127: Evidence

So, mum, we had just been attacked by the soldiers of the picket in our own quarters, and we were wondering what to do next. One of the soldiers had escaped, and we had captured one, but the other two had been burned to death by a hungover Erina. I made a note never to wake her up after she’d had a few.

I wanted to go straight to Brantner, to sort this out, but we eventually decided, after a bit of discussion, to take this to Emmiline. I think everyone else was worried that Brantner might order all the soldiers in the camp to attack us, then we wouldn’t have a chance.

So we went to the command post, and woke up Hildegund and Erina described what had happened with the potato sack soldiers. And she explained that if she had heard the rumours about us, to rest assured that we certainly weren’t there to undermine Kaerzburdger interests.

Hildegund allowed us to see Emmiline, and told us to leave our prisoner with her. And we agreed, and left Guido with Hildegund, too, just to keep an eye on everything. It’s hard to know who to trust, mum.

Emmiline was also in her bed clothes, but it was still the middle of the night. And we told her what had happened and gave her similar assurances to those we had given Hildegund. Emmiline said it was a relief to hear that and she seemed genuinely apologetic about us getting attacked. She assured us that Brantner would be arrested immediately.

I think Fred had come to the conclusion that Hildegund and Emmiline were both decent people who could be trusted, and so he confessed to Emmiline that the whole rumours thing was curious as a lot of the stories were based on events that very few people knew about, and they had arrived at the camp even before we did. And he suggested that the people who were trying to undermine us might also be trying to undermine the picket.

Then we told Emmiline that we wanted to explore Brass Keep, or at least get closer to it, and we also wanted to find evidence of rat-headed beastmen. Emmiline recommended that we stay in the camp, for now, though.

Blume was considering telling Emmiline about the adulterated black powder, but now didn’t seem to be the time, and it didn’t seem to have anything to do with Brantner, anyway. So we decided to visit Habicht to see if we could find out anything more about that.

Blume had a theory that the black powder here could be related to the stuff we found in Unterfraus. Perhaps Habicht had been selling the good stuff, and cutting it with other things. And the good stuff could have found its way to Unterfraus.

Habicht’s office wasn’t far from our quarters. Erina completely melted the lock on the door, which made us miss Vinny. He would have made a big fuss about it, and it would have taken ages, and we would have got a long bullshit story of why this particular lock was so difficult, but at least he would have left it in a state that we could lock it behind us. As it was, there was no hiding our breaking and entering, now.

Fred and I kept watch while Erina and Blume went through Habicht’s records. Apparently they were a complete mess. But they decided that the mess was deliberately created to hide his misdeeds. And among the mess they managed to find evidence that he had been selling good black powder and buying in poor stuff, and pocketing the proceeds, and he had made twelve crowns on the deal. And Blume found the twelve crowns, and when no one was looking, she pocketed it for herself.

Blume told me to look around for the black powder, and I had a quick wander round the stores, but couldn’t find any. But they had the paper trail, which was probably better evidence than the actual powder. I did find a big cannon, though, mum.

So, we went back to Hildegund and told her all about Habicht’s crimes. She seemed pleased that we had solved that, too. But she did seem to think that getting hold of the twelve crowns would be important evidence. But Blume said there was no sign of it. Hildegund said Habicht would be arrested immediately, and Blume suggested that Degni Rulsson might make a suitable replacement.

Hildegund wondered who Habicht could have been selling the black powder to, and Blume started talking about rat men in Unterfraus, but Hildegund didn’t really want to hear that, and told her there were lots of different looking beastmen.

And we wondered whether Valeria, who had a load of barrels on her wagon, could have been smuggling it. Or perhaps the wagon we had seen wrecked below the trail on the way to the picket could have been involved. But that was all speculation because we had no evidence at all.

So Emmiline and Hildegund thanked us for our evidence, but when they did, we couldn’t help thinking that they were blaming us for not working it out, or telling them, earlier.

It seems to me, mum, that all the nobs of the Empire want the likes of us to do everything for them, and when we do, they make out like it’s only to be expected. You have to wonder how they would get on without us, though.

And so, while we were at it, Fred told Emmiline that Habicht had offered to sell her out to us. And instead of saying, ‘we found that out for you, you should be grateful,’ he apologised for not telling her earlier. He said that he wasn’t sure where we stood, but now that it was clear that we could trust each other, then it made sense to tell her now. Say what you like about Fred, he knows his place. (That wasn’t a compliment, mum.)

Anyway, now we sorted out some of the mess at the picket, it makes me think perhaps we should recommend that a different family takes over the running of it, after all. But anyway, mum, we now stand in good stead, here, at least among the nobs and officers. And so we should be in a good position to start to explore closer to Brass Keep soon, and see if there is any sign of rat men, there.