Just as she was falling asleep after the System finally quieted down, Alesha felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently awake. "Alesha," a tenor voice she didn't recognize called. "Alesha, wake up. It's urgent."
She sat up, swinging her legs off the bed and rubbing her face with one hand. "What's up? Who are you?"
A figure in half-fitted black clothing knelt on one knee by Alesha's bed, head bowed. The mysterious person proffered a lightly glowing blue stone. "A communication stone connected to the King. He has an urgent request for you."
Shocked and suspicious, but mostly sleepy, Alesha accepted the stone. "Your Majesty?" She asked hesitantly.
A voice that unmistakably belonged to the King (who had spoken to the Heroes several times in the last few days) emanated from the stone, though with a slightly buzzing quality. "Alesha, I am in urgent need of your aid. We have caught one of your fellow Heroes in a violent act and need you to Plunder his skill so he won't be able to do it again. Will you help us?"
Still groggy from having been so close to sleep, Alesha agreed. One of the Heroes had committed violence? Why? Still, the idea of being used as a way to prevent the other Heroes from going wild gave her hope. She'd been feeling nervous since earning the nickname "Useless Hero." There were plenty of examples in "hero summoning" literature where anyone with that particular moniker got disposed of, so any way in which she could disprove it was welcome.
The man in black stood, waited outside for her to dress herself, then led her down several hallways, lighting the way with a bright candlestick. She didn't need the light since she'd acquired Night Vision Lvl 3 from a provided flask of blood two days ago, but the man in front of her looked like he did. He touched some bricks on a wall in a certain pattern. That caused a secret opening to appear, revealing a well-maintained hallway behind it.
After several minutes of traversing various hallways and a couple staircases, they entered an area that seemed like a prison. There were several guards in dark armor standing at intervals, including a couple on patrol. She couldn't tell whether there were any prisoners, though, since the cells were made of stone rather than of bars, and the doors were of heavy wood with thin slots at eye level. They were walking too quickly for her to take a peek through any of them.
Her guide stopped at an especially strong-looking door at the end of the hall, then swung it open, gesturing for her to enter. A quick rush of anxiety was quieted when she saw the room's interior. It was an office.
At the desk inside sat someone entirely unexpected: the King himself! He wore simpler attire than usual, though it was still very fine. His strong, somewhat aged figure struck her as imposing yet tired, kind yet unyielding. Her impression of him was formed not just by what she saw now but also what she had learned of him during Hero Education and what she'd overheard from the servants and staff in the castle. He was a beloved King, harsh when it was necessary yet a man who worked tirelessly for the good of his people. In short, he was a man Alesha respected.
She bowed, following the etiquette she'd been taught as best she could. Her form was clumsy but sincere. "Your Majesty," she greeted.
"Rise," he said. "Thank you for coming. Are you surprised to see me?" He smiled, eyes twinkling.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she replied.
"Come now, come now, be at ease," he said, waving a hand. "You're one of the Heroes. It's alright to feel nervous but please speak comfortably."
"Alright, thank you. So who is it?"
"Before that, there's something I'd like to clarify about your skill, Plunder. Are you able to choose which skill to steal, if your target has many?"
She shrugged. "That would be nice, but I don't know for sure. I've only plundered skills from the flasks Your Majesty was so kind to gift me each day. Every time I drink enough, I get one skill, and I'm notified once it's done. It might be different if I'm not drinking from a flask, though."
The King nodded. "I thought as much. Are you willing to experiment a bit with that first?"
Alesha readily agreed. The more she knew about her skill, the better. She didn't know why the King was helping her with this himself, but she had an inkling it was because matters relating to a Hero having committed violence were just that important to him; and that she, as a possible preventative measure or counter to such, was important by extension.
A guard led the King and Alesha a few cells down. He stopped and unlocked it, holding it open for them. The King entered first.
It was a square room littered with used hay, filled with the stench of blood, sweat, and urine. Alesha covered her nose in disgust. A man with long, silvery hair was chained to the far wall by the wrists. He hung limply, clearly asleep.
"This man," the King introduced, "Is a full-blooded vampire, albeit a rather weak one. He was captured a long time ago and given mercy because he was a child at the time. He possesses only three skills, HP Drain, Minor Hypnotism, and Mana Drain. I want you to take both Drain skills, but to start, please see if choosing the skill to plunder is possible by trying to take HP Drain."