Born a Monster

Type: Interaction, Social

“Hah!” Kismet said, practically pouncing forward to grab my chin, look directly into my dark eyes with her slitted ones. “Look at those eyes!”

“Yes, honored kitsune, I am...”

“I knew!” she said. “I knew if I looked hard enough, I’d find someone else with solid black eyes. Rhishi is wrong! Behold, another with black eyes.”

“Actually,” Lord Xho said, taking his teacup in both his hands, “Such eyes are called shark-black for a reason, that being that all manner of sharkfolk have such eyes.”

“And awakened sharks as well?” his physician asked.

Lord Xho sighed as if being pestered by a small child. “Awakened sharks are still sharks, so yes, I would think so.”

Completely missing the subtext, the physician beamed as if he had received a great compliment.

.....

“May it please my honored elders, where should one ask to acquire the tale of the nine against nine?”

“I should think there is not and never shall be such a record.” Lord Xho said. “Too many families, too many legends, have been tainted in this hunt.”

“But to think that the mastermind behind it all was...”

Kismet turned and smacked the physician. In the eye. “Zip it! If I don’t get to talk about it, neither do you.”

“Honored elder, please do not be shattering eyeballs.”

I lunged backward fast enough to avoid a roundhouse. Without my tier two scales, eyelids, and eyes, a hit like that might actually pop my eyeball like a grape.

Not that I couldn’t regrow it; I just would rather avoid any questions about Ping.

“Ah-ah. With reflexes like that, you would have been useful in our many fights, Ping.” Lord Xho said. “Where were you when we needed you?”

“Begging your forgiveness, noble lord, but I don’t even have identification papers.”

“Lucky that we needed every hand for the harvest.” Kismet said. “Oh, gods, to eat a full meal again.”

“So sorry, noble lady.” I said, “But I was told we are still on half rations.”

The physician puffed out his chest. “Those with medals like these get full rations.”

I blinked. “But the sheer number of people who must have earned medals...”

“Not all medals are valued equally.” Lord Xho said. “These were given to us by the admiral. There are seventeen higher medals, most of them only granted through the hand of the Empress herself. It is an award of status that far outweighs any reward in petty coin.”

“Although the coin was nice, too.” Kismet said.

My stomach chose that time to grumble. “I would be happy just for this war to be over.”

“Alas,” the physician said, “Lord Xaodong’s resolve has been fortified ever since the black rebellion.”

“The black rebellion?” I asked.

“That’s what they’re calling it, so that’s what we’re calling it. Some idiot lord thought he could turn the tide of the war with mercenary troops.”

“Lord Ding, ruler of the Ricelands.” I said.

“An astute observation.” Lord Xho said. “How did you know that?”

And before my training, I would have just told him. But a question, as I had learned, is neither a lie nor the truth. “Are there many lords with the ability to muster and pay for large numbers of Merchants? Why not the Ricelands, when food is so scarce?”

“Ah-ah, but you see the flaw, do you not?” Lord Xho asked. “There is no shortage of food south of the wall?”

“So sorry, honored elder, but how is that possibly the case? If there was barely enough food before, then the activity multiplier on their soldiers, numerous as they are, is not an insignificant burden.”

“I find that unlikely.” Lord Xho said, stroking his beard. “But the mathematics are solid. Twenty five percent increase on six thousand soldiers is the daily food intake of one and a half thousand people. Pity we didn’t know this before harvest week; they should already have food surplus to survive until next year.”

I blinked. “And the crops we have? Should those not also last us until next year?”

“Because of the damages to the crops, that is... problematic. But yes, if nothing changes, we can supply half rations to the survivors. The problem is one of attrition. If the rebels can continue pressing the attack, we shall run out of soldiers before they do.”

“My lord,” the physician said, “I believe you are forgetting the obvious.”

Kismet tilted her shoulders. She was getting impatient, getting ready to hit him again.

Lord Xho was squinting, his face hidden behind his fan. “Please elaborate on that, Pharmacist Hwa.”

“The nine. Their target in the citadel was not the admiral, but his willow woman. It speaks not of a matter of killing the leadership of the other side, but rather of breaking their will.” he responded.

Let us leave aside that Mai had dealt honestly with me, so far as I know. Striking at civilians lacked honor.

And so did the citadel; who had sentenced me to death. I had no right to judge either side, but I judged both, and found them wanting.

My System gave me a series of messages about Vanity and Vengeance and Wrath and such. I didn’t pay them any attention.

“So... how do we break their will? The rebels?” Kismet asked.

“We kill Lord Xaodong’s willow woman?” guessed the pharmacist.

Lord Xho rebuked him with his fan. “Why would this work? He can always get another willow woman. And unlike our own admiral, he has three wives, and can summon any of them to his side.”

I cleared my throat. “Perhaps there is another weakness that could be exploited to similar effect?”

“Ping, this is not a discussion for boys.” Kismet said. “Besides, should you not be looking for the people who will get you new identification papers?”

“A moment, Lady Kismet. I have not invited the boy into my employ.”

Wait. A boy with black eyes was welcome, but a reptile with abilities beyond that was someone he didn’t want to work with? It wasn’t my first encounter with such racism, but still...

“And what about the other hungry people, honored lord? How would such aid them?”

“This is not the ideal time for caste loyalty, Ping.” he told me.

I shrugged. “Obedience to law is clearly out. My father is dead, my mother not anywhere in this ocean.”

“You are young enough to be adopted, Ping. Perhaps by this farmer here.” Lord Xho said.

“My family is mine. I am not convinced the boy has what it takes to be a Pharmacist.” the pharmacist said.

Lord Xho sighed. “Very well, boy. Depart. When you become hungry enough, seek out Lady Kismet. She will be keeping in touch with me, I’ve no doubt.”

she sent, over our friends channel.

I bowed as was proper, and began to leave. “I am glad for your victory, honored elder.”

I sent back.

I asked,

Kismet sent.

she asked.

she said.

I rolled my mental eyes at her.

she told me.

[Out of range for friend System channel. Channel closed.]

It was a considerably longer list than I expected. Not a small book’s worth, but that list IS my secret to keep.