Guild Master looked at five different testimonies. The boys blamed everyone for what happened, and couldn't explain anything. Abby, the healer, was shaken and could only partially tell what happened. Only Selphie, the elven sorceress, could answer questions and give a reasonable explanation. And now he must pass judgment.

  “Sorry for intruding!” Lucius heard a familiar voice.

  “It’s all right, Dungeon Mistress. You can come in.” He answered.

  “Good afternoon,” Naomi said to Jathur and Eriser, sitting beside the Guild Master. “Sorry for late showing up. Goddess Tabitha delayed me. How bad is it?”

  “Your acquaintance with the goddess of mischief could be beneficial. She is the most scariest god. Her presence on your walls will scare away most evildoers.” Laugh Grand Forge Master.

  “She wasn’t scary at all,” Nomi answered.

  “I don’t talk about her personality. But when someone displeases her there will be no help for him. You should watch every stone on the road, birds poop, loose straps, and so on.” Explained dwarf.

  “Oh my,” Naomi answered grinning. “Good to know. But I need to know about adventurers who found my secret trap.”

  “They are alive,” answered Lucius. “I was about to decide about their punishment.”

  “But they aren’t here. What if they want to object to your decision?” Naomi asked.

  “Three of them had to be handcuffed because they still couldn't calm down. The healer is with the Grand Priestess in the temple, the priestess tries to soothe her. Only sorceress Selphie is capable of answering questions.” Guild master pointed at the young elven woman. She was sitting hunched up in a chair.

  “That bad?”

  “I will read the testimony of the sorceress. Only she was able to explain anything. Selphie, please add or correct anything I will read. And don’t be scared by the presence of Dungeon Mistress. She is benevolent and fair.”

  “Yes, Guild Master,” the Sorceress answered quietly. Naomi saw her red eyes and smudges of tears.

  “When I heard, someone found a special room I was afraid it was an accident. Now, however, I’m certain the trap worked exactly as intended. Your friends were exact targets for this trap. You, however, are an innocent victim dragged into this mess.” She said to the elven woman after the Guild Master read the report.

  “No…” Selphie covered her mouth.

  “Please speak.” Naomi urged her smilingly friendly.

  “I deserve that too, Dungeon Mistress. I wasn’t a good friend. I should have said no, but I follow them. I always followed them. I'm too scared to say what I think. And now we almost die. Because of me.”

  “Understood.” Naomi nodded. “But don’t give up. You are alive, your friends alive. Whatever will happen you can try again.”

  “That won’t be easy.” Guild Master interjected. “All of them have debts to pay.”

  “Debts?”

  “Only a handful of adventurers have equipment when they start work. For the first proper armor and weapon, Guild provides loans to adventurers.”

  “And that could cost even a few golds. Add interests and someone like them would be in trouble.” Naomi understood.

  “There is no interest,” Juntar said.

  “Really?” Naomi was surprised.

  “Because we all are descendants of first elves and gods we are in essence, distant cousins. And demanding interests from your family members is wrong,” explained the Grand Priest of the Sun.

  “And no one borrows money with interest?”

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  “No in the same way as is practiced in your world, Mistress. Merchants and nobles through guilds provide different kinds of loans. You still return the borrowed money, but later they expect to have a portion of your income from your business. And nobles get more money from taxes.”

  “Wow. Smart.” Naomi was impressed. It was so much better in her opinion. Rich still could get more money, and the rest could relatively safely try to start their own business.

  “However, there are some people who borrow money with interest and with bad terms. Her friends do exactly that.” The Guild Master added.

  “Great. Can I know their punishment?”

  “Their punishment will be public.” Explained Lucius. “Maybe I will start from our sorceress. Adventurer Selphie. Your debt is around two to three gold coins. After exchanging messages with Freyharf I will know the exact amount. Because you cooperate with the guild and general opinion I propose you work as a clerk in this guild and as support when needed.”

  “I agree. Thank you for your leniency.” Selphie bowed.

  “Adventurer Abby will have a similar punishment. She as a healer will be working in the temple of The Lady. However, her debt could be between a few to ten gold coins. That could be a problem.”

  “Don’t tell me. She too got this bad loan?”

  “All of them have it, Dungeon Mistress,” Selphie said. “They weren’t listening to me.”

  “And because of that, I have real problems with Bill, Conor, and Stir," Lucius said. “Even in normal circumstances, they will end up as debt slaves. And when the loan givers show up it could end in mine, or a similar place.”

  “Why? They are not bandits.” Naomi protested.

  “But workers there die frequently and slaves could be sold there for high prices.” Explained Erinhar.

  “I don’t agree.” Naomi shakes her head. “They received their punishment already. Yes, they need to return borrowed money. But not in that way.”

  “There isn’t other way.” Minotaur priest said.

  “I will guarantee their debts. Real one, not some imagined interests and fees. Your Selphie too. And if they will be complaining, you politely explain who I’m.”

  “That is a good idea, and it’s a shame I will not see their faces.” Dwarf smiled. “But I don’t want to be rude Dungeon Mistress, but you don’t have money.”

  “I know. Funny thing. I can make an entire dungeon from gold and gems, but only adventurers can profit. I personally still own nothing. So I build a tavern on the fifth floor. I plan to rent, it and I will have real money, in a few months.” Naomi had a pleased expression on her face.

  “That will work,” Lucius commented.

  “I expected some reaction,” Naomi said. Something like hers.” She pointed at the sorceress, who was shocked.

  “We are too used to you, Dungeon Mistress.” The dwarven priest laughed. “You'll have to say something like: I talked with the sun elves king.”

  “But I did.” Naomi smiled seeing the dwarven priest shocked by her statement.

  “Just like I suspected.” Guild Master nodded.

  “You did?”

  “I spent most of my life in the desert. I met a few times sun elves. I know them.”

  “Right,” Naomi answered. “Anyway. My proposal can help?”

  “Yes. With your help, they can work here and repay their debts. Maybe they will learn how proper adventurers work. If they accept your help.”

  “They will be completely brain rotten if they don’t,” Eraser commented.

  “I also add, that in the future someone could take advantage of your mercy, Dungeon Mistress,” Juntar warned.

  “I know. But this isn’t mercy. I just stepped in because I saw something wrong. I don’t argue with your judgment. There is a lot of work ahead of them. And only a little safer than in the mine. And, if someone wants to appeal to me in his case, he had better have compelling arguments. And I will consult it with you Grand Priest of the Sun anyway.”

  “I will help as best as I can,” Minotaur answered.

  “Grand Master Venancijs. Can I have some of your time?” Naomi approaches the opened entrance to the Merchant tent.

  “You, Dungeon Mistress, always. Please enter.” He welcomed her. “How can I help you?”

  “I need your advice, about customs and law. I build a tavern on the fifth floor, according to a certain goddess more like a noble guest house. And I need people who will work there.”

  “Tavern? You want to learn how to become a tavern master?”

  “I made a mistake. I want to rent it.”

  “I don’t want to be rude, but that is a more reasonable choice, Mistress”

  “I know. I don’t know about tavern work also I have other responsibilities.”

  “Exactly, Dungeon Mistress. Rent is usually one-tenth of the lessee's income. Nobles take one-fifth.”

  “One-tenth is enough. I plan to invest money further anyway.”

  “Invest? Can I know how?”

  “I offer you a contract. You in my name will be lending money to anyone who wants to settle near my oasis.”

  “Oh my. What a bold move.” Merchant smiled.

  “And lucrative.” Naomi smiled too. “I will have money from renting and you will have a lot of clients who will need a lot of things. Also, your merchant house will have an exclusive contract with me for my personal needs”

  “You know how to negotiate, Dungeon Mistress.” Venancijs laugh. “I agree.”