Страж Империи / Guardian of the Empire: 10/1

“Not really,” I shrugged, looking at him in surprise. “More for merit. They sent the smugglers to be crushed.”

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:19

"What smugglers?!" Bachur grimaced as if in pain and spat right on the floor. “Where? Here?”

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:20

“Well, yes, here,” I confirmed, frowning, and carefully asked. “What?”

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:22

"Well, if a trader moves through here a couple of times a month, it's an event!" the Ess-Tarkh explained angrily. "What smugglers are there?" And suddenly, he grabbed me by the sleeve, he pulled me to the window, and pointed at the ferry departing from the opposite bank: "There, look at that! See?"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:26

The ferry, loaded while we were sorting out the paperwork, looked as if it were covered with a light gray carpet. A moving carpet. However, no matter how hard I strained my eyes, I couldn't make out what was being transported. But at that moment, everyone fell silent, and I heard a long, drawn-out sound:

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:29

"Meh... Meh"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:59

"Sheep!" I gasped.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:29

“That's it,” Bachur confirmed gloomily and spat out the window: “Filthy creatures.”

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:31

"And what, do they only drive livestock through this customs post?" I suspected the worst.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:32

"That's exactly why they built it!" Bachur cursed. "After all, the steppe dwellers bring in almost four million head of cattle every year. So they built a special ferry for this purpose, far from the city."

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:59

//"Those bastards..." I seethed, realizing how the grey-uniformed men had set me up for the failure of their operation. "So they assigned me an important task – sent me to catch smugglers?! Such the bastards!"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 07:00

//"Send me back, now!" The imp demanded, looking around in confusion. He jumped up and screamed, "We didn't agree on this! Where are the taverns, the gambling houses, the whores?! There's nothing here at all! It's a complete mess!"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 07:01

//“What, the sound of gold coins doesn’t attract you anymore?” I responded sarcastically.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 07:02

//“Why do we need them if there’s nowhere to spend them here?!” The indignant imp yelled.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 07:02

//"No, imp, you'll stay. Where would I be without you?" I thought, slowly shaking my head, and reminded him: "Or have you forgotten how I bragged that demons are the best accountants?" And with malicious glee, I concluded: "Now you can show off your skill by counting sheep!"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 07:03

* * *
Three months later

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:33

Laidek, office of the head of the First Department of the Secret Service Grass-Tarkh Luarier

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:33

"Grass-Tarkh, As-tarkh Covan is here to see you,” said the girl who had silently appeared in the office.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:35

“Okay, Melissa, let him come in,” he said, taking a break from reading the daily news report for a moment, nodding to Luarier and returning to his reading.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:38

"What, just routine?" the As-tarkh asked, sitting down in the chair opposite his boss.

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:39

"Yes, as usual, just some nonsense, not worth considering," the Grass-Tarkh confirmed, looking up at Covan. "And what have you come with, Erich?"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:39

"I don't even know how to say it..." his subordinate rubbed his forehead worriedly. "Remember our guard? The one who let de Sameri escape?"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:41

"Of course I remember," Loirier said, slightly surprised by the unexpected question. Then he perked up: "What? Was it for nothing that they put him under surveillance? Did they come to light that he was in contact with Aquitaine agents?"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:44

"No, it's much funnier," Covan chuckled and tossed the sheet of paper he'd brought with him onto the table. "A dispatch from Ostmor has arrived. There was an assassination attempt on the head of the separate Ostmor customs post yesterday. Fortunately, it failed."

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:45

"An assassination attempt?" the head of the First Department asked, genuinely surprised. "Have the reasons been clarified? There's no trace of Aquitaine?"

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:45

"That's the point, it's been established," the As-Tarkh shook his head sadly. "The smugglers sent the assassin."

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:46

"Are you kidding me?" the Grass-Tarkh asked irritably, frowning. "Where did those smugglers come from? There have never been any of them in this hole."

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:47

"And now they've appeared," Erich grinned crookedly, looking at his indignant boss, and chuckled cheerfully: “He was sent there to catch smugglers, so that's what he found...”

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:58

* * *

Camrad_RIP 11.10.25 в 06:16