Общий файл / Does Force Bind to Responsibility?: Глава 18

Chapter 18
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*Spy*

Camrad_RIP 21.05.22 в 20:39

Spy rushed off to do his master's bidding. He was very proud of the honor of accompanying the Perfect Being, and he always tried to follow his orders exactly. Sometimes it was difficult, and Spy didn't always grasp their real meaning. He just silently accepted his role - the eyes, ears, and dagger of His Holiness.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 08:50

From the beginning of this strange journey, he felt himself between two fires.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:30

The Lady of the Storms questioned him about literally every move they made, and His Holiness was clearly unwilling to waste time explaining anything. When Illadria asked what the Overlord wanted to achieve by a particular order or action, he had nothing to say. And Spy considered it sacrilegious to pester His Holiness with questions, distracting him from his lofty thoughts. The Lady of the Storms had hinted softly that Spy would be in for a very sad fate if he didn't do as she commanded. To which Spy replied bluntly that in choosing whom to anger, he would certainly not choose His Holiness.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:32

He wouldn't tell Illadria about the disrespect the locals had for his lord. The lord had not mentioned his thoughts on the matter, and Spy himself, on some reflection, had decided not to mention it until he was asked about it substantively. It wasn't as if His Holiness was seeking to incur the wrath of the senior vassals against the natives, and that would inevitably happen if they knew what had happened on the lord's journey.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:33

If he still had to make a different decision, he was ready to suffer the punishment he deserved.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:34

This time the order was quite clear, even to him. Spy was generally familiar with the situation in the Dawn City. The senior vassals were all confused, for the first time without direct guidance from the Lords. They needed guidance from His Holiness, confirmation that something they were doing was right.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:35

Overlord left the city, leaving them without the highest presence. It was a heavy blow. And if he left them without his attention, even by long-distance communication, without explaining anything, they would fall into despair.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:36

His Holiness decided not to let this happen while he was fiddling with his new pets, and Spy was well aware of the significance and importance of the mission entrusted to him.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:37

As he climbed the steep slope of the edge of the plains, he was inwardly glad that the abominable fog did not overwhelm his senses. Smells, sounds, and tones flooded his perception again. Spy quickly 'clung' to one of the boulders and retrieved a scroll [message] from his pouch.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:38

"Lady Illadria, this is Stalker Spy."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:38

"I was expecting the report earlier, what's the delay?! Where is the Prophet?!"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:48

"His Holiness told me to tell you to inform the other vassals that he will contact you later than usual."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:49

"Where is he now?"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:49

"His Holiness is exploring the cursed territory as planned. Lady Illadria, I was under orders to report the situation to you and return to His Holiness immediately. Permission to interrupt?"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:50

"Go."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:50

The Lady of the Storms was clearly far from pleased. But to keep Spy out of touch, to delay him and thereby disrupt His Holiness's plans, she did not dare.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:51

The elf breathed a sigh of relief. He feared the lady would not let him go so soon. As he was about to head back, Spy sensed an extraneous presence. He couldn't tell what the creature was or where. That circumstance alone said a lot.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:52

Spy froze, contemplating what to do. Apparently, the unknown man could not determine his position either, and a kind of parity was maintained.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:53

Spy could stay in an ambush for many days without moving, without sacrificing his fighting potential. Still, he couldn't afford it now - his Holiness was waiting for his servant's return. And a report of the probable threat should have been made as well. Delay was inexcusable. Spy was anxious to call for reinforcements or to report his situation to the Lady of the Storms. But there was no way he could have used the communicating scroll without being noticed.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:54

Spy hesitated for a while and then decided to risk raising the alarm to the lady. To use the scroll and whisper a word once overheard from the Lords that had an unambiguous interpretation. 'Shuher' - that sound combination had always entailed active action by the entire Guild.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:55

Still, he didn't make it in time. As soon as Spy moved his fingers to retrieve the scroll from his pouch, he felt slight dizziness. It passed quickly, but his intuition told him he wouldn't be able to contact anyone anytime soon. Spy, discarding caution, jumped aside, hoping to get out of range of the effect, and drew his curved daggers.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:55

Woe to him who underestimates the stalkers of the Dawn by their unsightly appearance... He saw the stranger at once. The man had stopped hiding, too. He was a short, elderly man, wrapped in a cloak that was a little too big for him. He had a neatly trimmed beard and short, well-combed hair with noble graying. Attentive, lively eyes in his wrinkled face were not at all suited to the circumstances of the meeting.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:57

The stranger studied Spy closely for a few seconds, and then he spoke:

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:57

You're good. You're really good. I'd like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:58

"I don't have any business with you."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:58

"Good answer, but wrong. I'm sorry, I can't let you go like this. For too long I had hoped there would be no such encounters. Answer my questions, and maybe we'll go our separate ways. Or even be friends."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:59

Spy pondered tensely what to do. He had no orders for this kind of thing. Ignore, attack, or make contact?

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 11:59

There is no way to ignore it. This man has the ability to hide in such a way that Spy, as one of Dawn's intelligence elite, could not determine his position before he stopped hiding. So he is at least as well trained as Spy himself. Turning his back on something like that without finishing the conversation was a bad idea. Spy had a pretty good idea of what a backhanded stab meant. He was a big expert on the subject.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:00

Attack? There's no guarantee as to how it would end. It is likely that one of them will be severely injured or killed, perhaps both of them. There is a possibility of not returning to His Holiness, an unacceptable development.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:01

Make contact? It's a waste of precious time, and besides, he's not facing an ally, and therefore a likely enemy.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:01

Spy chose the lesser of two evils.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:01

"Ask."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:02

"Are you the master, or the puppet?"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:02

"I don't understand the question."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:02

"And with that, you answered unequivocally," the stranger tilted his head slightly to the side. "But let me get this straight. Do you have a master?"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:03

"I have overlords."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:03

"So a puppet. Well, that's good and bad all at once. What's the name of your guild?"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:04

"There will be no answer."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:04

"As expected. I had hoped otherwise, of course. One last question - your master, I mean, the real master, the all-powerful absolute being, and so on. Is he one or are there several?"

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:05

"There will be no answer."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:05

Damn, I forgot how stubborn puppets can be. You know, the thing is, I'd like to... To be friends with your master. We can be enemies too, but it would be a disadvantage for everyone. Tell him what I said. I'm sure he'll find a way to contact another... player if he knows he's not here alone. And tell him he'll be here for a long time. Forever, from what I know. That's all.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:43

The stranger turned away for a split second, and Spy immediately lunged at him. He hesitated just until the man said he was ready to be Dawn's enemy, and then he just waited for the right moment to attack.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:44

The attitude of the Lords of the Dawn toward their enemies has always been unequivocal. Destroy them without a shadow of a doubt, every chance you got.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:45

Spy realized almost immediately that he had overestimated himself. The man had been too attentive-or just expecting something like this. One curved blade only grazed the stranger's arm, piercing through the surprisingly strong cloak and leather lining. The other pierced just air.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:45

The next moment Spy felt sharp, cold steel penetrate his stomach, followed immediately by a crushing blow to the jaw. He fell on his back and wanted to jump to his feet, and realized, with wicked surprise, that his body was disobeying him. A chill spread throughout his body from the wound in his abdomen, chilling him to the core.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:46

The stranger, kneading his wounded arm and wrinkling, leaned over him, looking into frozen eyes.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:46

"Your master will bring you back to life, I know. Then tell him so. As a gesture of goodwill, I am willing to forget his puppet's first mistake."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:46

With these last words, the man stabbed a short dagger into Spy's throat without a swing.
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*Emperia Baharut*

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:47

Among the nobility of the Baharut Empire, an invitation to the highest audience of His Imperial Majesty was considered a very bad sign. The emperor was renowned as an extremely shrewd, very far-sighted, and utterly ruthless ruler. In his office, very modest by the standards of the former rulers of the empire, the fate of the one who attracted the crown's attention could lay a very, very steep turn.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.22 в 12:56