"So, boss," Leone said with a smirk. "You gonna do it?"
I shook my head and regretted ever allowing Migi to explain things to her. She'd been quiet at first but the moment Migi had stopped talking she'd immediately started asking me questions and making lewd jokes. We'd left the command room after that and were headed to meet Asara and her riders since it was time to leave and every rider we passed also on their way out, Leone would wink at or smirk at, leaving many confused, but some blushing or simply looking away. One had almost even tripped when Leone had made a joke out loud.
"You need to stop, Leone,' I said with no real heat or command in my voice. "I already told you I'm going to give it a chance, so you can stop asking."
"But I like seeing you blush," she replied with a chuckle before putting an arm around me. "Don't forget me and the girls, though. I know Dominos looking forward to it and from the way, Blair acted around you the same goes for her."
I glanced at her and sighed. "Can we not talk about this in public. I've already agreed you don't need to convince me anymore."
She laughed. "I'm just teasing."
It lapsed into silence after that and I inspected the fort and people around me as we walked by. Like they had before, they were kneeling at the sight of me instead of the usual bow. It seemed no one wanted to risk my anger, which wasn't going to happen if they just bowed instead. It was something I would have to remedy since these people didn't know the real me. All they knew was that I was incredibly powerful and had wiped out an army with ease, well not me specifically, but they knew Oars was under my command. Fear was good, but I preferred adoration and love from my people. Hopefully, in time it would be so, but I couldn't spare any to do so now. I had to get back to the capital, sort out a few traitors and prepare for Biroth, well not really prepare since with Oars and twice and four tokens to use, Biroth was as good as done for.
There were still the muttering and whispers, but not as much as there had been. It was mostly the same as it had been, talks about who I was, where I was from, and what I was going to do. There was little fear in the words, which was good since I didn't want them thinking I was some sort of tyrant that was going to hurt them. As a few met my eyes, I smiled as genuinely as I could, shocking some of them while making some of the women blush, reminding me that I was quite handsome looking in this body. That was something I forgot a lot of the time, the fact that this wasn't my real body, not that I was complaining. This body was superior to my old in every way but at times its also raised questions that I didn't want to think about.
Like what had happened to my other body? Where were my parents going to walk into my room and find my soulless body or had my body been destroyed and I was just gone. I shook the thoughts away, not wanting to go down that road of thinking. Things were going good if not also odd, but still good, and there was no reason for me to spoil it with depressing thoughts. Gods knew that there were already enough of those just thinking about this world and the way people were treated in it. Something which I was going to change, one way or another, this idiotic war had just diverted that, not changed it.
"Watch out!"
A sudden weight hit me and for a normal person, it might have made them stumble, but with my enhanced body I didn't budge. I looked down to see a small girl that seemed about 6 years old. She had clearly bumped into me and fell. Next to her was a spilled cup of water, and she was looking at me which fear and confusion. It was that sight that hit me hard and made me once again think of the way they probably saw me.
"Lily!"
A woman rushed over, which I guessed was her mother, and knelt in front of me. "Please your majesty she meant no offense. She was just being clumsy."
I stared down at them, feeling revulsion at the way they acted, but also understanding it. The fear of the unknown and how I would act. The mother began to shake but stopped when I placed a hand under her chin and lifted her head up.
"Do not lower your head," I said softly but loud enough for everyone around us to hear, which was quite a few since everybody had stopped the moment the girl had bumped into me. "And do not fear."
I took her hand in my own and slowly lifted her to her feet, motioning for her to do the same with her daughter who immediately hid behind her mother's skirt. I smiled at her and raised my voice slightly. "I understand your actions, but you need not fear me. I am no tyrant and no normal king. I would never harm an innocent let alone an innocent child for a simple mistake."
Lily peeked her head from behind her mother's skirt and I caught her eye and gave her a smile, which she hesitantly returned. I knelt to become face to face with her and summoned a gold coin from my inventory. I'd stocked up on money when I'd had some spare before I'd first left with the riders just in case. I offered my hand to her and she glanced at her mother who slowly nodded. Lily stepped forward and I placed the coin in her hand. She gazed at it with wonder and I stood and ruffled her hair gently.
"Go on, little one," I said with a smile. "And remember to keep an eye out on where you're going."
I went to turn but stopped when a small hand hesitantly touched my own. I glanced back at her and smiled.
"Thank you," she said softly, giving me a very cute curtsey
I only nodded in return and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before turning away and resuming my walk.
Murmurs and whispers followed me as I went but I ignored them in favor of focusing on the warm feeling I'd gotten when the little girl had smiled at me. I recognized it easily. It was happiness and knowing that I'd done something right. that in killing the army I'd allowed her and her mother to live. An act of evil to preserve good and innocence. I smiled at that thought.
It was always good to know what you fought for, and while the main reason was to get stronger, protecting those I considered my people was a close second. It helped reaffirm a lot of decisions I'd made in the past few hours.
"Thank you," Leone said from beside me, once she'd caught up with me.
I turned to her. "You don't need to thank me, Leone."
"I know," she replied. "But I still wanted to. My king and boss, I'm going to suffocate you in my love when we get back to the capital both figuratively and literally."
She said the last word while arching her back, giving me an even better look at her chest.
I chuckled and replied honestly. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I hope so," she replied, leaning in to give me a quick kiss on the cheek,