Chapter 26

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It has been said to the fool - don't tattle on the trail!

The staff sage was saying, explaining the safety rules!

What about me? How did I blurt out, "System, save the girl"? And what did I promise in return? And I chose what kind of setting - with magic! And what's the formula for magic? A thought, a gesture, and a word, man!

Gray is the Old One, the girl and I look alike. We give everyone nicknames. And I was joking about "slaves" in his presence, and how did he know I was such a joker? He took that at face value and rushed to the rescue. Although I'll kick his ass for the "freak" on occasion! Why wait, though? Does Delivery take orders for broken legs?

Still gigling, I got up from the pebble and looked at the commotion. The Umruns looked almost like humans, just a little smoky in the scanner. Stuffed while they stomped through the unreal. But they're going into the wilderness anyway, there's a miracle of more, less, no one will notice. The men of the Composite Squad were not much different from the living, either, though they reeked of smoke much more strongly. I did what I could for them, and then they were on their own. They had weapons. The rules would be explained to them. Maybe they'll make some kind of Soviet Magic Republic.

But without me.

I blurted out that I was willing to pay for the help without bargaining, and I would even make peace with my father... And exactly after that, I was given a quest to save the Grey-Old One. Who took care of the rescue. He may be for this and in that vortex of power went. Delivery took the order and began to work it, opening the trail and putting the Courier on it. And I, in order not to be distracted from the minutiae of life and not to spoil the script, was planted with trinkets and occupied with all sorts of small things, away. That's me - the famous Happy Courier, the savior, and the winner! It's worth it to give an Achievement or two in time so that while you're bragging and proud, someone did the credit... Too bad there's only one way I can make peace with my dad.

Anyway, I'm going home, because I'm fed up with all this - the miracles, the problems, the unsettled life.

Bleep.

I picked up the phone without even looking to see who it was. Who else could get through to the other world?

"Yes, Mom? No, it's okay. It's nothing special, it's just a routine. Mom, I'm going home now... Yeah, I've had a lot of fun. Prepare your father mentally, so he doesn't jump to the ceiling with happiness. Yeah, I'll be home soon, for sure, just finishing up a few things."

The nervous giggling wouldn't go away, so I tried to get it over with as quickly as possible. I waved at the departing caravan, then caught up and gave the rest of the water of life they would need, and waved again. Ran through the city, distributing debts and collecting orders. Stopped by the Trade Guild, leaving instructions. Went to the Mage's Guild, negotiated changes to the contract.

And only after finishing all this I staggered home.

The familiar business center, the jump through the glass, the surprised faces of the creators sitting around the table with the sliced cake. I was also offered one, but I had no appetite at all, so I unpacked the orders and began to explain:

"Here, man," I handed the guy a round piece of wood on a string. "This is a Dream Amulet, which was kissed by all-female adventurers of a small Guild of Adventurers: put it on at night, and one, random, you will dream. Not a glitch, but a real one will come to you in your dreams. You have to negotiate with them yourself there but keep in mind that they are different. I can't think of anything more interesting, I'm sorry."

"Man, you are just... You have such an imagination!"

"To you," I handed the girl, "the Talisman of Hue. I don't know how it works but if you put it on yourself, people around you will only notice your most positive trait. Positive to them. But don't be surprised if it turns out to be something unexpected."

"Interesting," she took it apprehensively, but immediately jumped up and started twirling in front of the mirror.

"Yeah, you have to recharge it once a month. Either create an artifactor skill for yourself or call a courier from Delivery and let him take it to the wizard for charging. So, I gave you healpots, now you, kid - the System does not approve of Intelligence Boosters in our world. So here's the "Mirror of Truth", or rather a fragment of it. The whole thing is obscenely expensive, even for you. I don't know how it works but according to the description, it allows you to look at a problem from a different angle. Careful, it hits you on the brain!"

"Okay, that's fine."

While I was rummaging through my bag, "Stick-in-the-ass" start staring at the computers through his monocle. I guess my warning goes for nothing he was already frozen.

"Here's yours," I handed the box to Oleg and warned him: "Careful, in the world where I brought it from, it is a combat artifact from the gray list, with all that it implies. For it on the spot will not cut, but look askew. Order a guide on the forum, do not use it for fun, and in general - it's not a joke!"

He nodded but twisted the box in his fingers doubtfully. By the way, why did I remember his name so quickly? He must be the main character of the next season. But that wasn't up to me.

Finally, the System acknowledged that I had fulfilled my part of the agreement, and a new tab opened in the app. As agreed, a hundred and thirty third-level skills had been translated, all with techniques. Now all that remained was to arrange their delivery, but that was no problem...

"Well, dear Creators, it was a pleasure to meet you... have a good day."

Poke, poke, and I'm on the street.

Long farewells are unnecessary tears.

"Junior."

"Boss?"

"In ten minutes at the dorm."

"Yes, Boss."

Judging by his intonation, I distracted him, but it's late, and he still needs to make it.

"So..." I looked at myself-with-a-nut-in-a-head. Junior looked dumb and devoted, just like I would if I were him. "Give me the phone."

It took me less than a minute to transfer the skills. Then I created an order for delivery to the Mage Guild through the forum, poked at the confirmation myself, and returned the phone to Junior:

"You leave this world for another. There you will fulfill the order, you will distribute the skills to the umruns, who are cared for by the adventurers of Mira and Larna."

While I was explaining point by point what to do, Junior nodded in time and only clarified:

"How do I get back here?"

"You don't. You stay there, and when the colonists settle in, you can live your life."

He rubbed his chin and suddenly asked an unexpected question: "Boss... What's my name then? And then what should I do?"

Good question. I'm not going to make anything up, clever people determined long ago: "You are a kind of younger relative and a freedman by status. I mean... Go on, Marius Julius Nuncio Junior. I've installed the Trade Guild app for you, and I've given you my account, so try to get up to platinum rank. All debts and all profits are now yours alone."

He nodded silently and began to pack. Should I leave my bag and my cape? For what? I took them off, put them in the closet, then took out the familiar case, put the rings in it, and put them in the same place. I put the notebook under the bag, looked around for goodbye, and went out.

Already outside, when Junior busily adjusted his cloak and walked away, I asked: "When did you figure out how to get rid of me?"

He stopped: "Well... the next morning, boss. Why?"

Huh. such a dumbass.

"Nothing. Go."

I was afraid to sleep next to him for a reason. I know myself, and he's practically me.

Only not so charming.

A wide back in a cape flashed among passersby, farther and farther away, and then it was covered by a passing car... Well, now there would probably be another meme: "The happy fat man disappears before the eyes of witnesses". Why did the System need this? Hell if I know. Not really interested.

Bleep.

What else?

To close your work account, go to the registration room.

It was evening, and I was walking through the city without the usual weight of the bag on my back. Without the magic rings, without the cloak that shielded me from the curses of the unreal - just naked, honestly! But the rating on the appendix was only "B-7".

If you see this sign...

"May I?"

"Y-yes..."

"Hello, Goggles."

I sat down in the visitor's chair, and Hero, who greeted me with his wand raised to attack me, nervously adjusted his glasses and said:

"Look, but that's not fair! You've done so much, and they make an order?! For me, on you?!"

And for sure for a minimum price, because there's nothing to go.

"Calm down. I'm quitting, and you've been sent to clean up the clogging on the trails. Get back to work, they're waiting for me at home."

He bit his lip and set the wand to minimum power and began to shine, controlling with the scanner:

"Thanks for the Reset! It was a great help yesterday!"

Reset... Oh, right.

"Sure. Use it. What was that all about?"

"You saw it yourself, didn't you?"

So Junior replaced me in this as well?

But it turned out that all the fuss was because of one smart guy who decided to sleep in the wrong place at the wrong time. So his dreams made all sorts of things come out. It's a shame Abstinent really got eaten, though. But I already know that death is not always the end.

"Screw it!"

"What?"

Goggles, still looking at me in the scanner, shook his head: "Nothing. All good."

"Well, bye then."

I waved goodbye and went out, looking above the door. No signs, no one was waiting for me, no one needed me without my talents. Nice!

Where there had recently been a passageway to the seventh hall, there was now just a wall. A solid, brick wall. I picked up my phone and scanned it - a translucent curtain. Well, that' better, because if you can't see demons, yadda, fa-fa, and all that. I'm about to walk out of the hall where the goat-faced deliverymen are radiating, and the app will turn off. Just like the first day.

I walked to the cab with confidence, stamping my footsteps. A man should not walk with his head hanging down! I will look forward without looking back.

Looking out the window at the flashing city, I tried to imagine what I was going to do now. My dad threw me out in the cold... Okay, in the heat to keep me busy. And what was the result? I actually found a business that I liked. I mean, Daddy did again what I can't stand him for! I mean, he was right.

I'll never forgive.

Maybe I should go into GameDev? But I don't think we know anyone in that field, and I don't want to start out as anything less than a department head. It's understandable that I won't make much work there either, but at least I'll keep my self-respect. Being kicked out of the internship and fired from the post of deputy director - there is a difference! Well, and a line on my resume is not superfluous.

At the sad squeak the Delivery app became unavailable, then blinked and activated again. That's how I can track a place with an unreal. The city will be constantly beeping, there are hundreds of goat-footed people, and there are all sorts of other things. The same pharmacy with a cosplayer is not in sight, but a little to the side, albeit on a short trail. It's not like there's any of them. It's radiating unreal, but it's hard to find it.

Eh... Sometimes you're eating cookies, and there's less and less of them, and you think, "Here's the penultimate one, so you've got to enjoy the next one". You reach into the box and it's empty. You just ate the last one and you can't enjoy it anymore. I'm in the same mood right now. That's right, it's okay, I had a great time, I helped people. The non-humans, too. Something started, maybe even good, thanks to me. But...

But the last cookie will be enjoyed by someone else.

It is a pity that some mysteries remain unsolved.

Why, why do I have to put the nose to confirmation?!

Familiar gates, familiar doors, time to get ready for battle. Daddy will probably want to throw me into the thick of it so I can smell the real life! I'll try to call my mother as an arbiter. Maneuver and dodge so I don't end up locked up in the most boring office for a year! I'm going to need a lot of...

Bleep.

Oh, did they order delivery from the restaurant for my return?

Still holding the phone in my hand, I opened the door and stopped.

My parents looked at me tensely and distrustfully.

And no courier...

Automatically picking up my phone, I quickly flipped through the app to the scanner.

"Mom."

Canoness of the Sorority of the Faithful, 77 Lv.

"Dad."

Primipil of the Third Italian Legion, 81 Lv.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?"

I looked at them again through the scanner.

For example - why don't I have wings?

What am I, adopted?!

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