Human Resources Expert (Patreon)

In the training dojo where Tanya beat her mistress' harem to shape on the regular, an unusual situation was developing.

"A petition."

The sheer disbelief in Prince Geordo Stuart's voice was only matched by the jaw of Prince Alan dropping in even greater disbelief.

"Ah, I see, you're going through official channels then?" 

The only one who understood what was going on was Nicol Ascart, who was being groomed to inherit the job of his father to become the next Prime Minister. He took the paper from the Demon Maid's own hands and looked it over. "I see... yes, I understand, I believe I've seen this going around. Father was talking about it," he continued.

Alan took the petition himself, and read it over, then he cracked and began laughing. "What is this? A joke?" he asked.

"These affairs are no joke," the maid replied. "Now, please do read it over."

"You don't expect this to result in anything, do you?" Geordo asked.

Alan nodded. "Yeah it's not like you're gonna get our parents to change the laws of the land just because you got a paper with many signatures."

"Actually," Nicol interrupted, "there is a mechanism through which merchants and landowners may petition the crown, by gathering a large number of likeminded individuals and presenting proof of agreement on a single topic. Although mostly unused due to the inefficiency and the requirement of such a large number of people, it does exist - and my father would be legally required to bring the petition before the King for review."

"Really?" Geordo asked.

Both princes, silver and gold, looked at each other for a moment then back at the maid.

"Alright, I suppose we can sign-" Alan spoke, before being interrupted

"Actually, seeing as everything you own is owned in the Royal Family's name," Nicol said, "you do not qualify as merchants, businessmen, landowners or public officials."

"Oh, is that so? I thought that they could sign through their title of nobility," Tanya responded, sounding a little surprised.

Nicol wiped the sweat from his forehead and swung the towel he used over his bare shoulder. Nicol was the tallest of the three, but by no means the most muscular, his build was slim, almost lanky, but it was obvious the training was paying off. Beads of sweat ran down the chiseled lines of his chest and abdominal muscles. By contrast, both Geordo and Alan were wider at the shoulders and more noticeably muscled, though it was hard to see as they still had the quilted armor they wore to prevent injuries over their bodies.

"Lower nobility, yes, but those with the rank of a Count and above have the singular privilege of asking the King for an audience directly - which would defeat the point of the petition in the first place."

"If that's the case, couldn't she ask the Duke Claes to request an audience in her stead?" Alan asked, stretching his arms.

Geordo shook his head as he crouched down to begin the leg stretching exercises he'd been taught. Modern exercise routines had made a wonder for these boys' development into the men they were now.

It didn't need to be said that doing as much was tantamount to admitting failure. Besides, it was actually a good thing for the Kingdom to do it this way in the first place. It would show the people that the King did, indeed, listen to his people, and that positive change could be attained if they worked together. 

"As a public official without a title of higher nobility, my signature is as meaningful as it gets," Nicol said, "however - I do have to ask, with the number of signatures required, especially as you are required to obtain signatures from landowners and working adults, how do you intend to get to the minimum threshold?"

"I will use the resources that myself and my lady have amassed to obtain as many signatures from valid individuals as possible," Tanya explained. "Representatives should be arriving soon to represent the various companies and guilds, I will be attempting to convince them to support me as well."

Nicol hummed in thought. "If I may, could I accompany you? It would be a great experience to be present in negotiations."

"Yeah, yeah, he's right, we should probably stay too," Alan said, prodding Geordo. "Besides, if we're gonna support this anyway, the least we can do is show up to do it publicly. We might not have any actual power as princes but our names and faces still mean something."

Geordo sighed.

"You really expect me to back this?" Geordo asked. "Really. You're asking me to sign up to a project that will change the marriage laws in our country, which have been enshrined into our legal system for ages..." he said, running a hand through his hair in frustration and exasperation.

The blonde maid closed her eyes. "I won't ask you to do something that you refuse to do," she said, as simple as that. "However, I will proceed even with your highness' disapproval."

That alone was more telling than anything else. Tanya was always controlled and respectful to the royals except within the bounds of the training dojo. Here, she would not hesitate to treat them as equals or students, without paying heed to their title. A sign of respect, of course, rather than the opposite, and it tended to go both ways.

Geordo flinched. 

"Well, Mary would probably find a way to make me suffer for the rest of my entire life if I didn't jump in on this, and bring her in as well," Alan said.

"Similarly, I have no objections to this. Sophia as well would be quite happy to lend her support," he spoke, gesturing towards his chest. "So you have my full support, both officially and unofficially, to proceed with this."

"I don't have to even ask regarding Keith," Geordo said, more than a little surly.

Alan laughed.

Nicol looked a little embarrassed.

Tanya cleared her throat.

Everyone knew.

"I understand you are upset regarding this matter," Nicol said. "But Prince Geordo, you're a rational and intelligent person. Ask yourself - is this not the best way to move forward? Cooperation is the only way in which we can all get what we want. Even for a selfish pursuit, solidarity and cooperation is the best way to attain it," he explained. "I, too, have my own interest in this matter. As does Alan. And no doubt, our teacher here," he said, gesturing at Tanya, "has her own as well."

Tanya closed her eyes and tried to look innocent on the matter.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it, even if I agree!" Geordo said, grunting in frustration, getting back on his feet, taking a few swings with his fists to check if he was good and limber. He moved towards the center of the room to begin his turn on the ring, replacing Nicol who'd just finished his set.

Tanya looked at him.

Geordo raised his fists and began to go through his unarmed combat drills, employing, without his knowledge, the close quarters combat techniques taught to the Imperial Army that Tanya had once been a part of, enhanced and improved through further learning and expanded with techniques borrowed from many a mercenary and guard from Sorcier and elsewhere.

"Well, even if he doesn't," Alan said, "I'm sure I can convince our older brothers to support this anyway - they'll see things our way," he said.

"Ugh, fine! I'll support you as well! I can't believe this!" Geordo shouted, demonstrating his natural talent as he went through an entirely perfect warm up set before Tanya tossed a practice sword at him while she grabbed a reinforced piece of wood that would serve as a parrying knife for her. 

One of the most important things that all three of the boys had learned was what it meant to fight dirty. To fight not like a knight, but like a soldier, whose only concept of victory, glory and honor was to come back home alive at the end of the fight. Probably beyond any sort of martial art or combat knowledge, being taught how to fight dirty and how to fight a dirty fighter were the most important thing that the boys ever learned from Tanya.

"You're upset, your highness," Tanya mentioned as she took position, raising her knife and bending her knees, getting ready to fight.

"How can I not be?" Geordo said. "I have to give up the one edge I had over everyone else in this battle!" 

Alan laughed openly. "Maybe you should've spent more time working on yourself instead of relying on that to get ahead!" he said.

Nicol hummed. "It'll level and even the playing field for all of us."

Geordo let out a frustrated cry as he took a step forward, and the fight was joined. The blond prince and the blonde maid began to dance around each other, a brutal, merciless dance. Geordo was graceful, elegant and most important of all, efficient in motion. Taking in the best parts of the court fencing style he had been taught since a young age and combining it with the experience of a soldier.

It made for a terrifyingly efficient, yet visually showy fight style that made Prince Geordo a nightmare to face at any sort of competition.

And yet, Tanya's knife flew through the air, and despite his best attempt, Geordo could not land a blow... after all, Tanya had watched him develop and learn his new combat style from scratch. She knew it almost as well as he did. 

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm agreeing to this at all!" Geordo shouted, leaping back to avoid a slash that would've been his 'death' in this little spar, as it would've cut his neck, if the knife were real.

Alan shrugged. "Look, sometimes you just gotta accept that you have to make a compromise. You want Katarina to be happy don't you?"

Giving a nod of agreement, Nicol gestured with his hand. "I understand you myself - but at the end of the day..."

Geordo hung his head. "I get it. So we're all in agreement, then? We're accepting this for Katarina's sake?"

"Agreed!" the othe two said.

And as for Tanya, who was carefully eyeing Prince Geordo... 

Well, she was thinking.

Thinking of the next step, of course. Negotiations with powerful men were always nervewracking...