Born a Monster Chapter 275

275 Servant of the Axe – Hearth Week, part Chapter Type: Society

It is no secret that I hate mornings. I turned away from the sunlight, and fell out of my narrow bed.

“Little Monitor, if you move quickly, you can cook breakfast for us.” Kang Shi said.

I mumbled sothing noncommittal.

“Oh look.” She said. “I have a nice shiny sergeant’s badge. I’ll bet it will reflect light... right... about...”

“I’m up, I’m up.” I said. “I suppose I can do breakfast. I’ll need to leave after that, though.”

“You’ll need to stay after that, Little Monitor. Captain Feng has an announcent regarding this new spy duty.”

“Why does any of that need to be announced?”

She shrugged. “Seems so people are curious about who made the detail, and which of us are here setting out bear traps on the roof.”

.....

“Bear traps?” I asked.

“After breakfast. Get you armor on, you’ll need to wear it to the morning formation.”

“On the roof?”

She nodded. “On the roof.”

Soone had started the rice (there was almost always rice), cracked five of two dozen eggs into a pan, lit both ovens, set out so lis on the cutting board, and then just left. The spice rack was in clear need of a restock, and the cookware must have been cleaned at night.

I sighed. I had done more with less, and I was too young to just give up.

Dirty cooking pan, dirty cooking pan, and... was that chicken broth? I sniffed it. Duck broth. Using a spoon to keep at least SO of the rice inside the pot, I poured out portions of boiling water into the pans, replaced it with the broth.

It wasn’t enough to majorly change the taste, but it was a far cry better than water.

I gave both pans a quick scrub, but didn’t have ti for more. Because, eggs.

Servants ca through, dropping off celery, flour, a pot of live crayfish (don’t ask; I’ve no clue where they got those), and other ingredients. I passed my reticule over each of them, surprised that I knew so of their nas. The others remained [Soldier] or [Servant].

The reticule displayed in blue for the soldiers, and yellow for the servants.

It had other uses as well; I removed so clumps of mold from the flour when nobody was looking. It was mildly poisonous, but more disturbing was the fact that it wasn’t the type of mold that fed on flour.

More work by the Nine, I guessed.

I had to chop cabbage instead of lettuce, and it ca to unwashed. That seed to be negligence rather than malice, though.

I didn’t get everything clean before morning formation, but it was marginally better than I’d found it.

Captain Feng liked his briefings on the roof, or as he called it, in the open air. His dentistry was superior; if I hadn’t known what to look for, I wouldn’t have noticed the difference in his teeth.

“We have all done well.” He began. “Against one of the genuine heroes of the world, we have held. More than this, our adversary has been wounded. Perhaps not as grievously as we might like, but I am certain victory SHALL be ours. And yet, even now, there are those at work inside our walls. Liars and sneaks, dishonorable saboteurs! The following people are to report to the noble Xho Pien at the inn nearest the Fifth Support Company headquarters:”

“Fifth spear sergeant Gun Nong?”

“Ready to serve, captain!”

“You get Sister Yoshi to tell that or you’re still on bed rest.”

“I can confirm, captain.” Kang Shi said, “His condition has moved to light barracks duty.”

“Third chi specialist Wa Fenya.”

“Ready to serve, captain!” she shouted.

“And first archer Hoo Long.”

“Ready to serve, captain!”

“You three are on detached duty. For the next few days, you will take your orders from Xho Pien. He is now your officer. Wa Fenya, as the ranking soldier, you have field sergeant duties. Are you trained and ready?”

“All three quills, sir!”

“Outstanding. Move out now, Blue Boar Inn. You must report no later than noon. Dismissed.”

“It has co to my attention that so of you think bed rest is optional.”

Several low chuckles circulated through the squad or so of us left.

Wait, it WASN’T optional?

Crap.

How much trouble was I in now?

“All personnel on bed rest MUST get approval from Sister Yoshi. In writing. BEFORE. BEFORE. BEFORE.” He stomped his foot for emphasis. “Before doing ANYTHING ELSE. Except bathing. For obvious reasons. Check the duty roster; just because we haven’t seen our enemy on his feet doesn’t an he isn’t coming tonight. Eternal vigilance.”

“Eternal vigilance, sir!” the squad responded. I was about half a breath behind them.

“Good, good. There is one more thing; the ground sergeant requests that nobody steal Little Monitor’s shoes, now that he has a pair. Are there any questions?”

“Sir, when can we expect another lieutenant to replace Leng Li?” Kang Shi asked.

“When I know that, I will speak of it. Anything else?” He nodded twice. “Return to your assigned duties. Tie Little Monitor to his bed if you must. Dismissed.”

“Don’t worry, Little Monitor.” Kang Shi winked at . “I’m tying you to the stove. Ti to start lunch preparations, after all.”

# Narrator: Wa Fenya

Let nobody say that chi cultivation is easy, for few things are further from the truth. It is like kneading bread dough while spinning it in a circle and performing the steps of the dance to honor the enshrined ancestral spirits.

But because of that, and thus a proven ability to multi-task, I had always known that I was in the line for sergeant. And other ranks after that, of course, each one requiring even more paperwork. It is said that an army travels on its stomach, but I know better; that stomach drags itself along on top of as much paperwork as possible.

Therefore, I had an inkwell, and four of the required three quills. My workbook was customized to , just wide enough to rest against the inside of my elbow with the other side aligned with the first joints of my fingers. It was exactly twice that tall, to aid in balance when open. The wooden binding, with just a kiss of chi, would draw water around the pages into itself.

I know, not as impressive as anything the Book Heroine has done, but I felt properly equipped for my duties. Not that I expected heavy docuntation; Hoo Long is too sneaky to get caught, and Gun Nong’s character was beyond reproach.

His body, I admit, had worried. He crouched forward as he walked, and leaned perhaps too heavily on his spear. But the flows of his chi were ... okay, you know what? They’re just n. They try so hard to be the equal of us, and I’m not going to say anything against Gun Nong’s motivation, character, or strength of will.

His body, though, had worried.

“Ugh, we’ll be late if we keep resting like this.” Hoo Long complained.

“Would you rather run ahead and report that we are on our way? Perhaps order tea for all of us? Green, if they have it. Black last.”

“Wait. That ans running.”

“Yes, running ahead does an running.”

“Co on, Gun Nong. Make use of my shoulder. If we have to walk, I might as well... Whoa... How much nutrition do you EAT each day, to maintain a heavy fra like that?”

While the two of them settled into the rituals of male bonding, I went over what little training I had. It was more along the lines of determining if the soldier next to were considering suicide, but...

No, I will not paint it over with enal; I was a combat cultivator, like my mother and grandmother before . The sort of perceptions the cultivators of legend had were beyond . I wouldn’t be looking at a room-full of people and see the evil aura of our enemies.

Or if I did, I’d be checking for a chi illusion first; most professional spies are harder to read by chi thods, not easier.

The Blue Boar, when we got there, was clean and cool, a breeze curling through the kitchen and carrying the slls of fresh bread into the dining area, then out into the street. I had no doubt that it was intended that way deliberately, however natural the breeze was.

“Ah-ah. We are almost late, and there is no trace of our noble!” Hoo Long said.

“Right there.” Gon Nung said.

I restored my smile, temporarily knocked out of place. Yes, Pien is one of those nas that CAN be given to a male, but I had hoped for another woman. Ah, well. We make do with what the heavens give us, not what we wish they had.

“I agree.” I waved a hand. “Honored sir, we are prepared to receive instructions.”

“W-What? ? I am just the bus-boy.” The young lord stuttered.

“No, so sorry. Your inner clothes are fine silk, and recently washed, and that shade of almond does NOT go with that color of outer wear. I would guess an erald green, or perhaps navy blue.”

There was a wavering of magic (not of chi, which I would have sensed imdiately), and the young boy beca soone much older.

“Ah, excellent, I knew Captain Feng’s soldiers would not disappoint.” Xho Pien said.