myth.conceptions-第29部分

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　〃Just　keep　thinking　that；　kid。〃　He　grinned。　〃It'll　help　you　sleep　nights。〃
　〃C'mon；　Aahz！〃　I　whined。　〃You're　supposed　to　be　my　teacher。　If　there's　something　I'm　missing；　you've　got　to　tell　me。　Otherwise　I　won't　learn。〃
　〃Very　well；　apprentice。〃　Aahz　smiled；　evilly　emphasizing　the　word。　〃There　are　a　few　things　you've　overlooked。〃
　〃Such　as？〃　I　asked；　writhing　under　his　smile。
　〃Such　as　Gus；　Ajax；　and　Brockhurst；　who　you　just　sent　back　to　Deva　without　instructions。〃
　〃Instructions？〃　I　blinked。
　〃Tanda　we　don't　have　to　worry　about；　but　the　other　three…〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；　Aahz；〃　I　interrupted　before　he　got　too　far　from　the　subject。　〃What　instructions？〃
　〃Instructions　not　to　talk　about　our　little　skirmish　here；〃　Aahz　clarified　absently。　〃Tanda　will　know　enough　to　keep　her　mouth　shut；　but　the　others　won't。〃
　〃You　think　they'll　talk？〃
　〃Is　a　frog's　behind　watertight？〃　Aahz　retorted。
　〃What's　a　frog？〃　I　countered。
　〃Money　in　their　pockets；　fresh　from　a　successful　campaign　against　overwhelming　odds　。　。　。　of　course　they'll　talk！〃　Aahz　thundered。　〃They'll　talk　their　fool　heads　off　to　anyone　who'll　listen。　What's　more；　they'll　embellish　it　a　little　more　with　each　telling　until　it　sounds　like　they're　the　greatest　fighters　ever　to　spit　teeth　and　you're　the　greatest　tactician　since　Gronk！〃
　〃What's　wrong　with　that？〃　I　inquired；　secretly　pleased。　I　didn't　know　who　Gronk　was；　but　what　Aahz　was　saying　had　a　nice　ring　to　it。
　〃Nothing　at　all。〃　Aahz　responded　innocently。　〃Except　now　the　word　will　be　out　as　to　who　you　are；　where　you　are；　and　what　you　are　。　。　。　also　that　you're　for　hire　and　that　you　subcontract。　If　there's　any　place　in　all　the　dimensions　that　folks　will　take　note　of　information　like　that；　it's　the　Bazaar。〃
　Regardless　of　what　my　mentor　may　think'；　I'm　not　slow。　I　realized　in　a　flash　the　implications　of　what　he　was　saying　。　。　。　realized　them　and　formulated　an　answer。
　〃So　we　suddenly　get　a　lot　of　strange　people　dropping　in　on　us　to　offer　jobs；　or　looking　for　work；〃　I　acknowledged。　〃So　what？　All　that　means　is　I　get　a　lot　of　practice　saying　‘No。'　Who　knows；　it　might　improve　my　status　around　here　a　little　if　it's　known　that　I　regularly　consult　with　strange　beings　from　other　worlds。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Aahz　mented　darkly；　〃there's　always　the　chance　that　someone　at　the　Bazaar　will　hear　that　the　other　side　is　thinking　of　hiring　you　and　decide　to　forcibly　remove　you　from　the　roster。　Either　that；　or　some　young　hotshot　will　want　to　make　a　name　for　himself　by　taking　on　this　unbeatable　magician　everyone's　talking　about。〃
　I　tried　not　to　show　how　much　his　grim　prophecy　had　unnerved　me。　Then　I　realized　he　would　probably　keep　heaping　it　on　until　he　saw　me　sweat。　Consequently；　I　sweated　。　。　。　visibly。
　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that；　Aahz；〃　I　admitted。　〃I　guess　I　did　overlook　something　there。〃
　〃Then　again　there's　Grimble　and　Badaxe；〃　Aahz　continued　as　if　he　hadn't　heard　me。
　〃What　about　Grimble　and　Badaxe？〃　I　asked　nervously。
　〃In　my　estimation；〃　Aahz　yawned；　〃the　only　way　those　two　would　ever　work　together　would　be　against　a　mon　foe。　In　my　further　estimation；　the　best　candidate　for　that　‘mon　foe'　position　is　you！〃
　〃Me？〃　I　asked　in　a　very　small　voice。
　〃You　work　it　out；　kid；〃　my　mentor　shrugged。　〃Until　you　hit　the　scene　there　was　a　two…way　power　struggle　going　as　to　who　had　the　king's　ear。　Then　you　came　along　and　not　only　saved　the　kingdom；　you　increased　the　population；　expanded　the　borders；　and　added　to　the　tax　base。　That　makes　you　the　most　popular　and　therefore　the　most　influential　person　in　the　king's　court。　Maybe　I'm　wrong；　but　I　don't　think　Grimble　and　Badaxe　are　going　to　just　sigh　and　accept　that。　It's　my　guess　they'll　‘double　team'　you　and　attack　anything　you　say　or　do　militarily　and　monetarily；　and　that's　a　tough　one…two　punch　to　counter。〃
　〃Okay。　Okay。　So　there　were　two　things　I　overlooked；〃　I　said。　〃Except　for　that…〃
　〃And　of　course　there's　the　people　Big　Julie　and　his　men　owe　money　to；〃　Aahz　mented　thoughtfully。　〃I　wonder　how　long　it　will　be　before　they　start　nosing　around　looking　for　an　explanation　as　to　what　happened　to　an　entire　army？　More　important；　I　wonder　who　they'll　be　looking　。for　by　name　to　provide　them　with　that　explanation？〃
　〃Aahz？〃
　〃Yeah；　kid？〃
　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　have　a　little　more　of　that　wine？〃
　〃Help　yourself；　kid。　There's　lots。〃
　I　had　a　hunch　that　was　going　to　be　the　best　news　I　would　hear　for　a　long　time。
　
　
　
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