After examining all the cobalt treasures, David picked up several items of clothing and jewelry that he intended to sell, the rest had to be left as a hiding place. Haku spent all this time sitting in the hood of the guy's sweatshirt and sleeping, he felt comfortable, not in danger. All the jewelry had to be hidden in his pockets, since David did not have a bag with him. Having finished with the “packing”, the mercenary left the hole. Not far from the hole there was a small river, the guy decided to dip a torch there, thereby extinguishing it. David walked up to the water, plunged the light into it and briefly glanced at his own face. It remained the same as it was before his death, but there was still one difference: under his eyes, there was something that made everyone around hating him. One red symbol under each eye. Outwardly, these marks resembled a cross, the horizontal crossbars of which were bent parabolically towards the top and at the ends diverged from each other in different directions.
- How much absurdity - and how much more hatred....
Not wanting to stay in the forest any longer, the guy went back to the city. As he approached the gate, he noticed that the guard who had let him in and who had been on duty when he left had disappeared somewhere. In his place stood another, with a wolf's muzzle and lion's legs, but the body of a man. David decided to unobtrusively ask what was the matter.
- Hello, please tell me, there was another guard here a couple of hours ago, where did he go? Have you had a changing of the guard?
- No, he was dragged to prison, execution tomorrow.
- For what?!
- Because he let you into the city without notifying the church. We are heavily punished for this.
- So, I won’t get into the city?
- You will get there, Father decided to leave you here for now, so you can calmly pass.
- So, since there are no problems with me, maybe they will let that guard go?
- No, it won’t work that way, this is a matter of the principle of power. He did not follow their word, and for this he will be punished. Don't think about me, I myself don't want him to be executed.
For David, this was not terrible, but not good news either. It would be better to say that he rather did not know how to react to such a situation. On the one hand, he didn’t really know this man, but on the other, he caused him mortal trouble. Feeling slightly confused, David went to the guild, where a reward awaited him. Upon entering the building, he, surprisingly, attracted the attention of a whole crowd of other mercenaries; apparently, they did not expect his return, but most of all the surprise was visible in the eyes of the administrator who registered him.
- I'm back, all the cobalts have been destroyed.
- Is there evidence?
- What evidence?
- Do you think I should take your word that you completed the task? Provide ears, tails, paws, anything that can confirm your work.
- I don’t have anything with me...
- So go and find them, without them the work is not considered valid.
- So, you want me to walk several kilometers back and forth again?
- It’s not my problem that you made such a mistake.
- ...And if the proof is alive, will you accept it?
- In what sense, “alive”?
David slowly took Haku out of his hood and then placed it on the reception desk. From such surprise and fright, the girl fell from her chair, hitting her head on the table leg. A cut bleeding wound formed on her forehead, which Rimma immediately covered with her hand, after which she rose to her feet and immediately sat down on her chair.
- What is it?
- This is Haku. The last surviving cobalt from the lair that you ordered me to clear.
- Kill this creature.
- Never. He is my pet and I will not kill him.
- Okay, if so... in any case, you would not have been able to take it if you had not killed everyone. I will count this task for you, but in the future, bring something more lifeless, I definitely don’t want to see a wolf cub here. Here's your salary. – with these words, Rimma handed David ten “cards”; these were small white rectangular pieces of paper with a red six-pointed star on them, each with the denomination “1” in the upper right and lower left corners.
- Thank you, what about the points?
- You fought weak monsters, so you should have been awarded one point. However, since you cleared the entire lair, and at the same time - alone, you are awarded three points. Give me the card here, I’ll close the contract for you and give you points.
David handed the card to the girl, she carried out some manipulations on it outside of his view, and then returned it back. Having received his card, the guy took his friend from the table, returned him to the hood, after which he left the guild building and headed back to the tavern where he wanted to check in. Entering the Spruce Bed, he noticed Alice behind the counter, sitting and counting her profits. With a quiet, slow step, not wanting to distract the girl from her work, he approached the counter. However, he was still noticed, after which the girl hastily hid the money under the table.
- Oh, sir, are you back? It was already starting to get dark in the evening, I thought that you wouldn’t come back.
- I still need accommodation and dinner, that’s why I’m here.
- Certainly. Accommodation costs three cards, dinner costs two.
- Why is pricing so high?
- It’s still very cheap here, there’s a tavern not far from here, so they charge five cards for an overnight stay, and four for lunch.
- Got it, I won’t fuss anymore. Here are five cards. – David handed 5 cards to the girl, she instantly hid them under the table with the rest of the pieces of paper, bent even lower and took out the keys from under the counter.
- Are these the keys to my room?
- That's right, number 21, second floor, turn left. Dinner will be served in half an hour, please wait in the dining room.
David went into the hall, after which he began to wait for the meal, looking at the evening blue-red sky through the large windows. Soon, food was served on the table by Alice's mother, Gerda. Her face was clearly displeased, but she could not go against her daughter, such was her character.
- Bon appetit, sir. Good night. - said the owner of the establishment, baring her teeth.
- And good night to you, madam.
Gerda hurriedly retreated back to the kitchen, giving her daughter a light slap on the head along the way. Dinner was quite rich: vegetable salad with ham, omelette with chicken, pickled cabbage in its own juice, cherry juice and for dessert - a couple of blueberry muffins. David quickly began to eat his dinner, giving a little of everything to Haku. The guy didn’t eat all day and for some time before his death, so it seemed to him that he had never eaten anything tastier in his life.
- Interesting rat, where did you get it? - asked Alice who came up to the table.
-Are you talking about Haku? Found him in the cobalt lair while completing a mission.
- So it’s cobalt? I thought you had an ordinary rat as your assistant.
- No, that's not true. Thank you for dinner.
- You need to say thank you to my mother. She prepared everything.
- Is there any antidote?
- Hee hee, it won't be necessary. I personally tasted all the dishes, and besides, my mother always cooks in such a way as to impress anyone who sits here, even if it is a person she hates.
- Well, tell her my gratitude, tell her it was incredibly delicious.
- Fine. It’s time for you to go to bed, it’s already dark, we’ll have to light the candles soon.
- Okay, good night.
David got up from the table and went to the second floor, to his room. Opening the door, he went inside. There wasn't much furniture here: a bed, a bedside table, a wardrobe and a mirror. There was a bear skin on the floor. The whole room was already dark; not much light came through the only window, considering that it was almost night outside. The room itself was wooden and covered with something like plaster, repainted blue. David went to the bed, spread it out, put Haku on it, and then took off his sweatshirt and pants. He collapsed into bed, covered himself and closed his eyes, waiting for good dreams.
- Your first day went quite well, huh?
- Why are you here? What do you need from me?!
- To look at your sad face. Possibly to make fun of you.
David was again in a space inexplicable to himself, only this time he felt warmth and calm, unlike previous movements at the moments of his death. And in front of him still stood that something that pushed him into a new world.
- Listen, I already realized that this is not a dream, and that you are God, are you satisfied?
- Yes, very much so.
- Then maybe you’ll let me go and let me die in peace?
- Nope. I am a vindictive person. I will only let you go when you are fifty, maybe sixty years old.
- I don’t want to live in this damned world until I’m old!
- But you will have to. You will suffer - I will be pleased.
- Maybe you can give me some hint, huh? How to continue to live, what prospects to look for?
- A hint? Hmm... There is one! Don't meddle in the affairs of the church, live by their rules.
- Sounds like oxymiron. Don't interact and at the same time follow the rules...
- You wanted advice - I gave it to you. The power of my cult is limitless, it controls everything. And it isn’t going to let you down. Follow what they say and everything will be fine.
- Okay, let’s say, what’s on the list of things I shouldn’t do?
- Don’t loom before their eyes, offer help to everyone who needs it, don’t be arrogant, go to the temple three times a week and pray to me and don’t encroach on valuable artifacts.
- What artifacts?
- Well, for example, the “Multi-Border Volume”, which stores all kinds of spells. An artifact kept in the main temple, a sacred book.
- Wow...
- My time is running out, good luck in the new day. If I'm not busy, I'll visit you by next night.
- I hope you have a deadline...
David opened his eyes. It was already light outside the window. Even though he slept for more than eight hours, he felt as if he had not rested at all. Having come to terms with his fatigue, he lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling and thinking about his future plans for life. All his life, right up to old age, he will have to live in the world, constantly persecuted and always looking for a means of subsistence. Sometimes David went into his memories of his home world, where he did not have to run into the forest and risk his life for a couple of nights and dinners, all this was only in the game, which has now become a reality.
- Life has gone downhill... Maybe I should go to church and work for them? In my home world the priests lived well, maybe here too, or even better?
The guy had already begun to fantasize about a good life as a clergyman, but then he thought that it was unlikely that the mark would be given any privileges. “Multi-Border Volume ” - this thought echoed in David’s mind and a plan matured in him.
He got out of bed, dressed in yesterday's clothes, took Haku with him and went down to the hall.
- Good morning, sir. - said Alice, who was wiping one of the tables in the hall.
- Same to you. Is it possible to order breakfast?
- Of course, one card please.
- Discount?
- No, it’s just easier to prepare breakfast.
David handed one card to the girl, after which she went into the kitchen. Twenty minutes later the guy was already having breakfast with an omelet with herbs, washing it all down with mead. This was the first time he tried alcohol. In a previous life, he preferred soft drinks, but here he realized that he could not see soda. There was no smell of tea here either. After he finished with breakfast, the girl came to pick up the dishes.
- Alice, breakfast was simply amazing!
- I'll tell my mom.
- Could you tell me where the main temple is?
- Do you want to pray?
- Well... um... yes, exactly.
- As you leave our tavern, go right, at the third turn to the left you will see a tall building with a six-pointed star on the top, this is it.
- Got it, thank you, goodbye.
David got up from the bench and walked along the route given by Alice, and soon he saw that temple. A huge chocolate-colored building made in the Gothic style. It had three peaks, and on each was the main symbol of the church. David walked towards this viper with measured steps.
- Pst, boy…girl! – David heard a whisper from somewhere underground. Looking around, he noticed in the foundation of one of the buildings behind bars a man who was stretching out his hand to him. David came closer and saw on the other side of the bars the same guard who let him into the city for the first time.
- You?! So they locked you here?
- Do we know each other?
- You let me into the city, although you shouldn’t have, remember?
- Oh, so it’s you, the marksman? Your name is...David, I think?
- Exactly, you remembered, after all!
- Boy, listen here. I helped you, can you help me too?
- I'm listening.
- Help me escape from prison.
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