Chapter 7.8

If it were not for the strange creature with a huge hammer and a steel shield in his hands next to the leader of the settlement, Eduard would not hold back and set fire to several insolent grinning faces, and then lead his men, who were no longer afraid of the devil himself, to capture the settlement. I don't care about casualties, after all those dead, a few dozen corpses (mostly from the enemy) wouldn't scare anyone anymore.

Attempts to move the dialogue to the peaceful way, offer to help with the guards, to strengthen the combat efficiency of the settlement with magic have run into a wall of aloofness. What's more, a couple of times something along the lines of "Here we go...no room, no board...no food for these freeloaders," was heard from the crowd.

The mage, having promised to give the villagers a good life, stopped negotiations, feeling that a little more, and he will not hold back, and to what will lead to a fight with an unknown creature - no one knows.

And then something happened that I learned from the man in the vest.

- I had spent almost all my strength on two fireballs of increased strength, and after them there was almost nothing left on the wall, so the dart penetrated it. But it's a good thing the fire heated it up good and cauterized the wound, and I foolishly grabbed for it afterward," he held up his bandaged hand. - Now I have to eat with a spoon and go to the potty with someone else's help: one arm is bandaged, the other hardly works because of the wound.

- Sasha has several big vessels damaged and, it seems, a nerve, - sighed Nansy and then asked: - Can your healer cure such wounds?

- I do not know, we only found him today, and he is unconscious. But according to his comrades he was able to heal a wounded mutant boar's torn belly and intestines," I said. - I saw the scar myself, it's almost completely healed and the kid feels great.

- Is he yours or not? - asked the yeoman the right question.

- Like I know," I shrugged. - Did you see the trucks?

All three of them nodded almost simultaneously.

- They brought almost thirty people from the food depots on the outskirts of the city.

- Rather, even behind the outskirts, - corrected Nansy.

- А? Well, yes, to the houses there is about a kilometer or more, and the railway runs between them, - I agreed with her.

- Have you brought a lot of groceries?

- About, two cars on the edge of the boards, but the total number of the settlement is just crumbs, to last a couple of weeks. Are going to ride again later with the whole column.

- Half a car would be enough for us, - sighed the chief officer. - We got as much of a problem with food as we do with ammo.

- Um... I'll get it," I said and got up from my knees.

- You'll ask at your... in the settlement? - Eduard asked. - Do you think they'll give out?

- I've got my own supplies. Wait, I'll be back soon. Only do not accidentally shoot at the car when I will return.

- And you stop before the camp, - said the namesake, rising to his feet with me. - I'll see you out, and tell the sentries about the car.

In the village I was again escorted with strange glances, and this time there were not only questioning and curious, but also angry ones.

There was a surprise waiting for me outside the house in the number of twenty-seven units, one of which was comatose.

- What are you doing here? - I was surprised.

- Where they sent us, that's where we came," - said a frowning Chopovite acquaintance. - Your countrymen sent us here, like, you saved us, so now you're in charge. Settle us and feed us, clothe us, etc.

- Who told you that?

- I know who do you think? - He twitched his cheek nervously. - A fellow in a hunting camouflage. If I'd known I was treated this way, I'd have stayed in the depots till the boys was cured, and then we'd all have gone someplace better.

- Hungry?

- Just got a little worm in my stomach. Thanks, Willam brought us some stew and porridge and told us where we could get water. He also said not to wander beyond these flags, or your golems will tear us to pieces.

- Who-who?

- William Jones...

- Ah, Willi, - I guessed. - Okay, now I'll take more, and you can go to the territory, but do not go into the building. There's a stove over there and I'll give you some pots and kettles and some wood. Make yourself some porridge or soup.

I gave them half a box of stew, poured off rice, handed them butter, sugar and salt.

- You take care, but I have some business to attend to," I said as I started the engine of the loaf.

I kept some of it for myself, but most of the food that was in the UAZ's interior was taken by the fire wizard's squad. I expected to have enough food for a couple of months after the raid on the city, but that's how it turned out.

I did not linger in someone else's camp, just unloaded the food, listened to the thanks and drove back. On my way back, I witnessed how a barricade with a sliding gate made of two-by-three-meter-three-millimeter-thick iron sheets was being built on the road in the village.