Goncharova Galina Dmitrievna

Christmas tree and thorn

Book two

Summer practise

Chapter 1. To practice...

Eighth-year student of the Faculty of Combat Magic, Yolka, go to the director immediately!

The loudspeaker's scream echoed throughout the entire University. I jumped up on my stool. The teacher, who was just explaining to us the mechanisms of removing damage (sixty hours, like from a bush, not counting the evil eye) shook his finger at me.

Did you do something again!? I don't think I remember anything like that?

I shrugged. For the third week now it has been as clear as freshly fallen snow. And this has its own explanation. We are leaving for practice in a week. And the director can assign those who are especially humorous somewhere to the swamps. You'll be exhausted from killing mosquitoes and picking off leeches.

Although this does not threaten me, in a week they are waiting for me in Elvarion. At the thought of his beloved (let’s be honest) country and old friend, his lips naturally broke into a dreamy smile. Even the teacher got chilled.

Okay, go ahead. If management asks...

So, he’s being vilified... - someone sang from the back rows

Without turning around, Vovchik (this is the teacher) snapped his fingers. A squeal came from the back rows and a characteristic smell began to spread throughout the class.

- Yolka, go to the director, Shalek - wash and do laundry. And at the same time you will try to remove my spell. I applied it loosely. Let's continue the lesson.

I snorted and left the office. Vovchik in his repertoire. Eh, it’s been a long time since we messed with the teachers. Why not him? If you go to the alchemist for the latest new products of the season, or better yet to Lerg, the potions he brews cannot yet be analyzed...

Thinking of a new dirty trick, I was happy exactly until the moment I walked into the director’s office. Antel Gerley greeted me with a friendly smile and disgusting news

Good morning, Yolka. Write a letter to your elvar, this year you are going to practice in Milotan. There is sea, sun, sand... You can't imagine a better place.

For five seconds I simply walked away from this news. I'm actually already tuned in to Elvarion. And anyway, what white devil did I forget in this Milotan!? Maybe ask directly?

Chief, why can’t I go to practice at Elvarion!?

Antel Gurley, without even raising his eyes from the table with a pile of papers, negatively put forward his hand with a pen clutched in it. At the same time he pointed to the door. Yeah, that's how I came out!

Because.

I watched with interest as a greasy drop of ink flopped onto the carpet and continued its whining.

Well, please!

“Go out and close the door behind you,” the director ordered just as smoothly. But it was not there. I brazenly plopped down right on the carpet next to the stain.

Force me out if you want! And I won’t budge until you explain to me why you’re so disfavored! I want to go to Elvarion!!! Want!!! I want it!!!

It worked. The director looked up from his papers and looked at me. He looked terribly tired.

For about five seconds I felt like a terrible pig, and then I decided to whine again. The director interrupted me just in time.

- Yolka, have a conscience. I'm sick without you! So these papers shook! I would burn everything to ashes to the devil’s mother, but they would bring in three times as many new ones!

And what!? - Lorrie asked, slowly floating into the director's office right through the wall. - If the papers have wavered (whew, what a non-aristocratic expression!) then my granddaughter should be sent far away for internship? I'm against!

And I'm for it! - Antel Gurley snapped. - Yolka, get up from the carpet, don’t start a booth.

I won’t, just send me to Elvarion.

I can not.

The director looked at me as if I were a particularly harmful bug, but still deigned to explain.

Because you are a battle mage!

Well, yes. And what?

And then. How long have you been practicing in your specialty?

A year and a half ago,” I shrugged. A year and a half ago, even a little more, the guys and I got into a pretty mess, looking for Lavender’s daughter, Lily. The little dragon got herself into trouble right up to her tail - as only young girls can during a parade of hormones. Love, carrots, cabbage... and I didn’t even notice that your loved one is on a leash with bad people. And she was captured. Lavender was hysterical for three days, begging to find her daughter. And who had to look for her and rescue her? That's right, don't go to a fortune teller. The ruler of Elvarion personally decided to check what was going on at his border - and took me into the company. And it’s good that he took it, otherwise we wouldn’t have escaped. His scalp would also be suitable for the kidnappers' collection. By the way, the guys who took advantage of the naivety of the young dragons were killed a couple of months after their capture. Lavender personally burned them with fire in the central square of Elvarion. The dragons were very insistent. So that it would be distasteful to others.

This is an extreme situation. Now tell me how long have you been worked by specialty? Not two days a year, devoting all his strength to getting his brainless elvar out of all the traps into which he climbs due to his boyish stupidity, but simply - she worked. Every day, to destroy evil spirits, slowly and methodically?

I shrugged. This was more difficult for me. After all, the Elvars have only one method of fighting evil spirits - crumbling them into small welts. Even a necromancer cannot collect what remains after them - it’s easier to make a hodgepodge. Or cutlets - it’s almost minced meat anyway. And everyone in Elvarion owns weapons. There, even little girls are given not dolls, but daggers. And every Elvaress throws them perfectly at the target. About five hundred steps. Exactly. And no one will wait for the magician to put the zombies to rest or deal with the chimera. They'll kill you themselves. Quickly and efficiently. In a word, worse than the Elvars, all kinds of evil spirits with cannibalistic habits are found only among elves and vampires.

I don't remember such a case.

Antel Gurley rubbed his forehead again. He looked terribly tired - and I felt like a complete pig. I burst into the office, shook my license, demanded an explanation... Hmmm. But the director could have kicked me out the door. In the tech world, that's what everyone would do. And he’s trying to explain something to me, explain it to me... Why can’t you meet SUCH bosses anywhere in the world of technology?!

So am I. What is this - your report for past practice? “The director deftly, in one spell, pulled a scroll of paper out of the air and defiantly unfolded it. - We are reading a description of the exploits of a certain student Yolka! Heroically destroyed five thousand caterpillars on cabbage! Killed a swarm of locusts. She was present at the burning of the remains of the swamp toadsaurus. And the one before you had his paws pulled out. Do you want to lose all your skills?

I don’t want to,” I sighed.

Then what are you doing here for me? Let me continue to idle? So?

“Chief, you’re wrong,” Lorrie stood up for me. - Don't play with words. My granddaughter just loves it in Elvarion.

It’s not surprising if you remember with what eyes Thorn looks at her. - The sorcerer could not resist. How come there haven’t been massive fires yet?

Strange, strange - Lorrie sarcastically assented and the director with a ghost snorted like two horses. I pouted.

How many times to repeat - we are just friends. And he looks at me with burning eyes when he wants to tear my head off. Ten times a day.

So few? - Lorrie raised her left eyebrow aristocratically.

And with such a grimace, you look like an elderly goat,” I snapped back.

Anyone who gets angry and gets personal is initially wrong in the argument, Lorrie told me. We could have argued for a very long time without even taking offense at each other, but the director slammed his fist on the table.

- Yolka, do you understand everything? You can protest as much as you like, but for practice you will go where I said. Moreover, this is a wonderful place for training minds. It’s warm, sunny, the sea is very close, evil spirits are rushing in, just have time to destroy them. About five of you will go there. You, Lerg, Buttercup, Evin, Birch. You won't be bored. And there are two teleports to Elvarion. If anything happens, you’ll go to your elvar.

He’d rather come to me,” I muttered. - Is it possible to go to Elvarion for the winter?

Can. And even for autumn. But spring and summer - excuse me. Stay for a couple of days and that's enough. Have some shame. With your talents, it’s stupid to chase locusts.

Whatever you say, boss,” I sighed.

That would have been the case from the very beginning,” he nodded.

I had already grabbed the door handle when I remembered something and turned back. The director was already buried in his papers again.

What else!?

Why do they send this fool to practice with us? Give me a decent doctor!

I was indignant for good reason. Not only were Bereza and I complete antagonists in appearance and habits, but she also did not approve of my lifestyle and profession. And I am hers. We didn’t fight or do nasty things to each other, but... is it really impossible to send one of the guys with us? Darin, Kirch, Sern, Lose - all wonderful boys, even though they are healers. And this... birch aphid...

Eighth-year student of the Faculty of Combat Magic Yolka, go to the director immediately!

The loudspeaker's scream echoed throughout the entire University. I jumped up on my stool. The teacher, who was just explaining to us the mechanisms of removing damage (sixty hours from a bush, not counting the evil eye), shook his finger at me:

Did you do something again?! I don't think I remember anything like that?

I shrugged. For the third week now it has been as clear as freshly fallen snow. And this has its own explanation. We are leaving for practice in a week. And the director can assign those who are especially humorous somewhere to the swamps. You'll be exhausted from killing mosquitoes and picking off leeches.

Although this does not threaten me: in a week they are expecting me in Elvarion. At the thought of my beloved (let’s be honest) country and old friend, my lips naturally broke into a dreamy smile. Even the teacher got chilled.

Okay, go ahead. If management asks...

So, he’s being vilified... - someone sang from the back rows.

Without turning around, Vovchik, the teacher, snapped his fingers. A squeal came from the back rows, and a characteristic smell began to spread throughout the class.

- Yolka, to the director! Shalek - to wash and wash. And at the same time you will try to remove my spell. I applied it loosely. Let's continue the lesson.

I snorted and left the office. Vovchik in his repertoire. Eh, it’s been a long time since we messed with the teachers. Why not him? If you go to the alchemist for the latest new products of the season, or better yet to Lerg, the potions he brews cannot yet be analyzed...

Thinking of a new dirty trick, I was happy exactly until the moment I walked into the director’s office. Antel Gerley greeted me with a friendly smile and some nasty news:

Good morning, Yolka. Write a letter to your elvar, this year you are going to practice in Milotan. There is sea, sun, sand... You can't imagine a better place.

For five seconds I just came to my senses from this news. I'm actually already tuned in to Elvarion. And anyway, what kind of white devil did I forget in this Milotan?! Maybe ask directly?

Chief, why can’t I go to practice at Elvarion?!

Antel Gurley, without even raising his eyes from the table with a pile of papers, negatively put forward his hand with a pen clutched in it. At the same time he pointed to the door. Yeah, that's how I came out!

Because.

I watched with interest as a greasy drop of ink flopped onto the carpet, and continued my whining:

Well, please!

“Go out and close the door behind you,” the director ordered just as smoothly. But it was not there. I brazenly plopped down right on the carpet next to the stain.

Force me out if you want! And I won’t budge until you explain to me why you’re so disfavored! I want to go to Elvarion!!! Want!!! I want it!!!

It worked. The director looked up from his papers and looked at me. He looked terribly tired.

For about five seconds I felt like a terrible pig, and then I decided to whine again. The director interrupted me in time:

- Yolka, have a conscience. I'm sick without you! So these papers shook! I would burn everything to ashes to the devil’s mother, but they would bring in three times as many new ones!

And what?! - Lorrie asked, slowly floating into the director's office right through the wall. - If the papers have been shaken (whew, what an unaristocratic expression!), then my granddaughter should be sent far away for internship? I'm against!

And I'm for it! - Antel Gurley snapped. - Yolka, get up from the carpet, don’t start a booth.

I won’t, just send me to Elvarion.

I can not.

The director looked at me as if I were a particularly harmful bug, but still deigned to explain:

Because you are a battle mage!

Well, yes. And what?

And then. How long have you been practicing in your specialty?

A year and a half ago,” I shrugged.

A year and a half ago, even a little more, the guys and I got into a pretty mess, looking for Lavender’s daughter, Lily. The little dragon got herself into trouble right up to her tail, as only young girls can during a parade of hormones. Love-carrots-cabbage... and you didn’t even notice that your loved one is on a leash with bad people. And she was captured. Lavender was hysterical for three days, begging to find her daughter. And who had to look for her and rescue her? That's right, don't go to a fortune teller. The ruler of Elvarion personally decided to check what was going on at his border and took me into the company. And it’s good that he took it, otherwise we wouldn’t have escaped. His scalp would also be suitable for the kidnappers' collection. By the way, the guys who took advantage of the naivety of the young dragons were killed a couple of months after their capture. Lavender personally burned them with fire in the central square of Elvarion. The dragons were very insistent - so that others would be discouraged:

This is an extreme situation. Now tell me how long have you been worked by specialty? Not two days a year, devoting all his strength to getting his brainless elvar out of every trap into which he climbs due to his boyish stupidity, but simply - she worked. Every day, to destroy evil spirits, slowly and methodically?

I shrugged. This was more difficult for me. After all, the Elvars have only one method of fighting evil spirits - crumbling them into small welts. Even a necromancer cannot collect what remains after them; it’s easier to make hodgepodge or cutlets - it’s still almost minced meat. And everyone in Elvarion owns weapons. There, even little girls are given not dolls, but daggers. And each Elvaress throws them perfectly at the target - five hundred steps to the bull's eye. And no one will wait for the magician to put the zombie to rest or deal with the chimera - they will kill them themselves, quickly and efficiently. In a word, worse than the Elvars, all kinds of evil spirits with cannibalistic habits are found only among elves and vampires.

I don't remember such a case.

Antel Gurley rubbed his forehead again. He looked terribly tired - and I felt like a complete pig: I burst into the office, shook my license, demanded an explanation... Hmmm. But the director could have kicked me out the door. In the tech world, that's what everyone would do. And he’s trying to explain something to me, explain it... Why can’t you find technology anywhere in the world? such bosses?!

So am I. What is this - your report for past practice? “The director deftly, in one spell, pulled a scroll of paper out of the air and defiantly unfolded it. - We are reading a description of the exploits of a certain student Yolka! Heroically destroyed five thousand caterpillars on cabbage! Killed a damn swarm of locusts. She was present at the burning of the remains of the swamp toadsaurus. And the one before you had his paws pulled out. Do you want to lose all your skills?

I don’t want to,” I sighed.

Then what are you doing here for me? Let me continue to idle? So?

“Chief, you’re wrong,” Lorrie stood up for me. - Don't play with words. My granddaughter just loves it in Elvarion.

“It’s not surprising if you remember with what eyes Thorn looks at her,” the Sage could not resist. - How have mass fires not happened there yet?

“Strange, strange,” Lorrie chimed in sarcastically, and the director and the ghost snorted like two horses. I pouted.

How many times to repeat - we are just friends. And he looks at me with burning eyes when he wants to tear my head off. Ten times a day.

So few? - Lorrie raised her left eyebrow aristocratically.

And with such a grimace, you look like an elderly goat,” I snapped back.

Anyone who gets angry and gets personal is initially wrong in the argument, Lorrie told me.

We could have argued for a very long time without even taking offense at each other, but the director slammed his fist on the table:

- Yolka, do you understand everything? You can protest as much as you like, but for practice you will go where I said. Moreover, this is a wonderful place for training minds. It’s warm, sunny, the sea is very close, evil spirits are rushing in, just have time to destroy them. About five of you will go there: you, Lerg, Buttercup, Evin, Berezka. You won't be bored. And there are two teleports to Elvarion. If anything happens, you’ll go to your elvar.

Oh, what a difficult summer practice awaits Yulka and her friends! Would you like to understand whether being assigned to the royal palace is an encouragement or a punishment? And for what? It seems like nothing particularly outstanding has been noticed about the company lately...

And then the manager threatens to expel him, the prince approaches with indecent proposals, and the conspirators make insidious plans. But the company of battle magicians was not used to losing heart. The leader must be educated, the prince must be taught a lesson, the conspirators must be neutralized. Did you mix up anything? And if that’s the case, it doesn’t matter. If you forget something, your Elvar friends will remind you. Where do elvars come from in practice? But someone has to save the palace from the trainee magicians! This is what they will do...

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