Crow shot the guards a smug look as he exited the castle with Penelope. Though he still wasn’t sure what he thought about the sudden change of his own rising in status, he was starting to figure out more of the perks that would come with the new job—one of which being the fact that he was practically untouchable to knights. It was fun to be able to walk in front of them without fear of being arrested, and he enjoyed seeing the looks on their faces as they were forced to restrain themselves from going after him. As long as he had the support of his father, the King of Brerra, they couldn’t do anything more than shoot him dirty glares, and he liked it.

As they made their way through the courtyard, he noticed that the other knights outside the castle walls had even seemed to have caught wind of Albin’s orders to let him leave. They continued to make disgusted faces at him as he passed, and some fidgeted with their swords, as if they were barely restraining themselves from attacking him. He kept his guard raised, just in case one of the noblemen decided to ignore their ruler’s order and went after him anyway, but he couldn’t help the pleased smile that crossed his lips. For all his life, he’d had to sneak around knights to avoid getting caught, but those days would soon be over. The chase was ending, and he would be coming out on top. It was an exciting thought.

Crow turned to Penelope as he heard her speak up in a low voice. “I have a feeling it won’t stop the arguments,” he said with a shrug, toying absently with the purple cloth that bound the paper his father had given him. “But at least they won’t be able to do anything more than run their mouths.” Slipping the paper into his tunic for safe-keeping, he casted her an optimistic grin. “I’m not worried. In fact, I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy most of this trip.”

Turning to look forward again, he saw that they had reached the main gate of the castle grounds. Like the rest of the knights, the guards that were stationed there casted him foul looks, but fortunately, he didn’t even need to flaunt his father’s permission, because they allowed the two to pass through without a word. Crow let out his breath as the large gate was opened. Though he was more than willing to fight with the guards to get what he wanted, it was nice to get by at least a few of them without debate.

“You know, it’s strange,” Crow mused once they were on the road that led to the first town in which they would be staying. He glanced at Penelope with an amused smirk. “Until now, I would visit the inner kingdom to steal and then go back to my home in the outer villages; but now, I’m visiting the outer villages and then returning to my home in the inner kingdom. It almost feels like a weird dream.”