The next day while Laura and Eleonora were training, Roderick came to visit them being accompanied by Royce, The Harbinger; covered from head to toe in his black armor and Kana; who is dressed in a white kimono.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys but there's something I need to run by you all."
Eleonora stops swinging her blade and turns to face him.
"What is it?"
"During my meeting last night the other party and I came to an agreement. Next week is the first princess' 16th birthday which means the entire capital will be throwing a festival and we're going to be holding some fights between you five. The entire royal family will be in attendance for it as well."
Laura and Eleonora both drop their swords, while Royce, Kana and the Harbinger all stop in their tracks with wide eyed expressions.
"TH-THE ENTIRE ROYAL FAMILY?!" All five of them yell in unison.
"That's correct. Groel will be dealing with personal matters at that time that can't be put off so you 5 are going to be the ones taking care of everything. The princess is very interested in watching the top fighters duke it out so I expect you 5 to put on a good show."
All 5 of them look at each other; expecting one another to chime in their opinion. But none of them say anything.
"Um, everyone, are you all going to say anything?"
Eleonora is the first one to chime in.
"Honestly I'm not sure how to react to that information. It will be my first time fighting in front of big shots like the royal family."
The other 4 nod in unison.
"Me too. Honestly knowing that they'll be watching makes me really nervous." Kana says.
"Yeah I agree." Laura interjects.
"Well being nervous is expected but you 5 don't have the right to refuse since the princess has specifically requested the top fighters."
"But what about Groel?" Kana says.
"Her highness has given her permission to exclude Groel from this."
"But wait. How are we going to fight with an odd number of fighters then?" Royce adds.
"The royal family will be supplying us with top of the line magic potions to heal injuries sustained in fights. That way you all can fight each other at full strength."
"Seems like a waste don't you think?" Royce says.
Roderick shrugs. "This is what the princess wants so they're going to supply them no questions asked or strings attached. It's all in the contract."
Kana lets out a sigh.
"So we're stuck doing this huh?"
"Precisely. Don't worry, just fight like you always do and put on a good show. Being nervous is okay but don't let it interfere with the entertainment."
All 5 of them nod to Roderick.
"Good, I expect satisfactory results."
Roderick walks away leaving the 5 fighters. When he's out of sight all 5 let out a heavy sigh. They all look at each other.
"Well this day just got a lot more stressful." The Harbinger says.
The other 4 nod in agreement.
"We better get back to training." Laura says.
"Y-yeah we'd better." Eleonora agrees.
The news that 5 of the top fighters in the colosseum are going to be fighting in front of the entire royal family spreads throughout the colosseum within the hour. The entire place is buzzing with excitement.
"It's an amazing opportunity Miss Laura." Avery in her infinitely cheery attitude says.
"What opportunity? Not like anything will come out of it since I'm stuck here." Laura replies.
"Don't be so pessimistic. You're going to knock all their socks off I'm sure."
Laura waves her hand dismissively.
"Personally I'd rather not."
"Why's that?"
"The town I grew up in had a merchant named Krone and he'd sometimes tell the other kids and I about the nobles he'd have to deal with. He'd always tell us to not even show ourselves to anyone with a noble title. He did say that some nobles are good people but he also told me that it's best not to take any chances."
"Well it's not as if you'll be meeting them right? So why worry?"
"I guess you're right."
Back in his office Roderick sits at his desk reading over the contract he received last night. He's read it over and over looking for anything he can use to refuse the princess. Olivia places a drink on his desk.
"You've been staring at that piece of paper for hours."
"I know I have. But I just feel like if I can find one loophole then I can keep Laura here."
"I take it that refusing isn't an option?"
"Of course it's not an option. First off if I refuse then they'll find some other more underhanded way to get Laura out of here. Plus I want to remain on good terms with the royalty. Secondly look at this sum they said they'll pay."
Roderick holds up the contract and points to a certain number.
"3 million gold pieces?!"
Olivia nearly faints from shock
"That's right; all that just for Laura."
"But why so much?"
"I guess it's to make up for any potential loses we may incur due to the loss of one of our biggest attractions. Plus they're not going to be taxing us on our ticket sales for the princess' birthday so we're going to be making even more money."
"All because they want Laura?"
"Yeah If I refuse they'll make my life hell. Probably by raising my ticket taxes that I have to pay or maybe outright shutting us down."
Olivia takes a sip of her drink.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to sign the contract. It's not like they've given me much of a choice. After this is all over Laura will be sold to the royal family."
"When are you going to tell her?"
"I don't know. Is there ever a good time to tell a person that they've been sold?"
"Well you'll have to tell her eventually."
"Right, but if I tell her before the fights her performance might suffer because of it and if I tell her after the fights then she'll probably lash out at me. It's a lose lose situation no matter how I look at it. I guess I'll wait until everything has settled down and I can tell her in a calm manner."
"I hope it turns out alright." Olivia says.
"I doubt it will. But I'm still hoping."
"Here's to hoping."
Roderick signs his name on the line, rolls it up and hands it to Oliva.
"Please go take this to the designated drop off location Oliva."
"Right away sir."
Oliva leaves the room with the contract.
Roderick places his head on his desk and lets out a sigh.
"It's strange. I've sold off fighters before but this just feels wrong. That godforsaken bitch princess needs to learn her place. But there's nothing I can do." He murmurs to himself.
The next day while Laura and Eleonora were training, Roderick came to visit them being accompanied by Royce, The Harbinger; covered from head to toe in his black armor and Kana; who is dressed in a white kimono.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys but there's something I need to run by you all."
Eleonora stops swinging her blade and turns to face him.
"What is it?"
"During my meeting last night the other party and I came to an agreement. Next week is the first princess' 16th birthday which means the entire capital will be throwing a festival and we're going to be holding some fights between you five. The entire royal family will be in attendance for it as well."
Laura and Eleonora both drop their swords, while Royce, Kana and the Harbinger all stop in their tracks with wide eyed expressions.
"TH-THE ENTIRE ROYAL FAMILY?!" All five of them yell in unison.
"That's correct. Groel will be dealing with personal matters at that time that can't be put off so you 5 are going to be the ones taking care of everything. The princess is very interested in watching the top fighters duke it out so I expect you 5 to put on a good show."
All 5 of them look at each other; expecting one another to chime in their opinion. But none of them say anything.
"Um, everyone, are you all going to say anything?"
Eleonora is the first one to chime in.
"Honestly I'm not sure how to react to that information. It will be my first time fighting in front of big shots like the royal family."
The other 4 nod in unison.
"Me too. Honestly knowing that they'll be watching makes me really nervous." Kana says.
"Yeah I agree." Laura interjects.
"Well being nervous is expected but you 5 don't have the right to refuse since the princess has specifically requested the top fighters."
"But what about Groel?" Kana says.
"Her highness has given her permission to exclude Groel from this."
"But wait. How are we going to fight with an odd number of fighters then?" Royce adds.
"The royal family will be supplying us with top of the line magic potions to heal injuries sustained in fights. That way you all can fight each other at full strength."
"Seems like a waste don't you think?" Royce says.
Roderick shrugs. "This is what the princess wants so they're going to supply them no questions asked or strings attached. It's all in the contract."
Kana lets out a sigh.
"So we're stuck doing this huh?"
"Precisely. Don't worry, just fight like you always do and put on a good show. Being nervous is okay but don't let it interfere with the entertainment."
All 5 of them nod to Roderick.
"Good, I expect satisfactory results."
Roderick walks away leaving the 5 fighters. When he's out of sight all 5 let out a heavy sigh. They all look at each other.
"Well this day just got a lot more stressful." The Harbinger says.
The other 4 nod in agreement.
"We better get back to training." Laura says.
"Y-yeah we'd better." Eleonora agrees.
The news that 5 of the top fighters in the colosseum are going to be fighting in front of the entire royal family spreads throughout the colosseum within the hour. The entire place is buzzing with excitement.
"It's an amazing opportunity Miss Laura." Avery in her infinitely cheery attitude says.
"What opportunity? Not like anything will come out of it since I'm stuck here." Laura replies.
"Don't be so pessimistic. You're going to knock all their socks off I'm sure."
Laura waves her hand dismissively.
"Personally I'd rather not."
"Why's that?"
"The town I grew up in had a merchant named Krone and he'd sometimes tell the other kids and I about the nobles he'd have to deal with. He'd always tell us to not even show ourselves to anyone with a noble title. He did say that some nobles are good people but he also told me that it's best not to take any chances."
"Well it's not as if you'll be meeting them right? So why worry?"
"I guess you're right."
Back in his office Roderick sits at his desk reading over the contract he received last night. He's read it over and over looking for anything he can use to refuse the princess. Olivia places a drink on his desk.
"You've been staring at that piece of paper for hours."
"I know I have. But I just feel like if I can find one loophole then I can keep Laura here."
"I take it that refusing isn't an option?"
"Of course it's not an option. First off if I refuse then they'll find some other more underhanded way to get Laura out of here. Plus I want to remain on good terms with the royalty. Secondly look at this sum they said they'll pay."
Roderick holds up the contract and points to a certain number.
"3 million gold pieces?!"
Olivia nearly faints from shock
"That's right; all that just for Laura."
"But why so much?"
"I guess it's to make up for any potential loses we may incur due to the loss of one of our biggest attractions. Plus they're not going to be taxing us on our ticket sales for the princess' birthday so we're going to be making even more money."
"All because they want Laura?"
"Yeah If I refuse they'll make my life hell. Probably by raising my ticket taxes that I have to pay or maybe outright shutting us down."
Olivia takes a sip of her drink.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to sign the contract. It's not like they've given me much of a choice. After this is all over Laura will be sold to the royal family."
"When are you going to tell her?"
"I don't know. Is there ever a good time to tell a person that they've been sold?"
"Well you'll have to tell her eventually."
"Right, but if I tell her before the fights her performance might suffer because of it and if I tell her after the fights then she'll probably lash out at me. It's a lose lose situation no matter how I look at it. I guess I'll wait until everything has settled down and I can tell her in a calm manner."
"I hope it turns out alright." Olivia says.
"I doubt it will. But I'm still hoping."
"Here's to hoping."
Roderick signs his name on the line, rolls it up and hands it to Oliva.
"Please go take this to the designated drop off location Oliva."
"Right away sir."
Oliva leaves the room with the contract.
Roderick places his head on his desk and lets out a sigh.
"It's strange. I've sold off fighters before but this just feels wrong. That godforsaken bitch princess needs to learn her place. But there's nothing I can do." He murmurs to himself.
