It seems that you have found yourself in a strange situation... Logic and intuition prompt you to spend a little time analyzing the situation.

"Your Majesty... Of course, I have previously expressed my fundamental agreement to your "generous" offer... However, with all due respect, I must ask you for some time to consider the situation... You have impressed me so much with your angelic beauty that I am somewhat discouraged... Let's not rush too much?" - you try to respond as correctly as possible to the overly zealous and too "indecent" desire of this luxuriously beautiful "sapphire-eyed" woman that has shocked you.

On the one hand - the grandeur and pomp of monarchical power and a society based on class barriers and the dominance of nobles.

On the other hand - the persistent intention of the princess to "get pregnant" from the first pleb she meets.

After all, you can’t be perceived any other way - from the point of view of the social structure of the Orange Kingdom – you are a typical pleb.

Somehow it’s all contradictory…

In response to your clumsy excuses, seasoned with compliments, Princess Sapphire laughed loudly, throwing her head back.

The faces of the others present at this scene froze in **** bewilderment.

And on Brittany’s face one could even notice signs of indignation (her cheeks turned red, and her brown eyes looked at the princess with an expression that did not bode well).

“I’m not rushing you at all, Mister…” - a melodious female voice sounds with a hint of barely noticeable mockery.

“Blake…” - you prompt her.

“You have time, Mister Blake. If you want to go to Axeman-City, then I hasten to inform you that the steamboat will sail there tomorrow… Or, perhaps, closer communication with me still excites in your mind a more passionate interest? And you would prefer to remain in this settlement for a while… Perhaps the two of us will have to have many “night talks” to ensure that my intention is fulfilled… So, while you indulge in philosophical reflections, I will take in the local sights and beauties of nature…” - these phrases of hers were permeated with irony and flirtation on the verge of decency.

Having said this, the stunningly beautiful and graceful Sapphire left the room along with a group of her servants.

“Ahem… I will give the servants the necessary instructions, Mr. Blake… They will take you to the best guest room…” - the slightly hoarse voice of Edward Williams III clearly showed his great embarrassment at the current situation.

“Sir, may I ask you to extend the same hospitality to a friend of mine? He arrived on the steamboat with me… His name is Elijah and he has a rather peculiar, unpleasant appearance…”

One of the servants leans over and whispers something in Edward Williams III’s ear.

“Ghoul… I usually prefer to keep such people away from noble society… Well, so be it. You have saved my beloved daughter. Therefore, your friend may also avail himself of my hospitality…”

You thank him respectfully.

Then you return briefly to the steamboat. An escort of servants accompanies you. You find Elijah on board the ship and quickly explain to him part of the situation (in the context of “inviting him to visit”).

It seems that he is still a little tipsy due to heavy drinking.

However, he happily follows you to the manor.

An hour later, the servants finally leave you alone.

You and Elijah are sitting in a spacious, luxurious room. Three sofas with silk upholstery. A large mahogany table covered with elegant patterns. Carpets on the floor and walls. A cabinet... It seems there is something inside the cabinet... Ghoul has already checked it himself - there is a lot of expensive **** of various kinds.

In front of you on the table lies a backpack, inside of which is your reward for saving the daughter of a local rich man.

A large revolver.

Five boxes of cartridges for this revolver.

Some coins with incomprehensible symbols...

A lot of bottle caps...

This seems absurd to you...

You sort through these things in your hands.

Why do you need this at all?

"This currency... different factions may have different types of currency. But almost everyone uses bottle caps. And also - everyone uses barter!" - Elijah sees your confusion and explains the meaning of some elements of your reward.

"Ammunition is hard to get... It's expensive. As are good firearms... Ahem... And I like this cognac!" - ghoul starts drinking ****.

"Before you fall asleep drunk on the floor, please explain one thing to me..." - you turn to him.

Then you briefly explain to him the essence of the extremely strange situation you found yourself in.

Princess Sapphire...

And her shockingly shameless offer addressed to you!

Elijah listens to you, periodically taking sips from the bottle...

And then he begins to laugh disgustingly!

He laughs non-stop for a whole minute straight!

The door of the room opens slightly...

The frightened look of the African-American maid...

"It's okay... My friend... He's just a very funny person... I told him a funny joke..." - you try to get rid of unnecessary attention.

The maid closes the door.

"Guy, you're in a shitty situation... Do you see all this luxury around you? What do you think it's all based on?" - asks the ghoul.

"The labor of the majority... The elite realizes overconsumption due to the fact that the majority works..." - you answer.

"And these elitist guys are also very fond of intrigue and the struggle for power... As my uncle liked to say, "appetite comes with eating." The thirst for more power intensifies in those who have a "crown" on their heads since birth... They just want to use you as a useful "tool", Anton... On the ruins of civilization, the ancestors of these elitists managed to seize the most "delicious pieces"... Buildings, ships, weapons, remnants of technology... And what are they doing now? What do you think?" - the hoarse voice of Elijah is as unpleasant as the look of his "face".

"They are enthusiastically dividing resources and territory..." - you answer.

Ghoul nods: "You're goddamn right! They are squabbling over it like hungry dogs over a bone! They play "chess" - only instead of pawns in this game there are ordinary people... Orange Kingdom... I heard that their ruling dynasty is based on the legend of descent from those very monarchs of the pre-war Netherlands. Is this true? I don't know. Maybe it's just some lucky bastard who, together with his gang, captured an armory and an old museum with exhibits of ancient history and uniforms of the Dutch army a couple of hundred years ago... Ha! Ha! Or maybe there are some grains of truth in this legend... I remember that in the last six months, the remnants of the defeated troops of the European allies of the United States were actually stationed on the territory of several states... The Dutch could have been there as well as others... All this is not so important..."

He drinks cognac again.

"What is important is that this princess has started a dangerous game. And she wants you to become her pawn. It is your choice. You can... Ha! Ha! Help her! Fill this hole with cum! Ha! Ha!" - a new "paroxysm" of gaiety overtakes your interlocutor.

You try to analyze the situation based on the information known to you: "The princess arrived in Port-Williams on the steamboat "Diamond", which belongs to the Sullivan family. This family is part of the rulers of Axeman-City… Therefore, the Sullivan family, for some reason, is interested in an alliance between the Orange Kingdom and Port-Williams… This is strange – I assumed that it would be more profitable for Axeman-City to subjugate Port-Williams on its own…”

“That’s right… The Sullivan family is one of the rich… But they are not the only ones. Collegial leadership means a constant hidden struggle within the city… Competition… What are the interests of Axeman-City as a state? Do they exist? Or are there only “spiders in a jar”? The separate interests of each of the elite rich families, each of which is currently **** to rule the city together with competitors. But the balance of power can always change…” says Elijah.

"Sounds logical... Perhaps one of the families wanted to strengthen their position in Axeman-City... To strengthen it too much... Something like Caesar did in the Roman Republic... And for that they needed allies..." - you say.

Ghoul coughed.

"Fuck! If this assumption of yours is correct... It means that we need to act faster. Before a large-scale bloody mess begins... Other families of Axeman-City... The insidious hagglers of Gionderi, the cunning Iseva, the **** dealers of the Armas family, the thugs of the Delvar family... They all won't "sit on one's hands" either..." - the look of the only sighted eye of Elijah darkens.

"But why doesn't the princess just want to marry as planned? Why this absurd proposal addressed to me?" - you ask.

"I don't know. I can only assume... The Orange Kingdom is also not a monolithic state. There may be struggle and intrigue between factions of nobles within the dynasty..." - the ghoul answers.

So, the reasoning has reached a "dead end"...

Many disturbing premonitions, but no reliable information.

There are only assumptions.

You decide to talk about another topic.

"I respect your intention to find at least some settlement where life is organized according to civilized norms, Elijah... Perhaps, I as you would like to find such a place..." - you slowly say, looking into the face of the ghoul.

"Speak frankly! Are you ready to become my companion on this dangerous journey, Mister Blake?"

"Yes, I am ready..."

"Excellent! I am glad of it... My chances of success are already extremely small. Therefore, the help of at least one companion will be useful... And I will tell you right away, do not count on the fact that comfortable sailing on this steamboat will continue for long!" - grumbles the ghoul.

"What do you mean?"

Elijah explains: "I mean that the local factions, like a pack of rabid dogs, "fight" for the opportunity to plunder the ruins of the city of Alanta and search there for the pitiful remains of the relics of an ancient technologically advanced civilization! The armed forces of the greedy families of Axeman-City, the thugs of the Aryan Coalition, the arrogant bastards of the Orange Kingdom… They all compete with each other. And in this world, competition usually manifests itself in the fact that the competitor is killed. Therefore, this steamboat will take us to Axeman-City – but the steamboat will not sail further south along the river… There is too great a danger that at night a dozen boats with armed scums will moor to the ship’s side and attempt to board it… The steamboat is too profitable a target… A “splinter” of the high-tech era…”

“That is, in Axeman-City we will have to look another ship to continue sailing along the river to the south…” - you say.

“This is the first possible option… The second option is that after visiting Axeman-City and purchasing the necessary supplies, we will land on the opposite bank of the river and will go inland… We will try to find the source of the radio signal… Finding the source of the radio signal is, in any case, our immediate goal!”

“But it is extremely dangerous on land…” - you say.

“Damn! This whole fucking world is one big pile of shit mixed with danger! These are the two main ingredients... Shitty ruins... And danger from all sides..." - it seems Elijah has finally gotten drunk.

You examine a dozen empty cognac bottles that the ghoul has placed on the floor.

You forgot to mention in this conversation that you heard (Edward Williams III spoke about this) that the Hellhounds gang was not long ago in some kind of "semi-allied" relationship with the settlement of Port-Williams. Paying tribute in exchange for protection. The warriors of Port-Williams even helped the thugs of Hellhounds carry out attacks. How many people suffered from these attacks? Part of the blame lies with the ruler of Port-Williams...

"So... The situation is extremely contradictory... It seems that there are no clearly "good" and "bad" sides here..." - you think.

So, now you will have to somehow decide the issue regarding Princess Sapphire's "proposal".

You initially expressed verbal consent. Should you do what she wants?

Or, after analyzing the situation, have you decided to refrain from rash actions?

It seems that you have found yourself in the epicenter of local intrigues...

Perhaps you should leave this place as soon as possible, before the outward impression of hospitality is replaced by sad consequences.

And then there is your "relationship" with Brittany...

This "relationship" will probably disappear as quickly as it arose. Brittany was clearly unhappy with what Sapphire offered you.

Brittany's father will now try to protect his daughter much more thoroughly.

Her father will not let her go on a risky journey. He probably also has matrimonial plans for Brittany that are beneficial to the family.

So, it is evening now...

And a visit to the princess's bedroom is quite possible...