war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第85节

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ged。　〃I　have　a　solution。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃
〃Resign　from　Melee…Magthere　and　bee　the　weapons　master　of　a　noble　House。　It　will　have　to　be　one　of　the　lesser　ones；　of　course；　you　being　a　moner；　but　that's　all　right。　You　may　see　more　excitement　that　way。〃
〃Why　would　I　do　that？　It's　not　a　move　up。　It　might　not　be　a　loss　of　rank；　depending　on　the　House；　but　still；　what　would　be　the　point？〃
〃You're　bored；　and　it　would　be　a　change。〃
〃One　that　would　put　me　under　the　thumb　of　any　number　of　high　priestesses。　I'd　have　less　autonomy　than　I　do　as　an　instructor。〃
〃I　managed　to　pursue　my　own　objectives　while　under　my　mother's　sunotpervision。　Still；　you　make　a　legitimate　point。　You　might　find　yourself　abnothorring　the　tug　of　the　reins。　What's　the　answer；　then？〃
〃Who　says　there　is　one？　Except；　perhaps；　further　lunatic　holidays　with　you。　I　admit；　this　one　broke　the　tedium。〃
A　diminutive　female　gnome　carried　a　pile　of　freshly　laundered　and　folded　towels　out　of　a　doorway　on　the　far　wall。　Ryld　wondered　if　she　was　one　of　the　Prophet's　followers；　and　if　she　had　any　of　the　rabble…rouser's　duergar　firepots　stashed　somewhere　in　the　bathhouse。　It　felt　strange　to　think　of　a　humble　undercreature　that　way…wielding　stone…burning　bombs　against　its　betters。
〃You　speak　of　our　errand　in　the　past　tense；〃　the　wizard　said。
〃Well；　once　you　tell　the　Archmage　the　runaways　are　in　the　Braeryn　fonotmenting　a　pitiful　little　goblin　uprising；　it'll　be　over；　won't　it？　Gromph　will　pardon　your　transgressions。　The　Council；　having　failed　to　stop　our　innotquiries；　will；　I　trust；　see　no　point　in　continuing　to　try　to　kill　us。　It'll　be　more　to　their　advantage　to　let　us　go　on　training　wizards　and　soldiers　to　serve　them。〃
〃You're　very　certain　the　insurrection　will　be　pitiful。　Is　it　because　Greyanna's　followers　exterminated　so　many　undercreatures　last　night？〃
Ryld　scooped　up　a　handful　of　hot　water　and　splashed　it　on　his　neck；　which　had　gotten　a　little　stiff　from　his　exertions。
〃No；〃　he　said。　〃The　hunters　killed　plenty　of　goblins；　but　they　were　only　a　fraction　of　a　fraction　of　the　creatures　jammed　into　every　nook　and　cranny　of　the　district…you　saw　the　interior　of　Smylla's　home。　Trust　me；　you　still　don't　really　understand。〃
〃I　understand　that　many　other　such　specimens　inhabit　the　rest　of　the　city　as　well。　Why；　then；　do　you　doubt　their　ability　to　do　some　appreciable　damage？　It　can't　be　for　want　of　spirit。　The　under　folk　are　in　an　excellent　humor；　enflamed　by　their　Prophet's　oratory；　painting　their　racial　emblems　hither　and　yon；　and　murdering　potential　informers　and　unbelievers。〃
〃They　still　lack　martial　training　and　proper　weapons。〃
〃Some　were　warriors　before　the　slavers　captured　them。　Some　are　thrall　soldiers　still。　As　for　the　arms；　well；　when　visiting　the　World　Above；　did　you　ever　see　a　city　burn？　I　did。　I　had　to　torch　one　myself　to　plete　a　misnotsion。　The　destruction　and　loss　of　life　were　impressive；　even　though　the　innothabitants　knew　their　buildings　could　catch　fire　and　had　procedures　for　dealing　with　it。〃
〃Whereas　we　don't？　Surely　you　wizards　。　。　。　？〃
Pharaun　shrugged。　〃Not　really。　Why　would　it　occur　to　us？　Perhaps　we　could　improvise　something；　but　if　we　didn't　catch　the　conflagration　early；　it　might　not　be　entirely　effective。〃
〃But　you　would　catch　it　early。　The　undercreatures　won't　rebel　all　at　once；　and　that　will　make　it　possible　to　quash　each　little　uprising　as　it　begins。〃
〃You're　assuming　'the　Call；'　whatever　it　is；　will　pass　by　word　of　mouth；　or　at　any　rate；　that　it　won't　be　disseminated　rapidly。　You　could　be　right。　The　noise　baffles　may　hinder　it；　but　what　if　the　Prophet　has　some　arcane　means　of　rousing　every　goblin　and　bugbear　at　the　exact　same　instant？〃
〃Do　you　know　of　such　a　magic？〃
〃No。〃
〃And　you're　a　Master　of　Sorcere。　So　it's　reasonable　to　assume　no　such　power　exists。〃
Pharaun　arched　an　eyebrow。　〃Indeed？　Thank　you　for　your　expert　opinion。〃
Ryld　made　a　spitting　sound　and　said；　〃Look。　You　think　a　rebellion　could　amount　to　something。　I　disagree；　but　say　you're　right。　Isn't　that　all　the　more　reason　to　report　to　Gromph　immediately？〃
The　wizard　waved　to　a　goblin　slave　who　was　sauntering　by。　〃The　diffinotculty　is　that　I　have　yet　to　succeed。〃
〃What？〃
〃My　assignment　is　to　find　the　runaways。　I　glimpsed　two　of　them　for　a　matter　of　minutes；　then　lost　them。　Do　you　think　the　Baenre　will　deem　that　satisfactory？〃
Frowning；　Ryld　said；　〃Considering　that　we　did　uncover　something　of　interest　。。。〃
〃Remember；　our　great　and　glorious　Archmage　doesn't　hold　me　in　high　esteem。　He　sent　me　out　as　a　decoy；　a　target　for　the　priestesses　to　harass。　Knowing　him　as　I　do；　I'm　sure　that　if　1　fulfill　the　letter　of　our　agre