Proofreader: Solyom
Rogue was walking back and forth across his room. The situation became… difficult. And by difficult he meant horrible. He started working with Zariel because he had no other choices, but his hopes were high, in the end, the kid seemed to be reliable, hardworking and smart. He lifted the Syndicate from misery all alone, all they needed to do was to do as he said.
But, everything that is good can’t last forever. The alchemists guild finally noticed that right under their nose a new organization was formed. An organization that was selling two times less effective potions… but for the tenth part of their price.
Unfortunately, they had a monopoly when it came to producing (and then selling) potions. They had the law on their side, which meant that if they would finally find the Syndicate’s laboratory, it would be destroyed. And the Syndicate can’t fight with the Guild right now. Why? Because the Guild is backed by the Council. And the Council is backed by the Neira Kingdom. Sabotaging a kingdom itself wasn’t a big deal. The problem was sabotaging the kingdom in which they have their headquarters.
And Zarile was not in the capital. Of course that he wasn’t. He kept vanishing all the time. Bloody adventurer. If he would work 24/7 for them, the Syndicate would rule half of continent already. But the kid preferred freedom. Damn it. Damn him. What an immature, spoiled brat!
… still, he is an immature, spoiled brat they need. He already started slowing down the progress of the Guild inspectors by sending false information and leaving trails that would lead them to nothing. But slowing them down is one thing, stopping completely – another one.
His communication crystal was warming up, soon he would call the young druid. He was about to waste his one-per-month call he usually used to contact his supplier of the contraband. Still, he was willing to lose it. He learned it in the hard way that to achieve one thing, another needs to be forsaken.
Soon, the semi-transparent phantom-like head of the kid appeared in the room. He was in some kind of tent.
- “For real, kid. I just want to remind you that you SHOULD be responsible for a certain company. The same company you rarely visit…” Zariel rolled his eyes and rushed his conversation partner with gesture of his hand. He knew that they had about a minute of the conversation“… the alchemist guild started sniffing around. I am afraid that they finally noticed our little operations. I thought that you may want to know and…”
- “Ok, stop right here. I knew that this day would eventually come, it’s bit too soon, but still. I will tell you what you are about to do. You will open a small open-for-all hospital and an orphanage in slums.”
- “Orphanage? The hell is that?”
- “A place where orphans with no family go.”
- “… They end on the street.”
- “Not any longer. Hire a few women and pay them to take care of street-kids, build some cheap building, fill it with plain beds, canteen. You will take 20% of our income and put ‘em into the hospital and the orphanage.”
- “… who will pay us for taking care of the sick and the children?”
- “We will do it pro bono publico.”
- “But… why?”
- “Damn it, Rogue, I was told you are an intelligent man. Prove it! How many times did I make a mistake?! Just do as I said and we will…”
Their connection shattered. The Syndicate leader cursed loudly. He used the crystal few days too early so the conversation did not last even a minute.
Open for all hospital! Orphanage! Is he crazy? Why would that stop the Alchemist from riding their factory?! Even more – when the word about people being healed for free in slums would spread they would find them even fas… Wait. Wait wait wait wait! That little bastard… Is he fucking CRAZY!? That’s what he wants! Pro bono publico! He doesn’t want to fool the guild, he wants to confront it! To justify their existence!
But the guild cares only for profit, they would never let them be only because their existence would be justified… He must have known that too. Let’s think about one step forward…
Puzzles of the events were slowly falling into one piece creating a full picture of what the mage wants to achieve.
…This game, this charade, is not for the Guild. It’s for the King and the Council. This little devil wants to destroy the Guild’s monopoly. Even more, he heard that the king is at least friendly with him, a few people in council wish to recruit him too, the Blackwood family… And even now… he is with the dwarfs establishing some kind of bonds with them… That little… he actually can do it.
If a year ago someone would tell him that the Syndicate would slowly start to regain their strength and regain control of most of the black markets he would just treat him as a madman and ignore him. If half year ago someone would tell him that they would wage a silent war against the Church he would stab that man right away, as even mentioning such possibility was dangerous.
And if ten minutes ago someone would suggest him to challenge right of the Guild to make potions as the only in the organization in this side of continent… Madness. This couldn’t be predicted.
The question remains. For how long this kid has planned all of this?!
… and how much he wants to achieve? Is the Syndicate also just a piece he uses in his game? Rogue shivered.
Red Mountains.
So, the alchemist’s guild made a move? Crap. They have much more money than we do, that means that they have more options to track us down than we do to hide. It means that eventually, we would have to face each other. Right after I said to director of the Guild that I am not selling the potions I create. Shit happens. All I can hope for is to make the king decide if I (and my company) am to be punished. And after this little expedition in the Red Mountains… I will have the king in my pocket.
But, right now… I left the tent. It was already morning and we were heading out again.
As soon as I stepped out from my leather hut a few dwarfs rushed to put it down and to carry it away to the supply squad.
- “Important people made a few decisions when you were away.” Gisele said as she caught up with me.
- “When I was away, you say? I feel offended.”
- “Apparently, old Ironblood wanted to force as many decisions as he could when you were away, because, as he said: you are bringing him to the edge of madness and he can’t gather his thoughts with you around.”
- “What did they decide?”
- “We head to the camp your familiars found. No stopping on the way there. No more setting up camps.”
- “Idiots. The lesson from the art of war: the army that arrives on the battlefield as the last one is in the worse position. They are tired from marching, they need to set up a formation and so on. In the same time, our enemies would be well-rested and would fight in the place they know. I would advise at least one short break before arriving there… but there is no way I could possibly win with their stubbornness. “
- “So… You are giving up?” she wanted to tease me. Poor, foolish girl.
- “Sweetie, do you know what brings the greatest joy?”
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
- “I am sure that you are about to tell me.”
- “Playing the game by someone’s rules and biting him by finding a loophole. Tell me, do you think they would be mad if we would borrow a squad or two?”
Gisele smiled widely.
- “Action?” she asked. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
- “Action.” I nodded.
Some time later
- “What are they doing?! WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!” the clan head yelled after seeing around 100 goat riders leaving main forces following a rider on black warg
- “Sir, mister Whiteraven said that he would scout places ahead to remove possible traps and ambushes. If he would encounter bigger forces he would return and inform you… He said that the queen was informed about it.”
The messenger said looking at Vakkira, who opened her eyes widely and said that she heard about it for the first time.
- “..th..there is also a letter he asked to deliver to you…” he continued bringing a piece of paper to the dwarf queen.
She quickly unwrapped it and ran her eyes over the text. Then she exhaled loudly covering her face with her palms.
- “What does it say?”
- “Literally?: Vakkira, I am about to borrow some of your troops. Treat them as scouts. This is a formal information. I am a good guy, so there is no need to thank me.”
- “… this little… I will crush his spine with my own hands…” he hissed more to himself than to anybody else “… to break official orders and…”
- “Actually, he did not break orders at all.” His son stopped his tirade “Orders say that the army is not to be stopped after it already headed out. But, if he would take squads now these are not to be treated as part of the main forces but – exactly as he said – scouts. And this formation has the greatest freedom of action….”
- “STILL! No one allowed him to act as a commander! He is nothing more than an advisor!”
- “He? No. But Giselle who is traveling with him? I think I have temporarily granted her the position of a lieutenant, in the end she was leading our squad, it was formally required… as long as she is with him to act as formal commander… He could, as an advisor, suggest certain actions to be taken by the squad, actions that would be formed as order by commander.”
- “THIS LITTLE BASTARD!” the elder hit the table with his fist almost breaking it in half. “DEGRADE HER! NOW!”
- “With all due respect, father, to do so I would have to either tell her that in her face or send a messenger with formal information of stripping her off her privileges. But how do you want to deliver this message? They are traveling on combat goats. It is almost impossible to catch them in mountains. Also, I would not do it even if I could. I actually appreciate his actions.”
- “What?! You dare to talk back to me?”
- “Good for our nation should always be put before our clan’s desires. Father, I would support you everywhere else, but as we are in the state of war, as the main commander of the army I am obligated to speak my mind. Taking in consideration the orders YOU gave to the army, his actions can’t harm us, only help.”
Oh, Zariel would give away all the treasure of the world to see the face of Ironblood right now.
Holy Kingdom
Sunday. Day of Sun. The Sun is the main symbol and attribute of Luxia, therefore Sunday is the holiest day of the week for the worshipers of Order. It also meant that this day the hero was training meditation and spell casting in the Basilica of the Morning Star.
The hero had problems hiding the smile on his face after hearing “Morning Star” – in the world he came from it was one of the name of Satan – king of the devils, not the holiest thing, you have to admit that.
He was said that he should meditate – to find inner peace and then a connection to divine spirits. Yet, he was not quite doing that. Reason?
HE WAS BOOOOOREEEED!
Training swordsmanship? That was sweet! Learning about this world’s tactics? One of his favorite lectures! But… meditations? It was quite “meh” for him. He used to be quite a nerd, in every game he preferred picking warrior class, even if he would play as the paladin he would rarely use active magic, relying more on passive, aura-like spells. Oh, of course, he knew that magic here can be extremely useful, he would eventually learn about it… just… he does not feel doing it right now. Until something picked his interest. The ultimate goal he wanted to achieve here – a pretty girl.
- “Inga? Really? You failed again?” some older priest was scolding a pretty, short girl, with blonde hair, deep blue eyes and… enormous breast. Really nice set of honkers. An extremely well-endowed badonkers. Her dobonhonkeros surely made most of the girls envy. On the other hand, the hero was more than amazed how that priest could somehow look somewhere else than on her dohoonkabhankoloos. Ah, to bury his face in those tonhongerekoogers… one could die in peace. It was decided. He would make these humonoloughongaus his. And the lady attached to them would be a nice addition too.[i]
- “Something wrong?” he asked with a voice filled with nothing more than purest curiosity. Ah, all those years of acting school are now paying off.
- “Ah, hero, are we bothering your meditations? We are so terribly sorry!” old man lowered his head a bit.
- “H…H…HERO!?” she covered her mouth in shock.
- “Ah, think nothing of it! I wouldn’t get distracted if my focus was strong enough, so that’s mostly my fault!” He said with a smile of a fool.
- “How humble of you!”
- “Inga, yes? Beautiful name! Sorry for eavesdropping, but if I am correct you are having problems with summoning, right? I am having problems with it too, so if you would allow me, I would love to hear your explanations too, Father.” He addressed the old priest politely.
- “Oh, but… it’s more advanced practice hero, today you were supposed to only start mana manipulation and…”
- “Oh, I see… I am sorry, I got too ahead of myself. I wish to apologize for my impoliteness.” He bowed in half before the older man.
- “No! No, please! Don’t apologize to me! Your passions in studying divine arts are admirable!...”
- “… I think I could give you a hint or two, I am about to teach her anyway, so feel free to listen, if my lessons would help you… well, this old man could say that he actually achieved something in life – supporting the hero’s progress, that’s one noble achievement and…”
Then the old man coughed a few times and started lecturing. Some boring stuff, about inner peace, finding the balance of your soul, letting it adrift into other planes and finding a spirit that would answer your call. It all was nothing more than gibberish to him, but as the old man was talking something started to appear in his mind.
He became half aware of his surroundings that were changing. He was no longer in the temple, instead, he was walking in some cloud-like halls, his whole existence was surrounded by… creatures. Each of them so sparkly and beautiful and mighty…
And there was that one creature. Not greatest in size nor power, neither its aura was the brightest one. But somehow, it was calling him. He blinked twice.
Once again he was in the church. Inga and old priest were looking at him with their mouths half-open. One of his arms was stretched, and on his palm a beautiful white dove was sitting looking at him directly in the eyes.
~ Greetings, You must be my new master. It is pleasure to finally meet you, hero, it will be a pleasure to work with you… especially as our taste in women seems to be… similar. Fear not, I will grant you my powers. One you find more interesting than others. Ah, also – feel free to name me.
[Nameless] - [Holy Dove]Level1Hp[25/25]Sp[100/100]Mp[75/75]SkillsPeck [Active] [Level 1]
Living Order Catalyst - low [Passive] [Level NA]
Symbol of the Hero - low [Permanent Passive]
Song of Hero [Active] [Level 1]
Symbol of the Hero - low [Permanent Passive]Familiar's trait - The owner of this familiar will have his [Charisma] and [Charm] increased by 5%[Permanent Passive] - this skill will always be in effect - even when the familiar is in unsummoned-state
… 5% to Charisma and Charm… You mean, I am 5% more likely to get the girl, right?
~ that’s correct. Also, I need to inform you that this property would increase as both of us would get stronger!
… Looks like we are going to be best friends ever, pal!
~ I am glad to hear that, mate!
Best buddies forever?
~ I won’t have it in any other way, bro!
The bird sent a mental smile into his head.
[i] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSVkprXlc6k <- idea of names was not mine, so i feel obligated to let you know the source.