Житие Мое / Life of Mine: Глава 10

Chapter 10

Camrad_RIP 21.07.23 в 10:00

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Camrad_RIP 21.07.23 в 10:00

The call from the boarding school found me lying under the car. At last, I got to this creaking machine! Of course, Alfred did not immediately let me near the state property. It was preceded by a profound conversation about the advantages of front-wheel drive, the quality of local alcohol, and the prospects of oil engines. Of course, he was not a professional alchemist, but he could not resist my compulsive charm. I started to adjust the carburetor with the feeling with which some people start a prayer, then the matter went more cheerfully, and grace descended on me. The device of aggregates, clear and functional, was such a contrast to the confusion of human existence that tears came to my eyes. I was sacramentally working on the brake actuator (critical in cross-country driving) when I was interrupted.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 08:44

Clarence showed up.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 08:44

"Mrs. Hemul called," reported the lieutenant, "and asked you very much to come to the boarding school. She thought there was some witchcraft in the school this morning, and for some reason, it's bothering her a lot."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 08:45

I almost threw a wrench at him. Can I have a personal life or not?! Who's the city cop? Who's the head of the NZAMIPS? There's a unit of battle mages in town, and they call in a poor errand boy who has a license plate instead of a wizard's seal. Do they have a conscience? Not.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 08:54

But in the boarding school, Lucik.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 08:54

I sighed and went to wash the grease off my hands. I'm going to go tell the principal what I think of her. She doesn't know the words I'm going to say to her! Yesterday I called, and she told me not to come, that she didn't want to provoke Fox, but today her buddy's all right. Just when I was getting down to business, he shows up. I hate it!

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 10:27

My ability to control myself was completely gone. Oh, how I understood coordinator Axel's reluctance to send his men here. Claymore and his comrades would lynch him after such a trip. And Satal will be laughing at me when I get back. Like I'm having a good time. However, I was ready to solve the problem with Satal in three hours. Such interesting herbs are growing in the flowerbeds here that Master Tyranidos would be jealous of. A complete herbarium from Toxicology, for sure. I do not argue. Milky Widow blooms beautifully and looks great in the flower beds, but in my opinion, the gardener should have thought better before planting. There are children around! I had already dried half a suitcase of interesting roots, and the thought of how surprised Satal will be when he finds out what he died of put me back in a good mood.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 10:43

So, when they talk about the intuition of practicing magicians, don't believe anything. The only reason my eyes caught the narrow, velvety leaf was because I'd been looking for something like it all along. Not believing my luck, I picked it up and looked around for the rest of the plant. Alas! Nothing similar was growing on the nearest lawns, and a paltry half a gram was not enough for me. I wonder where the gardeners take the cut grass? The path on which I found the treasure led neither to the park nor to the greenhouse but to the back door of the kitchen, where the cooks were bustling about as dinner time approached. There was no vague excitement in my soul, just these three notions of food-weed-poison arose in my mind at the same time, and I twirled the leaf in my hands and wanted to go on, but my sense of duty prevailed. Perhaps, all this is dope, but the type who killed nine people, according to my deep conviction, was still in the boarding school, and the concept of sanity to the Artificers can be attributed only conditionally...

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 10:53

I pressed the alarm in my pocket (stay awake, assholes, stay awake!) and burst through the kitchen door with a businesslike air, ignoring the bewildered looks and surprised faces, my gaze roaming the tables and finding the remains of chopped greens.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 10:53

"Where's the rest of it?" I asked dumbly. Maybe I'll have time to dry some more.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:00

The chef started to gather air in his chest for an indignant rebuke, but the stupor ended, and I pulled my temporary ID out of my pocket and poked him in the nose:

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:01

"Combat Operation of NZAMIPS. This herb is poisonous. Where did you put it?"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:01

Startled looks shifted toward the large soup pot.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:20

I threw a chromatic curse into the pot, turning the contents a threatening scarlet color - harmless but impressive.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:20

"Who brought this shit in here? Name!"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:21

They didn't know. They just couldn't remember and were horrified to realize it. The typical effect of a masking spell.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:26

"The entire contents of the kitchen-- everything, do you hear me? - has been seized until forensics arrives. I hope no one puts this in their mouths. It's deadly poisonous."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:27

The burly cook turned very pale and clutched her chest.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:27

"Gastric lavage, now! And pray it doesn't get absorbed."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:28

I waited until all the cooks had left the kitchen and tied the door handles with the first string I could find, just to be safe.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:32

"What going on?"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:33

The principal. I handed her the cursed leaf, and she frowned, trying to identify it. I guess she's not good with poisons!

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:34

"It's an Opal Buttercup. Someone slipped it into the kitchen and made sure it got into the soup."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:33

She still didn't understand.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:34

"Have you heard of the Red King's potion? Opal Buttercup, the main ingredient, is harmless, but after heat treatment, it turns into a terrible poison, and there is no antidote."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:36

By the way, making this potion without a license was punishable by three years in prison.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:37

Mrs. Hemul turned very pale:

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:37

"But who could...

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 11:37

"I don't know yet, but I've got a guy in mind who's got some explaining to do. Let's go!"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:48

The rapid response team was still reacting. I suspected the town mages had gone to Clarence to get the car (the same one Alfred and I had dismantled) and were now whining. The poor people of Mihandrov!

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:50

"But who could?" Mrs. Hemul insisted.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:50

Whites don't handle stress well and are slow to respond to threats because they are trying to get the point across, while blacks don't need it and just punch in the face.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:51

"Now, there is only one employee present in the boarding school who has been working here for more than ten years. I am not saying that he is to blame. I am saying he should explain himself."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:52

There was a glimmer of understanding in the principal' eyes.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:52

Five minutes later, we were already standing in front of the head teacher's office. I knocked, and jerked the handle - it was locked.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:56

"He must have gone away," Mrs. Hemul suggested.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:56

I looked into the keyhole, and a key was inserted from the inside. He's gone, of course!

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:57

"Move aside!" In a case like this, the most important thing is not to ask permission.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:57

My leg kicked the lock and part of the jamb (it wasn't me being so strong, it was the curse being so good), and we were able to enter. The room was quite large, with two desks, bookcases, chairs, and a sofa, cozy and modest, not at all like our dean's office or Satal's. On the worn carpet in the center of the room lay a completely dead Mr. Fox face up and an unknown conditioned Petrik face down.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:59

"God!" Mrs. Hemul rushed first to the child. "Little one, what's the matter with you?!"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 12:59

He's breathing - that's good. While she wailed, professionally checking his pulse and pupils, I frantically searched the room for the cause of death. There were no bloody knives, empty glasses, or smoking smokers in sight, but something had finished off the big man and almost killed the boy! Black debris crunched beneath my foot, my repellent amulet. The realization came like a bolt of lightning.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:18

"It's magic! There's some kind of spell on it. Find it!"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:19

Mrs. Hemul shook her head indignantly:

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:19

"Fox was a white mage!"

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:20

Was is a very accurate way of putting it.

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:20

"Whatever! Find it or let me in."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:21

"You are mistaken," she mumbled through her tears, but the brooch on her sweater was already beginning to glow, "you are deeply mistaken. You have no idea how wrong your idea of white magic is..."

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:51

Petty Officer Claymore, no, not bursting in, that would be unprofessional. He peered cautiously through the door. Making sure there was no need to fight anyone right now, he came in, pushing me out of the way a little. He nodded at Fox:

Camrad_RIP 26.07.23 в 13:54