The guy's mood improved at the same moment when he returned to such a familiar form. The point was both in the higher possibilities of the body, and in the fact that in the form of a man he was uncomfortable also because this race suddenly began to cause him some disgust after everything he had seen in such a short period of stay among them. If some time ago, Rei still somewhere deep, in the very back of his consciousness, considered himself a man, now he has completely renounced this race.

Another contributing factor to his high spirits was the girl who suddenly began to act the same as before the unpleasant conversation next to the gun shop. Rather, she became even more energetic, and the spark of confidence and some anticipation burning in her eyes even strained Ray a little, because he had no idea what exactly caused such a change. But the fact that Tessa wasn't acting like a resentful child and ruining a great sunny day with it was far more weighty than this uncertainty.

But it seems that providence itself was not on the side of the guy. Although, depending on which side you look at ...

***

Two warriors on white horses rode on either side of the young man. He looked no more than sixteen years old, but there was so much arrogance in the boy's sleepy eyes that even some experienced old people would envy. He could hardly stay in the saddle of the same white horse, constantly lamenting that his father had interrupted him from important matters so early.

Why couldn't you wait a couple more hours? I didn't sleep at all. The boy said suppressing a yawn.

- Excuse me, young master. The marquis ordered to bring you when he learned that you had again spent the night in that place.

- Hehe. You would also do well to unwind. Always so serious.

“But not every night…” - one of the personal bodyguards of the Marquis's first son thought involuntarily. He did not dare to say such a thing aloud , although both he and his partner were already notably tired of the addictions of the young offspring of their master.

This was the case when the apple fell very far from the apple tree. The guy's father, Irf Lotsz was one of the most respected people in the capital. It was very rare that the nobles of Rondal were truly worthy of their titles, but the same could not be said of Irf. He was one of the personal subordinates of the now-deceased Third Minister, the search for whose killer was never successful, although quietly carried out even now. It was Irf who was the first candidate for this post, and one could almost certainly say that it was he who would become the new Minister of Trade and Finance. Prior to that, he was responsible for providing the capital with food, and since he performed the work quite honestly, he enjoyed the support of the people.

But here is Tirf, his son, despite the fact that he was named after his father, resembled him as much as a chicken resembles an eagle. Perhaps the guy was not stupid, but raised in wealth and luxury, he was too conceited. And first of all, this was expressed in one not the most worthy predilection of a guy with whom his father had experienced considerable problems since his son turned 14. Tirth was insanely promiscuous. And now two bodyguards have already taken him from the brothel for the umpteenth time. They obviously did not feel pleasure from the fact that they were considered almost constant guests there, because it spoiled the precious reputation of their master, but even the father himself could not do anything with his son's addictions, let alone ordinary guards.

Casting another glance at the sun, which had already risen fully, Tirth tightened his grip on his stirrups. His sleepy body was clearly not ready for riding after a stormy night, but he did not want to resist his father. Being the only son, he enjoyed the immeasurable love of his parent, however, the boy treated his father in exactly the same way, at least as long as he did not limit him in anything.

Rubbing his eyes again, he looked ahead and noticed a strange couple a hundred meters ahead, which had just come out from around the corner of one of the houses. A warrior dressed in gray armor, whose face was covered by a rather wide hood and a stunning girl, who was wearing only a short skirt and a small cloth breastplate. Her black hair, tied into a long braid, swayed from side to side with her every step. They stretched up to the seductive thighs of the beauty, inevitably drawing attention to them.

As they moved, the distance to the girl shortened, and Tirph could see emerald green eyes, one look at which made him finally decide.

He tightened his grip on the horse's sides and forced it to speed up. Two bodyguards followed him, and following the boy's longed-for look, they understood the reason. Both of them had a forced expression on their faces when they realized the reason, because such situations, albeit extremely rarely, had already happened.

Ray stood and watched the trio of horses rushing towards them. He easily made out the face of a guy galloping slightly ahead and, turning his head towards Tessa, sighed heavily.

Looks like the walk is over. - he turned to the girl, who, until now, did not understand why there was so much skepticism in his voice. But when, after a few seconds, a trio of horses stopped next to them, and the boy sitting on one of them looked at her body with an appraising look, she cursed in her hearts.

Ray, at that time, looked up to the sky, trying to understand why he was so guilty before the gods of this world, if any, that even an ordinary walk around the city could not go smoothly for him. However, he was not indignant for long, because what was happening was a great way to get souls, which he could now use only to drive away sleep. After all, the minister, obviously, will not leave his guests without food, and Ray was not going to refuse the dishes that the highest ranks of the country eat. Souls, in the middle of the capital, were quite difficult to gain, and although he had quite enough of them, he was not going to refuse the opportunity to get a few more, because this resource cannot be called superfluous with all the desire.

“Young lady,” the boy began, dismounting from his horse, “would you like to keep me company? I assure you that you will not be disappointed, and the time spent together will leave you with only pleasant memories.

He was a little shorter than Tessa, and Rey towered over him by a full head and a half. The guy, looking at the clothes and accompaniment of the young man in front of him, understood that he had grown up in an atmosphere of universal worship, but the picture that he observed looked so comical in his eyes that for the first time in such a long time, he could not contain sincere laughter. Even though it was only a few chuckles, they were loud enough for all four of them to turn their gazes to him.

The most stunned was not even the young son of the Marquis, but Tessa, who, opening her eyes in full breadth, turned to the guy. For the first time in all her time with him, she heard him laugh. No, of course, Ray sometimes expressed his emotions on his face, but so that ...

- What's funny, smerd? the boy said quite calmly, interrupting the girl's thoughts. All courtesy had disappeared from his voice, but as soon as he stumbled upon the stern look of strange green eyes hidden by the shadow of the hood, he involuntarily took a step back. For some reason, these eyes seemed inhuman to him, but the view was blocked by the broad back of one of the bodyguards.

A man dressed in a leather breastplate, sheathed closer to the center with metal, was already holding his palm on the hilt of the sword. He understood that he was not acting very worthy, but such was his work, for which he received money, and a lot of it, so the man was ready to work it out. In addition, both bodyguards were very devoted to Irf, because they had served with him for more than one year, and one way or another, the master did a lot to win the loyalty of his people. And it is worth noting that he succeeded. The bodyguards were ready to give their lives for his son, knowing that their families would continue to receive their share of the salary, even with the worst outcome.