Recruiting the expert.

As far as my lord specified, we were in the Alem trading tribe, looking for someone who could handle the mining issue and with it many problems, if his words were true, I ordered my followers to protect the wagon, the two days we spent putting order to new formations that I was never allowed and eating a little between talks and laughter, I noticed a warmth that I had not felt since the days when father and I played among the trees with wooden swords.

“We’re here, keep your hood up unless I tell you otherwise.”

“As you wish, young Jūni.” It still puzzled me why he would lie about his name, but he had his reasons and had been through worse. Still, I recommended that he try using his real name if it was convenient, which happened more or less often. “It doesn’t seem like a very cheerful place.”

“They just went through a landslide, don't expect them to be celebrating.”

“A collapse?”

“We arrived”

By the time we arrived at the gallows, those charged with executing the mining leaders had merely restored order, and with it, prices.

“For the serious cri…”

“I’M NOT INTERESTED, JUST PUT THE PRICE OF YOUR LIFE ONCE.”

The young master's insolence seemed to have surpassed all restraint, and I felt determined to intervene. "Young…" I stopped the moment he raised his hand.

“Hey, the price?”

“Ha, I don’t know what tribe you come from, but their cr…”

“A collapse, which had nothing to do with the guy and which rather has to do with the fact that the wood they gave him was strangely soft, as if there had been a plague in the wood. Who gave him that wood, should be on that gallows, not young Dir?”

“You want his life, 3 gold and get out.”

“Or what?”

"That?"

“If I had come just for him, I would have put an end to it, ordering that all the slaves be taken by force, not that it will be difficult for me to achieve it, I came to participate in the purchase of innocent people from whom they only sought death for doing their job very well, so much so that they would soon be named tribal chiefs, I will not allow a person so worthy of being my servant to die so easily.”

“Put the money on the table over there,” he said, a little nervous and hoping his plan would be discovered so easily.

After arriving at the front, the slave trader passed me authority over the collar with great joy.

“The sign…”

"I said put a price on the innocent. I'm not interested in your well-thought-out ramblings, no matter how credible they are or how believable they seem to you." Again, an arrogance that seemed beyond measure.

At that point, I didn't know if the person I decided to follow was crazy or just a very resourceful daredevil, judging by the way he repeatedly interrupted the person in charge of the trial until he finally found a girl who looked more like a warrior than a mining manager.

“The n… next. S… she’s a suspect of…” I glance at us every time I pause, for some reason. “poisoning the water, the grounds, and the food. The price of her life is 2 gold.”

Everyone was looking at us again, I don't know if I should have felt ashamed or defensive, but I put everything aside, since the Jove didn't seem to have any intention of saving her, I felt somewhat upset, between wanting to ask the young woman for help and watching over our money which was possibly scarce and before I realized it the man was in front of us.

“Young man, I beg for mercy for the girl, can you…”

“Blue Blood and all that, but I’m no good at resisting poison, especially when the guy is eliminating all the loose ends of his plan, especially when he’s eliminating his most loyal subordinates.”

My boss's words soon made sense of everything he was saying, and what was more alarming was that he was telling us about someone who had condemned his most loyal followers, and the countdown ended. Given that we seemed to be attracting so much attention, I felt like we were walking into the lion's den.

“Don’t worry, they’re unjustified.” He grabbed my shoulder, speaking clearly enough for everyone.

For a moment I wondered if he could read minds or was aware of everything that happened in this tribe, but I no longer had any reason or motive to speak up or speak out.

The next proclamations continued with people being saved and a few others not, strangely the majority were women and only three men, in the end we were spent, what I didn't like to admit was a chest of gold and possibly the rest of our supplies.

We spent the night there, while I considered that my former leader was barely scum, compared to the scum we had to call tribal leader and my thoughts began to arrive with more paranoia, seeing that my current boss, might not be different, by how he seemed to talk to his new slaves.

“Ari, we’re in trouble.” I was woken up by the young man on the first night watch.

"What's wrong?" He still felt the pain in his back from the wood, but it was better than the floor, as he noticed the torchlight coming rather quickly. "How many?"

“Many, possibly the entire town.”

“EVERYONE WAKE UP, TO ARMS NOW!” At my shout, most of them woke up rather quickly and took up arms with ease. “Form up in front of…”

“Ari, calm down, don’t treat our new friends like that.”

Again, my lord's calmness bothered me in the face of situations that were clearly against us, but I listened and lowered my weapon, giving him the order for everyone to relax.

To my surprise, the slaves were leading the arriving group and I prepared my dagger to order the young man to make them retreat, and my hand on his shoulder was enough of a signal for him to understand my intentions.

“You left an inept person to follow someone ingenious. Your mind is easily clouded; I don’t blame you for that.”

“Order them to return.”

“That won’t happen and you know it.”

I put the knife to his neck, and before I knew it, I couldn't bring him any closer for some reason. My arm felt cold and I lacked the strength to bring them closer. "Now." No matter how hard I tried, it was hard to move, and I didn't know why.

“Alba protects him, after all the paranoid is already condemned to the same execution as innocent people.”

Too late, I realized that they were already in front of me and when they finally laid a hand on the one in charge, I saw electricity surround them and soon when I was on my knees, it was all over and I instinctively retreated, while preparing my spear. Not even the child would survive an attack of that kind.

“As you ordered, we brought those who wanted to follow you, my lord.”

“And I will keep my promise.”

Only the sound of the collars falling told me I had freed them and I relaxed a little more than I thought I would.