They finally arrived at the campfire where the big bald man was waiting for them. Cadmun directed others to prepare the pig, and a couple of servants relieved them of the carcass from their weary arms. The crowd gathered, turning their attention to the pig as it passed through, swiftly becoming engrossed in discussions about the best way to prepare pork. Hearing suggestions like ‘roasted’ or ‘in a stew’ made his mouth water.

  “Cadmun! Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I should be asking you the same,” Cadmun answered. “Looks like we both came out with a few scrapes, eh?”

  Cadmun chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. He couldn’t even muster a smile. He felt beaten. He felt lost. If only it were just a few scrapes.

  Cadmun’s demeanour shifted. He glanced over to Timmy, who merely shook his head. He crouched to meet the boys eye to eye. That’s what they were, after all. Just some boys.

  “They got you good.”

  The bald man searched for the right words, but he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it.

  “Hey kid, what happened? You look like shit.” Montgomery emerged from the crowd and approached them. “And you smell like it too.”

  The two men stood in front of him, waiting for an answer.

  “I just want to lie down,” he told them.

  He wasn’t tired. Especially not after doing nothing all day, but he wanted to be left alone.

  “Well, guess what,” Montgomery said, “Sir Frost also wanted to lie down after the Slaughterhouse yesterday. Imagine his surprise when I told him that you took apart his tent to wear as underpants and have been rubbing your privates all over it.”

  Cadmun sprang up. “Montgomery!”

  The authoritative Sir Frost snarled at Montgomery to hold his tongue at inappropriate times like these, but his remark caught the boys off-guard, and they burst out laughing. They were just boys, after all. Seeing this, the former factory supervisor’s expression softened.

  “If you wanted new clothes, you just had to find a diamond.” Montgomery joined the boys in laughter for a good minute.

  “Alright, that’s enough,” Cadmun said, feigning authority in his voice, but the three slaves kept laughing at the misfortune of losing whatever roof over his head he had.

  Then Cadmun shouted: “I said that’s enough!”

  The three of them immediately quietened.

  “Now, onto more serious matters.” Cadmun lowered his head, casting a shadow that darkened his face. “Is it true? What Timothy told Lydia?”

  Cadmun’s eyes flickered between him and Timmy as he posed the question. There was only one thing he could mean by that. There’s no point in lying here.

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  “Yes, I am a Player,” he ensured he spoke as quietly as possible, so the crowd behind Cadmun wouldn’t overhear.

  “What?” Montgomery exclaimed, but immediately clamped his hand over his mouth.

  Fortunately, the other slaves were too engrossed in their fantasies of dinner to pay them any mind.

  Then he whispered: “You mean, you’re an Adventurer? Is that what happened with the gems?”

  He nodded.

  “We need to inform Shadis,” Cadmun stated.

  “What? No!” Montgomery protested. “You can’t do that. The others will tear him apart if they find out.”

  “This is a significant security risk. What if he’s a spy?”

  “I’m not a spy!” he proclaimed, but was completely ignored.

  “Cadmun, hold on a minute. Let’s not waste an opportunity here. Imagine what we could do just by having one of their Inventories.” Montgomery gestured wildly. “Or think about all the information we can gather from their Statuses. We can finally see what they see!”

  I’m not an inventory either!

  Cadmun shook his head. “They’re not stupid. They know that we’ll know. Don’t you find it suspicious that they present us with him?”

  Montgomery put his hands together. “Please, don’t ruin such a big chance! The others are too narrow-minded to understand the potential.”

  The two men argued as if in their own world. This was all too familiar. And frustrating. No pleading or begging from Montgomery helped. Sir Frost had made up his mind.

  “It’s just as big a chance that we’re getting tricked,” Sir Frost said sternly. “How can we trust him? We don’t even know his name!”

  “You can’t seriously believe he wants to harm us? He’s just a boy!”

  “Bonatelli is also just a boy.”

  With that, the discussion ceased abruptly. Montgomery was at a loss for words.

  “I’m not the Baron. I’m not like the other Adventurers!” he tried to defend himself.

  “I surely hope so,” Cadmun replied.

  Something had shifted in the bald man’s expression. His face seemed more sour, more… hostile. An uneasy feeling welled up in his stomach. Apart from Montgomery, he had no allies. If that was the case, then he wasn’t safe anywhere anymore. If the other men saw a reason to fight him for being a Player, then he was sure to be beaten up again. And PP might join them too! You can’t be serious, right? How am I the enemy after everything I’ve been through?

  Montgomery looked at him as if he read his mind and agreed. There was no reason for hostilities. Cadmun had to understand that, but something in his past had made him distrustful of Adventurers. Is that what Bonatelli meant? That a lot of people won’t like my decision?

  In the end, it was Timmy who broke through to Cadmun. The boy, who he had never heard speak before, softly took Cadmun’s hand and looked into the man’s eyes with determination. Cadmun’s tense face softened, and he turned to Montgomery.

  “Monty, this will come out eventually. If not by us, then by Reacher or Becket.”

  Monty?

  “I know. We just have to let it simmer and serve it to the others carefully, before those idiots drop the oil into the fire.” Montgomery smiled slyly. “Speaking of food, let’s not spoil everyone’s appetite with heavy topics. Let’s not ruin today’s celebration.”

  “You’re impossible.” Cadmun let out a laugh. “Now I’m hungry.”

  “Come on, the pork’s starting to smell really good. We’ll talk about this another time.”

  Cadmun’s eyes shifted from Montgomery to Timmy and back. “You’re right. Let’s discuss this another time.”

  The faces of Montgomery and Timmy lit up, and he felt the weight being lifted from his shoulders. Thanks, you two!

  Cadmun turned more serious for a moment. “That does not mean you’ll be treated differently.”

  He straightened his back. “Of course not, Sir Frost.”

  “Let’s go then!” Montgomery said, jumping up and down with anticipation as he made his way through the crowd.

  The other two turned towards the campfire and followed Montgomery. When they turned their backs on him, he let out a sigh of relief. Timmy noticed he hadn’t joined them and waved him over.

  “Recruit, go get yourself cleaned up!” Cadmun ordered with the bravado he had come to expect from him. “It looks like the food will be ready any minute now.”

  “That’s a great idea! Just ask Lydia if she can wash your back like she does the Baron! That’ll wash all your worries away!” Montgomery winked.

  He blushed at the thought.

  “Montgomery!” Cadmun yelled and began to chase him, but Montgomery had already vanished into the crowd.

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