Day 37 continued

So I'm taking my golem under escort for a trade: resources I can use to make a golem of equivalent strength for my Gilded-Steel Golem 'Big Monster'. I'm a little miffed about losing my best toy and more than a little paranoid.

Hmm. Well, even I can smell a rat here, so I made certain to have a few words with Mother and Niala about the golem and had them let me amend a few things. So taking a cue from Asimov's laws of robotics I added hard coded guidelines of conduct into the golem which cannot be repealed or removed. They are simply: the golem cannot attack an owner or the creator. If ordered to do so the current owner in question is struck from the owner registry and ownership reverts back to the creator. This also includes defense protocols and an automatic return function. So even if they order it to attack us from a distance or hold me hostage, they'll get stomped.

Their camp is precisely where I expected, a small defensible area surrounded by large trees and a wall. I cleared it out, for them. Heheheh.

I proceed to stand between two large mounds and wait for their leader. I ignore any threat they offer and they do offer several. A few of the soldiers look disgusted and clearly are talking about doing away with me, from the attitude and gestures. I currently have Big Monster on auto-guard so, it is not a concern. All they'll do is bleed all over me if they try.

I note the chips in the trees where I suspect a giant skeleton swung a cleaver around. So it held them trapped in here for a while? My golem only barely fits through the gap in the trees.

My two guides are flanking me. My friendly scout offers a quirky smile.

The other, a stoic older man watches me warily. Smart man.

I am armed, after all. Although I'm more dangerous than I appear, obviously.

My sword-breaker and katar are sitting on my belt. I added some enhancements to their designs, using my crafting. The sword-breaker has a swift-swing enhancement and the scissors-katar has a cutting enhancement. Both of them are small things, but the results are pleasantly synergistic with the weapon purpose.

A man approaches dressed in a fancier set of armor with a breastplate, bracers and greaves all of them made of bronze with silver inscription. Crude stuff by my standards now, but not without a hint of elegance of design. He is flanked by a woman of the same race. Both lack helmets. I can only see one difference that identifies them as being a species other than human, besides the red eyes. They have heavy hair around the sides of the face, a bit like an ape. Perhaps they are that hairy all over?

Huh, first time seeing a human-like woman since I've been here. It seems my urges and tastes are still based on my human ones. She has a slightly severe, cold look, but that might just be from time in the military. She seems to be a clerk or aide. Not bad looking over all with long dark brown hair in a bun, but she would probably be the kind you'd see in a dominatrix role with a riding crop or being a strict teacher to a naughty student...

Ugh... hormone overload. I'm still a damn teenager in rat terms. Keep it in your pants... er... fur, rat boy.

They seem to have a set of my demands prepared. She's efficient, of course.

I look them over and try to guesstimate the amounts I'll receive based upon the weights. Since I can do complex mathematics I can easily extrapolate the amount they are trying to push onto me. I get an idea of what they are actually offering by inquiring about the weight measurement they use and then using the score system until I have the correct number (since they use the archaic method of counting with words for every number instead of the classic Arabic method used in the Modern world).

It seems I'll be getting five tons. I haggle it to ten. Pretty cheap price for a weapon that could potentially wipe out armies. I playfully suggest they add on the female aide.

Accepted!

…Uh...

I notice she isn't in military gear. She's a slave?!

That seems very likely. I doubt a nation as archaic as this would have much in the way of women's rights and equality or 'human' rights either... so she's a personal slave of the commander? I just bought her...

The price settled I add the officer to the owner registry of the golem.

He nods and shakes my hand.

He notices my weapons and asks about them.

Well, I'm quite happy now that he seems far less treacherous than expected. I show them to him. The Scout replies to a few questions and the officer's eyes widen. Ah, realized that I made all of it, huh?

I feel like showing off.

I call one of the soldiers who showed me a very unpleasant expression earlier. I wave the swordbreaker and offer to show the officer what it can do. He nods and the soldier raises his spear, rather than his sword. Bastard. Trying to embarrass or kill me, huh?

He tries to stab me but the swordbreaker diverts the point away. I draw the katar. He stupidly sweeps at me, I block with both weapons.

The scissors snap open and then as suddenly close on the bronze and wood. With a twist I lop off the point. They really are scissors now with the sharpness enhanced.

He draws his sword angrily, tossing the useless spear aside. A single-edged curving blade.

Smiling I swing at the weapon with the swordbreaker. He tries to block. Hah. Stupid.

The metal bar ploughs through the blade and snaps the spine of the weapon near the middle of the curve. It emerges from the weapon, the top edge of the sword falling to the dirt. I grin at the shocked look of the idiot that threatened me.

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I toss the swordbreaker point first at the tree beside the officer where it buries in solid wood a good inch.

He pulls it loose and marvels at the lack of damage from such a hard blow. Barely scratched. Actually that's just bronze residue clinging to the weapon. I made it to survive blows from monsters. A bronze sword may as well be tinfoil.

He proposes buying the weapon.

Hu hu hu! I stroke my furry chin chuckling.

We already have one deal, now they want to start a long term business arrangement...

Well, I do have a decent stockpile at hand. I can always make another swordbreaker.

I hash out the details for our new arrangement. I draw a few examples of my more unusual weapons and give various prices, based on the resource cost.

It seems they will be sending a convoy through here to purchase weapons, an amount of several hundred. They'll be bringing my payment as well. Good. I have five hundred plus already prepared.

Pleased I turn to leave. The woman looks scared. Oh, right. Well... I suppose I can use a language teacher and cleaner. I live in a rats nest, after all.

I urge her to collect her belongings and hurry up.

She bites her lower lip but obeys.

I suppose out here there is no survival if you try to escape from slavery.

She actually has a small bag with a few sets of clothes and some simple toiletries. A purse with several silver coins too... oh. Roman slaves used to legally own their money, which they could use to purchase their own goods or even freedom. Saving up for a rainy day or a major purchase?

As we leave I whistle.

A rumble shakes the area and the twin mounds of earth shift suddenly and with great force.

The strangers are all preparing for some kind of attack.

From the ground two tall forms rise from where I buried them. Golems. Giant-Bone Golems. Three skeletons combined into one heavy humanoid form, fused together.

The only other plentiful resource in my town.

Not as effective as Big Monster, but plenty strong and disposable. I have enough for three spares back home. The other reason I had no worries about our undead pest. A pair of these would put the annoyance down.

I smirk and order them to follow me.

The commander stares at me for a while as the golems follow, before bursting into laughter.

It must have been bugging him, why I gave up the steel golem so cheaply and acted so boldly.

I have replacements, which pose no threat to the steel one.

I surrendered my battleship but built a couple of makeshift destroyers to take up the slack. I bet the commander is already plotting to purchase these too. They're only bonded to my orders too, so no silly stuff with Niala.

The woman is staring at me with a mix of horror and awe. Well, it could be worse. It could be revulsion.

I shrug, then offer to carry her baggage, via golem. She may consider herself a slave but a golem is just a convenient machine-like thing. They are built for nothing but manual labor and destruction. I consider her role to be as my new cultural adviser and teacher. However I'll be keeping all rulers and riding-crops/whips out of her hands.

I'm not going to take advantage of the situation, but if she ever asks... in a way I understand... I'll happily take her up on the offer. She is by no means hard on the eyes. She even seems to be a little busty...

Oh! Bad rat! No wonder we breed so quickly. Our sex drives are in locked in 'hyper-active'.

Why do I suddenly feel scared for my chastity around Niala?

I mean, she's just a sister. She wouldn't be feeling like this toward me, right? She only really spends time with me and Mother. Perhaps she's a late bloomer?

For a rat...

Yeah, right.

…

We reach the gate, only to be greeted by a crowd of very angry rats.

Oh. They're hungry.

They've been locked in for two days now.

Well, no harm in letting them out.

I leave a bone golem to guard the gate.

I designated them Boney and Skully. Skully is the gate guard.

I guide my new servant to my home. She takes in the mess and the piles of weapons fairly well after meeting the horde of annoyed rodents.

Niala sniffs the girl from behind, startling the poor woman.

Uh oh. She's pouting!

Niala's annoyed I brought back another girl? One more nail in the coffin of my sister's normal love life... I think we should be using separate beds... I know we've been close for a while, but when did she get green-eyed monster close?

That aside I spend a while trying to get the new girl settled in, with a proper bed (of soft pine needles). I give her some of our dwindling food stores and my water bottle.

There is no one who can't enjoy 'high' quality food. She is immensely surprised by her raspberry, making appreciative sounds as she eats with delicate but fast bites.

What we learned this chapter:

Unintentional slaves are now a thing.

Busy rat will be making many blades.

Niala secretly plans to jump her brother and tie him up. Until she realizes there isn't any more rope. She settles for crawling into bed with him again.