- Agree.

- For what? - Maitre Olsin pretended not to understand.

- Give me a beer, - I smiled, just to look at his face.

2. Flame on Copper Street

The curator's face remained impenetrable.

- May I ask why?

- I need a good sabbatical away from the capital.

Long, gnarled fingers began drumming on the table top.

- Well, in principle, you can live there, of course. The magician will be given an estate, just right with a beach, but don't expect an easy walk. The task is to help develop the city in terms of magic. Funds have been allocated for this, fifty thousand gold soldens. With a return, of course, but the loan is interest-free. Hire an earth magician to increase productivity, organize an alchemical pharmacy, because it most likely is not there. Accordingly, they must be returned within three to four years, plus ten percent of their earnings must be transferred to the guild fund.

Well, that's quite reasonable. I knew the rules, so I just nodded.

- How many semesters did you have management theory?

- Three.

- I have to manage. There, consider, a large village, not a city ...

The curator gave a short lecture on "The Role of Magic in the Life of the Dais Kingdom" in a condensed form. Is there anyone to talk to him today?

When I got to my father's library as a child, the first adventure novels stolen from there were about a magician: Elias the Gray. I read, hiding in the far corner of the attic, where no one was supposed to look for me. And that's when I wanted to become a magician. Elias threw fireballs, killed monsters and saved beauties. And it seemed to me that such is the life of a sorcerer.

Reality is disappointing. We turned out to be not only a military, but also a social and economic service of the kingdom. Magicians paved roads, put up lanterns, corrected the weather, increased crop yields, healed, certified contracts and oaths, verified the authenticity of documents, monitored the magical background, established magical communication through mirrors, and supported teleports to pedestrians. Well, and occasionally they chased monsters crawling out of bad spots. A little. Most of the duties were fairly routine.

- Here is the form for the diploma, letters of recommendation to the burgomaster, documents for the estate. And, of course, bills. The nearest branch of the Dwarven Bank is three days from Dai-Pivk, in the town of Edelweiss. Of course, there is a teleport there, but it is weak, it won’t even let a rider through, not to mention a carriage or wagon. That is, you have to go the usual way. You will cash out as needed. Didn't change your mind?

This was said in the tone of such a kind uncle that I simply could not refuse my words. Out of harm? Probably. Did I understand then what I was getting into? Definitely - no.

“The future you is now looking at you through your memories,” an inner voice dissatisfied with the forthcoming reference said gloomily, “and wonders - what kind of ghoul are we doing this now ?!”

Time has shown that he was not mistaken.

And then, in the curator's office, for the first time, for no reason, goosebumps ran down my back. Some kind of irregularity of what was happening was felt almost physically. It was as if the whole room tilted, almost imperceptibly, for a moment. It was as if something elusive flashed in the corner of the eye, or a barely audible sound touched the ear, which should not have been there. And a moment of anxiety. Something is wrong. The mind began to feverishly analyze everything that I see or hear, the magical background, emotions, but did not find any source of this anxiety. And it was even worse. You feel something similar when, halfway to the house, you can’t remember - did you turn off the burner in the academic laboratory? Or is there already a little fire starting?

A moment, and the feeling subsided without a trace, and it dawned on me that the curator was waiting for some kind of answer.

- Everything suits me.

The magician stood up, straightened his silver-gray robe, walked around the office and stared out the window. I wondered what was visible there, and craned my neck. Nothing special. Above the roofs with red and green tiles, marshmallow clouds floated across the blue sky. Matt turned around again. It seems that he just wanted to scare me with such an appointment and did not expect that I would agree. I have to say, I didn't think so.

The mage looked like he was considering some difficult question.

- Well, well, - the master said again, - then I will introduce you to your escort.

- What other escort? - I did not understand, feeling that my face was stretched, and imagining some elderly magician. Traveling, for example, to Edelweiss, and who will poison my life for the whole trip.

- Elven blood, Christina! Geller factor yet. How would I send you so far away - alone? Of course, the guild allocates an escort for such cases. At least look after and help the first couple of months.

Maitre Olsin sat down at the table again and rang the gilded bell for the secretary. A young man with blond, curled hair appeared from behind the door. He smelled pleasantly of "Elven splendor" - the latest fashion this season for men. In some subtle way, he reminded me of Leonard. I looked at him with interest: should I suggest that he go somewhere? But she changed her mind. First, it was necessary to somehow deal with the viscount.

- Master Frederick, call the master Devlin, please.

- Well, - the young man left with a bow.

- You will meet now, maybe you will change your mind, - the magician smiled, sitting down at the table again.

- Very old? - I asked dejectedly, wondering: will it be a nice talkative old man who will start talking all the way about his youth so that his teeth will start to cramp, or a bilious dry grumbler, always dissatisfied with everything?

- A little older than you, - grandfather's friend showed all his thirty-two strong teeth.