“Yeah, I do,” Lucas replied, nodding. He had a good idea of what Viola wanted, and while a large part of him was against the behavior he was going to act out, he knew that it would be necessary to be a proper villain.

“Also,” Viola continued, “just so there is no confusion about it in the dialogue, you’ve mind controlled me, forced me to act against my will, and abused me. If I’m not rescued by this party, you’re going to violate my poor maidenhood and lock me away for good. That’s the story.”

“Dark . . . but it’ll work,” Lucas said, taking a deep breath and readying himself.

Viola tugged the chain, presumably to make sure he had a firm grip on it, then got down on her knees and started vigorously rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hand. When she looked up at him again, her eyes were moist and red as if she had been crying. “Tighten the grip, like you’re trying to stop a dog from chasing a car,” Viola instructed, batting her beautiful emerald eyes.

Annoyed at being told what to do, Lucas still yanked her chain hard enough to send her jolting forward onto her hands and knees.

“Perfect,” was all she replied, righting herself once more.

“Everyone else ready?” Lucas asked, looking at each of them. Everyone was in their place, and Bonnie had even switched back to using the Web of Deceit with the spider fang dagger. Lucas wasn’t sure what her class-defining weapon was, but he knew she’d do just fine when she practically vanished into the wall. Her camouflage was nearly perfect, save for small texture irregularities, her shadow, and a faint outline that was visible if one looked for longer than a few seconds.

“Let’s go,” Nick urged, his shield radiating a dark-purple-colored Chi now.

Lucas hit the “Yes” button, and the double doors to his throne room swung open as the standard party of four—Fighter, Mage, Rogue, and Healer—popped through. Unlike before, however, they were followed by four NPCs who, like Lucas’s guards, appeared to be simple melee weapon users. Two of them had swords and shields, two had one-handed axes and shields, and they all appeared to be of the same race as those people whom Lucas had seen at the tables in the tavern when he first came to the territory.

“Help! Help!” Viola shrieked as soon as the door opened and the simulated player party began to enter. “He’s— He’s holding me!”