Chapter 35

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Listening to what was going on outside the window of the room was becoming a habit, almost a gamble. I could not always guess what I would hear - sometimes it was the clanking of training weapons, sometimes it was the noise from the workshops or the roar of the buffaloes. Once I even caught a classic squabble between neighbors in the courtyard: it turned out that there are days when parishioners clean the Temple, and two women were figuring out which of them would do a better job washing some clothes.

It was almost quiet today, with only a group of newbies discussing something with undercurrents of excitement. Now, what's so interesting here? I'll draw the scrolls for today later. I walk quickly down the corridor to the stairs. Looking out of the window is not our method, we need to be closer to the people!

As I left the barracks, I looked around, listened, and went to where I could hear strange noises and the excited mutterings of the young guards. As I got closer, I was surprised to find a fire elemental on the training ground fighting with a martial arts instructor.

The sergeant was chasing a cloud of fire between the pillars and the dummies, spraying sparks and bursts of white flame, which he did well: the sergeant already had a few scorch marks, which didn't seem to bother him at all; he was threatening the fire cloud with his swordmaking him either duck or break his attack and retreat. At last, the elemental decided to attack and lunged at the sergeant with its wings of fire open as if to embrace him.

Mentor ducked under the pale yellow flames, slammed his sword into the elemental's "back," and jumped away, flicking the sparks from the smoldering hair.

"Good! You got me!"

"I just got you, and you almost gutted me!"

The flames split in two. On the right stood the typical fire pet of an Elementalist mage - a two-foot swirl of flame with a very roughly composed face of darker fire. On the left was a girl, a human, in priestly garb. Cute as she is.

"You did well! Don't be disappointed by your defeat. I've faced such opponents before. You did well in the fight!"

The girl looked at nothing in front of her, then made a characteristic movement with her hand - Yeah!

A player. And with virt, moreover, knowing some of the peculiarities of the game and having just passed a hidden quest. And I was... oh, it's been a long time, yes. Four whole weeks ago.

As I approached the porch, I called up the profession menu and quickly scribbled down five scrolls of blessing.

"Mistress!" I caught up with the girl at the entrance to the sanctuary. The elemental was no longer with her.

"Yes?" The girl turned around. Very cute. Even with some ennoblement in the making of the character - a pretty face, gray eyes strangely matched with flame-red hair, it was a pretty face. Not a single characteristic feature to say, "And she's also had such..." An average, unremarkable, pretty face.

And the figure's all right.

"I witnessed your fight with the Mentor. It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing - a man becomes a flame! Amazing art! Are you new to the neighborhood? I'm sure I would have remembered you if we'd met before."

She smiled:"Yes, I just arrived at the Temple. And you?"

"I am a Paladin. A mere paladin."

"Walk me out, will you?"

I nodded, letting her go forward. The girl was obviously not new to the game, with two standard phrases she evoked a favorable attitude from the priest and got her buff, then turned to me:

"Brother Paladin, I have difficult days ahead of me in developing my skills and growing in strength. Would you have any advice for a novice mage?"

"Mistress, as I said, I am only a simple paladin, one of the warriors of the Temple. High style is difficult for me. How about starting to speak without all the loftiness?"

The girl stopped, frowned (adorably!), and held out incredulously: "Wait a minute. Are you a player?"

"Well, yes."

"Wow!" She's already smiling. She seems to have an easygoing personality. "And I was wondering what kind of fruit you are and why such an NPC in the Temple."

"It's just that I'm very timid, and I didn't dare to admit that I was fascinated..."

She squinted her eyes: "And with what?"

"Oh, it's beautiful! I couldn't take my eyes off it! Such elegance of lines, such hidden perfection in simplicity! I was referring to the embroidery on the cape... Where was it made?"

"Rascal!" She smiled again. "I did it myself."

The embroidery was indeed present, and very interesting.

"What kind of class is that? I've never seen that, to be honest."

The girl stretched out contentedly: "I don't even know if I should tell you secrets. Exclusive, by the way! I haven't seen it anywhere else!"

"Worth it. It would be a good deed, almost saving a fellow believer...if I understood those two flowers at the collar correctly."

"Observant. Guys rarely pay attention to the most important things." She walked to the railing of the staircase that led to the second tier of the sanctuary and traced the pattern on the wood with her finger. "You see? It's a typical Amala pattern of a palm and a flower.

"Campanula!"

"Yes, Campanula. And I have them embroidered with fire, with a scarlet thread. And with this sign of the elements. Well, can you guess?"

I tried to guess what in the reality of "Creators" might mean by such a combination.

"What is that - a holy shaman?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Not exactly a priest, but not a pure elemental magician either."

"Why were you chased by the Sergeant and not the Mentor of the priests?"

"That's how the old fighter checks all the multiclass. You know, the ones who beat the first three ruffians."

The girl obviously knew the game better than I did.

"So - you figured out some multiclass trick and took something from the priest branch. But how?"

"By the way, such information is very expensive!"

"I can give you an apple."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"It's a deal!"

I called up the exchange menu, and in a second, the girl was crunching the juicy fruit recovering the life points lost in the training fight.

"It won't take long for everyone to figure it out anyway. Oops, food with stats? Where did you get it? A fan site posted an article on embroidery, and someone gossiped in the comments that NPCs read even non-magical ones, the ones that people do for fun. Well, fan roleplayers."

"Hidden features of the profession?"

"Oh, such complicated words you know! Exactly."

"You took Embroidery as a profession, a magician's class, a shaman's ability."

"A branch of Invocation, a school of Communication with spirits."

"Then the priestly abilities..."

"School of Empowerment."

"Which gives a buff to the elemental. And plus the ability to Merge. So a shapeshifting priest... turning into a Holy fire elemental?"

"Mr. Holmes, I am astonished!"

"You have a sick fantasy."

"Well, well, no compliments, I'm embarrassed enough as it is."

"This will only work against the undead, right?"

"Whatever. But it's beautiful!"

"What's the ratio?"

"Ten. With a dime."

I looked around at the girl. Ratio ten from the beginning because of the three conflicting magical classes - priest, shaman, and mage.

"I hope your friends in the guild will help you. This path promises many challenges."

"Yeah. Isn't it great?!" From the sound of my new acquaintance's voice, she was thrilled. "I'm the first person who's ever used that trick!"

"I see. No matter what, but the first one?"

"Ew, man! What's the point of ruining a girl's mood? And I, by the way, deleted the previous character! I suffer!"

"Well, a lot of girls are so nice when they're angry. Should I have checked?"

"Did you check?"

"I need to piss you off some more. Do you mind?"

A man with a dog on a leash came through the door of the Sanctuary and looked around. He saw us and waved his hand in greeting.

"Alas, you'll enjoy it later - it's up to me." The girl jumped up and bowed in a formal manner. "Brother Paladin, it was a fascinating conversation, but I have a business to attend to."

I saluted just as ceremoniously: "Madam, thank you for your time. If it were not for the necessity of meeting with the city archivist, I would certainly try to stay with you."

"Wow, can I go with you?!"

"Sure. As soon as you get your reputation with the city up to two hundred, or have a charisma of twenty or more. Otherwise, he won't even talk to you. He's a tough old guy."

She sighed. "It's a pity. And I was hoping..."

"For a hidden quest?"

"Yeah. That's the most fun thing about CoD - searching for quests!"

"Alas. But I hope Her blessing will be with you."

"Thank you, the buff is very appropriate."

"Trade. For the first levels. I remember how difficult it was."

I passed the scrolls, all rank four. It's a good help, and not a sorry to spend in the pumping.

"Thank you! Why so generous?"

"What kind of generosity is that? It's a free sample. Then, when you get addicted to it, I'll charge you so much money!"

"No problem. I'll give it back with embroidery!"

"Deal."

The player put you in the list of friends, and now you can see his name.

"Anika?"

"You can just call me Nika. See you around, Paladin!"

"Of course, I'll see you... mage-shaman-priestess."

"Pf-f."

The girl walked lightly toward her waiting friend, who showed no sign of impatience. Apparently, an old friend knew her well and therefore did not try to tear her away from her interlocutor.

"Comp, search. The words "creators of destiny", "embroidery". Results that appeared in the last three days."

I didn't find it right away, but the discussion was really lively. The right comment was in the third hundred. There was a glimpse of the fact that NPCs are much more attentive to clothing than players assume.

Nothing of interest to me. But the embroidery could be done sometime. I just have to think about it...

Thinking about the pattern, I went to the Town Hall; there wasn't much time before the meeting; I went into the game with the intention of making scrolls, but I didn't have time because of the conversation.

"Paladin! Where the hell have you been?"

"And I'm glad to see you, Bard. Is the song ready?"

"Yes, of course. Will you listen?"

There was no time.

"No, let's go now. But if you fail my quest, I don't know what I'll do to you!"

The bard smirked: "And what can a Warrior of Light do to an unrecognized balalaika genius?"

"Well, for example, hiring kids to meow every time you perform on the street?"

"Oh, hard-hearted! Relax, I've done everything. Everything will be easy peasy. The old man will soften from the music and give you everything you want and his beloved granddaughter as a squire!"

"These words make me feel a little uncomfortable. Are you sure you did?"

"I didn't sleep all night!"

"Did you drink?"

"By the way, bards have a class skill - when intoxicated, the melody comes out more soulful."

"You're from the module, it doesn't work on you?"

"It depends on how much to drink in reality."

I knocked on the door of the archives.

"Come in! Who the hell else is in there?"

"Good day, Master Archivist!"

The bard bowed as well, looking around the room.

"Oh, you. And what do you want?"

"You said you'd like to hear a good song about your dear Second Uthar Regiment, and I found this musician. Don't look at him for being such a schmuck. He's a decent musician!"

The bard furtively showed me his fist.

"Everyone's trying to insult the talent! And I almost didn't sleep! Such a theme! I wish I'd read books about those dark times! Seeing such wealth ..." The bard pointed to the shelves. "How many stories worthy of transposition to music! Honorable Archivist, may I at least hope that someday I will be able to..."

"That's up to you, singer. I wouldn't open the door for some unknown musician, let alone let him into the recordings."

"I, dare I hope, am not some unknown. I am known in many places!"

"In every tavern that sells crappy wine, right?"

"Exclusively in those that sell quality products from the wineries of the central provinces or halflings' breweries! I hold my art in high esteem!"

The old man gave an approving chuckle, and I interjected:

"Honorable Rakis, that babbler can talk nonsense for hours. But he's a decent musician. Shall we listen?"

"Let's hear it. Well, what did you come up with about my dear regiment? If I don't like it, I'll chase you to the door with that stick!"

The bard silently and with a contemptuous grimace shrugged his shoulders, pulled his lute from behind, picked up a chord (judging by the sounds, in reality, the module was tuned to the guitar), and cheerfully began:

"Across the valleys and across the hills..."

I goggled. That bastard!

"...the glorious regiment of Utars marched!"

I felt like pulling the power cord out of my computer. Maybe then the quest wouldn't count?

"No fatigue, no fear, fight the night and fight the day..."

Apparently, the bard mixed all versions of the song and added local flavor. The archivist listened attentively. The beard made it difficult to understand his feelings.

"We have kept you in our hearts in this hard time..."

I'm sure I'll hire some kids! And bandits to break the lute over too smart a head! Such a screw-up! Though it was my own fault, I should have listened before visiting the archives.

The bard finally finished, striking yet another dashing chord and stomping his foot.

I froze.

"Ahem. Yes, however. I've never heard anything more," my heart paused, "appropriate!"

Knock-knock. Knock-knock.

"Thank you, Honorable Archivist. This is just the first draft. It is such a rewarding topic! If I were to dig through these records or, better yet, listen to an experienced warrior, I could make such a story!"

It's scary to imagine which one. The unbreakable union of free empires has been united forever by the great Darkness! Or what?

A text chat notification flashed:

Pal, thank you!!! Hidden quest plus two charisma and fifteen reputations with the city! You can send the money by mail, ok?

"But if you'll excuse me, I've arranged a rehearsal with a troupe of strolling actors. There are some very talented performers there. We have to work together."

The archivist hummed, straightened his mustache with a familiar movement, and looked at the departing bard:

"Yes, the sergeant was already telling me about the talents of the juggler there. She's especially talented in the front!"

"Ahem. Honorable Rakis, I'm afraid my friend the bard..."

"Funny guy. But I haven't heard such a reworking of this melody yet."

I got silent. I closed my mouth. Then I asked: "So you know that this is not a march of the Second Uthar Regiment... composed today?"

"In the two years I've been working in this archive, I've heard this song three times. First from a guard, who said it was "the battle song of the clan orcs," then from a visiting courier from the capital, who called it "the melody of valiant wanderings. And now here as the march of the Second Heavy Uthar Regiment."

"Uh... Excuse me, my friend..."

"I don't mind, brother Paladin. The tune is upbeat, the lyrics are good, and your friend's voice is loud. It's from your world, isn't it, the light strangers?"

I breathed a sigh of relief and answered: "You're right. Moreover, in that world, it exists in more than one version, too."

"Well, I say it's a good song, a fighting song! What was it like - fight the night and fight the day...? Yes, I used to... All right, stop looking at me like a cat on a piece of meat: here's your book, waiting since morning. I would have given it to you anyway - did I write it for nothing?"

With bows and words of gratitude, I picked up the book, or rather the black leather-covered journal, and checked it in my inventory - yes, "Acts of the Second Heavy Uthar Regiment in the Early Dark Ages to the Present Day. There, now to the barracks. I thanked the Archivist again and quickly ran to the exit.

The bard was nowhere to be found. Pity, pity. But the role he plays is A-plus - even emergency leave in cases where you can get punched in the face!

Logically, I should have visited my trader and made some scrolls, but the book beckoned. Even when I opened it at random, I could see there were at least two hundred pages of text, and some of it could be transferred to a map.

Hurry up to the barracks!

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