George Knows Best [Mud Wizard LitRPG]

Things had been going pear-shaped for dear Jonny the Man ever since he'd united the Wikikiwi warriors and taken control over the backwater planet, Quibble. He was a glorious fighter, a once in a generation talent, but leadership requires a different personality. Jonny was a man who thought with his fists and fisted with his head. He couldn't take advice to save his soul and was prone to bold and dramatic gestures.

"This here's where I'll build my capital."

"But Mr. The Man, this, this... is an active volcano."

"Grand. Just think of the views!"

A royal visit from a princess of the Aetheria star-system should have been his crowning achievement. It's not every day you get to meet a young, eligible and highly attractive princess. It was something straight out of a storybook. The high-born princess and the dashing hero of the hinterlands, love at first sight, blah, blah, blah...

Unfortunately, Jonny had got the royal princess's arrival date mixed up with his favorite television show schedule. She arrived to a grand and unwelcoming silence. Nobody met her at the spaceport. No room had been prepared for her. There was no formal greeting or even informal acknowledgment. The royal princess was personally insulted. She turned around then and there. Jonny never even caught a glimpse of her imperious beauty. And when she arrived back at court, she begged her father, with teary, princess-eyes, to exterminate all life on Quibble.

His Royal Highness of the Aetheria star-system was a great man. A powerful king. Alas though, he could not stand against princess-eyes. Jonny and his Wikikiwi warriors were in the shits. A Blue Giant class space-fleet was commencing landing operations all across Quibble's surface.

Kai was cursing his head off at Jonny. Kai blamed all of their problems on Jonny. Quite reasonably. After all, Kai had successfully managed Quibble's affairs for five years without facing an existential crisis. Then this "Jonny" character strolls along and suddenly they were confronted with an interplanetary invasion.

The battle raged across the planet. Bloodshed, sacrifice, bravery, cowardice and in the midst of it all was Jonny. Jonny was in his element. Simple, bloody, mindless battle. He smiled and laughed as he zigzagged across the battlefield. His Wi was a beacon to his forces. His Ki was devastation upon his enemy. Singlehandedly, he slaughtered ship after ship of invaders.

At last, the fleet commander was forced to commit himself. Admiral Chucklebeam blazed into action, piloting the fearsome Dark Nebula Warframe.

Jonny had met his match. He resisted gallantly. He fought manfully. But he was being beaten back. He could barely defend himself. He was going to die there.

"Kai, Kai, I'll pin him. Then you get him from behind."

Kai nodded his head. It was time for the climax. Jonny baited Chucklebeam forward and the admiral committed himself. Jonny gasped blood as the admiral's laser-sword cratered into his chest. He smiled through the pain.

"Kai, now!"

Kai pretended not to hear—

The door to the mud dome slammed open. Bob fell out of his chair.

"What? What?"

Bob scrambled to his feet, fumbling for a weapon (he had none). It was Sophie. Bob exhaled.

"You scared the living daylights out of me."

Sophie marched into the room. She was soaked through. Her white dress was sticking to her skin and hinting at the pink outline of her figure. Her long, black hair was wetted down. She smiled at him. And there was something dangerous and attractive in those eyes.

"What happened? You alright?"

She kicked off her shoes and padded over to him. She took up a chair and set it down right across from him, so close their knees were touching. So close he could hear her uneven breathing.

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"Sophie, Sophie, old chap, what are you doing?"

She leaned closer to him. She stared into his eyes. And he stared back, looking into those black, expanded pupils, with their dark, mysterious irises. She had that smell about her again. That seductive, maddening fragrance. It made his heart beat and his breath come short.

"Sophie..."

"I've decided."

"Oh? That's great news, Sophie. Right on."

Bob tried to edge back his chair, but she caught onto the hem of his cloak and pulled him closer.

"Don't you want to know what I've decided?"

"Um… Well, not really. It can wait until morning, can't it? Night-night."

"I've decided I need to make you love me."

Sophie bit her lip seductively. She played with the hem of his cloak.

"Now see if you loved me Robert, you would't throw me away, would you? Clever, right? You'd be here for me when I needed you. You'd always, always choose me."

Sophie's face was very close to Bob now. He could taste her breath in his mouth. His heart was thumping. It was going to happen. It was actually going to happen. Sophie floated forward and they kissed.

Bob was in a dream. They came apart and Bob looked into her face. There was something enthralling in the girl, something that stirred you up inside and made you want to sacrifice things for her.

"Drink with me."

Sophie was carrying a wine bottle. She must have brought it in from outside.

"Have you been drinking, Sophie? Are you drunk?"

"Maybe." She shrugged and gave him a catlike smile. "Drink with me. Then we can be drunk together."

"But what if we get attacked? We shouldn't Sophie. At least not both of us together."

Sophie frowned childishly. "You won't drink with Sophie?"

She leaned in and kissed him again. Not one long kiss this time, but playfully, many small brushes. Delightful and yet unsatisfying, only making you hunger for more. And every time he got a taste of that fragrance, his mind went blank.

She pressed the bottle onto him, his hand unwillingly accepted.

"Drink! Sophie says drink."

Bob smiled drunkenly at her and swallowed down a small mouthful.

"More! More! You're no fun, Robert Brown."

Bob tipped the bottle back and gulped down. Gulp, gulp, gulp. He surfaced and she looked different somehow. Had the alcohol hit already? The eyes felt sharper. Yes, she reminded him of a falcon gazing down from far on high on some small and innocent thing.

"What, what is it? What's happened?"

Ping!

Quest Complete - Better than you II

What quest was that again? Bob couldn't remember. He wasn't feeling so good. His body was blazing hot. He was panting. His vision flickered. He was dizzy, disoriented. The world was spinning, spinning, spinning.

"Sophie, Sophie, I don't feel so good."

Bob toppled sideways off his chair. His fingers were tingling and pulsing. Something hurt, something hurt deep inside him, and it wasn't the poison.

"Sophie, Sophie, why?"

"You betrayed me first."

"Sophie, I, never... I, only..."

She knelt beside him on the floor. He could just make out her face. And she didn't look happy. She didn't look triumphant. She looked hard. She looked like she'd resolved herself. Bob thought he made out the glint of a dagger in her hand.

"Robert, will you tell me now?"

"What?"

"The turtle code. Those two names you whispered to me. Eastern Box Turtle, Green Sea Turtle. What do they mean, Robert? I want to know. And this is the only time I'll be able to ask."

"Secret Affection. Forgiveness."

Bob thought he saw her eyes water a little.

"Robert, why did you make me do this?"

"Sophie..."

Ruff!

George was awake. He was on his feet. Golden flames played around his jaw. He was gazing at Sophie. Bob had never seen the dog make such a face. There was no other word for it. Wrath. George had never trusted Sophie. George had always suspected her. George knows best.

"Stupid dog. Stupid dog." Sophie was crying now. "It's not my fault. You betrayed me. I trusted you."

Sophie was backing away as George snarled after her. He pressed her into a corner. No escape.

"It's too late, George. It's the octopus poison. I refined it and fortified it. He won't last two minutes. He's already dying. It's over."

"Sophie..." Bob gurgled out.

"Robert, he's coming. I signed a contract with the bandit king. He's coming. But I didn't promise the dog. Send George away. Send George back to the city."

George sucked in air. He was going to do it. He was going to incinerate Sophie where she stood. Bob's hand reached out and grabbed the dog's fur. George whined. He looked at Bob, pleadingly, "she betrayed you. You trusted her and helped her. And she betrayed you."

Bob shook his head. George howled.

"He's coming, Robert. He'll be here any moment." Sophie called back, as she ran out of the exit and into the pounding night.

George laid down beside Bob and licked his cheek. He was moaning to himself. He was unhappy. He wanted to help. He wanted to do something.

Somehow Bob smiled.

What had she said? Two minutes. There were worse ways to die. George's wholesome doggy smell, his furry warmth, the rough tickle of his tongue. And of course the stupid dog chose that moment to sneeze in Bob's face. But Bob smiled on.

Not alone. He didn't have to die alone.

"Hey George, will you tell me how you do it? How do you always know? I swear, it's unbelievable. All the time, whenever I need you. You're always right there."

Title: Knight

Courage, Honor, Courtesy

Effects:

Ability - Your Lord Needs You