food item for us.

“No change Ronald more gate guarding.”

“We are not the only one that has not changed duties. A lot of other teams are just guarding gates and patrolling walls nowadays.”

“The common folk all go to the so-called true lord nowadays for their troubles. So, we don’t have much to do in the city.”

“I don’t get it, is he not just a criminal? People go to him or one of his “establishments” which are just gambling dens, taverns, and kitchens, and he sends little more than thugs to solve their problems.”

I shook my head and just when I was about to speak the door to the kitchen opened and our Captain entered looking uncomfortable and behind him, I saw the likely cause of his discomfort.

What is the monstrous geezer doing here! Should he not be busy guarding the dutiful princess and the stewardess.

I calmed down and began eating my beans. Whatever he is here for has nothing to do with me. Perhaps he is questioning the Captain if he saw the assassin leaving the city last night.

“Ronald! With me!”

I turned to stare at the Captain, beans dripping from my mouth.

No! I cannot believe that the monstrous geezer is here for me. All I did was exchange a look with him and sure he looked at me rather wickedly, but I did not think he would come all the way here for just me. I will just play the fool and get through this.

“C-Captain, I’m on my way.” I quickly stood up intentionally dropping my plate of beans on the floor some getting on my gambeson.

“Ronald. Go with the Captain we will clean up here.”

“Looks like you impressed Sir Foltest somehow as expected of you brother.”

The 4 of them looked at me impressed and nodded their head.

I appreciate the support brothers but now is the time to give me an excuse to stay not leave!

I followed the Captain out of the kitchen the monstrous geezer ahead of him until we made it to the Captain's quarters. The Captain stared at me with sympathy and spoke. “Sir Foltest wants to talk with you a bit, there is no need to worry.” He turned and made off to who knows where leaving me alone with the monstrous geezer.

“Well, Ronald let's go inside.” He said grinning at me.

We entered the Captain's quarters, and the monstrous geezer took the Captain's seat behind the desk and leaned his clothed greatsword on the desk, I took the seat across from him.

“S-Sir Foltest what did you want to talk to me about,” I said wiping some beans from my gambeson.

He stared at me and stroked his beard. “My Lady Alexandria has taken an interest in you, and I just want to know what kind of person you are.”

“I’m just a city watch guard Sir. I do my job guarding the city gates and patrolling the city wall. I am decent with the spear and if you ask my fellow brothers in the city watch about me they may tell you that I am reliable and have always done my job to the best of my capabilities.”

He nodded and continued to stroke his beard. “What is it about you that caught the attention of the first prince Bertrand? When I asked your Captain about you he told me that Prince Bertrand came to visit him to put in a good word for you Ronald.”

That fool did that! I thought he was just blowing smoke! Well, I am flattered but I don’t want that kind of attention!

I smiled nervously as if I did not want to say what I said next. “Sir if I may, Prince Bertrand is a well-known eccentric, and I was having trouble with him at the gate, so I decided to shamelessly flatter him. He seemed to like that, and he told me he would put in a good word for me with the Captain. I did not think he would do it, but I am honored that he did.

“Bahaha, That sounds like something in line with Prince Bertrand’s behavior.” He grinned and leveled his gaze on me. “Now tell me about your encounter with the second prince Sylvain. Your Captain did not know much, but from what he was told from your fellow brothers he attacked you, but you managed to stop the situation from going too far. I know Sylvain would not have stopped without being satisfied getting whatever it is he wanted from you. So, what did he want from you?”

I told my brothers it was better not to let my encounters with the royal siblings be known, but they probably could not help reporting what happened with the beast. Hopefully, they did not say anything about the brat like adult as even I don’t know what happened there.

I frowned and spoke with a reluctance that showed I did not want to talk about the encounter. “I was just doing my job and asked Prince Sylvain to identify himself and present his invitation. He got out of his carriage, and I believe he was insulted that I asked. So, with his invitation in hand, he slapped me, and my brothers came to my defense. I knew my brothers would be killed so I crawled to him and gave him his invitation kneeling, and let my brothers know to dismiss it as a misunderstanding.” I looked away from him to the floor and spoke with a bit of shame. “He told me it was not a sufficient show of respect. So, he said he would either kill one of my brothers or I could lick his boot covered in horse manure, so I licked his boot and he let us be.”

He was frowning when I looked back at him. “That also sounds like something in line with Sylvain's behavior. Your brothers must like you to stand up to a prince and his knights, but you are someone who chose to lick horse shit for them so they may have good cause to like you.” He stared at me his eyes seeming to study me. “To be honest I’m impressed with you. You knew how to deal with all the royal siblings. You were honest and straightforward with my Lady Alexandria, you appealed to Prince Bertrand’s vanity, you knew that humiliating yourself for Sylvain was the best way to get rid of him. I am not sure how you dealt with Princess Ludivine but perhaps you did not have to, she is quite easygoing and polite. But it seems clear to me that you know how to adapt to a given situation.”

He smiled a smile at me that made my blood run cold. “Even now, you are playing the harmless fool. Did you think I would not notice how you spilled your plate of beans on purpose when you stood up.

I felt my heart racing but managed to stay calm. I should have known better than to put up an act with this man, but all he has is suspicions nothing that could condemn me.

He stared at me and this time I did not look away or pretend to be scared and held his gaze. “You are right about me I try to adapt to any given situation as I think fits it is how I have survived for so long. But believe me when I tell you I hold no bad intentions for you, Lady Alexandria, or this Kingdom all I do is for the survival of my brothers and me.”

He continued staring at me before sighing. “I believe you. I do not think you hold any bad intentions, you have been a member of the city watch for years without incident and you are rather well-liked. With your ability to adapt you would probably make for a better spy, and I am not entirely convinced you are not one.”

“I assure you Sir that I am more than satisfied being a city watch guard. I know we have a bad reputation especially in this city now that the common folk go elsewhere for their problems, but this is where my brothers are and so long as they remain here so will I.”

He got up and motioned for me to do so as well, so I did. “Well, this has certainly been an interesting conversation you are a better man than I thought you would be. If ever you feel like changing jobs let me know I will recommend you to the spymaster. Now, I have to go I still have to procure food and other necessities before I depart.”

Seems like I made it through this meeting with the monstrous geezer but I would be a fool to think he will just leave me alone from now on. He even suspects I am a spy I better not give him cause to further his suspicions. I suppose I should let the devil know about this, perhaps this is what will finally make him let me go.