100 Questions

5

"If you feel unwell - most likely you are hungry"

- System U.P.S.

Eloquence (initial, passive): Verbal skill. Your sense of inner rightness impresses others, which increases your chance of convincing the interlocutor by telling him the truth by 2%.

Sadly, he closed his diary. He extended his hand.

- Farewell, my friend. We had a lot of fun, but everything comes to an end. Like a fox dying under the light of a clear moon, you will die under my gaze.

Unclenching his fingers, he watched sadly as the book fell into the embers. The flame shot up for a second, after which the Diary disappeared.

- That's all. No problem - no sadness, - I dusted off my palms and looked at the sleeping Alliel.

I didn’t manage to fall asleep, and the girl was asleep, smiling contentedly at something in her dream.

And so what should I do? Not with an elf, of course, but with skills. With pumping. The system mercilessly scoffs, one skill is more useless than another. The snake throw is available once every three days. Eloquence, allowing you to convince only by the power of truth. It's like honey sprinkled with salt.

“At least someone is sleeping carefree tonight,” I muttered, looking at the peaceful Alliel.

In the dream, she was like a child. I don't know why. How can a beautiful woman holding her hand on a dagger in a dream resemble a little girl?

And the devil knows. I gradually became convinced that some of the conclusions of my head are difficult to explain. From start to finish.

My stomach growled. I was hungry. Mushrooms turned out to be quite cheerful, but not at all nutritious. It would be possible to chew the berries, but I never asked the elf if they were edible or not.

Rising, I quietly and carefully walked around the sleeping woman, crunching the twigs. He approached one of the trees, examining its branches, feeling the bark in the semi-darkness.

Twilight is because it was getting light. The night flew by unnoticed. Alliel provocatively talked about life in her village, as if she suspected me of spying against the elves. And at some point, the girl fell asleep. And ever since then I've sat watching the fire go out. If I don't want to sweat and breed it again, I should find brushwood.

One of the branches was dry. Without a twinge of conscience, he broke it and carried it to the fire. Having settled down away from Alliel, he methodically began to break the future brushwood. Things went easily, although the knee quickly began to ache.

"I'm cold," the girl suddenly complained, rubbing her big eyes awake. Beautiful big eyes.

“Lie closer to the fire, it will soon flare up,” I answered melancholy.

- You don't want to sleep?

- Soon the sun will rise, there is no point in sleeping anymore. We'll have to start looking for mushrooms.

- As for a Japanese who picked almost all the mushrooms in the area, you really believe that you will help me.

The branch froze on my knee. I have already imagined the blade pressed to the neck. However, he pulled himself together and calmly replied:

- I don't know much about the world, sorry. I could not even think that the pilgrims would be needed by someone. Let's go to another part of the forest, there are mushrooms there.

- You're not afraid of the Great Wolf?

I thought. Shrugged. He threw the fragments of branches on the coals.

“I can't be afraid of what I haven't seen. Didn't see the wolf. But I saw with what a sad look you look into the fire, thinking about the house. And that's exactly what I'm afraid of. If I'm wrong, I'll fix it.

“Glad to hear it,” Alliel smiled oddly. - Finished with the fire? If yes, then lie down closer to me. The predawn hour is colder alone.

Looking up doubtfully, I suddenly felt a sharp stab of uncertainty. The elf moaned.

- Great druids, overeat mushrooms and caught sadness by the tail. I didn't ask you anything, just come here.

I obeyed. He got up, feeling apathy and impotence sweeping somewhere under the ribs, hitting them like waves breaking on a sandbank. He lay down at arm's length from Alliel.

“Closer,” she whispered.

Moved up.

- More.

We were almost close to each other.

- You saw that I'm much taller? Alliel asked quietly.

- Saw.

- Do you know why?

- Not...

Because you are a fox among wolves. You don't howl at the moon, but you see in it the reflection of your own heart. It's hard to be in this world, isn't it, Hero?

I felt cold steel touch my stomach. I wasn't even surprised. I just tacitly accepted the fact that I was being threatened again.

- Bogumoltsy give a feeling of euphoria, but then they take it away, leaving only emptiness and cold. Everyone knows about it: both man and elf. Only brand new Heroes do not suspect this. And only Heroes have special books.

Alliel spoke as she pressed the tip against me. I could feel the steel pulsing with bloodlust.

- Once I asked my grandfather. Why do only humans have Heroes, but not elves? And he said: because people are weak. Do you know how many Heroes I cut with this weapon? Dozens.

So the same fate awaits me.

- Only on one condition. You refuse to relax your shoulders next to me now. You've been tense since the second the mark of my knife left your neck. Relax Hero. I know what you lied about and what was true. You are indeed Japanese. Whoever you are, you are human, but different. I haven't seen this yet. And I wonder if you'll keep your promise to me.

- I'll keep it.

- Then close your eyes and go to sleep. Let go of the heaviness of thoughts. And I'll drop something else.

Alliel raised herself on her elbow, waving her hand with a dagger. A blade flashed - and stuck into a tree on the other side of the fire.

The elf took my hand and squeezed it tightly.

- We sleep until the zenith. After that we go for mushrooms.

But I have heard this already. The crackling of dry branches and the warm girl's hand suddenly made me feel tired, wrapping around the body like chains. I fell asleep.

***

Congratulations! You have taken the normal action of surviving the night in the wild.

An experience point has been gained.

Unlocked Survival skill. Beginning level. This night was quite challenging, but you deserve quality sleep.

I wanted to mentally complain that the System was pestering me even in my sleep, but I was surprised to find the sun rising high and Alliel gently shaking my shoulder.

The body became lighter. I felt like I had a really good rest. True, something was missing in the dream. But I didn't know what exactly.

- Woke up, Hero? The elf smiled. - You are fast asleep. Is the promise still valid?

“Of course,” I replied, getting up and stretching.

The body is not weakly numb, but this is fixable. The effect of mushrooms finally passed, and I felt that I was ready for new achievements.

“You look great,” I smiled at the girl, flexing my shoulders.

Alliel did not answer, but I noticed a slight smile that flickered for a second.

The system has finished evaluating your rash diet.

I groaned, rolling my eyes.

We are glad to inform you that eating narcotic mushrooms that stimulate a sense of joy has not gone unnoticed by your body.

Acquired: drug addiction of the first stage.

Skill acquired: Addiction.

Skill acquired: Use of narcotic mushrooms.

From now on, you can eat pilgrims without fear, because you have nothing to lose! Enjoy your meal!

Now my eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Addiction? From mushrooms? Addiction? Use?

I caught myself, rushing to the fire. But there was no trace of the Diary, of course. After all, yesterday I burned it during the waste of the narcotic effect.

- The devil ... - I whispered, raking the ashes with my fingers. - The red-eyed devil, who came for fun in the hour of terrible mourning ...

- Are you looking for a book? Alliel asked with interest. - Check in your bag. Isn't she looking out there?

I jerked around. And that's right - the corner of the binding appeared from the bag. But how? I've burned it! However, it doesn't matter...

Eagerly opening the cursed Diary, I read it.

Survival (Initial, Passive): You have merged with nature in a single harmony of day and night. Increases your appetite by 5% and satiety by 1%. Staying out of bed is 0.5% more comfortable.

Addiction (Initial, Passive): You like to have fun. You are 15% more likely to take drugs. Its effect on your body is felt 5% better.

Narcotic Mushroom Use (Initial, Passive): You've become addicted to the philosophy of mushroom consumption. Now they are 30% more seductive for you. Their positive effect is felt more clearly by 5%. The negative effects of consumption are reduced by 3%. The overdose threshold is increased by 10%.

At least grab your head. I would say, if something inside did not tell me: drugs are necessary. Not useful, but necessary.

Furthermore. I suddenly accidentally drew attention to the postscript "initial". These are all basic skills. It is not clear why I was killed the day before. Expecting something useful from these skills is like believing that at the first level you will work miracles with the left toe of your right foot.

All that was left was to read the last entry.

Stage 1 Drug Addiction: Your body has tasted a little joy. The risk of falling into apathy is increased. It is not possible to calculate the risk.

Wow, for the first time something without numbers. And for the first time, I fully agree with the System. If she tried to push me into apathy with illusory numbers, as she did with drug addiction, I would lose faith in the grain of rationality.

So. I can become a promising drug addict, or I can draw a conclusion. In any case, the presence of such skills does not create problems so far.

After all, these are just the beginning levels. Ultimately, it is up to me to decide whether to develop them or not.

- Everything is fine? Alliel asked worriedly.

I tossed my head, slamming the Diary shut and throwing the rope over my shoulder.

- Of course. By the way, you didn't tell why your grandfather is a pilgrim.

- This is ... It will be easier to explain along the way, - the elf grew gloomy.

- Good! Then another question. You lied to me last night about being lost?

- Mm... No, I didn't lie, - the elf even chuckled. - I just made a sad look to be perceived differently. But everything was as I said. In the afternoon, I succumbed too much to excitement in search of mushrooms. Before I knew it, it was getting dark and the sky was overcast with clouds. I don’t know what people think about elves, but we don’t know how to simply distinguish one tree from another. And we do not find trails in their absence. We are guided by the stars and landmarks in the same way as people. But we are more comfortable in the forests. Maybe because these tho'elles have kept us in them for hundreds of years. But one day... - Alliel looked up. - One day we will rush through the steppes, free as the wind. The treetops are calm today.

- And what does it mean?..

- Nothing. I just noticed. Lead, Six. You promised to go to another part of the forest with me.

- Oh sure.

***

As we walked, I thought. I didn’t really like this thing, my head kept trying to get sick. Just the thought of something forgotten, and whiskey begins to ache unpleasantly.

But still, you have to think. I was briefly explained how to acquire skills. I have already tried one of the methods. Don't say you liked it.

Little by little it becomes clear that skills are very different. Their orientation is repelled by activity. Yesterday, I almost constantly teased my appetite, throwing into an empty stomach something that is not particularly food. I'm more than sure if I chose the hunger strategy or ate one time, but tightly, something in the survival skill would change.