The sun had already set several hours before, and Lynn had invited Sarjay to sleepover at her house. He had declined, since he didn't need to sleep and wanted to do some exploration on his own, but agreed to accompany the woman to his home.
They were chatting and laughing as they walked down a secluded alleyway when several presences made themselves known ahead of them. A scarred, burly man walked forward from the group, twirling a dagger with his left hand.
"Hey there, you know how this goes. Hand over all your valuables and you get to walk away. Make a sound, and…" He raised his dagger in front of his throat and made a slashing motion.
He was quite surprised to see a different reaction from the pair than he had been expecting.
"A mugging, on my first day out? Seriously? This is so cliche it's not even funny." Sarjay sighed as he fell into his now comfortable ready stance. He didn't have a sword with him, but for a bunch of thugs like this, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
"Banter after we're safe," came a disapproving comment from Lynn. "I'll take the left side."
A minute later, Sarjay and Lynn were standing around the five unconscious bodies, looking hardly worse for wear. Lynn's face was the very picture of disdain, while Sarjay was pensive.
"Is stuff like this common?"
"What, petty crime like this? Pretty much, yeah."
"I thought the guards were supposed to keep the people safe."
Lynn snorted. "As if. Sure, they're useful to deter the bigger stuff, like bandits attacking the town, but scum like this knows how to slip through the cracks. The deaddies are stupid and predictable, and low-level criminals like these," she kicked one in the shin, eliciting a moan, "learn very quickly how to avoid their patrols and not draw attention. I'm pretty sure there's a veritable criminal empire skulking around in the dark."
Sarjay was conflicted. "Why doesn't anyone do anything about it? Or even just tell Lord Crane? I'm sure he-"
"Bwahahahaha, tell Lord Spookyface? Most people think he's gonna ignore them at best, and steal their souls at worst." Lynn shook her head. "Plus, it's been done before. He comes in, cleans the house, then a month later another group pops up. There's no point."
He wasn't yet sure why, but this didn't sit right with Sarjay. Back on Earth, there had been crime, sure, but it tended to stem from systemic reasons — poverty, mostly. It wasn't something that he would have expected from a small prosperous town like Blackrock. A handful of criminals from time to time, sure, but a recurring problem? Sarjay thought he smelled a rat.
"I don't think it's this simple. If you want to continue home, feel free, but I want to investigate this. There's something bothering me."
"Huh, it's a wild goose chase, but why the hell not. Count me in."
Sarjay turned his attention to the leader of the sorry lot of thugs. Interrogation was not something he'd seen outside of novels, but he didn't have any other leads. He tried to calm himself, willing his face to adopt a disdainful expression. Sarjay wasn't sure if he succeeded, but it'd have to do.
Kneeling next to him, he lifted him up into a sitting position and snapped his fingers in front of his eyes to wake him up from his stupor.
"Thuggy, if you answer my questions, I'll let you off with your life. If you don't, well, just know I work for the Dark Lord." The threat was empty, and he was banking on the man filling the gaps with his imagination, but it worked either way. He paled and nodded frenetically.
"Now, something easy. What's your name?"
"Samuel, ma'am," he staggered.
"That's good," Sarjay encouraged, "now, Samuel, why is your little gang here, attacking random people in the dark?"
"I don't understand?" He stammered, nervously. "We just want to make some gold?" Samuel had averted his eyes as he answered. There was something there. A facade.
"Do you take me for a fool?" He sneered. It was a stab in the dark, but the thug cringed. "Now, who do you work for?"
"I don't-" he began, but it turned into an anguished scream as Sarjay stabbed him in the thigh with his own dagger.
For a moment, Sarjay was as stunned as the thug. This wasn't who he was. Or at least, this wasn't who he thought he had been, before coming to this world. Even if he was a criminal, he'd never thought he could just hurt an unarmed man like that.
But he had, and worst of all he didn't feel anything about it. No, that was a lie. As much as it disgusted him to admit it, it had felt good.
Is this because I'm not human anymore? Or has this been the real me all along?
It's this feeling of… control? He'd been at the mercy of others for most of his life — a flash of phantom pain tore through him as memories of humiliation came unbidden. And now he was the one with the power.
No. I will not let myself become the bully.
At least, he hoped.
Sarjay shook himself out of it. He didn't want to have hurt the man for nothing. The knight schooled his face into a severe scowl.
"Do not lie to me again. Who do you work for?"
"It was Lord Avery, oh gods please-"
"The old Baron's son?" Lynn interjected. Sarjay jumped. He'd forgotten Lynn was there.
Samuel nodded fervently. "Aye! The others too— he found us in Selwyn, paid good coin to any who'd make trouble in Blackrock. Swore he'd make us nobles once he took back the town."
Sarjay paced up and down the alley as he digested the information. The exiled noble was making a play for Barony — he didn't know the circumstances of his departure, but he had picked up that the old Guard had followed him. It wouldn't have a real fighting force, but it still made him a threat.
It took Sarjay a minute to realize why the situation was bothering him so much. As informal as their relationship was, Achilles was still his Lord, and that worm was encroaching on his domain.
"Hey, calm down. Sure, sending thugs to harass people is a dick move, but you don't need to get so worked up." Lynn's words hit Sarjay like a cold shower. He was right. Yes, some annoyance was justified, but where had that overwhelming anger come from?
But it wasn't something he could deal with now. He would have some pointed questions for Achilles when he got back.
There was, however, the other issue up in the air — how to deal with the never-ending stream of criminals. And Sarjay thought he had the perfect solution for it — after all, who didn't like to fight fire with fire?
"Okay, here's what we're gonna do," Sarjay said as he turned around to face Samuel and his band of marauders. "Your men are at least somewhat loyal to you, yes?"
The man nodded, afraid to speak.
Sarjay grinned as he spread his arms.
"Good, because starting today, you're all working for me."