Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

Having passed the gate, Sheng jumped off his horse. Everything was as usual at home, as if he had never left. The servants ran up, habitually grabbing the reins. While giving orders, he once again thought about what to tell his father, but no matter how much he delayed, he had to go. Once again making sure that everyone was busy with business, he went to the room where the head Shoe was most often at this time of day.

— Shin Su, Kofi, follow me, — the new members of the order needed to be introduced. Having reached the familiar chambers, he knocked.

Shoe Feng Zhi (Hai Tao)

Busy with his own affairs, the man did not notice when it was getting on for the evening. Having skipped lunch, he plunged headlong into the pile of papers that arrived on his desk every day. Previously, his sons did this, and he had not even had to think about letters for a long time, and during the absence of his children, he had to remember all the names of the villages and memorize the names of the new elders. A knock distracted him, he waved his hand tiredly, without looking up from another scroll, indicating to the servant to open the door.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

After receiving permission, Sheng Lang entered the room and bowed.

— Father, greetings. I came to report on our trip. We agreed on Xiu Li's engagement to the heir of the Feng sect, but Gui Ying and Su Yu Lan ran away. What caused this is unclear. Chun Lei, along with most of the squad, is now searching for her. I think the girls couldn't have gone far, and they will return soon too.

Unable to read the emotions, he spoke briefly about the events in the Necropolis and the council.

— Allow me to introduce you to my weapon. This is Kofi, and this is Shin Su.

Shoe Feng Zhi (Hai Tao)

The man raised his head, but it would have been better not to. His gaze stopped on a completely unusual creature. He looks like a human, but feels like a spellcaster. A living spellcaster with skin as black as soot. Who also smiles and bows just like his son.

The meaning of the words didn't sink in right away. Xiu Li, whose upbringing was beyond doubt, had run away?

Getting up from his place, he cast a stern look at his son and slowly began to approach.

— Shoe Sheng Lang, I entrusted you with a simple task, but you managed to not keep an eye on your sister. Were you so busy with the party that you did not have time for her? How did this happen? And... this, — having already approached, he looked carefully and pointed at the black man, — do you understand our speech?

Kofi

Of course, the young man noticed the intense gaze on himself, but he had already resigned himself to the fact that everyone was looking at him like that. That's understandable. Of course, he understands speech, because when he was in arms, he listened to his previous master for many years and always understood what was asked of him.

— Head of the Shoe Order, I understand perfectly what you are saying. Just as you understand me. The flute I lived in was not from these lands. I was brought here from far away, — he did not beat around the bush. This fun was already boring, — in my native lands, a white man is as rare as I am here. I am no more unusual than Shin Su.

Kofi bowed his back in front of the man, not wanting to distract the father and son from their conversation.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

The young man had been expecting such a question, deliberately leaving the details for later. Therefore, after waiting for xiao's answer, he told in detail about the events that were somehow connected with Xiu Li.

— Father, we did not expect such a thing from our sweet and well-mannered sister. Apparently, maiden Su incited her to do this. They say that she is very badly brought up. I would have to make sure that she did not associate with this person, who, although from a good family, was quite dubious. I am guilty and am ready to bear the punishment that you consider fair.

Shoe Feng Zhi (Hai Tao)

The black man's answer satisfied his interest for a while, there were more important things to do. Punishing for something that could not be predicted is stupid. However, there was one thing that Hai Tao himself did not want to do.

— Okay. I understand everything, but I would like to know everything in more detail. Rest for now. Tomorrow you will report everything in the smallest details about both the weapon and the maiden Su, — he patted him on the shoulder, — and today, since you managed to lose your sister, and you are here alone, tell Lady Shoe about Xiu Li. This is your punishment.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

Having left his father's room, the young man took the weapons to the chambers assigned to them. Having made sure that everything was ready for the new tenants, he left them to rest.

— Kofi, come to me after dinner.

Having decided not to put off the unpleasant conversation for later, he went to see lady Shoe. The woman was initially happy about his visit, but the longer he spoke, the more her face, already covered with a network of small wrinkles, frowned. She didn't utter a word the entire time the young man was speaking, and only then, leaning back on the pillows, did she ask to call the head.

Kofi

Home. He finally found himself in a place that could be called home. Great feeling! Undressing and lounging on a freshly made bed, he allowed himself to enjoy this moment. Life is beautiful, there is no other way to say it.

Kofi woke up only when the sun was almost no longer visible on the horizon and, remembering that they were waiting for him, he quickly tried to get dressed. Of course, not very successfully. The whole outfit looked like that of a very drunk and partying person, but this did not bother him much. Trimming his hair with his hand, he went to the Master.

Having found the right door, he knocked. Everyone does this here. It is not clear why and for what purpose, but he decided that he will find out later.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

— Come in, — having waited for the young man to come in, he got to the heart of the matter.

Even on the way home, he realized that it would be useful to learn more about how the skill Kofi used worked. Perhaps it could be useful. And Xiao was right, so many years had passed since he owned this weapon, it was time to study its capabilities. Watching him settle into the chair, he smiled.

— Kofi, do you remember that song you sang to me at the camp? Can you tell me how it works?

Kofi

He immediately grabbed the teapot. So many years have passed, but the master still became interested in him. He poured the drink with pleasure and grabbed the hot cup with his hands.

— Of course, master. It was a lullaby that I sang to my children when they did not want to fall asleep, and before that my mother sang the same song to me, and before that her mother sang the same song to her. You will not understand the words, they are from my homeland, but the effect is always the same. Many generations have put peace into this text even for the most wild children, so it is a very powerful song. You probably know that the more people use a certain magic, the stronger its effect, that is where its power comes from. Only the one who has an instrument in his hand can resist. If you want to play it, then just think, and I will help you with the words. You do not need much magical power to use it. All souls, one way or another, want quiet.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

Interesting. He will need to find out what other abilities xiao has, but that will be later. I wish I could sort this out now. Such a skill opens up almost unlimited possibilities during combat, and not only. It is necessary to find out the time of action, then it will become clear in which cases it can be applied.

He put an artifact that counted time on the table.

— Kofi, sing it to me again. I want to know how it will affect someone who knows about the effect in advance.

Kofi

The offer was surprising. The first time the young man could not appreciate it.

— Master, you will definitely sleep while I sing. The time should be counted after I finish singing. It is impossible to stay awake while the song is playing, — he shrugged, — at least, I have not met a single spellcaster who would not be affected by this song.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

He thought about it, but the solution came quickly. All he had to do was subtract the time he sang from the counted time. Confident that xiao could handle this task, he asked:

— You'll be able to tell me later how long you sang, right? And also, does the time of subsequent sleep depend on how long the song lasted?

Kofi

— Of course, but you can count it yourself later, I'll sing it just once. You remember that you won't fall asleep if you hold the artifact in your hand? — He thought for a moment, although he knew the answer in advance, — No, I've sung many times, but the effect doesn't depend on the duration of the singing.

Kofi took a more comfortable position and blinked one eye.

— So, are you ready for experiments? — Having received consent, he began to sing.

Having finished, he settled himself more comfortably in the chair and, having poured himself some more tea, reached for the worthy treat while waiting for the master to wake up.

Shoe Sheng Lang (Bai Hu)

It really was impossible to resist. Just a few words, and Sheng Lang's consciousness again transported him to the already familiar lake. Everything is exactly the same, the same butterflies, flowers, smells, even the birds sing the same songs and somewhere far away Kofi’s voice sings a beautiful melody.

The young man stands on the shore again, admiring the reflection of the clouds. It seemed that they, like heavenly boats, were slowly floating on the surface of the water. The song had died down, leaving only the voices of the birds calling to each other, sometimes producing surprisingly pleasant trills. Immersed in the general harmony, he lost track of time until he felt a hand touch his shoulder and smiled. He knew exactly who it was. Turning around, I saw the majestic figure that I had carefully preserved in my memory.

Only something was wrong. The difference in height. He was going to greet her, but reality had already begun to crumble. The birds fell silent, and the surrounding reality slowly melted away.

Sheng Lang opened his eyes and looked in bewilderment at the young man, comfortably seated in a chair, with tea and sweets.

The same dream for the second time in a row, and again there was not enough time, but the night was ahead, and he would have the opportunity to find out what would happen next. Smiling at his own thoughts, he took the artifact and nodded contentedly. The effect time was quite satisfactory for many tasks.

— Thank you, Kofi. I hope you weren't bored?

Kofi

One could only guess what the master had in mind, since, apparently, he had no intention of sharing. But it was not so important, in any case, Kofi would be the first to know about what he had planned. Having finished an unknown number of mugs, he stood up, looking into still sleepy eyes.

— I am used to loneliness, master. This is not the first time I have watched you, — he pointed with his hand at the counter on which his artifact was most often located, — I often had to watch you sleep from there. And now I also enjoyed some tea.

He walked away a little and bowed, not wanting to interfere with his rest.

— I need to go. See you tomorrow, the tea he had drunk insistently asked him to leave as soon as possible, and xiao hurried to close the door from the outside.

Having found the right room and relieved himself, on the way to his place he managed to scare a couple of servants who greeted him from around the corners with shouts instead of greetings. "I'm not that scary. Quite a handsome man,” he thought, looking in the mirror, and smiled.

Having gotten out of his uncomfortable clothes, Kofi sprawled out on the prepared bed, in what his mother gave birth to him in.