Страж Империи / Guardian of the Empire: Глава 7-8

Chapter 7
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Camrad_RIP 08.09.25 в 22:03

I woke up in the Office, where Tier Eldar was fussing over me. His actions caused such a sharp surge of pain that you couldn't help but wake up.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:37

"What are you doing, you sadists?!" I screamed, trying to pull my leg out of some kind of sadistic clamp that the healer was trying to attach to my foot.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:38

"Are you awake?" The old man glanced at me briefly and grumbled: "That's good..."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:38

"Are you alive, Kar?" Pushing Veld and Kaylee aside, the centurion approached me. He nodded with satisfaction when he saw my not-so-cheerful, but not deathly pale face. "It's good that there were no casualties. “And to cheer me up a little, he said, ”We'll catch Crab and his gang. I've just alerted everyone: our people, the investigators, and the Security. We'll block off the port district now. These kidnappers and extortionists won't get away from us."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:50

"They'll leave," I responded without much enthusiasm to the centurion's assurances. "With Lemas, they'll leave... He knows the entire plan for blocking off city sectors and then combing through them inside and out."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:51

"Lemas?" The centurion looked at me in amazement, then turned his gaze to Veld. "Lemas was there?"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:52

"Well..." the red-haired man thought, apparently deciding whether to reveal the truth. "That's what Kar says. He was in the house. We only saw a shapeshifter. But there's definitely a magician there!"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:53

"Kar, are you not mistaken?" Frowned Tier Got. "This is a grave accusation..."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:55

I nodded. Well, yes – if they catch him, then Lemas won’t get off with hard labor. But I still said:

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:55

"I couldn't be mistaken. I didn't see Lemas himself, but I heard his voice clearly. And there was no point in Crab setting anyone up like that. No one was going to let me go alive."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:56

" Well, who knows..." Timir snorted. "You underestimate Heron... He's a crafty bugger too."

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:34

"No, that would no longer be a trick, but pure idiocy," I said. "Crab is certainly capable of setting someone up, but hardly at the cost of all the Night Guild's money."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:58

"What are you talking about?" The centurion looked at me in bewilderment.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:59

"Yes, about the papers in Veld's hands," I answered. Feeling a little better, I decided to begin the final implementation of my plan immediately. I only asked the healer: "Tier Eldar, do you have anything to relieve the pain so that it doesn't cloud my mind? I urgently need to finish some things."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 06:59

I tried to get up. Maybe I'll limp to the place somehow...

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 07:00

But they didn't let me get up. They swooped down like vultures from different sides and laid me back on the couch. And Tier Eldar shoved a tiny bottle under my nose that smelled of ginger, and I suddenly felt that I had completely lost my strength. I couldn't even move a finger. The ceiling began to slowly spin above me. The voices of the people around me became quieter and quieter. The last thing I managed to hear was Tier Eldar's assurance that everything would be fine. He said to Kaylee:

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:07

Calm down, Tierra, he's fine. He'll just get some sleep. Instead of running around doing something with three serious fractures...

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:00

From the report of As-Tarkh Covan to the Head of the Security Department, Count de Noel, dated the sixth day of the sixteenth decade of the year four hundred and fifty-seven

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 07:01

... Although Lady Angel de Sameri surrendered without a fight, having soberly assessed her options, she categorically refused to cooperate with the investigation department. This short-sighted decision was clearly intended to give her accomplices time to cover their tracks.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 07:02

I would like to particularly note the merits of Un-Tarkh Ron Renier, whose extraordinary abilities enabled the search and capture of the criminal in the shortest possible time, despite her use of a significant number of magical effectors to conceal herself from pursuit. It is safe to say that the early transfer of one of the best combat mages among the administration's employees to the Kelms division fully justified itself and allowed us not to lose this game to the Aquitanians...

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 07:03

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Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 07:02

I was awakened by a feeling of hunger. I wanted to eat so much that I was shaking all over. In order to immediately find something to eat, I got out of bed. And only then did I open my eyes.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:07

Kaylee, who had dozed off on a chair near the couch where I had slept for who knows how long, also woke up. And immediately Tier Eldar turned to me, whispering something to Veld, who was sticking his curious nose into the bottles on the far table.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:09

“Well, how do нщг feel?” the healer asked.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:10

But he asked, apparently, just for the sake of form. Since he didn’t even listen to my assurances that everything was fine and that nothing else hurt. He drove me back onto the couch and made sure that the broken bones had healed normally.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:10

"Can Kar walk now?" Kaylee wondered when the healer would allow me to stand up. "It's been so little time... What if he gets sick?"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:12

"Don't worry, Tierra," Tier Eldar smiled indulgently. "All these wounds were not at all dangerous to your young man's life. And at the moment, he is completely healthy thanks to his Taliar. Although a day of rest and abundant food will not hurt him at all.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:14

"That's for sure!" I supported Tier Eldar, swallowing my viscous saliva. "Eating wouldn't hurt me at all!"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:23

“Yeah,” Veld immediately supported me, stroking his belly. “We’ve been starving for a day already!”

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:24

"How long have I been sleeping?" I became worried and looked questioningly at Veld: "And what about the raid on the Crab?"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:24

"He's gone, the bastard!" the red-haired man blurted out indignantly. "While Olm and Kars were busy with the traps, they slipped away! It turns out they had a passage through the wall into the former port service building!" And he reassured me: "But they're not going anywhere! We'll find where they're hiding and catch them!"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:28

"Uh-huh," I muttered. Although this news didn't upset me much. I thought that Crab and his henchmen would escape. But I hope not far...

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:29

“So, shall we go get a bite to eat?” Veld interrupted my thoughts.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:35

"Yes, let's go," I nodded decisively. Thanking Tier Eldar for his help, I moved toward the door and asked the redhead as I walked: "Where's Roald?"

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:34

"In the same place as everyone else," Veld answered. "They still haven't lifted the cordon around the port area. They're still combing everything... So almost the entire Office is there."

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:35

"What are you doing here? Did they order you to guard me?"

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:36

"Where am I supposed to go with this?" Veld protested, patting the cloth bag he had dug up from who knows where, which hung proudly at his side. "What did you give me? Huh? Once I figured it out, I was afraid to leave the Office with such riches! And there's nowhere to hide it!"

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:36

“We’ll hide it now,” I promised, smiling. “As soon as we’ve had a good meal.”

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:36

Outside, as usual at this time of year, the sun was baking. I slept until almost noon. So it turned out that I would have to deal with things not in the morning chill, but in the very heat.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:37

"Yes, indeed," Veld said sadly, looking at the haze over the pavement, and moved back into the shadows, under the canopy over the porch. Carefully looking away from me, he said thoughtfully: "If there were a covered carriage, it would be a different matter.Э

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:38

"You've become spoiled," I reproached him. "Look, someday you'll demand your own carriage to patrol the streets." But since I didn't feel sorry for the money at all, I said: "Whoever suggested it, run for the carriage."

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:38

"One moment!" Veld rejoiced and, handing me a bag of papers and a bolt thrower, rushed back to the office.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:39

"Such a sly fellow!" I admired the cunning of my friend, who, having achieved what he wanted, did not bother himself with a walk through the sun-drenched square, but dashed through the building. The carriage yard is right opposite the doors of the Security Department, just a quick run across the street.

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:40

Before Kaylee and I could exchange more than a few words, the covered carriage pulled up to the porch. And Veld, sitting in the back seat, waved at us with a regal, casual gesture, as if allowing us to join him. But after a while he dropped the mask of an arrogant benefactor and laughed.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:40

Red obligingly helped Kaylee into the carriage, and we went to the Herring. First of all, because Garth's establishment was located closer than the others. Because of the feeling of unbearable hunger, like some kind of eater, I began to look with gastronomic interest at the rare passers-by. Veld even, suspecting something was wrong, took the bolt thrower from me and moved away. And he kept glancing sideways with apprehension the whole way.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:41

At Garth's I ate so much that I could barely get up from the table. So to speak, I stocked up on provisions for the future. True, after a hearty meal, I began to feel sleepy, but that was to be expected. And it turned out to be very easy to overcome the approaching drowsiness: it was enough to remember the problems hanging on my shoulders like an unbearable burden.

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:40

"Now, shall we go and deal with papers?" Veld asked, watching Garth with lazy interest. He was scolding the servants who had become completely lazy.

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:41

“Yeah,” I replied, grabbing a sweet bun from the plate on the table as I walked. For the road.

Camrad_RIP 11.09.25 в 16:41

Now I had to go back. Along Uter Avenue, to the city Office, and then across the square to a squat, fortress-like building. To the Kelms branch of the First City Bank. After all, there's no safer place to keep your money.

Camrad_RIP 09.09.25 в 08:43