'He probably isn't evil-aligned,' Anser concluded.
The man's hesitation told him he still had principles. Years of living within an orderly society compelled him to think things through, searching for the "reason" and "logic" that justified his actions.
The die spun slightly before displaying the target's information:
[Deputy Commander of the Waterdeep Griffon Cavalry, Human, Level 16 Fighter (Banneret)]
'Only a deputy commander despite being a high-level professional? Waterdeep really doesn't hold back.'
A Banneret was a variant of the Purple Dragon Knight fighter subclass, specializing in mounted combat. The stronger the mount, the stronger the rider.
Anser's gaze fell on the badge pinned to the man's chest, and he immediately realized this was going to be harder to resolve than he'd expected.
The man sheathed his longsword and said solemnly, "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Liam Belabranta, fourth in line to inherit House Belabranta, and Deputy Commander of the Griffon Cavalry."
The moment he heard the surname, Anser knew the man intended to use his status to pressure him.
He had heard of House Belabranta. It was even more famous than House Wyndrivver—one of Waterdeep's so-called ten great noble houses, with enormous influence.
Yes, another "top ten."
No one actually knew how many "top ten" noble houses Waterdeep had. Whenever a family became influential enough, people simply promoted it into the city's "top ten."
After all, no one had ever produced an official ranking of Waterdeep's nobility. Any rankings that did exist were unofficial lists, and no one took them seriously.
"Please, have a seat." Anser gestured toward a chair. "I'm Anser Holrewen, from the Durlag Union."
"The City of Adventurers?" Liam asked.
"That's right."
Judging by Liam's expression, Anser could tell the man knew very little about him.
That wasn't surprising. The events at the Rock of Bral had only just concluded, and very few people had learned the news so quickly. As for the legends surrounding him, most of Waterdeep's nobles probably hadn't taken them seriously.
Faerûn produced countless legends every day, and most were little more than exaggerated tales spread by bards.
"The shield belongs to me. There's no question about that. Countless comrades can testify to it. The shield currently in your possession was obtained illegally. As a paladin, you should understand that."
After learning Anser's identity, Liam actually became calmer.
It was obvious he had received a proper education. His reasoning was orderly, and he spoke logically.
Anser wasn't the sort to argue for the sake of arguing. On this matter, he admittedly wasn't in the right.
"But I traded an entire black dragon's corpse for my Deck of Many Things. Plenty of people can confirm that. If I return the shield to you, who's going to compensate me for my loss?" he asked deliberately, testing how Liam would handle the situation.
"You..." Liam was momentarily speechless, frustration welling up in his chest. "That's sophistry! Theft is theft, no matter how the stolen property changes hands!"
Earlier, the unexpected turn of events had thrown him off, but now he had sorted out his thoughts. Under Waterdeep law, if a dog stole something, its owner was held responsible. Objects were no different. The law clearly covered this situation.
"That's true. The Deck of Many Things bears responsibility, and so does whoever created it." Anser nodded in agreement. "I was tricked as well."
"Is that really what you think I'm saying?" Liam's face stiffened as he leaned forward. "I'm talking about you! How can you refuse to take responsibility?"
"The facts are clear enough. You're free to make your claim. But if you accuse me of theft, then you're insulting my character. At that point, this stops being about a shield."
Anser fixed him with a cold stare.
He didn't particularly care about a single piece of legendary equipment. He was willing to talk and could even return it without asking for anything in exchange.
But no one would accept returning it under these circumstances.
This wasn't a negotiation—it was coercion, slander, and intimidation. Though Liam's tone remained calm, it reeked of aristocratic high-handedness.
"Heh. And just how serious is that?" Liam rose to his feet and kicked his chair aside. "I have no way of knowing whether you're telling the truth, and frankly, I have no interest in finding out."
"This is Waterdeep. Here, everything is handled according to Waterdeep law. You—right now—are coming with me to see a magistrate. The noble court will render a fair judgment."
He had slipped away without authorization, which violated the Griffon Cavalry's military regulations. But to recover his shield, he was willing to accept the consequences.
After going around in circles, the discussion ended up right back where it had started.
Anser remained seated.
Even now, the other man hadn't realized where the real issue lay. From beginning to end, he had spoken solely from the perspective of a noble and an aggrieved victim. Once he realized Anser wasn't a local noble, what little patience he had quickly evaporated.
Still, Liam wasn't wrong.
This was Waterdeep.
The so-called noble court appeared to exist to judge nobles, but in reality it was an instrument of force designed to protect the interests of the city's own aristocracy. If Anser went there, he would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.
Being a paladin carried weight elsewhere, but not necessarily here. Those at the top saw things more clearly and had no romanticized view of paladins.
Thump, thump, thump...
Hurried footsteps echoed up the stairs.
Stoll charged onto the third floor in just a few strides, his greatsword already in hand, with a visibly nervous Portia close behind him.
Portia had already learned what was happening.
She was clever enough not to interfere rashly. Instead, she had sent someone to fetch Stoll.
"What are you trying to pull? A local noble bullying outsiders?" Stoll bellowed the moment he arrived, throwing accusations around with remarkable skill. "I'm telling you, outsiders aren't easy prey either! Worst case, we'll settle this in the arena and fight to the death!"
If they hadn't been in Waterdeep, his greatsword would already have come down. The city's nobles weren't enough to make him back down.
The surrounding patrons immediately dropped their pretense of minding their own business and openly turned to watch the spectacle. Even people outside gathered around the building.
What kind of place was Waterdeep?
The City of Splendors. A metropolis where the Lords of Waterdeep had long sought to ease tensions between races and factions. "Equality of personhood" was political orthodoxy, and even nobles could be warned or disciplined for violating it.
It was much like many great cities from Anser's previous life, where lofty slogans proclaimed that locals and newcomers enjoyed equal treatment for the sake of future development. Yet invisible barriers remained everywhere—dialects, household registration, social circles—all dividing society into unmistakable classes.
In big cities, locals looked down on outsiders.
Did that make the locals bad people?
Not necessarily.
More often than not, it was simply the product of their environment and values, breeding an inexplicable sense of superiority the moment they opened their mouths.
"He's a thief!" Liam blurted out anxiously. "He stole House Belabranta's legendary shield! He admitted it himself!"
Everyone turned toward Anser.
Then, almost in unison, they silently shook their heads, clearly skeptical of Liam's accusation.
Judging by his appearance and bearing, Anser looked far more like a noble than Liam did. Nothing about him suggested the sort of person who would steal.
"Bullshit!" Stoll roared.
He gripped the hilt of his greatsword with both hands until it creaked, seized by the urge to hack Liam into mincemeat.
But he knew Anser had come to Waterdeep to find someone. Resorting to violence would mean failure. Once they were wanted criminals, they would never be able to enter Waterdeep again.
"I did trade one legendary item for a legendary shield," Anser said calmly. "He claims the shield belongs to him, and he also claims that I—a paladin of the Platinum Dragon God—am a thief. Now he wants to drag me before the noble court."
The crowd erupted.
"Don't go! The Chief Justice of the noble court is a Belabranta!"
"How is that theft?"
"Isn't this just bullying?"
"I believe this gentleman..."
"..."
To their credit, the people of Waterdeep truly spoke their minds, showing absolutely no concern for House Belabranta's reputation.
That also proved Liam's conduct did not represent Waterdeep as a whole.
The city was far more open-minded and fair than Anser had imagined.
Anser opened the window unhurriedly, took out the Arcanefire Longbow and the Book of Castella, then casually displayed the Ring of Spell Turning on his finger.
"Everyone, these are all legendary items. I don't care about a single legendary shield."
Silence fell instantly.
The people watching from the upper floors, the street below, and neighboring buildings all stared in stunned disbelief.
Anser deliberately let the silence linger for a moment before a trace of satisfaction flickered across his eyes.
"The item itself isn't important. What I cannot accept is being slandered and insulted."
"I'm new to Waterdeep, so I don't know your customs. But outside this city, the strong are given the chance to prove themselves. If you use your status to crush me, am I supposed to simply accept my fate?"
"I challenge you to a one-on-one duel—a duel of honor!"
He intended to bring the matter back into territory where he excelled. Since words couldn't resolve it, they might as well settle it with a fight first.
"I accept!"
Liam agreed without a moment's hesitation, afraid Anser might change his mind.
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