บท 6: Investigations
It's now three days in a row that it's raining non-stop and the streets of the small settlement have become real quicksand. The mine has been closed since last night, the manual pumps are no longer able to empty the water and the level rises at any hour, the risk is too high.
Everyone is worried, every day of rest means a day without bread. Zacharias withdrew to the city as soon as the rain started, postponing production verification and collection of monthly fees.
Simon, the only one happy with the rain, took advantage of it right away. Being able to enter the mine together with his friends managed to get an idea of the material produced. Thanks to this data and to various information collected here and there by various miners, he has been trying to calculate the exact amount of taxes for two days. The goal is to find out how much margin the noble will be held and who will be paid to keep his mouth shut.
Elza bored draws the attention of Simon blowing in his ear "But you have not yet finished with these calculations? It looks like you're making a nation's balance! "
"What are you doing? Are you complaining? It's your fault if I'm not a genius despite all the work I do. Thanks to your skill I've barely become a normal person. Today, for the first time, I managed to go back and forth from the mine without getting out of breath! "
"You are a champion now!"
"On the body I will be weak but no one here can beat me in intelligence!"
"You know that the hero of the deity of the order, just born, already had 15 points in intelligence!"
Simon laughing "Certainly the divinity has given him the highest intelligence in the world, I believe it."
At this point the woman lets herself fall on Simon's bed and, lying down, says "Too bad that this is the gift of the deity of Chaos, the heroine of order has the strength. If I'm not mistaken, just born, it already had a value of fifty."
Simon turns suddenly and white in the face "Fifty! Just born! I am upset and a little relieved, now I know that the reserve plan, that is me, will never be useful. I can sleep peacefully. Also because it will take me decades of hard work just to get to the level of a real blessed baby."
Elza furious disappears from the sight of her pupil.
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On the fifth day when the rain was over and the land was once again draining the water, a small two-horse carriage is coming from the road, a bronze-colored coat of arms on its side. The emblem of the baronet Zacharias is a sword drawn in half.
The vehicle stops about ten meters from the mine, some miners start to put wooden planks to create a clean passage while the servant dismounts and opens the door. Sir Zacharias goes down firmly but in Simon's eyes it seems less sunny than usual. The little noble seems to be the energy made by a person, but today the gestures and the words seem devoid of emotion.
George approaches Simon and asks "What are you going to do for that matter?"
Simon responds coldly "Just look, today I want to understand what happens in these cases."
The miners begin to open the crates with iron ore collected in recent weeks. Zacharias approaches with a critical look and moves some pieces to check the material. On a small notebook he writes a few numbers and proceeds with the next checkout. The operation is repeated for almost two hours. The verified crates are loaded onto two wagons prepared just outside the muddy area.
George and Desmond are among the people responsible for moving the load. Simon instead continues to sit on the lawn between the houses and the mine watching the scene. "Until now nothing unusual, indeed I would say too precise. Apparently nobody in the mine earns any extra. If it turns out that even Zacharias does not do anything illegal I will really do the figure of a fool."
The last box. Zacharias opens the bag tied to his belt then, counting the coins three times, he pays the material and from the same coins he takes the taxes due from the mine to the Lord. "Done! The amount paid to the miners is not correct but the fees collected yes. So the Lord knows nothing?"
A miner seems to notice some incongruity, but, perhaps insecure or frightened, avoids talking.
Simon gets up and runs towards the well. With a small dagger he begins to reflect the sun to signal the departure of the noble to someone. Two of his friends are placed in some strategic points. One on the hill and the other left yesterday for the city. The plan is simple. The two must only verify the movement of the nobleman to try to understand who is involved in this thing. The second step, which will take more time, will be to find the evidence and bring it to the Lord.
Zacharias has left for a few hours and impatient Simon walks back and forth along the river bank. His friend who has gone all the way to the city will be able to return only late at night if not even the next morning but the other went only on the hill to follow the carriage with his eyes. "Where did he get out?"
When the sun goes down Simon has to go home to avoid being reprimanded by his mother.
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The next morning, at the cock crow, three boys are waiting standing near the path that reaches the houses from the city. Simon, Desmond and George are waiting anxiously for their two friends.
The two arrive together while talking animatedly. The first to act is George, who shakes them with two vigorous squeezes, "But where the hell have you been?"
Simon more quietly "Everything ok? Did something happen to you? "
The first, George's brother, John replies "I waited until the evening someone came to the town's residence but I did not see anyone until midnight when I decided to go back. Nothing to say. He entered and closed the gate and doors. Nothing more. Returning, I met Michael and we made the road together."
Michael with the face of someone who knows "I saw the carriage change course and I decided to follow it as far as I could. Zacharias headed towards the two peaks of the Saint. Before entering the valley and losing sight of it, near a small grove, I noticed some people, armed with bow and short swords, hidden out of the bushes and lead him further. They were just under a dozen and all dressed as experience hunters."
Simon shocked screams "Bandits? Or other? The thing has become bigger than expected. I believe Zacharias is entangled with these people. But now my plan must be a bit overwhelmed. I need more information. I've never heard of anyone hiding in that area. The merchants might know something."
Turning to the houses "Dear friends, I have to ask you if you are still convinced to go on with this matter. It may not be more than a joke for revenge. We may find ourselves facing something beyond our capabilities."
Desmond scratching his butt firmly "I have already told you that I want to become a mercenary or an adventurer, it will not be some bandit to scare me. I'm in."
George red in the face like every time the turmoil takes over "Do you think that if the worm boy and the darnest guy in the world do not pull back I do? Do you think I'm a scared girl? I am yours. My brother and Michael are yours."
Desmond taking a step forward "How do you want to proceed?"
Simon "It is time for me to see the city too, I will gather information and try to figure out what to do."
George "Desmond! For the goddess of the mountain! Accompany him or otherwise he will not even get close to the city and we will have to bury him along the path "
A loud laugh breaks the tension and everyone walks towards their work.
Simon enters the shop and after carefully cleaning the entire counter asks the owner "Paul, what do you say if this time I go to the city to get supplies?"
The old man turns to his assistant and surprised asks "Excuse me, but can you bring the cart to the city?"
The young "Desmond accompanies me to help me with the heavy work."
"Ok then I would say that's fine, actually with these muddy roads I don't really want to go all the way. Go ahead. This afternoon I'll explain to you what to take and how not to be cheated with prices."
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