Within Frostfell lay eight major towns and numerous smaller settlements. Alistair's castle, Snowmantle, was situated in the most prosperous of them, Frostcrest.
Of course, "prosperous" was a relative term. Compared to the cities near the royal capital, Frostcrest was but a provincial town.
The city was circular in design, divided into an Inner and Outer City. The Inner City was dominated by Alistair's opulent Snowmantle Citadel, which occupied a full third of its area. The remainder housed individuals of some standing: down-on-their-luck mages, landless nobles, great merchants, and the like.
The Outer City was home to a motlier crew: slavelords, small-time merchants, mercenaries, and adventurers, along with a great many freemen. The families of the castle's staff and knights also resided there, amidst a collection of taverns, chapels, shops, and smithies.
Passing a beautiful statue of an angel and riding through the castle's towering archway, Alistair emerged onto the main street of Frostcrest.
The gentle noon sun bathed the city. The streets were bustling with the clamor of hurried footsteps and lively chatter. Upon seeing Alistair, flanked by his retinue of knights, the people quickly made way, bowing their heads in respect.
"It's the Lord!"
"Good day, my Lord!"
"Wow! A clanky monster!" cried a child's voice.
"Hush, you little rascal," an adult chided. "Those are the noble knights."
"The Lord is so handsome. I'd bear his children in a heartbeat."
…
News that the second son of House Goldlion had become the Count of Frostfell had already spread through every street and alley. Though most didn't know Alistair by sight, they recognized the emblem of the Goldenlion.
Alistair kept his face a cold, emotionless mask, urging his Drakeblood Steed forward at a brisk pace, his squadron of grim-faced knights following close behind.
In truth, he wanted to greet his enthusiastic subjects, but the thought of the task before him soured his mood completely. To prevent his people from forming any warm illusions about him, he had to project an image of aloof, arrogant nobility.
At the same time, his eyes darted discreetly through the crowd, searching for a suitable target. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. A chubby kid holding a lollipop had entered his line of sight.
Three minutes later, the boy found himself cornered in an alley by seven towering knights in full plate. He pressed himself against the wall, utterly bewildered, his face on the verge of tears.
"Heh, don't be afraid, little one." Alistair dismounted and crouched down to meet the boy's gaze. He forced his face into what he hoped was a kind and gentle smile. "Let me ask you a little question. Do you know who I am?"
"Y-yes… you're the Lord," the kid stammered, glancing fearfully at Alistair and the wall of steel behind him.
"And am I the biggest, most important person in Frostcrest?"
"Yes," the boy answered honestly.
"And since I'm the biggest, that means everyone has to listen to me, right?"
"Yes…"
A confident smile spread across Alistair's face; victory was at hand.
"Then, little one… can you give me the candy in your hand?"
Alistair held out his hand.
"No!" The kid recoiled, hiding the lollipop behind his back.
The atmosphere grew tense. The smile on Alistair's face froze. The oppressive silence was too much for the child. "Waaah!" he howled, tears streaming down his face. "Waaah! The Lord and his clanky monsters are stealing my candy! Waaah! The Lord is bullying a kid…!"
"Hey! Don't cry! I'll just take it for a moment, and then I'll give you two back…"
Before Alistair could finish, the System's crisp, electronic voice cut through his thoughts.
[Please do not treat the System like an idiot. Your current actions constitute a serious violation.]
"…"
Right. So the take-and-return exploit was a no-go.
Alistair gritted his teeth. Staring at the bawling kid, a vicious thought took root. The damage was already done. With the child's lung capacity, a crowd would gather any second. He was already caught in an impossible situation; protesting his innocence now would only make him look guiltier.
Done with the pretense, Alistair shot a meaningful glance at the knights behind him. They merely exchanged hesitant looks.
"My Lord, this…"
"Just do as you're told!" Alistair snapped. "Are you paid to ask questions?"
The nearest knight, left with no choice, snatched the lollipop from the kid's hand. With the objective secured, Alistair vaulted back onto his horse. Without a backward glance, he barked an order, and within moments, the entire retinue had vanished from the scene of the crime.
"Nooo! My candy! I just bought it!"
In the dim alley, a lone chubby kid sat on the ground, howling for his lost treasure.
That day was a nightmare for the children of Frostcrest. One by one, shortly after leaving the candy shop, they were dragged into alleys by a demon leading a squad of knights, who then brazenly stole their sweets.
By nightfall, ten miserable, sobbing children were scattered in alleys across the city, and a new legend had been born among Frostcrest's youth: the tale of the Great Candy Bandit.
…
[Ding. Daily Quest Two has been completed. Claim reward now? Y/N?]
"No," Alistair growled through gritted teeth, his visored helm hiding his shame.
He had to admit, however, that after robbing ten small children, he felt a strange sense of sublimation. It was a peculiar kind of liberation, a feeling of, It no longer matters whether I'm even human. Once a person's moral compass is broken, it's difficult to restore.
So, Alistair decided to complete all three tasks. He would try his luck and see if he could trigger the critical reward.
"My Lord Alistair, I have a question, if I may be so bold."
A tall knight in more exquisitely crafted armor rode up beside him. He lifted his visor, revealing an aged face with a thick, grizzled beard. A long scar ran from his right eye down to his jaw.
This was Earth Knight Thorne, a veteran who had achieved his rank many years ago. If not for the limits of his age, he might well have ascended to the rank of Sky Knight. Thorne had once been a knight captain under Alistair's father, but upon Alistair's investiture, he had been assigned as his personal guard and the captain of Snowmantle Citadel's cavalry.
"Thorne, there is no need for such formality between us. Ask what you will," Alistair said.
He remembered this old knight vividly. In his past life, it was this one-eyed man who had single-handedly held the castle gate against countless waves of players, fighting until he died from sheer exhaustion.
The previous lord had treated this loyal knight as a common servant, but Alistair felt a deep, genuine respect for the man. This old knight was his strongest general, the most powerful piece on his board.
"My Lord Alistair, I do not understand why you… ah, took the candy from those children. You must know that the castle confectioners can prepare any sweet you desire, far superior to what the commoners eat." Thorne chose his words carefully.
The sam question was troubling all the other knights.
A bitter expression touched Alistair's lips. Thorne didn't understand, but then, neither did he. He could hardly say, Your Lord has been blackmailed by a system and is now forced to commit shameless acts on a daily basis, couldn't you see?
Having no other choice, Alistair summoned a mysterious smile. "Thorne," he said, his voice low and enigmatic, "it is normal that you do not understand now. But I trust that in time, you will see my purpose."
As he spoke, he gave Thorne a profound, meaningful look.
Thorne nodded, his mind racing. Of course. Lord Alistair has been wise and kind since he was a boy. He must have his reasons for this. It's impossible that he would bully the city's children for sport.
Could it be… that this was a new method of interacting with the common folk?
An idea sparked in Thorne's mind. He looked at Alistair with newfound admiration, certain he had grasped his lord's brilliant intention. His Lordship was trying to bridge the distance between ruler and subject! And… and he was also effectively preventing tooth decay in the city's children!
The old knight marveled at this insight, and his gaze upon Alistair grew even more reverent.
Alistair was completely baffled by the series of expressions that crossed Thorne's face. He had no idea what grand narrative the old knight was constructing in his head, but it seemed his nonsensical bluff had, for now, succeeded.