“What do you mean I don’t know you?” she asked. “He’s Lucas, the guy whom everyone talked about on the forums for a while. He’s the first player I remember reading about that didn’t try to make his way through the world and didn’t kill anyone but just relaxed and enjoyed this world like a regular denizen might. Everyone plays fantasy world games just to murder-hobo their way through existence, never once stopping to actually feel what it might be like to be a proper citizen of a fantastical realm . . .” Her voice becoming increasingly flowery and admiring as she got caught up in her own description of Lucas, and she eventually trailed off for a moment in thought. “Of course I know him. Who wouldn’t know the truest role-player, the most interesting man in the entire server? That is why I trusted that, when I saw him holding his staff and attacking enemies for the first time in months of inactivity, he was up to something interesting. Now that he’s explained it, it all makes sense. He can’t roleplay as the lazy wastrel layabout anymore if it’d come at the cost of such a beautiful world with his favorite female NPC if the game shuts down. So, I’m in.”

“Alright,” Lucas responded with a shrug. “If you’re in, you’re in. But if anyone asks, you’re still my prisoner.”

“Enough yapping,” the princess said shortly, suddenly impatient. “Let’s go see the castle and set things up in case guests arrive early. Not to brag, but I’m actually quite a beloved character among the Alfar. I have many guys sending me items and such without any prompting on a daily basis—or, rather, I suppose they were until today since they can’t send them to me if I’m being locked in a dungeon.”

“Am I the only one here that hasn’t forgotten the most important step?” Bonnie asked. “Boss, you seriously haven’t even asked the question everyone’s been dying to know.”

“What question?” Lucas looked over at her, not understanding what she was going on about.

“I’m lost too,” Nick agreed.

“Was there a detail we forgot to go over? Perhaps it has to do with quest generation? Are you wondering how to make one? I can explain it. Even though I don’t know the exacts, I have a rough idea of how it works from all of the fetch quests I was able to generate while playing the part of the princess,” she stated proudly.

Bonnie facepalmed. “Freaking . . . Her name. She knows you’re Lucas, but do you even know what her name is?”