- Yes ... We started walking with a friend at the light ... - Deciding not to tell anyone anything definite, I waved my hand sluggishly and threw the wet hood fabric from my forehead.

- Room? - Nodded understandingly woman.

- It would not be bad, and even dinner. - I smiled thoughtfully, showing friendliness. The people gradually lost interest in us and in the hall again began to increase the hubbub disturbed by our appearance.

- Second floor, the seventh door to the right. Separate beds. - The woman nodded, stretching the key to me, staring at me busily.

“Yes, yes, of course ...” I mumbled, pulling a purse of copper from my shoulder bag. After paying the due fee, Veres and I went upstairs to our room. I unlocked the door, it opened quietly and without a squeak, the hinges were perfectly oiled, and twilight reigned inside.

- Stand at the door. - I briefly threw Veres, pulling off his wet jacket, the zombies obediently stood at the door, propped up with her back. Recently, I tried as little as possible to command the zombies through the channel, more and more often I turned to him in the ear, apparently, the lack of communication with living people affected.

However, it was not my most important problem, in an extreme case, you can chat with yourself, so to speak, think out loud. My main headache is that I have no idea which side to take on the task set for me. To be frank, with all my ambitions and aspirations, my thinking is sharpened by creating the most favorable conditions for myself and a peaceful existence. Now, I need to get into politics at the highest levels and redraw the social system of the whole world under me. The situation is aggravated by the fact that I am a new person here, I almost don’t know people and have no idea about their mentality, it’s all easy and simple at home, go to the official, buy his soul in exchange for the opportunity to more efficiently plunder everything you can reach and in the bag. Here it is necessary to study the electorate, to find weak spots, to find leverage of pressure both on vast masses and on individual personalities, and time is running, it is not going to stand still and wait patiently for me to figure it all out. The more I think about ways to resolve the issue, the more possible problems it throws to the surface, just the head is spinning. I am well aware that in this situation, you need to think over everything to the smallest detail, provide for the maximum number of aspects, and only then begin a large-scale campaign. But yes, yes, there is always this unpleasant "But", and this time it lies in the fact that with all my self-confidence and conviction that I am the smartest and generally the very-most, in reality everything is different. I got used to act irrationally and impulsively, just to be undermined in the very first second and run forward headlong in the hope of the best. That was the situation with Xa-Aran, I could sit down, think things over well and make the right informed decision. But no, I felt strength and power, I ran rather to punish those who were disagreeable and indulge the flesh, and the curve led me to the deep ass of another world, I will not repeat more similar mistakes.

- If they bring dinner, let in. - I nodded to the servant and went to the small bathroom in the room.Unlike the basement bathroom in a city house, it was a bit crowded, well, at least with water and heaters everything is in order, you don’t have to build a fire under the bathroom ... I undressed and gladly got into hot water, finally relaxed my shoulders and threw back my head on the side. When I relaxed enough and my thoughts flowed slowly and sedately, the first worthy idea was finally knocked to my head. I have to interest people, draw them to the side of demons, in this case the gingerbread will work well, but the whip is applicable against my future detractors. They will appear, I am sure of this one hundred percent and even more, any idea always has opponents. Looking through various patterns in my memory, I found a very capacious in strength, but at the same time very useful weaving. With it, the magician has the opportunity to create a magical drive, a dark drive. I, as a magician, produce pure energy, and already by virtue of the characteristics of my skills, I will inevitably transform it into dark energy, the drive will allow me to collect the magic of death initially, and then use it at my discretion. Such an artifact will not be static, the level of its strength varies depending on the sacrifices made. I'm sorry, what? Do not confuse me the sacrifice? Not a drop, I know very well whose interests I am going to lobby and are ready to take cruel but effective measures. Only souls are important to demons, they receive power from them and become more powerful, everything always revolves around the power and authority that this power bestows on its owner. I will help Xa-Aran rise, but he will not leave me offended, power over the whole Empire sounds tempting ... Having outlined the first steps, I stopped tense up and completely relaxed, tomorrow, I will start to do everything tomorrow ...

Being in a normal bed and not in the woods on the side of the road, I decided to have a good sleep and forbade Veres to wake me up before dawn. I woke up myself, smashed my eyes and dressed in clothes that had dried over night. He began his work with an acquaintance with the local pillar of power and the guarantee of well-being. Having found out at breakfast from the hostess of the inn, who runs the show here, went to look for the magician. The post of the headman, the director or the mayor, I do not know who is here from them, is a sorcerer, for some reason I am not surprised. As I understand it, not the strongest of his many colleagues, and besides, he was also guilty in the capital at the time. What he did in El Tene, no one really knows, but the fact that he was exiled to a distant frontier out of sight, is a well-known fact. The house of the magician turned out to be solid, on a high stone foundation and a neat hedge instead of a fence. There was no gate, this house is not only a dwelling, but also a point of local government, so access to it is open. Having pushed the unlocked door, I found myself in a spacious upper room, the room could boast of bare walls, not covered with curtains by the windows and a lonely desk, behind which a young man of about thirty was sitting with an important air.

- What is it for? - Without much interest, he asked, never taking his eyes off the book that lay on the table in front of him.

“I would have people ...” I still said, not fully forming a thought.

- What for? - The magician was surprised, raising his face to me. Yes, it is really young, and it is already clear that this post is not just a burden, but literally weighs upon a man.

“I decided to build a house not far from the town ... Workers will be needed.” - Deciding to play the simple idiot out of myself, I sniffed. The magician looked at me suspiciously, I chose clothes that were inexpensive and inconspicuous, his eyes caught on the handles of the blades that were sticking out from behind my shoulders, I cursed inwardly, the weapon spoiled everything, because it was obvious that I had bought it for not three kopecks.

- Younger son? - With superiority he grinned.

- Sorry what? - I did not immediately understand.

- Daddy, I say, deprived of inheritance? - With an all-knowing look, he indulgently threw.

- This is ... Well ... Yes ... - I decided not to persuade him.

- And what are you, dear friend, going to pay the workers? - With a hidden mockery in his voice, he deliberately friendly asked.

- Umm ... Gold ...- I replied interrogatively.

- Even so? Do you have gold? - Instantly interested in the magician.

“There is not much left of my mother ...” I mumbled pity, drooping my eyes.

- Well ... If you are not lying, I can select several people. - Rubbed his hands magician, I hid a triumphal smile, it seems, I found the key to this much blasphemy bastard.

- Thank you ... Sir ... - I bowed, literally squeezing out the last word.

- Yes, yes, of course, I am always happy to help the citizens of the Empire, just bring the gold here, to me. - He said.

I gave him two gold coins, by local standards, quite good wealth, and with what kind of, like ... Read more →