I stepped out of the restaurant full, in high spirits, and with a fresh batch of valuable information, kindly shared with me by Count Konstantin Sobakin.
As it turned out, in Belozersk, there were as many mercenary squads as fleas on a stray dog, and they came in every size and taste imaginable.
Each squad boasted its own reputation and authority, painstakingly earned through relentless effort and toil. As was often the case, they frequently clashed and quarreled among themselves. Sometimes, these conflicts escalated and entire squads were wiped out without mercy.
By law, every squad was required to join the official Mercenary Guild through which they paid monthly taxes to the imperial treasury. Only squads registered with the Guild had the right to venture into Distortions, seeking magical crystals and other treasures.
But that was on paper. In reality, only large, reputable squads could afford the luxury of guild membership, as it demanded hefty fees from each member. Smaller squads often remained off the official registry, opting to operate in secrecy, quietly scraping out their livelihoods, and avoiding the burden of heavy taxation.
They went about it in various ways, striving to carve out a small place for themselves in the hierarchy of shadow killers. Money, scare tactics, blackmail, clandestine setups — no method was too dirty if it could yield even the slightest advantage.
For the larger squads, the smaller ones were nothing short of a thorn in their side, multiplying like rabbits and squeezing into every nook and cranny of Belozersk's streets. They choked them out as best they could using the same tactics and turning them over to the authorities for their illegal dealings.
Beyond all that, there was the Imperial Service, tasked with eradicating Distortions. Officially, it was known as Imperial Border Guard Regiment No. XIII, and its members were commonly referred to as Distortion Guards.
It was astonishing how much you could learn by simply paying attention to your surroundings and talking to people. I knew that a special service existed for dealing with such phenomena, but I'd never heard what it was called until now. Though maybe I had heard it before, just never paid it any mind.
Had they, perhaps, been given a cooler name...
I would've still forgotten it. Why would that concern me, a twelve-year-old schoolboy living in a place where magical storms were a rarity?
I'd asked Konstantin if he could introduce me to someone from the Guild, but as usual, he didn't give a straightforward answer. By now, I'd grown accustomed to that habit of his.
Still, he always kept his word, and that was all I really needed from him. More importantly, he listened. Always. He would hear me out first, then consider whether and how he could help, and through whom, if it was even possible.
Once I understood that about him, everything made sense. In a place like this, how could it be any other way? Life was in a constant state of turmoil here, bubbling like water in a boiling cauldron, never pausing for a moment. Conditions kept shifting, new variables appearing out of nowhere.
Just the thought of plunging into that maelstrom made my head ache. I would much rather stay far away from it.
It can't be helped, Max, Dorian cut into my thoughts. If you want me to teach you new things, I'm going to need energy. Lots of it.
"I know, I know. You've told me a million times already. I'm allowed to think and contemplate, aren't I?"
I'd think about other things if I were you. For example, what flowers to get for your girl friend.
"Why would I get her flowers? It isn't her birthday."
Hah! A birthday! As if girls only receive flowers on their birthdays.
"Don't they?"
Don't tell me I have to teach you about dating...
"Dat— This isn't a date. We're just... hanging out."
Uh-huh.
"It isn't!"
Sure. I'd still get her flowers.
"Sometimes, you can be really annoying," I muttered, getting into a taxi.
Dorian was silent during the ride, but his comments had nudged my thoughts away from the mercenaries toward Alisa.
I guess I could buy flowers for her... I was just afraid it'd look a little awkward. She might think I was hitting on her. We were just friends, weren't we? We talked and went on walks...
"Dorian, I hope you get explosive diarrhea and can't find the damn toilet paper. Thanks a lot! Now I'm overthinking this whole flower thing!"
We had agreed to meet on Imperial Street, a beautiful, cobblestone-lined avenue that opened directly onto Tverskoy Boulevard, as almost all the cafés, shops, and restaurants were within reach.
Alexey was waiting for me with such a wide grin that I thought his cheeks might crack from smiling.
"You sure took your sweet time!" he said, slapping me on the shoulder. "I've been waiting here for half an hour. Did you know your phone's turned off?"
"Eh?"
I pulled my phone from my pocket and looked at the screen. Sure enough, it was dead. Damn, I'd forgotten to charge it.
"Shall we? They're probably already there," Alexey said, and without waiting for my reply, headed off toward Tverskoy Boulevard.
"Alex, hold up."
He paused and looked at me in surprise.
"Yeah?"
"I've been thinking... Maybe we should buy them flowers?"
"Flowers?" Alexey repeated thoughtfully, his gaze drifting into the distance.
"Yeah. You should definitely get some."
"Why should I 'definitely get some'?" he asked, his cheeks flushing with a faint blush. "What's the occasion? It isn't her birthday, is it?"
"You like her, right? And when a guy has feelings for a girl, he's supposed to give her flowers..."
As it turned out, giving advice to others was surprisingly easy. How did he not understand something so simple?
Dorian was wrong about my situation, though. That was a different matter altogether. Alisa and I were just friends...
After a rather lengthy debate, we settled on charming little bouquets of daisies. Same ones, naturally, so there wouldn't be any fighting over whose flowers were prettier.
Even though our pace was more like a jog, we were almost ten minutes late. But when the girls saw us holding flowers, they beamed with joy. I was glad we came prepared. One should never keep a girl waiting.
From that point on, everything unfolded according to the plan. It included a trip to the movies, dinner at some cozy café that Anastasia took us to, and finally, a leisurely stroll through the park.
All three parts of our carefully laid plan went off without a hitch.
We enjoyed the film immensely, and the dinner was delicious, especially the café's signature croissants filled with lingonberry jam and rich chocolate.
The walk was just as wonderful. We laughed until we nearly lost our breath as we wandered through the park, then strolled along Tverskoy Boulevard. The only downside was the chill. I lent my coat to Alisa so she wouldn't catch a cold.
But there was one unpleasant moment that lingered. While we were rounding the corner, I could swear I caught sight of that same guy who had approached us at the restaurant a few weeks ago.
Did he have some peculiar habit of loitering along the embankment?
Or was he still tailing us.
Wick? Sick? Mick? What was his name again?
Honestly, I had pushed him out of my mind. He should have learned his lesson. Dorian had no tolerance for anyone who threatened us or showed me disrespect. He took it as a personal insult every time.
Don't worry. If anything happens, we'll deal with him, Dorian reassured me.
"Honestly, I'm more concerned about the girls. He doesn't really bother me."
Atta boy! Dorian laughed. Cowardice in the presence of ladies is beyond the bounds of decency.
As if I didn't already know that.
For a while after I saw the guy, I was expecting some kind of attack, but nothing of the sort happened during the walk.
Even after parting ways with the girls, nothing unusual occurred, though the opportunities for trouble were countless. It was completely dark, and in such freezing cold, there weren't many people around. You could run around naked, and no one would bat an eye.
I didn't say a word to Alexey about Wick-Sick-Mick. Perhaps I was just imagining things? There was no sense in making him anxious for no reason.
Eagerly exchanging stories of the evening we'd just experienced, the prince and I made our way to my new apartment and were stunned by the crowd of ghosts waiting outside the building.
I stared at the ragtag bunch, eyes wide as saucers.
"Max? Are you alright?" Alexey asked when the taxi drove away.
"Close your mouth before a fly flies in. What's the matter?"
"There's a whole army of them!"
"Really now?" Alexey looked around though he couldn't see anything. "Word travels fast, huh? Very soon, ghosts from all over the world will start flocking to you."
"God forbid."
"I'd prepare myself if I were you. Like I said, rumors tend to spread like wildfire."
I lingered for a moment longer before silently heading toward the building.
"It could be a great opportunity to learn about different cultures," Alexey continued to muse. "Imagine some ghostly aborigine flying in from Australia!"
"We've got enough locals in need," I said, gesturing around. "Why would I want foreigners? Besides, I don't even speak their language."
"You could always play charades." Alexey chuckled. "Oh, c'mon, Max. You're no fun..."
I paused by the door and raised my hand to get everyone's attention.
"Calm down. Calm down!"
The chatter subsided into whispers.
"It's him! He finally showed up!"
"Just like they said!"
"Such a handsome fellow!"
"I thought he'd forgotten about us!"
It was high time to put an end to this chaos.
"Listen carefully. So there's no confusion later, know I won't be helping everyone."
A disorganized hum of voices responded. It was impossible to make out any words. I had to raise my hand once more and shout.
"Everyone shut up or I'll exorcise you all!"
The crowd fell silent as if I had waved a magic wand and robbed them of their voices. The threat seemed effective. Of course, I couldn't actually exorcise anyone, but they didn't know that, did they?
"That's better," I said. Quiet as a graveyard. "I'll repeat once more for those in the back. I won't help everyone. Unlike you, I have only so much time on my hands. I need to sleep. Is that clear?"
Silence. A sign of agreement.
"Let's move on," I said, crossing my arms over my chest for emphasis, as I believed the circumstances called for. "I'll speak with three people at a time, and I'll help just one. This will be the procedure every time. Is that clear?"
Disappointed murmurs began to ripple through the crowd. I waited patiently until they accepted this new reality and the noise gradually died down. Then I brought the matter to a close with a firm tone.
"Decide among yourselves who're the lucky three today and I'll see you inside." I opened the door, then turned sharply, pointing my finger at them. "You have half an hour. No less. I want to enjoy my evening coffee first."
As Alexey and I stepped into the apartment, I couldn't help but notice how strangely empty it felt. Everything for daily living was there — furniture, appliances, even fresh bed linen — yet it still seemed somehow vacant, lacking warmth.
Especially after Tenedom, where every corner was cluttered with trinkets, I didn't mind the rustic charm at all. In fact, I couldn't imagine Dorian's house, with all its oddities and its own tower, without the clutter.
And here...
I'd need to set aside a whole day to shop for new furnishings, and maybe browse for a few other things while I was at it. I had no desire to bring anything from home, and winter was just around the corner...
The place had an espresso machine, but on the way over, Alexey insisted we stop at The Dancing Bean, since they supposedly had the best coffee in Belozersk. I went with a large cappuccino, my favorite. I just really like the foamy milk on top.
"Are you really planning to help all of them?" Alexey asked after we had settled into what was called the "reception room." "In case you didn't get it, I was joking about starting a business..."
Does your friend have cotton in his ears or has he gone deaf at such an early age? Dorian couldn't help but comment. And besides, what kind of an unstable business would that be? You'd be better off running a charity!
"Quiet. I already have enough headaches."
Alright, alright, I'll zip it... He yawned. I think I'll take a nap for now, if you don't mind. Wake me up when your guinea pigs arrive.
"They're not guinea pigs," I protested. "And I will."
"Earth to Max," Alexey called, breaking the stillness. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I said, sipping my coffee. "Anyway. As I said, I won't be helping all of them. I've had more than enough adventuring with Petka and Claudia."
"So, what's the plan?" Alexey pressed, peering over his cup with a keen gaze. "Don't tell me you don't have one."
"Of course I do," I said, but didn't go on, and Alexey didn't press me, as if he simply took the answer at face value.
In truth, Dorian and I had a plan. Several, actually. But there was no need for Alexey to know about any of them. Not yet.
"It's a shame you can't see the spectral crowd," I began, but the prince cut me off.
"I'm glad I can't, to be honest. I have no desire to be plagued by ghostly apparitions cradling their severed limbs or putting other gory horrors on display. Besides, that would diminish your uniqueness, wouldn't it? People with the Dark Gift don't usually have those abilities," Alexey said, taking a measured sip of his coffee. "And don't get me started on the cacophony. Imagine if they—" Suddenly, he fell silent, narrowing his eyes.
"What?" I asked, confused by the sudden shift in tone.
"Don't tell me you can do something that would actually make me start seeing them, too. Because if you did that..."
"I can't, don't worry."
Alexey exhaled with relief.
"Good. That's good... Unless you're lying..."
"I'm not," I assured him. "What I meant was that they're all so different. Some are old, some young, some have passed away just a few years ago, while others have been in the grave for nearly two centuries."
"Your point being?"
"Imagine the things they know. The family secrets. Family heirlooms..." The prince blinked several times, studying me intently.
"Valuable artifacts are incredibly costly, but some are impossible to buy. I understand you're not exactly poor, but not everything in this world can be solved with money."
Alexey fell into thought, drinking his coffee quietly for several minutes. Then, after some reflection, he arrived at a conclusion.
"You're right. Not everything can be bought with money. Like the ring you got from Petka. You can't exactly find it in a store..."
"See?" I smiled. "We can benefit from this. So we'll hear them out and see who has the most to offer. As always, the loot will be divided equally."
"You can't split an artifact in half. I mean, you can, but..."
"One for you, one for me. Just to keep things fair and square."
I offered my hand. He hesitated for a moment, then grasped it firmly, exhaling a heavy breath and shaking his head with a mixture of resignation and amusement.
"I just know I'm gonna get in trouble..."
"It's gonna be fun though," I said with a smile.
He leaned back into his chair and chuckled.
"At least you know how to exorcise them if they try to fool us...
Why didn't you say something earlier?"
"Who said I know how?" I blinked. "I just said that so they'd keep quiet. Their yapping was giving me a headache..."
"You're really not making this any easier, Max..."
"Alright, enough chatting. I'd better go give them a nudge, or we'll be sitting here until dawn..."