I stared at the floating system window, my eyes fixated on one particular line: "Make Drake willingly sleep with you."
As if that memory-dream nightmare wasn't enough already, now I got slapped with this twisted quest? I stifled a sigh and rubbed at the corner of my twitching brow.
"Your Highness?"
Drake's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. He sounded puzzled, probably because I called for him and then spaced out.
"Ah," I waved a hand nonchalantly. "I was just thinking of asking you to take me to the slums outside the palace."
His thick brows furrowed, a mix of suspicion and confusion. "Do you have business in the slums, Your Highness?"
"Not really. Just looking for someone." I shrugged, trying to sound casual.
I was planning to find a personal maid, someone I could trust to help with daily tasks. I couldn't keep having men loitering around me like this. It's… distracting.
Ahem. Not that kind of distracting. I meant the mental toll of navigating the minefield of affection points around these so-called love interests with knives up their sleeves.
"If you're looking for someone, I can assist you." Drake offered.
"No need. I want to do this myself."
I waved off his offer. This person would be by my side all the time, and maybe even carry out tasks in the shadows. I needed to be the one to choose her, I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it.
"But that area is dangerous."
His words caught me off guard. I blinked. Was that… concern in his voice?
But no. His amethyst eyes held no emotion. I must be imagining things again.
I tilted my head and gave him a faint smile before turning to leave.
"I've got the best knight in the Empire at my side, don't I?"
Davina silhouette slowly faded into the distance, golden sunlight brushing against her thin shoulders and setting her crimson hair aglow.
Behind her, Drake let out a faint smile, unreadable.
"I don't recall saying I'd protect you."
*
After washing off the sweat and changing into a plain outfit, I met Drake at the stables. He was already waiting.
No way could we show up in the slums in a flashy royal carriage — that'd scream rob me. So, we'd disguise ourselves as commoners and ride there on horseback.
I'd learned basic horse-riding during my military training. Not that I was particularly good at it, but I probably wouldn't fall off… I hoped.
Drake brought over a strong, well-built brown horse, checking the saddle one last time before handing me the reins.
"That area's unpredictable. Please stay close to me." he warned.
Shouldn't it be the other way around? You're the knight here!
I forced a smile and nodded. Who told me to be Davina anyway, the one who had to run after love interests.
Drake climbed onto his jet-black stallion and led the way.
The slums were nestled along the outer wall of the capital — a forgotten place fenced off from the grandeur of civilization. As we drew closer, a mix of mildew and rot filled the air, making me wrinkle my nose. It smelled like decaying corpses.
My eyes scanned the ramshackle homes, shabby huts patched together with rotting planks and crumpled tarps. Children huddled in corners, arms wrapped tightly around their bruised, malnourished bodies.
The adults all wore scowls, the kind carved deep by poverty and despair. To them, the world was nothing but a punching bag, and the children they birthed were often the closest ones to hit.
A few thuggish-looking men sized us up from the shadows, eyes hungry and calculating. I pulled my hood further down, hiding my face and my fiery royal hair.
Even as we moved, I kept an eye out, quietly studying every girl we passed.
Some were too sly, others too meek. I needed someone quick-witted, intelligent. Someone who could keep up.
By the time we'd nearly circled the entire slum, I still hadn't found the one. Maybe this trip was a waste.
"Stop right there, you little bitch!"
A violent roar rang out behind us, filled with murderous intent. I instinctively turned around.
A brown-haired girl — maybe fifteen — was running for her life. Chasing right behind her was a burly, brutish man. With long strides, he quickly caught up, grabbing her arm and yanking her back.
"Your parents sold you to me! You think you can run away, huh?!"
He struck her across the face, sending her tumbling to the ground. I wasn't planning to intervene, I wasn't here to be a savior. The slums didn't change just because some noble felt guilty.
But when the girl lifted her face, I stopped dead in my tracks.
I knew that look. That fire in her eyes. The kind of fire that never died on the battlefield.
"Drake. Stop him." My voice was cold and firm.
Drake immediately dismounted, stalking toward the man to halt the assault. I followed behind.
The brute's hand, still tangled in the girl's hair, was seized by Drake and twisted back until he let go with a pained grunt, but his glare remained ferocious.
"Who the hell are you? Mind your own damn business."
He snarled and threw a punch with his free hand, but Drake caught it effortlessly and pinned him down.
I knelt beside the girl, who lay bruised and bloodied but didn't shed a single tear.
"Damn you! Who the hell do you think you are?!" The man roared, his pride stinging more than the pain.
I ignored him and gently placed my hands on the girl's shoulders.
"What's your name?"
She flinched, wary but she didn't look away.
"I… I don't have one."
My heart clenched.
In a way, I understood. I had once abandoned my own name too, becoming someone who no longer existed.
"Would you like one?" I brushed a hand through her tangled hair. I didn't even realize how gentle I sounded.
"You'd give me… a name?" Her eyes widened in disbelief, though still tinged with doubt.
"I'll give you a name, a place to live, and a life worth living." I nodded.
She didn't say anything at first, looking down slightly as if too afraid to hope.
"What do you want in return?" She asked softly.
Smart girl.
"I want your loyalty. Can you give me that?"
I wasn't going to force her. The choice was hers.
She looked up again, no longer afraid.
"If you can get me out of here."
She made a deal with me instead. I liked her already.
I nodded with a satisfied smile, then turned my eyes to the brute still being held by Drake. People nearby had started to gather. I motioned for Drake to let him go.
"How much did you pay for the girl? I'll give you double." The sweetness in my tone vanished.
The man stopped struggling, stunned. The girl looked at me, shocked.
The man studied me. Even with my cloak and hood, he could tell I wasn't some random commoner, my clothes were too fine.
His scowl transformed into a greasy smile.
"Well, if the lady's willing…" He paused, thinking up a number. "Her parents sold her to me for a hundred gold coins."
One hundred gold coins, enough to feed a family of four for five months. And now he wanted double of that. What a greedy bastard.
Still, I had no room to negotiate. I reached into my pouch for my coin bag, only to find it missing.
Shit. Did it fall somewhere? Or did someone pickpocket me?
This body's reflexes suck.
I forced a smile toward Drake, even though he couldn't see my face. Then said awkwardly.
"Could you… lend me two hundred gold coins?"
Drake's salary was generous, he was both knight and Davina's consort, after all. But I wasn't sure if he carried that kind of money on him.
Drake blinked a few times, clearly surprised that I — the princess — was asking to borrow money from him.
A princess borrowing money from her knight. Might as well call it daylight robbery.
"I'll pay you back. Tenfold, if you want." I added quickly.
To my relief, Drake didn't question me. After a brief moment, he pulled out a pouch and handed it to the man.
"Thank you." I said sincerely, then turned to the brute. "I'll take the girl now."
The man opened the pouch and grinned ear to ear at the sight of all that gold.
"Of course, of course! Be my guest, miss."
I let out a quiet breath. One problem down. Time to head back to the palace.
"Come on." I said, taking the girl's hand. She still looked dazed, maybe she didn't believe someone would really spend that much to buy her freedom.
Drake returned to my side. The three of us headed toward our horses. Eyes from the slums trailed after us, no doubt drawn to the fat bag of gold I'd just thrown around.
This place was no longer safe.
"Can she ride with you, Drake?"
Like I said earlier, my riding skills were… serviceable at best. I couldn't manage with an extra passenger.
Drake frowned slightly, clearly not thrilled with the idea, but still lifted the girl onto his horse. Orders were orders, after all.
Just as I stepped into the stirrup and swung onto the saddle, a knife came flying from somewhere, not at me, but at my horse's rear.
It screamed, reared back, and bolted.
"Your Highness!" Drake shouted.
I was thrown off, crashing hard into the dirt. Before I could even process what was happening, shadows began rushing toward me.
This is bad.
***