《I was adopted by a Magician》


 Chapter 1

    Until the age of twelve, Linda Jordan lived an ordinary life, like many girls her age, in a family of average means. Her parents earned a good income, the family was united, without conflict, and the only daughter did not need anything. However, a year ago her father died in a car accident, falling under the wheels of a drunk driver, and this event turned the family''s life upside down. The mother grieved deeply, but soon came to the conclusion that it was necessary to remarry.


    "You have to understand, dear" She said to Linda: "It''s hard for me to provide for you on my salary alone, and it''s hard without a man in the house. There are a lot of jobs we can''t do on our own. He is a fine man and a great host. He works as a locksmith for the local utility department and gets a good salary. You''ll see, you''ll like him and you''ll become friends".


    Initially, Linda really liked the cheerful and attractive stepfather, although she did not approve of such a quick marriage. In his dealings with her, he was kind and caring, making an effort to show favor. Jason didn''t really earn much at his main job, but he often found part-time jobs and tried to do them during working hours, periodically passing the money he earned to his wife and telling her how hard it was to earn.


    "If you don''t take care of yourself" He said mostly to Linda: "No one will take care of you. So I have to try to make sure you and your mother don''t need anything".


    Sometimes he came home a little late and slightly intoxicated after these jobs. Linda didn''t like it, because there had been no alcoholism in the family before, and she had inherited her father''s contempt for drunks.


    "Don''t mind it, dear" Her mother reassured her: "It''s rare, and how much has he had to drink? For a man, a couple of drinks is nothing".


    But soon such occasions became more and more frequent, and it was clear from my stepfather''s condition that two drinks were no longer enough for him. Gradually Jason started bringing home bottles of vodka.


    "Here, people gave me a drink!" He explained, putting a bottle of vodka on the table: "They offered it themselves, why refuse? In the evening we''ll have a drink with you, mommy, it''s good for your health, and it''s good for a man!"


    At first the mother did not approve, but then decided to join in, and at her daughter''s rebuke said: "Honey, we don''t drink much, and I don''t see anything wrong with it. You''ve never seen me drunk, have you? Jason is very tired at work, he just needs to rest. You''re almost an adult, you should realize that".


    Somehow the cups of tea were replaced by half-liter bottles, and her mother began to drink more and more, no longer making excuses to her daughter. In the evenings Linda had a hasty dinner and retired to her room. Her mother and stepfather were not patient until she fell asleep, and did not hesitate to end their drunken feasts by making love in their bedroom.


    In that hot summer without rain, the girl began to leave home altogether and return at night when her mother and stepfather were sleeping the dead of night. The mother stopped making lunches and doing household chores. Soon she was fired from the hair salon for an incident with a customer who she cut off almost half an ear with scissors, and even cologne didn''t help get rid of the smell of alcohol. Jason found a position as a cleaner in his utility department.


    They had had enough of what they drank in the evening and started drinking before work. First their mother was fired for drinking, and then Jason was fired. The first time he tried to find a job or earn money on the side, but he couldn''t work like he used to, he ended up bringing things in from the house to sell for drinks and snacks.


    After each bout of alcohol, the house would erupt into violent quarrels, which, unfortunately, often ended in fights. The neighbors tried in vain to persuade the intruders to think about their actions, and sometimes even called the local police to help, but all their efforts were like trying to persuade the furniture to talk. Linda was horrified to witness the gradual disappearance of one thing after another from her apartment: winter clothes, valuables, and anything else that could be sold at the market.


    One day, when the girl came home and found that her favorite books were gone, tears came to her eyes. Her mother heard the crying, came into the room and tearfully supported her daughter, hugging her and trying to comfort her.


    The process of peaceful coexistence was interrupted by a delicious sausage sandwich brought by one of Linda''s kind neighbors. The girl had long eaten only bread and margarine, and her exhausted appearance touched the hearts of her neighbors, who tried to support her with fresh food and fruit.


    Today Amanda had brought a sandwich in a newspaper for Linda too, knowing that the girl had gotten home earlier than usual because of the rain. Restraining herself from eating on the stairs, Linda went inside to eat her breakfast. Her stepfather hadn''t visited her in a long time, so the girl decided to eat at the desk. But the smell of sausage attracted the attention of her stepfather Jason, who burst into the room, opening the door noisily.


    "Your parents are in need, and you''re living the good life here and still eating meat!" He shouted, reaching out for a sandwich.


    Linda felt disgusted looking at him.


    "Here you bastard, choke yourself!" She shouted, throwing the sandwich at him: "It''s your fault mom is suffering so much from vodka! You drunkard, you damned bastard! I hate you!" And suddenly she fell from the chair receiving a fist on the head, falling she hit her head on the cupboard. The noise attracted her mother who saw Linda on the floor and pushed her husband away. Jason, of course, was drunk and after the shove he fell, hitting his head on the corner of the table.


    "You bastard!" Shouted he, trying to get up on the fire: "I''m going to... kill you now!"


    The frightened and even a little sobered mother ran away from her drunken husband, and he chased after her, angry. The chase ended in the kitchen, where Linda heard the clatter of dishes and the man''s cry of pain. All reality was eclipsed by the thud of a falling body.


    With difficulty she got to her feet and walked holding on to the wall on which she was leaning with her hand, the girl stepped into the living room and saw her mother, who ran out of the kitchen, screaming with terror, rushed through the doors and into the street. Linda already had a premonition that a terrible, irreversible sight awaited her behind the kitchen door, but still dared not look through the crack. And there, half lying on his stomach in a pool of blood, was her stepfather.


    The next thing Linda saw above her was the ceiling in the living room, indicating that she had passed out. She woke up on the couch and found the police and some other people in the room. In the corner where the television used to be, her mother sat with her head in her palms, rocking quietly to the beat of her muffled moans. A familiar policeman was standing nearby, taking notes.


    Before the officers finished their work, they carried the stepfather''s body away on a stretcher. As they left the room, the mother was with them, and the senior lieutenant turned to Amanda as he finished his examination:


    "We''re already done. Could you and the neighbors work together to clean up the place? I know it''s difficult, but the girl shouldn''t be doing it herself right now. We''ll call the doctors tomorrow and they''ll give her a thorough examination".


    "I''ll wash it all myself" Promised Amanda: "Can I take Linda back to my place later?"


    "It''s not my place to decide that" Replied the officer: "But I can tell you at once that unless you''re a relative of hers, it''s unlikely to work out".


    It was late at night, but Linda couldn''t bear the thought of being sent to an orphanage tomorrow, deprived of her family, even if it wasn''t the ideal one she had before.


    As the precinct officer prepared to leave, he asked her if she had any next of kin.


    "I have daddy''s living parents" Replied the girl: "But they are old and after mom married Jason, they had a fight with mom and stopped talking to us".


    "Is there no one else at all besides them?"


    "There is another aunt, but she can''t provide me with support. We''ve already discussed this with her".


    Two months ago, the aunt came to visit while her mom was deep into an alcoholic depression. But they ended up having a big fight, and Auntie came to Linda, hugged her, and said, wiping tears from her eyes:


    "What a nuisance, God help us all! She has always been weak-willed: for her moods depend on those around her. I can''t understand what your father saw in her! This is going to end badly, and you''ll probably end up in an orphanage. I''d love to take you, but there''s just no way. You know how hard it is here. We have three boys, a husband, and we all live in two tiny little rooms. My George''s salary isn''t much and I haven''t managed to work yet. Hang in there, dear. If things get tough, you''d better go to the police yourself. The orphanage will be better than what I''ve seen at your place. It won''t be better, Linda, it''ll be worse! Don''t worry, five years is not a lifetime, and then you''ll be on your own, and I''ll start working when the younger ones grow up and I''ll be able to help you. And the state will take care of orphanages: offer jobs, give dormitories. You are a smart and beautiful girl - you will not be lost in this life!"


    She knew her aunt was telling the truth and genuinely sympathized with her.


    "Maybe you''ll sleep over at my place for tonight?" Interrupting her recollection was a familiar policeman: "I have a place for you".


    "Thank you, Uncle Paul" She replied gratefully: "I''ll stay here. Don''t worry about it. And what will happen to mom?"


    "She''ll be arrested for sure" He sighed: "Charged with fighting while intoxicated in excess of self-defense. Your testimony will be included in the case, so maybe we can get the sentence reduced a bit".


    She was thirsty, so she threw off the terry blanket she used to cover herself with in the summer and headed for the kitchen. On the table there was only an old enameled kettle and two aluminum mugs. The girl poured water into one of the mugs and sat down on a stool. She was startled by a sudden sound behind her and turned around. Above the place where the dead body used to lie, a circle was visible, painted in all the colors of the rainbow and unfolded by two meters.


    In its center was a small black spot. After looking at this multicolored wonder for a few seconds, Linda got a headache. It seemed as if she was leaning over the edge and looking into a bottomless abyss. The pain in her head was aggravated by the rotation of the multicolored stripes at high speed.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A spot on the wall intrigued the girl and caused her to sharpen her focus. Upon closer inspection, she saw a miniature image of a woman in a long black dress. Suddenly the picture came to life, and the old woman was standing in front of Linda, the rainbow circle behind her back disappeared. The girl could not take her eyes off the guest. The old woman''s face, with originally beautiful features, was now covered with wrinkles, and her thick hair, gathered in a pony tail at the back of her head, was completely white from gray hair.


    The woman was dressed in a black velvet dress that barely grazed the floor, and on her head she wore a tiny beret of the same material. She wore no jewelry except for a high collar with lace inserts and a gold pattern.


    "May I come in?" An old lady''s voice rang out.


    Despite her compressed lips, Linda was sure she was the one who had spoken.


    "Sure, come in" Replied Linda: "Why ask that if you''re already here?"


    "Indeed, you are right about that" The old woman grinned: "The gate should not be kept open for long. Tell me, has blood been shed here recently?"


    "Yeah, my mom killed my stepdad tonight. Can you please tell me why your lips don''t move when you talk?"


    "I don''t speak your language, and you don''t know mine. But for now we can communicate as it is. Do you belong to a noble family, girl?"


    "I''m often referred to as being like my father. The Jordana surname belongs to the nobility, but father never brought it up. It''s been a long time since we''ve had nobles. There was once a price to pay for that, but it''s not that important now".


    "You look noble, with fine facial features, large eyes, graceful neck, and slender frame. You certainly have aristocratic blood in you. Tell me, are you happy?"


    "I''m so happy today, I''m ready to die!" Replied Linda: "I don''t care to that extent anymore, I''m not even scared of you. You must be a sorceress?"


    After her question, the old lady smiled sincerely.


    "I''ve been called many names and different things, but I''m just a woman from a noble family with secret knowledge. Other than that, I''m just an ordinary woman. You can learn many things... if you accept my offer".


    "And what are your ideas on that?"


    "I invite you to embark on an exciting adventure into another dimension, become my apprentice and gain wealth and wisdom. You can gain control over your destiny and live by your own rules".


    "So, you came to us from a parallel world? How can you travel between worlds without using spaceships?"


    "I''m not quite sure what ships you''re talking about right now, but I don''t need space ships. I can travel across dimensions with magic".


    "Magic is what else is called magic?"


    "Not everything is as simple as it seems, and it''s not what you just thought it was. Magic is a science, a power that exists throughout the universe".


    "Will I be able to go back?"


    "After I teach you how to open the gate, you can always return to your home".


    "In that case, I agree. Let me just take a picture of Daddy!"


    Linda returned instantly with her father''s photograph and handed it to Helena. Her heart was pounding with excitement, gripped by the desire to leave the world that had changed to her in such an incomprehensible way, and the only thing she was worried about now was that the old woman might disappear. However, the old woman was standing in the kitchen, studying the aluminum mugs.


    "What an interesting metal!" Noted Helen: "Are they expensive?"


    "It''s actually a pretty cheap metal" Replied Linda: "But it''s lightweight and doesn''t corrode. If you need it, you can take it with you".


    "Alright, let''s take them" Helena said decisively, taking both mugs: "Are you ready? In that case, let''s not waste any time! Come to the door, I''ll open the gate".


    "I didn''t ask you, and how do I address you?"


    "Call me Helena. Now please be quiet, I need to concentrate".


    She didn''t cast any spells, but a glowing vortex began to form in the middle of the room, slowly growing in size. Suddenly it turned all the colors of the rainbow, becoming an exact replica of the portal that had disappeared half an hour ago.


    "Go forward straight to the center" Helena told her: "Hurry up, because it''s hard for me to keep the gate open for long".


    Linda felt fear for a moment, which caused her to feel a little confused. However, when she gathered her strength, she decided to overcome the feeling of fear and stepped forward through the rainbow mist with her eyes closed. When she emerged from this vortex, she found herself in a spacious semi-dark room with a high vaulted ceiling. Helena appeared behind her, and then the gate disappeared, making it even darker.


    "Where are we?" Asked the girl apprehensively.


    "This is the last remaining intact tower in the castle" Helena''s reply rang out in her head: "This tower is where I do my magic".


    "So we''re going to live here?" Linda clarified.


    "No. Follow me, I will show you the castle and there you will meet my servants. But first you will have to learn our language to communicate with everyone in this world" Helena explained.


    "Can you help me learn a language with magic? I''m not very good at learning new languages. I barely got a B in English" Linda expressed her concern.


    "Magic won''t help you study. So you''ll have to study on your own. But don''t worry, you have a good memory, and we can strengthen it with my potion. But first, I need to get to know you better. Even though we are alike in appearance, we may have strong differences in the state of our souls and just the inner workings of our bodies. So I need to find out what you''re allergic to or what might be dangerous to you. Let''s do that kind of research in the lab. Follow me" Helena ordered.


    Linda followed Helena, who walked quickly, lifting her feet carefully to avoid tripping on the uneven stone slab floor. They went through an inconspicuous door in the wall and down a steeply descending staircase to a small room. It was flanked by five further halls. All of the rooms were empty and rather dirty.


    "This is the part of the castle where no one has lived for a long time" Explained Helena: "Now I have few servants left to keep order in the other rooms that are still intact".


    "Are there whole sections of the castle that aren''t damaged?" Linda inquired: "Maybe it was attacked by enemies or destroyed by an earthquake?"


    "When I took over this castle over half a century ago, it was already in this condition. The castle was probably damaged in an attack, but there were no earthquakes here as far as I can remember. Let''s move faster. It''s already nightfall in your world, and we''re just starting dinner. I''m hungry, and we still need to find out what you can eat from us without danger".


    "Who knew I''d get hungry so quickly too!" Linda thought to herself, but immediately heard the laughter of her new acquaintance...


    She seemed to be constantly reading Linda''s thoughts. However, this phenomenon did not bring much pleasure.


    Continuing to smile Helena said: "When you master our language, I won''t have to penetrate your thoughts. But for now, bear with me, or we will have difficulty communicating. Later, I will explain to you how to protect your mind".


    After walking through two corridors, they stopped in a small, dark room. Helena made some manipulations in the semi-darkness, and the room became brighter. It turned out that the light was coming from a frosted ball hanging from the ceiling; it was about the size of a soccer ball.


    "These are our rainbow demons" Feeling Linda''s surprise, Helena explained: "They are harmless and even more so very useful if you know how to communicate with them properly. There is no such thing in your world?"


    "We have electricity in every house instead of glowing demons" Replied Linda: "It''s a useful and almost safe thing too, as long as you keep your fingers out of the socket. Is this your lab?"


    In the center of the room stood a large table full of labware and equipment that looked like a moonshine machine. A rack of chests and thick books stood against the wall. There was nothing else here except four chairs.


    "Now I''ll get started on the analysis" Muttered Helena, shifting different sized glass spheres on the table: "Yep, this one will do. It will only take a drop of your blood for a complete analysis. Come over to the table and hold out your hand to me. Don''t worry, it won''t hurt. Come on!"


    Still, Linda gingerly approached the sorceress and gave her her hand. She didn''t want to starve to death or be poisoned by unfamiliar food. Helena grasped her hand deftly and let it go.


    "That''s it?" Surprised Linda: "Have you drawn blood yet?"


    "Take a closer look at my hand" Said Helena: "First of all learn to trust me, your mentor. When it''s time to experience pain, that''s when you''ll have to be patient".


    Glancing at the old woman''s water, Linda noticed a bright red drop flying in the air about five centimeters above Helena''s wrinkled palm. The woman flicked it onto the surface of the large balloon. It instantly turned pink and began to emit a faint light. Almost transparent creatures began to flicker in the middle of it.


    "Astral parasites" The old woman whispered mysteriously, looking at the girl with dark eyes: "The blood of sentient beings contains immense power, which astral parasites feed on, concentrating on the essence of their victim. We will need only a drop of blood for our purpose. Keep your voice down, don''t let me concentrate. I''m reading the magic words".


    "That''s it, I''m done! I''m glad that most of our meals are quite good for you. Importantly, my infusions work well on you as well. Our variety of food and the amazing quality of the magical settings will not leave you indifferent. Truly, however, you and I are very different. You certainly can''t conceive a child with a man from our world, but that won''t stop you from enjoying lovemaking with them. To get pregnant, you will have to go to your world. Why are you so embarrassed? There''s no need to be embarrassed - it''s a natural process of life. In our villages, girls your age usually lose their virginity already, but ladies from noble families do it a little later. When it''s time to give birth, our girls often get married right away".


    "I don''t think I''m ready yet" Linda protested, blushing like a poppy.


    "I think you''re ready" Helena decided, looking her over: "Don''t worry, I''m not going to marry you off, on the contrary, it''s important to me that you stay away from guys. It''s right that you don''t want to give birth so early, because such a birth could be bad for your health. Let''s not waste any time, lunch will get cold. Let''s go!"


    On the way Helena spoke delicately to the girl: "Let''s decide right away what I''m going to call you. For some reason you have such a jumble of different names in your mind. What do your loved ones usually call you?"


    "Linda or Lindic".


    "Let it be Rinda. It''s a good noble name. And your clan, what is your name?"


    "My father''s last name is Jordan, so I''m a Jordan".


    "Too long and heavy for my ears. You will be Baroness Rinda Wolf of Kivana. It is the kingdom next to ours. They haven''t had a king for a long time, so there''s chaos and war. If anyone asks where you''re from, tell them you ran away from there. No one will test you out of fear for their lives. Now, about my favors. I only have two: Haya does the cooking and cleaning, and Gusd does the rest of the housekeeping. Their names, as you say, you don''t need to know, and they''ve probably forgotten them long ago".


    "So you and your two servants have lived here for so many years?"


    "Yes no, twelve years ago I had many servants, but they betrayed my trust, stole from me and wanted to escape. But the truth is, they didn''t get far".


    "What happened to them afterward?"


    "I sent the bogmen to subdue the servants and bring back the gold stolen by the name. But now they lie in the mire, probably rotted away by now".


    "Isn''t there some easier way to penalize theft?"


    "Your head is full of nonsense that I''ll have to clear, so you need to remember right away that in our world there is only one punishment for servants of traitors - the death penalty. But everyone chooses their own way. By the way, I want you to know that my way is not the cruelest. We are already at the place. This is our dining hall".


    The room was three times the size of the empty laboratory, poorly lit, the ceiling very low, supported by a few stone columns. Tables of some kind of black wood stood everywhere in disarray. Chairs were only at two tables, two people were already seated at one of them. There were deep plates in front of them, the aroma of roasted meat rising from them made Linda swallow a mouthful of saliva.


    "Sit at my table and enjoy your meal, or your fainting will not be far off. You will meet the servants later".


    Linda sat down at the liberty table, poured the porridge and added meat from the common plate, and took a piece of warm bread. The bread was so tender that it almost dissolved in her mouth. Trying not to hurry and chew carefully, the girl still quickly cleared her plate and looked around the hall carefully.


    On the tables, in addition to porridge and meat, there were unfamiliar fruits, herbs with a pungent odor, and large metal jugs. Linda couldn''t eat or drink anymore, so she looked at the servants.


    A tall old man, apparently Gusd, with a sharp face and a tail of hair at the back of his head sat eating porridge slowly without paying attention to the meat. Haya was much shorter than him, but fuller, with rough facial features and thick hair, which was also pinned back, ate the meat with gusto. The servants, as well as Linda, had finished their meal before Helena, but waited for her to finish and rose from the table after her.


    Helena uttered a few short, curt phrases, in which Linda caught the new name given to her, and pointed a finger in her direction. Then the servants bowed to them both and began to clear the tables.


    "Come on, I''ll take you to your rooms" Said Helena: "Mine are right next to yours. Haya has already finished cleaning there and has prepared everything you need for you. If you have any questions, only ask me. After you''ve had a look around your apartment, come see me. I''m ready to tell you a lot about myself and about our world that will now be open to you".

 Chapter 2

    Meeting her new home was quick and easy. The girl''s rooms were cosy and functional. The bedroom took up most of the floor space, with a huge bed decorated with a faded tapestry that had already faded from time. The girl plumped herself onto the bed, feeling the softness of its surface and the comfort in doing so. There were three chests next to the bed: one contained a pillow and a blanket, one contained outerwear, which Linda decided to examine later, and the third was empty.


    The second room the girl decided to call the living room. There was a small couch, a round table, a chest and two chairs. On the wall the owners had hung a tapestry with a picture of people hunting a beast, and on the table stood a jug of water and a dark metal goblet. The doors of the rooms could be locked from the inside with strong deadbolts.


    After a long night without sleep and a heavy dinner, Linda felt tired, but still went to Helena''s room. The landlady, however, directed her back to bed, pointing out the location of what was called the toilet. Linda didn''t even bother to get pillows and blankets fell onto the bed, and fell asleep instantly.


    Waking up in the morning, she hardly realised where she was. Lying on a large bed in a room with a high ceiling, she remembered yesterday and said goodbye to her past life. Tears flowed down her cheeks on their own, but after they drained away, she felt better. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of the need for a snack.


    Let''s ask nature: how long had Linda slept? Despite the absence of a clock in the castle, she knew from the bright sunlight outside the window that it was time to wake up. She decided to look at the clothes on offer first, but remembered how reproachfully Haya had looked at her bare knees yesterday. After all, both the mistress and the maid wore dresses with long hemlines, so Linda shouldn''t stand out. Opening the chest she found several gowns of the same style, made of a fabric with a tight bodice and puffy skirt, with luxurious expanding sleeves and sashes of the same material.


    After looking at them and admiring the beauty and delicacy of the fabric, Linda put the three dresses aside. The bodice was laced at the back, and she realised that she would not be able to wear such garments without help. The two remaining outfits had a button placket in the front. The blue dress had fish-shaped buttons made of bone, while the dark green one had them made of a yellow gold-like metal.


    "Buttons made of gold? Perhaps Helena wasn''t kidding about her wealth if even the buttons are made of gold" Pondered Linda: "But what to choose after all?"


    Her stomach reminded her again and she quickly removed her dress, putting on a green one, less colourful than the blue one and at least a little shorter. Putting the rest of her clothes back into the trunk, she headed for the local toilet. There Linda did her business, then flushed from the bucket that stood there and washed her face under a thin trickle of water flowing from a hole in the wall and into the toilet opening.


    "And if I have to go for a big one, what am I going to wipe my arse with?" She wondered: "Maybe this?"


    There was a huge ball of wool hanging on a rope next to the toilet. After looking around and wiping her damp hands on the hem of her dress, Linda went to her mistress''s chambers. Helena was already waiting for her on the threshold.


    "You''re sleeping well, I guess you don''t suffer from insomnia!" She smiled when she saw the girl: "We''ve already finished breakfast. Come into the refectory, Haya probably hasn''t left yet. You look great in my sister''s dress, just fix your hair a little and you''ll be absolutely irresistible. But I''ll talk about that later. Eat and then come to my place afterwards. We didn''t get a chance to talk yesterday, we''ll make up for it today".


    The living quarters of the castle were several adjoining rooms, so Linda easily found the dining room, although she hadn''t memorised the way yesterday. The maid nodded approvingly, bowed and without saying anything brought and placed porridge, meat and a large pitcher of drink on the table. A mug with beautiful patterns and a plate of sliced bread were already on the table.


    "Looks like silver" Linda thought as she took the decorated mug in her hands: "The metal looks like what the silver fifty dollar bills her father used to have were made of".


    Linda had never had to taste cider before, but she had been treated to champagne once. She drank half a mug of the sweet, slightly carbonated drink with an apple flavour and aroma, then realised that it definitely had alcohol in it. Without finishing her drink, Linda began to eat, occasionally noticing Haya''s sympathetic glances in her direction. After her meal, Linda smiled at the maid, unable to find words to thank her, and receiving a smile in return, quickly went to Helena''s chambers. Fed up and rested, she was ready for conversation.


    "Have a seat in the chair, this is going to be a long conversation" Hepena offered her: "I want to tell you about the world you''ve come to, life here, and why you''re here. Perhaps some of what I tell you will not be to your liking, but don''t jump to conclusions and judge. Our world is very different from yours. I don''t want you to think I''m trying to trick you into anything. I need an assistant who will not be deceived or intimidated, but will act consciously and remain loyal. So listen".


    According to Helena''s story, Linda realised that the people who currently lived here had come to this land some four hundred years ago.


    "Before our people came here, there were powerful tribes that dwelled here and established magnificent kingdoms" The hostess began to narrate: "The local wizards possessed the art of secret knowledge, something we are far from them in. But one day they lost control of forces beyond our world''s control. No one to this day knows how that turned out for them. At the time, when the first Kain appeared, ready to use swords to survive, there was no one left to fight. It seems unbelievable, but there were no more living things here except for plants and trees. Besides humans, small animals small birds died, and only their bones crunched under the feet of the newcomers. Villages turned into fields of grass and towns into ruins, and even those were consumed by fire. Few castles were left habitable".


    "What about insects?" Linda asked: "I know that they are very good at surviving cataclysms. In my world we try to get rid of cockroaches, but they still multiply".


    "There is no information about insects in the legends, and the written records are gone forever. Everything was destroyed by the fire of the war our ancestors fought, fighting for the legacy of their predecessors. That''s what we called the former inhabitants of these lands. Kingdoms came and went, and the bones of the old masters were joined by many dead Caines. As time passed, new boundaries of domains were established, people built homes and rebuilt life, and wild beasts and birds returned to the forests and fields.


    Attempts were made to rebuild palaces and fortresses, but people disappeared in them, and creatures crawled out of abandoned dungeons that only masters could deal with, because ordinary weapons were powerless. Over time, the devastation stopped, but rumours of a curse hang over the castles. They stand empty to this day, even though some of them could be rebuilt. We occupy one such castle. I and my men have taken refuge here".


    "And what enemy did you have to flee from?"


    "Let''s begin by telling you about our wonderful people and the kingdom where we live. Over three hundred years ago, we dwelt in the far east. Our kingdom stretches from the shores of the sea to the vast southern desert, which is a hundred days'' journey. To the north we are surrounded by dense forests inhabited by various tribes of savages, and to the west stretch vast steppes where nomadic tribes are rarely seen.


    These places are full of mysteries and wonders, and our people have lived here since ancient times, in harmony with nature and the spirits of this world. Our beliefs are imbued with respect for the elements and nature spirits that we honour and serve. We strive for wisdom and spiritual balance by following ancient customs and traditions inherited from our ancestors. These are our roots, our history and our path in this great world. I hope that you now better understand the essence of my story about our people and kingdom.


    Due to the lack of dangerous neighbours, our ancestors did not have a reliable army and they paid the price. We did not know what brought the aliens to our coast, but one inclement night hundreds of foreigners landed on our shore in their ships with oars. They did not engage diplomatically with us, but immediately set about destroying us with their weapons. It was not just an invasion, but a real beating. Our entire land was soaked in blood, and our king fell trying to defend the capital. But luckily for us, the invaders didn''t rush straight inland, which allowed us time to pack up what we needed and leave, saving what we could, especially herds of cattle".


    "Why did you not continue to resist the invaders?"


    "This was no ordinary attack, but the action of a mighty and well-trained warlike people. We had ample armaments, but lacked well-trained men capable of using them. At the head of our retreat were five... I''ll call them dukes. Does that make sense to you? They became the first rulers of the new kingdoms, travelling the only way possible - westwards into the steppe regions. The journey took a whole year. They spent the winter by a large river in the centre of the steppe. Winters in these parts are not particularly cold, but still there were many casualties, especially many children died, and the herds were greatly reduced.


    With the arrival of spring our travelling continued. We received help from the nomads who escorted us from shelter to shelter and for this we paid them back with the remains of our livestock. On arrival in the empty lands, our people engaged in their favourite pastime: they seized whatever they could reach with their hands, and then with weapons in their hands tried to take from others what they had managed to seize. Small clashes and major wars ensued, lasting five years, greatly reducing the already small number of inhabitants. Finally, five kingdoms were formed, whose rulers were able to agree on the borders and that was the end of the bloodshed. We are now in the heart of the subjugated lands, in the kingdom of Kerson, where King Vadish the Third reigns. We are surrounded by the territories of four other kingdoms.


    I will now briefly continue about religion. In all kingdoms, the inhabitants profess the same fifteen gods. I will withhold details about them for the moment, you have nothing to know about them yet, but in the future you will learn everything from our books. For each god a temple is erected. In small towns and large villages the priests come to an agreement and establish common temples, where each god has its own altar. Previously the priests of the various gods had not feuded among themselves, but seventy years ago some of them who professed to be the warrior god Mashun began to proclaim his superiority over the others, using the power of arms. They destroyed the mages, declaring them hostile to Mashun, and above all they challenged the masters of magic.


    Magic has always played an important role in our country. Mages were involved in healing, influencing the weather, thereby increasing the yield of the land and livestock. They also took part in wars, using their skills. You know nothing about magic, so I will tell you a little more about it. Humans are prone to weak magic and are almost incapable of achieving results through their own efforts. After much training, one can learn to heal people, create a distorted perception of reality and move small objects.


    Many people limit themselves to only this, but there are those who become true masters. These masters are more powerful than other wizards and can summon demons from parallel worlds or astral beings to perform their magical tasks. Humans and their affairs are of little interest to both demons and astral beings, excluding those possibilities where a human or their energy can serve as food for them. Therefore, it is difficult to force beings from other worlds to follow orders, most often negotiate and offer something in return or use some beings to subjugate others".


    "So how do mages get their powers?" Linda asked, adding: "Why aren''t they in my world?"


    "I have no knowledge of your world to give accurate answers" Helena replied, shaking her head: "But judging from your thoughts, we are not so different. The main obstacles to developing inner strength and the ability to control it are feelings of discomfort, anxiety and antipathy. Most often these emotions subside quickly, but their traces remain and accumulate over time. It all starts from the moment of birth, when the baby comes into the world. This process can be scary and painful for him. If one does not get rid of the traumas from the birth process, they will stay with the person forever and can become a source of serious problems not only in magic, but also in health. In traditional mage families, the use of heated water during childbirth can make the process gentler and safer for both mother and baby".


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    "What exactly should I do?" Linda asked.


    "First of all, you should listen carefully and not interrupt. When the time comes, I will tell more. For now, let''s go back to the history of the priests of Mashun. At first they controlled the actions of mages who were not from noble families, but when they were protected by the father of the current king, they dared to stand up against the nobility. My father was a wealthy man with large land holdings, in your world he would be called a marquis. Our castle was in the centre of the Marquis of Gavrem''s domain near a town of the same name. When we were attacked, the whole family locked themselves in the castle. Father had a decent army and we could have repelled the attack of Mashun''s dastardly followers, but unfortunately the royal troops joined the attack on our castle. My father was accused of being involved in a plot against the supreme ruler, which would lead to severe punishments, namely the execution and subsequent reprisals of our entire family.


    There was no plot, of course. The whole thing turned out to be a ruse by the priests, who sought to capture my mother, her younger sister, and me and my sister, as we all possessed amazing abilities that my mother was just beginning to discover. My father, along with his retinue, stayed behind to defend the castle to ensure our escape, along with the few loyal servants and the treasury. We managed to escape through an underground passage into the forest that was located not far from the castle. The priests of Mashun had their dark magic and set horrible monsters on us. Thanks to my mum, we managed to escape the chase. She sought help from one of the creepiest and only known worlds, and for that she had to pay dearly - with her own life and the power of a powerful master of magic. After that, the two steel monsters who were sent on a mission in pursuit fought amongst themselves. The pursuing monsters were completely destroyed, and it was time to deal with the traitor priests.


    The fate of the fight between them remained unknown, as Mother''s sister hurried us away from the scene of the clash. We were soon ambushed by the king''s warriors. To ensure our rescue, my aunt repeated her mother''s act. Our servants caught the horses whose riders were killed and we continued on horseback. Everything was against us that day. My sister''s horse stepped on a groundhog burrow, breaking its leg, and my sister was badly injured. I was the only one left alive. We travelled a long way through the forest trails and came across a castle where we decided to stop. We had to hide for a while until the noise around our family died down and we were forgotten. There were three small royal villages nearby, but we preferred to send servants to more distant places for food. In time, the search for the remnants of our family stopped and we no longer had to hide. The locals were at first distrustful of the arrival of new owners in the ancient ruins, but thanks to the generous payment for services rendered, they have helped rebuild part of the castle, and regularly deliver food.


    In the vicinity of the free city of Vosde, my identity was recognised, but I was required to pay a land use tax for the benefit of the city and the king. This tax is usually levied on those who occupy vacant lots. I covered this demand, and after that they stopped showing interest in me. However, the memory of my father''s death, the way my mother and aunt had changed, and the premature death of my beloved sister never left me. For all those fifty long years, I had been building up my strength and nourishing my hatred. Becoming a master in magic is a complex and lengthy process. An experienced mentor is invaluable, and in my case, my mentors were nothing but family books. How many times have I had to stand on the brink of death, to remove terrible scars from my body! And how many remained in my soul!


    I gained my strength too late, and the time for accomplishment is coming to an end. I know that my remaining life is no longer than a year, perhaps a little more. So my goal is to pass on all my wisdom and strength to you before I leave. It is a difficult and nearly impossible task, but I will give everything of myself. If anything, you can learn on your own. And then you will settle accounts with the priests of the Temple for my family and me. I have plenty of gold in my dungeons, enough for a lifetime, even considering the lifespan of mages. Added to the gold that was brought was more that I found in the ruins of one of the towers. The servants also began to covet that gold, exhausted from sitting with me in the castle".


    "Why not share the gold with them and let them go?" The newly minted apprentice asked.


    "You are still too young! Do you think I spared the gold for them? I couldn''t just let them go! Sooner or later, they would definitely give me away or come back with some brigands for the rest of the gold! I don''t want to upset you, but that''s how it is in our world sometimes - you have to wade through an ocean of hypocrites for one sincere friend. Don''t take offence to this, just appreciate and respect those who are truly worth your attention. After all, a sincere relationship is a real treasure!"


    "But who are you going to take revenge on after all these years?"


    "Don''t worry, I''m not a crazy old evil witch surrounded only by enemies. Only a select few need to be avenged. Firstly, the old king is still living, though he is now ten years older than me. I hope the court mages don''t waste any time and he stays alive until you come to power and strike your final blow. Next on the list is the High Master of the Order of the Dogs of Mashun. Of course now he is also of no small age, and rarely steps outside of the central Temple.


    It would not be unreasonable to destroy this temple and consign both the old dog and his entire pack of rabid dogs to oblivion under its rubble! There are no others on my list who are responsible for my parents'' deaths. You do this, and you get your freedom. You can stay here, go back to your world, or go anywhere. Everything in this castle and its dungeons will be yours. You will also inherit all the wisdom the Gavrem family has accumulated over the centuries. I consider this a generous reward for your year of hard work and the destruction of two old rascals who prematurely expressed a desire to continue their existence!"


    "I haven''t had to kill anyone yet" Linda admitted: "I''m not even sure if I can".


    "You won''t need to kill personally. If you follow my plan, you''ll go unnoticed by anyone at all, and a lot of water will still flow before my plan is fulfilled. It''s not good for an ordinary person to take another person''s life, unfortunately in our world, people do it too often. Even the girls of the nobility are taught to do it. So, there''s nothing wrong with it for you".


    "When are we going to start learning magic?"


    "Today you will master the language. First you''ll memorise individual words, and then I''ll teach you how to put them together in a sentence. The rest will come by itself as you begin to communicate with me and my servants or with the local peasants. Spelling will come last. I will prepare a special hint for you and make a potion to improve your memory. It will make it much easier to memorise words".


    "And what is the ''hint''?"


    "The magical device in question is an instrument capable of dictating words. It can only hold a hundred words at a time, and once you''ve memorised them, you can write down new ones. Use this time to learn the language, and combine it with getting to know the castle. Don''t go into the castle cellars though, I''ve set up some nasty surprises there for those who like other people''s gold. At the moment it is summer here, so you can take a walk close to the castle during the daytime. But never stray far from it without a weapon and knowledge of the local language".


    "Can I wear my attire around the castle? Because in the ones I''ve been provided, I can only walk on flat ground. In the woods they would get dirty and torn, and I only have two dresses, the others can''t be worn because of the clasps on the back".


    "You may wear your dress near the castle, but try not to flaunt it, as such attire is not customary in this world. Dresses that have back lacing will help you button up Haya. When you have mastered the language, it will be possible to hire a maid for you in the village".


    "You have provided me with dresses, but I lack shoes. My shoes are already in disrepair, and the ones Haya is wearing look terrible. I happened to see them when she was serving lunch. They''re not just shoes, but something like trunks. Besides, I don''t have any spare underwear. When we left my world, I forgot to take them in my haste. And after my stepdad''s binge drinking, there''s hardly any underwear left. I''d also like to ask you to buy me some books".


    "Eh-heh, shoes are always a problem for me" Helena sighed: "Leather is such a fickle thing, it''s really hard to keep it in good condition even if you apply magic to it. The local craftsmen make very rough shoes, and it takes too long to go to the city for quality shoes, and I don''t want to stand out. As for underwear, I have some of my sister''s spare clean shirts, they must be somewhere, I''ll find them. Maybe you have some money left over to buy a place to live in your world, local money probably wouldn''t suit you?"


    "Unfortunately I don''t have any money at all at the moment, yes your money I won''t be able to buy anything. But I do remember a place where a certain man resides who is willing to pay a good price for a unique coin. He has an extensive collection of various coins in his house, including gold specimens. I met him when my father visited him on some business and called me along".


    "And what sort of coins might he buy?" Helena asked, looking forward to entering Linda''s world.


    "Nowadays, the value of coins grows from their antiquity, and your coins are certainly unique. We can sell them, make our purchases, and return in peace, leaving others with headaches as to their origin".


    "Is he a fool to pay money for old coins?"


    "The man collects with a passion. I think all collectors are a bit odd. But back to the matter of your gates. Are they very difficult to open?"


    "The first time I took a very long time with them. The next time it was much easier to do it again".


    "Oh the horror! Our flat must have been sealed off by the police by now! And we''ll have to pick the lock, I thought I locked the door! If we get in, we won''t be able to get out, they''ve probably changed the lock by now".


    "The door won''t stop me" Helena reassured her: "You don''t have to worry, there''s no door that can stop a master travelling between worlds. While I figure out what I should do, you go take a look around the castle, but don''t climb the ruined towers. A stone won''t fall on your head, but you could break a leg. I''m going to make a tincture. Your first priority right now is your language skills. Before you start learning magic, you need to learn how to communicate with other people. And of course my tincture will help you with that".


    "First of all I need to buy some trainers" Linda thought, tripping over the unevenness of the floor with her heel: "The heels aren''t big, but it''s still uncomfortable to walk. And in the forest, of course, it will be even harder to walk. We''d better get two pairs at once, if we can get enough money from the collector. We must find out from Helena what the climate is like here. How can we do that if you can''t explain the temperature? Oh, I''d better remember to take Dad''s watch with me!"


    As her stepfather started taking things out of the flat, Linda hid her father''s watch well so it wouldn''t end up on sale for a penny. As she and Helena hurried away, she had forgotten all about the watch, but today, thankfully, it came to mind.


    The girl walked around the castle for a couple of hours. She found a collapsed part of the building and an open passage to the cellar, but she didn''t risk going near it, trusting the old woman''s words. If she warned of possible danger, it wasn''t worth the gamble. She explored the castle''s surroundings through the windows, staying inside. A very sparse forest grew around the castle, and only at the very walls had the trees been cut down altogether. There was no moat or castle wall, but the castle wall itself was thick enough to be considered a fortress. Suddenly, Uy had the feeling that her mistress wished her to walk towards her and hurriedly answered the call.


    "You''ve been walking so long!" Grudgingly muttered Helena when she finally saw Linda in front of her: "You might as well wear your dress now, it''s more comfortable to walk on that damn stone floor, and Haya will get over your occasional scratches somehow. When you walk in my outfit, especially if you''re in a hurry, make sure you lift the hem with your hands so you don''t accidentally break your knees or even your nose. The floors in the castle must have been laid by some not-so-experienced workers, or they''ve heaved over time".


    "I was in a hurry, and I realised I couldn''t run around in heels here. I didn''t think about the dress at all, but I tried to be careful not to get anything dirty" Told Linda.


    "Here''s a reminder for you" Missing her words Helena said and handed her a small glass ball the colour of milk, twice the size of a tennis ball: "It contains one hundred of the most frequently used words. To hear them pronounced, you have to gently squeeze the ball in the palm of your hand. When the word is memorised and you want to move on to the next one, you have to squeeze harder. You got it? Go ahead and try it right now".


    Linda followed Helena''s instructions and managed to use the magic ball with ease. The orb, under Helena''s voice, called out a word in the local language and immediately produced its translation. With a firm squeeze, the reminder switched to the next word.


    "What do I do to go back to the previous word?" Linda inquired, playing with the balloon.


    "You can''t. The words will start repeating when you''ve familiarised yourself with all the others, so be careful and change the words, making sure you''ve memorised them. You can do the repetition later. For now, get on with the drink. It doesn''t taste the best, but it''ll help with your memory".


    Only someone who had never tasted it could say that the brown-coloured concoction was not a pleasant sight in itself. The decoction turned out to be just phenomenal nastiness, but the girl patiently drank it all the way down and handed Helena the empty mug.


    "When is it going to kick in?" Linda asked, barely restraining herself from immediately vomiting up what she had drunk along with her breakfast.


    "It''ll affect the locals in about half a candlemark" Explained Helena: "And your reaction will be a personal mystery to you".


    "Is what you just said some special measure of time?"


    "No, the usual" The abbess only shrugged at the remark about time: "All temples sell candles. If you burn them one by one, you can burn about twenty candles in a day. That is how time is measured here, if necessary. The beginning of time is usually started either in the morning or just after sunset".


    "So a candle burns for about an hour" The girl guessed: "If twenty-four hours in this world is not very different from our world. Let''s wait an hour and see if this poison was worth it. Oh, for Helena reads what I think!"


    "Naturally, I can hear everything!" Replied Helena with a smile: "But I take no offence, the drink really isn''t the most delicious".


    "Ouch!"


    "What do you mean your ''ouch''? Did you feel anything?"


    "Something strange" Linda spoke thoughtfully: "It''s like my head has gone transparent and my thoughts are jumping back and forth. I guess I should go learn some new words. It''ll be interesting to see what comes out of it".

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    The words were easy to remember, it took no more than two minutes to assimilate them. But Linda took twice as long to learn them confidently. She had a bitter experience of learning English: the words seemed to be memorized, but disappeared from memory the next day. By lunchtime, she was able to study thirty words and praised Helena:


    "Tomorrow I will memorize the first hundred words, and in ten days I will be able to start communicating and even practice magic".


    "Are you impatient?" The hostess smiled.


    "It''s interesting" Linda admitted: "And a little scary, especially about monsters".


    "We''ll have to forget about the language tonight. We will go to your world at night, and tomorrow you will rest".


    "Why at night?"


    "Think for yourself before you ask stupid questions. A student should be able to think independently, and not just rely on a mentor".


    "I''m sorry" Linda apologized, feeling ashamed for the well-deserved rebuke: "I didn''t take into account the time difference"


    "You feel uncomfortable because of the uncertainty in contacting me. In my world, a woman of my age is not called by her first name, and there are no patronymics there. You can call me Mistress Helena. But, apparently, you feel uncomfortable in this case".


    "In our world, the last time was treated with respect fifty years ago. Then came a classless society where everyone was equal, and the word "mistress" evokes negative emotions".


    "All people cannot be equal in skills and status" Helena objected: "Just as you must have leaders and followers. You just don''t see it because you''re young and inexperienced. And remember that you are not in your homeland here, and the word "master" only emphasizes your high position. Now you are a noblewoman, Linda, and that''s how they will address you, get used to it in advance. You can call me "Master". This is an appropriate address for a student to a mentor. Now let''s go to lunch".


    "Perhaps something is bothering you, Master?" Linda asked softly, turning to the gloomy Helena, and added: "Is it because of me?"


    "Because of me, and also because of the uncertainty about how to recover in your company, there are problems with choosing the right wardrobe. If everyone around is wearing such short dresses, it will be difficult for me to find suitable clothes".


    "Mother has two dresses left, and they will just fit you, since we are the same height. I hope they will suit you. What''s wrong with me?"


    "I was confused by how quickly and strongly you reacted to my drink. It''s only convenient for you at the moment, but if other potions work the same way, I need to be more careful. And our poisons can be even more dangerous for you. But don''t worry, I''ll check it out".


    This time, Linda decided to try some fruits, which, despite their strange appearance, tasted no different from apples.


    "When we''re done, let''s go down to the basement to look at our treasures: "Helena warned: "You know better what we need, so you better check them out".


    The basement was a maze of corridors with doors, some of which had bars: "Prison cells" Helena explained: "Somewhere here you can find the remains of prisoners. We rarely use the basement. But here''s our gold. Take your time, I''ll open the way now".


    Helena was the first to enter a small room with three chests. Linda hurried after her so as not to be alone in the dark hallway. The hostess placed a ball with rainbow demons lighting the way in a niche in the wall and opened one of the chests.


    "Here are the finds that I found in the shelter under the ruined tower" She said: "They have an ancient nature. How much time has passed since the death of the castle owners, but they probably did not even know about the existence of this gold. In any case, these coins are very different from those that were used before. Choose what you like and take it with a margin"


    "This is gold" Linda said in amazement, taking out a handful of coins from the chest, which felt heavy in her palm.


    "Why is it bad?" Helena didn''t understand: "Won''t your friend be interested in him?"


    "This gold is much more expensive for me" Linda explained: "Our girls do not go with gold in their pockets. Even antique silver coins can arouse suspicion. He may not have enough money for such a purchase".


    "We will choose the appropriate coins, and if something goes wrong, I will talk. We can also take silver. It is intended for settlements with peasants"


    "How will you talk to him without knowing his language? Mentally?" Helena asked: "It will only raise more questions".


    "You forget that I''m a magician" Helena chuckled: "No one I interact with will notice that I''m silent. Influencing people is one of the key skills of magicians. That''s why not everyone loves us".


    "Then why didn''t you restrain your servants, but rather drown them?"


    "It''s easy to encourage someone to take instant action" Explained Helena: "But to keep this influence for a long time is already more difficult. And if the suggestion contradicts a person''s own desires, it quickly collapses. I had to constantly update the spell to avoid internal conflict or loss of interest in life. Therefore, magicians do not seek to rule over people for a long time. But seducing a person for a short time, distracting him or making him believe in something is possible. Have you already made a choice?"


    "Yes" The girl replied: "Only they change color"


    "It''s because of the lighting, there will be others upstairs. If everything is in order, then let''s go. We need to inspect the silver".


    In her bedroom, Helena opened the casket that stood on the table by the window and poured out a dozen coins.


    "Is there anything suitable?" She asked.


    "These will do" Linda chose the five oldest coins: "They all differ in prints, there is not one of the same"


    "Many people mint silver, this is acceptable, the main thing is not to cheat with weight. Only the Royal Treasury has the right to mint gold coins. Take this purse, put coins in it so you don''t lose them. What are you planning to do?"


    "I''ll change my clothes and take a walk around the castle, maybe I''ll remember some new words" Linda replied.


    "Okay" Helena agreed: "But I advise you not to walk too long, it''s better to get some sleep so as not to get tired".


    "I''ll try. Daytime sleep doesn''t suit me, and I''ve already had enough sleep for the whole day ahead".


    Linda returned to her rooms, changed into a short dress and quickly went to the nearest exit from the castle.


    "In such shoes, only in the forest" The girl thought, cleaning the shoes from moss and needles: "How much time can you spend on cleaning? Wow, a mushroom!"


    A real aspen tree grew in the immediate vicinity of Linda, and the most interesting thing was that it flourished just three steps from her house. It is wonderful that picking mushrooms has become a common passion for Linda and her father, and they were happy to realize this. The first time they went out for mushrooms with their parents on the bus. After collecting two buckets of oil, they then cleaned the film from the hats until nightfall. That year, their table was not without salted butter.


    Linda was tormented by the thought: "What if the mushroom is poisonous? I need to show Helena so that I don''t get bored with meat every day".


    Without a knife, Linda tore the mushroom from the mycelium and ran to Helena in the laboratory: "Master! Is this mushroom indefinite?"


    "Yell less, and breathe less loudly" Helena said: "Why do you need this mushroom?"


    "Not disgusting, but delicious! They are prepared in any way. Don''t you know him?"


    "I''d better ask the villagers" Helena said: "Put it on the table, go rest, and I''ll check it for poisons".


    "I haven''t studied yet" Linda confessed: "I''m going to study and go to bed now".


    But I didn''t manage to fall asleep.


    "You could have told me earlier, I would have put you to sleep" Helena grumbled at dinner: "Now you''re going to wander around sleepy and blink your eyes".


    "I suggest we don''t waste any time and go right now" Linda suggested: "We still have early morning on our hands. You can visit or go shopping early in the morning, but I would like to look into the apartment first, see what you can pick up, and you need to try on your mother''s clothes. Then we can do the door".


    "You can do it right now" Helena agreed: "If you''ve already eaten, change your clothes, and let''s go to the tower".


    The transition to the apartment took a minute and was not much different from Linda''s previous visit.


    "This is the first time I''ve been here, following the blood" Helena said, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room: "And now we are moving along the already tracked path, which is much easier. I found what I was looking for. It''s still early in the morning, but let''s not waste any time. Where are your mother''s dresses?"


    "I''ll get it now!" The girl opened an empty wardrobe with clothes and took out a dress: "Here it is. And the second one is missing for some reason. As soon as you''re dressed, I''ll zip up your back. And in this mirror, you can check how it fits on you".


    Deep in thought, Helena said that she intended to get herself this wonderful artifact, an antique mirror, in front of which she is now standing and examining her reflection: "We do not have such a thing. Help me change my clothes, and we''ll take care of things later".


    Together, they changed the dress and the shirt, which was too big for Helena and did not fit under her mother''s dress.


    "Terrible!" The old woman exclaimed, examining her half-naked legs: "How can you show up like this?"


    "It''s just a long dress" Linda reassured her: "When we go outside, you''ll see that many people wear shorter ones. There are dresses that fit only to the middle of the thigh. It''s been fashionable for a long time, but it suits you"


    "Really?" Helena said thoughtfully, spinning in front of the mirror: "Okay, I have to sacrifice for the cause. Do you need help with your stuff?"


    "No, I can handle it" Linda refused, carefully examining the old woman''s shoes: "It seems to me that these boots are too massive for such a dress. My mother has shoes that are too big for her. For some reason, she still hasn''t sold them. Let''s try them out".


    The shoes fit almost perfectly. They are a little too big, but they kept perfectly on their feet and were much lighter than the previous ones.


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    "It''s much better now!" The girl was delighted: "If I could put my hair in a knot at the back of my head, no one would have thought about it. But I can''t do it".


    "What about my hairstyle?"


    "This hairstyle is worn only by the young. Well, that''s not so important anymore. Rest, master, while I gather everything I need".


    Realizing that it was unlikely to return to this apartment, Linda walked through the rooms and the kitchen, collecting in two large bags everything that she thought could be useful in the new world. One of the bags contained the remains of dishes, a grater, a meat grinder and matches, and from the bathroom - a toothbrush, tooth powder and pieces of soap. From her room she took linen, a terry sheet, a watch, a box of colored pencils, a pack of razor blades and notebooks.


    "Do we need paper?" Linda asked her mentor.


    "Very expensive, and she hasn''t been seen in our castle for a long time. We need to go to the city to get her, but who should we send?" Helena answered.


    "We can sell coins and buy notebooks. Our paper is cheap" Linda suggested.


    Linda didn''t find anything useful in the big room and just took Helena''s things.


    "We may have to leave quickly, so let''s leave them together" She told the mentor: "I''ll put things at the bottom of the closet in case someone comes in. Let''s leave this beret, we won''t need it right now. I''m completely ready. There''s only the last hallway left, but I''m pretty sure there''s nothing interesting. Here''s the key for the spare lock on the door. Perhaps it hasn''t been changed yet".


    They went out into the hallway, where Linda unlocked the door. Without hearing footsteps or conversations, she opened the door, tearing off a piece of paper with a seal attached to the outside.


    "What should I do now?" She asked, almost crying: "If anyone sees it, they''ll call the police right away, and we won''t be able to come back. Pick up things and run around the city?"


    "Lock the lock and don''t worry!" Helena ordered: "I will ensure that no one comes in until evening".


    She touched the torn paper, and it instantly fused into one.


    "Let''s go faster!" Linda hurried on: "The neighbors shouldn''t see me here. If the apartment is sealed, the police are definitely looking for me".


    "What am I here for?" Helena asked: "No one will see us, but we''d better leave as soon as possible".


    The girl expected the city to shock Helena, but she just walked along a noisy street where thousands of cars and crowds of people flashed by.


    "We could take a bus, but we don''t have money right now" Linda said regretfully: "We''ll have to walk. The distance, of course, is small, only two stops, but it''s still better to take a short walk. And what are your impressions of the city?" Linda asked.


    Helena thought for a moment before answering: "There are so many people, traffic, noise and smells here. I''ve never been used to a busy life, especially after my stay at the castle. There I completely lost the habit of this crowd of people. Will your friend be at home?" She asked.


    "He is disabled and, according to my father, rarely leaves his apartment" Linda replied.


    A young, impressive woman in her thirties answered the door.


    "Who are you looking for?" She asked Helena.


    "Alas" Linda said: "Is Michael at home? We came to him about his collection".


    The woman assessed Linda with a glance and stepped aside, letting them into the spacious hallway.


    "Just a minute, please" She said this time, addressing both of them: "I''ll warn my father".


    She returned almost instantly and invited the guests to follow her. The owner met them in his office and immediately recognized Linda.


    "Are you Frank Jordan''s daughter?" He asked: "Is your name Lindik? And your friend is not familiar to me. What can I do for you? And why did you, Linda, come to me without a father?"


    "My father died a year ago" Linda replied calmly, making an effort on herself: "Together with my esteemed grandmother, we have scheduled this visit to discuss the issue related to the unique collection belonging to you. Our intention is to possibly sell the valuable and historical coins that are stored among these artifacts".


    "Why are you talking to me and not your grandmother?" A professional coin collector asked.


    "My grandmother is mute, but she understands me perfectly and can express her agreement with a nod of her head. Besides, she completely trusts me in this matter".


    "Show me the coins" The collector asked.


    The collector looked at the gold and silver coins for a long time with a magnifying glass. Then he carefully placed them on the table, turned to the guests and asked how they came to be at their disposal.


    "One day" When Linda started telling a story, she slyly stated: "My grandmother accidentally discovered these ancient coins in the attic of her cozy house. The idea arose to sell them, but she was advised to contact a true collector. They say that such a specialist will definitely be able to estimate the value of coins much higher than if we sold them for the metal itself by weight. I believe these coins are left over from my late grandfather, who has not been with us for five years".


    "You''re lying and you''re not blushing" Michael said, looking into Linda''s eyes: "Normally, I would ask both of you to leave my apartment. But if the coins you presented turned out to be genuine, they are worth a lot of money. I don''t have the opportunity to buy them, and I never will. But what you brought... I''ve never seen anything like it. They don''t look like a fake, and what''s the point of being dragged into such a hoax?"


    "Michael!" Linda looked into his eyes, delighted and desperate at the same time: "I can swear that the coins are genuine. I am in a difficult financial situation and need money. I don''t attach much value to the coins themselves. I am ready to sell them at the price you offer. I hope it will be enough for me".


    For a few moments it seemed to Linda that the collector would refuse the deal, but he just sighed heavily and pulled out an ordinary postal envelope from a drawer, which he handed to Linda.


    "Here is all the money that I was able to put aside to replenish my collection" He said: "Two hundred and forty coins. I don''t know if it''s enough for you, but I don''t have any more".


    "I didn''t expect such a large sum" Linda commented happily when they were already on the street: "It seemed to me that he would try to kick us out. Thank you for coming with me, master".


    "I did not influence his decision" Helena shook her head: "He did not have serious doubts about the originality of the coins, but still took careful steps. In the worst case scenario, he could get his money back by simply selling the gold coins. However, the mystery they presented had drawn him in so much that he decided to throw caution to the wind. He is very passionate about this business, although I do not understand his passion".


    "Collectors, they''re all like that" Linda agreed: "It''s a good thing they didn''t change the money for tens and hundreds. You might think that the money was stolen"


    "Why?" asked Helena.


    Linda explained that the amount of money the children had was extremely significant. It took the employee thirty whole days to earn such a sum. She also noticed that with such a large amount of money, there might be suspicions that they had been stolen.


    "You have a strange society" Helena expressed her opinion about socialism: "Let''s finish all the shopping and go home. The sooner we do it, the sooner we can rest. Besides, you said yourself that the apartment could be checked".


    "Yes, yes" Linda hastened to agree: "By the way, we''ll start with a sporting goods store".


    They bought two pairs of sneakers for Linda, one of which was overgrown, as well as two pairs of sweatpants and three wrist compasses. Then they went to a shoe store, where they selected two pairs of shoes for Linda and one for Helena. Helena bought a pair of shoes a size bigger. In addition to these purchases, they also purchased underwear, two shirts, and a variety of small items. It seemed to Linda that she would not be able to carry all this, but on the way home she could not resist and bought two alarm clocks and rubber boots. They bought notebooks, pen and ink from a stationery store. Helena was carrying all these purchases.


    "I would like to buy a lot more, but I can''t carry it all" Linda complained: "Let it be enough for the first time. Then we''ll go again. We have the money, so we won''t limit ourselves".


    As they passed the benches where the old ladies were sitting, none of them paid attention to Linda. They went up to their floor and with relief put their shopping bags on the floor. After Helena made sure that no one was in the apartment, they opened the door, no longer worrying about the safety of the pasted paper. Then they locked the door from the inside, stacked their bags in the kitchen and Helena with difficulty brought the removed mirror. At the last moment, Linda remembered the box where her mother kept needles and thread, and added it to the pile of purchases and bags.


    "Have we forgotten anything?" Helena asked, looking around.


    "Yes, everything seems to be in place" Linda assured: "I open the gate, and you throw it all inside. Did you pack the plates well? So nothing will break. And last of all, we''ll bring in the mirror. Just don''t stumble at the joints of the slabs, otherwise you''ll have to clean up the glass fragments yourself".


    The evacuation was successful, and both girls left their purchases in the tower and hurried to their rooms to sleep the rest of the night. Waking up later than usual, Linda got out of bed and found her things on the living room floor. Hasd must have brought them. Unpacking and cleaning had to be postponed until later, because Helena had already woken up and called Linda for breakfast.


    "Master, have you dealt with my mushroom?" Linda asked when she saw that Helena had already finished breakfast: "Or do I need to bring another one?"


    "Then I''ll combine language learning and mushroom picking. Then they can be fried and added to porridge or simply eaten. Almost no one comes to these places, so there will be a lot of mushrooms"


    "Try not to stray too far from the castle! If someone sees you in that dress, there might be a problem. And besides, you might get lost".


    "Don''t worry, master, I''ll put on a tracksuit and take a compass with me so I don''t get lost. And I''m not going to go far from the castle at all".


    The first trip in a tracksuit turned out to be the last. There was tall grass in the forest with seeds that clung to her pants intently, and it took Linda over an hour to clean them. The collected aspen trees were fried and eaten with pleasure.


    "Very tasty!" Helena said: "It''s strange that we didn''t cook them at home. Keep picking, I''m really tired of meat".


    After sorting out her things, the girl picked up her father''s watch and thought about it. How to determine the time and how many hours can there be in these local days? She created a primitive sundial from a flat stick, which she hardened into the soil. Having determined the moment when the shadow of the stick was the shortest, she marked this position with a stone and turned the arrows to twelve. The next day, at the same time, the clock was twenty minutes behind.


    "Well, that''s good" Linda mused, twisting both alarm clocks and setting them on her wristwatch: "Now I''ll move the hands back an hour every three days. This way I will always be aware of the time".


    She gave Helena one of the alarm clocks and taught her how to use it. Helena accepted this innovation without much enthusiasm.


    "I don''t see much use in them" She said sadly, dissatisfied with the attitude towards the gift. "I have always been able to judge time by my eyes, and if I start to follow your watch faithfully, I will have to purchase and maintain it for the servants if necessary. But let them stand, their ticking doesn''t bother me. You will be able to take care of their winding yourself and move the arrows to the right position"


    "What did Dad say?" Linda thought, returning from Helena: "Yes, initiative is punishable by execution. It''s about me. Everyone here is so wild. It''s okay, my hands won''t fall off, and now I can plan my time".


    Thanks to the composition of the vomiting potion that Helena prepared daily, the young girl could easily master a hundred new words every day. Always persistent and scrupulous, she asked her mistress to start cooking this unique decoction early so that she could take it on an empty stomach. This approach not only made the process of consuming the potion much easier, but also avoided the risk of losing breakfast if sometimes it was not possible to keep it.


    Recent rains had led to an abundance of mushrooms, and Linda went to the forest every day after breakfast. She had a basket and a folding knife in her hands, so she gratefully accepted the belt with two pockets that the maid brought. She put a reminder note in one pocket, and in the other a compass and Dad''s watch, which were too big to wear on her hand. Today was the third day after their purchase.


    Linda woke up early in the morning, full of energy and desire to make a new adventure. After having a quick breakfast, she quickly changed her clothes and went to the forest. Knowing exactly where mushrooms usually grow, closer to the castle, she wasted no time and headed straight there. Usually the area was teeming with mushrooms, and by the end of the hour the basket was full of a wide variety of specimens. But this time Linda was unlucky. She traveled around one clearing, went to another place, but did not find a single mushroom.


    The same story was repeated at the next stop along her route. Looking at the surrounding situation bizarrely, Linda couldn''t figure out who could have taken her mushrooms. But the girl was very surprised when she ran out into the clearing and almost stepped into a large pile of manure, still steaming with stinking steam. And not far away, only fifty paces away, she noticed someone who was staring at her mushrooms.


    "You brute!" Linda screamed at the huge moose standing in front of her, who did not react to her appearance at first: "Go away!"


    The moose frowned at the sounds, ate another aspen and noticed the greed, and then went to where he was sent. Linda managed to get a dozen mushrooms in the clearing, but the basket was not even half full. Deciding to continue searching for mushrooms far from the castle, she took out a compass, chose a direction and started moving, saying the words. The chosen direction turned out to be unsuccessful: there were almost no mushrooms.


    The upset girl decided to return, but she must have taken a wrong turn, so she soon found herself in a dense spruce forest that she had not noticed before. After walking a little more, Linda stopped as if rooted to the spot: a large wolf stood in front of her and mocked, showing his teeth. She recoiled in fright and almost fell on her back, tripping over a root protruding from the ground. The wolf growled and approached.


    "They don''t attack in the summer" Linda thought, fighting fear: "Where can I get a stick? If I turn around, he will definitely jump! Oh, if only I had a bigger knife!"


    A dog barked and howled in the bushes behind the wolf.


    "Oh my God!" The girl immediately froze: "After all, this is a she-wolf! And she has cubs! She might just tear me apart. Even dogs with puppies have aggression, and here are wolves!"


    Tripping over a branch on the ground, she crouched down and grabbed it in her hands, leaving a basket of mushrooms and her knife on the ground. With a crooked but sturdy stick stretched out in front of her, she continued to retreat, carefully placing her feet so as not to fall. The wolf, still growling, followed her. When the forest became sparser and there was a smell of smoke, she turned around and hid in the undergrowth.


    "What kind of strange place did I end up in?" The girl thought in surprise when she finally lowered her wooden stick: "There are almost no trees here, dried stumps stick out everywhere, and the smell of smoke envelops the air. It looks like I''ve come to the outskirts of some village. But how do I get to the castle now? Surely the locals know the way, and if I can find them, I can explain myself. But how am I supposed to show up there wearing my terrible dress?"

 Chapter 4

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 Chapter 5

    Linda had never felt so much study fatigue before as she had in the last ten days. Helena took it up with all seriousness, heaping on the girl an excessive, meaningless and even stupid, in Linda''s opinion, amount of knowledge that, without her support, it would simply be impossible to assimilate in a year.


    "You have to believe me" Helena urged, "Why would I waste my precious time studying unnecessary things? In your world, this may seem like an empty idea, but your life depends on your knowledge of heraldry or the ability to correctly address the higher ones. Yes, it may be boring, but it is absolutely necessary. Besides, I''m only giving you the most important things. You need to know a lot of details, the study of which is not provided for us due to lack of time, so we postpone them for later. If I get the chance, I''ll teach you how to do it, if not, you''ll have to figure it out yourself. Ignorance of certain things can be attributed to the fact that you come from a ruined kingdom, where they do not attach importance to many rules that are important to other nobles. The rest of them just don''t have time for it, just to survive. However, it is better not to count on it, but to practice hard. You don''t study metrics, not because you don''t need it, but because our language is not your native language, and you need to spend ten years learning how to compose poetry. But I will hammer the judicial system and the code of punishments for nobles into your beautiful head, whether you like it or not. I''m not wasting the last year of my life on you, my goal is to prevent your death. Not because I need revenge, although it''s important to me, but because everyone has to leave something behind. I don''t have any children of my own, so I''ll give you everything I can. All you have to do is study, whether you like it or not. Then you''ll figure out for yourself what I need to thank you for".


    Linda memorized the material recorded by Helena and repeatedly reread the book about the noble families of the kingdom, trying to memorize the exquisite coats of arms and absurd mottos. The life of the nobles was strictly regulated by many rules. If some of them made sense, others were absurd. But this cycle of study has come to an end. Helena tested Linda on all topics and found her knowledge satisfactory.


    "We''ll finish this for now" she said, focusing on the word "bye": "You''ve regained weight and look good, so we''ll start practicing magic tomorrow. However, these classes will only take place until noon. After that, we''ll rest for a while, and I''ll start teaching you how to dance. Then Gasd will take you under his care. Take this seriously. A strong and trained woman can take down two or even three opponents with a crossbow, and a dagger in skillful hands is a deadly weapon. It is not always possible to resort to magic, so the ability to handle weapons can be very useful. In addition, he will teach techniques by which a woman can resist a man, or even two. The full force of these techniques is the surprise and speed of their execution. In order to use them, you need to have a trained body and master the techniques so that you can perform them instantly. I''ll help strengthen your body, but you''ll have to train on your own. Get ready for a long and difficult job. You''re lucky: others would have spent years on such training".


    Linda was really lucky, but this luck required work. In the morning, she sat with Helena, who performed procedures on her, from time to time causing acute back pain. At such moments, Linda scolded everything in the world, calling herself a fool, an idiot... Helena climbed on her nerves, injecting new decoctions into her body, massaging her spine, and the pain temporarily subsided.


    "I''m sorry" she said to Linda, "But you have to stand it. If you do it quickly, then only this way, I don''t have time for anything else. It won''t take long, just a few more days and I''ll cut the channel. Then there will be no pain".


    After resting a little after lunch, the girl went with her mentor to the refectory, where there was the most level floor, and there she practiced dancing. They were quite complicated and did not resemble any of those that Linda knew, so to speed up learning, she had to swallow an unpleasant decoction. In order not to drink this liquid just for the sake of dancing, she took up the study of words again.


    By evening, the girl was under the supervision of Gasd. The old man was a professional warrior and, according to Helena, one of the best. He took a responsible approach to teaching the young lady, starting with crossbow shooting lessons. As the student''s skill grew, the target was set at ever greater distances. The training included working from different positions, and Linda was amazed at the strength and lightness of the old warrior, who cocked the crossbow over and over again and ran after bolts with apparent ease. The girl''s first attempt to load the crossbow on her own failed due to lack of sufficient strength.


    "It''s okay, Ms. Rinda" Gasd comforted, "You''re just very young and haven''t trained much. For now, you will only shoot, and when I get you in shape, then it will come to charging".


    Such statements caused concern, but she couldn''t get anywhere and continued to train hard. When, according to the instructor, Linda mastered the crossbow well enough, he moved on to the next stage of training. By the end of the training, the girl''s hands were so tired of the heavy crossbow that she rejoiced at their completion. However, it turned out that the joy was premature.


    Hasd suggested that Linda try her hand at swordplay. He brought a long sword from his room and invited the girl to stand in a fighting stance. The first couple of times Linda couldn''t find a common language with weapons, but gradually she began to master the basic techniques. Hasd taught her not only to attack, but also to deflect blows. He was a strict teacher, but at the same time fair and caring.


    After a week of swordsmanship training, Linda was already able to confidently hold a sword in her hands and perform some difficult combinations. Gasd encouraged her and praised her for her progress, but did not let her relax. He said that a real fight is not a training session, and that one should not forget about the danger.


    "Your body is not suitable for a fight" Gasd said: "The muscles are weak, there is no flexibility. I will tell Lady Helena to prepare a special balm that will help increase flexibility and muscle mass. Without him, I won''t be able to train you in half a year, as you are too young".


    "What are we going to do besides body training?"


    "When you are ready to move, I will teach you the ten fencing techniques that the Aquani ladies learned, and then we will start working with the dagger".


    "Aquani is Lady Helena''s last name?"


    ¡°yeah. Did she mention it? Her full name is Helena Aquani, Marquise of Havrem. Her family owned the marquisate for three generations, before they owned lands in the South".


    "What''s the difficulty with the dagger?"


    "You need to be able to handle any weapon, otherwise it will be useless. I will teach you how to strike correctly from different positions, how to pierce chain mail and even full armor, throw a dagger and deflect a sword".


    "Is it possible to fight with a dagger against a sword?" Linda was surprised.


    "You can. A long blade does not always give an advantage, especially in close combat or when shortening the distance with an opponent. You can dodge sword strikes and stay on all fours, deflecting attacks with a dagger. This requires good command of both weapons and body. Although I won''t make a professional out of you, you won''t be completely defenseless".


    This morning, an unusual lecture with Helena began.


    "Straighten your back, sit on the mat, hands on your knees" The mentor ordered: "It''s obvious how you''re growing up. Your breasts have started to grow, your figure is rounding. According to my observations, you are no longer a girl, but a girl. There''s no need to blush. I notice that you are still quite green and don''t know some things. Usually a daughter learns from her mother. But for some reason your mother is silent. Well, I''ll tell you. I''m afraid you''ll transfer your dislike of one to all men. But it won''t work that way!"


    "But they''re all assholes!" The student objected.


    "That''s what I thought. What about your father? Is he an asshole too?" The mentor asked.


    "Why does Father have to do with it?" The student replied.


    "Undoubtedly, he is the same man as everyone else. The truth must be told: there was a close relationship between him and your mother that led to your appearance. Instead of pushing away from him, your mother was attracted to his caresses and what causes you to dislike. Now listen to me: a woman without a man can be strong, but she does not need his strength, but the main thing in her life is the love and loyalty of a man. It is also impossible to have children without a man. If you live like a barren tree like me, it won''t do any good. The gods created us to complement each other. It''s too early for you to understand this, but I don''t want you to develop an aversion to men. This feeling is hard to get rid of, and I may not have time to say everything I need to. Accept this, and remember: intimacy with a desirable man, when a woman is ready for her, brings only joy. It''s too early for you, but I don''t want you to grow up to dislike men. One should not close oneself off from the possibility of communication and interaction with men because of negative experiences or preconceived views. It is important to remember that every person is unique and deserves respect. By maintaining relationships with men based on mutual understanding and mutual respect, we can enrich our lives and learn a lot about the world and about ourselves. Sit here, I''ll finish what I started".


    The mentor used the washed greenish liquid from the vessel and began gently massaging Linda''s back, following the spine. After smearing her neck, she rubbed the rest of the product into the back of her head. At first nothing happened, but then some kind of fiery stream swept along the back. He slowly climbed up until he crashed in his head, and Linda felt lost. Her body remained at the foot, supported by Helena, while the girl herself wandered somewhere near the ceiling.


    "Don''t worry" she heard the relaxed voice of the mentor: "Nothing terrible happened, you just temporarily separated from your spirit. Stay calm and just wish you could come back. That will be enough".


    Helena''s soothing voice restrained the growing fear, and her desire to return to her body was immediately fulfilled.


    "Don''t get up right away, get some rest" the mentor advised: "It''s better not to experiment with these things without proper training. It will only get worse without a mentor. Can you imagine how I had to go through this?"


    "What have we done at the moment?"


    "We have already achieved great results. They cleansed the body of harmful substances. Physical and spiritual conditions are closely related, which has led to an improvement in spiritual health. It was also deleted... the best word to call it is stress".


    "What is it?"


    "Don''t you remember? According to your memories, stress is a reaction to pain, fear or anger that we got rid of together. This promotes the free flow of energy through your body. In addition, I went through blockages in the main energy channel that runs along my back. It may take you a long time to do it yourself. Today we have freed your spirit from your physical body, which allows you to receive energy directly. Sometimes it''s useful to walk through walls and explore your surroundings. The main thing is not to go too far away, so as not to lose touch with the body. I walked three hundred steps forward, but when the fear began to appear, I immediately returned".


    "Then what?"


    Four stages will be described below. The first stage is learning how to control strength and body. Having mastered this stage, you can quickly recover, change your appearance or improve your speed. Without mastering the first stage, it is impossible to go to the next one - controlling the bodies of other people. Having mastered this skill, you can treat or inflict diseases, subdue or inspire instructions. The third stage involves the ability to control objects and their properties directly, by force. This includes moving objects, creating phenomena, storing food, and magic. At the last stage, you can control astral beings, summon inhabitants of other worlds and study illusions.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Can we start with the last stage?" Linda asked.


    "It looks like I was in a hurry to call you a girl!" Helena laughed: "You''re just a kid!"


    After Linda managed to get out of her body for the first time, lessons with her mentor became more exciting. The dancing ended, and Helena began to devote all her time to teaching Linda how to control the force.


    "Remember" Helena inspired the student: "It is necessary not only to be able to control your body, but also to know where, what and how to change in order to achieve the desired result. If the body is healthy, you should not interfere with its work, especially if you have little experience".


    "The urge to accelerate is not always a bad thing" Linda said.


    "However, this approach is not always justified. The exclusive use of such methods can lead to negative consequences. It is important to remember this and apply such techniques only in the most extreme cases".


    It wasn''t difficult for Linda to figure out the magic of illusions. Having understood the basic principle, she immediately got down to business. Unfortunately, the mirrors reflected only the real image, not displaying the changes made by Linda, so she could not see herself with blood-red eyes and long vampire fangs. Helena''s reaction to such a performance was strange.


    When Linda, without forbidding herself anything, appeared in the mentor''s room in this guise, she approached the sword rack so quickly that her image became blurred: "Linda, what do you need?"  The teacher asked, looking at the girl with bewilderment. Linda silently pointed at the sword rack and trembled. The mentor realized that the girl was scared and something was wrong. She slowly approached Linda and gently hugged her, trying to calm her down.


    "Don''t ever say that again, otherwise I might accidentally kill you! And how do you know about the boers?"


    "I don''t know anything about that" Linda replied, only now feeling a shiver of fear: "We had Count Dracula the vampire. And who are the Boers?"


    "Vampires too. But they are rare. They are very fast, hardy and dangerous. Therefore, if you meet him, it''s better to kill him right away and don''t start talking!"


    "Does silver and garlic work on them?"


    "I''ve never heard of it. And how do they work?"


    "It doesn''t matter. Our vampires, unlike your Boers, are fiction, although something is similar. Don''t you have any werewolves?"


    "Turning into beasts? No, it''s only in fairy tales".


    "Do you have anyone else living here besides humans and Boers?"


    "This is a human world that didn''t have Boers before. They were brought here by one of the magicians. Vampires began to multiply rapidly, but the kingdoms united for the first time in three hundred years and almost all were exterminated. Maybe all of them already. I haven''t heard of them for a long time".


    After magic lessons, Linda went to Gasd''s classes. Before each lesson, she had to completely undress and smear herself with a special ointment that smelled nice and tingled her skin a little. The first time the ointment was rubbed into Linda''s already noticeably enlarged breasts, she felt a strange longing and asked the maid not to touch this area. Haya said that Mrs. Helena ordered the ointment to be rubbed everywhere, and if the massage gives Linda pleasure, then you can not touch the nipples.


    The ointment had an amazing effect on Linda. She stopped getting tired after practicing with Gasd, her muscles became strong and began to increase. Stretching exercises were no longer as painful as they used to be. Linda''s body gradually transformed, acquiring more attractive shapes, but she noticed that she began to expand in the shoulders.


    Don''t worry, Madame Rinda" Consoled Hai: "it''s ugly only for women with narrow hips, but they''re just great for you! With such hips, you only need to give birth and give birth! And the tummy is so neat!"


    Linda looked at her flat stomach, which did not sag even after a hearty meal, and wondered if it was beautiful or not. And then an unexpected thought occurred to her.


    "Why do I care so much about my appearance? After all, I don''t need men at all! I need strength, so I won''t waste any more time in front of the mirror. Let whoever chooses the exercises for me think about what should develop and where".


    Linda was previously attracted to medicine. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a doctor, and now studying medical books with Helena was especially exciting for her. Helena gave her three leather-bound books with brass corners. The first book contained illustrations of the contour of the human body and organs, their effects and possible side effects. It also described various diseases, their symptoms and treatment methods. The second book was about healing wounds, and the third was about changing one''s appearance.


    "Maybe I should enlarge my eyes and eyelashes?" Linda thought, studying the tables of impact points and notes to them: "What would it look like?"


    "You need to keep your strength" the mentor remarked: "We will start with an increase, otherwise you will only be able to do treatment. You will do contemplation before breakfast and two hours before bedtime, as well as do breathing exercises with me throughout the day".


    Unbeknownst to herself, Helena got used to the alarm clock, looking only at the clock. She gave Linda an idea that helped them get rid of the need to switch hands. Linda studied the mechanism of the alarm clock and quickly figured out the operation of all components except one.


    "And why do we need this detail?" She asked, pointing to an unknown element.


    "Oh, I forgot about her!" Linda was delighted: "It''s a speed controller. Let''s set it to the minimum and see what the alarm clock will show. Perhaps he won''t need a translation".


    I had to transfer it anyway, but only for twenty minutes once every ten days.


    Many hard-working days of study have passed. Linda acquired a good knowledge of her body and was able to determine what to do in the event of any of the illnesses or injuries of moderate severity. In case of serious injuries, the magicians did not heal themselves, as they did not have the ability to control their powers. If the disease was unknown, it could be treated only by symptoms, although such treatment was considered less effective.


    About the change in her appearance, Helena said: "You have a beautiful face. If you start to change something about him, especially inexpertly, you will regret it later. Magicians have seen from their own experience how important personality is for a person. The appearance is changed only by those women who have been offended by nature itself. You know what to do, that''s enough".


    Linda agreed with Helena''s arguments, but still decided to increase the length and density of her eyelashes.


    "It turned out great!" She thought, looking at her big gray eyes in the mirror: "But I won''t change anything anymore. Helena is right, I have no reason to complain about my appearance. Thank you, Dad!"


    Her body was overgrown with muscles that became strong when strained, and her breasts had grown and were now pulling on clothes. She realized that the ointment was unnecessary - yesterday she even managed to cock the crossbow three times.


    "Stop applying this ointment, dear Rinda" Gasd said: "You have a well-developed female body, and additional muscles are not needed, otherwise you will break the proportions and look like a man. No woman needs that. The missing power will come by itself over time. Our task was to develop your body, now it''s time to engage in combat".


    She liked wrestling very much. She quickly memorized the movements without prolonged practice and now practiced for two hours every day, striving for automatism and speed of execution. When Hasd noticed that the lady would soon master all the techniques, he began to learn the exercises with a dagger.


    In magic, in addition to exercises to increase the reserve, they began to study methods of treating others. Linda quickly learned the theory and went to help the sick. Hasd gave the money to the headman of the nearest village, and soon two mares were brought and carts with hay and oats were delivered.


    "Before, horses were not required" Helena said, considering the purchase: "But with your appearance, they became necessary. Tomorrow Hasd will put the harness in order, and we will go to the village. She''s not far away, so you can handle it. On the way, I''ll teach you how to sit up properly and steer a horse. There are some ailments in the village, you will practice on them. We''ll grab the silver. We''ll give them to everyone for recovery, and next time there won''t be any need to look for horses - they''ll come running themselves".


    The ride did not cause Linda any difficulties. It''s easy for her to manipulate a phlegmatic mare. She immediately mastered the correct landing, and for her strong and trained body, half an hour on a horse was nothing. Upon her return, she did not feel any pain or fatigue.


    Of course, Linda didn''t have a riding suit, so she put on a new leotard. Helena appreciated her student and brought her a wide, gold-decorated belt and a velvet beret in the color of the suit. After some thought, a long dagger in a beautiful sheath was hung on her belt, and her beret was decorated with a gold barrette with emeralds.


    The village stretched along the road, which began at the khelenikh huts and went towards the nearest town. All the dwellings were located on one side of the road, and on the other side there was a vast clearing. The distance to the forest was about three hundred paces.


    "Why are there only stumps here?" Linda asked Helena as they pulled onto the road and headed for the headman''s house.


    "It''s because of the loafers" the mentor replied, speaking about the villagers: "They cut down the forest for their needs and to prevent robbers from attacking, but they don''t want to plant something in place of the stumps. It requires care and protection from animals. After all, the forest is just behind the village, closer to the river, there are meadows that they have cultivated for fields. There is no need to uproot the stumps, the water is close, and there are much fewer animals from the forest".


    The villagers warmly welcomed both women. It was obvious that the peasants were wondering where they came from. Before they reached the headman''s house, the elder himself came out to meet them.


    "May I ask what to do for the noble?" A tall, thin elder asked respectfully, bowing down.


    "Hello, Miran" Helena said, "We have a question for you. Young Lady Rinda wishes to do you a favor. You brought a food train and refused the reward. She offered help in a neighborly way: if there are patients in the village, she is ready to cure them without payment. Are there any?"


    "Without a doubt, Mistress Helena!" The old man straightened up, and Rinda was able to examine him closely: "There are many such".


    There were not only a lot of patients, but there were too many of them. Twenty-three ailments are a serious task for a young magician, so Rinda cured half of the queue gathered at the headman''s house herself, spending several hours on it. Linda stayed much longer, but eventually managed to cope with everyone. Only in one case did she need the help of a mentor, in other cases she managed on her own.


    Of course, recovery did not happen instantly, but the patients felt better and will soon be completely cured of their ailments. Rinda gave each patient a silver coin, including three boys brought by their mothers. The whole village escorted them to the very doors, and it was clear that people began to show respect not only for their noble origin, but also for their personality.


    "Isn''t it nice to help other people?" Helena smiled, looking at the pleased student: "I understand you, but remember that it is important not to do good all the time. People appreciate and remember when this is done from time to time. If you help too often, they will take it for granted, and they will quickly start using you. Getting used to good things happens quickly, but the memory of good deeds does not last long, and not for everyone".


    "I am glad that the treatment was successful" Replied a confused Linda: "Although I had to be treated longer than you".


    "The experience will come with time" the mentor shrugged her shoulders: "Get ready, soon they will reach out to us from other villages. They''ll come running right away when they hear that the two of us are treating for free. They might even bring groceries".


    "Now it would be easy for the mother to cure" the girl sighed.


    "So what about it?" Helena objected: "I understand your concern, but remember the saying that a pig will find a puddle. Your mother started drinking because of her own weakness, succumbing to her husband''s persuasions. She was a woman who depended on her husband and got married to the first one who turned up. Sometimes women become just a reflection of their husbands. Maybe when she was with your father, everything seemed fine, but maybe there were difficulties that you don''t know about".


    "Can we start studying this now? We will start doing this tomorrow. You probably weren''t listening to me very carefully. You will not be able to change a person with your art. You can make him believe in something for a short time, but even the most powerful magician will not be able to add intelligence if there is none, change the character or make a person kinder. It is not up to us to decide whether for good or for evil, but only we ourselves can influence our soul. Let''s stop talking about it, tell me when your birthday is. We also celebrate it, but I do not know when you have it".


    "I don''t understand how days are counted here at all. This is probably on the list of those little things that we will study later".


    "I missed it" Helena said sheepishly, "In our world, days just count. We have four seasons, which are called the same as yours. I gave them to you with this translation. The longest season is summer, with twelve dozen days in it. Winter, on the contrary, is the shortest - only six tens and five days. And spring and autumn have the same length - eight dozen days. We have calendars for calculating time. They have plates indicating the days, which are shifted from one part to another. We have such a calendar in Hasda''s room. Nobles, merchants and many wealthy citizens have calendars, as well as in temples. The rest of us don''t need it. Well, what about my birthday?"


    "I can''t name him. When I got here, I didn''t count the days, so I can only say roughly that I''ve been living here for three months. I was born in March, so I''m already thirteen and a half years old. I will be able to link my birthday to your calendar only when I return to our world".


    "Ask Gasd when we get home. He should celebrate the day you showed up at the residence. Then it''s easy to calculate. But we''re already home. Aren''t you tired?"


    "Yes, it''s all right".


    "You can ride a mare every day, at least for a short time. Inform Gasd and he will teach you how to equip a horse. He will put the saddles, but it is important for you to be able to do it. It is also worth learning how to gallop, although your mare is not designed for such a ride".

 Chapter 6

    "Get these books" Helena pointed to a thick stack of books on the living room table: "You will study them in the order in which I put them together. As soon as you finish studying the next chapter, we will immediately proceed to practical exercises".


    "What does it say here?" Linda asked curiously, flipping through the top book.


    "The top book describes how to influence the minds of humans, birds and animals".


    "Is it really possible to influence birds?"


    "It is possible to influence any living being. The more intelligent a creature is, the more susceptible it is to magic. Dogs are capable of performing quite complex tasks, and magicians often use their help. But cats are an exception. They practically do not succumb to magic, do not like magicians and do not live in their surroundings. Have you seen at least one cat here? And do you remember when we went to the headman, a cat flew out of the house, which almost knocked you down? Sometimes using them helps to identify magicians".


    "What about the birds?"


    "Interacting with them is not particularly difficult. Small birds quickly forget suggestion, and crows are sometimes used to convey messages. I assume that the weather will remain dry and warm in the next decade, so you will have time to train. In rainy weather, it is difficult to find birds to practice. The second book will talk about object magic. It is easier to perform, but requires more strength. I think you should have mastered a lot by now. Just don''t dare to study without my presence. Inexperienced magicians may encounter magical exhaustion, which is not fatal, but very unpleasant".


    "What about the third book?"


    "It tells about the elemental spirits. I haven''t mentioned them before. These spirits are very wayward and not particularly smart, so magicians rarely use them. They don''t obey people, but they can be tricked into turning them against someone. For example, to cause a storm at sea or an earthquake somewhere else. Just before that, you need to stay in a safe distance. Even if you never plan to use these creatures, it''s still useful to study their features. There are also astral beings who control elemental spirits. Some are trying to negotiate with them to change the weather. When you have mastered all this, it will be time for higher magic. I hope that we will manage to master all three books in three decades. Tell me if you need a decoction to improve your memory".


    "I will try to avoid such a situation" Linda trembled imperceptibly: "Perhaps there is a way to make it less unpleasant?"


    "Maybe it can be changed" Helena shrugged, "However, you can''t".


    "How so?"


    "Do you remember when I told you about the harm of exceeding the norms for our bodies? This also applies to decoction. It is not harmless, so it is used only in cases where it is impossible to do without it. And those who take it have to endure its taste. And now imagine that he has become pleasant. It would be too tempting to learn everything you can, almost without difficulty, spending a few months, at a time when others would have spent years on it. But then there will be a reckoning. You don''t have to worry about yourself. You didn''t use it for long, and I removed all possible harmful effects with magic. But not everyone has a master nearby, strong magicians "this is very rare, especially after Mashun''s dogs destroyed many of them. So, go and study. If something is not clear, contact me immediately".


    Linda was intently studying the books she had brought, as if she was hungry for exotic dishes. Her interest in exploring unimaginable things that did not exist in her mind was only growing. Magic attracted her with its promises of strength and independence, as well as exciting possibilities. Today, she showed her skills in the refectory by summoning a large vase of roses out of nowhere.


    The time spent on preparation was not wasted: the roses turned out to be as real as the true ones. The captivating scent of roses spread throughout the room, causing Hai to freeze in amazement, and Gasda to raise her eyebrows. While one of them continued to eat, laughing at the student''s prank.


    "Where did you get such amazing beauty from?" Lai exclaimed, running up to one of the vases.


    Of course, her attempt to take one of the roses was unsuccessful. Although it was possible to create the illusion of materiality, Linda found it too difficult, and she preferred to limit herself to the view and aroma.


    "I haven''t done illusions for a long time" Helena joked, "but it seems that I also created flowers. Is this really such a miracle, or is it just your imaginary creation?"


    "These are roses" Said Linda, who was confused by the maid''s disappointment: "In my world, these are some of the best flowers. But the stems are in their thorns.


    "That''s how it should be" the mentor nodded: "Beauty needs to be protected. This also applies to you. By mastering magic, you grow your own thorns".


    Hasd continued to practice, relying only on his skill with the dagger. Despite this, the girl worked day after day on the exercises she had already studied. She didn''t want to stop training for riding, but Helena insisted on it. It was always possible to leave only before dinner, so Linda limited herself to a short half-hour walk on the trot and twice had difficulty putting the horse into a gallop. Turning her head to the girl, the mare looked at her with such reproach that the little rider felt awkward.


    When the theory of mental magic began to take root in her thoughts, she decided to immediately try to apply it to her lazy mare. The result was beyond all expectations: the horse was filled with enthusiasm and showed such vivacity that Linda had to make a lot of effort to stay in the saddle.


    They began to conduct experiments under the guidance of a mentor. Helena controlled every action of the student, explained what was not in the textbooks, and prevented serious mistakes several times. They used birds, their horses, and even an elk that walked near the castle in search of mushrooms as objects. The student wanted to ride it, but the mentor dissuaded her.


    "You have no experience managing him" she explained: "Of course, he can leave, but where? He''ll go into the woods and a branch will hit him, and then I''ll have to treat your bones.


    Working with birds was not a pleasure. The big birds disappeared, and the small ones, like sparrows, sat on the shoulders, but did not show respect and often forced the student to clean her clothes. Interacting with people turned out to be difficult. There were only servants around, and the trip to the village was forbidden.


    "He will complain to the official representative of the queen in the capital" The teacher said: "These villages are under her jurisdiction, so he must react, and your education will turn out to be extremely expensive for us. You can try to do something insignificant with the help of the servants, but only so that they do not suspect anything. For example, let Hasd scratch his nose. Just be careful with Laya and be sure to keep an eye on what she''s doing. Otherwise, you will interfere when she is chopping vegetables and leave her without a finger and us without a maid until I restore her arm. The main thing in this spell is to understand the principle and remember the recommendations, and experience will allow you to get used to it".


    At the very initial stage of training spells on objects, it was difficult for me. However, soon something happened that I had been waiting for a long time - I managed to move the match, which slowly crawled on the table, obeying my will, until I was tired. A week later, I had no problems rearranging a dozen matches, and the table turned into a kind of match dance. And two days later, I managed to move a full box.


    However, the next day, summer ended, and the first, still warm rain began. Others followed, and I was forced to temporarily stop riding a horse. The forest road was slightly blurred, but still mud flew from under the hooves of Khai''s horse, and dirty drops drizzled from the trees. Instead, mushrooms appeared everywhere in the forest clearings. There were countless of them - you could collect them in baskets without ever leaving the castle.


    My faithful moose just fed himself to the brim and marked the clearing with mushrooms. I was happy to pick mushrooms and give them to my faithful Haya, who dried them on the stove and hung them on strings in the kitchen. The smell of dried mushrooms was simply unique. But alas, Hasd was no longer engaged in harvesting mushrooms.


    "Please understand, Rinda" he said, respectfully but firmly: "I had to spend a lot of firewood on your mushrooms, and now I have no opportunity to prepare more: everything is raw, and it is constantly raining".


    Linda didn''t argue, she put the basket in the pantry and forgot about the mushrooms to concentrate on her studies. She learned a spell that allowed her to freeze and boil water in a ceramic cup taken from home. Thanks to this spell, it was possible to keep food and things in good condition. But to solve the problem with the error in the book, Linda turned to her mentor for help.


    "Always come to me for advice" the mentor advised: "The scribe made a typo that is not easy to notice. During my training, I got myself misled in this place before I figured out the problem. I was determined to fix the error, but alas, I forgot about it. Now look at how you need to fix it".


    "Now I don''t need a refrigerator" Linda thought: "Any food will stay fresh for a week, and it will only take a little strength".


    "You''re a magician now" the mentor said with satisfaction, "You can go to the guild and take exams. After you''ve mastered the elemental spirits, we''ll move on to the last section. We should have plenty of time. Although, I will have to spend some time working with you, and you will have to go through some pain. You don''t have much power for high magic, so we''ll try to fix it. And I''ll show you where the rest of the books are stored, just in case..."


    As Linda believed, the books were stored in a specially equipped laboratory. They were placed in a niche hollowed out in the wall, which was covered with a high-quality illusion spell.


    "There are bricks here!" The girl touched the wall in the indicated place and felt the uneven brickwork.


    "Try to remove the illusion for a while" Helena advised: "But do not destroy the wall, otherwise you will have to rebuild yourself later".


    Linda carefully performed the necessary magical actions, and the bricks disappeared, revealing a deep niche in the wall, which was almost completely filled with books.


    "Are these all the results of magic?" She was surprised: "I''ve already read almost everything, does this mean that they belong to the last section?"


    "You only got general knowledge for novice magicians" Helena explained, "But there are also in-depth textbooks that focus on individual, especially sought-after topics, as well as family secrets that are not shared with everyone. I also have such a book. In it, the masters of the Aquani family recorded all new discoveries in magic. By the way, that''s where all the combat spells are located".


    "Including summoning creatures?"


    "No, this section refers to higher magic and is considered unclassified. However, the coordinates of some worlds are certainly classified information. The book also contains the coordinates of your world. Combat magic is aimed at influencing the enemy''s body. You can stop his heart, freeze his breathing, or block the blood flow to his head. However, the use of such spells is limited, since a person does not die instantly and may have time to make an attack, or maybe more than one. In addition, to protect against such spells, there are amulets that prevent all or part of their effects".


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "And when should I start studying this section?"


    "It is recommended to study this section at the very end. Why such a gloomy look? This is not the time for you to study like this".


    "Can I just look at the contents?


    "Okay, that''s settled. I will give you this book, however, it is not intended to be read. Instead, you will copy two pages of text from this book into your notebook every day.


    You read great, but you write in such a way that it''s hard for me to make out your scribbles. But if you learn to write well, you will satisfy your curiosity and be able to express your thoughts better. Then tell me what you understand. Just don''t do anything without me! You''re ready to open the doors, but you can''t hold them. You''ll get sucked in and they''ll close, leaving me with your dead body. Do you understand? Then let''s take it and let''s go, otherwise the forest spirits started to worry.


    "What kind of perfume?" Linda asked, following Helena with a book.


    "These are various forest creatures, like swamp spirits and water spirits. They are weaker than real spirits, but they can be used. It''s just that they can''t leave their habitats, so their benefits are limited".


    "Did they give you something? Why didn''t I feel anything at all?"


    "I have personally transmitted important information. Perhaps it is worth keeping silent - the matter seems to be serious. The direction in which people with guns are moving is suspicious. They are not walking along an ordinary road, as soldiers would do, but through the forest, and, more strangely, from the direction of Terskaya Pushcha. It is quite possible that this is a band of robbers who have planned a refuge in our castle until spring".


    "And what will happen to us?"


    "Can you not repeat stupid questions once again? What will become of us? If the robbers know about us, then our castle perfectly serves as an attractive excuse for them to come here. An old woman who survived from an orderly and two servants are not competitors for them. Moreover, perhaps they will find something valuable for themselves. Do you understand? We will be sent under the knife, and they will use you and then kill you, because you are noble and can be a potential source of problems".


    "How many are there, has the message arrived?"


    "It is reported that there is a sufficient number. Spirits can''t count, for them, anything more than two is already a lot. But gangs usually consist of at least ten people, unless they are divided into two halves by the royal guard. Let''s expect the worst and assume that there are two dozen of them. We can''t do this on our own, so I need help. I would not like to waste the stock that I have accumulated for a rainy day, but it seems that it has come. Run to Gasd and tell him to take the crossbows and bring them to the south entrance. They should arrive there. Help him, and I''ll run to the tower and ask for help. I only need half an hour, try to hold out that long. If you can''t, go into the woods and take a husky with you, and I''ll lock myself inside and try to finish the ritual. Run, my girl!"


    Hasd reacted calmly to the news.


    "Come on, mistress, you will help deliver the weapons and arm yourself".


    The castle''s weapons were kept in the servant''s room in two large cupboards. He gave Linda a belt with a long dagger attached to it, more like a short sword, and two smaller daggers.


    "These are for throwing. Take a bag with screws and a small crossbow with you".


    He himself chose two of the ten available crossbows, the largest.


    "Most likely, these projectiles are able to penetrate armor at a distance of a hundred paces" he explained to Linda, who looked at him with a questioning look: "Although robbers may not wear armor, it''s still better to be prepared for different situations. At least we''ll be able to shoot them from the edge of the forest, armored or not".


    Hasd also strapped two daggers to his belt and strapped a short sword on his back. There was no armor in the room. When Linda asked why they were not there, he replied that all the armor of the castle was taken with them by the fleeing servants, and the iron disappeared with them into the swamp.


    "They are not useful to us" the servant added, heading for the kitchen: "Our task is to destroy as many robbers as possible before they approach. Their bows are overgrown with mold, and from a greater distance they pose no threat to us. But they can hit us with arrows right up close, so hand-to-hand combat with them is impossible. We''ll shoot them off and retreat inside the castle. Here we can kill two or three more, and then go into the forest if there are more than five left. If there are fewer of them, then maybe we can handle it. Now we''ll warn Haya to leave and go straight to the entrance. If they give me time, I''ll try to make a pile of firewood and barrels there. And this will be a barrier for them, and we will have a place to hide".


    She didn''t panic, didn''t rush around the kitchen. She silently listened to Gasd''s words, took a pot of porridge off the stove and hid a pair of kitchen knives right under her cloth belt, which differed from Linda''s daggers only in the absence of a scabbard.


    Hasd insisted: "It is not known how much time we have been given, and it will not be enough if we do not make it!"


    They made it, but almost at the very last moment. As soon as the servant set up a small barricade of old barrels, a crowd of men in their late twenties came out of the forest and slowly moved towards the castle.


    "There are many of them!" Hasd said with displeasure: "We will not stand. Listen to me, Rinda! These are not people hiding behind human form, but wolves. Each of these brutes has their hands soaked in blood. You start killing them, and I''ll load the crossbows. You''re as good a shot as I am, and that way we can move faster. Think that these are just targets!"


    Linda couldn''t figure out how to use people instead of targets, but she wasn''t scared and put a loaded crossbow on a barrel, pointing it at a fat man with a big mustache who was walking in front of the crowd. She pulled the trigger, and the crossbow, as usual, hit the shoulder, and the fat man got an arrow in the stomach, screamed, threw the sword, ran a few steps and fell to the ground.


    "Next one, quickly!" Gasd shouted, handing over a loaded crossbow.


    The robbers did not linger, but grabbed their bows and clumsily ran straight towards them. Linda managed to shoot four more times without missing once, after which a rain of arrows fell on the barricade. The old man promptly hid the girl, covering her with a barrel, into which two arrows immediately stuck.


    "Stay here!" He ordered, and himself, protected by a barricade from arrows, crawled to the door and managed to lock it and bolt it before the robbers came running. Then he got to his feet and shouted: "We won''t last long here! Now they will find or chop down a tree trunk and easily knock down the door. The wood is still strong, but the hinges have long been corroded. Run to the gallery, maybe you can shoot someone from the window".


    Linda surreptitiously grabbed a ready-made crossbow and a bag of bolts, and then abruptly turned to follow the old man. Hasd the crossbowman darted to the nearest window in the gallery, which was located right next to the entrance.


    "Put the weapon on the floor" he said to the girl, continuing to address her on you: "I''ll climb through the window opening, and then I''ll hand you the crossbow. We don''t need bolts: we''ll only be able to fire one shot anyway, and then we''ll use arrows. Hide behind the ledge of the wall and don''t shoot until I pull myself up. We will strike at the same time".


    Hasd put Linda on the base of the window without glass, handed her both crossbows and began to climb inside himself.


    "Those bastards with the log are already running away" he remarked, looking at the robbers: "Target allocation: I shoot the first one, and you shoot the one who is chasing him. Aim, and I''ll give the command. Come on!"


    The first two robbers, who were carrying a huge log, collapsed in front of their comrades, and the end of the log ended up at the bottom and stuck into the ground. The others couldn''t hold him, and so one of the villains had his leg broken. The rest of the robbers, who were standing to the side, became alarmed and began firing bows.


    "Perhaps the robbers won''t risk climbing into the castle from here?" Linda asked, jumping out of the window into the gallery with Gasd.


    "Unbelievable" Said the old man, thinking and looking into the distance, "It will be easier for them to get through the door. The windows are too high outside, and they''re afraid of us. Let''s get the crossbows ready and head for the north exit. If we don''t make it, we''ll have to retreat through the ruined part of the castle. And in case of collision with them, immediately open fire, throw crossbows and defend yourself with daggers. The main thing for us is to endure as long as possible in order to give our mistress more time".


    However, they did not have time. When there were only a few steps left before the turn in the corridor leading to the right exit, there was a crash of a broken door, and then the joyful cry of a dozen throats resounded through the halls of the castle.


    "We''re trying to break into the kitchen!" Gasd shouted, "They''ll deal with us much faster here".


    Scared and exhausted, they could only reach the kitchen door, where they encountered a dozen robbers armed with swords. Linda and Gasd fired crossbows at the same time, killing two enemies, then the others rushed at them with weapons in their hands.


    "In my opinion, this is an emergency situation" flashed through Linda''s mind, who in the next second switched herself to accelerated mode.


    The robbers'' actions slowed down, as if they were moving through thick water. One dagger, then the other...


    She managed to attack two more who had calmed down earlier. Possession of a weapon was no longer possible: a suddenly weakened hand could not hold the handle, and legs, as if they had become wadded, could no longer support it. The girl fell on her back, hitting the back of her head hard on the stone floor. There was no strength, either magical or physical.


    His eyes flashed, his temples bled, and his chest wavered and could not protect him from threatening suffocation. Amid the ringing sounds in her ears, she heard excited screams and the clink of blades. Hasd was still struggling, but he couldn''t come to the rescue. Two men stopped next to her.


    "Here you go, girl" one of them said.


    "Who is she anyway? Look, death is already coming. Let me jump over her while she''s still warm, and will you be on the alert so that no one bothers me by accident? You got your portion of rubber, but I didn''t get a good share. It''s impossible to stand it anymore, but here she is, look what she is!"


    "You''re a jerk!" The second one got angry: "There are a lot of enemies here, we don''t even know how many of them there are, and you''re always distracted by a woman! You''re a complete idiot! We''ve already lost half the team, but have we killed anyone besides her? Now the guys will calm this old man down, and we need to..."


    Something hit her with a light slap, and her feet turned out to be wet and warm. A moment later, the sound was repeated, and this time the water penetrated from the opposite side, soaking her hand and spilling over her face. Then there was a double thud of falling bodies. A cry of bestial terror rang out from the battle area, which was suddenly cut short. Footsteps could be heard from the same direction, and a tired Gasd approached Linda.


    "What''s wrong, Mrs. Rinda?" He asked, kneeling in front of her, "Are you covered in blood!"


    "Mistress again!" whispered the girl, who felt a little better: "It''s not my blood, Gasd. I just lost a lot of strength. You''re tired and wounded yourself. Sit down next to me, let''s rest a little. Isn''t this the help that Helena called for?"


    "Apparently" an elderly man replied, sinking heavily next to him: "I saw you rush towards the robbers, and instantly four of them fell to the floor. You fell too, but I couldn''t come to the rescue. The criminals attacked you together, and your strength was already failing. I defended myself with a sword and covered myself with a crossbow, but they pulled me into a corner. I couldn''t attack, only defend. At that moment, they were already preparing to deliver a fatal blow, but suddenly their heads flew off. I managed to jump back and avoided a profuse drenching of blood. Now there is silence and no one else appears, so I assume that something similar happened to the rest of the robbers. Soon the mentor will come here, and then I will go for medicines, because it started raining again outside".


    There was the sound of hurrying footsteps in the corridor, and the mentor came around the bend. When she saw the crimson traces of blood on Linda, she screamed and ran towards her.


    "What''s the matter with you, my baby?!" The woman sobbed, clutching her head with her hands: "How could you use this so early?! This is wrong! I was almost crazy with fear. Be patient for a while, I''ll give you my power soon. Where is Haya, Hasd?"


    "I gave her your instructions to hide in the forest" the servant replied, getting up with difficulty: "I''ll go find her and bring her back".


    "Hold the raincoat" the hostess said, "It''s raining heavily outside. And now let''s get to you. Open up, I will transmit my power to you. Did it get easier? That''s enough. Now lean on me and get up. Haya will help you wash up and go to bed. This is the most important thing for you right now. We need to rest, and I still need to bandage Gasd''s cut. He is old and clumsy, before he would have dispersed a crowd of robbers alone, even in his armor. And now there will be someone to remove these bodies".


    The girl remained unharmed and did not get wet, thanks to the prudently captured cloak, which covered her from the rain. Back at the castle, she prepared hot water and helped the young lady take a bath. She was lying in the tub, listless, like a fish in a sleepy state.


    After the bath, Linda was toweled off, given a hot decoction and put to bed. At this time, an urgent lunch was prepared for everyone else. The old woman had to spend a lot of effort collecting the weapons left by the robbers and putting them in one place in the corridor. Then she put the broken door back in place, propping it up with barrels lying nearby. The clothes left after the disappearance of the robbers'' body were thrown into a cesspool.


    After all these things, Haya got to her room and fell asleep soundly. Hasd, who was treating a wound on his arm, also went to rest, but before that he fed the horses. The inhabitants of the ancient castle, without waiting for dinner, fell into a heavy sleep. Helena, as well as exhausted by the ritual of summoning and the need to transfer her powers to her student, slept deeply and did not react in any way to the message of one of the forest spirits about the approach of a large cavalry with sparkling weapons.


    *****


    "Do you think this castle is not that far away, Sergeant?" The junior officer asked the elderly man next to him, a male, distinguished by the appearance that is characteristic of the servants of the royal hunt.


    "We''re not far away, sir" the sergeant politely replied: "Are we going to turn around here or ask the owners to take shelter?"


    "I hope that the senior lady will be kind to us" the commander replied: "In such bad weather, even animals are placed under shelter. It started raining again! Do you want us to set up tents? We only have twenty people, so we can easily fit in the castle. After all, it will be in the best interests of his tenants if we lose this squad!"

 Chapter 7

    "If you like, there is an opportunity to deviate from the road and go through the forest" The sergeant suggested: "This is a much shorter way. Or we can drive to the village and then take another road to get to the castle".


    "We''re turning" The officer decided: "This rain is already so boring that I want to take shelter under the roof as soon as possible. Besides, there''s a lot less dirt in the forest than on this road".


    A small detachment entered the forest and, led by the sergeant, quickly reached the clearing in front of the castle.


    "As you can see, Your Honor, I have not committed any deception" Said the sergeant: "We are... Damn scoundrels!"


    His exclamation was addressed to his own horse, which suddenly rushed to the side, almost throwing off the rider, and excitedly looked towards the castle with its frightened gaze.


    "Something alerted Avdai" The sergeant explained to the concerned officer: "Squad, stop! My Lord, let me hurry up and check".


    He jumped off his horse, handing the reins to one of his subordinates, and began to inspect the site. Moving forward, the sergeant suddenly froze in place: a man''s clothes and shoes were lying on the ground, and someone had put his shirt under his belt and tucked it into his trousers, which were also tucked into his boots.


    "My Lord!" he shouted to the officer: "Please come here. Just hurry up. My Avdai is not afraid of blood, but here he is just stupefied with fear, so other horses will not like this place either".


    "What kind of nonsense is this?" The startled officer squatted down next to the sergeant: "It feels like the body just disappeared into thin air".


    "You guessed right, my lord" The sergeant nodded: "Take a look!"


    The sergeant put his hand into the collar of the found shirt and pulled out a gold medallion on a chain. Then he untied the ties on his shirt and found a bloody crossbow bolt.


    "This man was killed inside the castle. Look, the penetrating wound was only on his chest, and he was lying headfirst. Let''s turn over his clothes and see what''s underneath".


    A long dagger hung from a wide leather belt at the bottom, and a purse with money was tied on the other side.


    "Gold" Said the sergeant, untying the purse: "Thirty coins. It is clear that this was not an easy robber. Yeah! It''s a Dartie Beer Barrel! And look at the medallion!"


    "Indeed, Dartie!" The officer confirmed: "According to rumors, he never parted with this medallion. The magistrate put a hundred gold coins on his head! He was lucky to catch the robber leader right away. You claimed that your horse is not afraid of blood, but here it was almost all washed away by the rain. Apparently, there is some kind of magic here".


    "Most likely, my lord. Otherwise, where did the body go? We need to explore the area, maybe he''s not the only one lying here. It seems to me that these guys got caught for a reason today. If any of them had survived, they would certainly have returned here to bury the body or take the gold. According to rumors, the leader had a lot of rings on his fingers. Let''s check the sleeves. Here''s a ring, and another one!"


    "So they fought in the castle and dealt a serious blow to the whole gang?"


    "Perhaps it is, Your Highness, perhaps so few bodies survived that their examination was postponed for later. So, we should be more vigilant anyway".


    Everyone dismounted and, leaving their horses under the protection of two huntsmen, scattered around the clearing, carefully looking at it in the direction of the castle. I didn''t have to look for long". Just a few steps later, a little to the side, another incomprehensible remains of clothes and shoes were found, which also turned out to be a crossbow bolt. There was a weapon nearby.


    "None of those present had any money missing" Turning a damp cloth, the sergeant said: "There is no gold in the purse, but a lot of silver. Look, guys, they''re probably not the only ones here".


    Approaching the castle, we came across two "fallen", both with weapons and cash, and three more were found near the walls. Two had their arrows removed, and the third had no visible damage to his clothes. One of the soldiers went to the door, examined it and came back.


    "When reporting to the authorities, it was indicated that the door was broken down, and a log was found nearby, which, most likely, was used to break it in. At the moment, the door is just standing in the doorway and propped up by something from the inside".


    "Judging by the sergeant''s conclusion, despite the losses committed by the robbers, they nevertheless entered the castle through the broken door and remained inside, since neither the money nor the weapons of the victims were touched. What do you suggest we do, my lord? It''s getting dark, everyone is tired and wet. Maybe it''s worth asking for shelter for the night in the castle or going to spend the night in the village".


    "I would not like to disturb the owners" The officer reflected: "If there are really robbers there, then we will find ourselves in a very unpleasant situation. And if the hosts still won, then they are unlikely to be happy about our appearance. But even now there is no point in going to the village... I propose such a solution. This place used to be a castle, so there must be stables somewhere nearby. If possible, let''s try to spend the night there".


    The stables were discovered nearby. They seemed to be intact, and a narrow and smoothly trodden path led from the gate towards the castle.


    "There are obviously a lot of people here" The sergeant remarked: "The gate is not locked. Wait, Lashda, don''t come any closer. If a powerful magician lives in the castle, then he could leave some kind of trouble instead of the castle. Call Olak, let him take a look".


    The young hunter, responding to the call, went up to the gate and passed near them, but found nothing.


    "There is nothing here" he said, opening the gate: "If there was any curse, it has already lost its power, and I will not find traces of the old ones".


    The huntsman inspected the stable and outbuildings, but found only two horses and a small supply of hay and oats.


    "Get our horses" The officer ordered: "Let''s take the largest room. It''s clean and dry, we''ll set up tents on the floor and spend the night. Change into dry clothes, and roll up wet things into bundles. Tomorrow we will dry them in the castle. Idesh, split the night shifts".


    The sergeant replied to the lord: "Of course, Your Highness, I think we can ask the owners for a grain of oats. Tomorrow we will send someone to the village headman and reimburse the costs".


    "Mr. Sergeant!" One of the huntsmen came up to Idesh: "We saw traces resembling blood on the slabs. The rain has partially washed them away, but they are still distinguishable. The tracks led us to a cesspool where manure and kitchen waste are dumped".


    "What about the pit itself?" The sergeant asked.


    "It is very deep and almost empty, even in the daytime it is not visible there. Shall we throw a torch in there?"


    "Have you been thinking too long? What if the manure starts to burn? How are we going to put it out? Take a thin rope and tie it to the torch. Then report the results".


    Twenty minutes later, the same guard approached the pit.


    "There are a lot of old clothes and a lot of shoes on the pit above. It was not possible to study in detail: the rope caught fire, and we barely managed to pull out the torch".


    "That''s all the other robbers!" Idesh said: "So the inhabitants of the castle managed to fight back. It is possible that among them there is a powerful magician who summoned some creatures. This information must be immediately transmitted to the governor".


    "If it is the hostess herself, it is unlikely that she will go to the capital" The officer replied: "She did not accidentally end up here in this remote area. It is likely that the priests of Mashun drove her here during the last reign. They were then rampant in debauchery, and the king''s father turned a blind eye to them. How many masters they destroyed, how many people fled to neighboring lands! And now, if we have to fight, we don''t have anything with which we can fend off these creatures. The king is trying to collect on those who are left, but there are very few of them left, and they do not believe that everything is over".


    "Let the governor deal with it himself" Said the sergeant, opening the bag and taking out bread and a piece of ham: "Will you, my lord?"


    "I won''t refuse. Thank you, Sergeant. We''ll eat, and everyone else, except for those on duty, will go to bed. We''ll look at all the details tomorrow. You are right: our task is only to report".


    *****


    "How are you feeling?" Helena examined her student carefully: "She didn''t seem to have lost much weight".


    "I feel fine" Linda replied: "Except for some muscle discomfort".


    "This is because of the transition to accelerated mode. It should be over by evening. According to Gasd, you''ve successfully dealt with a dozen robbers. Did it affect you?"


    "At first it was scary and a little sick, but when I heard what they wanted to do to me, there was such a rage that even helped me forget about nausea. If I hadn''t been so exhausted... Well, forget about it for today. Can we start reserve training?"


    "Let''s take a break from studying, we have guests. Hasd left in the morning to feed the horses and met a detachment of His Majesty''s huntsmen in the stable. These rangers are hunting for the same robbers who decided to visit us yesterday, but I was so tired that I didn''t notice when they tried to warn me about them. The noble Baron Rodek is in this unit. Hasd says that the young man is very impressive and impresses him. He is the chief gamekeeper. The clergy demands that we invite him to breakfast and provide assistance to the rangers if he makes such a request. In addition, we will be able to get the latest news from this young man. I sent Gasd to the city seven years ago. He is no longer old enough for such trips. You should get yourself cleaned up. Your task is "to make a strong impression on him. Then it will be easier for me to find out everything I need".


    "How old is this baron?"


    "Almost twenty".


    "And you think he''s going to be interested in a girl?"


    "Come here, girl. Go to the mirror. Now look at yourself. Do you consider yourself a girl? You say you''re thirteen and a half, but anyone who looks at it won''t give you less than fifteen. You have the outlines of an adult and beautiful woman, so learn how to use it. Men may not bother you yet, but that''s no reason to neglect their interest in you. Someday I''ll find the time and teach you how to charm men better and faster. Consider it a weapon that nature has given you. Pull your arms back, pull up the fabric of the dress on your chest, and they will look at her. Most men at such moments can no longer think clearly, their attention is occupied with other things. There are many other techniques. Even by changing the timbre of your voice, you can control their behavior. So drop your nonsense and stop thinking of yourself as a child".


    "Your application of the ointment is to blame for the fact that they stand out so externally!"


    "Ointment and training. And what''s wrong with that? Tell me, what kind of woman doesn''t want to be attractive? Do they even exist? And you yourself? Do you think I didn''t understand why you attract attention with your eyelashes? You are naturally very beautiful, but you came here as an indecisive girl, and look at yourself now! A beautiful, strong and confident woman! Even if you are a child by your standards, now you live by different rules. So don''t argue and put on a prettier dress. Then I''ll pick out some jewelry for you. A tiara or necklace is only worn on special occasions, and this baron might think that you dressed up because of him. Here''s a pendant for you. It''s a pity you don''t have pierced ears. Earrings immediately change a woman''s appearance. Okay, I''ll puncture them later, we''ll do without it for now".


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    From Helena, Linda was at a loss. Her mentor seemed to be right-she was already ready to become an adult. Meanwhile, her anxiety disappeared as she got dressed. Helena knew that the mentor was always right, so she was ready to follow her advice.


    She needed to learn how to handle men, and she would definitely do it. For now, she was worried about how the baron would react. It was interesting to see it. The dress she was wearing now clung to her body like a second skin. Interestingly, the dress was originally a little too big. She''s going to have to make herself a new dress soon. She just combed her hair and fixed it with varnish.


    During their five months in the castle, they grew to almost priests and became thicker. When Linda got tired of spending time caring for her hair and asked Helena to cut it off, she just twirled her finger at her temple and said that a real noble girl should have long hair and cutting it is not suitable.


    After completing her morning ritual, which her mother called "cleaning feathers" she hurried up to her mentor.


    "Wonderful!" Helena appreciated, took a gold pendant decorated with emeralds from a small table and hung it around Linda''s neck: "You don''t even need to adjust the chain. But we need to do something about the dresses. After a couple of decades, you may not be suitable for them. But my sister was over fifteen, and she looked great. Look at the rings in the box, just don''t swarm, it''s time for breakfast. Do you remember everything about being born? That''s great. Be kind, but keep your distance. Lift your chin a little and don''t you dare wrinkle your forehead or frown your eyes. Okay, that will be enough for the provincial baron. For more effect, you will enter the dining room after we sit down at the table. Then I''ll introduce you".


    *****


    The invitation to breakfast received early in the morning was predictable, so Kerd cleaned himself up as soon as he could and, leaving the squad with the sergeant, followed the ancient servant through the entrance with the missing doors.


    "Will my Lord send his men to the village?" The servant asked, leading the guest into the castle: "If so, the lady asked me to tell the headman to send a blacksmith to fix the doors. I''m asking you here. Please have a seat, the lady will join you now".


    Sitting down in his seat, Kerd looked around curiously. It was his first visit to the old castle, and he was really interested. There were only a few similar castles in the kingdom, and not many of them have survived to this day. The locals built their houses with grandeur, and in the dining room it was possible to set up a table for one hundred guests at once.


    "My Lady!" The servant who somehow ended up at the table with the guest solemnly declared.


    An elderly woman, about eighty years old, entered the refectory, her face still retained traces of its former beauty. She was dressed quite modestly, and massive gold earrings with precious stones hung proudly on her ears. With respect to the hostess, Kerd got up from his chair when she entered. Taking her place at the head of the table, she looked questioningly at the newcomer.


    "Kerd Ster, Baron Rodek" he introduced himself.


    "Unlike you, Baron, I do not have the opportunity to give my family name or title" The old woman replied: "The enemies are powerful, and I am a lonely and weak woman. That''s why I allow myself to be called Helena. I see that you are embarrassed by the presence of Hasd at our table. The fact is that he has been serving me for more than half a century, and yesterday, together with my ward, he killed most of the robbers before I could intervene".


    "This requires great courage and military skill" Kerd remarked, looking at the servant with respect: "Where is your pupil? I''ve heard of female warriors, but I''ve never met one myself. Is she not one of them?"


    "No, Kerd" Lady Helena laughed, calling him by his first name, which was no longer contrary to etiquette after the introduction: "My father had two such "ladies", if I may say so. They fought well, but it took a lot of effort to see them as real women. And here is my pupil! Let me introduce you to Rinda Volk, Baroness Keran. She''s from Kiwana, if that means anything to you".


    "My Lady..." Kerd got up from his chair and remained standing, looking at the young girl who entered, the most beautiful he had ever seen.


    "Please have a seat, Kerd" Helena said with a smile: "There is no need to puzzle my pupil with such close attention, she is not used to it".


    Indeed, the girl felt her cheeks blush, which only added to her attractiveness.


    "Let''s enjoy breakfast first" The hostess continued: "And then you will tell us the latest gossip that is relevant now, and how we can help you. Perhaps it''s worth putting your people in the castle and feeding them lunch. Stables are not the best place to stay. Unfortunately, there are few available living rooms in the castle. The other rooms don''t require much maintenance, and I don''t have many servants. However, if your people wish, we can prepare for them one of the rooms previously used by the servants and in which the windows have been repaired. It''s warm there, you just need to clean up the garbage. I will immediately instruct my maid to prepare dinner for them. However, in the future they will have to take care of themselves, as my maid is no longer young for so many guests. Are you going to stay with us for a long time? Just please, for the sake of all the gods, don''t say that you intend to stay forever! Rinda won''t be able to appreciate such a sacrifice, she''s too young".


    "How old is the Baroness?" Kerd asked.


    "Unfortunately, dear Kerd, she is much younger than you think! Rinde is not even an adult yet, she has six months left before reaching that age. But even after that, you have little chance, because she doesn''t want to get married. However, we are worried about the hosts and have almost forgotten about our guests. Tell the ladies something interesting, otherwise we are completely isolated from communication".


    "Before I tell you anything, let me ask you a question. Is there a strong magician in this castle?"


    "Why do you think that strong magicians live here, and why are you so interested?" Helena asked: "I understand that the peasants can only talk about us as rumors at the city bazaar. They don''t know much, but they can learn a little. But to draw conclusions based on their stories..."


    "We found the remains of the robbers who failed to reach the castle. They were killed with ordinary weapons, but their bodies..."


    "These are greedy people!" Helena snapped angrily. It was unknown who she was talking about: "They don''t have enough of those who managed to get into the castle. I didn''t even think that they would decide to take a walk in its vicinity. You''re lucky, Kerd, that you came after that fight. Those who helped us were forbidden to touch their own, and you were not one of them. Believe me, you shouldn''t turn so pale, it''s better to express gratitude to the god you worship. Okay, I know there''s no point in lying. I am the magician who called for help. Now tell me what your needs are for magicians".


    "Not me" replied Kerd, who felt a chill run down his spine at the thought that his clothes might be on their camp: "His Majesty, Wadish the Third, appeared in need of magicians".


    "Amazing!" Helena said with irony in her voice: "You must have interviewed the neighbors?"


    "You said it right" Kerd confirmed: "When the priests of Mashun, with the support of the former king, launched a war against the magicians of the kingdom, many of the latter left their lands and turned to their neighbors. Unfortunately, the father died, and his son is now forced to correct the actions of his ancestor. There are no craftsmen left in the kingdom, and magicians in general have become very rare. If one of our neighbors takes it into his head to attack us, then I''m afraid we''ll all have a bad time. Therefore, our great king issued an amnesty decree for the magicians whom Father accused. Those who decide to return are promised significant financial rewards from the state treasury".


    "And how many of them are coming back?" Helena asked mockingly.


    "You''re absolutely right: no one has returned yet" Kerd confirmed to Helena, but his gazes constantly shifted from the old woman to her ward: "At least, I haven''t heard anything about such cases. The masters are successfully settling in everywhere, despite the spoiled reputation of their father..."


    "They are not destined to return until their ancestral lands are returned to them!" Helena stated decisively: "But how can this be done without contradicting the new owners? Offended mashun priests can help here. After all, you can lose the throne! Do you know how the decree on the abolition of charges of treason is written? What are the reasons for this?"


    "No way, it just needs to be indicated that the accusations turned out to be unconfirmed or untenable. I don''t remember exactly, but something like that" he replied.


    "How old is your king, Kerd?"


    "He is also your king, my Lady Helena!"


    "Well, let it be ours" she said in agreement: "So how much is it?"


    "You don''t even know about it! He turned twenty just recently".


    "Ha, a teenager!"


    "Dear lady, I would like to ask you not to insult the king in my presence! I swore an oath of allegiance and I can''t stand this!"


    "You see, there''s no need to offend him. The king should use his head not only to decorate the crown, but also for reflection! Evaluate for yourself what he wrote. For example, I lost my family and position in society because of a false accusation, as well as significant land spaces. Because of this, I have no love for the royal family, and the same negativity is directed at other masters. And now they say that I was falsely accused. Thus, I was deprived of everything illegally, and I have every right to demand a refund. If the king does not want to deal with the restoration of my property, then I myself can withdraw it from its current owners and pay them off. The priests of Mashun did not hand out the confiscated goods just like that, but handed them over to their supporters, who often also participated in the seizures. Do you think I don''t have the strength? Therefore, this decree does not contain anything reasonable. For me, it is beneficial at least in that I will not be able to hide my identity and live freely in the kingdom. But for the kingdom itself, it will bring nothing good except conflicts and internal strife".


    *****


    "I wonder what made the baron run so fast?" Linda asked: "I thought we''d have to show him the place and banish him, but he suddenly decided to leave for the countryside. Do you think that was our job?"


    "Be careful what you say. Even if obscene expressions come out of my mouth sometimes, it''s not worth repeating them to you. Yes, I pushed the Baron in the right direction and at the same time made him forget some details of our conversation. He doesn''t have an amulet, so it was easy. You saw the way he looked at you. I didn''t want him to become seriously interested in you and interfere with our business. The bandit gang is gone, so he doesn''t belong here either. Let them clean themselves up in the village, eat and leave where they came from. And we need to prepare for the arrival of the guests. I couldn''t erase the memories of us from all the rangers, I just tweaked the baron''s memory a little so that he would report the battle and the gang to his superiors. If our king is really worried about the lack of wizards, and everything indicates that this is the case, then a representative of the governor will come to us very soon. We can say that everything is going for the best".


    "Do you want to accept the king''s offer? And what will happen to the castle?"


    "I''ll think about it later. Of course, no one will return the estate to me, and we don''t need the money. Although it is quite possible that it is worth getting a hundred gold coins that you earned in the magistrate of Dert. Not that we really need them, but so as not to give us a reason to think about the golden castle. And the king should be required to have a decent residence in the capital. Not now, but later, when you graduate. After all, you can''t sit in this castle all your life, I''ve already made this mistake. But you will have great opportunities, and revenge will be easier. Before I leave, I want to adopt you. You can be my granddaughter by age, but that''s a small thing. The main thing is that you will legally inherit my entire fortune and title. You will be the Marchioness of Aquani. After the death of my family, the marquis was renamed, so the current owners should have no complaints against you, but you may have them. It''s up to you to decide whether to forgive them or not".


    "And if I have a desire to return to my original reality?"


    "Then who would dare to contradict you?" Helena exclaimed in surprise: "Just appoint a person who will manage in your place, and you will be free to travel to all the worlds you want to visit. You will have the opportunity to live in different realities, you just need to appear at the court of the Wadish from time to time. But you know, it''s too early for you to think about it. When you grow up, gain strength and realize all your plans, then decide how to continue living. At that time, you will have enough life experience and knowledge to make such an important decision".


    "If the baron is leaving, then maybe we can deal with the problem of my reserve? Or will it be difficult for you after yesterday?"


    "It''s not difficult for me, the main burden will fall on you".


    "Can I handle it? What should be done?"


    "I think you can. It is necessary to expand your energy channels. The responsibility for this will lie with you in the first place. I''ve never done this myself, but according to the books, the process is accompanied by severe pain. You have to endure this pain, so if you want, you can refuse. Then we will only deal with theory, and we will switch to practice when you are ready for it. I hope that I will be alive by the time of preparation. And if not, I''ll leave detailed instructions for you".


    "No, I''ll try to get over it!"


    During her stay at the castle, Linda repeatedly experienced severe physical pain, but she learned to endure it silently. Since ancient times, Helena has taught herself to think that you have to pay for everything in life. The impending death of the mentor was alarming and encouraged Linda to hurry.


    She didn''t want to practice magic alone, especially in its most difficult and frightening sections. But the girl did not foresee that the pain would be so acute. She had bitten the stick inserted into her mouth and was now making shrill screams as she tried to free herself from the straps her mentor had tied to the chair. While Haya, having stopped working in the kitchen, covered her ears and cried quietly, unable to bear the desperate screams, from time to time turning into a piercing howl.


    "Now I''m going to free you and help you change, otherwise the tights are all wet" Helena said when it was over and Linda, in a semi-fainting state, sank onto the straps: "Don''t touch your face with your hands! It''s okay, it just bled from the nose, and it showed through the skin on the forehead. I''ll clean it up now. Maybe I should have taken a thicker wand, otherwise the teeth would have to be treated. Wait with the clothes, first I''ll rub you with ointment. Don''t move: this is another remedy, it will help you recover faster. Now you can get dressed. Gasd! Come over here and help me put Rinda to bed. Take a rest, Mihai, and I will prepare a decoction for you so that your teeth will recover faster".


    Linda didn''t take in the words that were being said to her. There was a ringing in her ears, she felt weak and it was hard to breathe. It was as if she was floating somewhere far away and no longer felt any toothache or pain from the numerous injuries in her muscles and ligaments that she received during the procedure, when her body convulsively collapsed. She did not wait for the healing decoction and fell asleep or fainted.


    "Poor girl!" Hasd said to Helena: "Surely you couldn''t do without it?"


    "If I could have found another solution, I wouldn''t have put her at such risk" Helena said, rubbing the tears still running down her cheeks: "It would have taken her ten years to reach my level. I have very little time left, I don''t want her to learn the most difficult things herself. I''ve fallen in love with this girl, Lord, and I don''t want to lose her!"

 Chapter 8

    Linda was resting on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She had a day off, the mentor for some reason decided that the girl needed to rest, although she herself did not feel tired. Was Helena tired? I didn''t want to talk about the reasons for this decision, and I didn''t want to protest either, especially if I could read the books I had been given.


    It''s been a month since Linda got her powers, but until now, every memory of what she had to go through scared her. If she was faced with a choice: go through all this again or die, she would prefer death. The mentor gave all her strength to save Linda and save her life and sanity. Helena used to have a black streak in her hair above her right temple. But three days later, when Linda got out of bed, she did not see this blackness: the mentor''s hair was white as snow.


    She felt real power, great energy. Helena conducted a series of experiments, the results of which amazed her.


    "You''re as strong as I am" She said: "But your recovery ability is much higher, and I don''t understand how to explain it. Maybe it''s because you came from another world?"


    Whether it was due to aliens or something else, but as soon as she completely exhausted her strength in the morning, by the evening they were already recovering. It took two days to fully recover. Over time, the terrible memories began to be perceived more calmly. She stopped waking up screaming at night and didn''t change her sweat-soaked shirts. I no longer avoided Helena, as I did in the early days, and my interest in studying faded. Now everything turned out to be easy and natural.


    Concentrating, Linda did not take her eyes off the ceiling, and the loud sound of the front door indicated that it had been carefully closed. Yes, it''s not just a box of matches anymore! Over the past two weeks, her mentor has improved her knowledge and skills in all aspects of magic, preparing her to master the most difficult side of this art. In recent days, Helena has been teaching Linda how to create a defense that allows her to hide her thoughts and reflect other people''s spells.


    "I couldn''t spend that much time on this before" Helena told Linda: "There''s more practice than theory here, and it takes a lot of strength".


    She also taught potions lessons.


    "I buy most of the herbs" Explained Helena: "They are brought from the far south, and they are rare and of inferior quality here. I''m only saving some of them. This own treasure is kept under a spell so that the herbs do not lose their properties. I have a large supply, enough for ten years".


    Yesterday, the hostess gave Linda a piece of paper with a fancy painting and an imprint of the seal of the Aquani family.


    "This is my will" She explained: "I declare that from now on you are my adopted daughter and have the right to all my property at the time of my death, as well as my family name and title. To make sure of his reliability, he needs to be assured by some authoritative person from the king''s entourage, but even without this, no one will be able to challenge your rights. The servants have already sworn an oath to you. They got a lot of gold, but you don''t have to chase them away, they have no other place. They have served all their lives and will quickly die, having lost the meaning of life. But they loved you like their own daughter. If you only knew how much Haya suffered after the last incident.


    And Gasd said something that I had never heard him say in all my fifty years of service. Let''s put the will on this shelf so you know where it is. I didn''t want to upset you with this, but lately I''ve been losing my strength. We will have to redouble our efforts. I don''t want you to study the gate yourself. There are nuances in them that are not written about in books, and ignorance of these moments can cost you your life. I started writing down my notes on the last section of magic in one of your notebooks. These notes are just in case, since I still hope to live to the end of my studies and help you move to the capital or another large city".


    "And someone from the king never came" Linda remarked.


    "During the rainy season, roads become impassable. By the time we are reported and the news reaches the governor, it will be impossible to move forward. You can only get there in a carriage loaded with two horses, but you can still get stuck. You need to wait for guests in winter, when the roads freeze, or in spring".


    "Doesn''t it rain in the spring?"


    "There are, but there are much fewer of them. Snow does not fall every winter, and it melts quickly, so the spring period, unlike the autumn one, is shorter. It''s getting warmer fast and the roads are drying up".


    "Rinda, are you here?" Helena''s voice sounded from behind the door.


    Since Linda had mastered protection, she had constantly used it, and the mentor could not read her thoughts, communicate mentally or find out where she was.


    "I''m here, mentor!" The girl answered, getting out of bed: "Has something happened?"


    "Yes, we have visitors. I was expecting them later, but they came running when there was mud here. Get yourself cleaned up quickly and come to the refectory. Haya treats them to a hot broth while she cooks dinner. I''ll introduce you to each other, and we''ll have lunch at the same time. And don''t languish there".


    There were two men visiting.


    "The personal envoy of King Wadish III, Fernand Hasdash, Count of Varna" Introduced Helena to a plump man with intelligent eyes and platinum hair unknown to Linda before: "And this is a friend of the governor in the province of Darikda Aden Varish, Baron Gesal".


    The viceroy''s friend here was the person who replaced him in his absence and carried out important assignments at normal times. Aden Varish was ten centimeters younger than the count, but they turned out to be surprisingly similar. Even their hair was almost the same color, but the Baron''s was a little golden.


    "This is my adopted daughter" Helena continued: "Rinda Wolf, Baroness Curan. After my death, she will take the family name Aquani and the title of Marquise of Havrem".


    The two nobles stood up respectfully, looking at the girl attentively.


    "Yes, it''s not that easy to fool them!" Linda thought: "They took a closer look and priced it, but the reaction is not at all the same as that baron''s".


    "I am glad to meet Mrs. Rinda" The Count bowed his head. However, is it reasonable to assign a young woman a title that grants the right to marry a marquis under someone else''s control? She could be in trouble. Personally, I wouldn''t do that, even just out of fear..."


    "Let the new owners of the estate be afraid!  Helena replied sharply: "Only my daughter will decide for herself whether she will keep their ancestral estate or seize it by force".


    "So, in essence" The Count looked at Linda with even greater interest: "Is the young lady the owner of significant magical abilities?"


    "In two months, Milady will become an experienced craftswoman, and you will have to deal with her. For my part, I do not expect a quick recovery, and given this, I do not see much benefit for his Majesty from my stay here. However, my daughter, who is stronger than me, has value. Also, keep in mind that she is communicating with a mighty Beast".


    Here both men were struck by real amazement. Both of them, as they say, stared at Linda, who was involuntarily embarrassed and looked down.


    "How did you manage to come to terms with this creature, Baroness?" The baron asked the girl.


    "It happened by itself" Linda replied modestly: "The Scarecrow himself offered me friendship".


    The two high-ranking representatives exchanged glances.


    "So, did he get into her?" The Count said mysteriously to his companion: "We managed to successfully complete the visit".


    "We haven''t finished anything yet!" Helena objected: "And don''t try to take advantage of my girl''s naivety -nothing good will come of it!"


    "Markza, you completely misunderstood us!" The count exclaimed, waving his arms: "No one wants to harm your daughter! If all your information is correct, then the king will pay special attention to it! And believe me, he doesn''t look like his father at all, at least not the king you knew. We have suspicions that the old monarch obeyed the priests of their magic. His actions do not coincide in any way with the appearance of an intelligent and prudent ruler, which he certainly was".


    "I''m guessing about something like that. And they''ll just be forgiven for that?"


    "Not all at once, Marchioness" Said the Baron: "His Majesty has inherited a lot of problems, so at the moment it is not worth coming into conflict with the priests, it would be unwise. In the future, when the right moment comes, they will remember everything".


    "It''s a pity that I won''t be able to watch this" Helena sighed: "Well, while dinner is being prepared for us, let''s talk about the reason why you set off on such difficult roads".


    "Yes, the roads are just terrible now!" The count shrugged his shoulders: "When I think about what has yet to return... But I agree: business is the most important thing. Tell me what you were promised for your service to the Crown, and I will express my wishes in return. I can solve some issues on my own, and the rest will be submitted to the King or the Chancellor for consideration. Let''s start by saying that all charges against you will be dropped. The magician-master is paid ten thousand gold as a lump sum, and then one hundred gold every ten days.


    If the master does not have a noble rank or his rank is too low, the board may consider this issue, but this does not concern you. You already have a high position. If you abandon your venture with the Marquis, then Lady Rinde could be appointed countess. The position is slightly lower than the marquises, but it is safer. There is no point in multiplying enemies if there is no need. If the master expresses a desire to teach at the Royal School of magic, he will receive additional payments for this. I''ve told you the main thing, the rest of the details are privileges, which are not so important. Now it''s your turn, Marchioness".


    "I''m not interested in lump-sum payments" Helena said: "Instead, I want to buy a decent residence in the capital. If the king does not have enough money, I am ready to pay my own. You should understand that I have no relatives or connections there right now. I don''t want to do this or put this responsibility on my daughter. If you don''t find anything suitable, you''ll have to build. We are not going to leave this place until spring. I need to complete Rinda''s training, besides, I refuse to travel on bad roads. We also need security guards to protect our property. Don''t look so ironic, Count! If you are sitting on an old wooden bench made many years ago, this does not mean that we do not have valuables. And this castle is also our rightful property, for which I have paid a number of significant sums to the royal treasury, so I intend to take care of it. Do you have any objections? No? That''s what I thought.


    So, Haya, has lunch been prepared yet? Great! Let''s have lunch, and then my servant will show you to the room he has prepared before. Sorry for the surprise, but we did not expect your arrival so soon. A room has also been allocated for your escort, but they can clean it themselves. They will be fed after our lunch. Our castle is not adapted for receiving guests, but, in fact, it''s even better this way. I don''t have much time left, and I would like to use it to teach my daughter, not to communicate with you. Please think about everything I have said to you and provide your answer. If it''s difficult for you to do it on your own, let the king make the decision. You shouldn''t stay at the castle for no particular reason. The road conditions will not improve if you stay here until the frost sets in".


    "What do you think they''ll decide?" Linda asked when they were sitting in the mentor''s living room after lunch: "Will they agree to your terms?"


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "You don''t even need to think about it" Helena replied: "These questions, of course, could have been solved by the count, and I asked for much less than I could have demanded. An old woman who is on the verge of death could still negotiate with them, but for them you are the greatest value. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the masters at your age, because even gifted people find it difficult to master sufficient strength by the age of twenty, and there are no magicians who have so cruelly mocked themselves as I have mocked you. They will prefer to build up their strength for another five years using the methods adopted by magicians. I''ve only had this opportunity once, and to be honest, I would never have agreed to it myself.


    But, as you already know, every situation has its own circumstances. Besides that, I also meant your faithful Beast. After all, friendship with the essence of another world is both a great risk for a magician, but also an incredible power! Finding a common language with such creatures, getting them interested or even subjugating them is undoubtedly a significant occupation that requires skill. And not everyone is capable of this. But friendship with the Beast opens up extraordinary possibilities, allowing you to use its power without performing complex rituals"


    "However, how much can you expect from one Beast?"


    "Even one of your creations can make a huge difference. It has extraordinary speed and an almost impenetrable shield against conventional weapons. There are no barriers to it, and not every master will be able to cope with it, at least immediately. In addition, those who offer friendship often do not come to the rescue alone. Do you understand now? There have been many cases of such friendship in the history of the Kains".


    "Then why did you talk me out of it?"


    "That''s why I tried to dissuade you, my dear, because I really appreciate you and wish you to continue living! There are two sides to every coin, and such friendship is a big risk for a magician! I didn''t dissuade you, I warned you. You made your own choice".


    "Will we start working on the gate tomorrow?"


    "Looking forward to it?" Helena laughed: "Of course, we''ll start right after them. You''ve already looked at the books, haven''t you? I''ll never believe that a curious girl like you didn''t look at them with at least one eye. How''s that?"


    "In my opinion, everything is quite simple there. The most important thing is to find out the coordinates".


    "That''s why I don''t want you to do this alone. High magic is full of nuances. The books only mention some aspects after the spells themselves. The young people are in a hurry and start trying without reading to the end. And they die. You can''t find all the details in one book, you have to draw knowledge from different sources. You correctly noted that the most important thing is the coordinates. However, there is a danger of opening the gates to an uninhabitable dimension. A magician can survive many trials, but not all. If you open the gate to the fiery dimension, perhaps you will turn into ashes instantly. I see that you understand. Therefore, it is important to determine whether you can take a risk by sticking your curious nose into the hole that you have created in space. Also, the search for coordinates may vary. I found this world by following the spilled blood, which is dangerous in itself. If someone has recently shed blood, you need to be careful not to become the next victim.


    A magician is not omnipotent, and most spells take time to apply. That''s where our weakness lies. The main thing is not to break through space, but to make the gate stable. There are worlds that move at tremendous speeds, and if they are not stabilized, they will inevitably collapse. The task is not only to study these globes, but also to create a mechanism that would allow them to be stabilized automatically. And only after that it will be possible to pay attention to the living beings inhabiting these worlds. In your free time, you can already start studying the map of known worlds and study the different types of creatures that inhabit them. Of course, there are not many of them, because getting into other people''s worlds is a very dangerous business. Only those who have found promising globes know about them, and I am not going to share this information with anyone. I also recommend that you do not open your world to uninvited guests".


    *****


    Helena received an answer to her demands during dinner. The Count stated that he had thought everything over and saw no reason for their non-fulfillment.


    "If His Majesty agrees with me" Said the Count: "Then you and your daughter will be provided with a mansion by spring. I can even send soldiers here to help you move to the capital. However, Marchioness, I must warn you in advance that your rank will be checked. If it is confirmed, then our agreements will remain in force, and if not..".


    "I shouldn''t have mentioned it" Helena chuckled: "His Majesty can''t afford to do charity work in this situation".


    "I''m glad you understood me. I want to express my gratitude for the reception and say goodbye. Tomorrow, before dawn, I will leave your residence with my team in order to reach the desert by nightfall".


    "I would like to ask for one more favor, Count. Could you personally confirm my will with your name?"


    "Of course, Marchioness. I have the seal with me, so give me your documents".


    The next morning, when Linda came out of her rooms, the guests were no longer in the castle.


    "With your permission, my lady, I will take one of the horses and go to the village" Gasd announced at breakfast: "The horses of the guests have used up all the oats, and it is necessary to replenish the stock".


    "I''ll let you go" Helena said: "We''ll study in the tower until lunch. If anyone has any questions, it''s better to ask them now. No? Great. Rinda, rest for half an hour, then I''ll come visit you".


    All the next two weeks were remembered by Linda for their incredible fascination. Her whole life was filled with various trials leading her to new horizons. Helena, her mentor, put her to the test, testing her knowledge, and immediately demonstrated how it could be put into practice. Together they searched for the coordinates of various corners of the world, and Helena determined their suitability for life, choosing the safest points for a portable gate. Then Linda repeated this procedure.


    Helena opened the magical gates to the student seven times, and Linda successfully completed this task three times, including once entering her own world. There were two cases when they had to flee: the first time from certain creatures, and the second from human-like creatures with long legs and two pairs of arms. Despite the fact that these creatures and the aborigines did not pose a serious threat, the mentor did not take any chances and they all quickly retreated.


    "It''s amazing, but you grasp everything on the fly" Said a satisfied Helena: "It seems that long-term use of the decoction, in addition to harm, can bring great benefits. Many people would envy you a memory like yours. In the future, we will also deal with the gate, if there is time, but for now we will delve into the study of the summoning. It has some similarities with the gate opening process, but there are also many differences. However, we will leave astral beings and demons to the last.


    Interacting with them requires similar techniques, and most importantly, you need to determine exactly who you are dealing with and get them interested in something so that they can serve you. Basically, this is what we will focus on when studying. You may need the ability to control the weather, and for this you will have to use their help. Direct control of elemental spirits is madness. Astral beings are usually not dangerous, while demons, on the contrary, can bring madness and death if they make a mistake. However, sometimes it is necessary to contact them. Some creatures can only be forced to serve with the help of demons".


    "Does the devil exist?" Linda asked: "In our religion, demons obey the lord of evil. He lives in a place where the souls of criminals go after death. They are being burned and tortured".


    "What absurdities!" Helena was surprised: "How can you burn souls? You can only torture the body. As for the demons, they inhabit different worlds and often wage wars with each other. However, we have deviated from the topic a little. Let''s start studying demons with the ones that are the most peaceful¨Cthe rainbow ones".


    It can be assumed that rainbow demons were perhaps the most harmless, but most likely very cunning. Linda had to spend a lot of time and effort to catch them in the enchanted sphere.


    "You''re doing great!" Praised Helena: "Now we will always have light. And we will hang this sphere in the refectory. The room there is very spacious, and one sphere is not enough".


    Participation in demonic rituals required them to prepare theoretically and analyze the cases from Helena''s life. They summoned only one of the weakest, with his help they were able to force the spirits of the air to create a strong wind near the castle.


    "I don''t have anything to offer them" Helena said: "And it''s pointless to call them just for the sake of learning. It takes a long time to prepare the bait every time. But you''re already familiar with the ritual, so you can do it yourself".


    The most difficult task, which requires not only performing a certain sequence of magical actions, but also masterly manipulation of one''s own powers and a creative approach, got Linda when working with astral beings. There were more practical exercises here, and the most important thing was not to subdue these disembodied creatures, but to somehow interest and attract them with some kind of task.


    In this they were very similar to children. If this enterprise aroused positive emotions, they were happy to take it up, and if not, then it was worth stopping chasing them. Linda was once persistent and as a result she got a severe headache that no magic could remove. She had to endure until the pain went away on its own, and Linda realized that there are no harmless creatures with magical powers.


    The autumn season is over, and the local winter has replaced it, quite short and moderately cold. Frost was observed at night, but during the day the ground thawed, turning into mud. Sometimes it snowed a little, but the snowflakes melted, barely touching the ground.


    "We have successfully completed all the required tasks" Linda''s mentor remarked: "Now you are a master! But don''t let pride rule over you, because you don''t have enough experience yet. Learn the basic combat spells from our home book, and while you have time, look through all the sections, you may have missed something important. However, always remember that a real magician always continues to study throughout his life. First, we learn knowledge based on other people''s experience, and then we accumulate our own experience".


    "Thank you for helping me!" Linda said, walking up to Helena. She hugged her mentor and kissed her on the cheek: "You''ve made a real magician out of me!"


    "Don''t be silly!" Helena reluctantly pulled away from the girl and wiped her tears: "You became a magician thanks to your perseverance and diligence, I only helped. Look, you''re already on an equal footing with me. How are you doing with your dresses?"


    "I can hardly get dressed" Linda admitted: "The buttons are very tight, and dresses with lacing can be worn, but you need help tying them".


    "We still haven''t hired a maid for you. We need to do this when we go through the Dirt".


    "Or maybe it''s better to do it upon arrival in the capital?"


    "Who will help on the way? And it is more profitable to do it in the provinces. Not because of the payment, although it is lower there than in the capital. However, I do not recommend saving on the services of servants - they will be more reliable. The main factor is that in the capital, the girl will be completely dependent on you, and if you manage to win her favor, then you can count on her loyalty. In the future, remember to check on your servants from time to time. Also, it is worth making an amulet for her. By the way, this could be an interesting activity for you. We didn''t do much with amulets, so take the book, read it again and make a few pieces. As a base, you can use rings with simple stones that are stored in a casket".


    The snow has not fallen all winter, and the frosts ended early. The weather was sunny, and it was getting warmer every day.


    "We need to get ready to move" Helena said: In two weeks the roads will dry up and the promised soldiers will arrive. You don''t have to worry about the gold, the servants will be taken care of, but you and I need to put up lighthouses".


    "Why do we need lighthouses?" The girl was surprised.


    "This is an example of how powerful magicians use their art to improve their lives and make it safer. I haven''t told you about this before, but I''ve written it all down in my notebook. There''s no danger in them, so you could study them yourself. If you can open the gates to another world, then why not do it in your own life? It''s easier and requires less effort. There is no need to define the conditions, although some still have doubts".


    "Why all this if the world remains the same?"


    "You leave your house, and it''s on fire, the roof collapses on your head. This is just a precaution, but careful people live longer. There is no need to stabilize the gate. Instead of coordinates, we use images of places, which is much easier and faster. To install a lighthouse, ordinary stones are enough, on which spells are applied. If we place such beacons inside or near the castle, we can always return here from the capital or from any other location. We will be able to look after our property, rest or temporarily take shelter in case of a threat. And lighthouses will greatly simplify and speed up the process of opening the gates".


    "Wonderful! That way we can go mushroom picking!"


    "Who cares, but this one should go for mushrooms!" Helena was joking.


    "Better run to the ruined part of the castle and pick up stones of approximately the right size" Helena said: "We will need three stones for one lighthouse. We will put one lighthouse in each of our rooms and two in the forest, not far from the castle. I think that will be enough".


    We quickly completed the task of collecting stones for lighthouses. Then Linda decided to check if the stones would discharge over time: "Won''t the stones discharge?" She asked Helena.


    Helena confirmed: "They will definitely discharge. But this will only happen if we don''t use beacons for a long time. Every time we use the lighthouse, the stones are charged from our gate. Therefore, it is advisable to go around your lighthouses at least two or three times a year to charge them".


    "The events of this day turned out to be especially significant for Linda. Shortly before noon, Gasd appeared with a big smile on his face and invited her into the dining room, where Haya and Helena were already there, and the table itself was decorated in an impressive way.


    "Happy birthday!" Helena said solemnly, putting a gold tiara decorated with rubies on Linda''s head: "Today you are not only a year older, but you have also reached the age of majority for a noblewoman. We congratulate you on this achievement!"


    "Let me wish you happiness, dear madam" Said Haya, expressing respect to her: "If possible, numerous offspring and a caring husband! I would like to give you something decent, but instead I tried to at least set the table for you in a festive style. Bon appetit!"


    "And I would like to present this blade to you" Gasd said, handing Linda a short and elegant sword, placed in a luxurious scabbard: "It is very light, but made of fine steel. He will not let you down in battle and will not break. I took it from one of the murdered priests of Mashun when we were on the run. Before that, we only dealt with the dagger, but now we will switch to the sword. Perhaps it will be useful to you when you serve in the royal service".


    "With thanks!" A very excited girl whispered, hugging and kissing each of the three: "Before I was desperate, I thought I was never destined to have a family, and now I am completely sure of the opposite!"


    "Let''s sit down at the table" Helena said hurriedly, wiping away her tears: "There are visitors coming to us again, probably the soldiers of the king. But you and I still have an hour left, so let''s have lunch, and after that we''ll meet them".

 Chapter 9

    "When, madam, do you plan to leave?" The commander of the cuirassier squad asked Helena. They arrived to escort the magicians to the capital: "I need to know if we need to set up a camp".


    "No need, sir" Helena smiled at him: "We are already ready to move, we just have to wait for the carriages. However, you have two carriages with you, so we can set off tomorrow morning. We could do it today, but we won''t be able to get to the city before nightfall. What is the condition of the road?"


    "It cannot be called magnificent, but the carriages will be able to pass" Replied the Chevalier: "We have harnessed four horses to each of them. Have you brought much property, my lady?"


    "I have three chests of gold, books and personal belongings. My servant will ride, and the women with their belongings will go in carriages. Also keep in mind that I will have to stay for two days in Dert. I need to hire someone to restore and secure the castle, as well as make some purchases. My daughter also doesn''t have a maid. You yourself must understand that a young lady cannot do without support staff on the way. Have you ever stayed in Dert? Can you recommend a place where it is best to stay in Dert?"


    "Dear Madam, there is only one hotel courtyard in the center of this city, located next to the magistrate. However, this city is the lot of a boring area! However, last year I stayed at this institution and I can confirm that the rooms here are completely decent, and the kitchen pleases with delicious dishes. Regarding security, we guarantee you complete safety. If we''re not going to linger, then maybe you''ll let my people spend the night at the castle instead of setting up tents?"


    "You shouldn''t ask: This is my responsibility. We have already prepared a room for you and two rooms for your soldiers. There is nothing in them except beds, but it is still more convenient to spend the night than in tents. We have already had lunch, and now the maid is preparing lunch for both you and your people. While you get the horses to the stable, we have made a small supply of oats, which now needs to be used. And let me introduce you to my daughter, Baroness Curan. You can get to know the servants yourself".


    "If you hadn''t wrapped yourself in a cloak, he would have dodged the blow!" Joked Helena, when the brave cuirassier went to the squad: "Here''s another lesson. Female beauty primarily stupefies those who don''t have enough brains. Have you noticed that past visitors didn''t react to your appearance? They are very smart and experienced nobles who, above all, appreciate the royal instruction, and everything else is superfluous. And the baron who led the huntsmen is not much different from this knight. Therefore, before using your charm, you need to make sure that it is addressed to the right person. In some cases, it''s not even worth trying too hard. Okay, that''s it. Have you checked your stuff? Great. Take only what you need for the journey, the rest can be picked up later. Can you put it in the bags yourself, or should I send Haya?"


    "I can handle my own affairs, and Khaya has her own problems with these cuirassiers. She needs to pack her things".


    "Well, how do you feel now, already as an adult?"


    "I don''t feel the difference" Linda shrugged: "I stayed with you the way I was. To feel independent, you need to live on your own, without constant supervision, but I''m not in a hurry to do this: I feel good with you!"


    Elena hugged Linda and hugged her tightly: "I don''t want to let you go from under my wing so much! But if fate provides an opportunity to arrange your life, you need to take advantage of this chance. I''m sorry, dear, I really didn''t want to upset you, but I won''t be able to survive the summer, but traveling on my own, with only two old servants, and then founding my life is very difficult. You can achieve a lot with strength and wealth, but only if you surround yourself with loyal and honest people. No man, despite his strength, can resist fate. Power can be deceived or broken by other forces, and wealth can be taken away. I see in serving the King an opportunity for you to find your way with us. This will not prevent you from visiting your homeworld in the future. You still have relatives besides your mother, don''t you?"


    "Yes, I also have her sister. She would have taken me in, but they live very modestly and poorly".


    "And so you can help them with time".


    "In modern society, our situation is quite complicated. You can''t just go off with my jewelry, because you''ll instantly run into law enforcement problems".


    "After all, in all the countries inhabiting our planet, everyone who has large financial resources is persecuted?"


    "No, in many countries money is the main component in the value system".


    "And what is the difficulty? Why not go to that country and exchange your gold for the local currency? Or are the means of payment different?"


    "They are really diverse" Sighed Linda: "For using foreign currency, you can be punished at least as much as for violating the rules of handling precious metals. And besides, there is a question about the equivalence of these means of payment. Is all money the same at all?"


    "We also have different types of money, but their weight does not differ, so you can use coins from other kingdoms. This rule was established at the very beginning and is still being observed to this day, because it makes our lives easier. But I am increasingly amazed by the politics of your country - how can you restrict people''s freedom in everything?"


    "Can we not burden ourselves with this question?" Linda asked: "There are many positive things in our country. I just can''t put it into words. But I''ll find a solution later".


    "Let''s go to the castle so you don''t freeze. I need to get the bearskin off my bed. We''ll take her with us and cover her legs. We''ll be driving all day, and you don''t have much winter stuff".


    Early in the morning, the cuirassiers went down to the basement and moved the chests of gold into the carriages. Then the bags with the gentlemen''s belongings were quickly packed. The servants, who had few things, brought them themselves. We had a quick breakfast of simple Khai porridge with meat, after which the women got into the carriage, and Hasd mounted one of the horses, taking the second horse by the reins.


    "Are you ready to go, madam?" The commander asked Helena.


    "Come on, sir" She sighed heavily: "Let''s hurry up, otherwise we won''t make it before dark.


    "We can come back here" Linda took Helena''s limbs in her cold and wrinkled palms and touched her lips: "It''s all necessary to say goodbye".


    "I''ve lived here all my life" The old woman shrugged her shoulders shiveringly: "What good can you remember about her now? Grief after the loss of a family, fear and struggle for survival. If it weren''t for you, I would say that my life has been in vain. It was only your appearance that gave her any significance. And to return... i''m sorry, honey, but I probably won''t make it. I just want to help you find your place. Hold out your hands to me. Being young is wonderful when you have a whole life in front of you that seems endless. However, years pass, and time accelerates with each step.


    Completing the path fills you with fear and sadness, especially when you realize that you will leave nothing behind. Don''t repeat my mistakes. The main thing in life "is family and close people, without them everything else becomes meaningless. I didn''t have a child of my own, but now you are. I asked you to take revenge, but forget about it. The old lord has passed away, and I would like to punish the priests with pleasure. However, if I destroyed their temple and died under its rubble, it would be one thing, quite another to risk my life. If you can harm them without putting yourself in danger, I''ll be glad, and if not, let their own god judge this gang. If anything is fair in this world, then his judgment will be merciless".


    We arrived in Dert two hours after the sun had set. The city gates had already closed, but when the guards found out who was coming, they quickly opened them in front of us. We drove quickly to the inn along the straight road from the gate, without turning anywhere and without any interference. The wagon shook violently on the wide city road lined with large cobblestones, but it was still more pleasant to drive than on a dirty dirt path.


    There were almost no guests at this time of the year, so the owner of the establishment was very happy to see us. His joy only increased when he learned that Madame la Marquise was personally paying for the stay of her cuirassiers for two nights at his estate. Guest rooms were immediately allocated, and they were offered a late dinner. Helena insisted that she and her daughter be accommodated in a beautiful room, and her request was immediately fulfilled.


    "I did not deceive the Chevalier" She said to Linda: "It is really very pleasant here. The dinner was great. I think we shouldn''t rush it. We can visit the magistrate''s office first thing tomorrow, and then we''ll decide what to do".


    They did not go to the magistrate''s office, but went by carriage, despite the fact that it was on the same square as the inn.


    "If Madame la Marquise allows it, I strongly recommend that you use a carriage" Said the innkeeper: "The square is dirty and all sorts of evil spirits roam. Trust me, you will be much more comfortable in the carriage".


    "Yes, of course" Helena agreed: "I have a number of questions for you, dear Bodes. My daughter needs to update her wardrobe, especially in winter clothes. Is there a master in the city who can quickly and efficiently cope with this task? If so, can you find such a master for us? Fine. Now let''s move on to the next question. I have a castle that I will still visit, although we are going to move to the capital. Would you recommend a person who can be trusted with a lot of money and who will support and protect our property? If you have any recommendations, I will be very grateful. And the last question is, we need a maid for my daughter. We are looking for a girl from a decent family, about fifteen years old, with the ability to do household chores. We will not skimp on payment if she tries hard, however, otherwise we will send her back to her family. Can you help me find such a girl? You are simply an irreplaceable person!"


    They were met at the magistrate''s office by the honorary head of the magistrate himself, greeting the guests with noble dignity, but without blind adoration.


    "Is there anything I can do for you, Princess of the Marquise?" He asked, generously seating the women on comfortable ottomans: "I have already ordered the delivery of the reward for the capture of the bandit leader to you".


    "How kind of you, sir..." Helena said gratefully.


    "Gamdyk Yarmash, my lady" The head added.


    "Thank you" Helena expressed her gratitude, continuing: "Let''s say, my Lord Yarmash, do you have any people in mind - military veterans whom I could take as captains of the guards of my castle? I''m leaving soon, leaving my property unguarded. They will not have to take part in battles, they will only need to protect the castle from robbers and wanderers. One team of ten people will be enough. I am not a greedy woman and I am ready to pay all expenses".


    "I have an acquaintance, but I''m not sure how to approach him".


    "We''re going back to the inn and we''re not going to leave today, so let him go there".


    After their return, they were greeted by the owner.


    "Dear madam marquise, I have ordered craftsmen for you. One of them sews dresses better than others in this city, and the second specializes in making fur clothes, which even in the capital would not be despised. I have already sent a messenger for the person I would like to recommend to you as the castle manager, and he will come soon".


    "Thank you, dear Bodes" Helena thanked the delighted: "At the moment, my daughter and I will go up to our rooms, and after a while invite the masters. Just let them come in one at a time. And invite your man after them, I have an important conversation with him".


    "Watch me carefully and learn how to have conversations with different people" Helena said, taking off her warm clothes in the room: "This is not magic, of course, but it is also a useful art".


    The representative visitor turned out to be a master tailor.


    "Please take a seat" Helena pointed to the master''s chair with her hand: "You were highly recommended to me as the best in the city. My daughter urgently needs a fur coat. Although summer is already coming, it is still cool, and it is far from our place of residence. I want a high-quality fur coat made of expensive fur fabric, and it should be sewn within two days. Are you ready to take it on?"


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "I''m sorry, madam marquise, but it''s impossible to do this kind of work in two days. However, I can offer you a ready-made fur coat, which was ordered by another famous lady from the capital. She is exactly the same size as your daughter. If it fits and you like it, I''ll sell it to you and have time to sew a new one for that lady. The deadline only ends in ten days, and I have various fur options for a new fur coat".


    "And what kind of fur will the new fur coat be made of?"


    "It will be a Sangar sable, my lady. There''s nothing better in our area".


    "It fits. How much are you asking for the work and when will we be able to see the goods?"


    "Thirty gold pieces, my lady. I''ll bring the fur coat very quickly, you won''t have time to burn the candle".


    The second master came with his assistant, who needed to take measurements.


    "Can you make a decent travel dress for this girl in two days?" Helena asked him, already guessing that he might answer: "It would be nice to make a suit for riding a horse, but it depends on your capabilities".


    "I will definitely be able to make a dress" The master replied, stroking his thick beard: "And I will try to make a suit, but I can''t promise for sure - there is very little time for sewing".


    "Try your best, dear" Helena said: "If the job is good, I won''t bargain".


    The woman quickly took the necessary measurements, dictated something incomprehensible to her master, and the two of them worshiped and quickly left. The last person to knock on the door was the candidate for the manager''s position. He turned out to be an elderly, obese man with an intelligent face and beautifully styled black hair, as far as gray allowed.


    "Victor Garmisch" He introduced himself, bowing low in front of the ladies.


    "Are you possibly related to the head of the magistrate?"


    "A blood brother, my lady".


    "Satisfy my curiosity-what prompted you to respond to my offer?"


    "I found myself in a difficult position. I had my own business related to trade. I haven''t had any luck in the last year. My two freight caravans were attacked by robbers and robbed, and a warehouse with fur products in the capital was confiscated due to debts. I didn''t actually have any debts, but I couldn''t prove it. When I was trying to figure it out, I was attacked, and I had to run away urgently. Now I am dependent on my brother, which is already bothering me and him".


    "Listen to me, dear Victor!" Helena said: "I am the most powerful magician and I see that you are telling the truth, but you are not revealing the whole truth. But that''s your business. I suggest you join my team. First, your task will be to restore our castle. It is a third destroyed. We occupied only a small part of its territory, our hands did not get to the rest. You will need to assemble a team of masons who will demolish the rubble and rebuild the wall from these blocks in order to fence off the surviving part of the castle from the collapsed one.


    At the moment, there is free access here. It is advisable to completely remove the ruins to achieve an ideal condition. It is necessary to glaze all rooms and galleries, as well as create an approximate order in them. It will be necessary to order furniture from carpenters and purchase carpets. My brother promised to find the captain of the squad in the castle. I originally planned to talk to him on my own, but now I think you''ll handle it perfectly. His task will be to recruit a dozen veterans who are tired of fighting. They can also take their families with them. The castle also requires cooks and cleaners. We need to help them get jobs.


    In addition to our rooms, I will need three or four guest rooms, and you can use the rest as you wish. Is the task clear? For now, we will provide you with ten gold coins per decade. If you succeed, the reward will be increased. For your devoted service, we will be able to take care of your nobility. I don''t have much time left to live, and my adopted daughter will become your mistress. Despite her young age, she is already a master of her craft and has greatly interested the king. Do you feel your prospects in this regard? In addition, if desired, we can review your financial situation. If you agree, please calculate the approximate amount you will need for all expenses during the year.


    Tomorrow I will give you this amount and issue a power of attorney in your name so that you can act in my representation. However, I have to introduce a bit of ambiguity into this question. I can show up at your castle at any time to make sure what you''re doing there. The same applies to my daughter. Do not let her young age mislead you - she will generously reward you for your loyalty and conscientiousness, but will severely punish you for treason and irresponsibility. Do not think that you will be able to escape from us with the money you received. Fortunately, I have no suspicions about you, but I''m still saying this just in case. Will you consider my offer?"


    "Do I seem like an idiot?" Victor replied: "I will gratefully accept your offer. Would it be okay if I came with the calculations tomorrow afternoon?"


    "Yes, it fits. We will stay here for two days, and if there are any problems, we can help you. Then you''ll figure it out for yourself. I will send you our metropolitan address record".


    As soon as Victor left, the master furrier knocked on the door.


    "How lovely!" Linda was enthusiastically stroking the fur of an almost weightless fur coat, which had a fur hood and reached to her knees: "And it''s sewn on me!"


    "It will serve you for about three years" Said the satisfied master, to whom Helena paid two gold coins: "Then, of course, you will grow out of it".


    "There will be no more guests today" Helena stated with obvious relief: "So you can relax. I think I''m getting tired very quickly. Have you figured out how to communicate with people? The main thing is to show respect for a person if his actions have not proved that he does not deserve it. In addition, the degree of respect and the form of treatment should depend on his social status. And always find out what interest he has in you and decide on your own. If he is interested, attract him with prospects and offer something at the moment. Immediately warn me that you will not allow yourself to be deceived. Carrot and stick are the best things people have at the moment. This Victor may be useful to you in the future, so without letting him out of your sight, put him forward and encourage him if necessary".


    "He is the first person in this world who is called by a name I know" Linda smiled: "I think he will cope with the task, but why spend money in this way?"


    "Listen carefully! Gold is just a metal. It alone will not be able to satisfy hunger, give water or give shelter. Nevertheless, for some reason it is appreciated in many worlds. We have so much gold at our disposal that if we don''t spend it, then we have enough for a lifetime. And the castle, in which I want to invest only a small part of it, will be useful to you as a temporary shelter if something goes wrong with the king, as well as as a rest and base for your enterprise in other worlds. Moreover, its value far exceeds the amount I paid. These people are not even capable of building, while castles, erected and passed down from generation to generation, are much easier to understand".


    "Let''s have lunch and rest a little, and then I''ll start reading" Linda suggested: "And what are we going to do tomorrow? Before arriving, I planned to take a walk and explore the city, but now I see that there is nothing interesting here: the smell, the dirt, and only the city center resembles something metropolitan, and the rest looks more like a village. Maybe the capital is the same?"


    "There are no houses like yours in the capital, but it''s still not a village" The interlocutor replied: "There are many palaces and mansions here, only stone houses. The construction of wooden houses is prohibited due to fires. All waste is drained underground, so there are no smells. There are extremely fine paving stones on the roads of the city, so that there is almost no shaking during trips in carriages. There are many parks and greenery here, especially beautiful in summer. In general, there is something to see here".


    A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.


    "May I, my lady?" The commander of the cuirassiers entered the room: "By your order, my people only allowed visitors to enter, which were pointed out by the owner of the establishment. However, he is currently absent, and a girl is persistently looking for you, who really wants to talk to you. I remembered what you said about the maid, so I didn''t let her go".


    "Let her come in" Helena allowed: "I don''t think one girl can pose a danger to two such magicians".


    Shortly after the commander left, a young girl entered the room. She was charming and for some reason reminded Linda of a sparrow from a cartoon. Her height was below average, she was slender, with a snub nose and freckles all over her face - she looked at the magicians with such despair and hope that Linda involuntarily looked away.


    "And what does this young creature want from us?" With a barely perceptible mockery in her voice, Helena asked: "Did you want to become my daughter''s maid?"


    "If my lady agrees to take me" The girl said: "I am ready to serve faithfully!"


    "What can you do? Come on, tell us about yourself".


    "My name is Dina Garlay, I come from the ancient merchant family of Garlay. Last year, my father, the last man in our family, was killed by an attack by a band of robbers on his caravan. As a result, we lost goods, and I was left unable to repay my debts. But no one wants to deal with a woman, even if she is capable of all the same things as a man. I don''t have any other job in this city except to sell my body".


    "What about the mother?" Helena asked with sympathy in her voice.


    "She''s very sick" The girl replied: "After my father was killed, she doesn''t get out of bed anymore. My younger sister is taking care of her. We have some money for now, but if we don''t make money..."


    "Aren''t you afraid to leave them and come with us to the capital?"


    Dina just shrugged, about to answer, but a spasm squeezed her throat. It seemed to Linda that in another moment she would cry, but she managed to control herself at the last moment.


    "That''s how it turns out, you''re thinking about how to entertain yourself" Helena said, turning to Linda: "Let''s meet the three of us for lunch, and then we''ll go to the Garlay house. Before Dina joins us, we need to help her mother recover. Dina, you can leave this wallet to your family. It contains one hundred silver coins - payment for assistance in the last three months. You won''t need the money now, but it will be useful to them. But it''s up to you to decide what to do with them. Do you have everything ready for the trip? Great. No, you won''t need a horse-you''ll get in the carriage with us".


    The Garlay house turned out to be spacious and sturdy, with a wide courtyard on which there were several buildings, including a huge barn.


    "This is a warehouse for goods" Dina explained, noticing the question in Linda''s eyes: "It''s empty now. Come in, we don''t keep dogs".


    At the back of the room, they came across a young girl. Glancing at the unfamiliar guests, she bowed respectfully and, stepping aside, let them into the rooms. Apparently, she was Dina''s sister, only much younger, about three years. But their mother, except for her insignificant height, did not resemble her daughters at all. She was lying silently in one of the two bedrooms, covered under a blanket with a large skin on top of it.


    "It''s chilly in the house now, my lady" Dina said: "We have to save firewood. I ask you to sit on these chairs".


    "Leave us for a while" Helena ordered her: "And take your sister with you... what do you see here?" She asked Linda when the sisters had left the room.


    "There''s nothing special that would make it impossible to get out of bed" Linda admitted: "Of course, she''s weakened, and her health is not good, but I don''t notice anything so serious".


    "Her husband was everything to her, but when he died, her whole world collapsed" Explained the mentor: "She was always weak by nature, and when she faced grief and difficulties, she locked herself into her illness. By nature, she is completely healthy, but weakness is only the result of lying down for a long time and lack of nutrition. When a person loses interest in life, it can cause a lot of trouble and eventually lead to death".


    "And what will we do in this case?"


    "You shouldn''t call on her mind or conscience - she doesn''t care about anything. Therefore, I will apply mental influence. In this case, it is justified. If she doesn''t want to live for herself, let her live for her daughters. Maybe over time she''ll come to her senses a little and find something worth living for... get up!" Helena ordered the woman: "You''re not sick anymore. Your new goal is to raise your youngest daughter. I''ll take the eldest with me and take care of her myself. And don''t think about complaining about the disease anymore. You must become for your daughter the way you were before your husband''s death. Do it!".


    The woman seemed to wake up, looked at them and made an attempt to sit up.


    "Don''t rush it" Linda warned, taking her hand: "You have spent a lot of time in bed and are weak at the moment, so you need to start doing everything slowly".


    "Who are you, my lady?" Dina''s mother asked faintly: "And where are my daughters now?"


    "We will be waiting for you tomorrow evening" Helena said to Dinah as she got into the carriage: "You will spend the night with us at the inn, and in the morning we will set off on the road. Tell your sister not to let her mother grab everything at once, let her gain strength first. And you don''t have to thank me, you will thank me with faithful service to my daughter".


    Linda spent the next day in bed until noon, reading books. Then, in accordance with the promise, Victor came, who was accompanied by a short, sturdy man of about fifty years old, with a rough face and a large thick mustache.


    "My Lady, I present to you your future captain" Victor said, pointing to his companion: "He has reached the rank of infantry sergeant in His Majesty''s army and is well versed in military service".


    "Why were you fired, Captain?" Helena asked the mustachioed man, demonstrating by her appeal that he had been accepted into her service.


    "Due to age, my lady" He replied: "It became difficult to manipulate the spear, and it was exhausting to spend months without a family".


    "What about the budget?"


    "I have roughly calculated" Victor replied: "It turned out to be about one and a half thousand gold".


    "Take these two wallets" Helena said, pointing at the table: "There are two thousand in them. If it''s not enough, I''ll give you more later. However, keep in mind that expenses will be checked. This is for you, Mr. Victor, the expected paper with your name on it. Dear Captain, I ask you to accompany our leader to his house. Given the amount of money available, it will be very useful. I''ll arrange for you to be transported in one of our carriages. Captain, there is no need to purchase crossbows for our team: there are plenty of them in the castle. The weapon is locked in my servant''s room so that the villagers won''t loot it, so take the keys from him. His room is the first one from the stairs. We are counting on you very much, gentlemen, try not to let us down".


    Some time later, they were visited by an experienced craftsman, to whom they ordered clothes. The dress turned out to be just amazing. A warm gray woolen fabric, a tight-fitting top and a slightly shortened, not too voluminous hem are exactly what you need for a trip. And the fasteners were made in front, as they requested. The master also managed to sew a suit, also made of wool, but in black. He looked great on Linda, and she immediately realized what kind of clothes she would wear when she found herself in her own world. Just as they were paying off the master, Dina came over.


    "Go to the second room behind the stairs" Helena said to the girl: "My maid lives there now. Until your services are needed, you will be with her, she will take care of you. And ask her for a normal bag instead of her bundle, she should have it... Well, Baroness?" She jokingly addressed Linda when the maid came out: "It seems that you and I have done everything we wanted. Tomorrow we are going to the capital to realize our ambitions. Are you ready to conquer hearts and abound in wealth?"


    "I dream of being with you and not parting for at least five years" Linda replied: "I don''t need the heart of someone else, I don''t even know what I want from life, and your life is completely unfamiliar. And I''m not at all sure of my abilities" Linda said.


    Helena put her arm around her shoulders: "Quiet and humble people are always influenced by others. If you want to mean something in this life and be independent, you will leave my protection yourself. Although it''s a little early for you, but I can''t change that. I''ll help you at the beginning as long as I can, and then you''ll be on your own".

 Chapter 10

    The trip to the capital took five days. The first day passed without stopping until they reached the next town after Dert, which was called Vadei. Although it was still early, they decided to spend the night here, as there were no other cities further down the road that could be reached before nightfall.


    After Vadea, towns and inns on the roadsides began to meet more often, and they could drive until late in the evening. Helena was worried about the cuirassiers staying at the same inn as her, and she was paying for their stay. We didn''t travel much at this time of the year, so there were no problems with the placement of the group. Thanks to such attention, the soldiers tried to do their best to please the old aristocrat and her attractive daughter. Linda, for obvious reasons, attracted increased but hidden interest.


    Dina''s appearance pleasantly excited the royal warriors, especially considering that the girl was bored of sitting in the carriage, and on the second day of the journey she asked Helena for permission to ride. Linda dressed and undressed alone, combed her hair herself, and food was served to her in taverns. When she asked the Baroness about this, she could not explain anything, only mentioning the lacing on the dresses. Helena just laughed.


    "What do you need?" She asked Dina: "You should be glad that there are no responsibilities, it''s worse when there are a lot of them. The Baroness is supposed to have a maid, so you were accepted. And responsibilities will come, no doubt".


    At the end of the fifth day of the journey, the sun, already at the horizon, hinted at the approach of the capital.


    "How much longer will the journey take?" Linda asked, opening the carriage door a crack and turning to one of the cuirassiers: "Will we be in time for nightfall?"


    "My Lady, we will definitely be able to make it" The soldier replied politely: "The road, almost straight, allows us to move quickly. According to preliminary calculations, we will light the candles in three to four hours and we will be in the Card".


    "The gates to the upper city will remain open until later".


    "And what is the upper city?" Linda asked Helena.


    "Various historical sources mention the term "upper or old town", which indicates a certain part of the capital, fenced off from the rest of the territory by a fortress wall. As for the upper town, it was built about two centuries ago, after which it was gradually surrounded by housing developments outside its borders. Currently, the new part of the capital city is three times the size of the old one. The Royal Palace, noble palaces and mansions, as well as the prestigious metropolitan University are located in the uppermost city. The wealthiest and most influential merchant families are also allowed to live here. The rest of the residents of the capital inhabit the lower city, where all the necessary hotel yards and inns are located. If we don''t make it before the gates close, we''ll stay in one of them until morning".


    "I should have looked for information about the capital in advance" Linda said with annoyance: "And there was enough time!"


    "Why are you so worried?" Helena was surprised: "Over time, everything can be found out. I''ve only been to the capital twice, back when I was a little girl, and I don''t remember much".


    "What about the river nearby?"


    "There is a river, its name is Sva. The lower town is located in one place near its shore, now a port has been built there".


    "And where does this river flow to?"


    "And where can it flow? Of course, in the sea! Is that not the case with you?"


    "And what is the temperature in your water?"


    "You weren''t listening to me carefully" Helena replied: "I was talking about how the Kains got here. Our ancestors had the sea, we only read about it in old books. We''ve been swimming in it all year except winter. In winter, the water was cool and often raged".


    "What else can you tell me?"


    In my memory, which has accumulated over the years, a prominent place is occupied by the story of the mansion that belonged to my father''s brother. Due to the absence of our possessions in the capital, each of our visits was accompanied by a stay in this house. I vividly remember how he took my sister and me through the boutiques, giving us gifts. In addition, we also visited various temples and took time to play with the children of the owner in their carefully landscaped park.


    "And how strong were your relatives in magic?" The interlocutor asked.


    "Not very strong. There were no magic masters in their family" I replied.


    "So maybe they weren''t affected by the wave of persecution?" After thinking about it, the interlocutor asked a question.


    "Probably not" I said thoughtfully: "To this day, I do not know the reason why the priests of Mashun attacked the masters of magic. Maybe the problem was magic itself, which questioned their own power, or it was about the vast wealth accumulated by the families of the masters over the centuries. Perhaps there is some other reason that I do not suspect. However, in such cases, all family members to the last person, as well as their close relatives, are usually destroyed. However, my aunt was a relative of the then chancellor, so perhaps they miraculously survived. I mean, not them, but their children, and maybe even their grandchildren, since the cousins were older than me and my sister. We''ll need to find out about them. If they''re still alive, you can use it".


    "How is the capital guarded if it doesn''t have walls?" The interlocutor asked another question.


    Numerous military camps are located near the Kard. Our cuirassiers are stationed there, while only the city guards are on duty in the city itself.


    "Why is the king still unmarried?" Linda asked.


    "To be honest, I don''t know" Helena replied, and laughed: "If you believe the baron, then he does not have to experience a lack of female company - the favorites change almost every ten days. In this, he followed in the footsteps of his father, who was also a lover. Beware of him and do not let him get too close, otherwise the king may suddenly decide to bind himself to you not only with gold, but also with a bed. He doesn''t ignore such beauties, and even if he falls in love, which I don''t believe, you still won''t be able to remain a queen for long. If the Queen does not have a child within five years, the marriage is considered dissolved".


    "And what do they do with the former queen?" Linda asked.


    "Why do anything with it?" Helena was surprised: "Women are not supposed to rule in our country. If the king has a son, then she can keep her title, but the regency council takes over the upbringing of the child until he comes of age".


    "If I kill the king, who will take his place on the throne?" Linda asked.


    "Let''s try not to push the situation to the extreme. The prince is only fifteen years old, and many doubt his paternity of the old king. But there is no one to ask this question, because his mother was poisoned shortly after giving birth. The old king had three wives, and they all had a sad end. That''s another reason not to interfere in the affairs of the queens".


    "Okay, we''ve talked you into it. If he starts to bother, I''ll take the image of a drill" Linda laughed.


    "The smile couldn''t escape me" Helena said: "He already has one in his palace. When I heard about it, I didn''t believe it, but it turned out to be true".


    "And what does she eat there?" Linda asked.


    "They say that every two days she drinks rabbit blood. They drink not only human blood, but also animal blood" The interviewee replied.


    The ride passed in silence. It quickly darkened outside the windows. Several times oncoming carriages crossed paths on the road, sometimes riders sped in both directions.


    "In summer it is impossible to pass here because of the chariots and peasant carts" Helena said: "And now it''s just bliss: We''re on our way and no one''s bothering us. Look, how many more are left? I''m very tired".


    "Just a little bit left, my lady" The cuirassier replied to Linda''s question: "Soon we will see the outpost and the first houses. Now we''ll drive through the grove, then turn around and you''ll see everything".


    They were not stopped at the entrance. As soon as the commander presented the permit, certified by the Chancellor himself, the lowered barrier was immediately raised, and the assigned guard turned to the front. The streets on the outskirts of Kard were unplanned, so they drove in complete darkness, only barely illuminated by the flickering light from windows located on both sides of the road. Soon two-storey houses began to appear. Thirty minutes later, they reached the ancient city wall. The gate was open, and the guards standing there asked them to stop to check.


    The sergeant in charge of the guard did not limit himself to just a ticket, he looked into both carriages, apologized to the ladies, and ordered them to let them through. After entering the city, they continued their short trip. The road was paved with paving stones by experienced hands, and the carriages easily glided along it without shaking. Oil lanterns were lit at every intersection.There was also a lot of light in the windows, which were not hidden by shutters. We stopped next to a low fence enclosing the garden, and a spacious one-story house, barely visible in the semi-darkness.


    "Your Honor, well, we have arrived at your house!" The Chevalier proclaimed, opening the carriage door and helping the ladies to get out.


    One of his subordinates had already knocked on the gate, trying to quickly attract the attention of the servants. A door slammed in the house, and footsteps could be heard approaching. An old servant came to the gate, carrying a burning lantern and a bunch of keys.


    "Open up quickly, the owners are at the gate!" The Chevalier hurried him: "Hurry up, finally! The women are tired of the road".


    "I''ll open it now!" The servant quickly responded, squinting weakly from the light of the lantern and trying to find the right key: "Open the gate, or just the gate?"


    "First the gate, and then the gate. We need to get the luggage out of the carriage".


    "Then why did you get out of the carriage?" The servant muttered faintly.


    "Try to hold out in this situation all day yourself!" The Chevalier yelled in annoyance upon hearing his indignation: "You shouldn''t discuss the dignity of gentlemen, you better move on before I raise the bar of fascination!"This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The old man got scared and started moving faster. When the locks were opened, the carriages drove one by one through the open gate and along the gravel road towards the house. Some of the cuirassiers dismounted to help with their belongings, while the rest stayed outside with the horses. The women, with the exception of Dinah, who was riding, went to the house along the paved stone path, accompanied by the chevalier and a servant who followed next to them. Voices rang out in the house, doors slammed shut, and lamps lit up in the windows.


    Things were unloaded and the cuirassiers had already left, and the tired travelers were fed a hastily prepared dinner and placed in their rooms, but Linda did not sleep at all. Once, in another life, Dad said that it was difficult for people to fall asleep in a new place. Maybe this was the reason or the wrong moment to reflect on the future. However, the girl was lying on a huge bed, with her hands folded behind her head, and could not fall asleep.


    Tomorrow she would plunge headlong into the reality of this world, and the woman who replaced her father and mother would soon die, and she would be alone again. Is there at least one person in one of the worlds whom she could trust and call the closest and most beloved? She wasn''t attracted to men. Despite her adult appearance, she was still a girl. And thank God for that! Linda was one hundred percent sure that she would not be in this world all her life. He had given her power, wealth, and position in society, but he was displeased with his alienness. Its possibilities can be used in the future, but not to live in it all the time.


    She needs to meet Helena''s expectations and pay off all her debts to her. The mentor refused to take revenge out of fear for Linda, but you can see with what inner pain she uttered these words and what it cost her. Therefore, you will need to find a chance and take revenge without putting your life in danger.


    Linda didn''t know how long she had been lying there. The room was dark, and the hands on her father''s watch didn''t want to light up in this world for some reason. Finally, fatigue took its toll, and she fell asleep, but in the morning she was woken up by the voice of her mentor.


    "It''s time to get up, sleeping beauty!" Helena said, opening the door to her bedroom a crack: "Breakfast has been ready for a long time, and the messenger from the college has already been here. Before the meeting with the king, we decided to test our skills. I do not know how they will do this if there are no other magicians in the kingdom, but be careful not to turn up your nose. I''ve given you all the wisdom I knew, but my knowledge is outdated. Magic may have changed over the years, pay attention to that. Besides, we need to order a court dress urgently. It is simply indecent to go to the king in traveling clothes, and you definitely cannot fit into your sister''s dress, in front or behind. We have to acquire a lot and make a decision about the servants. I have already sent Hasd to the workshop to order a carriage with my coat of arms, buy horses and hire a coachman who will also take care of them. The fewer servants there are around, the better. Are you going to get up or not?"


    Linda couldn''t sleep last night: "I''m going to take a cold shower to wake up completely" She said: "Where''s the water here? I didn''t look around yesterday, and we walked almost in the dark".


    "Come on, I''ll show you and tell you about the servants. The house was bought for us from Count Dano. The old count died two years ago, and the young heir managed to spend most of his inheritance on games and entertainment during this time. In the end, he ran into debt and was faced with a choice: to sell this mansion or the ancestral property where the whole family lived. Despite his stupidity, he was smart enough to make the right choice. The Treasury repurchased his debts and demanded payment. Thus, we have this significant house with a garden in the city center. The servants came to us by inheritance. The old man who opened the gate was acting as a butler.


    We don''t need a butler, especially one like this, but he has lived all his life in Kard, knows the city well and is aware of all the local intrigues. Besides, he doesn''t have anywhere to go. His name is Kirk. So far, I''ve decided to keep it and see how it comes in handy. But now we urgently need to get rid of the maid: a deceitful and treacherous girl. Under the young master, she cleaned, cooked, served the guests and talked to the other servants, who were more numerous at that time. There was another young lady, but I couldn''t get into her, so she left in the morning, taking with her the silverware left by the count. But she left without dishes, but with a lot of bad words, which I punished her with. Here''s a washbasin, and here''s water if you need to top it up. Can I send Linda to help?"


    "Why do I need Linda?" Linda muttered, washing her face with cold water: "Where are our things? I can''t walk around with teeth like that, and there''s a brush and toothpaste".


    Don''t forget to brush your teeth before going to the king tomorrow, and that''s enough for the college. We don''t have enough time for long preparations. Hurry up with breakfast, but don''t overeat, and then get yourself cleaned up. I advise you to wear a riding suit to the trials.


    "Do I have to bypass these magicians?"


    "They will be able to get around both of us, and you in the first place, because of your young age. It will be more comfortable in your pants".


    "Isn''t it too provocative to be on the board in pants?"


    "It''s not very proper etiquette" Helena admitted: "But you can be allowed at the college, but not at the reception at the king''s. You''re such an individualist yourself, it doesn''t really matter what you wear there".


    Linda finished washing her face, ate a porridge without appetite, similar to pearl barley, which she did not like, and went to dress in a suit. When she finished combing her hair, a carriage with the coat of arms of the Marquises of Havre drove into the courtyard of the mansion.


    "Beautiful horses, Mr. Gasd!" Helena praised the tall brown stallions pulling a luxurious carriage behind them: "And this is our coachman?"


    "Fancor Barshe, at your service" The man on the box raised his hat.


    "We need to leave this place urgently" Helena turned to Gasd: "You need to go to the cattle market and buy two high-class horses. Don''t forget to get a suitable harness and order enough oats and hay for all the horses in the stable. Also find out from Kirk who you can buy products from. Haya will make an order. Tell Dina to be by Hai''s side, as she will have a lot of work soon and she will need help, and the girl is just messing around right now".


    When Helena finished giving instructions, she and Linda sat down on the soft and comfortable seats and ordered the coachman to go to the college. The trip took only twenty minutes. Linda looked curiously out of the carriage window. The glass distorted the image, but she opened the window anyway. The capital made a great impression on her during the daytime. She admired the cleanliness of the streets and the abundance of greenery. The houses looked beautiful and well maintained, completely different from other cities. There were few passers-by, mostly carriages, open carriages and horsemen moving through the streets.


    "This is the old town" Helena replied in response to Linda''s question about pedestrians: "Only servants walk here and that''s on business. The owners should not walk, they can only walk around the surroundings of their estate or visit the nearest residents".


    The carriage was parked near one of the two-storey houses in a small square. The coachman helped the women out of the carriage and they headed towards the large collegium building with a facade decorated with columns. Passing through the double doors, they found themselves in a spacious hall with a wide staircase to the second floor. A servant met them and led them to the door of the desired room.


    "This way, please, my lady" The servant said, opening the door for the guests: "You are already expected".


    The women entered the room without furniture, except for a few chairs. There were three large windows on the wall facing the facade, where magicians were sitting.


    "We gathered right under the sun, and it shines right in our eyes" Linda thought, sitting down on a chair: "Okay, it''s not scary".


    "Greetings, my dear colleagues!" The man in the center said: "Sit down and let''s start the test".


    "Could you stand up at the greeting" Linda replied, looking around at the empty chairs.


    She could sense the mood in the room, hostile and hostile. Deciding not to pretend and act boldly, she sauntered over to the chairs located at the opposite end of the room. Her gaze rested on the chair she had chosen, which turned out to be next to Helena.


    "Sit down, Mother" Linda said to her mentor. Helena silently agreed and sat down.


    "I''m ready for the test" The girl turned to the magicians, preparing for the beginning. There were five men in brown robes in the room.


    "Are they really going to suggest that we wear such squalor?" A thought flashed through Linda''s mind, but she decided to ignore it.


    "It''s nice to see confidence in your abilities from such a young lady" The wizard on the far right smiled: "Now you need to demonstrate your skills in practice. The tests are carried out the same way for everyone: we attack you, and you repel our attacks. If you can not only defend yourself, but also respond with your own punches, this action will be considered in your favor. Use all your knowledge and skills, except summoning demons and monsters. And yes, you are not allowed to perform rituals. Are you ready?"


    "Yes" The girl replied, preparing for the test.


    They started their attack strangely. It was as if a sudden gust of wind had swept over Linda, although there was not the slightest sign of air movement in the room. Even the specks of dust, smoothly illuminated by the rays of the sun, froze in place, despite the fact that the girl felt like a powerful hurricane swirling around her. She could barely stay on her feet, realizing that staying put was not an option. Images of jets of energy emanating from the opponents appeared in her mind, merging together to form a cone directed towards her.


    Linda strengthened her defensive measures, and the gust of wind immediately weakened, but she had already lost sight of the enemy''s actions. The magister was right when she said that in half a century you can discover something completely new. So, this new one discovered her today. And how to deal with it? Hiding in a defensive position was not her style, so she had to face the blow head-on!


    The girl removed her protection and dealt a crushing blow to the magician, who was in the center of the room. At the same time, one of the legs of his chair broke, and the magician fell to the floor, hitting his head on his neighbor''s chair. The wind had eased a little, and Linda took advantage of this moment to relax the necessary muscles of the evil magician, who was poking her confidence in her abilities everywhere. In order not to be shamed, he had to forget about the girl and focus on fighting with his insides. The other mages immediately strengthened their defenses, further weakening the attack.


    With a grin on her face, Linda''s next blow cooled the air near the windows so much that fumes rose from the magicians. By the complete cessation of the attack, they were spending all their strength protecting and keeping their bodies warm.


    "And now, dear ones, I will bring you to the end!" The girl thought viciously, using her homemade design, which she had been working on for several days.


    A bright, green light appeared in the center of the room, forming a pattern depicting the summoning of demons. A scaly creature appeared in front of the surprised wizards, which they instantly recognized as one of the most dangerous demons. According to all the manuals, it was categorically not recommended to deal with such creatures.


    The demon looked at the stunned mages and contemptuously spat on the floor. The spit caused the floor to smoke, and the drawing holding the demon disappeared. The demon, wiping away a smile that resembled a tyrannosaurus rex from his face, headed towards the magicians. The sounds of falling chairs and frightened screams became the finale for our heroine.


    "You surprised me with your performance!" The old sorcerer Lind expressed his emotions admiringly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his cloak: "It was an illusion so perfect and thoughtful that we were completely deceived and could not immediately recognize the magic of darkness".


    "Can you teach us?" The only one of the magicians who aroused his sympathy asked.


    "I will teach you" Linda replied: "And can you teach me the spell that you used against me? I do not know this challenge".


    "You can''t know him" Smiled the magician, who aroused sympathy: "We were told that your mentor spent a lot of time away from people, and the "mental wind" was invented ten years ago. That''s why it was used against you. We were interested to see how you would do. Of course, I''ll show you this spell. Now, I think your colleagues will no longer have doubts about your skill, even if the five members of the Council failed to cope with you".


    "We have not revealed even a small part of our capabilities!" Muttered a powerful wizard whose eyebrows reminded Linda of the Soviet Secretary General.


    "In the same way, I''m just getting started!" She replied: "If there is a desire, we can continue. Only many of my spells can cause damage to the room. Isn''t it a pity?"


    "Of course, why not agree?" The sage reasoned, whose face almost showed amazement: "The main thing is that you managed to win. We will not put the real mentor to the test. Let me introduce myself. I am Ekar Denish, a sorcerer from the college and the director of the prestigious Royal School of Magic".


    "Master Rinda The Wolf" Linda introduced herself: "My mentor is Master Helena Aquani".


    She knew that in the world of wizards, it is not customary to name noble titles, only skill and strength are important here.


    "The magician from the Yerber Darmin college" Bowed a handsome magician: "I also work as a teacher at the school".


    "The magician from the college of Vag Darmin" The browed one drawled: "I haven''t taught and I don''t even think about it".


    "So you''re related?" Asked Linda.


    "No" Yerber Replied: "Mr. Wag and I are related, but very distant".


    The other two wizards also introduced themselves and quickly walked away, claiming that they had other important things to do.


    "We''re leaving too" Helena said, jumping up from her chair, which immediately took a place against the wall: "We arrived only yesterday and haven''t had time to get used to it yet. There are many things that cannot be entrusted to servants. See you soon, gentlemen!"

 Chapter 11

    Linda managed to pick up the dress with some difficulties, since initially she thought that she would have to act as a gray mouse in front of the king. No tailor would agree to sew a formal dress for her in just one day.


    "Listen, my lady" The third tailor urged: "It will take me two or three days to finish one. And you also need to pick up stones and sew petticoats. It''s just impossible in one day!"


    "Let''s go to another tailor" Helena suggested: "If nothing works out, you still need to order a dress, because you will need it. And it''s also worth thinking about casual outfits, otherwise you''ll only have one dress, like a beggar".


    In the last workshop, there was a good opportunity to purchase an amazing silk dress that had already been made.


    "I don''t have enough time to sew what you want in a day, madam" The master explained to Helena: "But I have one thing available that can satisfy you. It''s not a formal dress, but it looks very elegant. Ordinary formal dresses are made stiff and decorated with a lot of stones. It turns out to be very expensive, and it is inconvenient to wear such an outfit. I want to offer you a ball gown that is suitable for appearing in an audience with your Majesty. Magnificent Malian silk in various shades of pink, luxurious decoration with gold embroidery and fine lace. If you decorate your daughter with jewelry, it will be no worse than the front one, but much more convenient. Visually, your daughter has the same figure as the customer for whom the dress was made, but if it is a little too big, we will quickly adjust it. In your presence, of course".


    "And why didn''t the customer want to?" Linda asked.


    "She didn''t say anything, but I think she had money problems" The master replied politely: "It was obvious that she really liked the dress, and the rejection of it upset her more than me. Anyway, I''ll sell it - it turned out so well. Do you want to try it on?"


    Linda was helped to change by two maids, after which she looked at herself in a huge mirror made of polished bronze and thought that she would not be able to leave without this dress.


    "How it fits on her!" The master exclaimed, walking around the girl: "Look at her breasts. A very thin cloth was used there! Can you see? Every detail is visible, including the nipples!"


    Linda looked down at her chest, and the joy faded a little. Indeed, the fabric was very thin and hid almost nothing. In good light, it should have shone through everything.


    "Damn it!" She thought: "When we get back to reality, I''ll definitely buy a bra and everything will be fine".


    "Do you like it?" Helena asked: "I think it looks great. We''re buying".


    They also ordered two dresses for each day from this tailor.


    "Just use a normal breast cloth" Linda asked, blushing.


    "The customer''s desire is the most important thing for me" The tailor replied, closing his eyes.


    And who did he decide to deceive - the master?


    "It''s very inconsiderate to think about me in the way you just did, and even say it out loud" Linda said irritably: "Maybe I should burn down your workshop along with your guts, or will you make a discount for me?"


    There was an emotion of anxiety, which quickly showed the joker who he wanted to play with now. As a result, after a lot of apologies, he really gave them a good discount.


    "Well done!" Helena praised as they sat down in the carriage: "You always need to save money, no matter how much. And he had the most ordinary thoughts that any man can have after seeing a beautiful woman like you. If they are burned at the stake for this..."


    By the time they returned home, Hasd had completed Helena''s assignments.


    "Look at how handsome they are!" The Marquise admired the stallions: "It''s a pity that I''m not old enough to race them anymore. And you should try a free ride. You''ll feel what it''s like to ride a thoroughbred stallion, and maybe get used to it. It''s not your old horse. Gasd said that the groceries had arrived. Make sure they don''t rot, and then you need to sort things out. Do it with Dina".


    Gasd appeared in the house near Linda.


    "Madam, you stopped studying because of the road. It won''t do. I found a spacious room in the house, which the previous owners did not use. If we buy carpets and spread them on the floor, we will get a wonderful training room. You need to start training to be good with a sword".


    Linda and Dinah had to do a lot of work for the rest of the day, and Helena had to send Gasd shopping twice, but the next morning they didn''t need anything. Everything necessary for a good life was arranged the way they were used to at home. They had to pick up books and some things from the castle, but they decided to do it after a visit to the king. Shortly after breakfast, an officer of the royal guard arrived at the mansion, who informed him that an audience with the king was scheduled for noon.


    "Try to arrive on time, my lady" He warned at the end: "And it''s best to arrive a little earlier".


    They followed his advice. Helena gave Linda a necklace with rubies and an exquisite gold bracelet, also decorated with the same stones, and she put on a beautiful blue dress that Linda had not seen her wearing before, and new shoes that she bought on Earth. It took them about twenty minutes to get to the place. At the palace gates, the carriage was inspected by guards, and Helena presented a paper with an invitation to a meeting.


    The Royal Palace turned out to be a disappointment. Linda imagined something like the Louvre, depicted in French films starring Jean Marais, or the royal palaces in St. Petersburg, but the royal castle was not surprised by any architectural sophistication or special splendor. It was a little more interesting inside, but still the palace seemed to her to be an overly enlarged image of the same house as theirs.


    "Listen, why are there absolutely no paintings or sculptures visible here?" Linda wondered as they followed the servant up the stairs to the third floor, which was covered with rich carpets, where guests were always received.


    It turns out that in this world, instead of paintings, only portraits were always painted, which were hung in specially designated rooms, and never hung just for beauty.


    "Most likely, the blame for this lies with our ancestors, who never made anything out of stone" Helena replied thoughtfully: "At the very beginning, our ancestors had a lot of worries and sculptures were not interested in them at that time. In general, what could be useful in some sculptures? Maybe they can be traded with other countries?


    "Why are you always looking for some kind of benefit?" Asked Linda in surprise: "They are designed to make others wonder and rejoice when looking at them. What else is possible to get from beautiful products?"


    "My Lady, we are already there" The servant cut into their conversation: "His Majesty King Vadish the Third is waiting to meet you!"


    After these words, he opened one half of the doors and stepped aside so that the guests could go ahead. The two women entered an almost empty room, where low chairs with elegantly curved legs and bright crimson upholstery stood along both walls. There were carpets on the floor, the predominant colors of which were red, as well as curtains on the windows. Linda, for some unknown reason, suddenly had a smile on her face.


    "It''s like the whole room is covered in blood" She whispered to her mentor.


    "Stop talking nonsense" Helena whispered back: "A lot will depend on this visit for us. If the king has a bad impression of you from the very beginning, then you will suffer for a long time to fix everything".


    A small door opened in the opposite corner of the room, and a stout man of small stature, whose clothes were decorated with rich gold embroidery, came out of it. After glancing at the women, he turned around and whispered something through the open door, then turning back to the guests, he smiled warmly and walked towards them.


    "The Marquise and the Baroness! You can''t imagine how happy I am to see you as my guest! Allow me to report, I hold the position of secretary to our king, Dar Gamiy. The King will come out to you now!"


    Linda was curious about the sincerity with which he was glad to meet them, but when she tried to check the thoughts of this fat man, she was faced with a powerful defense. Of course, he couldn''t be a magician, which made it clear that he had some kind of amulet with him.


    The secretary escorted the women to the door and politely opened it for them, just as the servant had done before him. A room decorated in blue and green tones opened behind the door. The room was furnished with upholstered furniture on low legs and the same low tables with vases that filled the air with the smell of pleasant vanilla, as well as jugs with glasses. The king himself, who was sitting on one of the sofas waiting for their arrival, stood up, looking at his guests with interest.


    "I was very glad to learn that you, Marchioness, voluntarily ended your seclusion and responded to my offer to come to visit me, thereby leaving both yourself and your very beautiful daughter to the world!" The king said with pathos, giving them a friendly smile.


    "I am very grateful to you, Your Majesty, for such friendly words" Helena replied, slightly tilting her head: "However, I want to correct you that my seclusion was by no means voluntary".


    Women in this world did not use a greeting similar to a curtsy, they usually expressed their respect with a simple nod of their head.


    "Do you have any complaints about my father?" The king asked, hiding his smile.


    "Of course not, Your Majesty" Helena replied, now smiling back at herself: "If I thought badly of your father, I would not have come here to meet you and would not have brought my daughter with me. I already realized that he was acting under pressure. What''s the point of me blaming him now? But I wouldn''t be sincere if I said I forgave him. Would you make any claims yourself for the death of your family and your own ruined life?"


    "Then what are you going to do?"


    "Wisely, Your Majesty, I do not plan to commit acts of destruction of the Mashun Temple. I will only retain the right to remind them of what happened earlier if necessary".


    "This is a reasonable decision!" The king replied with satisfaction: "I also do not feel condescension towards the priests of this god, and I have sufficient grounds for this. However, I cannot afford to start a conflict at the moment. My situation is desperate. It was with the help of these priests that father scattered the masters to neighboring kingdoms, but they, just like you, have not forgotten anything and are not going to forgive anything. Can you guess which side they will take in the event of a conflict?"


    "But surely such a conflict is possible?"


    "I am rather inclined to the affirmative answer. Our last conflict is long gone. Since our society has been enriched and the population has increased significantly. However, there is one exceptional situation - your homeland, Baroness. She faced a serious threat from Vardia. The dark King Darkh the Second, in violation of all agreements, placed the Boers in the mountains, and did not destroy them on his territory. It should be noted that these bloodsucking boers are a danger because they raise livestock and are in close proximity to residents. I would ignore this fact, but the existence of such settlements remains a secret.


    And now I''ve found out that the son of Darkh the Third is forming his own guard of these boers! Do not forget that when we tried to destroy them, we needed up to five experienced warriors per boer! And this at a time when they had no combat training and were poorly armed. They were defeated only thanks to the masters. Now do you understand how serious this is? And if the masters refuse to exterminate them and even side with the Boers, what will be our chances of survival? Darh risks playing with fire, but today''s times are incomparable to those that used to be: we are divided, and no one will be able to convey this problem".


    "I wonder if Vardia''s population will continue to have a high birth rate?" Helena asked thoughtfully.


    "Let''s look at the gist of the matter, my lady. The Boers are gaining strength and over time, the restrictions that the King of Vardia laid down will become too tight for them. Maybe it''s time for this change. Currently, it is still beneficial for them to be under the rule of the king, but how much longer will it last? Won''t Darkh use his fanged allies against us?" The king replied, asking a question instead of an answer.


    "Do you think it''s possible to put the brakes on all this?"


    "But do we always think about the future?" The king asked, remembering his father.


    "Your Majesty, could you explain to me why the actions of the priests of Mashun were initiated? I don''t understand their purpose" Helena asked, expressing her embarrassment.


    "Magical power and, obviously, the desire to rule. Their goal is to subjugate all the magic in our kingdom. The destruction of the masters was intended to get rid of rivals and seize their knowledge, and robbery was secondary. The priests partially succeeded in achieving their goal. That''s why I can''t come into open conflict with them right now. They are the only ones who can become a threat to the creatures and the army in which the Boers will serve. You need to be extremely careful. The priests will certainly notice your appearance and I cannot predict what they might do in the future. The influence of the temple and its order is not as strong as before, but their capabilities are still great".


    "And what do you expect from us?"


    "When my father died, I ordered an end to the persecution of the masters, however, despite promises of generous compensation, none of them has yet responded to my call. Currently, my options are limited, and I cannot take away your property from the new owners, mainly related to the priesthood. The only way out for me is to recruit talented children capable of magic, grow them into my own magicians and hope that I will be given enough time to do this. I want your priorities to be focused on that too. Of course, do not forget to fulfill the current orders of the yard. Do you mind?"


    "My days in this world are coming to an end, they are not measured in years, but only in decades. I''ll be gone soon, and you''ll only have to deal with my heiress. She has my knowledge and surpasses me in strength. The only thing I have more is experience. Do not look at her young age and make no mistake, taking her for a naive girl. She has already been through a lot, despite her youth. I fell in love with her and gave everything I could: knowledge, wealth and the tiny amount of warmth that I had. She''s going to take over my name soon. For you, this girl is valuable not only because she has an assistant in the form of a Beast. Love her, and she will never betray you. People like her are very rare. But just try to do something bad to her, and I''ll come back here wherever I am! And don''t you dare treat her as your woman, because you can''t have children with her. I think it''s best if you hear it right away. I have summoned Rinda from another world, and she can return there at any moment. Whether to stay here or leave is up to you".


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "And Kiwana..."


    "It''s a fiction" Helena nodded: "But I needed to somehow explain where it came from. And this explanation seemed to me the most appropriate".


    "And how long have you been preparing it? Or was she already born with magical abilities?"


    "There are no magicians in her world at all, and I''ve been training her for only a year, even less. It was a very difficult path, most people are not able to follow such a path to magic".


    "Isn''t there any power in that world that we can use?"


    "You should see Rinda about this. I''ve only been there twice and I didn''t understand much. The inhabitants there have great power, but it''s not magic. They possess something completely different".


    "Can you help me, Rinda?" The King addressed the girl simply by her first name: "I''m ready to do everything I can, because I''m not only asking for myself. Kings are no different from ordinary people, but a good king must first take care of the well-being of his subjects, and only after that of his own. I am afraid that one day I will be able to see my country drenched in blood and fire, to witness the death of people and my helplessness in front of it".


    "I will try my best" The girl replied, lowering her eyes to the floor: "And I will think about what else I can do for you".


    "I have to arrange everything so that you are safe!" The king announced decisively: "May I continue to address you by your first name? Great. In that case, you can just call me Vadish. Don''t you have a large enough mansion? Can you find two unoccupied rooms in it?"


    "Do you have any plan?" Helena asked.


    "I would like two of my people to stay with you, to whom I will assign the task of protecting your daughter. Magic is fine, but a magician won''t always be able to use his power in time".


    "And who will it be?"


    "They are considered not only my servants, but also good friends. This is a master warrior, he taught me how to handle a sword perfectly and is completely devoted to me, and a drill girl will be with him. I owe her a debt and I can rely on her for everything".


    "Do you trust the storm?"


    "She helped me save my life, and this has already happened twice. She warned me about Darh''s plans and opened up the possibility for me to be magically tested. Of course, you will find it strange to use these words in relation to the Boers, but she is really an amazing person".


    "You liked her" Helena remarked: "However, I want to warn you that you will not be able to have children with her, besides, your environment will be against this union!"


    "It''s unpleasant when you are clearly transparent in front of the interlocutor" Vadish curled his lips: "You feel as if you are stripped naked. But if you''re worried about your daughter, then you''ll have to accept my offer. Muggle is not just a beautiful girl and has fangs, she is also an experienced, fast and ruthless fighter. If she takes over Rinda''s guard along with Fancore, my worries will be reduced".


    "Okay" Helena obviously reluctantly agreed: "Of course there will be free rooms, as soon as we get back they will be prepared for our guards".


    "Let me introduce you to my Fancore, who will be your companion in the future. He is not demanding, so you will find some place to stay for the night. Tomorrow you will meet with a Muggle, I am sure that the young girls will be friends. I invite you to see our school of magic, get to know our teachers and explore the available books. After that, I invite you to my place for lunch, my man will bring you to school. We''ll talk about other things over lunch".


    Fancor Varish turned out to be a forty-year-old man of small stature, with powerful shoulders and well-muscled muscles. His hair was combed back into a ponytail, but although not very handsome, his face still aroused sympathy for him.


    "Aren''t you related to Baron Gesal?" Linda asked.


    "Do you know Aden?" Asked Fancore in surprise: "Yes, we are really relatives, although very distant. May I ask you a question, Baroness? Do you know how to handle at least some kind of weapon?"


    "I''m quite good with a dagger, I was trained in the Aquani family''s hand-to-hand combat system and I''m quite good with a crossbow. My teacher is planning to teach me swordsmanship techniques with me, but we haven''t started yet. Like all masters, I can use acceleration, but I can''t hold it for long enough. During the attack on us by the robbers, I was able to kill only four, after which I was very tired and lost my strength. Now, I think I could have coped with the enemy without weapons, since I gained more strength".


    "Very interesting" Commented Fancore with satisfaction: "If you learn to wield a sword, it will be very useful. In some situations, the dagger may be more suitable, but in most cases, the sword provides more opportunities".


    The King introduced them to Fancore and left, after which Helena hurried home.


    "We have too much to do, and it''s getting late. Will you take the carriage?" She asked.


    "With your permission, my lady, I would prefer to ride" The warrior replied: "Do you have room for another horse in the stable?"


    "Of course we''ll find a place for your stallion" Helena replied: "There will be enough space for the boer''s horse, but there will be no free space left, even for the donkey. We''ll have to increase our groom''s salary so that he doesn''t leave".


    As soon as they arrived at their mansion, the first thing they did was to identify rooms for their new guards. Fancore looked around the small room with furniture offered to him, he said everything suits him and there is nothing else for him to worry about. He immediately became friends with Gasd and the two of them went to the armory to inspect the weapons that were available.


    The room for the boer girl was chosen next to Dina''s room, but the furniture here was not very suitable for such a girl, and Helena ordered Dina to bring Gasd back here.


    "Talk to the guard later" Helena ordered: "Now you''ll have to quickly go to the furniture workshop. She can be found in the lower city, I think you can go back before sunset. There it will be necessary to order new furniture for the noble girl. Tell them to make a bed for her, a wardrobe and a writing table. If they have a decent mirror, you can take it too. Write it all down on paper and get an advance for them. You will show this list to the guards so that the new furniture can be delivered here without delay".


    "What do you think of our king?" Helena asked Linda when the business was done and they were both sitting in the living room waiting for dinner.


    "A handsome man" Linda replied: "But for some reason he seemed very upset about something".


    "Ha-ha, no matter how you fall in love with this unfortunate king" Helena laughed: "Of course, there is nothing to envy him, and a lot of what he said is true. However, offspring carry a legacy not only in money, but also in obligations. I can seem to other people as if I forgive the old ruler and his sins are almost negligible. But I really think he''s guilty. Kings cannot be subjugated just like that. So he trusted too much those who could not be trusted, and this is not forgiven to the king. And so thousands of people had to pay for his misdeeds - not with money, but with their happiness and even with the lives of their loved ones. I''ve been through this myself, and I wouldn''t wish such a test on anyone. By the way, what were you thinking about, talking about help? Not about your world, I hope?"


    "We have an extensive selection of various weapons in our arsenal" Linda replied: "It is difficult to get anything special, and our warriors are not able to wield them, however, in experienced hands, even ordinary weapons can allow ordinary people to master monsters and boers. It is similar to our crossbows, but is capable of firing small bolts over a considerable distance with incredible speed. Besides, it''s easy to recharge. With proper time delay, one warrior is able to destroy a large number of enemies. Battles usually take place on an open field, therefore, enemies can be noticed long before the battle. If you start shooting at the enemy from a long distance, you can significantly reduce the size of the army even before the collision. Moreover, it may turn out that the battle will be avoided altogether, and the enemy will flee in fear".


    "But monsters and boers move very fast".


    "What''s the problem? If about a hundred people start shooting at the same time, the ability to move quickly will not help the enemy".


    "Are there many such weapons in your world?"


    "A huge amount".


    "Then what''s the delay? Ask the king for gold..."


    "Of course there are problems. I will not buy weapons in my country just like that. This can only be obtained from the military. There are, of course, the police, but they have little of it and not of the quality I would like to buy. With the help of magic, I can go to the police station and say that I need a gun, of course they will easily give it away, but then they will be put in jail because the judge will not believe in any magic".


    "And if you try it in another country?"


    "In another country, it is also not easy to complete such a task, there will definitely be difficulties. It is not so easy to sell a large amount of gold, especially if you play the role of a young girl who can be mistaken for easy prey. There will certainly be those who intend to take away my valuables, and then they will look for ways to extract information about my well-being and a place where they can also enrich themselves. Even if I succeed with the gold exchange, I won''t be able to afford to spend the money to buy a lot of weapons. In specialty stores, it is sold piece by piece, and it is not available to minors. The key thing is that, of course, I am not aware of the languages and traditions of this country, which will immediately give me away as a foreigner, and foreigners are not particularly welcome there. Using forced magic requires extreme caution so as not to reveal my true identity, otherwise I will have to leave someone else''s territory in a hurry, just not the fact that I will be able to escape easily".


    "Well, you do have a plan, don''t you?"


    "In this case, you will not have to return to your world and spend some time in a shelter for children who have lost their parents. In this place, they learn various skills, including foreign languages. It will be enough for me to master only one language, which is widely used in many countries and which I already know a little. Thanks to your good memory and your decoction, achieving this goal will not be difficult. From this shelter, I will be able to visit you or our castle regularly to get a decoction. And when I master the language, I''ll start learning weapons. I won''t be able to do much on my own, so I''ll be looking for a local assistant. It is best to find someone who is interested in dangerous adventures and is interested in getting a reward in the form of gold. In that case, my magic will only increase his desire. He will be able to sell gold, buy the necessary amount of weapons and train our king''s soldiers how to use them. After all, I''ve never had to fire a combat weapon before".


    "Will it be dangerous?"


    "I don''t think there''s a huge danger here if you use magic wisely. I do not know any other ways to help. The king is unlikely to be able to raise his own wizards. And what can I do alone, or even with a Scarecrow, against an entire army that will have real masters of magic? If a battle starts, I will only have to go to my own world, and I would like to keep this world for myself, and a lot of ordinary people may die".


    "Is there anything I can do to help you?"


    "Only if you prepare the tincture so that I don''t have to do it myself. I will only be able to return here for a very short time so that no one will discover my absence. Perhaps the king''s help may be needed at the end, when we will purchase weapons, but it is better not to mention this yet. After all, right now I can''t say how everything will turn out. If the king doesn''t skimp on gold, I''ll buy a few things for myself. I''m used to comfort that doesn''t exist in this world. Okay, so far this is nothing more than just thinking out loud, and not yet a plan. Tomorrow morning we have to go to school. How can we help them?"


    "It''s hard to say for sure. First, you need to consider the information they have. I have no intention of passing on all my knowledge, and I advise you to do the same. This is especially important for more advanced sections. However, I can tell them the knowledge in the field of general magic. There were undoubtedly many losses after the persecution. Just remember how the magicians reacted to your hallucinations".


    "And what will we do with the priests?"


    "At the moment, everything is still calm. They will not dare to openly oppose, and we, at the moment, should not start a conflict. However, if we manage to implement the weapons plan, their position in front of the king will be sharply devalued, and your importance will increase on the contrary. You need to assemble your team and equip it with new weapons. Then it won''t be easy for the other kings to stand up to you. Eventually, one of them will definitely try to experience it in practice".


    "There are so many obstacles and enemy machinations" Linda sighed heavily.


    "Life is not just living for days, counting every moment until evening. In order for it to become truly interesting and vibrant, you sometimes need to break the rules, overcome obstacles and get out of your comfort zone. Of course, not everyone will like it, because there are few people in our society who are ready for such experiments. But if you dream of a busy life in which you are the master of your own destiny, and not just a pawn on a chessboard, then you should be ready to step on other people''s points of view. And it can be dangerous for smart and careful people. But what about this situation in your world?"


    "I used to think that this situation was typical for our country, but now I''m not sure about it anymore".


    "Your dinner is ready, my lady, we are all waiting for you" Dina said, looking into the living room.


    "We''ll be there soon" Helena replied, struggling to get up from the sofa: "Somehow lately I''ve noticed that I get tired very quickly".

 Chapter 12

    The visit to the magic school left Linda with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she admired the majestic and spacious building, specially designed for the training and accommodation of future magicians, and appreciated the care and professionalism of the teachers. However, she couldn''t help but notice the insufficient level of their training. Moreover, the textbooks offered to the students left much to be desired.


    "With such textbooks, they will never reach your level" She told the director: "There is not enough detail, explanations are often confusing. And even those who are already familiar with the material may not always understand what is being discussed. Without high-quality textbooks, they simply will not be able to learn well. A mentor can teach one or two students without textbooks, but not twenty! It will not be possible to transfer all the necessary information to everyone separately".


    "What do you suggest?" Ekar Denish asked: "I myself understand that our books are very far from perfect, but where else can I find others? At one time, the Mashun Temple did not allow free trade in books on magic and bought out all bookstores. They even forced the magicians to sell their own books. Those that we have, we have collected with great difficulty. Of course, we can write our own books, but the king will not give us time for this".


    "We will provide books suitable for teaching in elementary courses" Helena promised: "Of course, we cannot give them away for good, just return them later. Find scribes who can draw and have them prepare books for you. Be sure to keep an eye on them so that they don''t make mistakes. You will need at least twenty books, and it is best if even more are written. I''m sure the king will pay for this job. We''re going to talk to him today. And let the teachers themselves carefully read these books. Apart from you, Yerber, and one woman named Dona, the others are clearly very weak. They know the basic skills, but they can''t explain it to their students".


    "Helena and I think that you did not plan the students in groups very correctly" Another remark was made: "Instead of separating them by age, we believe that they should be separated by abilities. This way, the training will be more effective. Currently, half of the students do not fully assimilate the material in the lessons, and then they will spend a lot of time trying to figure out the textbooks that you give".


    "I do not agree to give books to higher education courses" Helena added: "And not at all because I regret sharing my knowledge or am afraid of it. They contain a lot of information that can harm both you and your students. I suggest that Master Rinda write out the basic materials in a separate notebook, to which I will add my explanations. Thus, you will be able to study these materials without any risk. The rest should be studied only under the supervision of a master. In the future, if possible, my daughter will study with one of the teachers and with the best students. Would you mind our suggestions?"


    "I was hoping that you would take an active part in the education of children" The director replied with obvious disappointment: "But thanks for your offer anyway. At the moment, I am in such a predicament that I will be grateful for any help".


    "Listen, dear" Linda said: "I completely understand your point of view, but my mother and I have a very important matter planned in the near future, so we simply will not be able to teach children".


    At that moment, the conversation was interrupted by a servant whom the king had sent to deliver a message that His Majesty was waiting for Madame Marquise and her daughter at dinner. The women quickly said goodbye to the director and, accompanied by Fancor, went to the palace. The servant who met the ladies led them into a small royal dining room, opened the doors and left. In the spacious room there were three dining arrangements, behind which were located: the king himself, a young guy about fifteen years old who looks like him, and a beautiful girl with beautiful lush red hair. The King rose and greeted the ladies who entered:


    "Marquise, glad to see you! Greetings, Rinda! In this refectory, I have lunch with my brother and the people I love. There are no servants here, so it is not necessary to observe etiquette, as is customary everywhere. Have a seat at the table with us. We didn''t start lunch on purpose because we wanted to wait for you".


    "I thank you for your courtesy, Your Majesty" Helena replied: "But it is more customary for me to address you by your title".


    "I hope your daughter doesn''t adhere to etiquette so much. Let me introduce you to my brother Horace and his girlfriend Maglaya Lang" The king continued.


    The prince stood up and bowed respectfully, and the Muggle greeted them with a nod of her head, looking with interest at the women sitting at the table. Linda bowed slightly to her in return as well. The king''s girlfriend looked quite like a beautiful human girl, except her eyes were glowing red. Also, talking to her, you could notice small sharp fangs, but much smaller than those that Linda conjured for herself, scaring her mentor. The prince took the dish next to him and moved closer to the guests together with him.


    "May I sit next to you?" He asked Linda, giving her a kind smile: "My brother demanded a promise from me that I would not molest you. It was with great chagrin that I had to agree. But is it still possible to just chat with someone other than you? Maybe after that we''ll like each other".


    "Bully!" The king smiled: "Only the grave can fix someone like you".


    "Have you been practicing on this performance for a long time, Horace?" Linda asked.


    "What do you mean?" The prince asked in surprise.


    "Your inimitable smile. Or do you have a lot of them?"


    "Wow!" The Muggle said approvingly: "It''s a pity you don''t have fangs. You should have seen his face the moment he tried to get up to me for the first and fortunately the last time".


    "Why not?" Sneered Linda, instantly turning into a vampire: "Very easy!"


    This time the performance was even better than with Helena. The prince recoiled, dropping his chair, the king turned pale, and the Muggle bared her fangs and hissed. Unlike the monster girl, Linda''s eyes not only turned red, but lit up with a bright fire, her fangs were twice as large, and instead of brown hair cut off from behind, a black mane appeared, which developed as if a wave of wind swept through the room.


    "Rinda, stop it!" Helena immediately shouted: "Gentlemen, forgive her for this trick. Unfortunately, she scared me the same way. What else can you expect from this girl!"


    "I''m sorry!" Linda apologized and removed the magic: "I just decided to have a little joke with your brother, besides, he''s the reason for it".


    "A great illusion" The prince agreed, put his chair back in place and sat down next to Linda again: "If you had staged such a performance in bed, I would have stopped thinking about girls for a whole year after that, as I would have lost my manhood".


    "Probably all the women in the palace would be happy about this" Vadish joked: "Let''s start lunch, and after that you will tell us what impressions you have about our school. And you, Muggle, is there something wrong with you?"


    "I was very scared" Bura replied: "I have no idea where the Baroness found out this story, but it exactly repeats one of the legends of our people. I''ll be fine now, don''t pay attention to me".


    "I will never joke like that again!" Linda swore: "When I did this to my mentor, she almost cut off my evil head with a sword, unfortunately today I scared all of you".


    "Yes, we are not offended" The king reassured Linda: "Let''s start eating faster, otherwise our meat will become completely cold".


    "Does it matter that I''m talking to a stuffed one?" Horace asked, with a piece of meat in his mouth: "I just want to talk, and after lunch I will have a lesson. Could you pretend that you are someone other than Bura?"


    "Of course, you can create a variety of illusions" Linda replied, slowly swallowing the delicious, tender meat: "And they may not necessarily be intimidating. A high-quality illusion is the result of long work. It can be not only visual, but also penetrate into other sensations - smells, sounds, and even become almost tangible".


    "I need terrible illusions" Horace persisted: "Will you help me scare one person?"


    "Leave the girl alone and let her enjoy her meal in peace!" Vadish shouted at his brother: "She has enough worries as it is".


    For some time, everyone, with the exception of Muggles, silently fed themselves with food, which was luxuriously served on the tables. Linda felt an acute sense of hunger, while the dishes on the royal table were extremely delicious, so she ate beyond measure. At the end of the meal, the king pushed his plate aside, wiped his lips with a towel and looked at Helena with a questioning look.


    "How are things going at your school?" Noticing his look, she asked: "There are some questions about the organization of the educational process and the qualifications of teachers, but, above all, there are no normal textbooks on magic that children could learn from. We are ready to hand over some of our books for correspondence. To do this, you will have to hire scribes and pay them for their work. There is also a question that we have not talked about with the manager. This school is well protected from magical attacks, but it is vulnerable to ordinary attacks. If the students are killed, the school can be completely destroyed. We can''t take care of the children ourselves yet. My daughter has an idea how we can help you with weapons, but it will require special training from her, as well as funding from you".


    "You said financing" Vadish intervened: "But tell me how much you need, and the treasury will allocate the required amount of coins".


    "Coins are not useful" Linda said: "They will only attract unwanted attention and unnecessary questions may arise. It would be better if we had gold in the form of nuggets or sand".


    "It''s quite simple. We have not produced coins for two years now and we store all the extracted gold ore in basements. Can you tell me about that weapon now?"


    "It''s hard for me to explain to you how it works" Linda replied: "Imagine a crossbow that shoots without reloading and installing bolts. He shoots much faster and with much more deadly force. The bolts of such a weapon can easily penetrate indiscriminately any armor at a distance of a thousand paces. And if many warriors fire such weapons at the same time, then no amount of movement speed or cunning of the enemies will help them. Each warrior is capable of killing or injuring dozens of opponents at a time. And it''s very easy to learn how to use it. It doesn''t take a year of study, it can only take a few days".


    "It''s impossible, I can''t believe it!" The king snapped in disbelief.


    "Let me explain" Linda sighed: "An ordinary crossbow uses a short arrow, which is triggered by a bowstring strike. However, there is no bowstring in the weapon I am talking about. The bolts are very small and can fly only because of the power contained in them. That is why the weapon itself cannot shoot without these bolts, so they need to be purchased immediately and as much as possible. I know it''s hard for you to believe me. Let''s do this: I''ll get some weapons, and we can test them right here for you to see. Then we will decide on the purchase for the army".


    "And how quickly can it be purchased?" The king asked.


    "Not as fast as you would like. I just won''t be able to buy such a weapon in my country. People will try to take away my gold and put me in jail. In this state, I am considered a child".


    "Will your relatives be able to help you?"


    "My father passed away, and my mother is no longer there. And they, frankly, could not help in this situation. The problem is not only my age, but also the peculiarities of the laws of my country. Therefore, you will have to go to a place where it will not be difficult to sell gold and buy the weapons you need. There is such a country, but they speak a different language there, and I will have to learn it, which is possible to do in my homeland. Therefore, you must first go home to learn the language, and then return for gold and enter through the gate for weapons. But it won''t take as long as it seems. With my current abilities, I will learn any language very quickly, as long as I come here every day for a tincture that strengthens my memory".If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Will you need allies in your world?"


    "Not yet, but when I go to get a weapon, I may have to help".


    "What are you going to do first?"


    "I will go to our castle with Fancora. I need to get books for teaching and herbs to make a tincture. After that, I will make preparations and then go to my world".


    "What will you do if you don''t have parents now, and you''re still a girl yourself? Do you have any other relatives?"


    "Of course I have relatives, but I can''t turn to them. In our country, specialized educational institutions have been built for people like me, similar to your school of magic. There, children are raised and taught various subjects, and when they come of age, they are helped to successfully enter life".


    "Will they let you out of there after that?" Vadish asked.


    "Of course, well, there''s no point in waiting so long" Laughed Linda: "As soon as I learn the language, I''ll run away from there myself. No one can stop me there".


    "If you have no more questions, Your Majesty, and my daughter is ready to go to the castle, we should return home" Helena said: "The Lady Muggle is with us, or have you made a different decision?"


    "Of course I''ll go!" Bura replied: "Do you have a place in the stable for my horse?"


    "Fancore, can you help me?" Linda asked the warrior, who had just returned from the stable, where he had taken his horse.


    "Naturally, my lady. Can I help?!" Fancore asked.


    "I want to go through the gate, get into our castle and pick up some things from there. I can''t take everything myself, and besides, I''m not sure if the right people are in the castle. Therefore, your help will be useful. And I wanted to talk to you about the future. In the presence of other people, you can address me as milady or Baroness, but when we are alone, you can simply address me as Rinda, and if you say Linda, I will be very pleased. Briefly and for my pleasure".


    "I agree" He nodded: "Do you want to take any weapons with you?"


    "No, it''s pointless" She replied: "There are probably only workers repairing the castle, and perhaps our squad has arrived. Before, of course, I would have taken a weapon, but at the moment my weapon can be called something else".


    "Still, if you''ll excuse me, I''ll take something".


    Fancore went to the armory, but didn''t stay there long. There were several more sheathed blades hanging on a belt near the ball.


    "I''m done and ready, when do we leave?"


    "Right now, I''m opening the gate, and you will immediately go ahead, and I will follow you".


    Fancor had never passed through the gate before, but without hesitation he entered a multicolored funnel, pale in the bright sunlight. Linda took a step after him and found herself in a mushroom clearing, where the stone remains of the lighthouse were still lying around.


    "We need to go behind the castle and enter through the back entrance" She said to the warrior, who was looking around: "We will immediately find out who is here now".


    At the moment, there were only builders who were removing the remains of the destroyed walls, they cleaned and stacked the stone blocks that still survived. The squad has not arrived yet, and the manager left for the city two days ago on business.


    "So, we''re not here for long" Linda decided: "Now I''ll take everything I need and we''ll leave here right away".


    She took the necessary books from the hiding place, put them in a bag and handed it to Fancor, and she collected the herbs necessary for the magical tincture, the dishes in which she would cook the decoction and the most necessary things that she did not take with her when they went to the reception to the king.


    "I took everything" Linda reported to Helena upon her return: "We will give these books to the school. I think it should be entrusted to Fancor, and you''d better prepare the potions in advance. The broth will be perfectly stored protected by magic. I also took the dishes from the lab. Builders are currently working in the castle, from which all the dust rises to the skies, so Dicter did a good thing that he had not yet returned the squad. There''s no point in them breathing all this dirty air".


    "I''m not interested in the castle at the moment" Helena said: "When and how do you think you should go home?"


    "After dinner, I''m going. After all, we don''t know what time of year it is there now, and frankly, it doesn''t matter. The last time we were on Earth, it was early spring, and now, most likely, it''s already summer there. I''ll look inconspicuous in a suit. I won''t take anything of value with me, because they can take it away anyway. When I come to the local police department, I will play the role of a man who has lost his memory. I''ll say that I don''t remember where I was or what I was doing".


    "What if they figure out that you''re cheating on them?"


    "It''s not very easy to prove, especially since I didn''t commit any crimes, and children, unlike adults, won''t be tortured so much. After all, even with the help of hypnosis, you can''t break me, but I can push them to a suitable solution for us".


    "My heart may stop from these worries" Helena complained: "You''re going to leave now, and I''m helpless if something goes wrong with you".


    "Don''t worry, nothing bad will happen to me. If pressed hard, I can always run away and try to find another way to learn the language".


    An evening of sunlight penetrated through the open gates of the city park of culture and recreation, coloring the alleys in golden shades. Linda looked around intently-there was not a single person nearby. The unusually warm weather made her immediately think that it should be the end of June or even July already. There was still a lot of time before the park closed, and she slowly headed for the exit, taking her time, trying not to think about the fact that she would soon have to step on the threshold of her native district police department. Linda thought about it and decided to go there anyway. After all, in the end, they will still find her thanks to her last place of residence. Why create unnecessary problems for people and wait for yourself?


    There was an old man standing at the entrance near the gate, who for some reason stared at her suspiciously. Few people were on the street, so today is a working day, because in good weather, the park usually had a lot of visitors on weekends. Linda put her hand in her pocket to get money for the bus, but eventually decided to walk to the department, walked five blocks and stood in front of the front door for a while before deciding to open it.


    *****


    Jason Miller was reading the latest issue of the local newspaper when the phone rang in the hallway.


    "Hey, Clark!" Shouted the wife, who was busy with shoes near the phone: "Come here, you probably have a call from work".


    "Jason?" His boss''s voice came on the phone: "We found Jordana, who disappeared last year. She came to the district department and said she didn''t know where she had been for a year. She is quite well-fed, she is wearing a decent pantsuit, but there were only two rubles in small coins in her pocket. You''ve been working on her case, so you should know everything. I''ve sent a car to pick you up, it''ll be at your door in ten minutes. Decide what to do with her on the spot. At first I wanted to send her to the children''s hospital, but there the inspector became seriously ill. He somehow caught pneumonia even in the summer, and there is still no one to replace it. And in the neighboring area, the children''s receiver is fully occupied. I''ll call Stone myself. They were asking about her at the time about some kind of gold".


    Half an hour later, he was already striding down the tobacco-smelling corridor to his office, where Linda was supposed to be delivered.


    Regretfully, Jason thought about Linda: "Where could she have been before that? Where can I arrange it now? A child should not spend the night on chairs".


    First, he opened the window to somehow ventilate the smoky office. He never smoked himself, but his colleagues came to him all the time with lighted cigarettes. Out of respect for the fact that he did not smoke, they took cigarettes out of their mouths and held them in their hand, which caused the same unpleasant smell. He had already given up the fight against this and tried to regularly ventilate the smoky office to provide fresh air, and in summer he never closed the window during working hours. There was a knock on the door, and a girl appeared in the office, already known to him from photographs, who was accompanied by Senior Sergeant Tucker.


    "Is she really fourteen years old now?" He wondered, looking at the girl standing in front of him, with the forms of a girl no longer.


    Jordana frowned at the smell of cigarettes and sat down on one of the chairs near his desk uninvited.


    "Hello" She said in a pleasant voice: "You''re Captain Miller, aren''t you? I was told that you were looking for me. It so happened, I found myself on my own".


    "Where are you, Lindik, have you been for a year?" He asked.


    "I can''t say for sure. I only remember the last night when my mom was arrested. And then I woke up near our park, completely at a loss, in this incomprehensible costume for me. I didn''t have a single place to go, so I decided to go to you".


    "Doesn''t it bother you at all where you''ve been all year?"


    "Of course I''m curious, but why bother about it in vain? Won''t the memory come back after that? I don''t feel like anything bad has happened to me in the past. If you can find out something about my past, that''s great, and if not, I''ll deal with it somehow. In the end, there is only one way left for me - an orphanage. No one will return me to my aunt and we will not be moved to another housing, although the state took away our apartment with my mother for free".


    "Our state will provide you with this apartment and therefore had every right to take it away" Jason replied: "I want to ask you to remember how you went with some old lady to a private collector. Perhaps my superiors will ask you about it tomorrow".


    "My parents got this apartment, which means I got it with them" Linda objected: "The apartment was taken away without my consent. Instead, they offer me a bed in an orphanage. Do you think this replacement is quite equivalent? When will I be sent to boarding school?"


    "It''s late now, so everything on your question will be sorted out tomorrow" The captain thought for a minute, and then suddenly even for himself made her an offer: "Would you like to spend the night in my house tonight? My son is currently resting at the Scout camp, so there''s a bed for you".


    "Thank you" She replied sincerely: "It would be better than spending the night in your department. It''s so smoky in here, and I absolutely can''t stand the smell of tobacco. And about that old lady... Yes, there must have been something like that, but I can''t remember".


    Senior Lieutenant Adams was on duty that day, and at first he was stubborn after Jason told him that he would take the girl to his house for the night, but then he finally gave up on the captain''s persuasions.


    "Okay, you can take her away, but if anything happens, you''ll answer for yourself".


    "It is clear that I will be responsible. Listen, Green, would you be so kind as to give us a lift to my house, because now this girl and I are going to take the bus for more than an hour".


    "There''s probably a Stone standing near the entrance. Tell him you have permission. Try to get the car back as soon as possible".


    A police car is not like taking a bus, literally twenty minutes later Jason entered his apartment with his client, where his wife came out to meet them, whom he warned on the phone.


    "Here are some slippers for you" She offered the girl: "Enter the hall. Are you going to eat?"


    "No, thank you" Linda refused: "I didn''t want to before, but they gave me tea and cookies at the police station".


    "You must be feeling tired" Belle said: "I made your bed in our son''s room. If you want to take a shower, tell me about it, and I''ll light the gas heater. Is there anything else you want?"


    "No, thank you, I just realized how tired I am and I''ll probably go straight to bed".


    "Where did you find this girl?" An hour later, his wife Belle asked him a question when they lay down in their bed: "How old did you say she is now?"


    "A year ago, when she was thirteen years old, she disappeared. Her mother was convicted of a drunken brawl during which she accidentally killed her husband. Although there were some circumstances that mitigated her guilt, she received a long sentence. Since then, Linda has been seen only once ¨C she came to a private collector and offered to buy some special gold coins. Now that I think about it, I remember that the coins were unusual, arousing the interest of scientists and attracting the attention of the Committee. However, we have not been able to find either Linda herself or the old lady who came with her to the collector. And today Linda showed up on her own and insists that she doesn''t remember anything about where she disappeared or what she was doing".


    "It seems to me that something unusual has happened to her" Bell said thoughtfully: "I can swear by anything you want, but I can say that this girl is going to beat many of my best gymnasts right now. Have you noticed how big her shoulders are? And the way she walks, it''s amazing grace! Could you tell me where you''ve met girls like that at her age and with such an amazing figure?"


    "Yes, I saw it".


    "Uh-huh, these are probably those rural girls who can be used instead of a tractor. Yes, you can probably still meet such people, but she''s actually from the city. And yet, how could she build up such muscles in just one year? And have you noticed what she looks like?"


    "I think she looks at everything indifferently. Indeed, it feels like she doesn''t care what happens to her".


    "I believe that this is not indifference at all, but indifference that comes from unshakeable self-confidence. It seems to me that she''s not telling you the whole truth. She knows exactly all the details of the past year: where she was not and what she was doing there".


    "What should I do with her next? How can we extract this knowledge from it? Use coercive methods? Apart from those gold coins, we have nothing on her, and even a witness then confirmed that the old woman was selling, and Linda only brought her to that collector. How can it be brought to light? She doesn''t have any parents, and we can''t put pressure on the child. When she came to me, she immediately said that she didn''t care what we found on her, because she would soon end up in an orphanage anyway. And she also harbored a grudge against the government for having her apartment taken away from her. She said that her part of the living space could belong to her aunt, and then she could live with relatives, and not..."


    "Our state cannot be blamed, although in conscience it could certainly be understood. How did you think of bringing her to our house?"


    Justifying himself, Jason said that he had been searching for her for a long time. And now he has the feeling that he was not an outsider to her. Spend the night at the police station sitting on a chair...


    Both stopped talking, as if they were listening to something, and then immediately fell asleep at the same time. Neither of them remembered what they had talked about the next morning, and after a hasty breakfast, Jason took his "foundling" To the police station. When he and Linda entered the office, Captain Stone from the CGR immediately stopped him. This officer was working on behalf of the Committee dealing with the case of the strange case of gold.


    "What kind of arbitrariness is this, Jason?" He asked with annoyance: "Well, your superiors will deal with you, and we will take the girl to ourselves. You will receive all the documents stating that we are closing this case in a few days. Follow me, Lindik".

 Chapter 13

    Linda was disappointed with the building she was brought to. Without new prospects, she would have felt unsteady in her legs, but now she was only a little intrigued, which soon gave way to indifference. At first they tried to persuade, and then they pushed.


    "It''s no use you don''t want to help us, Lindik" Said the officer who worked with her: "The gold sold with your participation has unique physical characteristics. By refusing to cooperate with us, you are harming the interests of the country. But she raised you, gave you an education!"


    "My parents fed me, but they gave part of their salary for everything else" She said with displeasure: "I don''t owe the state anything, and if I have debts, I will work them off when I graduate from school. As for the gold, I don''t know anything, I only remember that I went to see some man with an old woman".


    Linda was already tired of being treated psychologically, this process had already lasted for four whole hours, so she did not try to hide her irritation.


    "You shouldn''t behave like that" He said, shaking his head^ "If you''re not going to help us, then why should we give you any help?"


    "And what exactly can you offer me to help?" She asked.


    "If our work brings real results, we can discuss the possibility of settling you with your relatives. It won''t be difficult for us to exchange an apartment for them at all" He replied.


    Linda didn''t hesitate for a moment. Even in the event of her possible removal to an orphanage, she was not going to stay on Earth for long. The police will not be happy with the lack of information - they tried to grab everything they could. The ability to read the minds of others completely destroyed all her illusions. In this world, no one needs her now, and it was pointless to try to negotiate, since no one would pay lip service to the agreement.


    "Don''t think that we won''t be able to make your life more difficult" The officer warned her threateningly, refusing sweet promises: "There may be different conditions in orphanages. Somewhere decent educators and more or less normal children work, and somewhere the staff is disgusting and the students who have already been in prison. Our state does not have the strength and means to create order everywhere. Do you understand what I''m saying?"


    "Will you be an obedient girl, will you get a treat?" Linda smiled ironically: "And if not, they''ll put you in a dark closet, right?"


    "There are other methods..." He began, but Linda was already tired of listening to repetitions.


    "Let''s get this over with" She said" If you think you can confuse me, then it''s in vain: "I don''t have anything to tell you anyway, because I don''t know! So take me to the orphanage already. By the way, I''ve been hungry for a long time. At least the police gave me tea and biscuits yesterday, and you don''t even offer that. Greedy people!"


    To speed up the resolution of her problem, for the first time this time she gently directed the policeman''s thoughts in the right direction for her.


    "Well, if you don''t want to, I won''t force you!" He slammed the folder shut, got up and left the table: "Come on, come with me".


    There were two people in the office on the floor below.


    "What''s new with you?" The owner of the office asked a question.


    "The way she talks, she can be given all twenty years" Replied the guest with the colonel''s shoulder straps.


    "You haven''t seen her in person yet" Grinned his interlocutor with one star less than the title: "Physically, she is well developed, and by feminine signs she looks eighteen years old. And just a year ago, she was thin and visibly exhausted from hunger. We talked to the doctors who examined her immediately after she lost consciousness after seeing her stepfather''s body".


    "I believe that she would have acted differently at the moment".


    "I think so too. Tell me, Smith, why is your management so interested in her? Or is it a secret?"


    "It''s a mystery, of course, but not for you. She helped an elderly woman sell gold coins to a private collector, who gave one of them to an expert friend for verification. The expert found something unusual in the coin, and the study showed that the gold has an alien origin. Perhaps this metal does not belong to our universe. The characteristics of isotopes and atomic weight differ from those we are familiar with. In addition, gold has superconductivity already at minus one hundred and fifty degrees. If you just make a wire out of this metal and dip it in liquid nitrogen, then after that it can store a huge amount of energy. This gold is a significant achievement in various fields. This discovery could lead to revolutionary changes in well-known science. And we think she seems to know something about it".


    "Why do you think that?"


    "You and I listened to her conversation with that captain together. When he offered her to live with her aunt, Jordana did not hesitate at first, and then for some reason became confused. Apparently, she has reasons to distrust us. We need to understand the reason why she doesn''t believe me".


    "I have a theory, but it''s so fantastic that I can''t share it with anyone but you".


    "Tell me your reasoning".


    "I talked to her first of all. Something about her behavior immediately began to alarm me, and first of all, how confident she was in herself. And so, when I finally understood, I couldn''t believe myself. She knew exactly what I was thinking! She was betrayed by the reaction of her face. Maybe she doesn''t have enough experience in this, or she just doesn''t see a reason to hide it, but she responds to thoughts that I didn''t have time to express out loud. To check it out, I remembered a not very respectable, but funny anecdote. And you know, right after that, she could barely contain her laughter, looked confused and looked away. If we''re really as transparent as glass to her, why would she believe us? She understands what we promise, but others will fulfill or not what we promised".


    "And what do you propose to do after that? Is it possible to send her, so confident in herself, to orphanage number three?"


    "Have you been thinking too long? This children''s institution is no good. If it were up to me, I would shut it down altogether and send the director straight to jail. Believe me, he would have received what he deserved. A third of the students live there, who are not suitable for an orphanage, but rather for a penal colony. When I have to meet with such a person, I am extremely sorry that the era of iron gloves is already over. And you''re suggesting that we put this girl there! I have a daughter of her age myself. I am sure that threats and pressure will not lead to success, but will only worsen the situation. If you start insisting on your idea, you can take her case away from me!"


    "Why are you so excited? I was just making a guess. If you don''t want to go to the third boarding school, then you can send her to the first one. It will be easier for her to live there. Make up your mind as soon as possible, she will be with us now".


    As soon as he said that, there was a knock on the door, and Linda and the captain who had worked with her earlier came in.


    "Well, Lindik, do you remember anything new?" A high-ranking officer asked her.


    The girl shook her head negatively, then suddenly seemed to come to her senses and looked attentively at the owner of the office and his guest. She did not linger on this for long, just smiled with visible gratitude to the major and lowered her gaze to the floor.


    "Now you will be fed in the officers'' mess, and then you will be sent by car to the orphanage number one. Please, if you can even remember anything, be sure to call this phone number. This is very important for us, and not only for us, but for the whole country. The phone is in the office of the head of the Internet, we will warn him just in case. I hope to see you soon" The officer said goodbye to her.


    "Goodbye, Mr. Major! Thank you!" Linda answered, turned around and left the office. The captain followed her out.


    "Did you notice?" The major asked.


    "She quickly realized that you intended to protect her, and therefore thanked you specifically. But when she looked at me, her face immediately became unfriendly. It was only for a moment, but I still managed to notice it. Everything says that you were right, and she really knows how to read minds. Listen, I have an idea. Just don''t rush to judge, listen. After all, your daughter, Tilla, is also fourteen years old, right? Let''s arrange for her to spend a month in the same orphanage? She has already been to scout camp, and she has more than a month before the start of the school year".


    "Yes, she will figure out my Tilly even faster than she did with us, besides, they will arrive there at almost the same time, and Linda may suspect something".


    "Then let''s wait, and whoever she makes friends with, we''ll talk to. Not all children are so skeptical of the authorities. I think Linda doesn''t constantly look into other people''s heads. It seems to me that she is not very comfortable doing this in constant communication with someone, and she seemed to me to be a good enough person. She won''t get into her friend''s mind unless she has to".


    "It''s best to wait a bit, and then we''ll try your plan".


    *****


    "This is your place to sleep" The mentor explained to Linda: "Come on, I''ll help you get the bedding. If you have nowhere to hurry, you can sit down for a while, relax after the road. My work day is coming to an end, so if you have any questions, you can solve them with my partner. Your outfit needs to be changed to a school dress. You can hang it in your closet and wear it only for going out into the city. You will be given a school uniform for lessons".


    "Where are the other students?" Linda asked, surprised at the absence of anyone nearby.


    "Two groups of girls with another mentor and a scout counselor went to the cinema, and the boys are in another wing of the building. You will only be able to see them at lunchtime, in common areas and in lessons, you are not allowed to enter their bedrooms. And here comes Maya. Listen, Maya, we have a new student who has just arrived. Take her under your care and explain everything. See you later!"


    "Hi" A woman of about forty greeted Linda, with an inconspicuous face, but with thick, beautifully styled hair: "You''ve already been told what my name is. What''s your name?"


    "Jordan''s Lindik" Linda Replied.


    "Do you always say so little?" Maya smiled: "Come on, I''ll show you everything before our girls come back, and you can get your new things".


    The teacher took Linda through the toilets, showers, dining room and classrooms, while she talked about the schedule of the day.


    "We have two groups of girls" This is how Maya explained, accompanying Linda to the head of the household: "You will get into the senior group. We have almost twenty girls in each group, and the number of boys in our boarding school is twice as large. There are always two teachers on duty in the girls'' room. There is a library in the boarding school, but now it is not working yet, because its head is on vacation. She will start working again soon. We also have a medical center, but it only works until four o''clock in the afternoon and does not accept on weekends. The school is located nearby, just off the road.


    I want to tell you right away that there are different personalities among our wards. Many of them are kind guys, but there are also those who cause some problems. Sometimes there are thefts, so it''s best to put a more secure lock on your locker so that no one can steal your clothes. Almost adult teenagers are already studying in the senior group, and you are a sweet girl, so get ready right away that some of them may start making obscene suggestions. Try to stay away from such situations and you can ask for help from me or the administration. The main tutor at the boarding school is a man, and the rest of the staff consists of women".


    Before the arrival of new friends, Linda had already managed to put the bed in order, having received the linen and tucked it in. After that, she changed into a dress that fit her almost perfectly. After Linda hung the suit in the closet, locked it with a padlock and put a protective spell on it against possible theft. Now there is no way to open the cupboard with a key, as the spell will work and let the hostess know if someone tries to crack it.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Linda changed her shoes for the slippers provided by the storekeeper and sat down on her bed. The beds in the bedroom were made of a metal frame with a sturdy mesh and comfortable mattresses. They were arranged in pairs in two rows, with bedside tables in front of each bed. There were no other furniture items in the room except for these beds and bedside tables.


    She heard the arrival of a group of girls by their noise and screams when they had just entered the orphanage building. The younger group screamed and made noise, while the older girls calmly discussed a recently watched movie. When the new Linda entered the bedroom, everyone fell silent and looked at her carefully. The older girl came up to Linda, looked at her defiantly and laid out her verdict.


    "You are very beautiful. What is your name and how old are you?"


    "My name is Linda, you can just call me Lindik, I just turned fourteen years old" Linda replied without any fright.


    "You''re not telling the truth" The girl said in disbelief: "I would say that you are my age, and I will turn seventeen in two months. Have you been spoiled already?"


    "I don''t quite understand what you''re talking about" Linda replied: "What do you mean, ruined?"


    "The village!" To the general laughter of the girlfriends, the girl said: "Okay, I''ll ask you differently. Have you dated men?"


    "Why on earth are you interested in this?"


    "So there were, after all" She summed up: "My curiosity will become clear to you later. My name is Megan, I''m the oldest here".


    The first meeting was quiet, and Megan was surrounded by all the other girls. There were questions.


    "Where did you come from?"


    "I''m from here, I was born here".


    "Are there any living relatives?"


    "Mom is alive, but she was imprisoned, and there is still an aunt".


    "So why didn''t your aunt take you in?"


    "She already has a huge family and a tiny apartment, and her children are all boys. In general, they are cramped, and they don''t live well".


    "They won''t help you stink" Her new friends concluded.


    After that, the interest in the new student decreased somewhat.


    "What grade did you graduate from?" A girl, about thirteen years old, asked her.


    "I was in the sixth grade".


    "Great!" A new acquaintance exclaimed with joy: "I was in the sixth grade too. Therefore, we will go to the same class together! We even have beds side by side. Do you want us to be friends? My name is Olivia".


    "I want to!" Linda replied: "Listen, why did Megan ask me about men and get so upset when she found out that I was only fourteen?"


    "So she has her own interests in this case" Olivia explained: "Some girls over the age of fifteen already have a need for condoms. They may not be sold at the pharmacy, so Megan buys them herself. Well, yes, of course, the price for this turns out to be higher".


    "And why do they buy condoms?" Linda didn''t understand.


    "Don''t you understand?" Olivia asked in surprise: "If you start dating guys without protection, you risk getting into an unpleasant situation. Is that what you want?"


    "I don''t need any guy from your school!"


    "Oh, how obstinate you are! To give up such pleasure!"


    "So are you visiting any of the guys already?"


    "I''m not allowed to do that yet" She explained to Linda: "The goblin threatened to send to a convent those who would make love to guys in violation of the rules. But those who are older than us are being watched with all eyes".


    Having got into such misunderstandings, Linda thought: "The Major, it seems, did not choose the worst boarding school for me. I''ll have to give him some gold to thank him for his kindness. He''s the only person there you can really talk to. The rest are more concerned only about themselves".


    "Listen, Olivia" Linda said to her friend: "Can''t our girls live without these guys? Better advise me, do you have at least one tutor who knows English?"


    "The goblin understands, but why would you do that?" The neighbor answered.


    "Who is this Goblin anyway?" Linda asked.


    "This is our senior tutor. He was given this nickname because of his appearance and severity" Olivia explained.


    "So he''s as terrible as they say?" Wondered Linda.


    "You''ll see him for yourself. He will definitely be interested in you".


    Before dinner, Linda got to know other girls, talked to them on various topics. They even told her the plot of a recently watched movie, and Linda became incredibly bored. She suddenly wanted to go to the cinema, at least to see something. After all, before arriving on Earth, she had never had to suffer from the lack of books and films due to magic, and now she realized how much she missed the already familiar entertainment from the new world. And even the familiar music from her home world was no longer enjoyable.


    "If I have to stay here for a while, I will need to solve this problem somehow" Linda decided: "How can I have fun without electricity?"


    Then everyone gathered for dinner in the spacious dining room. The girls came in first, and after they had eaten, a younger group of boys entered the dining room.


    "Get ready" Olivia said as they headed to their precinct: "Today all the boys will be making noise about the new girl. And if any of us go to the guys, they''ll definitely start gossiping. The older guys will probably be interested in this news. Our girls think with their heads on their shoulders, and the boys - well, you know, they have brains in that head that hangs between their legs..."


    "Don''t worry" Linda snorted: "I don''t care what they think there".


    "Well, let''s see" Olivia replied: "Don''t you want to read something? I hid "Quentin Dorward" under my pillow. I got it from the head of the library before she went on vacation. If you''re interested, you can read it".


    Linda was engrossed in reading the book until lights out. At ten o''clock in the morning, the nurse on duty turned off the light. Her group of girls lay quietly, only two of them were talking in the corner, and the younger group could not sleep for a long time behind the wall. After spending some time in bed, Linda ordered herself to sleep and had a good night''s sleep until morning.


    Everyone was woken up at seven o''clock in the morning. Linda carefully made her bed, dressed, washed and brushed her teeth, and then plunged back into reading a book before breakfast. On the way to the dining room, the older guys had already started crowding around her. Linda studied the thoughts of some of them, and she felt uneasy. Absolutely everyone was paying attention to her. One of the boys tried to stop her to talk and get acquainted, but she pushed him away and went into the dining room.


    On the way back, only the younger children were crowded at the door, and a huge man with expressive features stood next to them. His mustache and beard merged into one, completely covering the entire lower part of his face.


    "Goblin!" Olivia whispered.


    "Jordan?" The teacher asked her in a hollow voice: "Let''s go to the teacher''s room, I need to talk to you".


    When they arrived at the room where he took Linda to talk, there was no one but themselves.


    "Sit down, Jordana" He gestured to a chair: "Listen to me very carefully. I''ve studied your profile, you''re only fourteen years old. Are you familiar with our rules yet?"


    "Yes, they told me. And why do you allow sex between teenagers?"


    "I understand. But what exactly is the problem?" The teacher chuckled: "I also do not approve of such behavior. But what to do? If you ban it altogether, the situation can only get worse. I had to have four abortions in a year, and one of the girls will not be able to have children after that. The guys are doing it so much..." He did not find the right word to describe it, but continued: "They hide at night in the dining room, stay alone in the living rooms, climb the eaves, one even fell and crashed to his death. When you try to stop them, they threaten the teachers, and in our team, except for me, there are only women. I can''t react to it physically, after all, they are children. If there was any violence on the part of the guys, I would not think about anything and would drive into the ground up to the balls, but you can''t stop the girls, they want sex themselves. They will try where something tasty is and pester the guys. You''re not happy with me, but what do you advise me in this situation?"


    "Is it really such a problem everywhere?"


    "To varying degrees. Somewhere this almost never happens, and somewhere the situation gets even worse. Do you understand what I''m talking about?"


    "Don''t worry, Stanley, I don''t need guys like that".


    "Okay, you''re a sporty girl, of course, but you can hardly handle guys. How did you know my name?"


    "The girls told me".


    "Haha, haven''t you forgotten yet? They''ve only been calling me Goblin for three years now".


    "I was also told that you speak excellent English".


    "These devils, and who tells them just that? That''s right, I can communicate and read almost without a dictionary. But why would you do that?"


    "I would like to ask you to help me learn it perfectly a month before school".


    "Is this a joke?"


    "Oh, I beg you very much! I still have a great memory, and I will put all my strength into it!"


    He somehow waved his hand, but this small effect of hers has already begun to work.


    "Okay, I''ll prepare a lesson plan for you tomorrow. I will give you daily tasks, monitor your progress. First we will work on the vocabulary, then we will start with the grammar. Let''s gradually move on to conversational practice. I hope you''re really as talented as you tell me you are. Just don''t brag to others: they might think you''re weird".


    "Yes, I don''t pay attention to them at all" Linda snorted: "It''s better to let them think anything, as long as they don''t interfere".


    "Your business" The Goblin shrugged indifferently: "Tomorrow after breakfast you will come for the list. Can you read transcription well? Although I''ll show you an example of correct pronunciation anyway. Go ahead, and if any of the guys start bothering you, let me know right away, don''t wait for words to get to the point".


    "What did our goblin want from you?" Olivia asked: "Just trying to find out from all sides?"


    "Yes, he met me, and explained your order of things to me, I asked him to help me with English. He promised to help".


    "Oh, really!" Olivia stared at her in fright: "What do you need all this for? Nothing else to do? In a month, your English teacher will fool your whole head anyway".


    "I set myself the task of going to America!" laughed Linda: "Don''t take it seriously: everyone has their own dreams".


    She went to the toilet, locked herself in a stall and entered the courtyard of her mansion through the gate. Although it was still early in the morning, everyone was already on their feet. Exchanging greetings, the girl returned to the mansion and burst into the mentor''s office. As agreed, the flask with the miraculous infusion is lying on the table. Linda found her and immediately left the office and headed back to the women''s bathroom stall. Sitting down on the toilet, she stretched out her hand to the lidless drain tank and put a flask of magic decoction there. Then she went back to her room, and she read a book until lunch. Olivia disappeared somewhere and didn''t bother with questions.


    At lunch, there were clashes with the male half again, but this time the guys were ready to go beyond a simple inspection.


    "No need to hurry, eat in peace!" She was met on the way by a short boy of strong build, he was about sixteen years old: "Let''s get acquainted".


    "Okay" Linda agreed, preferring to avoid conflicts: "You come on in, Olivia, I''ll catch up with you. And what topic do you want to talk to me about?"


    "My name is Oscar" The guy said: "Do you still avoid people who wear pants? I suggest you stop this farce and communicate with us without fooling around. No one will touch you if you don''t want to. There are not those who would risk messing with a Goblin and ending up in jail or offering you something inappropriate".


    "I don''t have time to talk to you, Oscar. I won''t eat for you. I have to study English with Goblin every day. My plan is to learn the language and only then have fun. Do you agree? If yes, then everything is fine!".


    Passing by the surprised guy, she entered the dining room, where Olivia had already set the table for both of them. Today there was pickle for the first, and pasta with cutlets for the second, as well as apple compote.


    "What did this kid tell you?" Olivia couldn''t resist: "Did he ask you to become his girlfriend? This Oscar, he''s in charge of the third group".


    "It''s not his question that matters" Linda replied, devouring a delicious lunch: "And my answer is. I told him that until I thoroughly learn English from Goblin, I don''t have time for guys".


    "And his reaction?"


    "He was amazed".


    "I would also be shocked by the way you answered! How could you blurt it out like that? And who do you talk to like that? With Oscar, whom all the girls adore!"


    "Finish about it, please, I already have a headache from this. I''m tired of this. If you don''t want to ruin our relationship before it really starts?"


    They finished their lunch in silence, and also came to their room without talking, and then lay down on their own beds, busy with their own thoughts.


    "Okay, so be it" Linda thought: "Less distractions are better for classes".


    However, it did not work out to lie in bed for a long time, the effect of the spell imposed on the locker lock began. Someone wanted to open it in vain. The girl got out of bed, put on her slippers and went to the room where there were personal lockers for the pupils'' belongings. The door was slightly open, and Linda, assuming the form of Olivia, looked inside. A middle-aged man was standing by her closet with keys in his hands, and a large sports bag was lying next to him.


    "Are you looking for something, girl?" He asked when he heard the floor boards creak.


    "I was just curious, what exactly are you looking for here" Linda replied, already knowing the whole point of what was happening.


    "I''m on the job of the caretaker repairing the lock on the locker, so you''re really bothering me. If you need to pick something up, do it quickly" The man replied rudely.


    "Okay, I won''t distract you, keep working. I''ll be back later" Linda said, leaving the room and removing the spell from the lock at the same time. The man was an employee of the Committee and came here to pick up her costume. Although it was a pity to part with the suit, but an unsuccessful attempt to open a simple lock, especially by a professional, can lead to unpleasant conclusions. Moreover, there was a hope that after checking the suit would be returned to its place.


    When Linda returned, Olivia had already stopped being angry and started chatting again, as always. The rest of the day passed quietly, and the next morning, as soon as breakfast was over, Goblin took her with him, and they studied English for an hour and a half in an empty classroom at that time. At the end of the lesson, he gave Linda a list with a hundred words written on it.


    "I suggest you learn irregular verbs in all their forms at once" The teacher explained: "So there are more than a hundred words in the list. I have selected the most commonly used ones. I qualify your degree of knowledge as average. We''ve worked on the transcription, and now I''m more or less sure that you''ll remember everything correctly. Tomorrow we''ll check the words and how you pronounce them. If you answer the dvoka, then your training will end there. You''ll come here again tomorrow, as soon as breakfast is over. I don''t want there to be gossip that I''m crazy and flirting with a young girl".


    After saying goodbye to the Goblin, Linda went straight to the toilet stall, where she pulled a flask out of the tank. Despite the fact that she was suffering from vomiting spasms, she was able to drink half of the contents. After that, the flask returned back to the tank, and Linda, having come to her bedroom, began to mumble words on her bed. Helena''s new memory and drink did their job: the entire vocabulary from the Goblin''s list was mastered in just an hour and a half.


    "I should tell Stanley to double the number of words" She thought the next morning, rechecking the words from the list with Olivia''s help: "Then maybe I''ll be able to learn the language in a couple of weeks. I''ve heard that a lot of Americans speak only three thousand words. I can easily remember about the same amount".


    "I absolutely cannot believe that you memorized all the words in one evening!" Olivia was surprised: "You''re just playing around with your training, but you probably speak the language as well as a Goblin".

 Chapter 14

    A major from the T department, interested in Jordana''s case, asked the lieutenant colonel with great curiosity about the results of the examination of her clothes.


    The Lieutenant Colonel replied: "Samples should have been sent to you. Didn''t you get them?"


    The major explained that the samples had arrived in the morning, but he had not yet had time to study them thoroughly. He asked for a brief description.


    The Lieutenant Colonel explained: The costume is made of wool resembling sheep''s wool. The fabric is not factory-made, the tailoring is handmade. The threads are made of vegetable fibers, the composition of the dye is still unknown. Although at first glance there was nothing special, experts were convinced that the structure of the samples was amazing. The atoms of the elements differ in weight from ordinary ones, their properties are unique.


    The major shared his observations: Jordana looks like an ordinary person. Her health and physical development are surprising, but they are within the norm. The tests from the orphanage had already arrived, and he had time to study them. The fact that Jordana is learning English and has made great progress in her studies struck a major acquaintance.


    The major was also told that Jordana was very interested in learning English, and books from the library played a big role in this. Barrett is surprised by her success and fast learning. He thinks that in a week she will have nothing to teach.


    Even the major was surprised to ask why Barrett took up the training. It would seem that he had a lot to do...


    "Mind control?"


    "Yes, it looks like it. Our captain also abruptly interrupted the conversation with her, although he planned to communicate for at least an hour. He couldn''t explain the reason consciously. And in the orphanage, she skillfully put aside the curiosity of the older boys, who are not so easy to appease. Perhaps that''s what gives her such confidence. I would probably show the same behavior if I had the opportunity to control others at the right moment".


    "And what do your analysts say?"


    "Sad conclusions. She clearly came from another world and would probably return there just as easily. If this is a parallel reality, then most likely she is here looking for something that is needed there. She doesn''t trust us and may have decided to find this "something" where there are no problems with selling gold and buying the goods she needs. Studying the language suggests that she chose the United States or another English-speaking country. Your costume details add another piece to the puzzle. If this is a world with backward technology compared to ours, she will most likely need a weapon. The backward world will not appreciate sophisticated technology, but small arms are always relevant. It is available in the States, especially for such an experienced person".


    "Perhaps her abilities are limited, so she has to use language. She could have just given the order and we would have delivered everything to her personally".


    "I agree, this is likely" The major agreed: "Now we should ask ourselves: will we allow a large batch of gold with unique properties to enter the American market? Even if it is distributed in parts, and the Americans do not understand the value of this gold, I would not bet on it, otherwise we risk losing the unique metal".


    "It makes perfect sense. In that case, what can you suggest?"


    "Yes, I would be ready to give her everything she needs. I even agree to give her access to a large batch of machine guns stored in warehouses. For us, even the thought that she would take all this abroad was not an obstacle. With the help of her gold, we could become leaders, make an ambitious breakthrough. But Linda unfortunately remains unapproachable, did not want to deal with them directly. Therefore, it''s time to turn to the top management. The proposal looks simple: write a detailed justification for the leadership, addressed personally to the head of the CGRa. It was important to emphasize the inadmissibility of using force in this situation. The head of the CGR will need to realize the importance and seriousness of this issue".


    *****


    Three days later, a folder with documents from the Management of the Scientific and Technical Intelligence Committee got on the desk of the chairman of the CGR. These were prepared materials, including the conclusion of the Academy of Sciences and an explanatory note with the opinion of the management of the RT department. This was a surprise for the head of the CGRa, but he could not help but listen to the opinion of scientists and his subordinates.


    "I didn''t think I''d find this in my office" Thought the head of the CGR, closing the folder: "On the other hand, what is the risk? If the information provided is correct and the operation is under our control, we can obtain valuable data at minimal cost. We need to discuss this with the General Secretary and submit the issue to the Duma for decision".


    Despite his power, he understood that such decisions required collegial discussion.


    *****


    Linda had finished reading The Mekong Crew when Maya entered the bedroom.


    "Linda, it''s time to leave the book, they''re waiting for you" Maya said.


    Linda put the book in the bedside table and followed Maya into the hallway.


    "They''re waiting for you in Stanley''s classroom" The teacher explained: "He''s going to leave, so hurry up".


    Linda knocked on the door of the training room and entered. There she saw a Goblin and an unknown woman. After saying hello, Linda looked at the head teacher with a questioning look.


    Stanley turned to Linda: "I called because they want to talk to you. I have to go home, so I want to advise you to listen as closely as possible to what Scarlett has to say. And I''m saying goodbye to you, we''ll meet tomorrow".


    The woman, who was about forty years old, wasted no time in introducing herself: "Your tutor called me, so I won''t repeat myself. I am a major of the CGR. We are already familiar with your amazing abilities, but I ask you not to get into my thoughts. Just listen and think about my words. You know the uniqueness of the gold that the coins you sold are made of. Scientists believe that this metal comes from another world, and our analysts assume that you came for something very important and want to exchange it for your gold. Are we assuming that you need a weapon?"


    Linda did not delay and immediately answered: "Let''s say yes".


    The Major nodded in understanding: "Okay, we have a suggestion. We will offer you the necessary weapons in exchange for gold. We can guess that the technology in that world is not up to par, and in general it probably lags far behind our world. Am I right?"


    "Yes, you''ve hit the nail on the head: only swords and spears are used as weapons there. I haven''t seen anything more complicated than a crossbow there".


    "We can give you AKM submachine guns and any number of cartridges. We are ready to send weapons in parts in exchange for the same amount of gold. You won''t have to go to America".


    Linda confirmed: "I understood that you guessed my plans".


    The major explained further: "We understand how important this is to you. We need your gold, but we are no less interested in preventing it from falling into the hands of the Americans. There are good reasons for this. We understand that you are offended by the way the authorities treated you, but I assure you that you should not distrust your Homeland so much. Therefore, we urge you not to transfer such significant metal to our probable enemy. Let''s find a compromise and discuss how much you need and what you''re willing to offer in return".


    Linda suggested: "I propose to do this - you bring ten machine guns, a large number of cartridges for them and provide me with an instructor. I''ve never had to hold a weapon like that in my hands. Together with the instructor, I will move to another world, where he will teach me how to handle it and show how it works to the king of my new homeland. After that, your man will come back and I will pay for the machines that we will receive. Don''t worry, there will be a lot of gold. If you valued my coins, then a few hundred kilograms of gold should be enough for you. And if you act honestly, there will be even more gold. I may need more than just weapons, but also something else from this world".


    "Why do you need these weapons?" The major asked: "If you don''t want to, you can keep quiet, I was just curious".


    Linda answered anyway: "We mostly need it to protect us from the creatures, but I can''t guarantee that it won''t be used against our enemies. I can only say that our king has no intention of attacking our neighbors".


    "And what kind of creatures do we have?"


    Linda smiled: "Oh, there are a lot of them. For example, these are the ones". A small hologram of a tyrannosaurus appeared in front of the terrified woman. The lizard opened its mouth, bared its teeth and breathed stinky breath at the screaming woman.


    "Don''t be afraid, you can open your eyes" Linda said: "I''m sorry, I didn''t take into account that there are no dinosaurs in this world, and I didn''t think I would scare you so much".


    "Okay, okay, I''m fine" The major said, but still it was noticeable that her hands were shaking a little: "And how many of these creatures do you have?"


    "We attract people like the one I showed from other worlds, they don''t live here themselves. I wanted to ask: do you only need gold from another world, or can any other metals also have any value for you?"


    "You know, I can''t say that right away" The major thought: "Now our scientists have only your gold, so maybe other metals can also be valuable. We will need samples to study".


    "Is it possible to find out right now when I can expect the arrival of your weapons and a reliable person?"


    "With such a small number of weapons, it is possible right tomorrow. And where is it better to bring him?" The major replied.


    "It doesn''t matter to me where to leave from. Choose a place yourself. Bring my suit or a similar size, because it is not customary to wear dresses with such a length. Wait a bit. If we leave tomorrow, then I won''t need the decoction, so I can give you a small amount for analysis now".


    Linda ran to the toilet, took a flask from the tank and came back.


    "It contains silver from that world. Inside there is a drink that I drink to memorize foreign words well and quickly. This drink is obtained from plants, but if it is consumed for a long time, on the contrary, it can become harmful, and it tastes just disgusting!"This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Lindik, I have one more question for you. Why did you so stubbornly refuse to cooperate before, but now you have given your consent?"


    "And what was your offer to me? Move in with an aunt? And what would your reaction be if I suddenly appeared in your office and offered to exchange gold for weapons? But now you have made such an offer to me. There''s a difference, isn''t there? Now I feel that your team is serious about business cooperation, so now I see a real opportunity to benefit. I want to warn you that any attempts to put pressure on me will end in a breakup of the relationship. You can try to kill me, but you can''t force me to do something against my will".


    After saying goodbye to the major, Linda went into the bedroom and started reading the book again.


    "What did our Goblin want to talk to you about?" Olivia did not lag behind, hinting at the head of the household.


    "He said that my aunt wanted to take me to her place for a while, and the director allowed it. They''ll probably come for me tomorrow".


    "What luck!" The girl sighed: "I don''t have anyone at all. The mother is probably somewhere, of course, but I''ve never seen her. She left me to someone else as a baby, but I turned out to be an unnecessary stranger''s child".


    Olivia now seemed so depressed and abandoned by everyone that Linda could not remain indifferent, went up to her and hugged her, hugging her to herself. The girl responded in kind, rejoicing at the fleeting feeling of comfort.


    "That''s why Linda prefers friendship with girls, not with guys!" One of the girls shouted: "It''s easier for her to communicate with women! Watch her fondle Olivia. It seems that it''s best for you to retire to the hallway so as not to make me jealous!"


    Olivia quickly moved away from Linda, but alas, it was already too late: the bored girls found something to do. A flood of bullying and advice on how to have fun without men poured around them. Olivia sat blushing, very agitated and almost ready to cry.


    "What a shame!" Linda tried to calm them down: "Olivia was not well, but I just sympathized. What''s the catch here?"


    "Why don''t you show me sympathy if you''re so compassionate?" Alice objected, the most scandalous of all: "You can even lick my pussy, but you''ll have to go out into the hallway. I won''t do it in front of everyone, don''t even beg!"


    "You''re a jerk!" Linda couldn''t resist.


    It was too late to use magic against her. The girls around her, of course, remembered the strangeness of what had happened, and it was a pity to waste energy on the whole company of girls.


    "So I''m a fool, and you''re the smart one among us! Or do you want to get it in your teeth? Or maybe drag yourself by the hair on the floor?" Alice came up to her angrily.


    "Stop your antics, Alice!" Linda got angry: "And try not to chatter with your poisonous tongue, so as not to run into accidentally!"


    "Oh, wow!" Not knowing what to say, Alice jumped right up to Linda and wanted to hit her.


    The hands acted faster than the mind. Two blows, almost simultaneously, turned Alice and sent her to the headboard, where she hit her head and fell, rolling her eyes under her forehead.


    "Oh my God, Linda, you killed her!"


    The girls were instantly scared and approached, looking in surprise at their friend lying motionless.


    "Get out of the way!" Screamed Linda, when for a moment her own heart froze in fear.: "Yes, she''s alive, she just fainted. Don''t bother me, I know how to help".


    Linda knelt next to Alice and lifted her head with her hands. The examination showed that she had a slight concussion. Linda picked Alice up in her arms and put her on the bed.


    "She''ll come to her senses soon" Linda said: "I don''t want to tell her anything, you''ll tell her everything yourself, and don''t let her move until morning".


    Linda lay down on the bed, trying not to notice the glances of the girls who were staring at her. Emilia, who woke up, did not feel very well, hardly remembered what had happened, and did not want to make a scandal anymore. In the morning, everyone tried to avoid Linda. She read the girls'' thoughts and realized that they were afraid of her. After finishing breakfast, she went to the study area for a new assignment and was surprised to find Scarlett there, besides Goblin and the director.


    "Here, take it" Said the teacher, and handed her a pack of filled-out sheets: "Here are the rest of the materials for the entire course. You''re leaving us, but you shouldn''t drop out of school".


    "I am very happy for you, Jordana!" Said the director: "You will be better off at your aunt''s than at our boarding school, although we try".


    "Thank you" Linda murmured gratefully: "Scarlett, has my costume arrived yet?"


    "Yes" The major replied: "Your mentor is coming now, and you can change your clothes".


    "I''ll go too" The director said: "You can leave the dress on the chair, I''ll deal with it myself later".


    "Is everything ready?"  Linda asked after getting dressed in a suit.


    This suit was new, but apparently they decided not to return the old one.


    "Everything is prepared, they are already waiting for us. Would you mind if the instructor took the camera with him?"


    "Let him take pictures, but only when I allow it. God forbid, he will start filming someone unnecessary and get punched in the face, and then I will have to apologize to you. Do we have to go far?"


    "Not far away, I have a car".


    Scarlett took them to a large, almost empty room resembling a hangar. There were racks of lamps in the center, wooden boxes and some bales. Several men greeted them. Among them she saw the major who defended her in the Committee. Linda looked at the men and immediately recognized the older one among them.


    "I''m at your service, Mr. General" She said to the man in civilian clothes: "Ethan, don''t be so nervous. I will not keep Captain Nelson waiting and I will pay you honestly".


    "I could have introduced myself" He replied: "You didn''t have to look into our heads to do that".


    "I''m sorry, but I need to be careful until I''m convinced that I can rely on you. Do it properly, and I will stop doubting. Captain, may I call you Jenson? It''s customary on the other side to call each other by their first names only. My name is Rinda, so you can address me like that, but among the dignitaries, add my title".


    "And what is your title?" The sturdy man grinned.


    "I am a baroness now, but when my foster mother dies, I will become a marchioness. Are we going to wait for someone else?" She replied.


    "The operators will be here any minute" The general explained: "In the meantime, you will sort out the goods for exchange. Do you think the landing site will be safe?"


    "The place where we will leave will be a clearing near the castle. The last time I went back there two weeks ago, everything was fine. Don''t worry. There are no dangerous creatures there, and the local people are not a threat to us. What is in these bales?"


    "There are machine guns and ammunition clips here, and in the boxes there are additional ammunition in zinc" The captain replied.


    "Then we''ll need two more people" Linda said decisively: "We only have to hold out at the gate for a minute, so in order: Jenson goes first, and then two assistants throw the load through the gate. When all the cargo is shipped, I will leave immediately".


    "Isn''t it possible to delay the gate a little longer?" The general asked.


    "Perhaps, but this is an unnecessary waste of the forces that we will need on the other side. Because after that, Jenson and I will go to the capital again through the gate" Linda replied.


    "Well, of course you know better. Yeah, our photographers have arrived. Turn on the light!"


    People with movie cameras went to different sides to shoot from different points of view. The lamps flashed, illuminating everything with a bright light.


    "Oh, there''s too much light" Linda rolled her eyes: "Your people won''t be able to see the gate".


    After the command, some of the lamps were turned off. Linda went over to the bales and showed the two officers how the gate was located.


    "Throw them into the center of the circle and as far away as possible so that I don''t get caught on them. Jenson, are you ready?"


    "I''m ready" The captain replied, holding a submachine gun in his hands.


    "Let''s go. Jenson, on my command, enter the center of the portal, and immediately run on, otherwise things will fall there".


    The cameras behind him began to chatter, recording the multicolored vortex that arose with the appearance of the portal.


    She pushed the captain forward, and after a short pause, he disappeared into the portal opening, and immediately shouted to the assistant: "Throw things!"


    The officers quickly threw the bales into the gate. It took longer to send the boxes, and when it was over with Cruz, Linda disappeared too. She kicked her foot unsuccessfully against one of the crates in the dark, carefully walked around the pile of bales and called out to Jenson.


    "Come to me, but carefully" Linda asked. "Last time I came home the day before yesterday, which means it''s the middle of the night and everyone in the castle will be asleep, of course. I will open a portal near my room, and you will carry our cargo inside. You can take your time, in this world I can hold the gate longer".


    And they did so, spending about five minutes on the transfer.


    "You and I will only have to sleep for three or four hours" Linda explained to the captain: "We will not make beds. You can lie down on the sofa and sleep peacefully, I''ve closed the doors from the inside. I''ll sleep in my room. If you need to go to the bathroom, pick me up. It''s not safe for you to wander around the castle alone, especially at night. The guards should be on watch by now, so they''ll just kill the stranger the fastest, especially since you don''t speak their language and won''t be able to tell who he is. Wait here, I''ll turn on the light. Here, take this ball. Put it next to you in the living room and go to bed, it will soon go out on its own".


    "What is it?" The captain asked.


    "Local lamps created by magicians. These are the glowing demons they captured" Linda explained.


    "Is this a joke, Rinda?"


    "I hardly remember the last time I joked with anyone".


    Before going to bed, Linda activated a signal spell on the threshold of her room. This was not done because she did not trust the captain, but for simple peace of mind. In the morning, she woke up as soon as the sun rose.


    "Are you still asleep, Jenson?" She called the captain: "It''s time to get up".


    "I couldn''t sleep like that" He replied from his couch: "Can I come to you?"


    "Of course. Stay in the room for now, I''ll try to find out who is in the castle today. Our captain was forming a squad while I was away, and none of them knows the new owners yet, so it would be better for me to go alone".


    Avoiding the need to figure it out on her own, the girl immediately met the castle manager.


    "Good day, my lady!" The Announcer greeted her: "Glad to see you at home again".


    "How''s the renovation going?" The girl asked


    "So far, we have only cleared the ruins and started rebuilding the destroyed building. The furniture you ordered should be available tomorrow. I plan to temporarily place everything in the dining room, start leveling the floor and prepare the rooms where the vigilantes will live. In two weeks they will be able to move in, and all work should be completed by the end of autumn".


    "I have a person in my guest room who does not speak our language. I''m worried that he might accidentally meet up with the vigilantes. If they are not here yet, please ask the workers to ignore him if they meet him".


    After talking to the manager, Linda returned to her rooms.


    "Now there are only builders here who are engaged in repairs" She told the captain: "I told our manager that I have a guest. Let me show you where the toilet is, it''s the only one in the castle for everyone. How long will it take you to learn how to shoot a machine gun?"


    "I was told that you have an excellent memory, so I can teach you how to use it in ten minutes, but shooting... it depends on everyone individually. Some manage to learn how to shoot well almost immediately, while others, even after serving in the army, will be able to shoot themselves in the head".


    "I hope that I will be in the first category" Linda smiled: "Teach me at least the first basics of shooting. We will hide everything, leave only two machine guns, and get to our capital through the portal. I don''t want to eat what is prepared for the builders, so it''s best for us to have breakfast at home. You will have an incentive: the sooner you teach me how to use the machine, the sooner we will sit down at the table".


    Linda mastered working with a submachine gun in just one minute, but training to quickly aim at a target took her a little time. However, the shooting process itself did not cause her any difficulties.


    "You are not a sniper, but you do it very well" The captain praised her: "Especially for a lady who has picked up a machine gun for the first time. Let''s try to shoot bursts next time, but I''ll show you how to disassemble and assemble the machine later. I''ll leave the maintenance instructions with you".


    "We''re going to the castle to hide the weapons, and then home, because I''m so hungry that I can''t stand it anymore. If we stay late, I''ll run to the builders, and you won''t envy them, because they can''t stay without breakfast".


    "Can I take a picture in front of your castle?"


    "Of course, only after that you have to give me this photo".


    "Our intelligence service will classify these photos the fastest" Said a confused Jenson: "But they''ll probably make an exception for you".


    They took a few pictures, then put the weapons in an empty chest, which stood in the living room. For insurance, Linda has formed a spell on the chest that paralyzes the uninvited guest. The door in the corridor was bolted again, they took the necessary weapons with them and headed to the park near the central estate.


    "Only my foster mother is able to communicate with you" Linda warned the captain: "She certainly does not understand our language, but she can talk to you mentally. Apart from the servants, we have two guards: a soldier of the king and a vampire girl. This is not a joke. A Muggle drinks blood, but it doesn''t look any different from you and me. Don''t worry, she only drinks blood from rabbits. After breakfast, I will send my guard to the king with a message about the arrival of weapons. He has to try it, and further actions depend on him. You''ll show him your shooting master class, and then we''ll shoot together. I doubt that he would prefer shooting at a long distance, probably two hundred paces, and even from that distance I can hit a person".


    "Are we going to shoot people?"


    "No, what makes you think that? You got it all wrong. I''ll tell the king to install something like a scarecrow. By the way, Jenson, you haven''t noticed that I''ve already switched to "you" with you, and you keep referring to me as "you". I ask you to address me in the same way. No one will suspect you, and it won''t violate etiquette. Oh, what a smell of fried meat, I''m just going to choke on saliva! Come on quickly!"

 Chapter 15

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 Chapter 16

    Nome was known as the magician killer. In the temple of Mashun, the priests did not have unity, and the Order of Dogs was not inclined to share its secrets with the Temple, so the priests of the Temple had to study magic on their own. The dogs attacked the masters with great force and even used the king''s soldiers. The stolen books were delivered to the Temple, where the base of the Order was located, but initially the priests were not allowed to access the acquired knowledge.


    Only after the battle priests of the Order began to die while studying books, the master ordered that some of the books be transferred to the Temple. Mashun''s servants could not fully master the knowledge of the masters, but they still mastered part of the higher magic. It was enough to move on.


    The masters exchanged the spells they received, but each family kept certain knowledge secret and did not reveal it to others. After receiving these secrets, the priests were able to improve their skills in magic. Since there were few strong magicians, the main focus was on creating amulets that allowed ordinary people to compete with magicians.


    Nome came to the Temple as a child. It was a long time ago, forty years ago, when some families of masters still lived in the kingdom, without leaving their fortified abodes. They hoped to escape through the portal if something happened. However, the dogs had already learned to prevent the formation of portals, captured the masters and destroyed them after torture. At the same time, the priests of the Temple were looking for children with a magical gift in the villages.


    Nome had a gift, but not too much at that time, and it was acquired from the family. The ordeal began for the boy. His mentors cruelly trained him to develop his abilities: "You are still nobody" Said one of the mentors: "And so far there is no point in calling you anything. To succeed, you need to follow the instructions without complaining".


    Nome showed incredible abilities, becoming one of the leading performers of tasks. Over the past ten years, he has not failed a single mission, which has strengthened his reputation as the best of the students. Despite his reputation as a killer of magicians, Nome carried out a wide variety of assignments for the Temple. Three years ago, he destroyed the master in neighboring Kiwan, and after that his success only strengthened.


    As soon as the other master escaped from Carson, he realized that he had made a big mistake by not learning a lesson from the tragic death of his family. Soon, however, Noma easily tracked him down, ended his life, and brought his magic books to the Temple.


    The new assignment did not cause Nome any particular difficulties, but he approached it very seriously. For two days, he observed the mansion and its inhabitants before devising an infiltration plan. He learned that once every three days the horses of the estate are provided with oats by an old man named Hasd, who buys feed from a local trader. Nome received this information from the groom who delivered the feed to the mansion.


    When the next day of Hasd''s arrival arrived, Nome was ready for it. Early in the morning, he went to the merchant''s house with the necessary plan of action. After waiting for the old man''s arrival, the Nome burst into the stable, knocked out the groom with his fist and dragged him to the hayloft so that he would not interfere. The groom would be unconscious for a couple of hours, and that was enough for him. Nome preferred to act without unnecessary violence, so he gave the groom time to recover.


    After the buyer arrived and ordered the purchases to be loaded, Nome went to the magician''s mansion to unload the necessary materials at the stable. Upon meeting Gasd at the gate, Nome quickly used magic to convince him to let him inside. Leaving the cart to the groom to unload the food himself, Nome headed for the house and, using a magic amulet, found the landlady''s room. A young girl opened the door to him, startled by the unexpected appearance of a strange guest.


    The touch of a finger on the right point - and he quickly caught the limp body, and immediately carried her to the back of the room. Nome listened and heard the creak of a bed in the next room. The old woman was apparently asleep, but since the Nome was protected by an amulet, Helena did not feel anyone else''s presence. Grinning unkindly, he opened the door to the old woman''s bedroom.


    *****


    Linda received a new batch of weapons, paid in gold and was going to talk to the king, but She was suddenly seized with incomprehensible pain and fear. She felt that these feelings were coming from Helena, and, opening a portal directly into the hallway of the mansion, ruShed to her teacher''s room. Dina was crouched against the wall in the living room, and the door to the bedroom was slightly open. Assessing the situation with one glance, Linda realized what was happening.


    Helena was still alive, but noticeably weaker. Lying on the bed, She was gasping for breath, and next to her stood an inconspicuous man in the clothes of a commoner, collecting magic books in a backpack. Hearing the creak of the door behind him, he turned around and saw Linda, as if by magic he literally pulled out small daggers from the air. The girl pulled out a pistol with a practiced movement and fired twice. The stranger flew off onto the table, and then tipped over on the floor, and lost consciousness.


    Linda ruShed to Helena, examined her and began to treat her. Her heart was filled with fear, but She still struggled with panic. There were no visible injuries on the mentor''s body, but the red spot above her heart, visible only with the help of magic, was slowly expanding. Not knowing what kind of attack it was, Linda decided to share her power with Helena. The stain stopped growing so fast, but the fear and hopelessness remained. Her only family member was dying right in front of her eyes.


    "Mom, I''m begging you, don''t leave! What is the best thing for me to do? I don''t understand how to help you!"


    Helena opened her eyes with a visible effort. Linda immediately bent down to her lips to hear her whisper.


    And finally, I barely heard the whisper of graying lips: "I thought I would never hear these words from you. I''m dying, and to my great regret, I''m leaving you alone, without any support. Don''t worry. If it wasn''t for the "help" of this priest, I would have lasted only a couple of days anyway. Take care of yourself, daughter, now everything depends on you".


    A short shudder ran through Helena''s body, and the time of her life was over. Linda wiped her tears and turned to the door to the room where all the residents of the mansion had gathered, who had come running to the sound of gunfire.


    "What''s up with Dina?" She asked.


    "She lost consciousness, Golder has already helped her recover" Fancore replied: "Do you need our help?"


    At the mansion, Jenson became known as Golder.


    "No, I''ll manage on my own, disperse and close the door".


    She returned to the wounded priest lying on the floor. Trouble and fear gave way to hatred. The examination showed that the bullets had destroyed only the killer''s shoulder joints, as She had hoped. The sudden and sharp pain knocked him unconscious, but in just those few minutes, a sufficient pool of blood had formed under his body. Linda quickly bandaged the wounds to prevent excessive blood loss, relieved the pain and gave her some healing powers.


    "Stop lying around, open your eyes quickly" She ordered: "I can''t feel you because of your protective amulets, but I know you''re conscious. If you keep pretending, and I''ll give you back the pain".


    The priest gave a sign of life and opened his eyes.


    "You killed a man very close to me, and now you will pay for it" Linda promised him: "No further explanation is required. Choose how you want to die - peacefully or in pain. You will not escape pain with the help of your amulets - you don''t have to hope for that!"


    "What do you want from me?"


    "Truthful answers to my questions".


    "Will you give me a peaceful death?"


    ¡°yeah. After all, you''re just a performer. But to the one who sent you, I will cause unbearable suffering".


    "I''ll talk".


    "Wait a minute!" Linda pulled the amulets hanging on a string from the priest''s neck: "Now I can feel you and find out if you''re lying to me or not. Tell the truth".


    "I am a priest at the main temple of Mashun. Our high priest ordered me to kill Master Helena Aquani".


    "What about me?"


    "There were no orders regarding you".


    "Can I get into your temple through the portal?"


    "No, there are powerful defenses and magical barriers installed there. You won''t be able to keep the gate open for too long, and the protective barriers will raise the alarm during that time".


    "Tell me, in as much detail as possible, how to get from the central entrance to the sacred chambers of the high priest as quickly as possible. He''s going to live there, isn''t he?"


    "No, not there. After the high priests elect the abbot of the main temple, Delius Dart will move into the supreme''s chambers, and now he lives in his own".


    "Okay, tell me how to get there, and don''t forget to tell me about the passage to the master''s chambers. And also, tell me where and how the security is located".


    After listening carefully to the priest''s instructions, Linda nodded, grabbed the pistol lying on the bed, and, as promised, shot the spy in the heart.


    "Take the body somewhere" She said to Fancore, who entered the bedroom: "I''m going to enter the castle through the portal and bury my mother myself. I don''t need an escort".


    She opened the portal, lifted Helena''s body in her arms and went to her chambers. After putting the mentor on the bed, Linda went out into the corridor again and after some searching found the manager.


    "Dicter, I need help" She replied to his greeting: "My mentor and my foster mother passed away and is now in the castle. We need to arrange her funeral, and I do not know how it is done in this world. Can you help me with that?"


    "Of course I will help you and fulfill your duty to Lady Helen" Dicter bowed in a bow: "Will you not be present yourself?"


    ¡°No. Then you will show me the burial place, and together we will discuss what needs to be done there. Take people with you to carry out the mother''s body. It''s in my rooms, and I have to get ready. I can''t leave the portal open for long-now it''s doubly unsafe for us".


    "We''ll do it now, my lady" The manager hurried: "Shall we move the lady to her rooms while we arrange everything?"


    "Yes, of course" Linda massaged her forehead: "Something got mixed up in my head. I''ll move Mom and leave you the keys. Later, you will close the doors to her room, and I will go to the tower".


    The girl used her keys to open Helena''s rooms and move the body there. After returning to her room, Linda opened the trunk, took out two spare clips for the pistol and a couple of boxes of cartridges. She laid out the cartridges, filled the clips with them, and reloaded the gun to capacity. To avoid the darkness and avoid using torches, She decided to spend one of the balls with rainbow demons in them.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Linda found a dagger in another chest, attached it to her belt, left the ball on the tower stand, found a leather purse with Worg stones and placed them in the right order according to the pattern. After that, She began the summoning ritual, presenting the Scarecrow in front of her. Flames flared up and flowed through the drawing, the wind howled, and the gate swung open.


    "Scarecrow, come to me!" Linda screamed, bending under the lashing wind. The ball, so far without demons, was blown off the rack, smashing it against the wall.


    "I did something wrong!" A thought flaShed through, and the portal closed, the hurricane immediately subsided. In the dark tower, right in the middle of the magic leaf with the drawing, there was a Beast.


    "Scarecrow, is that you?" Linda asked incredulously.


    "Of course, who were you waiting for?" The answer sounded in her head: "You''ve grown up noticeably and you feel strong. How can I help you?"


    "What kind of hurricane was that?" She asked: "I already thought it would blow up the whole tower. This has never happened before".


    "The Storm" Explained The Scarecrow: "You''re just doing the ritual at the wrong time. In such weather, it is better to stay in hiding. So what do you need?"


    "The priests who worship one of the many gods killed my mother and mentor. I want to take revenge on their high priest, but I can''t get to them alone. Helena told me that any walls are not a hindrance to you. Help me get into their temple, and I can take revenge there myself".


    "They have their own magic the fastest. How are you going to fight them alone?"


    "Now I have a very effective weapon from my world. I''m not stupid enough to rely on magic alone in such a matter".


    "This is really interesting. I''ll accompany you and follow you. Let''s see what you''re going to do there, and in case of danger, I''ll help you out of trouble. All I need to do is take me to their temple. Can you imagine his appearance?"


    "Yes, I''ve already seen him".


    "Okay, I remember. Are you ready?"


    "For what?"


    "Get ready, now I''ll take us to the temple and go inside. People on the streets won''t notice anything. You should be ready to face the enemy right away".


    "Now, a couple of minutes!" Linda took out her pistol, switched the safety to single mode, clicked the shutter and said: "Now I''m ready!"


    "Close your eyes. Even if we are in sunlight for a short time, after the darkness of the tower, it may seem too bright to your eyes. Open them when it gets darker".


    Even through her closed eyelids, Linda was blinded by a flash of light, then She saw the flickering lamps in the corridor of the temple. She could barely see the Beast, but She was clearly visible in a light dress.


    "Damn, and why didn''t I remember about this uncomfortable outfit" Linda thought: "I could have dressed more carefully!"


    Realizing that they were in the central corridor of the temple, Linda quickly chose a direction.


    "Let''s move faster" She told the Beast: "I''ve already found out where to go. We need to hurry up before we meet anyone".


    "There are living creatures here, I can feel them" Said the Beast: "But they''ve just had enough and are resting".


    Noticing a ledge in the wall, Linda found a third turn from it and turned into a side passage that led to the chambers of the supreme master of the Order. They had managed to escape from the central corridor, from where the sounds of conversations and footsteps were now coming. The girl ran down the aisle to the right door and abruptly opened it. A priest was sitting in an armchair in the middle of the room, he turned around and hissed contemptuously:


    "You''ve got the wrong door, whore! This is the Grand Master''s quarters. Get out, you bastard!"


    With an accelerated movement, Linda jumped up to the priest and stabbed him in the throat with a dagger.


    "Is this the weapon you were bragging about?" The Beast asked with obvious disappointment.


    "It''s just a dagger. My main one is too noisy. If I use it, we''ll have to get out of here right away, and I still have things to do. Please don''t interfere. This priest is not a magister at all, the older one..."


    "There''s something in the next room, some kind of person..."


    "Why didn''t you feel those in the hallway?" Linda opened the next door a crack and asked a question.


    "To be honest, I don''t even know... i just didn''t feel them, that''s all" The interlocutor replied doubtfully: "Are you sure you want to go to kill this one?" The beast pointed with his paw at an old man who looked like a mummy sitting in an armchair by the fireplace.


    "My duty is to fulfill my promise to my mother" Linda replied decisively.


    "In this way, you will only ease his suffering".


    "Maybe" Linda admitted: "But promises have to be kept. And a lesson will be given to whoever comes in his place".


    When the girl with the dagger in her hand and the huge Beast entered the room, the old man squeaked thinly and tried to leave, but Linda came up to him and with a blow of the dagger chained him to a chair.


    "Now we can continue using the weapon I told you about" Linda said, taking her pistol out of its holster.


    Suddenly, two priests appeared from a side corridor. When they saw Linda and the Beast in front of them, they froze in surprise on the spot, becoming vulnerable to Linda''s shots. The next shot hit the priest, who bravely opened the door to the sound of gunfire. He fell out of the door into the room, but suddenly, in the corridor behind Linda, doors began to open one after another, from which other priests jumped out, and one of them was already beginning to cast a spell.


    Linda did not hesitate and opened fire, destroying most of the priests, forcing the rest to retreat to their rooms. Suddenly, the Scarecrow intervened, smashing the doors and hitting two priests with his tail, who decided to find out the cause of the noise. Both fell dead, smashing their heads against the wall.


    The door to the second room opened, and a young priest jumped out of it, holding two swords at once. When he saw the Beast, he dropped his weapon and ran away, but the Scarecrow knocked him to the ground with a clawed paw, thereby depriving him of life. At this time, Linda burst into the room and froze in place, finding not far from her an unfamiliar man armed with a sword and smiling at her.


    "So it was you who caused so much noise?" He asked: "Your name is Master Rinda, right? You made a mistake when you came in here. There is no magic in this room, but there is no substitute for me in the martial arts. I have been developing my skills for almost a century. They tried to use you against me, now I have to kill you".


    With the first shot, Linda severed the fingers on the priest''s hand holding the sword. The next two shots pierced his knees, causing him to scream at the top of his voice and fall to the floor.


    "I''m sorry I don''t have much time, I''d love to talk to you" Linda said, pointing the gun at him.: "I would love to pull out your nails or torture you with fire, but in any case you will suffer".


    With three shots, She turned the head of the high priest into a terrible mess, from which Linda quickly turned away herself.


    "It''s time to get out of here" She told the Scarecrow: "Now we''re going to be dealt with seriously".


    A moment later, She found herself in another world, standing on a sand dune, almost knee-deep in sand. In front of her stretched a desert as black as coal, through which a terrible wind carried dark streams of sand. The sky was shrouded in furiously billowing red clouds. The wind beat her face with large grains of sand, forcing her to bend and close her eyes. The Scarecrow was standing next to her.


    "What''s going on here?" Linda screamed through the wind with difficulty: "Where did you bring me?"


    The air was hot, dry, and suffocating.


    "You and I are in my world now. I helped you deal with your enemies, now you have to help me".


    "How can I help you?"


    "I have a problem with a relative who prevents me from advancing in power. I need to eliminate him, but I can''t do it myself because I''m bound by a promise. Do you understand?"


    "It''s unworthy to doubt my ability to eliminate someone like you, isn''t it?"


    "In a typical situation, of course, you cannot cope with him, but even he understands this and does not worry. Therefore, I will take you as close to him as possible, and you can use your magic weapon".


    "And if I say no?"


    "You can''t refuse me. First of all, our relationship is based on friendship, and I have already helped you once, and secondly, you need it more than me. If you kill him, you can taste our blood. Without it, you''re doomed, even if you go back right now. The sands of our world are deadly to people like you, and our blood is the best antidote. And besides, it contains a very powerful force. After drinking our blood, the wizard from your world will become much stronger. You will be ten times stronger. This is considered the limit, because the human body cannot withstand more. After that, you will have no equal in your world".


    "Is there really no one at all?"


    "If you''re going to stand against someone alone. But of course the crowd will just crush you".


    "You sneaky liar! Wait, let me at least reload my gun and set it to automatic mode. Shooting at people like you in single player mode is just suicide. What about the sand in my shoes?"


    "It is taken into account. We''ll move as close to his house as possible, and then you''ll manage somehow. I wouldn''t advise you to take off your shoes. If anything, I can let you down a little on my back, even though it''s embarrassing for me".


    The world flaShed again, but in general nothing changed, only a pile of stones appeared in the distance.


    "Here is his house, which we need to visit" Explained the Scarecrow: "Can you walk by yourself?"


    "I''ll try. It seems that the wind has become a little weaker" Linda was approaching the rocks, constantly sinking deep into the sand: "It''s good that I have low heels, otherwise I would have been forced to walk barefoot! And how do you survive here?"


    "Our eyes see this world differently. What seems gloomy to you is bright and colorful for us. Besides, how can you not love your own house?"


    "And what do you eat for lunch here? Not sand, by any chance?"


    "When we are very young, our diet consists of sandworms. It''s because of them that I warned you: it''s better not to go barefoot, so as not to risk losing your legs or even everything else. When we grow up, we start hunting in completely different worlds".


    "What do your worms eat when they don''t see girls without shoes in front of them?" Linda asked with some concern, now cautiously looking at her feet.


    "These deserts are full of life. Stop talking to me, we''re getting close to the goal. The connection between us will allow you to understand our conversation with him. Start shooting when he opens his mouth, then you will have a chance to kill him" Advised her interlocutor.


    The owner noticed them from afar and came out to meet them, stopping a hundred paces from his house. He opened his mouth slightly and a loud and low roar was heard. At the same time, his question rang in the girl''s mind, intended for the Scarecrow:


    "What do you want, the youngest of my people? And why did you bring this sandworm lunch with you?"


    The beast was about a meter and a half taller than the Scarecrow, its scales shimmering with red reflected light. Seeing such a monster, Linda''s knees almost buckled.


    "This beautiful lady is thirsting for your blood, senior" Replied the Scarecrow with respect, but, in Linda''s opinion, with a hint of gloating.


    "You!" The Beast screamed, spreading its mouth as wide as possible: "Do you hear what you just said?! I can do anyone you want..."


    "Linda, shoot!" The Scarecrow growled.


    Stunned by the scream in her head and overcome with fear, Linda raised her pistol and fired all the cartridges into the grinning mouth. Without looking at the result, She quickly reloaded her weapon and only then looked at the Beast. He was lying on the sand, his torn muzzle turned to the side. Due to the recoil at the end, Linda''s gun turned slightly and the last bullets hit the monster''s left eye.


    "A powerful weapon!" The Scarecrow was delighted: "It''s good that you and I are friends! Hurry up, don''t waste your time! Blood is flowing into the sand in vain, soon there will be hundreds of worms here. Drink faster, you don''t need much, half a mug is enough. Faster! Or are you tired of living?"


    Linda put the gun back in its holster, ran to the gaping mouth of the Beast and, feeling inner disgust, pressed herself against the bullet hole, from which dark, almost black blood was flowing the most. The taste of blood turned out to be salty, like people''s. During her stay at the castle, Linda took so many strange substances that She quickly overcame her disgust and took several sips from the wound. Remembering that the blood of the Beast was the antidote, She drank some more.


    "Stop drinking!" The Scarecrow shouted at her: "How many times have I told you? And you''re just like a barrel. Do you want to be torn up by an overabundance of strength? Let''s get out of here, the sandworms are already very close!"


    "But you said you were eating them!" Linda shouted, running after the Scarecrow: "Why are you running away from them?"


    "Look for yourself, and everything will become clear!" He replied, pointing with his paw at the corpse of a colleague: "One worm is not a problem, but when there are hundreds of them, it is already dangerous. And you better remember that".


    Linda looked at the dead Animal and almost threw up. The creature''s body writhed, the sand rippled under the blows of worms tearing huge chunks of meat from the corpse with their whips. The flesh was flying in all directions, the vultures were already feasting on the body. The monster seemed to have gained fur, fluttering in the wind.


    "Let''s move into my world as soon as possible" Linda asked: "I''m sick here, and I don''t want to throw up all the blood I''ve drunk. Please!"


    "All right" The Scarecrow agreed, and they were instantly inside the tower.


    "How dark it is here!" Linda complained: "I had a balloon that time and I didn''t prepare matches".


    "Don''t know how to handle this?" The Scarecrow was surprised: "Open your mind, I will teach you. This spell will help you see in the dark. Not exactly like me, but still... and you can also shine with any part of your body. The demons you catch glow in much the same way. Do you understand? Then I''m leaving. Remember that the blood will be bad at first, but it will pass, and a little later all the magicians around you will kiss your ass".


    "Or they''ll all get together and decide to kill me out of harm''s way!" Linda replied sadly.


    "Perhaps it will be so!" The Scarecrow said with a laugh: "But I believe in your intelligence and innate caution. You will be a very useful friend to me! And remember that I''m always ready to help you when you need me, too. When you gain full strength, you won''t need any rituals to summon, just call me. Be healthy!"


    And with that, he disappeared. Linda decided to try one of the spells given to her by the Beast and found herself outside the tower. After that, She moved forward, holding out her glowing palms in front of her. Approaching the residential part of the castle, She was again overcome by longing and pain from the loss of her named mother. Despite the perfect revenge, She realized that now She was completely alone in this world.

 Chapter 17

    Helena was buried next to the castle in an open space. Her small grave was slightly covered with needles on a low hillock.


    "Something needs to be planted here" Linda thought: "Otherwise it will be too empty here".


    "We didn''t put stones on the grave" Said Dicter: "You said something like that, but I wanted to ask again. That''s not how we do it. Why drown the body with stones? Usually a small slab with the name of the deceased carved on it is placed on the grave. The rich prefer to put up an arch. If you want, I can make an order".


    "Yes, of course, order an arch for the grave. Do you need money?"


    "Thank you, my lady, but I have spent no more than a third of the gold that I have left from your mother. Do you need a report?"


    "Later. Please go away, Dicter, I want to be alone with her".


    The manager nodded in agreement and left, and Linda sat down on the ground, hugged a pine-scented and sun-warmed hillock, and wept profusely, saying goodbye to the man who was like a mother to her.


    Linda thought about it: "Why do we so often fail to appreciate what we have?" Remembering her departed mother, she realized how many missed opportunities there were: "I have never expressed enough tenderness to her, I have not shown her how much I need her. The last time I called her mom was when it was too late. And how sad her eyes were! It turns out that she needed my care so much! And I, an egoist, thought only of myself. I knew she didn''t have much time left, but I pushed those thoughts away. Dad said that young people are too self-confident, not wanting to listen to their elders and use their experience, preferring to step on the rake on their own. Your experience is more valuable and remembered better, but sometimes it hurts to learn! This place will remain special to me for the rest of my life. I''ll be here often, Mom!"


    Mourning her loss, Linda pressed her cheek to the grave, and then stood up resolutely. The wind playing in her hair reminded her of Helena, who was doing the same thing. Wiping away her tears, she headed deeper into the forest, going deeper into it step by step. After looking around and making sure that no one was around, Linda took off her dress and began to beat it against the trunk of a tree, trying to get rid of the black sand that was still left in it.


    She changed her clothes, took off her shoes and carefully began to shake the sand out of them. Although the antidote was taken, it was still wrong to leave this dirty mark on clothes and shoes. Even if it was no longer dangerous for her, Dina could get hurt. But the Scarecrow was a real scoundrel! The snake-like bastard! And in this, Helena had correctly warned her.


    After finishing cleaning, Linda opened a portal to her rooms in the castle, lit the remaining ball with demons and sat down at the table. She began to disassemble and clean the gun, then loaded the cartridges again, regretting that one of them was left on the sand. There was a showdown with the priests, and it was necessary to prepare for it competently. Now they have patched up their wounds, and then, probably, they will begin to share the posts that were vacated after that... It was hard to predict what would happen next. It was obvious that of course she would not be forgiven for her actions, but it was possible that they could take revenge themselves or even go to the king for her head.


    It was urgently necessary to return and warn Wadish about everything that had happened so that he would not face an unpleasant surprise for him. And such screams will begin in her world when they find out that she went to meet a crowd of enemies in their shelter with only a gun and a mysterious beast! No one knows about this at the moment, but Jenson will tell the management everything later. She knew perfectly well how important she was to the leadership of her country. Of course, she was offered protection from the very beginning, but she did not agree.


    They had excellent specialists working for them, but in the world of magic here, they could be powerless and die. If they agreed, then they should have been given the same amulets as the Nome. Only then will the guards be able to compete with the magicians.


    Now we need to deal with these amulets, although it is unknown whether we will be able to achieve anything. Helena didn''t pay much attention to them and trained Linda to create them only as needed. But this is understandable: the masters did not have amulets similar to those of the Temple priests, because for strong magicians they did not matter. Although Linda herself would not have refused an amulet that could hide the presence of a magician.


    Even the Scarecrow could not sense the presence of the priests who wore such amulets. Linda holstered the pistol, secured the spare clips on her belt, and opened a portal to her bedroom at the manor. She should have changed her dress for a more comfortable pantsuit, since there were traces of blood on her previous clothes from fights with priests. After changing her clothes, she went to her mother''s room and met Dina on the way.


    "Dear madam!" The girl was delighted: "You are finally home!"


    When Linda saw Dina, her face was transformed with joy: "How are you feeling, let me check you out?" She asked Dina.


    "I''m fine. This killer hit me and I lost consciousness. Then Golder shook me awake and put me on his bed" Dina replied.


    "You don''t seem to have any serious injuries. Dina, find Fancor, don''t give him something to do. And where did the priest''s body go?" Linda asked.


    "I don''t even know if the Fancore was carrying him away. I''m going to look for a Fancore, my lady!" Dina said and ran away. Linda went to Helena''s bedroom. The old carpet has already been removed and a new one has been put in. She stopped at the table and picked up the amulets on a string. When she sensed the warrior''s appearance, she turned to the door.


    "Hello, Rinda, have you been looking for me?" Fancore asked her.


    "Come on, Fancore, have a seat. I would like to ask you. Put this amulet around your neck... something is not working out".


    "What exactly is not working?"


    "Unfortunately, he doesn''t work for you. This amulet helped the priest to remain unnoticed by the magicians, but it does not suit you. A thought occurred to me, Fancore, do you happen to know any of the robbers?"


    "And why did you need robbers?" Asked Fancore, surprised.


    "I thought it would be nice to capture one of the Temple priests without involving the king in this venture" Rinda replied.


    "Are you crazy, Rinda? The priests will never forgive such an act!"


    "Now I don''t care" She retorted: "Today I killed several high priests with my Beast and everyone who got in our way. Now I have nothing to lose by kidnapping one of them".


    "So tell me what happened there! I must inform the king of everything" Fancore insisted.


    "Let''s do it differently. You go to the king and arrange for me to come through my portal. After all, I can appear in any place of the palace that I know, so let him choose. I''ll tell him all the details, and your curiosity can be satisfied later. Yes, I almost forgot, but where is the spy''s body?"


    "Royal investigators have seized the killer''s body and the weapon he used. Killing a magician who served at court is a serious matter. They need to investigate and punish those who are guilty of this. I''ve kept the amulets for now".


    "Thank you for the amulets. And I have already killed the guilty ones on my own. As for the robbers?"


    "Let''s talk about your idea with our king first, and then I''ll decide who can be involved in this matter. Don''t you need me at the moment? Then I''m going to the king".


    Fancore quickly stormed out of the room, narrowly missing the door as Jenson was about to enter.


    "Can I come in?" The instructor asked.


    "Yes, of course, come in" The invitation sounded.


    "Let''s talk if we have time. How is the training of the soldiers going?"


    "It is gradually progressing. I teach in groups of ten people. Linda, I''m really sorry that this bastard was able to get into the mansion and kill your foster mother. You''ve already been through a lot, and now there''s this trouble".


    "Thanks for the support. Helena didn''t have much time. They made a serious mistake by killing a man who was going to die soon anyway, and now they have completely lost valuable guidance".


    "What do you mean?" Jenson didn''t understand.


    "You''ll find out anyway, so it''s better if you''re aware of what happened. I returned to my castle, summoned the Beast - I have such a "friend", and we took a short tour to the Temple of the priests of Mashun. I punished those responsible for the death of my mother and, by the way, I tested your "gift" in practice" Here she slapped her hand on the holster with a pistol: "You were right - a powerful weapon brings much more benefit than what I asked for from the very beginning".


    "You shouldn''t have risked it that way! You are the only link between our worlds. If you don''t think about yourself or that if you have to die, I will stay here alone and stay here forever, then at least think about your country. Do you have any idea what plans my management is making to cooperate with you and with this world?"


    "Well, of course! That''s what I expected you to say. The only person who really loved me was killed, and now I''m completely alone. You call yourself my friend, but can we be friends if you always put your business interests first? I appreciate my country and am ready to help it, but I am not ready to sacrifice myself for it. I am no longer the naive girl I once was, and I understand perfectly well that for the country and its officials, an ordinary person does not matter. All that matters to them is what use it can be. Exceptions are extremely rare. Yes, a lot of good things are done for people, but most often it happens out of formal necessity. The attack on the Temple did not seem so dangerous to me, but it is impossible to live in this world without risk. I managed to get hold of the amulets of the priests. If I figure them out, I can protect ordinary people from magic. At this point, I may need a bodyguard, unless, of course, your management changes their mind".


    "How many more weapons are you going to buy?"


    "It is necessary to go four times for machine guns, then it will be necessary to transport grenades".


    "Are you going to buy weapons later?"


    "It will probably be enough for now. I ordered a lot of things and products for myself, but it will all be saved for another time. I was also asked to visit someone from your management for treatment".


    "Do you agree?"


    "It won''t be difficult for me. I can find the right place from a photo, and the treatment procedure may not take that long".


    "And what is Fancore going to do now?"


    "He''s arranging a meeting with the king for me. I want to discuss how he will behave in case of complaints from the priests".


    "And if they don''t complain?"


    "Who knows? There will be changes in leadership in the Temple soon. The war with Vardia is on the way, and it is important for them to be informed, so it is somewhat risky to contact the king because of my affairs. Most likely, they will want to take revenge on me on the sly and on their own".


    "Maybe it''s better for you to stay in your old world for now?"


    "Thank you for taking care of me, but I have a lot of things to do in this world right now. Hiding for the rest of your life is not an option. It''s better to wait, find out what they came up with, and show that it was untenable. And it must be shown in such a way that it will be a lesson for those who will survive, so that they will never forget it".


    "Do you think you have enough strength?"


    "I haven''t finished telling you yet. My Beast is fascinated by how the gun works and has pulled me into his world. He presents our friendship as a service: I helped you - complete my task as well. So I completed the task by shooting one of his relatives in the head with a pistol. They were at odds with each other. Then I had to drink dragon''s blood to survive. My friend claims that this drink gives me ten times more strength and makes me the most powerful magician in this world".


    "It was impossible to take the risk and go for all this!"


    "As usual, he didn''t ask my permission before transferring me to his world".Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "And what was the result, I mean, did you feel anything? Wasn''t your Beast mistaken?"


    "It is not profitable for him to lie, and power does not come immediately. Now that''s enough. Would you rather tell me how it is with you and Dina? I''m interested in the basic information, the details are not important".


    "You''re always complicating things, and you''re acting beyond your years" Jenson said thoughtfully.


    "What''s the difficulty? You know perfectly well that I''m fourteen and a half".


    "You don''t look your age. It''s not just about looks. You talk and express your thoughts like an adult. Dina is two years older than you, but if you compare her to you, she looks like a child".


    "I was smeared with a special ointment" Linda explained: "And then I began to look much more mature".


    "Haha, funny ointment" Jenson laughed at how she reacted: "But I wanted to say that I''m more interested in the development of your brain, not your physical body. Your level of spoken language is adult, teenagers don''t speak like that. They are less structured, jump from topic to topic and use a lot of unnecessary words. You tend to be more disciplined in conversation, for sure, it''s not because of the ointment".


    Linda wondered: "Maybe the reason is that I took a decoction for a long time to improve my memory, and it somehow affected my mental abilities?"


    "Perhaps we should give the decoction to our doctors for analysis?" The interlocutor suggested.


    "I''ve already done it. I had a flask with this drink in the orphanage, and I gave it as a sample of our silver, at the same time warning about the magical properties of the drink. By the way, why is everyone in your organization so evasive? I asked you about one thing, and our conversation turned into another channel" Linda asked.


    "What did you want to hear from me? That I love Dina? Maybe, so what''s next? We both know that there can only be a minor romance between us, and she deserves more!" The interlocutor noted.


    "Your situation is also clear. You''re acting exactly like Jonah. I''m not even going to recommend anything. You''re a grown-up guy, and even though my brain has improved, I don''t understand love at all. Father example once told mother that short-lived but vivid love is better than a long but empty relationship. Of course, I didn''t listen on purpose, it just happens to hear something not for my ears. From the looks of it, it was a pretty serious conversation. If you react carelessly, unpleasant consequences may arise. We need to think about everything carefully. Listen, is that a Fancor coming? Maybe I should ask him a question. Do you have any other questions or suggestions for me?" Linda asked, ending the conversation.


    "Fancore, you''re back!" Linda was delighted: "Do you have anything for me?"


    "My Lady, I have received an answer for you from the king" Fancore replied: "His Majesty wishes to speak with you in his pink drawing room".


    An experienced warrior always adhered to palace etiquette in front of outsiders.


    Linda smiled politely in response: "Would you like to keep me company?"


    "Thank you, my lady, but His Majesty would like to meet with you alone" Fancore replied.


    Linda nodded to both men and opened the portal.


    "She got here fast!" The king noticed when he saw Linda in front of him: "Did you ride a horse like a madwoman all the time? Have a seat, Rinda. Tell me what happened in the Temple. I''ve ordered my guards not to let anyone in here, so we can talk quite frankly".


    Linda sat down next to the king and briefly told him only about the events related to the Temple.


    "What are you planning to do next?" Vadish asked.


    "It depends on how the Temple administration behaves further. Or do you mean my action with the possible abduction of a priest?" Helena answered.


    "That''s exactly it. I understand how hard it was for you after losing your mother, but why didn''t you come to me?" Vadish continued the conversation.


    "What would you suggest? I didn''t want you to have a conflict with the Temple because of me. We were not prepared for a possible war, and the priests are a powerful force that is supported not only in this kingdom, but also beyond its borders. They are not just a warring party, they are also a cult organization. In addition to the priests, there are many followers of Mashun in the kingdom, who will be outraged to learn that the king is persecuting their faith. But in another way, the persecution of priests will not be understood. Most likely, this will become a matter of principle for the priests. They attacked me, and I naturally responded in kind".


    "And if they attack again?" Vadish continued to pry.


    "I''m going to do the same thing again. They shouldn''t underestimate me. They won''t be able to handle my Beast so easily, and I''ve already proven my ability to defend myself more than once, remaining unharmed. They will probably want revenge through intermediaries. Perhaps they will contact you first, or they will immediately hire someone else".


    "You''re so calm about it!" Vadish was surprised.


    "Absolutely not. But there''s no point in panicking. I have defenders in my world-the strongest warriors who will protect me from any danger except magic, which they have no protection against. Moreover, I now have amulets that belonged to the murdered spy priest. This magician had a special power, and Helena did not notice her existence, not him. My Beast also didn''t notice them in the temple. Everything indicates that the priests have learned to create the perfect amulets for disguise. In addition, the killer was wearing amulets, the functions of which are still unknown to me. Masters do not seek to create powerful amulets, as this weakens their control over people. The priests created something amazing, and I can''t even imagine what kind of spells they put into these amulets" Explained Helena.


    "What if we just make a copy?"


    "This is unlikely to help. They are smart and have linked the amulets to the personality of the owner. They worked for Nome, but for Fancore, nothing worked anymore".


    "Do you need a priest to help you in any way?"


    "Yes, it would be nice! Your people are not suitable, but robbers would be ideal for dealing with the Temple. Or some criminals who don''t care who they kill, as long as they get paid well".


    "Will you give me amulets if I can help?"


    "And who do I work for? Isn''t it for you? Your soldiers will be fine with such amulets".


    "Then I will discuss this issue with my chancellor. He has reliable people who belong to the guild of assassins. In the meantime, I have to wait to see who will be chosen as the supreme in the Temple and what they will come to tell me. And you need to be extremely careful! Completely eliminate horseback riding. If you need to contact me or the chancellor urgently, go through the portal to the room where the weapons are sent in the morning. It''s always locked, but one key will be left inside for you. The guards are aware and will help you. By the way, my magic school is now under guard, and every teacher is secretly watched by guards. Are you going home now?"


    "Yes, today was a hard day for me. I''m tired, I feel mentally exhausted, and I''m not feeling well at all. No, I don''t need any help right now. I''m going to go home and try to get a good night''s sleep".


    "We''ll have to increase the security of your mansion".


    "Let''s discuss this tomorrow. I have no meetings scheduled today, but for greater security, I will give Fancore and Magla machine guns, and Golder and I have personal weapons".


    "I guessed that you would definitely buy a weapon for yourself".


    "Most of it is intended for your army and guards. I have left very little for myself and I do not plan to give it to anyone".


    A couple of days ago, Linda went to the castle and returned to the mansion with three machine guns and twenty filled magazines for them, so after talking with the king, she armed her guards. She refused to take the machine gun for herself, believing that a pistol would be enough. In addition to fatigue, she had a severe headache, and for some reason she began to feel very sick.


    The desire to heal herself with magic only worsened her condition. Dina helped Linda back to bed and gave her water, as she was also very thirsty. The nausea became worse, and in the end, yes Linda began to spew out the contents of her stomach along with some dark lumps. It looked like sand from the Scarecrow''s world.


    "Don''t touch it!" Linda shouted in a hoarse voice to the frightened Dinah, who was watching in fear: "This is a strong poison. Wrap a rag on some stick and put it away. Then throw the rag in the garbage pit".


    After she threw up, Linda felt a little better. The temperature seemed to rise, and she began to shake in a fever, but she set herself to sleep and fell asleep, plunging into a dream full of some confusing nightmarish passages. In the morning, she woke up in a bad mood, and she didn''t feel any better. She didn''t want to get up at all, but she urgently needed to go get another batch of weapons.


    Linda put on a pantsuit, drank only a glass of water for breakfast and went through the portal to the royal castle, to the room where the gold lay, which had to be paid. Deciding not to waste any time, she took the bags of gold with her and crossed the rainbow portal. Due to illness, she was somewhat delayed, and the people who gathered in the hangar greeted her appearance with obvious relief.


    "Have a nice day, everyone!" Linda greeted, putting the bags on the floor of the hangar: "I need to get back urgently, so take my gold and move your cargo. Is everything ready? Then let the download begin".


    Now the weapons were carried on specialized stretchers to avoid damage after falling when thrown through the portal.


    "I don''t feel well today, but I promise to be on time tomorrow" Linda reassured her superiors: "It would be nice to prepare four shipments at once tomorrow, and we will send them all at the same time. Take the gold in the same room".


    Returning to the royal palace, Linda opened the door with the key that had been left for her and went to look for the king. On the way, she met a patrol and the senior informed her that the king and the chancellor were waiting for representatives of the Mashun Temple in the reception hall.


    "Scoundrels!" Linda muttered when she found out about it: "They quickly got a new ruler".


    She didn''t want to appear at the meeting with the priests in such a state of hunting, so Linda went straight to her bedroom from the hallway. When she appeared in her room, she collapsed on the bed without undressing.


    Lunch time had already flown by, but I just thought about food and it made my nausea worse. Linda, having suppressed her appetite, went to the table and drank water from the jug that Dina had thoughtfully left for her. Then she undressed and went back to sleep.


    Waking up just before dinner, Linda felt that the fever had receded, her head did not hurt so much, and even the desire to eat appeared. After putting on the robe that she had asked to be sent to her from her world, she headed to the dining room through the hallway. Jenson, Fancore, and Dina were already having dinner in the refectory. Haya and Gasd usually sat down to eat after everyone else, and the Muggle, according to the laws of her world, ate separately.


    "Is there anything left for me?" Linda asked: "Or did you happily eat everything while the hostess was ill?"


    "Oh, mistress!" Dina exclaimed, throwing up her hands in resentment: "Thank the gods that you felt better!"


    "Unfortunately, not quite yet, but it''s already better. There is no time to get sick, you need to get back to normal. It''s been a long time since this happened to me. And it''s all my big friend''s fault, you damn egoist! Would you serve me something to eat, or should I go ask Hai myself?"


    "Of course, I''ll bring it now! Would you like scrambled eggs with kefir?" Dina suggested.


    "Exactly what you need! Bring it quickly".


    After dinner, Linda felt better. There was only a slight weakness, and suddenly I felt very sleepy again, despite the fact that I had already slept for seventeen hours, taking into account the night hours. Realizing that the body knows better how it will be better, she returned to the bedroom and fell asleep.


    The awakening happened mysteriously. There was a strange leak in the body... something. Something was moving, bubbling and expanding, but it clearly wasn''t her blood. Once again remembering the Scarecrow with a bad word, Linda stood up, feeling an incomprehensible, but at the same time pleasant lightness inside. It seemed that she weighed practically nothing, but she did not float in the air, but walked as always, so the weight was normal, and something else caused a feeling of lightness.


    It was eight in the morning on the alarm clock, and in order to arrive on time today, Linda undertook to put everything in order first, and only then to have breakfast, taking her time. After changing her clothes, she tried to create a gate to move to the exchange room of the castle, but suddenly discovered that she was already in it. Not understanding what had happened, she decided to light up the dim room with her palm to find the key. The ray of light that shot out of her hand hurt her eyes, even though she was holding her palm in a completely different direction.


    Linda narrowed her eyes and found the key that unlocked the door. Yesterday, feeling unwell, she did not inform the king about the need to prepare gold to pay for four shipments of weapons, so there were only bags with the usual amount of gold in the room. This oversight should have been corrected.


    Linda shouted when she saw a patrol in the corridor: "Where is your king now?"


    "His Majesty has already gone to the refectory for lunch, Marquise!" The soldier replied, looking at her enthusiastically.


    With a grateful nod of her head, Linda headed for the royal dining room, wondering what could have caused this guardsman such admiration. The performance with the portal and the ray of light from the palm of her hand, as if from a searchlight, were most likely related to the promised increase in strength, but what made the old soldier look at her so admiringly?


    As usual, there was a guard of four guards near the dining room doors, who were armed with machine guns.


    "I''m very sorry, Your Honor" The patrol sergeant told her: "But His Majesty does not wish to be distracted while eating. We had no orders regarding you".


    Agreeing with him, Linda, ignoring them, calmly appeared in the refectory, passing through the portal. For the king, she appeared out of nowhere next to his table, even scaring him a little, and his brother and a beautifully dressed guest, absorbed in eating, did not notice her.


    "The Marquise!" Vadish turned to her in surprise, looking askance at his guest: "Welcome to join us. Would you like to have breakfast with us?"


    "With great pleasure, Your Majesty" Linda agreed, realizing that it was not worth being too familiar with the king in the presence of outsiders: "I only ask you to order the remaining gold to be brought, and I would have paid you right away".


    "Horace, arrange this" Vadish turned to his brother: "Marquise, let me introduce you to the Duke of Varsky, Don Arjen. Whose duchy borders on Vardia, so I decided to introduce him to our affairs".


    The Duke hurried to help Linda take a seat, pulled out a chair for her and helped her sit down.


    "Thank you, Duke of Varsky" Linda said, and turned to the king: "Your Majesty, I hope that my question about yesterday''s reception of the priests from the Temple will not spoil your appetite. Your guards are looking at me strangely all the time today, and the thought arises that this may be related to yesterday''s reception of the priests. They didn''t treat me like that before their visit".


    Vadish laughed nonchalantly: "The priests came to me with a complaint about your unexpected visit to their Temple. If I were them, I would prefer a face-to-face conversation, but the priests came to a general reception and began to complain that you appeared in the Temple in the company of a Giant Beast and made a mess, killing about fifty priests, including the highest leaders of the Temple and the Order. They strongly demand justice and your punishment, and I promised them I would definitely look into it. The rumor about you spread throughout the capital within two hours, and the chancellor even added a story from home that your mother, who served the king and received security guarantees, was killed by a priest from the Temple who sneaked into your home".


    "And what do the residents of the city say about this?" Linda asked, adding the snacks she liked last time to her plate.


    "The reaction of the residents? Almost everyone is on your side, although there are certainly dissatisfied ones, but only because of the appearance of the Beast in the capital" The king replied, shrugging his shoulders.


    "And the companions of the Mashun cult?" Linda asked, keeping her tone friendly.


    "They differ little from the rest in their beliefs and rules, which may seem incomprehensible only to you, Marquise. Believers in this religion believe that force is always right, and your action in resolving the dispute confirms this principle. However, the priests, appealing to me with a complaint, will not remain inactive. The leadership of the Temple needs to find a way to save face and earn respect. Tomorrow, the priests will appear before me again, and I will announce the results of the investigation. My staff came to the conclusion that the killer was a priest of the main temple of Mashun, and further evidence of their guilt is no longer needed.


    I hope that the priests will use their influence wisely and not turn to threats. In case of defeat, they will be the first in front of the Boers, whom they themselves had previously destroyed with even more zeal than the masters. And these bloodsuckers don''t forget their grudges. So they''re going to get another lesson in honor and dignity, this time from me. And you''d better hurry up with our business and get down to the tasks for which we hired your services, my faithful friend. And here comes the prince. The gold you mentioned has already been prepared. Have breakfast, and I''ll see you off personally".

 Chapter 18

    Adhering to safety rules, Vadish regularly avoided participating in the exchange of weapons for gold, preferring to simply escort Linda to a certain room.


    "I have to leave you" He said, saying goodbye: "Today we will receive the last batch of machine guns, and then what awaits us?"


    "Weapons again, but of a different type. Golder will take care to teach you how to use it. Without his help, it is better not to even touch the boxes, because for an inexperienced person it can be very dangerous".


    "What are your plans for today, Rinda?"


    "We need to decide what else we can hit the priests with" The girl smiled: "It''s probably worth temporarily postponing the attempt to catch one of them. Let''s first see what their reaction will be to your statement that I am not guilty".


    When Linda was left alone, she used her key to open the door and light up her gold bags with her palm. Of course, the gold was there, as always. After that, she created a portal to go to the hangar. Breakfast with the king was a little delayed, so Linda was in a hurry and did not pay attention to the unexpected increase in illumination in the treasure room, and also did not examine the gate carefully.


    When she got out in the hangar, she saw a group of people who were curiously looking somewhere behind her. Linda looked around and opened her mouth in surprise. What was in front of her now was not a blurred rainbow circle two meters across, as usual, but something completely amazing. Now the portal was a circle with a diameter of six meters and almost touched the ceiling of the hangar.


    It glowed brighter and shimmered with light on its surface. The lines of different colors rotated smoothly, mixing with each other. If you looked closely, you could see that these were tiny stars, creating an amazing light masterpiece. Linda was as amazed by such beauty as the rest of those present, especially since this was the first time they had ever seen it.


    "How much energy does it take?" She thought: "We need to return everything to how it was. But how?"


    It turned out that everything was simple: it was enough to wish, and the gate instantly decreased three times, and the brightness of their glow decreased.


    "What was that?" The eldest of the group asked Linda.


    "It was, but everything has already been washed away" Linda replied, pleased with the view: "Frank, will you stand here for a century? Hurry up. Take weapons and gold. Come on, get moving!"


    The guys, as always, grabbed a stretcher and quickly ran to the portal.


    "Linda!" The general who was present at the exchange approached her: "Could you go to the person we were talking about earlier now?"


    The girl explained" I''m having problems at home, but I''ll still try to find time for this visit. Did you bring a photo?"


    When the conversation turned to treatment before, Linda noticed that the photo must be at least a little unique.


    "If you show the usual image of the office, I may not get there" She explained to the general: "Most likely, there are many similar places on Earth".


    The general handed her a photograph: "Please, I think this one will do".


    "Linda, we''ve already rescheduled everything!" The senior member of the group reported: "The passage can be closed".


    "How much strength do I have left?" Linda thought, closing the gate: "Today I kept them open for a long time, but I don''t feel that my strength has decreased. Maybe I was too strict with the Scarecrow. Helena, give me a lot more. Nothing in life comes easy".


    "Can I come with you?" The general asked.


    "If that''s what you want, Frank" Linda pointed to the gate that had opened.


    Passing through the portal, they found themselves in a small garden, where one low house stood white among the bare trees. The paths were lined with cement tiles, and the house itself stood behind a fence of decent height. A cold rainy day made the weather not very pleasant.


    "I didn''t expect this weather!" The general said, taking off his jacket: "Put it on so as not to catch a cold, and let''s go inside".


    "Thank you, I don''t need it" Linda refused: "I''m not in danger, but you definitely need to put something on".


    They quickly reached the house, went to the door and the general opened it for Linda.


    "Why was it so warm in the hangar today at this time of the year?" Linda asked.


    "September is just beginning. While I was away, the weather worsened, but we keep the hangar warm so that our employees don''t freeze. It happens that they have to wait a long time for you".


    "Sometimes things don''t always work out the way they are supposed to. Tell me, is it possible that these are the features of the estate? How is it that the house is so warm? After all, there was no smoke from the chimney".


    "This house has gas heating, and it''s not so frosty outside that the smoke from the chimney is noticeable" The general explained: "Please come into the room, sit down wherever you want, and I''ll make one phone call now".


    The general went to the phone in another room.


    "We''ll have to wait a little bit" He said on his return: "In the meantime, you can watch TV, the first channel catches well here".


    Linda turned on the TV and footage of a familiar movie flashed on the screen. She regretted missing the beginning, but quickly got involved in the plot and even forgot about the surroundings.


    From the very beginning, CGR General Frank treated this girl, or maybe already a girl, with completely undisguised distrust, so he reacted to the proposal to bring a magician to treat the chairman of the CGR, the disease had been tormenting him for several years, completely negatively.


    "How could you agree to entrust the health and, possibly, the life of the head of the CGR to some shaman?" He expressed his doubts to one of the secretaries of the head of the CGR: "No checks were done, no tests were carried out in the clinic either. I do not consider such a step to be safe. Try to influence him!"


    However, the head of the CGR did not agree with the arguments.


    "If you are not able to carry out treatment properly, then you should not interfere with those who are capable of it" He objected to his personal doctor, who was also asked to participate in this delicate issue: "I trust her, and this girl has no reason to hurt me".


    "No one wants to say that she can intentionally cause any harm" The doctor agreed: "But her principle of treatment has not yet been tested by our specialists".


    "Check it out personally! Sometimes Linda stays in this hangar to sort out some issues. If you''re afraid to start with me, try to present her with your other patients. If she claims that magic treatment is just a small thing, the fastest way is she won''t refuse to help you".


    The patients that Linda started treating after this conversation recovered quickly without causing her any problems. Even General Frank of the Central Intelligence Agency had to admit that she knew her job.


    Linda watched the film with such delight that her face changed under the influence of what was happening on the screen. She even shed tears when the heroine of the film found out about her lover''s quarrel with a friend.


    "Don''t worry so much" Lindik said in a comforting tone: "Because it''s just a movie".


    Linda suddenly cried out: "What are you even capable of understanding! Do you really think you have the right to judge me? I promised not to intrude on your thoughts, and I keep that promise. But nevertheless, I know what you think of me! You''re just annoyed by the idea that a young girl can achieve such success, wealth and power. It is difficult for you to accept the fact that a man who has such great influence in the state acts with almost impunity! Despite the fact that I always meet you halfway, suddenly I can suddenly change my attitude, and you will have no way to keep me! Why is it so difficult for you to trust people? Why do you always strive to control all aspects of life? Do you think that everything was easy for me? Try to work as hard as I do!


    The magic art requires a year of study to become a true master, but I was able to master it in just a year! It was far from an easy road, full of pain, in which teeth seem to collapse, and all you feel is a desire to stop this agony. I didn''t hurt anyone, I just dealt fairly with those who deserved it. The first bandits I came across were robbers who robbed and killed women and children in wagons and caravans, then I punished the priests for the death of my foster mother. Honesty and fairness have always been important to me.


    We live in different worlds, but we struggle with the same troubles. It is easier for many to encroach on someone else''s property than to work and earn with their own labor, and they are ready to destroy enemies without regret. There is no person, there is no problem, somewhere it sounds like a slogan, but for many it is more like a rule".


    "Calm down, please" Frank replied, stunned by her story: "I can''t know what you''ve been through if you don''t want to talk about it yourself".


    "Have you ever tried to ask? You have already formed your opinion of me without getting to know me even closer. And then you expect me to open my soul to you?"


    "I''m sorry if I went too far and was wrong to think badly of you. Your amazing abilities really baffled me, especially the ability to read minds and influence the behavior of others. It''s really impressive".


    "You are not the first. Not everyone appreciates magicians in that world either, although they rarely use these abilities themselves, especially the ability to take advantage of the behavior of outsiders. I''ve only used it three times here. First, I stopped the interrogation of your captain, then I convinced the kindergarten teacher to study English with me. Once again I had to drive the guys away in the same orphanage so that they wouldn''t bother me. But it didn''t hurt any of them! I''m sorry for yelling at you right now. It''s been too stressful lately, and I couldn''t stand it. Frank, I think someone drove up to the house. He''s there, at the gate". She pointed towards the window.


    "Yes, we really have a gate there" He said, got up from his chair and went to open the doors: "Surely this is the man we''ve been waiting for. If you can, try to help him".


    Linda got up too, went to the TV and turned it off. I didn''t want to watch the movie anymore. It''s a pity that nerves are starting to fail. If she reacts like that to everyone she doesn''t like...


    The client who came looked like an intelligent man in his early fifties. The charm was added to his appearance by solid horn-rimmed glasses and sparse hair, already touched with gray, which he combed back.


    "Greetings to you!" For some reason, he greeted me cheerfully: "Let''s get acquainted. I am aware of all the information about you that our Committee has managed to collect. My name is... It doesn''t matter though. I run an organization that cooperates with you. By the way, I wanted to immediately suggest that we address each other as you".


    "Okay, hello. Where''s Frank?"


    "He flew to the capital. He works at the central office, so he flew to meet you on the plane to save time on the way back".If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "And they left you alone, without guards?"


    "Do you think anyone is interested in me?" He smiled: "Okay, this is a joke, I have a guard, or rather, just one bodyguard. He''s in the other wing because I wanted to talk to you alone".


    "I would like to immediately do what I was brought here for. I can see that


    your kidneys are out of order. I also want to ask if your joints hurt?"


    "Sometimes they get inflamed. The doctors diagnosed gout".


    "This is only a consequence. The main problems were in the kidneys".


    "Were they there?"


    "Yes, I''ve already cured your kidneys, and the salts in your joints will disappear in a day or two. I''ve renewed your heart a little bit and cleared your energy channels. Does your head hurt anymore?"


    "Indeed, I don''t feel any pain. I didn''t even pay attention to it. Is that all?"


    "Yes, I finished the treatment, but you wanted to talk about something else".


    "Yes, indeed. Frank mentioned that you had to face some difficulties, and this was the reason for your dissatisfaction. Is there anything we can do to help you?"


    "Oh, it''s just his little internal problems. He seemed to be unable to accept my independence and freedom from the very beginning. Such people often do not know how to evaluate these qualities in others, but then they themselves find themselves completely dependent and forced to accept this situation. It''s certainly not easy for him. I already have to come to terms with this, and then his excessive sympathy began. Normally I would have kept quiet, but this time I just couldn''t help myself. It became very difficult. But here''s the thing, you know, I can''t bring my mother back, and I can handle the enemies on my own. I''m strong enough. It''s just hard to stay alone, endlessly alone, without close people around, without support either here or there".


    "And Mom?"


    "I didn''t have a close relationship with my mother. Even in the past, our relationship was far from intimate. Her mind is not impressive, and selfishness is present in her character, although perhaps she loves me with every cell of her being. However, this devotion appears only in cases when she herself does not have to give anything in return. I still don''t understand what attracted my father to her".


    "By the way, your aunt has been allocated a three-room apartment. They''ve already moved, but she flew to our city trying to find you. She tried to take you out of the boarding school, but it was explained to her that you study at a special school in the capital and you feel good there".


    "Many thanks to your organization for your help! It was really not easy in the old apartment. We should get there somehow".


    "If you decide to do this, tell our people about it in advance. They will find a suitable photo for you to go there. Linda, I want to discuss an important issue with you. You''ve probably already realized how important your gold is to us. This gives us the opportunity to make significant breakthroughs in various fields and improve the standard of living of the population. But the resource that we receive is not always sufficient, and besides, it is absolutely impossible to predict what will happen to you tomorrow, your life can be cut short at any moment. Are you not offended?"


    "I''ve never been offended by the truth. I agree to accept protection, but first we need to provide good protection from magic for everyone".


    "Is that even possible?"


    "How can I explain it to you?.. if a person is attacked not by direct magic, but in some other way, and it will be dangerous because of magic unfamiliar to me, then I am helpless".


    "Could the stone have hit your head?"


    "That''s right, it is. However, his magic will not allow him to be destroyed or subdued".


    "Is it possible to get some of the gold in advance to compensate for future supplies?"


    "The king probably won''t agree to this. But there is another option. I personally have about two hundred kilograms of gold, which I keep in coins..."


    "Why do you have so much gold? Don''t your aristocratic family run out of gold reserves? In our past, the numbers were much more modest".


    "The king claimed that there was a huge amount of gold in the mines. But this is not so uncommon in other kingdoms either. I have so much gold because my foster mother managed to save the family treasury, and then we discovered an ancient treasure. I suggest that you make coins from this gold in several workshops and give them to me. I absolutely don''t care what kind of gold you use to pay in another world, as long as you go about your business. I hope you will help me solve my problems, including the electrification of the castle. If everything goes smoothly, then perhaps we can consider your offer to sell the goods of the highest nobility. The nobles really have a lot of gold".


    "What could possibly interfere with this plan?"


    "First of all, I have to confront the priests of a certain cult, but the greatest threat to our plans is a future war with one of the states that is in the neighborhood. To protect against them, we buy weapons from you".


    "Are they that strong and dangerous?"


    "Their number of ordinary warriors does not exceed ours, but they hide the creation of an army of vampires, which can significantly change the balance of power. Vampires have more power and speed than ordinary people, especially considering the insufficient number of magicians in our ranks. Therefore, our only hope is to inflict serious losses on them, avoiding direct clashes".


    "What do vampires look like?"


    "Like ordinary vampires" Linda replied: "I can demonstrate, but I''m scared".


    "What are you afraid of?"


    "You can get very scared. This is illusory magic, it is very powerful. After that, you can pass on your fear to me. I once showed a demon to a woman who is your major, and now she feels fear at the sight of me".


    "If you can, show me anyway. I will try to be stronger than our major".


    Linda sighed and turned into a vampire. Dozens of smells suddenly came to life in her perception, and her eyes began to see unusual colors and shades. Bloodlust had been tormenting her for a long time, and food was so close. Food was afraid - and this was natural, because it should be feared! Her claws dug into the wooden table, and...


    She suddenly woke up, drenched in sweat, to find a terrified interlocutor beside her, clutching a pistol in trembling hands.


    "What happened here?" She asked the head of the State Security Center: "I lost control for a moment. This has never happened before when I created an illusion".


    "If it could be called an illusion, what is it?" The head of the Central Bank asked, pointing to two deep furrows on the table.


    Linda was amazed: "Wow! Did I really do this?" She was surprised: "It''s terrible! As soon as I became much stronger, the illusions didn''t just become reality, they came to life. I didn''t just look like a vampire, I became one. If I hadn''t come to my senses in time, even a gun wouldn''t have helped you. It''s just some kind of trouble! Now I''m afraid to form even the illusion of a simple demon. It is unknown what will come of it! Put the gun away! It''s me again, without any illusions, the demon is gone. I''ll leave so as not to scare you. No, I''m not going to read your mind, it''s already obvious.


    How many times have I sworn to myself not to show this look! But if I show it again, I will definitely get into trouble! Is it okay if I go home right now? I''m not dressed very well for your weather right now. Thank you. Just let me fix the consequences of the illusion. You got really excited, and it doesn''t go without consequences. Well, now I can leave. Goodbye, and think about my offer. I think it will be very useful for you".


    The head of the CGR, who had already hidden the gun and recovered somewhat, carefully watched Linda, who waved goodbye and disappeared into the multicolored vortex of the portal.


    *****


    "How am I going to be able to resist the priests if I''m not sure how my spells work anymore?" Linda mused, lying on the bed in the bedroom: "I must call the Scarecrow!"


    "Do you really want me to appear in your world?" Her friend''s voice sounded in her head.


    "The Scarecrow?" Linda couldn''t believe her ears: "Are you here now?"


    "I''m still in my own world, but what strikes you the most? Your powers have increased significantly, and now our souls are closely intertwined. I had a feeling that you would be able to summon me without unnecessary rituals. So, should we continue?"


    "Wait, let me make room, otherwise you will completely destroy my entire bedroom. I''ll tell you when the time is right".


    She moved the trunks to the side, tilted the massive bed and, just in case, stepped aside and agreed.


    "It''s really very cramped here!" A huge lizard clumsily stamped on a small vacant area of the bedroom, overturned one chair and in addition broke off its back.


    "Maybe you should be more careful in your movements?" Linda remarked with displeasure: "Try to curl up into a ball and not wave your tail, otherwise the furniture will not avoid even more damage".


    "Do I look like a cat to curl up into a ball! Next time, choose a bigger room or take out the furniture beforehand. Well, why did you summon me?"


    "After a collision with your relatives, I almost died!"


    "Sometimes such things happen" The Scarecrow noted philosophically: "Out of three blood drinkers, only one usually survives".


    "You knew about it, but you still dragged me into your world!"


    "Why are you so unhappy? You stayed alive and became much stronger. That''s good, and your importance to everyone has increased tenfold!"


    "You are a cruel egoist with scales!"


    "We''re all a bit selfish" The Scarecrow remarked philosophically: "And scales are really very useful".


    The beast began to scratch the back of its head with its hind paw, like a dog, and accidentally tore out one of the scales.


    "Please" He said: "You can take it for yourself: "Very powerful amulets can be created from our scales. You need to go to the lair of the elder you killed, there should be so many scales left... It''s much better than mine. My paws are not suitable for collecting this material. And you can do it yourself. Did you remember the location of the lair? Great, but you won''t need anything else. Just try not to stay there for long, and if the worms attack, fly away immediately".


    "How do I fly away? I can''t fly".


    "You are a useful but inexperienced friend. You barely know what you can do. I can teach you that. There are two ways to fly. The first one will take a little effort, but it needs to be studied for a long time. We will not consider it because of its complexity. The second way is the ability to fly independently. Do you know how to move objects?"


    "Of course I can! I can pull or push away".


    "And the ground under your feet, is it not an object? Push her away from you as hard as you can, and you''ll take off. You couldn''t have done it with your previous skills, but now you can do it. However, if you constantly push away only yourself, it will be boring and hard, so open your brains and I will give you a spell that will do it for you. Did you remember? You have a good memory, you learn information quickly. You can try it right now. And direct the force at a slight angle, otherwise you might flip over".


    With mixed feelings of fear and admiration, Linda flew up to the ceiling, but only backwards, from which she was all smeared in whitewash, after that she lowered herself a little, made several circles around the room and sat back in the chair.


    "Great!" She expressed her impressions of the flight: "How long will I be able to continue flying?"


    "Until you get tired of it" The Beast replied.


    "I see. I want to ask you, Scarecrow, are you my friend?"


    "Of course, you know that yourself. But why such a question?"


    "I''m in big trouble because someone wants to kill me, and it''s going to happen if you don''t want to help me".


    "Is it necessary to destroy someone?"


    "No, that won''t solve the problem. If you kill one, the other will appear. There are many enemies, and if I blame them on you, they will blame me for everything and punish me. You''d better give me such magic so that I can defeat these enemies or at least scare them. You travel to many worlds, right?"


    "We are natural hunters. Females lay eggs in a certain world, where we are born and grow up, and then disperse to other worlds. There is not only food, but also a lot of knowledge. I visited your homeworld a long time ago, seven hundred years ago by the standards of this world. I haven''t been back there since".


    "And why?"


    "I was forbidden" The lizard replied indifferently: "And there''s nothing good there - there''s not enough sand, but there''s too much water, which we don''t like".


    "And who made such a ban and why?"


    "The One who created us. Don''t ask, I can''t explain. You lack the appropriate concept, and it''s not accepted at all. Do you want to master magic that is unknown in this world? Then give me access to your memory, I''ll see what you know and what you don''t".


    A strange feeling came over her as the Scarecrow quickly ran through the first thirteen years of her life, then more slowly over the last year and a little. It was like quickly flipping through a book with illustrations. There is something depicted on the pages, but the meaning cannot be grasped. There was a noise in my ears, and my mind was smoothly sinking into an ocean of fatigue and indifference.


    "It''s time to get up!" The Scarecrow''s voice rang out, which almost tore off Linda''s head: "Now I know what you need. Don''t overdo it, so as not to overheat your brain, and you''ll get ten spells. Remember. After that, you definitely need to rest to assimilate the knowledge you have gained. And at the same time you will get rid of fatigue. And I''m going to my room, after I lay in your room, all my joints ached. By the way, it''s better to refrain from eating for now".


    Her stomach rumbled so much from hunger that Linda even woke up from it. Looking out the window, I saw that dawn had just begun. The room was unusually quiet, as there was no characteristic ticking of the alarm clock. Yesterday, when she flew up to the ceiling and soiled her suit, and fell asleep in it, and forgot to set the alarm. Why didn''t Dina do it? It took ten minutes to change into a bathrobe, put on slippers and go to the kitchen. After dinner, there were pieces of baking left, which Haya covered with a napkin so that someone could eat them the next day.


    Walking down the corridor, she lit the way with her hand. Before she reached the dining room, she heard the door creak open, and Linda instantly turned off the light, switching to her afternoon vision. Visibility has deteriorated, but she herself has become invisible. Dina came out of the room where Jenson lived, quickly ran to her door and disappeared behind it.


    "I knew it" Linda whispered, turning on the light in her palm again: "What kind of alarm clock is needed in such a situation!"


    To her surprise, she realized that she was feeling jealous. After thinking a little about what this meant, Linda entered the kitchen, found two more soft doughnuts and swallowed them almost without chewing.


    "It''s okay, my time hasn''t passed yet!" The thought flashed: "I''ll get rid of the priests and the war, and then I''ll go to Earth, find myself a good guy there. But first of all, it''s time to visit my aunt".


    She began to imagine herself heading to her aunt, accompanied by guards, and then starting to search for the groom, which caused her to laugh, which almost strangled her with the remains of a doughnut.


    Before sunrise, Linda practiced using the spells given to her by the Scarecrow, and then moved on to her own formulas, unexpectedly making a wonderful discovery for herself: As it turned out, the size of the forces could be commanded! It turns out that the ways to control different spells differ from each other, and it was very easy to learn how to do this. Now she had greatly expanded her capabilities and could make the most of her energy reserves.


    When the sun was already rising above the roof, Linda knocked on Dina''s door and, without waiting for an answer, opened it. After glancing at the sleeping maid, she decided not to wake her up and returned to her room to tidy up her costume. Breakfast passed without Dina''s presence, and Jenson looked tired and confused. After finishing breakfast, Linda armed herself and left through the portal.

 Chapter 19

    Unable to agree on a price for the new weapon, Linda got two bags of gold and headed to the hangar without thinking about their weight. When she arrived, she set the bags on the ground and waved for the guys to carry the bags out. After the boxes of grenades were carried through the portal, Linda turned them off and headed over to the oldest of the group.


    "Hello, Danielle! I''d like to talk to you about a couple things. Can you memorize it or write it down?" She addressed.


    "I''m listening to you Linda" Answered Daniel.


    "I''d like to request a drug to safely put a person to sleep. I''m not interested in sleeping pills, I''d like to get something like gas. I''ve been told or read about such a thing somewhere myself. I will also need protective gear to keep myself awake, for two people. I''ll bring them back when this is over" Explained Linda.


    "I need to know the purpose of using this technical equipment" Clarified Daniel.


    "It has to do with your men. You offer me bodyguards, but these are people I can''t protect from magic. We have freaks who can help with that, but they don''t want to give away their secrets. I suggest we use your gas for a demonstration. If you provide me with the soporific gas and the defense equipment to it it will help avoid danger to you" Explained Linda.


    "And aren''t you afraid of confusing them by using our gas? After all, that could prove dangerous to you. Don''t you fear their anger?"


    "They are already angry with me, Danielle. Today they are trying to get me for reprisal from His Majesty. So I have nothing to lose in that regard.  Besides, it won''t be my team that will carry out the capture. Our Prime Minister has promised to find suitable experts for this".


    "I will pass on your request. How urgently do you need it done?" Daniel inquired.


    "Take your time, fulfill it to the best of your ability. Please specify that after purchasing the garnets, I need a batch of mirrors. Preferably they should be of different sizes, one full-length and one smaller. I will keep a few mirrors for myself and sell the rest to send you payment in gold. Unfortunately, we missed the opportunity to order the mirrors earlier. Summer is coming to an end, so we need to concentrate on trading only in the capital".


    "And why in the capital specifically?"


    "Due to the lack of asphalt on the local roads, the unpaved roads become a shapeless mess after the rains. Unfortunately, we also don''t have tractors, so we are forced to sell what we can manage to get from your mLind. I''ve already mentioned food, but it seems that this issue has gone by the wayside for you. I plan to purchase sunflower oil, sugar, halva, chocolates and other sundries, I will offer it all for the palace kitchen. Maybe the king will appreciate it so much that he will tear all these things off when he tastes them, and besides, there are many rich people in the palace all the time who won''t mind buying new goods as well.


    I left my request for your general to give me the seeds of the most popular vegetables, namely tomatoes and cucumbers, but he did not fulfill it, perhaps because of disobedience or because of forgetting me. I am, after all, able to go and buy them myself, I have money left over. I just don''t understand why I need you if my requests are ignored. We have enough weapons and we have paid for them in full, so far the king needs nothing more. If you want no more of our gold, I can go about my business in peace. I have plenty of them".


    "Your requests do not go unnoticed" Daniel emphasized.


    "Yes, of course! How many times have I mentioned the need to electrify my castle?" Questioned his Countess.


    "That matter is under discussion. Your gates are too narrow to allow large objects through: their dimensions are too modest" Explained Daniel.


    "And did you notice the size of the portal I passed through yesterday? Even a train would pass through with those dimensions, if it were possible to put a railroad track through there, and your car would pass through with ease. You only have to raise the rails a little and pick up a lot of speed. It would be just as easy to return. If you make my castle look good, I would be willing to give your scientists shelter and security as a token of my gratitude. But if you''re not interested in my offer, I can make do with my own facilities or acquire what I need, well, abroad, for example. What do you say to that?" Offered the Countess the option of discussion.


    "That option is, to put it mildly, disgusting" Replied Daniel with a grim look.


    "So discuss the matter with your superiors, Mr. Captain, to eliminate such situations in the future. I am always willing to go out of my way to meet you, though I don''t find I have to do so, but you seem to prefer it that way".


    "I will pass on your opinion. Is there anything else you would like to add?"


    "Yes, I have one more remark. I don''t really understand military science and in general in weapons I understand like a hare in math, so I decided to order what was offered to me. At first I was thinking of purchasing rifles. I notice that my safety is important to you, as well as the integrity of our kingdom. The head of the CGE has assured me that our money will help you stay ahead of even America. However, it is not clear to me why your experts are unwilling to assist us. Considering the size of your state, the assistance you give us seems extremely insignificant, I would feel ashamed to mention it at all!


    Frank keeps insisting that you''ve been very generous with me! I''m not aware of the exact value of our my his gold, but I''m guessing that even without considering its uniqueness, we''re paying too much! You probably didn''t expect to have this conversation, did you? You should! In my world, I''m on the brink of an abyss. With no family, no useful connections, and on top of that I''m in a hostile relationship with the priests of a powerful cult. And that''s not even taking into account the coming war. If it weren''t for the king''s support, I''d have to hide in my castle and suffer in silence, praying to be forgotten, or pick a solid tree and commit suicide! Have you memorized everything? Please pass this on to your superiors, or better yet, write it down. And if it''s not too much trouble, drill a hole right here, so that you can slip a shoelace through".


    "What is this object?".


    "This, Danielle, is a scale that belonged to the dragons. Why are you looking at me like that? I am not lying to you and I have no intention of doing so in the future. My dragon is not the same as the one on the Chinese coin, but it also has scales, intelligence, and decency, yet it can behave abominably on occasion".


    "Why do you need to drill a hole?".


    "I will make an amulet out of these scales, which should definitely be worn close to the body. It will act more powerfully and yet will not be visible. And how can it be made without a hole? You could wear it in a leather pouch, but the foreign skin weakens its effect and the fabric gets dirty quickly. If you can''t help it, just return it".


    "Any other wishes?"


    "I don''t think so. You''ve had enough of this for long enough. Alright, I''m off, our king''s reception is about to begin and I need to know how it ends".


    Leaving the exchange room, Linda inadvertently bumped her foot against a crate of grenades.


    "Damn it!" She cursed, stomping on one foot: "Why didn''t I light the way beforehand?"


    There was still time before the reception, but not quite as much as Linda wanted it to be. She made her way to the King''s apartments where he was to rest after finishing breakfast. On the way there, she had managed to heal an injury on her leg, which made her spirits lift a bit. The guardsmen outside the door of the king''s room let her through without a problem. Three days ago, Linda had accidentally learned that the guardsmen had assumed that she was His Highness''s new lover and had fully approved of his choice. At first she was angry at this, but then she decided to let it all pass by her ears: let them imagine whatever they wanted.


    "Mar, tell His Majesty that I need to have an urgent word" Asked Linda of the king''s secretary when she ran into him in one of the palace''s many living rooms. The fat man there, either enjoying a rest after breakfast himself or guarding his master''s sleep, and reluctantly rose.


    He disappeared behind a door and immediately returned, informing him in a cool tone that the king had given permission for the Lady Baroness to enter.


    "Vadish, I would like to ask you" Linda began, having barely finished the proper etiquette of greetings: "I would like to attend this reception. Would you allow it?"


    The king, who was lazily reclining in his chair, frowned: "You know perfectly well that there is no way you can be present for this procedure! I don''t want the guests to start fighting with you or anything worse, and I don''t see any possibilities".


    "Someone told me or I read about secret rooms with holes in the walls through which you could secretly observe what was going on in the next room" Linda didn''t give up.


    "Of course there are such rooms in this palace" laughed Vadish: "They are in different locations. My father ordered a hole to be made in the wall of the women''s bathing room. It was done when he was young, and now this ''peephole'' seems to be used by servants".


    Linda wondered. Watching the reception from the women''s bathing room was not at all to her liking.


    "What if I change my appearance?" Suddenly it dawned on her.


    "We have mirrors on the walls, besides, your illusion doesn''t work on the priests" Vadish shook his head: "They would smell a switch a mile away".


    "Alright, let me look in one of your mirrors!" Linda exclaimed, and without waiting for an answer, cast upon herself the illusion of the guise of Dina, her maid.


    "How do you like me in this outfit now?" She asked, turning to Vadish.


    "Lovely" The king nodded approvingly: "And the freckles suit you quite well".


    "Now let''s look in the mirror. And who is in it in front of you?" Linda asked defiantly.


    The king, frowning puzzled, approached the massive, half a man''s height, gilt-framed mirror. The reflection did not deceive him: a pretty girl with a mop of red hair and a scattering of cheerful freckles on her nose looked back at him.


    "Amazing! How do you do it?" Vadish blurted out, and then as if waking up, he turned to Linda: "It''s magic of the highest order! You control not only how others see you, but also your reflection in the mirror! This is something that only..."


    He didn''t finish, but from his eyes Linda realized that he had guessed her true nature. The secret she had so carefully guarded was threatened.


    "Illusions of reality: a game on the edge. It''s all very simple and complex at the same time" Linda pondered, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her hand over her freckled nose, slightly upturned, a figment of her own imagination that had been given materiality by her gift. The power she possessed was both a blessing and a curse. She could create illusions of any complexity, she could make herself into anyone she wanted to be, like masks. But there was a danger in playing this game: if you got too deep into the illusion, you could lose the real you.


    "I like the way you''re changing" Said Vadish, admiring her transformation: "Your future husband will be happy".


    Linda became indignant: "How can you discuss business with men when they have other things on their mind?" Returning to her original look, she asked: "Are you satisfied with this view or would you like to see another?"


    "I like you in either guise" Sighed the king, not taking his admiring gaze off her: "I wish I could make you a queen!"


    "You''re always going on about yours!" Waved away Linda, already accustomed to such remarks from the monarch: "Now I will go home to change into a comfortable dress and immediately return to the palace. I will pass through the exchange room so that no one will notice me. Also, ask them to remove the boxes of grenades so I don''t put myself in danger. I might break my leg".


    Hurrying to the palace, Linda, absorbed in thoughts of the upcoming meeting, forgot to regain her usual appearance. As she exited the exchange room, she came nose to nose with Jenson.


    The instructor, stunned by Dina''s beauty, couldn''t help himself and pulled the girl to him, kissing her on the lips.


    Time seemed to stop. Linda froze, caught in an unexpected whirlwind of sensations. This kiss, full of passion and desire, was quite different from the restrained kisses she was used to in her true form. When she came to her senses, Linda pushed Jenson away and dropped the illusion.


    "It''s just a disguise" She tried to explain, seeing the shock on the man''s face: "I took the image of Dina to hide my face underneath it, not so you could start kissing me".


    A pause, and a snide addition: "However, I have to admit I enjoyed it. But not Odessa, that I would show up in your room at night looking like that!" With these words Linda, whistling a merry tune, departed, leaving the captain in a complete confusion of feelings.


    She did not see how his face stretched and his jaw literally dropped in amazement. For the first time, Linda had experienced firsthand that the expression "jaw dropped" was not just a proverb, but very real life. Her gift offered incredible opportunities, but it also presented her with a difficult choice. Whether to play by the rules of illusion, hiding behind masks and getting what she wanted? Or take a risk and reveal her true face to the world, hoping that it will accept her as she really is? Linda had yet to find the answer to that question.


    Leaving a surprised Jenson in the hallway, Linda slipped into her chambers. Her excitement was growing, for she was not just going to attend the royal reception, but to do it incognito. The luxurious outfits were spread out before her like a jewel box that had come to life. Her gaze fell on a pink dress, airy as a cloud, embroidered with pearls. Alas, it was an outfit remembered all too well at court. The dress with the Akvani coat of arms, as blue as the night sky, sparkled with a scattering of precious stones, but gave away her origins.


    Linda cursed silently: in the haste of her escape, she hadn''t bothered to think about her closet.


    "I''ll have to improvise" She decided, opting for a simple but rich-looking dress of dark green velvet. To somehow hide its "ordinariness" to the eyes of the courtiers, Linda wore an emerald necklace, sparkling with cold fire, and massive bracelets with the same stones. Her high hairstyle, topped with a pearl net, made her look austere and coldly brilliant. Looking at her reflection, Linda was satisfied. She was not a beautiful aristocrat, but a restrained and wealthy merchant, not conspicuous, but not suspicious.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The way to the small reception hall seemed shorter than last time. Having learned from bitter experience, she treaded carefully on the slippery floor, expecting a trick, but the boxes of grenades had already been removed. There was no one in the corridor, to her relief. Linda reached the right door and hurriedly swung it open and entered the hall.


    Already waiting for her was Mar, the plump, fidgety royal secretary, a staunch ally and guardian of her secrets. He was clearly nervous, and when he saw Linda, he didn''t immediately recognize her in her new guise.


    "Have I arrived on time, dear Mar?" The girl meowed, watching his reaction with a smile and deliberately coquettishly adjusting her bracelet: "Have you thought of a substitute for you yet, in case someone wants to make acquaintance with me?" The full man didn''t seem to immediately recognize her in this image. He blinked dazedly before coming to his senses and hastily kissing her hand.


    "Why, my lady, not even your own mother could recognize you under that mask!" He muttered, gallantly offering Linda his hand: "To others, you are today Adi Voge, Baroness Gesal. There is such a woman in the province that no one here has ever heard of".


    Linda sighed: "Don''t worry, if anyone suspects a deception, they won''t even have time to say a word".


    Mar shuddered fearfully and Linda had to reassure him: "No need to shake so much, I certainly don''t want to kill anyone. I''ll just try to make him forget about everything".


    They entered the hall filled with the noise of voices and the flickering of outfits. The crowd of courtiers flowed from one group to another like a motley river. Linda held Mara''s arm tightly, preparing for the next stage of her risky game.


    The sun shone through the windows as a lavish procession made its way to the small throne where King Vadish the Third sat. Mar, a skillful courtier, deftly cleared the way for Baroness Linda, giving everyone around him polite nods.


    Linda''s face shone with a happy, albeit a bit naive smile of a provincial girl who had entered high society for the first time. Despite the disgruntled looks of the courtiers, Mar enjoyed unquestionable authority. After all, it was he who was to play the role of majordomo in the upcoming royal court.


    "Stay here, honorable baroness!" He proclaimed at the top of his voice, leaving Linda to wait by the window, and turned to the audience: "On this day, His Majesty King Vadish the Third will administer justice in two matters. First, the charges brought by the servants of the main temple of Mashun against the royal magician, Master Rinda Albeni Marquess Gavrem, for the assault and murder of the priests will be heard".


    Before Mar could finish, the hall was abuzz with cheers as Linda''s name was on everyone''s lips. By royal decree, she was officially granted the title of marquess. This did not mean the return of the family estates, but she was rightfully among the fifty noble families of the kingdom. Undoubtedly, if Linda managed to get away with this affair with the templars, she would need to use a lot of power to ruin the marriage plans that had already begun to build in the minds of many courtiers.


    "Gentlemen!" Mara''s thunderous voice rang out once again: "Please come to the throne of the accusers from the Temple of Mashun! They will be the two warpriests of the Order and one of the Temple''s High Priests, who are awaiting sentencing in the next room".


    The nobles parted, clearing a passageway through which three men in Temple vestments walked toward the throne with their faces out of reach.


    "His Majesty the King!" Mar proclaimed, and all present bowed deeply before Vadish the Third. The tension in the hall reached a fever pitch. This was not just a trial, but a confrontation between the powerful Temple of Mashun and the royalty. In this scene was perfectly seen the atmosphere of a lavish royal court, where behind the screen of luxury and grandeur boiled no-nonsense passions.


    The images of the main characters in this situation were seen vividly and in detail: Mar: a cunning and dexterous courtier who can skillfully get along with people and achieve his goals. Linda: a young baroness who suddenly received the title of marquess, but still feels out of place. The priests of the Temple of Mashun: stern and implacable, ready to defend the honor of their god by any means necessary.


    In the Grievance Room, the tension was skillfully built up, leaving those present in the dark as to how this confrontation would end.


    "His Majesty the King!" Mar thundered again, and the hall filled with courtiers bowed deeply. In the center of attention, on a dais, sat Vadish, dressed in a ceremonial outfit so richly embroidered with gold that it seemed as if the king himself had been forged from the precious metal. With a discreet nod he greeted those present and lowered himself onto the throne, gesturing for the priests of the Temple to approach.


    The atmosphere in the throne room was heated to the max. There was a tension in the air as if it could be felt on one''s own. On one side stood the priests, grieving for their dead brethren and demanding retribution for the desecration of the Temple. On the other was King Vadish himself, known for his fairness and impartiality. And at the center of this confrontation is the tragic figure of Rinda Akwani, a martial artist and loyal servant of the king, whose thirst for revenge led to a bloodbath.


    "I have read your complaint" Vadish began, and his voice, usually calm and measured, this time sounded harsh and unyielding: "The King has a duty to be just and to punish everyone for wrongdoing, no matter who is accused". Silence hung in the hall. The king''s words were very clear: no one is above the law, not even his faithful master.


    "I would certainly punish a master under my command" Vadish continued: "Though she is very useful and of high status in society, and despite the promises of safety I have made to her and her mother".


    These words, spoken with a heavy heart, were not only directed at the priests, but also at Rinda herself, who stood with her head down, awaiting her fate.


    Anger permeated Vadish''s previously restrained voice as he accused the priests of distorting the truth and attempting to mislead him. The tension in the throne room hung thicker than fog in the air. King Vadish''s voice, previously calm and poised, vibrated with anger. His words pierced the white-clad priests like lightning bolts.


    "Only you in your accusations have distorted the truth and tried to force the wrong opinion on me!" Growled Vadish, casting a stern glance around the gathered crowd: "Rinda Akwani, whose revenge: justice or sacrilege? It was not out of the priests'' hatred for your Temple that Rinda Akvani penetrated its walls, but in my opinion, you have caused her this hatred".


    Whispers of amazement and indignation ran through the ranks of the priests. Does the king justify an enemy of their Temple who has defied the Sanctuary?


    "She has come to you to avenge the mother she murdered" Abruptly Vadish cut short the audience''s speculation. "My investigators have determined without a doubt that Master Helena Akwani''s killer was a priest of the Temple". The accusation weighed heavily on those present. The room became pressurizingly quiet.


    "If you have any doubts about the objectivity of the investigation, you may be tested before a panel of royal mages and answer questions. Who is willing to do that?" Vadish finished, indicating that he was willing to listen to the priests, but had no doubts about the correctness of their conclusions.


    "Nevertheless, Your Majesty, what she did was wrong!" One of the priests exclaimed, not hiding his emotions: "Half a hundred priests, including the High Priest as well as our Master, were killed! This is a sacrilege! Desecration of a sacred place!"


    "She didn''t commit the murders intentionally" Vadish calmly objected: "On the contrary, they were the ones who attacked her! Is it not your Order that preaches peace and forgiveness? Where are your principles when it comes to avenging the death of one of your own?"


    "She brought the Beast with her!" The second priest persisted: "Such a thing cannot be forgiven! The Beast is the embodiment of chaos and destruction, its presence in the Temple desecrates the very memory of our brothers!"


    "And you wanted her to come to your massacre defenseless?" There was steel in Vadish''s voice: "She was defending her life, fighting those who dared take her mother''s life. And yes, the Beast was around, but he didn''t touch a single innocent. Doesn''t that prove that Rinda controlled his rage, directing it only at the guilty?" Silence reigned in the hall.


    The king''s words, drenched in bitterness and frustration, made the priests think. Whose side is the truth on? Who was the judge in this tragedy that divided the lives of so many people into before and after? Was Rinda''s act a just retribution or a heinous crime? These questions were yet to be answered, but one thing was certain - the conflict that had erupted between the Temple and the masters was just beginning to flare up, threatening to become a conflagration that could consume the entire kingdom.


    The courtiers were agitated again: almost none of them had suspected the threat of war with Vardia.


    "It all happened quite suddenly" Gloomily remarked one of the courtiers: "She can''t do it again!"


    "I have spoken to the Marquess" Reported Vadish: "She harbors no hatred for your clan. She punished the assassins and thus avenged her mother''s death. And she desires no conflict with the Temple!"


    "We still will not forgive her!" Firmly stated the priest who had been silent until then.


    "That''s fine!" The king spoke without holding back his anger, and a dead silence hung in the hall: "Your Temple has banished or exterminated all the strong mages of the kingdom, leaving it vulnerable to outside threats. And now that this has become a reality and I have begun to rebuild the ranks of the masters, you are once again insidiously destroying them! I consider your actions to be treason against the state! Therefore, you will swear an oath that you will not commit hostile acts against the mages until the threat has passed! And you will be severely punished for any violation!


    In addition, today you will transport half of the books confiscated from the masters to the Royal School of Magic, and my headmaster will make sure that among them there are also volumes on higher magic, not just elementary. In addition, within three days, you will evict half of the battle priests from the capital. There''s no point in them staying here, they should go to the temples on the border with Vardia! Tell your high priests what you''ve heard. And remember, if you disobey, I will reveal many ungodly facts about the temple and treat you as traitors to the state. I will find common ground with the followers of Mashun. There are many among them who are dissatisfied with your way of life. You are free".


    The priests either bowed or only nodded to the king and headed for the exit. For the next hour and a half, while Vadish settled a land dispute between two nobles, Linda had to wait. Once the proceedings were over, the king left the room, at which point Linda, who had never been noticed by anyone, joined those leaving. From the overheard conversations of the courtiers, she realized that many people approved of the king''s strict approach to the rebellious priests, and that the interest of all the inhabitants in her had increased manifold.


    She had no illusions about the Temple. She knew that the king''s orders would be carried out, but not to the fullest extent. They would probably still try to kill her, books would be passed around, but not the best, and not the best warriors would be sent to the border. She didn''t count on peace. Again she would have to fight for power. If she didn''t have Scarecrow, she couldn''t expect to succeed in her war with the Temple.


    "I should tell the king to give me a room in the palace" Linda thought: "And move everything important there. It might come in handy in the future".


    After waiting for the courtiers to disperse, she canceled the illusion and opened a portal to her bedroom. She needed to visit the school of magic, but first she wanted to get rid of her jewelry and change into a pantsuit. Long floor-length dresses with hemlines looked good in the movies, but in everyday life.... noble ladies only wore pants when they were going horseback riding. In this world, they hadn''t invented saddles for ladies on horseback yet, so try riding a horse in such an outfit!


    "I''ll have to order a costume for myself right away, preferably two" She decided as she changed her clothes: "This one''s already pretty worn out from constant use. And it can''t compare to the one that was made for me and selected by the Committee".


    Before leaving, Linda sought out Gusd, who wanted to go to the market to do some shopping.


    "Say, when is Magla going to eat next time?" She asked: "Tomorrow. I was just about to buy a rabbit for her".


    "Buy two. I''ll need one for personal use. Did the muggle with Golder leave?"


    "Yes, Fancor went with her. You leave through the portal and they decided to take over Golder''s security. They just want to chat, and yes, the king has beefed up Golder''s security".


    It was impossible to enter the school of magic through the portal. It was possible to open the portal, but that would trigger the defense mechanism and a wave of disturbance, or at worst, machine gun fire. So Linda went through the portal in the plaza just before the school, making sure there were no mounted patrols of their civilian carriages, stepped onto the porch.


    Ignoring the surprised looks, she headed towards the principal''s office, which was on the second floor. It was noticeable that something had changed, and the students wandering the corridors looked at the master with interest. Her timing of her visit was fortunate, because Yekar was now in the office with Yerber.


    "Hello" Greeted them Linda: "You both need me. If you have lessons scheduled right now, I suggest you put them on hold for a while and come with me to the spell practice room".


    "What brings you to us, Rinda?" Yerber asked, opening the door in front of the girl: "You didn''t just show up, it''s been a while since you''ve visited us after all".


    "I wanted to introduce you to two spells and I think they will be very useful to you" Rinda explained: "One of them I will show only to you two and the other one should be given to all the teachers to familiarize them with. After that you, Yerber, you will need to demonstrate your ''mind wind in my head'' to me, which I was promised to be taught about, but I still don''t know how to do".


    "You could ask any of the teachers" Grumbled Yekar: "There is nothing to teach, and in fact this spell can be said to be useless, as no one would have the strength to perform it alone".


    "Then you teach it. I have enough strength" Rinda suggested: "Besides, I''ll try it out on you".


    "It won''t work" Shook his head Yerber: "The defenses won''t allow us to make sure your mind wind is working properly. The point is that people believe in the illusion of wind and unwittingly blow themselves away. The spell is aimed at the subconscious mind and the movements are done involuntarily".


    "Let''s check it out" Said Rinda: "In the meantime, you watch. Open your mind, it will make the process easier and I don''t need your secrets. This spell, which should be publicly available, will help you understand how outsiders evaluate you".


    "Why would you even need it when you can just read minds?" The director asked.


    "The important thing is that it always works" Explained Rinda: "You can''t get into a mage''s head, and if even a mere human is wearing an amulet, you won''t know anything. No one reads everyone''s mind as it is difficult and inconvenient. But with the help of this spell, which I suggest to wear always, you will be able to determine whether they tell you the truth or lie, and to feel the danger in advance, having prepared a response. And it doesn''t matter if it''s a mage or not, or if it has an amulet".


    "Where did you get that spell from?" Surprised Yerber: "I''ve never heard of it before".


    "My scaly friend gave it to me" Smiled Rinda.


    "Wonderful! A beast bestows a spell?" Surprised Yerber: "I''ve never seen anything like this even in the chronicles".


    "It''s simple" Explained Rinda: "He supports me, especially since they''re trying to chop off my head, and he helped me, even though he''s given some gifts before".


    "You have a strange Beast, Rinda!" Yerber remarked: "To my knowledge, Beasts have only befriended master mages a handful of times in the history of our nations and have only offered assistance in the form of brute force".


    "Let it be strange" Agreed Rinda: "That works for me. Let''s familiarize ourselves with the second spell. This is a combat spell that allows you to attack the enemy with lightning. I won''t explain the essence of lightning, it''s necessary to use the spell. See how it is done. First, create an electrical charge two paces away from yourself. This part of the spell will protect you. Then direct the lightning through the conductive channel towards the target".


    The air in front of Rinda began to spark, and suddenly an unbearably bright curved lightning bolt, about three meters long, struck the wall with a terrible thunderous roar. Shards flew around, and the hairs on the men''s heads stood up because of the static electricity.


    "Amazing!" The headmaster walked over to the pothole in the wall: "Now we have to rebuild. It could kill, right?"


    "Absolutely. But we can create weaker discharges. That way the person is jammed, but won''t die. Now it''s your turn to try".


    At first, the teachers were only able to create thirty centimeters long lightning bolts.


    "Don''t be upset" Rinda comforted them: "That will be enough for most people. It will render them unconscious for a long time, and if someone has a weak heart, it could be fatal. Now it''s your turn to teach me yours - wind".


    The spell proved simple, and Rinda memorized it instantly.


    "Now stand in the middle of the room and create a defense!" Ordered the girl to the teachers: "Ready? Then I''ll begin".


    Strengthening the spell, Rinda made the teachers first lean forward and then quickly back up until they were against the wall.


    "I''ve never seen such power!" Another teacher, Ekar, praised her: "I have traveled to many kingdoms and met many masters, but you easily overcame our defenses".


    Rinda did not divulge that she had only used a third of her power, while realizing that this spell could be useful for dispersing crowds and in case people wore amulets. After saying goodbye to her teachers, she headed into the house and immediately hurried over to Dina, whom she hadn''t seen in a long time.


    "Did Golder say anything about me?" Asked Rinda, the excited maid blushing with embarrassment: "I''m sure he did. I''m sorry, I didn''t think it would turn out this way. I should have thought of a different disguise so you wouldn''t be embarrassed later. And if I walk around imitating you, you could get in trouble. The muggle hasn''t arrived yet?"


    "Should be here soon, Mistress!" Dina replied, looking at the sundial: "They should have been back by now, judging by this clock".


    "We should order a mechanical watch" Thought Rinda: "If they don''t have one with a speed adjustment function, let them make one".


    "Can I ask you to issue money in advance?" Embarrassed, Dina asked: "There''s a merchant caravan leaving for Dert tomorrow, and the next one won''t arrive until after the rains, and I need to send my wages to my family".


    "Don''t worry, I''ll pay it in advance. Talk to Gusd" Replied Rinda: "I don''t want anything to happen to you, so you shouldn''t run into town alone. Ask Fancor to escort you out. Unfortunately I have a lot of ill-wishers now, but they can''t do anything to me, but they can hurt you. Our guards have arrived, and it seems everyone but Muggle is hungry. Do you have lunch ready yet?"


    "Haya and I have everything ready, let everyone come into the refectory" Dina replied.


    "Great, set the table and I''ll talk to Muggle and join you".

 Chapter 20

    "How did you prove yourself in battle?" Linda asked the Muggle.


    "We did very well" The Muggle replied, adding: "My Lady, is there something you need to discuss?"


    Despite the girl''s efforts to get closer to the Muggle, she kept a distance between them, observing etiquette at the same time, and strangely felt exactly when Linda needed her help.


    "I need your help. Can you remember the image I wore during our first meeting in the refectory?" Linda asked.


    "How can you forget such an illusion!" The Muggle snorted: "Then I could barely restrain the desire to bow to you".


    "Who was that image, Muggle?" Linda asked urgently: "I ask you not to evade the answer. I have serious problems, and this information is very important to me".


    "These women once ruled our world. They could be compared to goddesses, but there were actually too many of them for this title. We called them assami. In our language, ''assa'' means ''lord''. Each of them possessed incredible body strength and magic, capable of defeating a hundred Boers without difficulty. They did not obey us, they protected us like a flock of Boer sheep in the mountains of Vardia. One day, more than three hundred years ago, before our migration to this world, the Aces suddenly disappeared, leaving us alone. Our world has become poor and overpopulated, perhaps they have found something better".


    "Do your claws protrude on your fingers?"


    "How do you know about this, my lady?" The Muggle was surprised: "Such a sign is only released during hunting or feeding. We avoided showing our peculiarities in front of people, and now even more so..."


    "Can you demonstrate them? It''s important to me".


    The Muggle''s unusually neat fingernails began to mysteriously lengthen, although their size remained three times smaller than the claws with which Linda almost tore the head of the CGR.


    "That''s enough, please. You see, Muggle, now I''ve been able to become much stronger..."


    Thinking about her plans, Linda barely tasted the dishes prepared by Haya. After eating lunch almost immediately, she hurried into the bedroom and from there went straight to the palace. Switching her vision to twilight, the girl found herself in the corner of the room and summoned the Beast.


    "What more do you need?" The lizard inquired, looking around the empty room: "I''ve already done a lot for you! Are you going to ask for something again? I''m sorry to have contacted you!"


    "Why are you so greedy?" Asked Linda: "Your friend is in danger from enemies who are all around her like leaves in a spring forest, and you behave as if you yourself have lost understanding after passing on knowledge! You helped me become stronger, but you didn''t teach me how to control this power. And now I have a problem!"


    "What kind of problems can the force cause?" The lizard asked in surprise: "On the contrary, troubles arise because of its lack".


    "Before that, I easily created an illusion without risk, but now they have become a reality and are trying to capture my body!"


    "Turn on your foresight, you''re not a fool! This is no longer an illusion, but a materialization. Assa wanted her body back, which was created by you, not yours! You are safe due to the fact that materialization requires energy, which will run out after the end of the spell, and everything will return to normal! But if Assa had managed to take advantage of someone, you would already be gone. Do you understand?"


    "So I won''t be able to use this body myself?"


    "It''s too early for that. It is necessary to conclude an unbreakable agreement with the assa, to divide the union of two entities into one whole. Do you want this?"


    "Why didn''t you warn me about this?"


    "How was I supposed to know that you would be contacting the assami? And besides, why do you blame your friend all the time?"


    "I''m sorry. Listen, Scarecrow, what if I hadn''t changed myself, but summoned a demon?"


    "A demon, whether he is stupid or smart, will always strive for profit. In this case, the opportunity is offered to try to negotiate with him, since his death is connected with yours. You can convince him in exchange for your promise to keep him alive. However, such games are dangerous because the demon can turn to another source of energy. The demons are proud, and could probably avenge the humiliation inflicted on them by the magician".


    "The next question is: what if you promise a demon a favor in exchange for something, and then don''t keep your promise?"


    The Scarecrow agreed: "It''s possible, but after that, various problems may arise. Is there anything else you want to know?"


    "Yes, I also want to ask you about the permeability of various bodies. Let''s say a person wants to go through walls and other people''s bodies without getting damaged by weapons. Is this possible?"


    The Scarecrow squinted and asked suspiciously: "Why do you need all this?"


    "I have a desire to reach an agreement with the priests, avoiding risks to my body, unfortunately I have it in the singular".


    "A human is not capable of such a thing, but for a strong magician it is not a problem. Just think about it and imagine yourself materializing and walking through walls - and here you are already there. Just be careful. If the spell stops while passing through the walls, you may get stuck in the wall!"


    Linda thought about it and decided: We need to try it right now!


    However, the Lizard warned her, as if he had read her thoughts: "Take your time, think about the consequences. The idea of how to breathe or talk in this state is very important to you. I''m telling you, you''re still completely stupid. Be careful not to become a victim of your own stupidity. Check the spell carefully: it will turn you into anything, but remember - you don''t belong in this world".


    Remembering with a kind word his useful, but stupid, in his opinion, friend, the Lizard disappeared into thin air. Having cast a spell and filled it with magical energy, Linda approached the wall and stretched out her hand. The hand pierced the stone without difficulty. Filling her lungs with air and closing her eyes, she took two steps forward and found herself in the hallway. The bright lighting blinded her, forcing her to swear and urgently turn off her twilight vision. Well, bad luck! It''s also good that I managed to close my eyes! Now she had to check whether any magic would be able to work on her when she was under the influence of this spell or not. Having made a decision, she was going to take a chance and show up at school right away, and she did so.


    Linda thought: "No one can hurt me anyway". She decided to check if her protection was activated. After walking through the empty corridors, Linda quietly approached the director''s office, where Ekar was not there. She had to wait until the end of the lesson. Avoiding sitting down, she stood for fear of falling through the chair.


    "You''ve been coming to see us a lot!" The director was surprised to see Linda: "What''s the case?".


    "Try to take my hand" Linda suggested: "Don''t be afraid, I don''t bite anyone. Take my hand at last!"


    The director''s attempt to grab the girl''s hand was unsuccessful, and he retreated, turning pale: "Help me find out if some magic will work on me or not" Linda asked: "Please be careful, I''m afraid I might fall".


    After conducting short experiments, it turned out that no magic works on Linda, except for mind magic. After saying goodbye to the director, Linda returned to the palace.


    "It turns out that you just need to have protection, and it''s impossible to harm me" She mused, heading for the king''s apartments: "Now I can safely meet with the priests. But before that, we need to finish things here".


    Linda entered the first room of the royal apartments, ignoring the secretary, and walked past him through the wall. There was a crash behind her, Linda turned around and saw the fat man lying motionless. She did not remove the transparency because she wanted to estimate the duration of the spell. The complete transformation did not last long, perhaps only a minute or two, but apparently the change in body properties required less energy and lasted longer.


    Pausing in front of the living room door, Linda considered knocking, but changed her mind: "Vadish!" She shouted through the door: "I need to talk to you, can you come out?"


    Perhaps the king was in his bedroom, because he did not hear. Linda went into the living room and shouted again at the bedroom door. Her screams were followed by female screeching and loud male swearing. The door opened slightly, and a very dissatisfied Vadish appeared in front of the girl, dressed only in one nightgown.


    "My kind attitude does not give you the right to do whatever you want!" He began to reprimand her: "Why did you come here on your own? Why didn''t Mara send it?"


    "That''s exactly what I did last time" Linda replied: "Who''s to blame that he fainted when I appeared? And how can I just knock on the door now? And if you shout through two doors, you risk losing your voice!"


    "Why can''t you just knock?" The king asked: "What is so difficult about it? And I didn''t understand what happened to Mar, why did he lose consciousness?"


    "Try to touch me yourself".


    "Okay, I touched it" The king said, putting his hand on Linda''s chest.


    "Please stop acting on your own" She exclaimed, staggering to the side: "It turns out that the spell has disappeared, and it might be unpleasant if you touched me. I accidentally walked through your secretary".


    "Why would you do that?"


    "I was thinking a little bit and didn''t notice him, and besides, he didn''t leave the road himself".


    "What do you want from me?"


    "I need a safe place in your palace".


    "Is that all you need? Invite Mara to solve this issue. Next time, please let me know you''re coming, especially if I''m busy talking to a lady. Otherwise, misunderstandings may arise, and you risk taking her place!"


    She chuckled and, in accordance with a newly acquired habit, tried to leave the room through the door, banging her head loudly against it. The king looked at the irritated Linda and went to his girlfriend''s bedroom to finish the sex he had started.


    When Linda appeared in the waiting room, cleaning the lump on her forehead, Mar had already begun to show signs of life.


    "Can I help you?" She leaned over to the secretary: "Hey, Mar, don''t faint again!"


    "What do you want from me?" He muttered, trying to move away from the girl: "Please don''t touch me with your hands!"


    "I need a safe room in the palace. His Majesty told me to contact you. And if you tell me where I can find the Prime Minister, I will be very grateful".Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I''ll help you find a room" The chubby man agreed: "The Prime Minister is on the same floor, but in a different part of the palace, he has his own residence".


    After a short time, Linda received the key to a small, but bright and rather cozy room on the ground floor. Wasting no time, she headed for the Prime Minister''s office, where a guard of two guards was on duty at the door.


    One of them turned to Linda: "My Lady, are you expected?"


    "No" She replied: "Mr. Prime Minister is expecting my visit, but we did not agree on the exact time. Give it to the secretary to clarify".


    The guardsman disappeared into the Prime Minister''s office for a while, and then returned with an invitation: "Please, my lady, the Prime Minister is waiting for you".


    "Good afternoon, Mrs. Linda. The short, stout secretary of the Prime Minister greeted her: "I am the administrator of my Lord Duke. The Prime Minister is waiting for you, please come through this door".


    "You are charming as always, Marchioness" The Prime Minister told her, getting up from his chair: "Have you come about the same topic that Your Majesty mentioned, or do you have any news that I am not familiar with yet?"


    "That''s exactly what the Duke is talking about" Linda replied, sitting down on the couch and ignoring the chairs at the table: "The king hinted that you have the opportunity to find performers yourself".


    "All day yesterday, my people were closely watching the temple. About fifty priests came out of there, and almost as many returned. They went out for different purposes, all of them under the protection of magic. Now we need to decide exactly where to commit the kidnapping. This operation can be performed in the city or during trips to other temples. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. The chances of unnecessary noise are increasing in the city, but the priests in this place do not expect an attack and are less armed than when traveling. It''s easier to attack on the road, but we only risk getting dead people. In addition, we need not just henchmen, but Temple priests, who rarely leave the city. They''re always in plain sight in the city. I have specialists who are ready to organize both scenarios, and only you will choose".


    "Do they go to entertainment venues?"


    "Why did you immediately think about it?" The Prime Minister asked, smiling at the slightly embarrassed girl.


    "Because I was mistaken in the Temple for some frivolous whore woman. If they invite such women to their place, they should visit such places themselves" She explained.


    "Yes, they visit them" The Prime Minister nodded: "My agents have been following some of them. They visit two of the most luxurious entertainment venues. However, unfortunately, they do not take off their amulets there either, so it will not be easy to do this without attracting attention or using violence".


    "I was promised help in this matter" Linda replied: "With this tool, you can stun and then put the priests to sleep".


    "It is important to approach the capture with the utmost caution in order to exclude the possibility of linking the disappearance of the priest with the royal authority. The King, who accused the Temple of violating the laws, has no right to violate them himself. Do you understand me, Mrs. Linda?"


    "If someone finds out about this, I will take all the blame on myself" Linda replied: "It will be the easiest thing for me to do".


    "Now I will introduce you to a person who will work on my behalf. Only through him will all communication be carried out. Where are you going to send the priest after the capture, if there is one?"


    "It''s best to send him to my castle right away. It is located far from the capital".


    The Prime Minister took a bell from the table, called the secretary and said:


    "Invite Aden to my place".


    The fat man rushed out of the office faster than the wind...


    "Is your secretary really a relative of Mara?" Linda asked.


    "Yes, he''s his brother. He will now summon Chevalier Aden Nara. This chevalier may seem like a conqueror and a womanizer to women, but in difficult situations he is a real master. That''s why I keep him. He will tell you the right connections and help you with everything".


    The young man who entered the room did not meet Linda''s expectations at all, formed after the Prime Minister''s words. He had a serious and intelligent face, modest but elegant clothes, elegant and well-mannered customs.


    "And this is the same womanizer and the helicopter?" She thought in surprise as she stood up to meet the man: "Perhaps the Prime Minister has too high standards for people?"


    "The lady is considering the possibility of setting up an ambush in a cheerful house" The head of government remarked, addressing his assistant: "What do we have on these points?"


    "There are two of them" The Chevalier began his explanation: "This is the "Dream of an aristocrat" and "Skillful and persistent". Both houses are considered beautiful, but the cost of services is sky-high..."


    "Have you been in them yourself?" My Lady interrupted him.


    "Unfortunately, no" Admitted Chevalier: "But I think it would be very useful. Please allocate funds and I will try to visit both houses. It''s not an easy task, but for the sake of the common cause..."


    Having settled matters with the Prime Minister, Linda headed home without further ado. Immediately after exiting the portal into the corridor, she ran into a gloomy Jenson, who clearly had something hidden in his heart.


    "Hasd was killed" He told the girl: "He went to the market for groceries, bought everything, even managed to hire a cart - and that''s it. However, some guy decided to steal his wallet, and after Gasd caught the thief by the hand, an unknown person stabbed him twice in the back. The guards could not stop the villain, but the driver managed to deliver the old man still alive. Fancor summoned a medical magician living nearby and rushed to the royal palace to find you. But the medic could not help: both wounds, in his opinion, were fatal from the very beginning. He also suggested that the knife was covered in poison".


    Her heart was shattered. From the very beginning, Hasd loved her the way he could love his child or granddaughter. He didn''t serve for money, and with Haya and Linda, they were like a real family. Although she could not admit that she also fell in love with the old man, she was deeply attached to him. She knew that his death would kill not only her, but also Haya: their bond was too strong.


    "Where is he now?"


    "He''s in his room".


    "And Haya?"


    "Haya is there too, sitting next to him".


    "Let''s go, I want you to help me move it".


    The entire female half of the mansion was in Gasd''s room. The old man''s body was laid on a table with a blanket. Haya was sitting next to her, crying, and a little further away, Dina could be heard sobbing, who was hugged by a Muggle. Linda went up to Gasd, bent over the old man and kissed his cold forehead. Then she hugged Haya and addressed everyone present:


    "I have a premonition of who is behind his death, and I solemnly promise that they will not go unpunished. Now I want to take his body and bury it next to his mother. They have spent their whole lives together, let them stay together after death. I strictly forbid you to go to the market for groceries. Do not touch the products purchased by Gasd yet. Upon my return, I will check everything. In the future, we will arrange food supplies from the villages near my castle. When Fancore arrives, I don''t want him to go anywhere else, I have business with him".


    She opened the portal a crack and let Jenson carrying the body into it. Dicter went back to Dert on business, and the castle was already filled with a squad. It didn''t take Linda long to find her captain.


    "Nice to see you again, my lady!" Bantar said, making a bow: "I am completely at your service!"


    "Your help will be needed, Vram. My servant was viciously killed by enemies, and I would like him to be buried near my mother''s grave. Did Dicter give you the location of Lady Helena''s grave? I have already shown that it is good. The keys to the mother''s rooms are with the manager, and I don''t let anyone into mine, so send for the vigilantes to take the body. Do you know when Dicter plans to return?"


    "According to him, by tomorrow evening, my lady" The captain reported.


    "Please tell him to go to the village in the morning for groceries and buy more of them. Also instruct me to buy live rabbits. I''ll pick them up myself in the afternoon".


    When Linda returned to the mansion, she was told that Fancore was not in it, and she went to her chambers.


    "They will not get away with this!" Linda thought as she sat down on the bed: "I already have a revenge plan. One of the Scarecrow''s gifts turned out to be useful, and I''m going to use it. But before that, I need to catch the priest. Besides, I have to assemble my squad of experienced warriors, and the Vram veterans will guard the castle-that''s enough for them. I definitely need to find a strong magician to share the responsibilities, because I''m tired of doing everything myself. It is not difficult to protect yourself from betrayal. I am grateful to the Beast for his gifts, and I am sorry that Helena wanted to dissuade me from making friends with him. If I can extract as many spells from it, then I can live in peace, because I won''t have any rivals in this place".


    Maglai''s voice came from behind the door: "My Lady, Fancore has arrived".


    Linda gratefully replied, going out into the hallway: "Where is he now?"


    "He took the stallion to the stable. Your groom is afraid to approach him because of his biting temper" The Muggle replied.


    "And the products that were brought?" Linda asked.


    "They stayed on the cart. The driver was paid, and he was told to pick up the cart tomorrow. I only took the rabbits" The Muggle replied.


    "You shouldn''t take them for food until I do a check" Linda warned: "The animals could have been fed something harmless to them, but dangerous to you. The priests of Mashun are becoming more adept at killing our fellow citizens. Later, I will create an amulet capable of detecting any threat to you".


    "I''ve never seen such amulets" Bura shook her head skeptically.


    "I have a lot of information that no one here has heard of".


    When the girls left the house, Fancore came up to them.


    "We couldn''t change anything, everything happened too fast" He told Linda and added: "Everything happened unexpectedly and too quickly".


    "Have you heard yet?"


    "The groom informed me. Where is Hasd''s body?"


    "I ordered the servant to be buried next to his mistress. And now I have a suggestion for you. I''m going to form a squad and I want to invite you to lead it. The members of the squad must be experienced fighters. I will reward them generously and provide them with weapons from my world. However, I want to make a mandatory condition: everyone, including you, must give me a magical oath of allegiance".


    "What kind of oath is this, Rinda? I''ve never heard of such a thing before".


    "No one in this place has heard of this spell before. My Beast brought it to me from far away places. The essence of it is that you must swear allegiance to me until the end of the deadline or until I release you myself, and this spell will monitor your fulfillment of the oath".


    "What happens if I break that promise?"


    "It would be good if you didn''t do that. You will not be able to harm me, but you will only harm yourself".


    "And if you want to kill the king?"


    "I can make an exception for you in this by accepting your oath on the condition that in this case you will be free. You can trust me. I won''t let you stab me in the back. I want you to understand me correctly. I''m not completely going to cheat on the king, unless he does it to me himself".


    "I have no objection to staying here in the service, only if the king allows it" Linda said.


    "I will definitely talk to him about this topic. Now let''s check the groceries" She added, heading towards the food cart parked on the road near the gate. Thanks to the spell, Linda quickly became convinced that there were no dangerous additives in the products.


    "All these products are safe for consumption" She confidently informed her companions: "Take them, and later I will protect them from spoilage. Fancore, can you help me move it? We need to hire an extra servant tomorrow, since Haya can''t do it alone. Where are the rabbits?"


    "The rabbits were put in a cage in the stable, where the horse food is stored" The Muggle replied.


    Thus, Linda demonstrated her determination and care for her companions, preparing for new challenges and adventures.


    Linda, inspiring confidence with her appearance and words, asked Buru to give her a drop of his blood. This was necessary to conduct an analysis and identify a potential danger to their species. With soothing words, she assured that the injection would be completely invisible, like a little girl''s.


    When the rabbits were tested, the result was in their favor - they were fit for consumption. Linda stated that all tasks have been completed for today and it''s time to rest, asking Fancore to ask Golder to help with groceries and comfort Dina. She noted that she should not be expected for dinner.


    The next day, Linda woke up refreshed and full of energy. Without waiting for breakfast, she went to the exchange room to get the gold. After carrying the bags to the hangar, where it was cooler than usual, she greeted the guys dressed for the season and was surprised by the amount of cargo.


    "In my opinion, there should be only two boxes of grenades, and you have as many as two dozen of them. Are they all meant for me?" Linda asked Frank, embodying confidence and determination in her actions.


    "Your ordered products were delivered today, both for you and for the king".


    "Then take what is intended for the king to the portal along with the grenades, and we will transport mine to another place. Has the gas been delivered yet?"


    "Not yet, but I''ve passed on your request".


    "Be sure to hurry them up, Frank. How''s it going with my record, I mean with the dragon scale?"


    "Even a diamond drill bit can''t handle your plate. We sent her by plane to the capital to sort it out there. We have also prepared a batch of mirrors. When will you pick it up?"


    "I don''t need mirrors right now, let them stay with you for now. If the gas and protective equipment don''t arrive tomorrow, then don''t worry about the mirrors anymore. In this case, I will have to take risky measures using local resources. Unlike you, I don''t have the opportunity to stall for time, such delays can be too expensive for me. Yesterday my servant was killed, tomorrow they can get to each other from my circle or to me personally".


    "Lindik!" One of the mover guys came up: "We''re all done! What should we do with the remaining boxes?"


    "Please wait a bit" Linda said, closing one of the sales and opening another near the mansion itself: "Put the bags on the ground right next to the portal. Frank, as soon as they take it out, I''m leaving. The gold in the bags is only for weapons, the payment for food will be later".


    Then Linda closed the portal, walked around the stack of boxes and saw the entire population of the mansion, with the exception of Hai, standing on the porch.


    "What were they delivering today?" Jenson asked as he came closer.


    "The products are in the boxes. And what do you do?"


    "Next time, we should immediately unload it into the house so that we don''t have to carry it. And we are... we were preparing for the trip and waiting for the appearance of the king''s men, and then an interesting episode happened. It''s not every day you get to see people jumping with boxes out of thin air. Your portal is almost invisible because of the sun. Linda, I have some bad news. Haya has fallen ill and does not seem to recover. And your magical abilities are unlikely to help. She''s tired of life and wants to leave, and I think it''s better not to bother her. Dina made something quick for breakfast, so we won''t stay hungry. And here are the Guards approaching. We''re leaving, and you hold on and try not to do anything stupid".