9 The StacheGuard (1/2)
”Huhu, what a cute little hurricane.” Complimented Berg.
”Hm.” Titus nodded. ”She is super cute.”
”Let's see if you still think the same when it's her rebellious age.” Teased Ferlin.
”Hahaha!” Laughed Berg. ”Don't make that face, you still have a few good years before then!”
The three of them continued to joke on their way to Chris' quarters.
”So, tell me, how did your missions go?” Finally asked Berg.
Ferlin went first. ”It was a huge success! We caught so much game that we had to end the hunt by noon. This is much more efficient than tracking each prey individually with small teams of hunters.”
”Oh?” Berg curiously asked. ”But it's almost sunset, why are you back so late? Did you have any trouble on the way back?”
”The hunt went so well that we actually had to restrain ourselves.” Explained an excited Ferlin. ”It took us all afternoon to carry back all the carcasses to the village. Another two days of hunting and we'll meet our quota! You should have seen the faces of my hunters when they remembered they had to clean and preserve all that meat! In the end, we had to request help from the cooks.”
”Good, good!” Said Berg. ”With this, we might be able to serve bigger portions for the next few days. This will increase morale.”
An increase if morale before heading out to battle was always a good thing.
Ferlin nodded. ”To think our Lord's method worked so well. So much game fled to that gorge that I had half a mind to find a way to close it up for later.”
”And what about you Titus?” Asked Berg.
”It also went very well. We had one injured but he will be fine as we applied the antidote almost immediately. He just has a deep wound on the arm to nurse and some blood loss.”
”We managed to secure sixty red hornets and one donkey,” he said the last part with a little smirk. ”Our Lord requisitioned half of those hornets, but the rest should be more than enough for our poison needs.”
”He did? What for?” Wondered Berg.
”I am not sure.” Answered Titus. ”We could ask hi-...”
♫♬♭
”Hm? Someone is singing?”
♫♭ ♩♬
”... am scheming and conniving,
Always holding my grudges.
So you minions better not be forgetting,
I am always preparing a good subterfuge.”
The three of them froze. Chris was happily singing and tinkering with a few nets and some wood. He looked like a kid having fun with a bunch of twigs.
[...]
”After all the goddess found me,
Since I am so handsome and so smart.
And I am such a busy bee,
That keeping it hidden is quite hard.”
They looked at each other. [W-what kind of song is that?]
[S-should we leave before he notices us?]
Berg was the first to gather his courage. ”Ahem. Lord, may we enter your quarters?”
”Oh, guys! Come on in!” Said Chris without a trace of shame. ”I'm working on a little something, just in case we really end up fighting the Kunalls.”
Chris was sitting on the ground tinkering with something that looked like a ball of twine connected to a long stick. It looked properly assembled, and the net's knotting was symmetrical.
Chris noticed the surprise in their eyes. ”What? You thought I couldn't do anything with my hands?” He added proudly. ”This King used to design powerful machines in his former world you know.”