Страж Империи / Guardian of the Empire: Глава 5

Chapter 5
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Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:18

I nodded silently. What was there to understand? Who would want to appear before their friends in such an ambiguous form? And I quickly hobbled out of the room.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:19

He made it. He jumped out onto the landing right in front of Roald and the commandant and slammed the door behind him.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:21

“Oh, Kar, you’re alive!” Roald rejoiced sincerely and, in a burst of emotion, hugged me.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:22

“Yeah, alive,” I forced out a crooked smile and, remembering the morning’s twists and turns, added: “And this is definitely just a miracle!”

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:22

“Well, well, it’s not such a miracle,” the commandant chuckled and immediately asked, “And what is Caitlin doing at your place?”

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:23

"Kaylee?" I asked again and shrugged. "So she's not doing anything. She's resting."

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:23

But the trick didn't work on the commandant. He glared at me and, frowning, created an "Air Wall" with which he pinned Roald and me to the railing, and then walked into my bedroom.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:24

"Caitlin?!" His outraged voice rang out a moment later. And Sir Roderick immediately rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind him with such force that the walls shook.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:31

Frozen on the landing, the commandant looked at me with a frown and shook his head. But he didn't nail me to the spot, as I had mentally prepared myself for, but he dispelled the "Air Wall." And without saying a word, he began to descend the stairs.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:32

"Grandpa, wait, I'll explain everything to you!" Caitlin, almost dressed, ran out of the room, trying to zip up her jacket with one hand and clutching her gun belt with the other.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:32

"No, Caitlin," Sir Roderick said sternly, turning around. "No explanations! This is too much even for you!" And, pointing his finger first at her and then at me, he added dispassionately: "Until you two sort this out properly, I don't want to know either of you!" Having uttered this murderous phrase, the noble sir hastily left my house. And Caitlin, casting a kind look in my direction as a farewell, in which it was clearly read that she would return a little later and cut me into thin, thin slices with a blunt knife, ran out after him.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:35

“Well, you’re something, Kar…” Roald said in confusion, looking after the nobleman who had left.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:00

And I sank down on the step, exhausted, and clasped my head in my hands. I didn’t want anything. Except for one thing – to figure out how to get out of all this…

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:36

"Oh, come on, Kar, don't worry," the foreman sat down next to me and patted me on the shoulder. "It's just part of life. You're not the first person to have to get married because he was caught red-handed by the girl's relatives."

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:37

"Why get married?" I winced with annoyance.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:01

"What, do you think she'll send you to execution?" Roald was worried. "It seems Sir Roderick didn't say anything bad about his granddaughter. On the contrary, he bragged on the way about what a smart and beautiful girl she is. Very purposeful and sensitive to other people's troubles. And respectful. She didn't forget about the old man - she came to her grandfather so that he could help her prepare for the exam to receive a master's degree in magical art."

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:53

I laughed nervously. Now it was clear why the bounty hunters had to retreat abruptly! They were just smart. In any case, their mage wasn't stupid. Not stupid at all... Unlike me.

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 13:54

"What are you laughing at?" Roald grumbled. "This is no laughing matter."

Camrad_RIP 31.08.25 в 14:10

"That's true..." I became despondent again: "Here's the thing, Roald... I never had anything with Caitlin. So there can be no talk of marriage."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:26

"Yes?" the foreman asked sarcastically. "And what was she doing in your bedroom then? Did she accidentally mix it up with hers and pop in to change?" He muttered discontentedly: "You, Kar, don't want to say anything, so don't say anything, but don't lie."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:26

“We had nothing,” I repeated.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:32

"It doesn't matter whether you managed to do it or not," Roald waved his hand. "Initiative is punishable, you know. It wasn't for nothing that Lady Caitlin undressed in your bedroom..."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:32

“It’s not easy…” I said sadly. “It was me and Angel who undressed her…”

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:33

"What are you talking about?" Roald's eyes widened. "With what Angel?" And he shook his head in amazement. "Were the three of you having fun here? With Caitlin and another girl?"

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:37

“To hell with such fun,” I muttered, thinking about my own.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:37

"Yes... I didn’t expect this from you, Kar... I don’t know how to help you now," Roald scratched the back of his head.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:39

“What kind of help can there be here…” I sighed and joked gloomily: “Maybe help me attach a rope to the chandelier…”

Camrad_RIP 05.09.25 в 20:23

"Well, don't make up such nonsense," the foreman looked me in the eye with alarm. "You can't hang yourself now, really. It'll all work out somehow... Marry... hm... one or the other, and everything will be sorted out."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:42

Yeah, it'll work out. Of course... Now Caitlin will catch up with her grandfather and explain everything to him. And very soon they will return. And not at all to insist on the wedding. No, they will simply kill him on the spot, and that's all. Sir Roderick will clearly not handle him in baby gloves when he finds out what I allowed myself to do with his granddaughter.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:43

"You know, Roald, go home," I said to the foreman, getting up from the step. "There is no need to interfere in this matter."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 21:34

"I already left you unattended for several hours, and look at what you did," Roald grumbled in response and shook his head. "No, I'll stay. So that instead of a wedding, some kind of murder doesn't happen."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:44

"No, seriously, go home," I repeated, not feeling the slightest desire to drag the foreman into trouble. And I was a little cunning: "I'm going to fall asleep anyway. I'll just bolt the door behind you so that uninvited guests don't break in, and then I'll go to bed. I'm so exhausted with all these problems that I don't have the strength to stand on my feet."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 17:46

"Are you really going to bed?" Roald asked incredulously. "After everything that happened?"

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 21:38

"Yes," I nodded. "I really need to rest before the upcoming stress. And Tier Covan wanted me to drop in to see him today to talk. But where would I go drunk and high on dope? I could say such things that they'd tie me up there."

Camrad_RIP 05.09.25 в 20:25

"Yes, that's true," Roald chuckled, calming down a little. "You have to be careful with the Third Department. They'll twist you around like that - you'll confess to something you didn't do, just so they'll leave you alone."

Camrad_RIP 05.09.25 в 20:29

I nodded and began to slowly descend the stairs, hinting in such a simple way to Roald that he should get out of my house. It was ugly, of course, but there was no other way. With me, everything was clear - I was to blame for everything, but Roald could suffer for nothing when the enraged commandant with his granddaughter came to me.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:01

The foreman left, I slid the bolt on the door, and, leaning my back against it, sighed with relief. All right. Now I can calmly prepare for my imminent death without worrying about anyone.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 21:55

Having climbed up to the second floor, I sat down on the bed and looked at what this butcher had done to my feet. It was simply horrific – the skin had turned black and looked like the crust that you get on a potato baked in coals. It’s a good thing I don’t feel any pain, thanks to the “Sparkling Ice”. Although that’s probably the bad thing. I’d rather have suffered a little in the morning than get into such a mess because of my unwillingness to endure pain.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:02

Finding the ill-fated box of dope lying by the bed, I thought for a moment. And then, grimacing, I angrily threw it out the window. To the demons, all this mind-numbing nastiness.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:02

Of course, this couldn’t help me in any way; I had already done enough, but at least I relieved my soul.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:04

//"Hurry up, hurry up and get ready!" The imp who had appeared on the windowsill urged me as I began to get dressed. "Time is running out!"

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:11

//"I'm not late for anything," I muttered, looking at the bastard with hostility. "And I'm not going to run away. If I did something bad, I'll answer for it."

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:10

//"Oh, donkey, oh donkey." The imp began to dart around the windowsill. "And how could I have gotten involved with someone like that..." Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, looked at me suspiciously, and asked: "Or do you really hope that this exceptionally pretty little bitch will actually marry you?" And he laughed mockingly.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:14

//Screw you! I got angry.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:14

//“No, come on, tell me, are you really thinking of getting married?” The horned one jumped up to me.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:16

//"If it needs to, I'll get married!" I muttered angrily. "If, of course, Caitlin's family puts the question that way... Which is, in general, extremely unlikely."

Camrad_RIP 05.09.25 в 20:30

//"No, you're not a donkey," The imp stated, plopping down on his backside and shaking his head, "You're even worse than a donkey! Even the most thick-headed lop-eared one wouldn't think of going to the slaughterhouse on his own and offering his skin as a gift! Do you even understand what this demoness will do to you?!" He grimaced.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:18

//"Who is to blame for the fact that now I have nowhere to go?" I asked, embittered. And I answered my own question: "You and your impish shit!"

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:17

//“Me?!” The imp narrowed his eyes, lashing his legs with his tail.

Camrad_RIP 01.09.25 в 22:17