Chapter 25.

The first visitor of the morning, however, was not the gaarsh.

"Come quickly!" without even entering the room, Ri-Bo hurried him from the threshold.

"What happened?"

"You're about to see something!"

The tilfing refused to say what it was, or else it wouldn't be interesting. And Tim got dressed and ran after him.

The surprise was indeed an excellent one, and more than a dozen of their classmates had already appreciated it. On the wall, right on top of the school Code of Conduct, was a picture of Sir Pulsok, with his eyes goggling, his hooked nose up to his chin, a whip in one hand, and a broom in the other. Judging by the manner of execution, it was the same artist, only this time he used poison-green paint instead of chalk (it's wonder where he got it?). More and more people came to see what he had done, and there was already a lot of discussion about how long it would last and what else can be added to this. Tim noticed that Nhel'Yu'Min, who had gone away for a while, came back with a grimoire and began painstakingly working on it with a stylus.

"Hey, Nhel, are you redrawing Pulsok for your memory?" Gook-Luk mischievously called out to her.

"Why not?" the drow answered in tone, continuing her occupation.

"Come on, it will be something to remember a hundred years from now!"

The merrymaking was interrupted by the thumping of huge feet from below.

"Agyg comes here! Run for your lives!"

The pupils, and among them our friends, immediately scattered, seeking shelter in their own rooms. As they all knew, Agyg doesn't roam around the school alone, only with the goblin. The rest of the time he sits in his room next to the dining room (at the very end of the tunnel leading to it). The choice of location is obvious - the ogre loves to eat, and it's easier to provide him with kitchen magic than to let him wander back and forth, terrifying the schoolchildren. But where Sir Pulsok's own apartments were located was a big mystery - the goblin appeared out of nowhere and disappeared into nowhere. Probably in the same place as their teachers, Tim surmised, or next door to the Principal, since he was his underling. I wish I could visit the Principal's office, there must be a lot of interesting things there, at some point Tim thought.

You'll get there, the same voice whispered snidely in his ear. Tim shook his head irritably, pushing the obsession away. The Principal's office is not summoned for no reason, only on special occasions. And most often for a reprimand for bad behavior. At least, that's how it is on Earth. Here he had never heard of anyone being summoned there. What if the Principal is simply misanthropic and doesn't want to see anyone? That's an option, too, isn't it? Tim was interested in if misanthropy can be cured by magic. And what defects and vices can be corrected with it. Or will the effect be only temporary, and the true nature will sooner or later reveal itself anyway? Tim had never thought about it before, but now he would have something to think about! For example, you don't like the fact that your friend makes promises generously, but is in no hurry to fulfill them. A few mysterious words, a push of a button, and you can't find a more responsible friend in the whole neighborhood! Or a certain person, who is not very nice to talk to, likes to bully those who are weaker and generally behaves too aggressively. Hit him on the head with a wand, and he will become more humble than a sheep. Then there will be an era of universal prosperity!

Soon, however, the pendulum swung back the other way, and euphoria was replaced by frustration. What if the magic won't work right? Or the effect will be too strong? And then the friend will become so responsible that he'll start controlling others. And that person will be incapable of standing up even for himself. No, this is no place for haste here, it is better to remember the principle: measure seven times, and only then cut. By the way, there is another question: how to dose the power of a spell so that the effect would be optimal?

A visit from his friends prevented him from exhausting himself with such not at all childish reflections.

"Let's go to breakfast; it's all over in there!"

And indeed, Sir Pulsok's 'portrait' was no longer on the wall. Strange that the goblin himself wasn't either, Tim wondered - logically he should be here, prying out the culprits. Probably he distracted by other matters.

Mez'A'Shib joined them in the dining room, where they occupied a table away from the others as usual. The conversation naturally turned to the matter of what punishment awaited the artist when he would be caught.

"He'll be staked," Tim joked, trying to keep a serious expression on his face.

"You're a sadist, though! Do you really have this kind of practice!?"

"It happened a few centuries ago. Whoever did not please a king for some reason. Sometimes for no reason at all - just got caught when the king was in a bad mood. But there is no such thing now," Tim added hastily, fearing his friends would misunderstand him. Especially Naar-Tam, for whom the worst punishment is banishment for life. Judging by his reaction, he didn't think that was even possible.

"I wish it will be true of a particularly evil anzimar," Ri-Bo's eyes lit up.

"Well, in the lands of the drowes you wouldn't surprise anyone with such methods," Mez'A'Shib smiled indulgently. "Our executioners know dozens of ways to kill the unwanted, and such ones where you will be subjected to unbearable torture to begin with. But it's better not to talk about it during the meal. Let's get back to his work. None of you know who he is, do you?"

"No!" replied Tim, Ri-Bo, and Naar-Tam.

"Probably one of the elves," the tilfing suggested.

"We, peirots, can draw, too!" Naar-Tam made a hurt look on his face but immediately laughed.

"Fortunately, there are many who can. Otherwise that artist would have been captured by now. The most logical from a magical point of view would be to treat us all with the True Speech spell - under its influence it is impossible to lie. But it's likely that Pulsok is forbidden to use it."

"Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here right now."

"Right. We would have been waiting to be called in for questioning. The drowes have 'inquisitors' for cases like that. That is, sorcerers who are skilled at finding the guilty - they can get everything you know, and even what you don't know. Luckily, school administration didn't think of hiring any of them. No, the goblin would act differently. Did you see what Nhel'Yu'Min was doing?"

"Yeah. Making a copy of that 'portrait' for some reason."

"That's what Gook-Luk assumed, and Nhel simply wouldn't deny it. In fact, she hadn't been drawing, she'd been writing. She kept the grimoire out of sight, so no one could see what she was writing."

"What was there to write?"

"Well, for example, the names of those who, in adult terms, were disrespectful to 'Sir' Pulsok."

"That's ridiculous. Was there anyone there who was respectful to Pulsok?"

"So we're all blacklisted now. Nhel must have given it to the goblin by now." Tim summed up.

"Probably not directly, but through Shin. They're obviously up to something. Now, listen," and Mez'A'Shib told them of his adventure in the forest yesterday. "Well, be careful. I'll try to get details if I can."

He didn't have time to add anything else - the 'princess' and her 'entourage' appeared in the dining room (speak of the devil!). Something is about to happen, Tim thought. And sure enough: not a minute later, Kakh'I'Geg came to their table.

"Shin'Ye'Het wishes to speak to you," she said to Mez'A'Shib with a commanding tone in her voice.

"Is that all she wants?" he retorted sarcastically.

"How dare you say that! You ought to show her some respect, she's the First Daughter!"

"Even if she were Zero one. If she has something to say, let her come and say it, not send a maid to take her place."

"I am not a servant girl!" Kakh'I'Geg shrieked, almost clutching Mez'A'Shib's hair in a fury. But when she realized that she was drawing attention to herself (except the drow girls there were a dozen their classmates in the dining room, and they were all staring at her with curiosity), she added a tone or two lower:

"You will not get away with it."

"It's okay, I'll get over it somehow. Well, give your mistress my warmest regards!"

Unable to find an answer, Kakh'I'Geg went back to her countrywomen who had heard most or all of what had been said. Tim and his friends lost the urge to continue eating breakfast, especially since most of the food had already been consumed. There was nothing to do but leave the dining room together and continue the discussion outside.

"Why is Kakh acting as if she has really been hired as a servant?" Naar-Tam was puzzled. "Isn't she disgusted with being an errand girl?"

"It must be disgusting," Mez'A'Shib said indifferently. "But not for nothing, almost certainly for patronage in the future. After all, neither Kakh'I'Geg nor Nhel'Yu'Min have anything to look forward to in terms of life prospects: Kakh'I'Geg is a Niece of the 19th House, Nhel is only a Stepdaughter of the 24th one. And who wants to be in a third role, both in his House and in society? But if you're in favor with the Mother of one of the ruling Houses, that's a whole other thing! Then you will have a good life and if you are lucky you will be able to be the head of your own House!"

"Wouldn't learning magic change anything?" Ri-Bo asked incredulously.

"Not really. We have enough wizards of our own, you have to prove that you're worth something too. It's a lot easier to have a high-ranking patron, isn't it?"

"Aren't you afraid of their revenge?" Tim asked anxiously, worried about his friend.

"I tired of being afraid. If not invited to school, sooner or later I would have run away from my home. It's hard to say whether or not I would have made it to Free Town, but at least I would have a little break from domestic tyranny."

"We are always with you, remember it!" Naar-Tam encouraged him.

"Thank you, but we must hurry, there isn't much time before a class."

In fact, there was still plenty of time, just Mez'A'Shib was somewhat nervous. So they didn't argue.

"Let's see who has how many points now!" Ri-Bo suggested.

And see if we can find the hidden passages, Tim thought. But when they got to the Main Hall, it turned out that Ri-Bo wasn't the only one who had such an idea. Three girls, standing at the board with the names, were arguing about why some pupils had more points than others, and how right that was.

"Yumial has two points more than I do, why?" Parial exclaimed angrily. "We had the same number of the points in class!"

"Strange indeed," Gook-Luk agreed.

"It is not strange," Jaamite protested. "Then, during the raid, you were caught and she was not. Hence the difference."

"Why didn't they caught her? That's not fair!"

"If you hadn't been out in the woods at night, you wouldn't have been caught, too."

"Fine, I'll do without it. Oh, I think we've got company!"

The last phrase of Parial, who noticed the appearance of the four friends, meant, in essence, 'Cut the blab, we're not the only ones here'. The conversation, of course, ceased immediately, and the girls stepped aside to make way for the blackboard. And then they walked leisurely toward the exit, where continued their discussion.

Tim's accomplishments were modest, as he had anticipated: a single point, given by Master Saag-Kof. His friends were no better off - three points for Naar-Tam (Master Nimikel appreciated his efforts in sprouting ultia), one point for Mez'A'Shib, and Ri-Bo was in minus. But Germeht had twenty-four points! For what achievements, the question is? He simply had no time to earn them. And the other anzimars, with the exception of Virda, have an unusually high rating. Is it possible that one of the teachers secretly indulges them? This fact was also noticed by his friends.

"It's possible that Master Aerg has a soft spot for his countrymen."

"Strange, he seemed a bit too harsh for that," Tim hesitated.

"None of us are made of iron, we all have our little foibles," Mez'A'Shib said ironically.

"We don't ask blue-eyed ones why they're so lucky, do we?"

"Why not? You can ask them!"

"No, no, not me," Ri-Bo muttered. The thought of anzimars shrank inside him with fear, and he couldn't help himself. Yes, you have to learn to overcome your fears, but how can you do that when there are three of them and they are so much stronger?

"Relax, they won't tell," Naar-Tam laughed. "Who in the right mind would admit to earning points through dishonest means? Let's visit here regularly, especially after Light Magic class. Then we'll know exactly where the prize points come from!"

So that was settled, and then they went straight to class. There were not many people in the classroom - there was still some time before the beginning. But Master Iskitt was already there, explaining to Taeron the difference between Berserk and Heroism spells.

"Yes, absolutely right, the formulas are similar, and in their action there are many similarities, but there are also differences. The Berserk transforms a warrior into a truly invincible champion, capable of fighting a dozen opponents single-handedly. However, the warrior's sense of self-preservation is lost - even if he sees an arrow flying towards him, he doesn't dodge it or try to fight it off with his shield, because magic also grants him insensitivity to pain. However, if that arrow disables his arm, he will no longer be able to hold his weapon. And the outcome of the battle after that is, alas, predetermined. Heroism affects the mind rather than the body - the warrior bravely goes into battle without suffering from fears and doubts. He may not fight as furiously as berserk, but he does not lose his sense of danger. You see the difference?"

Taeron nodded.

"Usually it's the kind of wizardry that interests those who aspire to be battle wizards," the teacher went on thoughtfully. "But as far as I know, there have been no great battles in your world where warlocks can prove themselves."

"No big ones, but there have been minor skirmishes. That is why I think that it is also necessary to study this section of sorcery, in case it will come in handy."

"Or, as they say in our lands, if you want peace, prepare for war," added Tim, who became interested in the discussion and came closer.

"That's a very good point!" Master Iskitt admired, raising his index finger. "It is true that the history of many nations is an alternation of wars and periods of relative peace. When no ruler could be certain that enemies would not strike tomorrow, a warlock who could change the course of battle was worth his weight in gold. Let me note in passing that the terms 'battle magic' and 'battle mage' are not entirely accurate, although they are common even among the Grand Masters: there are spells that can be useful on the battlefield in almost every branch of sorcery. You might as well sic a wild animal on your opponent, rain fire on him, put him on the run with Horror, or make him suffer from epilepsy. And when there's demand, there will be also supply: a young wizard who has mastered at least the basics of spells useful in battle won't be left without a job. But remember, there are two sides to every coin. A mage on the battlefield is a desirable target for enemy archers and sorcerers."

"So, in addition to attacking magic, you must also know defense magic," Patpako summed up.

"That's right! There's plenty to choose from, too. You can hide yourself with Invisibility, and only a warlock with Infravision will be able to see you. With Distorted Perception you won't be seen where you really are. All sorts of illusions can confuse the enemy, too. And to be on the safe side, it's a good idea to put up a Shield in front of you. There are a lot of types of Shields, the main thing is the right choice. After all, something that will protect from magic will be powerless against weapons, and vice versa. Alas, no one has invented a universal protection yet."

"We will invent one!" Naar-Tam and his countryman Ruum-Fib exclaimed cheerfully.

Tim looked around. The pupils were gradually arriving, more than half of his classmates were already in the classroom. And no one was in a hurry to sit at his desk, preferring to crowd around the rostrum. It was about time to demonstrate the effect of the spell which he found yesterday in the textbook, especially since it's just on the topic of discussion.

"Can this kind of magic be considered defensive? Disift fieszt dikr!" he exclaimed excitedly and pressed the bulge on the surface of his wand.

A slight haze of lilac mist hung over the audience and... nothing more.

"What was that?" the classmates looked around in astonishment, "come on, tell us, what was it?"

Master Iskitt's eyes lit up with interest.

"Whoever guesses what kind of sorcery your fellow used, will get as many points as he does!"

Assumptions poured in from all sides, but they were all far from the truth. The teacher had to explain.

"This spell, that is called Silence, actually relates to the subject we are studying only conventionally; it refers rather to the properties of magic itself. As long as it's active, no other magic can be activated. In this way, you can protect yourself from a sorcerer who is about to try some very unpleasant spells on you. Remember, however, that you yourself cannot conjure until its effect is over!"

The lilac fog had dissipated by the time the last words were spoken, but that didn't matter any longer: Master Iskitt had given Tim four points to his efforts! And, making sure there were enough pupils for the class to begin, he asked everyone to take their seats.

The rest was not important to Tim, for he had achieved his goal. The more often he surprises his teachers, the more points he earns. Not a bad strategy for 'career advancement'. After all, as he had expected, today's performances consisted exclusively of demonstrations of various illusions, not very clear and often not similar to the original (if they turned out at all). The best score was only two points, and he could hardly have gotten more if he had gone the beaten path.

Maybe it makes sense to prepare some funny curse for Twilight Magic class, too?