Chapter 20

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"What are you thinking about, merchant?"

I paused in my reflection and shared with my interlocutor: "About the difference between demons and gods."

He snorted: "That if you say 'nothing', the gods will punish you. And the demons will laugh and agree."

At the Mages' Guild, an old wizard in the obligatory cap and gown sat at the reception desk, no different from the pensioners at the gatehouses in my world. He was just as bored and just as eager to share his wisdom:

"I think of it this way: if it doesn't touch you and can give you something useful, it's a god. If it doesn't touch you and doesn't pay attention, it's a spirit. And if it tries to devour or harm you, it's definitely a demon."

It sounded logical.

The young sorceress, who was sitting aside, thought something unpleasant in our direction and waved her magic wand over my phone with increased concentration. There was a busy process of dragging a skill from a virtual to a more assimilable form.

The standard way to study in this setting was with a magic book or scroll. I had no money for the material, and I refused to take a Guild order with payment in the form of magic paper because the version discounted to me through the magic crystal said: "difficulty level "h", which probably means "highest", or even worse. So I paid with what I had - there were "shield + sword" and "spear" of the third level with one technique on each, so "swordsman" I offered. The head of the Guild was not impressed with the fee but one of his students agreed, which has half an hour sniffling and cursing everything in the world, trying not to show it. In fact, it wasn't even the skill that tempted her, but the opportunity to practice. Such orders do not often pass through minor mages of minor guilds, and the skill "scrolls" should be pumped.

"Done!"

The first thing I did was to grab my phone, as it was a bit uncomfortable without it, and then I scanned the scroll I had been presented.

Skill Scroll - third rank lance man (Technique Precision Strike 1st level)

Judging by the footnote in the phone, the scroll itself was studied with a simple "Study" command, for some reason in Latin.

"Just say it out loud and that's it?"

"Yes."

Confirm the fulfillment of the contract?

Yes/no

I agreed, and the sorceress smirked as she saw the guild's orb flashing. No, it's a hundred percent techno barbarians, not magic punk! The thing connected to the phone as soon as I walked into the Guild!

"Just a moment, miss."

The magician, who was already on her way out, turned around: "What, you want to pay extra for a good job?"

I shook my head: "No, I'm going to take money from you. Or something of equal value."

And before I was incinerated on the spot, I added: "How much does creating scrolls increase your rank? I'd be willing to help... if I had my own interest."

The mage frowned at me, and I opened the tab with the sign of the Guild of Merchants and hinted. I was not just babbling, but having a business conversation.

At night, during the respite, so to speak, we discussed all sorts of interesting topics. That is, we chatted about adventurous matters like looting dragon treasure chests and freeing kidnapped princesses (or princes). And at the same time, Larnochka clarified one subtle issue - about spells, skills, and techniques. You have to train them if you want to grow in rank. And I need the scrolls because it's too expensive to convert through the usual Delivery. Only system users can learn through apps, and the rest need scrolls, databases, and other tangibles.

"If you need to develop the skill 'making magic scrolls', I have a suggestion."

The mage nodded: "Let's assume. How many more scrolls do you want, two, three?"

"One hundred and thirty."

The wizards looked at each other, and I finished: "I will provide the skills, the materials are yours."

The old man stretched out thoughtfully: "I don't see you, young man, with the platinum marks of a grandmaster of the Trade. Where did the skills come from in such an amount?"

"From the Creators."

I pointed my finger upward, looking at them solemnly and sadly. It worked, and the old mage brooded: "That's why the gods are bothering you. Clean skills?"

"Exactly the same as the respected sorceress just transferred. It's all right, isn't it?"

She nodded.

The bottleneck was still the contract. A hundred skills, and with a technique each. That's a lot of value. Big enough to fry me on the spot and flee to another country. To prevent this from happening I need to entice the doer with something of commensurate value, and since I have no money, I can only offer a skill increase for the mage by a level, or even two.

But I stood anyway, preparing to move my toe an inch to the side, where I cast a spot of teleportation with an exit to the street once a minute.

The sorceress tapped her wand thoughtfully on her palm: "Deal. But the materials for the scroll are yours, there isn't that much in the tower right now."

"Okay. But all the skills have to be transferred in a day, the customers are waiting for them."

"It is possible. But then elixirs and power crystals are needed..."

"You pay for all the preparation, I'll just bring the paper."

The magician thought again, and I once again renewed the teleport.

I learned from Larna that there are only three wizards in town who can create a scroll. The town is not small, but there is no full-fledged school here, the wizards-adventurers are mostly low-ranked. And the city enchanters are constantly busy without my scrolls. There is not much choice, so to demand money for the possibility of pumping will not work, I am too interested in the urgent execution of the order.

"Deal."

"Then let's make a preliminary contract according to all the rules, with a copy to each side and involving a respected master as a witness. And I also need a few potions, not quite standard. What would you advise your partner to do?"

The contract was concluded in the standard way, on the guild's artifact. The phone was accepted again without any questions, a copy was issued electronically (another tab opened in the Delivery app), and then I said goodbye to the magician and the grandfather watchman... Or is that the Guild's chief wizard? In the story, he's supposed to be a retired mage of unimaginable power. And a lecher, which I didn't notice. Maybe he's only like that with girls.

So, a new day has come, what's in my favor? A skill scroll that can be used on someone. Although it's not clear how it will work if the person doesn't have a skill slot. Larna can look up the ingredient book for me... I smiled again quite a bit. It's nice when a girl is so energetic, and, importantly, strong in body. Because too slim girlfriend can start wheezing and choking not from passion. Yeah. I don't want to remember. Anyway, we fought all night for the right to be on top. If I understand correctly, the adventuress had a sad experience with being overly quick to leave her suitors and was not going to risk... Oh, such shapes, such energy, and persistence!

Um... So, where was I? On the plus side, I have a bottle of water. I should look for a better price because I need to buy something for active protection, I can't just borrow it from the creators. And I guess I'll have to charge my backup card. I'll have Junior buy fifty machetes and axes and arm some of the Umruns. I also need to find information about those circles, someone made them, so what's the purpose? Maybe leave some there and set up a "water farm"?

I have three healing potions in my bag. I ordered two, but the apothecary offered to make another one of the same ingredients for a small fee. Yes, I cheated my partners and took one of the potions for myself at their expense. Who knows how it will turn out, but the two that I promised, I will drop them by tonight... or until tomorrow, there is time, isn't there?

Running around the city took me less than an hour. The map displayed the best routes so that at some point I even forgot that I was not at work, and began a conversation with the artifactor with the usual "Hello, I'm from the Delivery". After the final conversation with the adventurer's registrar, I said goodbye to the rest of the cash, looked at the noon sun, and, after guessing my options, opened the auction.

Material for creating skill scrolls.

It took me a long time to play with the sliders, and I read all the notes carefully. I was offered pickup from the edge of the universe, or an item was offered for sale before I was born, or someone demanded that "you kill a dragon, and we'll take the scrolls out of the lair for you". At last, a few lots filtered out, and I stared at a previously unseen marking: Seller in the Hunt Territory.

Like selling loot? Are hunters some kind of inter-world adventurers? The price, by the way, is not in coins or points, but in the common currency. Which is generally a plus, because I have so much, but why would the System folk at the auction sell something for rubles?

"Watch out!"

I was in the middle of a carriage with four centaurs in it, and I teleported to the side. And the tailed ones were clearly in the suit. it's bells and whistles, everywhere, bells and whistles. Oh, man, I'm out of my mind. I was going to... Oh, yes, I was thinking of something expensive and easy to keep, and now I'll have a hundred skill scrolls, and I don't care if it's a skill, but it'll have some gimmicks, too. And that's very cool by local standards because from the scroll you learn the proper execution of a technique in any situation. Years of saving on training, it's worth the risk. It's a good idea to buy up skills from the creators you know, and materials from the hunters, make scrolls here and then sell them.

Everyone benefits, and everyone profits, but when to do it? I feel that time is short and I have to hurry. I don't know how I get this feeling, but I'm sure of it. When is there time to do business if everything is on the run, hurry up, hurry up? And you don't know what to grab first, so you won't regret it later. I'm not used to it, my dad likes it: three subscribers on the line, all soapy, sleeping two hours a day, eyes on fire. He'd get the local Guilds in his fist in a month. In the meantime, Mammy would be building the local Duke, or whatever he is, with everyone's full consent. But they're not here, and I'm afraid. I don't want to be late and miss out on something important. I'm worried.

Hey, Universe, how about a little miracle? I don't ask for much, is it enough to save the girl and get the Umruns out? I'm willing to pay right now without haggling! I'll even reconcile with my daddy, I swear!

A halfling with a basket on his shoulder walked by and burped noisily. Apparently, that's all reality had to offer. All by myself, all by myself.

Okay, that's exactly what I thought.

Beep.

So am I lucky?

A System Quest is available - help a fellow courier!

No, unfortunately. I was signed up for a rescue mission.

I didn't waste any of the ring's charges, so I walked, and the quest path started almost immediately from the city gate. I thought about my means of transportation as I made my way, kicking the garbage underfoot melancholically. In the Merchant's Guild, each rank required its own "achieves," such as "bronze" must provide a wagon or pack animal. I was two ranks away from that, but I had to think about how to skip it. Maybe I should get a sapient helper. A centaur, for instance. But could he follow me through the unreal? I'd rather have an unintelligent one, but there's not much choice, and I don't like horses.

Follow from the black stone to the red stone.

The horse, as any sapient person knows, is a high-risk transportation unit. It traumatizes the body, traumatizes the psyche, and kills all illusions about the kindness of animals. Maybe that's why I started eating so that they would break under me!

Yes, childhood trauma. Yes, you're definitely going to learn that.

Look, I'm good at it! Yes, Mother, I've already realized that I'm a loser. Unlike you, I'm not afraid of horses and they're always up to something. The computer is much better. It stands there, buzzing, not trying to find anything under your clothes.

However, my father also taught me, You must overcome your fear!

And I found a cure, with a guarantee, but when I started chasing the cattle that bit me with a shovel, I was forbidden to go to the racetrack. Hey, it works, no more fear! Two months with a psychologist? It was worth it!

We don't need the horses, we'll run on our own.

Enter a dry forest, follow the trail without stepping on strangers' footprints

All the footprints here are made by strangers. Or not?

Indeed, two hundred meters later, I noticed a clear imprint of a familiar footprint, put my foot next to it, and compared it. Apparently, in the local unknown paths, footprints can appear without your participation. On their own. All right, I'll keep that in mind.

The quest turned out to be intricate, the trail wiggling so that I began to suspect that it was hearing the System's orders and trying to hide. At least twice I passed through familiar places, like a plane trying to land in a strong wind, and then the description of the quest changed the font and told me directly that I had to use the teleport. By the way, no one said anything about compensation for the spent charges.

Is this the use of employees' personal vehicles for the benefit of the office?!

On the other hand, this reward plus the doubling and I'll redeem that set thing... The main thing is to have enough charges.

Two hours later, cursing everything in the world and with the ring almost discharged, I stopped at the edge of... earth. There was only a chasm below, with fog swirling below, emitting slow, flying tendrils from time to time. So, where the trail had led me, rocks were hanging in the air, swaying slightly, and a perceptibly visible stream was rising past them from below.

Objective: Your new friend is caught in a timeless power trap. Extract him from the force trap!

I looked around. I tried a boulder hanging a meter off the ground. Okay, we're on a jumper quest here. Charges... Forty-six in the ring. Spent a lot of time at the Guild while I was nervous. So I have to go through a spiral of unstable rocks, like in a Japanese show. And the target, apparently, is that steady cocoon of something smoothly spinning in the very center of the stream. The only one rising out of the fog with a steady, transparent tentacle. Actually, it was two hundred meters in a straight line to this "spindle," even more, and there were no steps or a platform next to it. A cliff, fog at the bottom, rocks floating up, swaying, and this very "power trap." Well, judging by the relatively small reward for the quest, nothing particularly difficult here, must cope. Once again, there are stones in the chain that are massive enough not to turn under my weight at once, but they are in different places. There, in the cocoon, is my colleague, he somehow got there, so this path can be used.

Wait, what am I supposed to do when I get there? It's about three meters from the nearest rock...

The scanner zoom showed that there was indeed a human figure hanging in the spindle, arms outstretched. Okay, I'll push him out of there somehow, and then? He'll fall, the quest fails and I get a penalty?

Sitting on the ground I began to draw a scheme of jumps. The main massive rocks are ten them, all about fifty meters away, hanging on a spiral string. I can only safely teleport back to the cliff from the three closest ones. There's another one midway, about five hundred tons, clearly a resting place... Or a trap for overconfident fools.

Worst of all, the rocks in the stream were moving slowly, and mapping on the ground to practice wouldn't work. Well, I don't have any extra teleport charges anyway. The only thing I can hope for is the ability to choose quickly the right option in the game. And my dexterity developed through years of nightly trips to the fridge.

At the last moment, I stopped and looked around. Since it's a quest, I must have all the items I need to complete it? The only things that could react with the stones were the teleporter and the bag. This one will do...

Poke poke.

The rock swayed beneath my feet, rolling over with lazy grace, and I was already putting the second pair in and out.

Poke poke.

The exit was at the very edge and I felt this one go even faster.

Poke poke.

I had to fall, wrapping my arms and legs around the surface. Don't move! Exactly choose the right boulder... Poke. Poke.

Before this one turned belly-up, I was on my feet.

Poke poke.

This one was big enough to take a second to look around. The rocks I'd disturbed were spinning slowly; using them to get out was useless now, I'd fall down.

Poke poke. Poke poke. Poke...

I turned my head frantically, then, almost at random, threw the teleport and hit it. My foot slipped, and I hung back, clinging to the scratchy rock. All this for four thousand points? Fine, I've still got the doubling.

Poke poke.

Suddenly I appeared to be one jump away from the cocoon. I was shaky on my feet, and suddenly realized that it wasn't enough for me to get the damn loser out of the cocoon, I had to drag him!

Poke poke.

I froze, and then pulled the bag off my back, flipped open the flap, and slid my hand inside. There was a twenty-kilogram boulder in the relief zone now, but I still had to hit the contents of the cocoon with it. And I had to keep my balance while doing so. Just below, a rather large boulder was floating in a stream of clearly perceptible force. Now it's going to come to the point opposite... now... here we put the entrance - poke. And the exit on it - poke.

The motion made the stone beneath me turn over slowly, unbearably slowly. Early, early! Early, damn it! Now!!!

I pulled a heavy boulder out of my bag with one tug. And with both hands, I threw it right into the cocoon with a yell. It gleamed and hissed, and the figure inside twitched and sagged through the glowing wall and into the abyss. I tapped my palm on the teleport spot, fell back onto the rock, and put my hands up, trying to catch my falling colleague.

Of course, he couldn't help but mess up. He bent down in flight and almost flew past! I don't know how I got it, but the fact that we fell off the rock almost immediately is a fact.

Poke poke.

The exit spot was on the underside of another boulder, and we, me and the guy under my arm, immediately began to fall. I poked my finger as fast as I could, my burden twitching each time, and I was sent flying again and again toward the misty sea below. Finally, I managed to put a new exit already on the side of another rock, it gave me a second of rest. Then again jump, jump, jump. The edge of the cliff was getting closer, I was out of breath; I was afraid to blink, so I wouldn't miss the one exit from the jump that would save us.

How we ended up on the edge I do not remember.

I must have been swept up by the flow rising out of the abyss. After all, it was holding the rocks back. After another jump, I was tossed over the edge, even flying a little farther than I wanted to. But all the same, this race was shaking and my back was hurting unbearably. I must have hurt it when I tried to grab that... what was he doing there, the bastard!

As I pushed the loser away, I cursed hoarsely.

"Early, too early."

He's still not happy!

"Man, the System sent me. Don't thank me."

The sky here is beautiful. It's the color of zucchini caviar. With a moldy appearance.

I rolled over with a wheeze, found my phone in my pocket, and pointed it at my "booty".

.... Delivery Systems, 37 lv.

The title was hidden. I didn't know there was such an option. But that's the highest system-level I've seen so far.

Teleport Ring

Charges - 0/200

I think I only jumped a few times, where did the forty charges gone?

I looked at my colleague again. He was lying there, breathing heavily, but already trying to get up. What do you call him, the Old-timer? The Grey? It fits, he even has silvery eyebrows. A side effect of being in the flow of this stuff?

"How did you get there?"

He coughed, then reached into his mouth, dug around in his fingers for a long time, pulled out a folded bag tied with string, and unwrapped it. A ring suddenly appeared in the bag, Grey quickly put it on his finger and listened.

We stood up at the same time.

Judging by the description, I completed the quest. The reward dripped, I checked my balance, and quickly, before Delivery swindled my precious points away, I paid for the auction of the item in question. Well, now there's something.

"So be good. I owe you".

"I've already been pa..."

He poked his finger under his feet with a familiar gesture, but there was no exit spot. He stepped and disappeared. Apparently, the artifact was at a higher level than mine. Did you get it off the raid boss? Well, if I live to level thirtieth, I'll be just as good at it myself.

I turned around and looked at the rocks spinning in different directions, at the strands of mist rising from the abyss. I wish they would tell me what it was. He was off at the most interesting moment!

The way back turned out to be three times shorter. Apparently, so I would not be bored, this time the Internet turned on almost immediately, although the news was caught from different worlds. I hope so because it can't all be happening in mine, can it? Well, at least not at the same time.

"Ah, you bastard! You did it on purpose, didn't you?!"

"Hello! Have a nice day!"

I forgot there were no more charges. I had to run away from the angry road worker. However, the rest of his crew only laughed after us.

Well, it's getting late, it's time to go home. I'll take the cure tomorrow. I'd better go to the seventh hall, in case my purchase has already been delivered?

Of course, it was not without surprises.

"Hi. It turns out we are from the same world and even from the same room."

The gray-haired man, who was receiving the cloak and bag from the storekeeper, glanced briefly in my direction:

"What do you want for your help?"

"That's okay, I already got the bounty. Did it come?"

The storekeeper, waving his invariable reader, ducked into the depths of the warehouse.

"I don't like to be in debt."

Hmm... And this is an experienced deliveryman.

"I'm looking for information about the Hunt."

The gray-haired man became visibly gloomy: "The best summary - don't mess with it!"

"But..."

Bleep.

Boss, I got a box of strawberries here. Do we want them or should I sell them?

With a satisfied chuckle, I explained to my colleague: "My personal slave earned me some goodies again. Well, I won't punish him."

"Slave?"

Strawberries are good but buy bread too.

The storekeeper put the box on the counter, and I checked the contents: "Oh, I have a lot of slaves! Delivery is something special in this aspect."

Indeed, if you think about it - more than a hundred collect the water of life... The mood jumped up. No, seriously - perfect night, then successfully negotiated all the orders, then got this one out, finally bought a glove. And in the evening, a box of strawberries as a reward for the effort! That's good!

For some reason, the Girl came to mind. She would surely appreciate how great it is, strawberries in the evening of a hard day!

"Since you're throwing advice around - what could a girl like who's been sitting in a circle of stones for several trees? I mean, several hundred years?"

The gray-haired man, clearly unhappy that I was neglecting his desire to repay, grimly nodded:

"Not an advisor here, think it yourself."

So it's all right, so what. I'll figure it out myself, and I'll pull it out myself!

I paid with the rest of my points to recharge the rings and headed home. Actually, that's not true about accomplishing everything I'd set out to do. The scariest and most dangerous thing was yet to come. But without a trip to Grandpa's house, my plan was in jeopardy, and in such matters, you want full guarantees. How would I get in and out of his house without getting caught?

The rest of the day passed while I was weighing my options. Finally, I opened the door to my room.

"Hi, Boss."

"Hello, Junior."

The dummy stared dumbly and devotedly. Yeah, what are you supposed to do when you get home from work? Check the homework?

"Give me the phone."

At first, though, I took a shower. My back was hurting, so I tried changing the temperature of the water, and it seemed to work. Finally, dreaming only about rest, I sat down on the bed and flipped through the reports without interest. Delivery, another one, picked up some wood for sale - the bot's life was monotonous. The tracker showed that he went through the city five times from end to end, and that was just yesterday. Then closed the slot... I frowned. A picture of a hotdog? And another one? An apartment? A bed?!

Girl?!!

In all the pics, all the poses carefully captured for the report were Tomboy!

"How could you do that?!"

"Everything's fine, Boss. She liked it. She asked for more."

"You... Geez..."

"Would you like to see more pictures of her?"

"Fuck you!"

"On my way, Boss."

"Halt! Fucking walker!"

One could only take comfort in the fact that he was, as it were, a concentrated Me.

I deleted the pictures, of course. Didn't even look at them! Well, just to make sure it wasn't something I needed... Bastard, how could he! He's going to ruin the whole plot!

Under my fierce stare, Junior fidgeted a little and stretched out quietly:

"Boss, you said yourself... I had dinner and rested."

And the bastard looks at me the way I looked at my mother during the interrogation! What is it, less than a month of adult life, and already credits, brat son, demonic intrusion... It's all kind of stressful!

Although Tomboy might have just noticed the unattended energy and not the echoes of my charm. I quickly checked the Skills tab; there was more of it in Junior than in me. Man, no excuses left! The whole scenario is messed up! Now you can't be sure of anything.

Okay, I also got some, but he's practically me, only not as perfect and clever. But he's a hard worker.

"Where are the berries?"

Ouch, okay, he rested, so he rested. He's all grown up now. Soon it will be the second week...

And after I calmed down, I opened the reader. No, if to think about it, it's not such a big deal... And there were some berries. Tomorrow I'll have to check my glove before I go. Don't mess with it? But what else could I do? Or have to drag through the infernal desert a crowd of untrained people, which is not desirable. No, a backup plan might work, but it's too much...

The strawberries suddenly ran out, and Junior immediately slipped me a new bowl. With a sigh, I admitted that it had been a good day after all. Busy, but good. Let's see what tomorrow would be like.

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