Fractured God

After some further discussion and even heading down to the first floor of the building, Mr. Bentley still couldn't help but approach her with apprehension.

“Are you sure your father won't mind?” He asked.

“I can assure you, my father is no one important and he especially wouldn't give a rat's ass about what I'm doing currently.”

“Don't play dumb girl, you don't expect me to believe that man won't have me hanged if my tests end up injuring you!” He said in a raised voice before lowering his tone. ("While embarrassing her would get her to leave me alone, there's no chance in hell I'd be able to live for more than a month if I did something like that.")

She shook her head and sighed.

“How many times do I have to tell my father that nobody is important? Has my master's generosity led you to believe there's something more at play here?”

“You can say whatever you want girl, but I'm no fool. You'll take no part in my tests!”

Elizabeth sighed before pulling out her blade.

“Watch yourself miss, I may be old but- Dear God what are you doing!?” the old man shouted as he lunged towards her.

Elizabeth wasn't wearing any armour. Just a plain shirt and dress.

Her behemoth of a master looked on as she pulled out her blade and didn't look too bothered.

After taking it out of her scabbard, she sliced her side open. She gritted her teeth as blood flowed from her new wound while Mr. Bentley was assured he didn't have much time left on this planet.

“You dumb bitch, what are you doing!?” He shouted at the top of his voice. “I've gotten to this old age through sheer luck and won't allow you to get me killed for such a foolish reason! And you imbecilic bodyguard what are you doing watching her cut herself, you fucking fool, do want both of our heads being displayed to the public!?” The old man shouted as he desperately struggled to remove the blade from her hands.

Elizabeth easily shrugged him off and sheathed her blade.

The tall black pillar of armour simply yawned at the sight.

“She's fine, something like that wouldn't kill her.” They responded, with no discernable concern in their voice. “Elizabeth, are you sure you couldn't have just waited him out? I don't think he could have resisted the gold you were showing him.” They asked, sounding almost tired.

“I'm not going to wait any longer. Besides, I'll show him he's wrong in his assumptions, which can help with any problems that arise in the future.”

“If you say so.”

Mr. Bentley meanwhile was trapped in his own mind, imagining all the ways the king would end his poor life if this information got out, before Elizabeth tapped his shoulder.

“I'm going to say I got this injury from bandits. If I truly am who you believe I am, then my father would be quick to act and bring me home, wouldn't that be correct?”

“Get away from me, if they find your blood on me I'm finished!” The old man stated before retreating upstairs.

Elizabeth sighed and soon left the building with her Master in tow.

About two weeks passed as Mr. Bently feared for his life. He had heard the rumour the girl had spread about her injury and even worse it sounded like she had been walking around town with an obvious wrap around her new wound and a few new scars and bruises on her face.

The news obviously spread to other parishes and it seemed even that bastard elf in the capital had even heard mumbling of it.

He was done for. There was no use running. He could try to go to the ends of the earth but he was not someone that could outwit the king or his court. He kept this news from Ezekiel and prayed his son would be spared. He bided his time and waited for his assassins to appear.

But… no one came. As far he could tell the girl still pranced around the parish showing off her wounds to anyone who would pay attention.

Another week would pass and again nothing. In fact, the news had died down quite a bit. The only notable thing about her was that there was a new rumour about the girl saying she was some good-for-nothing noble who was hoping to gain fame through adventuring. It seemed her tall friend combined with her boasting of injuries had misled some people about her.

It was the crack of dawn and Mr. Bentley was heading to the branch office. Outside his building, he noticed two people. An armoured being of some kind that was nearly twice his height and the blonde girl, no longer with a gauze wrapped at her side.

“Hello, Mr. Bentley.” She stated.

“Oh, it's you.” He said with a hint of annoyance. He stopped in his tracks and contemplated turning around. (“No, I suppose she has proven at the minimum, she isn't someone too important. She does match the description of the second princess, is she perhaps a relative that the king isn't fond of? Maybe a child born out of wedlock?”)

“As you can see, I'm still here and-” She lifted her shirt up slightly showing off her healed wound. “I didn't have the privilege of being provided a healing potion. What do you say now, Mr. Bentley, will you finally give me your test so we can get this over with?”

“(A potion? Ah that's right, the King likely gets the highest quality potions handed to him like bills to the average man.) I see. I can at the very least see you're a fool that can take injuries.” He said before rubbing his head. “(But still, there must be some reason I heard the king was displeased with this woman. I'll fail her and might even have Ezekiel frighten her a bit while that large master of hers isn't around, to get her to leave the parish.) Alright, we'll do the test today. If you pass it, along with handing over the gold you showed last time, you can be a dignified member of the adventurer’s guild.”