Born a Monster

Even distracted as I was, I had a job.

Of sorts.

I mean, I WAS Kismet’s boss, right? Or wrong...

Either way, I flagged a Speed Reading ability off my Scientific trait, one of my Insight traits. It was 24 base cost, which meant 4 experience per use, which I could only afford two of. It also opened the same ability, or at least an ability of the same name and effect, from my Linguist trait

That said, I was ready to report long before the morning gruel was brought in, and was still working when Kismet poked her head in. “You’re supposed to be done.” She said.

“No, I’m supposed to be ready to report. I am, I’m just still working.”

“So, which of these companies are honest?”

“None of them.” I said.

.....

“That seems to be a misunderstanding.” Said a mature but not elderly man, clearly not growing, but also not in the process of withering and shrinking yet. His beard and hair were full and black, gathered into rings forward and back. He smelled of lilacs and butter, and wore fine silks both under and over his armor, which was clearly silvered.

Where did he get butter this far into the siege? No, no, focus.

“No, I mean I ran out of red threads to use as bookmarks for entries that are clearly illegal. First and third support companies have entries that claim they issued debentures, but have no debenture numbers, meaning that the citizens will never be able to reclaim them. That’s theft.”

“You are not a judge! You cannot proclaim that a crime.”

I shrugged. “My name is Rhishisikk, and I am a Truthspeaker. I literally cannot lie to you. The records indicate taking from citizens without the intention to give back. Likewise, fourth company doesn’t record the persons the debentures were issued to, another way to ensure that nobody gets their money back after the war.”

“You cannot know their motivation.” He said.

“They wouldn’t get to these elevated positions if they made these manner of mistakes this often. Criminal or not, these are deliberate actions, not just some unfortunate errors. Second, fifth, and sixth support companies do record all the proper information, while meddling with the prices.”

“You, outsider, will show RESPECT toward those providing for our wounded in these troubling times.”

“If you want to hear lies, then don’t assign the TRUTHSPEAKER to make the report.” I countered.

“Rhishi, you will stand down.” Kismet told me. “Crimes in our culture may not be crimes in Daurian culture.”

I blinked, then bowed. ‘My humble apologies. I did not know that these were not crimes to the Daurian peoples.”

“Theft. IS. A. Crime. Show me your evidence.”

So, I did that. As we went into details, he became first more angry, then gradually thoughtful, and ended sad. “I can no longer deny the truth of this. These are not the culprits we are looking for, but they must be quietly removed. If this comes to light, it will hurt the honor of the entire siege.”

“Can we say they’re sick?” Kismet asked. “With diseases running rampant anyway, that should be easily believed.”

“Can we trust?” he flicked his chin at me.

“Rhishi, what do you always say about all truths?”

“All truths do not need to be spoken, that one?”

Kismet nodded. “That one.”

“This will raise suspicions.” He lamented. “At the very least, every supply officer, every first supply sergeant is in on this. That alone is twelve people, and we must be certain the twelve we replace them with will not continue such practices.”

“Rhishi, do you have the ability to detect lies?”

“I can’t even purchase that ability yet. The closest is that I can improve my sense motive skill, but I don’t think I have the points for that right now.”

“Why not?” asked the noble.

“Not all abilities of a class are accessible at the low levels. Truthspeaker has its uses, but not a lot of them involve making experience for the class.”

He sighed. “That sounds so much like an excuse. I do not like excuses, but rather prefer results.”

Was this guy deliberately being irritating, or was this a side effect of having missed last night’s sleep?

“I can do many things.” I said, “but I cannot do everything, and certainly not all at once.”

“Lady Kismet? Did you not assure me this ... person ... was more adept than this?”

She beamed a smile at him. “Lord Xho, he is merely being humble. He may not specialize as we do, but he IS a champion, and has earned his position in our foreigner society. But more important than this, his loyalty can be relied upon. He will not betray the defenders.”

“Truly? Even if it means you must face Xinyi Shi again?”

“I will not be facing him alone.” I said. “And with enough rest, I will heal enough to survive another meeting with him.”

“It is said that Vanity is the sin that most offends the heavens.”

“I have been assured by others that I am extremely good at survival. I agree with their assessment. I have no doubts that in any manner of one-on-one confrontation, he’d kill me. But,” I shrugged, “that is NOT what is happening at the Rice Gate.”

“Other people who fight get wounds. Where are YOUR wounds?”

“Don’t answer that.” Kismet told me. “Lord Xho? Whatever is going on, this isn’t actually about the lack of magical abilities, is it? Do we need to call on one of the other seven? Just let me know which...”

“Ignorant barbarian!” he snapped.

Kismet smiled at him, sat down, and folded her hands in her lap. “If you would, please, enlighten this ignorant one.”

“HE is a warrior.” Lord Xho said, pointing at me with a shaking hand. It was odd; his arteries weren’t bulging, his face only a little more red than normal, but his eyes were...

[Heroin Withdrawal] my reticule informed me.

Oh, gods.

“It is true.” I said. “Among other things, I am a warrior. What else about me upsets you? I assure you, in spite of my blunt ideas about truth, that I am not trying to stoke conflict between us. We have other enemies to focus on, do we not?”

He sniffed, his eyes narrowed as though trying to spot the lie in my words.

“Truthspeaker.” I whispered to him.

“You will obey.”

“Of course.”

“And whatever familiar terms you have with your nobility, you will address me either as Lord Xho, or your lordship.”

I put my fist to my chest, executed a short bow. “As your lordship desires.”

“For now, you are dismissed. The Lady Kismet and I must clean up this mess that YOU HAVE MADE.”

Did I have to bow AGAIN? DID I? What the hell, dismissed meant I could go get some sleep. I bowed. “My apologies. Lady Kismet knows where to find me when my services are needed.”

He waved his dismissal; I left.

ARGH! STUPID SUNLIGHT!

I stepped out into it, slid the door closed behind myself, and only then dared to clutch at my eyes. The street was full of people, most of whom were in a hurry, and none of whom cared about my inability to see clearly.

AND, I discovered that the Reticule only focused when I was. If I was distracted, such as the pain of having light magnification eyes active in broad daylight, it revealed far less data.

But the roads, muddy as they were, were broad. I took a place behind a squadron of mixed archers and spearmen. I gritted my teeth and cried openly, my eyes slowly releasing their night-time evolutions for those of daylight.

As I approached the Gate, I realized I was having problems keeping them open.

“No entry for you!” snapped the floor sergeant. “Not with your feet like THAT! I don’t care what the orders are, you need to not track that all over the gate-house.”

Laughing. Gods.

The worst part of it was the Daurian culture entirely supported his view.

I took a long blink.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can fix that.”

In retrospect, it wasn’t even hard. A discarded board, some rope, the risky use of Meld Wood on a brain that just... well, it worked, and I survived. The hard part was waiting in line at the nearest well to get water to wash my feet with.

I didn’t use it straight from the bucket; it went into to my canteen, and only once away from those my actions might anger did I wash my feet.

Honestly? I wanted to just fall into the well, and sleep under the water. I had no doubts THAT would be perceived as rude.

So, I clopped on up to the Rice Gate, presented my feet for inspection, agreed to leave my “outdoor shoes” in the entry room, and made my way towards my bed.

“Stop.” Sister Yoshi said. “Stop. Stop. Monitor, STOP.”

What? Me?

I turned to face her. She grabbed my face, turned it to see the polearm wound. “No, this needs cleaned out, the stitches redone.”

I didn’t have the energy to resist. I barely had the energy to stay awake.

“Thank you, Sister Yoshi.”

And then I yawned.

“Go get sleep. That was genuinely scary.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Go get sleep.” She said again.

.....

I didn’t have the energy to argue.