Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The Frozen Corpse

"What if I did?" "Then I'll tell you that it's not food, it's a steam pot like the one that Vabus has to bother you with, but at least it'll make you smell better. And it's not bread, but It is an ointment for your tongue, please apply it immediately!" "Oh!" King Shrewd approached the table and took a sip of the soup, which contained carrots and minced meat mixed with barley.Shrewd tasted it, and then ate it. "Do you think my medical skills are at least as good as Vabus's?" The Fool hummed contentedly. "You know that Wallace is not a doctor, he is just my servant."

"I know it, and you know it too, but Vabus himself doesn't know it, so your health has been bad." "Enough is enough. Come on, Fitz, don't stand there giggling like an idiot. What are you going to tell me?" I glanced at the Fool, then decided not to ask the King if I could speak freely in front of the Fool, simply because I didn't want to offend either the King or the Fool.So, I'll keep my report short and say nothing about more covert operations.Shrewdly listened carefully, and didn't say anything after listening, he just accused me of my gaffe at the Duke's banquet.He then asked the Duke of Plondie of Bearnes whether he was pleased with the peace in his duchy, and I replied that he thought so at my departure.Shrewd nodded, and asked about the scroll I had transcribed.

I showed him the scroll, and he also praised my handwriting.He told me to take the scroll to Verity's map room, and made sure he knew about it.Then he asked me if I had seen the ancient spirit relic, and I described it in detail.The Fool watched us owl-likely from the hearth-stone.Shrewd ate while the Fool watched intently, while I read aloud from the scroll.When I finished, he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Then, let me see the scroll you have transcribed," he ordered, puzzled.I handed him the manuscript scrolls, and he looked at them carefully again, and then rerolled them back to me, saying, "You write so gracefully, boy, every stroke is a masterpiece. Take them to the only Really map room, let him know about it."

"Of course, Your Majesty," I stammered, confused.I don't understand why he's repeating what has just been said, and I'm not sure if he's waiting for another response from me.The Fool stood up and glanced at me, but I caught more than just a glance, and though he only raised his eyebrows and moved his lips a little, I could see him beckoning me to remain silent.The Fool chatted merrily with the King while he was clearing the tray, and we were all sent away by the King at the same time.When we left, the king was gazing into the fire. We exchanged glances more openly in the hallway.I opened my mouth to speak, but the Fool began to whistle, and did not stop until we were halfway up the stairs, and then grabbed my sleeve, and so we came to a halt on the stairs between the two floors.I get the feeling he chose this place carefully because no one can see or hear us, and we have an unobstructed view here.Then the Fool held the token up to my nose, and made the mouse on the top of the token speak to me, and he squeaked like a mouse: "Oh, you and I, we shall remember what he has forgotten, Fitz, then keep it a secret for his safety. The toughness he showed tonight was too much for him, and don't let that fool you. You have to cherish and obey what he repeats to you, because It means he takes these things twice as seriously, and he's sure he'll tell you himself."

I nodded, resolving to hand over the scroll to Verity that night. "I don't care much for Wallace," I commented on the Fool. "You don't have to worry about Vabus, what you need to worry about is the ear in the wall." He replied seriously, and suddenly used his slender fingers to stabilize the tray and held it high above his head, and then jumped down the stairs one step ahead of me, leaving him thinking I. I sent the scroll away that night, and the next day I carried out the task that Verity had given me.I poisoned with fat sausages and smoked fish and wrapped them in small bundles so I could easily scatter these on the ground while escaping the Forged, hopefully that's enough to deal with The one who hunted me down.Every morning I read in Verity's map room, then saddled Soot and rode with my poison to where I was most likely to be surrounded by those who were Forged.From past experience, I carried a short sword with me on all these expeditions, and Hands and Burrich were curious about it at first.I explained that I was scouting for the hunt, because Verity might have a winter hunting plan or something.Hands believed it easily, but Burrich's tight lips told me he knew I was lying and that I couldn't tell the truth.He didn't ask any more questions, but he didn't like it either.

Twice in ten days I was surrounded by those who were being smelted, but I was able to escape easily, and I was able to throw food out of the bag in time to watch them fall to the ground and greedily take away the bound meat. Undo it and put it in your mouth.The next day I'll be back at the scene and record for Verity how many people I've taken out and what they looked like.The second group of people who attacked me did not match our previous records, and we also suspected that this meant that the number of people who were forged was more than what was heard. I take my tasks seriously without being proud.Not only are they dead, but they are more miserable than when they were alive.It was a group of thin, ragged creatures, covered with chilblains and wounds caused by cannibalism, and the corpses were exaggeratedly distorted by poison.Frost glistened on their beards and brows, and blood from their mouths clotted in the snow like frozen rubies.

In this way I killed seven of the smelted men, then piled pine branches on top of the frozen corpses, poured oil on them and set them on fire.I don't know which one is the most offensive, but is it my act of poisoning?Or is it an act of concealing all these deeds?When the little wolf knew that I was going to ride out after feeding him every day, he begged to come with me, but one time when I stood in front of a frozen corpse, I heard, this is not hunting, this is not.This is not what wolves do, it's what humans do. Before I could reproach it for entering my mind, it was gone from there.

I returned to Buckkeep at night to the comforts of piping hot fresh food, warm fires, dry clothes, and soft beds, but the ghosts of the Forged stood between me and these comforts.I feel like a beast without blood or tears, and after killing people during the day, I still have the mood to enjoy food and clothing.My only consolation, but it stings, is that I dream of Molly every time I fall asleep, and walk and talk with her, untouched by the shadows of the Forgers and their frost-stained corpses . I started off later than expected one day because Verity left me in his map room for a long talk.A blizzard was coming, but I didn't think it was anything serious, and I wasn't planning to go far that day.When I set off, I saw a new sight, a group of Forged Ones more than I expected.However, I continued to ride forward, maintaining a high level of vigilance with my five senses, and the sixth Wisdom perception was of no help in finding the Forged.Clouds gathering in the sky obscured the daylight with unexpected speed, and this sight also made the hunting trail under our feet seem to be getting longer and longer for Sooty and me.When I finally glanced up from the pursuit, I had to admit that they had just eluded me, and I found myself unexpectedly far from Buckkeep, and from any well-traveled road.