100 Questions

6

So, you need to carefully monitor each of your actions. Despite the weakness of the skills, one dangerous one has already appeared among them. Addiction. Intuition tells me something: at least a thousand times in the game, but drugs will not forget to bring weakness with them. Judging by the recollection of my last day of life, I was stoned with something. And obviously after a fight. If we assume that in this state I have spent most of my life since the death ... of the murder of my father, then the conclusion suggests itself. Sagging intelligence and strength. Drugs exhaust the body and turn off the head. Maybe for a slave of criminals this is an acceptable process, but for a new life it will have to go a different way.

So far, drugs have only aroused my interest. According to the System. But I give a tooth that skills in this "game" leave with the same success as they come. It was not for nothing that X advised to look at the Diary more often. It is important to check with the current state and influence it for the better. This means that we will leave the drugs to the losers who cannot imagine their miserable existence without them. As long as I can smile, I don't need euphoric dope.

So mushrooms can no longer be eaten. And in general, any product, in the action of which I am not sure. It is better to starve than to get hooked on something dangerous.

Moreover, experience does not help me in any way. The system clearly stimulates to gain impressions from life, but it will not specifically push for something.

So the first rule - not every experience I need. Gotta get it on the nose.

Further. Skills are easy to get. But how to develop them? Experience doesn't help. What other options? Most likely, permanent detention, judging by survival and drug addiction. Neither one nor the other can be pumped without repeating the corresponding actions.

Survival can come in handy. So, you have to study.

I looked hopefully at Alliel. She owns a bow, a knife, somehow navigates in the wilderness. Also, she's not a writer. Damn beautiful writing.

For them, this is not a game. That's what X said. So she takes everything seriously. And every action she takes makes sense. It makes sense to watch her.

Approximately with such a set of thoughts, I stumbled upon the first pilgrimage. The mushroom was sticking out of the foliage and grass. I sat down in front of him.

“You can’t see my mouth like a bald fox of its beauty,” I turned to the mushroom in a moralizing tone. - We had a good talk yesterday, but this is where our relationship should end. Agreed, buddy?

- Found? Alliel asked. - Oh, nice. I'll cut it.

- Of course. I'm going to look around the area.

There are a couple more mushrooms here. The elf carefully put them in her bag, and we went on.

“You asked me,” the girl reminded.

- AND?..

- About mushrooms. Why?

- I ... - stammered, thinking whether to answer or not. Thinking that this information is not particularly important, he reluctantly informed. - I got addicted.

- How do you know?

It’s not worth telling her exactly about the principle of the book’s work, for now. Something told me that I shouldn't talk about the Diary.

- When I look at them, I have a strange desire, - I lied, and immediately added a grain of truth. - Just like with you.

You alluded to that, System? You spoke about the truth, but did not say a word about the absolute. So, it is enough for me to say at least something truthful, as eloquence turns on. So give here two percent to the probability of deceiving the one that will see through any lie. At least I'll try to pump the talkativeness.

- With me? - the elf froze, as if rooted to the spot.

- Well, yes, - I stopped almost immediately, looking straight into Alliel's eyes. - You are very beautiful.

“People think elves are freaks,” the girl narrowed her eyes in a bad way.

- I'm Japanese. Do you remember?

- I remember, - the elf answered tensely. Moved out of place. - And what desire do you have?

I exhaled. You need to gain experience and skills, right? Let's take a chance.

Taking a sharp step towards the elf, I grabbed her by the shoulders and leaned her against the nearest tree. Alliel put her hand on my chest in fear.

"Desire..." I whispered, rising on tiptoe to whisper in my ear instead of my shoulder. - The desire to cause your cheerful smile.

Dagger, which - I give a tooth! - was already approaching my body, slid back into the sheath.

- You're a moron, - blushing, the elf pushed me away. - If you want to seduce tehra'shoo, you'll have to grow at least a couple of hands.

- I'm young, I'll still stretch, - I blurted out, grinning.

“I would like to believe in such a lie,” Alliel laughed. - As for the mushrooms. Bogumolets loses its narcotic effect when cooked, but retains its healing effect. By rubbing the boiled mushroom into wounds, you glue their edges, reduce inflammation and improve recovery.

- Wow... - I was taken aback by such valuable information.

- But please, Hero. If I told you about it, it does not detract from the secret. The day the tho'elle find out about tehra's medicines will be the beginning of the end.

- Nobody knows about this property? - I was surprised.

- Only elves. Tho'elle tried to make us their medicine men, but we are not going to wait on thoe.

- I heard. I won't hurt anyone.

- Thank you.

- Is it really ... The narcotic effect of the mushroom is manifested when rubbed into the wound?

- Drugs are poison. If you do not boil the pilgrimage and rub it just like that, a severe infection will come from the wound. As soon as it reaches the heart, a painful death occurs. According to my grandfather, it was fun to watch the agony of tho'elle. This is what happens to those who demand treatment instead of asking for it.

- You are just a miracle, not a people.

- People? Alliel glanced over her shoulder. - We are usually called a race.

***

Mushrooms were rare. If I hadn't emptied that clearing, the bag filled up faster. But - the head of the hungry is bad.

Maybe for the better. It was nice to walk carefree with Alliel through the forest, sometimes talking about nothing. And sometimes - I found out interesting information. For example, people from the settlement where X sent me often uprooted useful plants from the elven half of the forest. And new Heroes were often harnessed to this.

This partly explained why I was asked to move towards people, giving a specific direction. Well, do not tell the brat to look for a settlement himself - he will still stumble upon elves, he will die in vain. If the consultants and the System care about our deaths, of course.

This easily explained the alarming phrase of the elf about the number of people killed with a knife. At first I thought that the elves were purposefully preying on humans. It turns out - just protect their own.

Sorry, Alliel. Halt. I got bogged down.

- Well, let's rest, - the elf nodded, immediately nestling among the roots of the tree. - Very hungry?

- Surprisingly, no. After sleep, the hunger went away.

- You shocked the intestines. He ate too many pilgrims. It's a miracle it didn't vomit. Usually Heroes are less durable.

I decided not to specify that in a past life I had an experience with drugs worse than mushrooms. In part, I myself was not sure if this somehow affects the current me. Partly - because there was a more important topic.

- Apparently, it remains to find one more mushroom clearing, - Alliel nodded at the almost full bag.

The girl glanced absently. She nodded.

"Will you find your way home?" I asked.

- Do you want to show? The elf smiled wryly.

He only smiled in response. And the girl suddenly suggested:

- Come with me. To us. You will live in my house with your grandfather. He will be amused by a Hero like you.

For a while I was silent. Then, carefully rising, he slowly approached the elf. He put his palms on her hands. Gently he leaned down, lightly brushing his lips against her cheek. And without moving away, he answered quietly:

- I tho'ell. Your settlement doesn't need me.

“You are not tho, not a pig,” Alliel objected. - You are ell, you are reasonable. And for us you can become tehra'svoo. Our forest brother. And my...

- I'll hit your reputation. I'll hurt your grandfather's reputation if he suddenly accepts me. I will be the eternal fear living among you. And for the Japanese ... I don’t know for sure. But inside there is a feeling that this path is unforgivable for the Japanese. If I respect you, I must respect your honor and your home.

Alliel was silent for a while. Then she suddenly hugged me, burying her nose in my neck.

“You are the only Hero who could make me smile. And even now I can't help but smile. I'm happy to see ell thinking about more than just himself.

I just hugged her back, burying my face in the elf's hair. We sat like this for a while. Then she asked:

- Do you mind saying goodbye here and now? I will hate the next mushrooms I pick if I have to part among them. And I don't want to carry a medicine that I myself hate with all my heart.

- Sorry here. Take care, beautiful tehra'shoo.

- And you yourself, my dear tehra'svoo. May the forest keep you if I cannot.

Our foreheads touched. And Alliel stood up abruptly, immediately turning away and hurriedly walking away. I stayed under the tree, looking after her. And only when the figure of the elf moved away, did he lower his gaze, exhaling. My head was spinning and my heart was torn to pieces. I was ready to curse every true word that escaped my lips in the last few minutes. But somewhere inside, despite the strange pain, I felt that it would be right. That will be fair. If not in relation to oneself, then in relation to tehrae. You can't endanger their people. As long as I'm weak, that's the best thing to do.

Thoughts were interrupted by the fact that I was ready to shower curses even more than the truth.

This... This was strange, player 67665. We are almost overwhelmed. You have wasted so much time just for everything to end in a highly illogical way.

It is with a heavy heart that we give you a reward.

Received two Recognition points that you did not deserve.

Obtained a rare skill: Integrity.

Skill acquired: Empathy.

The Eloquence skill received a progress point.

An experience point has been gained.

Through learning a new language for you and prolonged contact with its native speaker, you get one point of intelligence.

Since you previously made it your principle to avoid drugs, the Integrity skill blocks the Drug Addiction and Drug Mushrooms skills. The opportunity to develop in these directions is blocked. The positive effect of drugs on your body is blocked. Their use will lead to a pure form of suffering and an instant onset of apathy. Exercise caution.

In the future, we kindly ask you not to deviate from the recommendations of the consultant. This can make your life much more difficult.

I have read the message to the end. He looked up.

- What, System, you're not the only one kidding me, right?

Of course, there was no answer. Well, to hell.

I put my hand into the bag, about to get the Diary, and suddenly, with surprise, I felt something extraneous.

It was a knife. Knife Alliel.