World Witout Wizards: Guard

The property in my parents' house turned out to be much cheaper than I had expected. I kept a few health potions, disease recovery potions, enhancing elixirs for all occasions and that mysterious bottle.

If I had sold everything, I would have gotten two gold coins. In fact, I received only thirty-two silver coins.

The appraiser finished his work at night, when both moons were up. I was relieved: my debt was paid, I owned Oulsast's property and the treasure under the anvil.

As soon as I get better, I'll come back and get the hoard. I'll do it in secret, so as not to tempt the Baron to take my inheritance.

Sitting on the cart I bought, I tried to get to the lake, but it was more difficult to ride the hog than I'd imagined. It wasn't wicked at all, but it kept trying to get into other people's gardens and didn't listen to my commands. I took it under the bridle. The ring in its big nose tightened its s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e skin, and the hog obediently followed me.

"Triya!" I called the mermaid, leaning over the water. I wonder how I could communicate with her. "Triya, come here!"

After a few minutes of my screaming, when a few voices out of the darkness swore at me for awaking them, the mermaid came up to the surface. God knows, I might have dreamed it in the moonlight, but when she came up, I thought she swallowed something she was carrying in her teeth. Her sharp teeth, gleaming in the moonlight, looked dangerous.

"Good evening." I was confused, trying to explain to her that she had to move into the barrel, which was big enough for her.

"Sorry, I don't speak fish. Do you understand me? Look, this is for you," I pointed to the big barrel, that took up half the cart, "this is a container with water. So, you can go with me tomorrow. If I leave you here, fishermen or hunters will catch you." The water maiden pointed her finger at the water insistently.

"Well, listen, I don't want to swim. Last time I hurt my eye and my wounds. So let's not do this, okay?"

Luck Check

Base 1

Bonus 0

Dice Roll 3

Requirement 3

Success

The first sound the mermaid made when she appeared was a long, furious hiss. She looked like a thirteen feet long snake with fins. I wish I wasn't involved in all this. I would prefer to leave the mermaid in the lake. What if she gets mad and eats me or bites my arm off?

But she didn't just look dangerous, she also looked delightful in the moonlight. Her wet hair shimmered like scales. Her clothes, made of thin fabric, slightly covered her b.r.e.a.s.ts and muscular body. I noticed the narrow waist and the ample bosom. The fins on her back resembled wings. Half-human and half-fish… She looked at me sadly and thoughtfully and dived silently without raising a splash.

"Hey! Triya! Where have you gone?!" I ran to the water's edge and looked at the dark surface of the lake. What am I to do? Shall I wait for her to come back? Last time she waved to me after my rescue. Maybe I've offended her.

I tied the hog to the nearest tree and sat on the shore, watching the ripples on the water. Five minutes later, the mermaid appeared above the water again, almost at the shore. Hissing, she waved at me with both hands. What does she want me to do? Dive into the lake? I've just had a wound on my stomach sewn up, what if water gets in? On the other hand, I was dirty and smeared with soot after clearing the rubble of my parents' house. I had to bathe anyway. I had a tincture of fire water and a healing potion from my mother's stocks.

"Okay, I hope you don't just want to go for a swim." I sighed and walked slowly into the lake, in my dirty clothes. The water in the lake cleared a little at night and when I entered, something was glowing in the depths.

The mermaid grabbed my arm impatiently and pulled me in. Is she trying to drown me? The seemingly fragile water maiden was very strong. Diving down, I thought Triya would lead me farther, but she only put my hand on a cold metal object. A large and heavy c.h.e.s.t. How did it get here?

Intelligence Check

Base 0

Bonus 0

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 2

Success

I came out. The c.h.e.s.t was too heavy, I couldn't pull it out alone.

Fortunately, my hog was waiting for me on the shore. It was a strong beast, capable of lifting the load from the bottom of the lake.

"Wait a minute, I'll be back soon." I shouted and got out on land. The hog had already chewed half the roots of the tree by that time. I led the animal to the water's edge, then dived and tied the ends of the harness to the c.h.e.s.t. The hog pulled out the heavy load without much effort. When the c.h.e.s.t was already on the shore, water came pouring out from all its cracks. I was glad: when all the liquid drained, the c.h.e.s.t would be lighter.

Strength Check

Base 1

Bonus -1 (trauma)

Dice Roll 3

Requirement 4

Failure

When I tried to lift the c.h.e.s.t onto the cart, I realized that I could get my stitches ripped open and I decided to stop.

I dragged the c.h.e.s.t to the cart and turned it sideways to let the rest of the water drain. I heard clinking of coins. It seemed there was a lot of money inside. If the c.h.e.s.t was full of copper coins, their total value was quite high—at least ten silver coins.

Seeing my unsuccessful attempts to lift the trunk, Triya got out of the water. At first, she simply moved on her hands, and then, rising, leaned on her tail and crawled almost seven feet to the barrel. She glanced at the c.h.e.s.t and hissed contentedly. The mermaid seemed satisfied. The water maiden and I loaded the c.h.e.s.t on the cart. Triya climbed into the barrel; five minutes later we arrived at the estate.

Suddenly it turned out that someone was waiting for us. Lyska paced excitedly around the porch biting her nails. Vasilisa, sitting at the threshold, had dozed off, leaned against the doorframe. Both slaves were obviously worried for me and came out to meet me on the street.

"Where were you?" Lysandra shouted at me. "You've been gone all day; it's the middle of the night. Are you hurt? What if you were killed? Did you think about that?! You shouldn't be out so late!"

"Calm down, it's okay. I came back alive."

"Master," Vasilisa smiled happily, "we've been waiting for you. The lady was worried sick."

"I was perfectly calm," the warlock's apprentice chimed in. She was giving me her usual haughty look.

Intelligence Check

Base 0

Bonus -3 (your interlocutor is genius)

Dice Roll 4

Requirement 1

Success

"Why do you call her 'lady'?" I asked in surprise. "She is even more powerless than you. I own only your body. Lysandra belongs to me completely: both body and soul."

Lyska began to choke with indignation. "Don't you dare say another word!"

"Are you giving me orders? Stop this immediately!" I didn't know what happened to me but I wanted to put this obstinate girl in her place. "Meet your new friend and roommate. Triya, come out for a minute!"

"A water maiden!" Vasilisa whispered in amazement, "what are we going to do next?"

"We'll cook fish soup…" Lysandra replied grimly, hearing the mermaid hissing. "You have obviously decided to have a harem, master."

It was strange, but there wasn't mockery in her voice, but sadness.

"Well, I'm glad we all got to know each other. Help me get the trunk inside. Is there a bathroom in this house?"

"Yes, but the bath will be too small for the mermaid, it's better to leave her in the barrel." The warlock's disciple replied, "If it's all right, I'll go into the house and sleep in my room."

"Great! Triya, will you wait here for me till the morning?"

The mermaid nodded quickly and tried to smile, baring her scary sharp teeth.

Vasilisa, Lysandra and I dragged the heavy c.h.e.s.t inside and left it in the hallway. Well, to be honest, Lyska practically didn't help. Then I went to my room, realizing that there's only four hours to sunrise. There was a bath with cold water behind the curtain. I took off my dirty clothes, got in and began cleaning my wound, which, to my surprise, almost didn't hurt. I took out the glowing bottle from my leather bag and pondered. Do I just need to drink it and make a wish? What to choose? There were five options: intelligence, stamina, strength, dexterity, and perception.