- Then get out of here and call the next one. You're the secretary today.
A female convict took her place in the tent almost immediately.
- Your Grace," the woman fell to her knees as soon as she entered the tent, "I'm sorry to interrupt you. You have been so kind to us, and I was sent to you to ask about our fate.
The vampire could only look up. The convicts were in a state of confusion, and there was no way to get them out of it. Twice already they had to explain what fate was in store for them. And only then Alexander realized that the girls could not be so stupid and ask the same question over and over again, so it was something else.
- Stop fooling me! - The knight looked at the convict with laughing eyes, "Ask the question you want to hear the answer to.
- Don't be angry, Your Grace," the woman looked at the floor, so she didn't see the vampire's eyes, reacting only to his voice.
- I have already told you of your fate. Why do I have to repeat myself? Do you expect them to magically change every twenty-four hours?
- You have not told me the fate of those you ransomed for yourself, Your Grace," the woman ventured to voice her concerns as she continued to kneel.
Everything had fallen into place. Only the part of the convicts who had been selected by the knight was nervous.
- I haven't ransomed anyone yet. The royal representative has not given his approval. And my castle will be the same as the mine. You'll be working. At least I'm building a castle. No harder than a mine.
- The mercenaries told me you have only men in your village.
Alexander howled. I wonder if anyone knows how to keep their mouth shut, or if everyone just blurts out all the information available to them?
- And now I'm protecting you from the soldiers so that my men can get the untouched girls? - The sarcasm in the knight's voice would be enough for a glass of pure poison.
Apparently the woman felt something like that, because she dared to raise her eyes and look at the face of the noble lord. But she did not think what to answer at once, and Alexander took advantage of her hesitation and left the tent.
- Take the convict back. And do not bring her to me again until I give such an order, - he turned to the guards.
The whole "kindergarten" thing was boring the vampire. And every day, he was catching himself more and more on the idea that excessive soft command of the locals did not lead to the best results and he had to be cruel later, if only his orders were obeyed. Fortunately, he had a huge reserve of reputation, which helped him a lot.
A little later Alexander learned that the camp of convicts hovered royal representative, whom they literally on their knees begged not to fulfill the request of Knight Blood, and not to sell them. All this had the opposite effect, and in the evening, the angry royal representative approved the redemption of all the convicts claimed by the vampire, which he personally announced to the knight, appearing in his tent.
The next days passed quietly. In the main camp, a few more soldiers died of complicating illnesses. But Blood's mercenaries and prisoners, all as one, were healthy. The four mages who now made up the medical service easily eliminated the diseases that appeared in people.
The Archimagus, at the head of a strong detachment, left the army and headed for the siege of the fort that covered the moon silver mine. Duke Kass, who had previously had a final falling out with the commander and called Dukun an idiot in front of everyone, remained in charge. The archmage reacted to the insult with rare adequacy, and there was no bloodshed, although it was possible that in the future such careless words would still cost the Duke.
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