Grow Bigger and Stronger Achieve New Glory
The second Cassidy Sterling finished speaking, the world exploded into thunderous cheers. The commoners' eyes, all fixed on Princess Solana, were electric with a kind of wild hope.
*"Host,"* the System stammered in her mind, its digital voice audibly floored, *"your lifespan has increased."*
Cassidy, still caught in the afterglow of her impassioned speech, paused. "Does just talking a big game count as a villain mission?"
*"I guess so?"* the System replied, sounding deeply confused. *"But, Host... are you sure we're the villains?"* It was beginning to suspect this wasn't a Villain System at all, but maybe some kind of Bragging System.
Cassidy just watched the numbers on her lifespan counter tick steadily upward, a huge, shameless grin spreading across her face.
"Sparky," she said, "what do you say we go start a pyramid scheme?"
*"Who is Sparky?"*
She rolled her eyes. Whatever. She wasn't about to argue with a bunch of data.
Fueled by the sudden boost to her life, Cassidy felt a new fire ignite inside her. She turned back to the crowd, her voice ringing out even stronger than before.
"My fellow citizens! My Capital Inspection Office will be opening right next to the Magistrate's Court! If you're ever getting pushed around, you come find me. From now on, your business is my business. We're all one family!"
The crowd roared back, "Yeah!"
Cassidy pumped a fist in the air. "I will lead you to make the Capital Inspection Office bigger and stronger!"
"Bigger and stronger!" they chanted.
"Together," she yelled, "we will achieve a new glory!"
"A new glory!" they echoed, their voices a single, powerful wave.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, the Second Prince, Heir Vance, and the Fourth Princess stood frozen in abject horror.
They stared at Princess Solana, now completely surrounded by a mob of commoners, leading them in a fervent chant like some kind of cult leader.
The same four words echoed in each of their minds.
*I don't know her.*
*We have to go.*
*This is too embarrassing.*
The Fourth Princess was the first to break. She grabbed her maid, Peach, by the arm. "I just remembered the Empress needed to see me about something. Let's go. Back to the palace. Now!"
Peach got the message loud and clear. She immediately started pushing through the crowd, clearing a path to their carriage.
If they didn't get out of there, they'd end up just like Auspicious, stuck in the throng with her hands in the air, shouting slogans right alongside everyone else.
It was mortifying. Just utterly, deeply mortifying.
Even after she was safely inside the carriage and rattling away, the Fourth Princess couldn't wrap her head around it. All she had done was ask how a princess could possibly become an official. How had things spiraled so completely out of control?
It was the same story for the Second Prince and Heir Vance.
They'd both completely forgotten why they'd even come looking for Princess Solana in the first place.
All they wanted now was to escape this scene of catastrophic social suicide.
It was one thing for the commoners to be shouting, but a few of them had even tried to pull them into the chanting.
They had never been this embarrassed in their entire lives.
The two of them slowly backed away until they were clear of the crowd.
Then, with a silent, mutual understanding, they scrambled into their respective carriages and fled without a single glance back.
The three carriages tore off as if their lives depended on it, each one speeding toward the sanctuary of home.
*"Host, why did they run away?"* the System asked.
Cassidy watched them disappear with a flicker of genuine regret. She'd actually wanted the Fourth Princess and the Second Prince to come up and say a few words. They were all royalty, after all; it didn't feel right to hog the spotlight.
After shouting until her throat was raw, Cassidy finally remembered she hadn't eaten yet. She pointed a thumb at the restaurant behind her and waved a grand, magnanimous hand.
"Everything's on me today!"
The crowd was stunned silent for a beat before erupting into a fresh wave of cheers.
"The Princess is awesome!"
"Capital Inspection Office! Bigger and stronger! A new glory!"
Like a conquering hero, Cassidy led the massive crowd toward the restaurant.
Reid Donovan, however, felt things spiraling into a financial black hole.
At this rate, he wasn't sure if the estate would go bankrupt, but he knew for a fact the national treasury couldn't handle another one of her spending sprees.
He quickly pulled Auspicious aside. "When you helped the Princess buy that house," he hissed, "how did you get that guy to charge it to the Minister of Revenue?"
Auspicious just scratched her head. "I told him our princess is on a secret mission for His Majesty. He just said he got it, then ran straight to the Minister's estate to get the money."
Reid was dumbfounded. He was starting to think that servant wasn't playing with a full deck.
To stop the bleeding, he rushed into the restaurant's kitchen, flashed his Onyx Guard badge, and ordered the manager to close up for the day.
The manager looked confused, but he clearly valued his life more than his business.
A moment later, right as Cassidy was beaming expectantly at the entrance, the manager slowly slid the heavy main doors shut.
Cassidy stood there, baffled. "What's going on?"
*"Host, he thinks you're broke,"* the System explained dryly.
She looked down at her clothes. "Is it that obvious?"
Auspicious, hearing the despair in her voice, rushed over to comfort her. "Princess, don't worry. We were rich once."
Cassidy looked like she was about to cry. It figured. She'd missed the family's golden age and showed up just in time for the bankruptcy.
The surrounding commoners, seeing her distress, immediately chimed in. "Princess, why don't you come to my house for dinner?"
"That's right, my cooking is delicious!"
"Wait until you have money again, then you can treat us!"
"Yes, Princess, come eat with us!"
The invitations were so enthusiastic it was almost overwhelming. It was the first time any of them had heard an official say they were all one family. True or not, Princess Solana was the only royal they'd ever met who seemed so... real.
Just as Cassidy was about to politely refuse, the words "Merrifield Village" flashed on the light screen in her mind.
She froze.
Slowly, she turned her head and looked at the sea of friendly faces. "Which village are you all from?" she asked, a new uncertainty in her voice.
A chorus of answers came back.
"We're from Sevensprings Village, Princess!"
"I'm from Summerfield!"
"Sutton's Crossing!"
"I'm from Merrifield Village," a kind-faced old woman said.
Cassidy's gaze locked onto her. "Alright," she said immediately. "I'll come to your house for dinner today, ma'am."
The old woman beamed with joy. As she started to lead the way, she uncovered a basket hanging from her arm.
"Princess, I made these myself. They smell wonderful."
She pulled out a flaky meat pie. "Have a little something to hold you over. We'll be there soon. Our Merrifield Village is the closest to Argent; it's always bustling."
As-Desired instinctively moved to stop her.
But a starving Cassidy had already snatched the pie and taken a huge bite. Her eyes lit up. She gave the old woman a solid thumbs-up. "Delicious!"
The old woman, who had half-expected the princess to turn her nose up at such simple food, was so happy she practically glowed. "There's more here! If you like them, please, eat as many as you want!" She immediately started passing out the rest of the pies to Cassidy's staff.
As-Desired watched in horror as everyone from the estate, except for Reid, accepted food from a complete stranger without a moment's hesitation. She jabbed Auspicious sharply with her elbow. "The Princess is eating food from a stranger," she whispered harshly. "Why didn't you stop her?"
Before she could finish, she saw Auspicious take a pie from the old woman, her own eyes lighting up. She took a huge bite, nodding as she chewed. "Delicious, delicious!"
As-Desired's temper flared. "You, how can you just eat something a stranger handed you? What if it's poisoned? Someone could hurt the Princess!"
Auspicious, her mouth full, just turned and looked at her, completely bewildered. "Who would want to poison the Princess?"
As-Desired was speechless. She was going to have an aneurysm.
*This entire operation is going to fall apart without me,* she thought, sighing heavily. Her eyes flickered over to Reid Donovan, who was standing nearby, perfectly straight and alert. A tiny sliver of relief washed over her.
At least if everyone else was poisoned and collapsed, there was still one other sane person left who could fight.