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The Verge Of An Empire 1
Candlelight licked my face. I sleep lightly, and therefore I wake up from any rustle, not to mention the light. Carefully pretending that I was just tossing and turning in my sleep, I put my hand under the pillow and felt for the butt of the revolver.- Master?I let go of the weapon.What do you want, Sebastina?"I'm sorry I dared disturb your sleep." The crown needs you.She loves pompous phrases. “The crown needs you” is nothing new. Sebastina has such a weakness, she loves to be proud of me, to stick out my significance in the eyes of the public in every possible way, so that everyone around can see what an important thane she serves.“If someone was killed, then it can wait. The dead are in no hurry.“You are right as always, master, but Inspector Aberlein is waiting for you in your office with a verbal imperial commission. I dared to offer him tea.The fifth hour of the night, it is winter outside, the dawn is still very far away. Wrapped up in a dressing gown, I left the bedroo
The Verge Of An Empire 2
I'm always glad to be a gag that plugs the throats of noble houses, even if they bite their elbows! This time the Emperor is on my side!– And yet, involve knowledgeable people from KGM. At the faculty of military criminology, they say, another nugget has appeared. If de Moranjac was killed by witchcraft, I want to know how it happened.‘I daresay our mages can do it too, my thane,’ said Aberlein.“Pride is a crutch for the insecure, my friend. This is Monsieur de Moranjac's office, as far as I remember?I pointed to the sealed door.“Yes, my thane. We decided that while documents are kept there that could turn out to be secret or simply very important, it is worth restricting access to them until the appropriate order.- Who ordered?“Chief Inspector Wolfeld, my thane.- Old dog. You have received the appropriate order. My. “I tore off the signal tapes and entered. No corpses were found in the office, as well as in the small library adjacent to it.Perfect order reigns on a huge expe
The Verge Of An Empire 3
One of the alleys connecting the streets of Tulips and Red Onyx. The eastern and southeastern outskirts of the Imperial Gardens are not as prestigious as the rest of the parts. The KGM campus and the tower of the building are located very close, darkening alone against the sky. In this part of the district there are institutions that serve the rich, food markets, the most expensive and best post offices and bank branches in Starkrar. Rented apartments in tall six-story buildings cost decent money. And yet there are a lot of such alleys even in the Imperial Gardens. From what exactly they spoke to him, Grandi could not accurately identify. Taking advantage of one of the state-owned carriages, I ordered to carry Tulips to the street. The chance to find the right place, and there is some evidence there, is, of course, a pipe hope, but what remains for me?“Keep everything under control,” I told Sebastina, dismissing the carriage.“I am always in control, master.“Like the time I had to d
The Verge Of An Empire 4
The strong eat the weak in the world created by the tenkris, this is our worldview, and no one will disbelieve me of its truth. The army knocked out any illusions about the value of the life of a sentient being from the young thane, and service in the Night Guard consolidated the ability to look at this world soberly. Four years in the hot stuffy jungles of Maldiz, among hundreds of species of poisonous reptiles, in a hotbed of still unknown diseases, surrounded by enemies who secretly want to put a knife in your throat, or traitors leading you into an ambush ... And another seven years of similar madness upon returning to capital.We conquered the Maldis, ransoming each city with a lavish blood offering to the ugly Eastern gods. The empire is always in need of new colonies, all the luxury of Starkrar is created from what we take from the provinces, we call it taxes. I will never forget the senselessness of the faces of those who died from arrows, bullets, spears, extracting these ric
The Verge Of An Empire 5
If it were not for the signal tape and the constables posted at the gate to the park area, no one would have realized that something had happened in the de Moranzhakov mansion, may the All-Father, in whom they so believed, accept them. Without fuss or interference, I once again examined everything, the nearest district, the garden and the house itself. The bodies have already been removed. Several forensic mages continued to rummage through the walls and probe the astral plane with their artifacts, trying to pick up traces of murderous sorcery. I inquired if there were any results, received a negative answer and assured me that I would not interfere with their work in any way.- Like this. Reports state that the food did not contain any poisons.“As you expected, master.“Magicians don't see any residual traces.“That's strange, master.“No trace of poison in the air. I even insisted that they check the items in the house. They say that there are poisons that kill not when consumed, b
The Verge Of An Empire 6
Palace of Law at Scoalt Yard. Or simply the Tower, as it was called by individuals who were not eager to get inside. Biting into the winter sky with a sharp spire, a well-defended gigantic fortress, built of gray slabs produced at the construction enterprises of the hinops. Getting through the high iron gates is much easier than leaving them without permission.The carriage drove not into the main southern entrance, but into the eastern one. We went inside the Tower following the inspector.Noisy work is in full swing in the vast hall. Hundreds of constables move every minute in line to dozens of podiums, behind which sit traffic control officers, taking shifts and issuing assignments for those who are just on their way to duty. The loudest screams signal that one or another patrol is sent on an urgent call for reinforcements. Six out of ten such reinforcements are always in a hurry to the northeastern regions: Koposhilka, Klopovnik, Chern, Gary, Lowlands and Clay. Less often, but ste
The Verge Of An Empire 7
- Gracious Tanya, now I will ask a stupid question, but I can’t help but ask it, because the order obliges. Do you have somewhere to go?"Thane el'Moria, I don't know my name...- Not everything is lost. You remember how to speak, remember what happened to you lately. This means that you have not lost your short-term memory. Doctors say that in this state the patient has a chance to recover his memory. Now, when I found out that you have no roof over your head, I can make you an invitation. Tanya, if you deign to accept the offer to settle in my modest home, there will be no limit to my happiness. I hasten to assure you that I will do my best to find out who you are and where your loved ones are - if there are any, I thought.“I don’t have anyone in this huge city… No one I can remember about!” No friends, no shelter... Oh! Excuse me, I beg you!“I am also judged for thinking out loud. Put on my raincoat, please, you are not dressed for the weather. Inspector, I hope you've already pu
The Verge Of An Empire 8
We were really lucky, so to speak. After all, Mr. Tuzz lived in Five Fingers Square, in, or rather, under the building of the workers' club. In the hierarchy of capital criminals, he occupied the place of the highest of the lowest. Old Tuzz did not make money deals, did not bribe officials, and did not rush into politics. No, this man led a street army. Performers of all stripes hung around him and got jobs, which Tuzzu in turn was ordered by someone more powerful, but not willing to risk his reputation. Tuzz was in charge of pickpockets, burglars, extortionists, arsonists and street robbers. Street army - night people lived according to his orders. Not all, of course, but in Cherni it was he who was the very spider that sat in the center of the web and pulled the threads, almost a colleague.We entered a spacious, dark hall that smelled of sour beer and covered with soot from the floor to the high ceiling beams. Gas lamps built into the walls dispersed the gloom just enough to avoid