Читать книгу Your wish - Виктория Олеговна Рогозина - Страница 5

Is there an absolute power?

Perhaps there is. But…

Do you need her?

The whole company sat in the old cemetery, around a lit fire, and chatted merrily. Although only Caroline, Zander and Dale were chatting. Necroline remained silent and did not even seem to be listening to the conversation. However, nevertheless, everyone managed to make friends, and Necroline’s silence was taken for granted, ordinary. Caroline mostly spoke for her, but Necroline seemed to be the least of her worries. They are used to doing things like this.

“We were going to cross the Haya settlement and, having reached the settlement, participate in ninja fights for the main prize, representing our village in those competitions,” Zander said.

“Are you, sharp-eared, claiming to be the Strongest Ninja!?” Necroline dropped it with irony and open disdain.

“No,” the elf smiled. “I went to support Dale. He is my friend, after all.

“How touching,” Necroline turned away with a grimace. “And what are you going to do there, Dale?”

– I want to know the Absolute power. This is the goal of my whole life, – Dale sat on a log and smiled too. For some reason, he was very amused by the behavior of Necroline.

– Where are you going? Zander asked.

– We are also in this competition, and also through the Haya settlement. Necroline wanted to check on her older sister, Caroline immediately replied. “Her sister was hurt, and we want to make sure she’s okay.

“How touching, taking care of your sister,” Dale scoffed.

– Hardly. She will train me. We will stay in Haya for two days,” Necroline remarked coldly.

For a while, everyone was silent. “Dark” sat on a log next to Caroline. Sharp flashes of fire beautifully illuminated the face of the kunoichi girl. The bandages on my legs looked dark.

– Are you hurt? Your feet are bandaged,” Dale asked.

Caroline made a scary face, implying that this topic was taboo, as if after this question there were only corpses.

But this time, Necroline condescended to answer. She spoke, as always, with irony and a strange composure.

– Four years ago, I was in love with a guy from our settlement. He was the strongest among the ninja. He seemed to love me, but then… Then he said that love had passed, the tomatoes wilted and met another. Yes, it was hard for me to hear it, but I could handle it.

Necroline chuckled and brushed back her white bangs that had fallen over her eyes.

– Then he said that he was cursed, and his legs should have been taken away. And he said, I should give my legs, and he would visit me. I refused, and then he tried to take my legs away.

Necroline looked bitterly at the rising orange flames.

In general, with the help of magic, you can engraft any part of the body, even six arms and six legs. True, no one was in a hurry to get hold of two heads, neglecting extra brains.

– I was left with terrible scars on my legs.

Necroline slightly unwound the bandage and showed part of the lower leg. The skin was mutilated, burns mixed with bloody streaks from claws and swords.

The girl looked at it all with irony and smiled strangely. Rewinding the bandage, Necroline clicked her tongue thoughtfully.

“All the wounds were inflicted by a magic blade, and therefore such scars remained,” the kunoichi girl snorted. So now I have made a vow. I will leave the Haya ninja clan if I really find someone who loves me and is willing to risk everything for me. But this doesn’t happen in real life. These are fairy tales.

Necroline smiled openly. She was beautiful, and now it seemed a crime that the girl rarely smiled. Most likely, only on special occasions and for special people.

The wood in the fire crackled softly. The birds didn’t sing. Old cemetery. It created a terrible atmosphere – a cursed place. Once upon a time, there was a war between vampires and humans. People imagined themselves above all and challenged the vampires. There are no winners in this war – only corpses.

The bushes stirred. The company of ninjas twitched. Necroline and Dale were already preparing to launch attacks, and Zander suddenly stood up and calmly walked somewhere to the side.

– Hey, what are you thinking? Caroline asked fearfully, standing behind her friend.

– What about girls? The elf purred softly.

Dale waved his hand and explained:

– Zander dreams of appearing heroically, saving some beauty. But, alas, every time he has a bummer. I think this time…

The shaman did not have time to finish, because the pointy-eared elf flew out of the bushes at the speed of a rocket.

– There was a mistake. There are vampires,” Zander explained.

There really are vampires out there. Slender with pale skin and black robes. The unnatural eyes glowed with a bright scarlet, almost uncontrollable, bloodlust. Without thinking, Necroline tossed the head of garlic. The nearest vampire grabbed him and swallowed him in one fell swoop, not bothering to chew his food, causing the ninja girl to make a displeased face.

– So you choke, – Necroline said, somewhat offended, realizing that the mutations are affecting, and the old weapon does not work so effectively, which means there was only one left.

***

They fled from the vampires briskly, overtaking each other. The fact is that over the several thousand years of their existence, vampires have adapted and are truly afraid of only two things: holy water and sunlight.

Our heroes “flew” and “jumped” to the village in such a short time that any Olympian-athlete would envy.

When only three hundred meters remained, the whole four stopped together, hiding behind the trees to take a breath. They are still ninjas, and they need to look decent, and not like out of breath siskins.

It has already dawned, and the air is unusually fresh, invigorating and raising morale.

– And we would have reached the village only tomorrow evening, – Caroline shook her head sadly.

– A peculiar plus, – Zander forcedly smiled.

The village of Khaya turned out to be small, with a dozen houses, but quite strong in appearance. All houses are made of stone from two to three floors. Joyful and smiling children ran through the streets, dogs walked, adults went about their business, old people gossiped on the benches.

The little girl rushed towards the kunoichi girl and hung on her waist demandingly.

– You’ve come! The girl exclaimed.

Necroline looked at the child somewhat puzzled, as if bewildered. She obviously did not know the girl, and was not used to such treatment from children.

– Will you save me?

At first glance, the girl was about six years old, in her hands she held a small wicker basket with flowers. She handed a chamomile of these flowers to the “dark one”. Necroline’s violet eyes showed such incomprehension that Caroline involuntarily giggled.

– My deceased mother predicted that you would save me tomorrow.

“I’m a mercenary and I don’t do anything for free,” the kunoichi replied coldly. It might even give the impression that the girl has no human feelings, only “money”.

“If you don’t save me tomorrow on the roof of the fourth house, then I will die with my head held high, and I won’t regret my life,” the girl’s voice was serious. “So just remember me. I am Lesya.

Leia turned around and ran away. She didn’t look upset at all. Rather resolute and confident, but what??

Dale, who took a step forward and caught up with Necroline the fastest, noticed a strange understanding in the eyes of the ninja.

– Necroline, well, how long can you wait? BUT? The voice that called out to the ninja sounded loud and demanding.

On the threshold of one of the houses stood an almost exact copy of Necroline, only a little taller and older, and most importantly – the eyes. Melania’s eyes of an unusual green color looked at the world harshly and demandingly.

Necroline smiled and rushed to her sister.

– How do you feel?

Thanks, you saved my life.

– Meet me. My new companions are Shiro Dale and Tan Zander. And this is my older sister Melania, – Necroline smiled slightly.

Why isn’t the ending “line”? the elf asked.

– My real name is Meline, but I like Melania better, – the girl explained.

– Understood.

– Remember Verdandi? Melania asked her younger sister, who immediately nodded. “She wants to challenge you and enter the Best Ninja competition. From today on, you will be training. We can’t fall on our faces. And we can’t do it with a face, either.

“Okay,” Necroline nodded obediently.

During lunch, the shaman became more and more surprised at the oddity in Necroline’s behavior. She was completely different. Before that, the kunoichi seemed rude and insensitive, but now, on the contrary, she demonstrated unprecedented obedience, bordering on submissiveness. Of course, a person is not unambiguous, but here the principle is different. At home – a good girl, and outside the threshold – a bully. Maybe the girls call it romance, maybe stupidity, maybe something else… it turns out ambiguously.

Melania or Meline turned out to be cheerful and sociable. It turns out that their parents were slaughtered by the Hounds. Then only a few children survived. The Haya settlement was preparing ninjas in order to take revenge on the Hounds and revive their kind.

The reason Melania didn’t like her real name was only known to Necroline. In fact, the name Melaine reminded her of the former wars with the Hound and Shinigami clans.

“Dark” also gave hope that it would help to exterminate the enemies and return the clan to its former glory and power. Her “brake” was Caroline, who constantly fought for the “light side of the soul” of Necroline, tuning in to world peace.

***

Caroline, Zander, and Dale woke up almost at the same time, three seconds apart. After breakfast, Caroline took everyone to the place of training – a picturesque rock with a waterfall.

Necroline, dressed in a blue cotton miniskirt with a black top, was concentrating, putting her thoughts in the proper order necessary for magic. On her feet were excellent suede boots with open knee-high heels. Only a leather bracelet on the right wrist, a metal bracelet on the left shoulder and a chain with a pendant in the form of an ajar book remained unchanged.

The girl was preparing for some kind of spell. On the rock stood a huge cobblestone, four times the height of a man, in which there was one minor dent. Such boulders were often used to practice powerful techniques. Necroline clenched her hand into a fist, and it glowed with grave blue light. Necroline ran up and struck the cobblestone with a light blow, leaving a decent-sized dent with a network of large and small cracks.

– It seems that this is your maximum, – Melania said thoughtfully. “Unfortunately, you can’t hit harder. But Verdandi was able to split a similar stone. Oh well, absolute strength is not in magic and not even in physical training.

This phrase alarmed Dale. He just thought that if he became the most powerful ninja, then only then would he be able to know Absolute power.

Necroline dropped to one knee wearily, her clothes and hair dripping as if she had taken a dip in a waterfall. Caroline smiled involuntarily. She realized, as always happens in such training, it was the fall into the waterfall that took place. For training, Melania forces Necroline to wear the most uncomfortable clothes. In a skirt, you don’t especially jump up and take a step (you have to mince). That’s why every time Necroline slips and cannot keep his balance when he runs across a log or at the moment of casting another spell on the move, well, you have to fall and “swim” over and over again.

Necroline’s legs and arms shook. The girl was barely holding on. But still, Melania was satisfied with the training and its results.

Necroline dropped to her second knee, panting, trying to catch her breath.

– And this brat wants to stop me?! Thundered furiously over the waterfall, and a moment later another observer of the training process appeared.

Cute and according to the complexion of the figure, it is immediately clear – kunoichi.

– Get out! Necroline instantly jumped to her feet, becoming cold and hard again.

– Fi, how rude. I challenge you! The girl waved her hand.

– Verdandi, leave in a good way. I gave my word to my girlfriend that I would not kill for no reason and I do not kill crazy people. But you interrogate, and I will have a serious reason.

Verdandi rushed forward, preferring action to dialogue. Violent hand-to-hand combat ensued. Both girls did not spare each other and fought seriously, trying to get each other out of the “civil war”. They moved quickly, almost imperceptibly to the human eye. Suddenly, Verdandi tripped and Necroline collapsed, and her opponent used…

– Perfect capture!!! Caroline exclaimed.

Calm in such a situation remained only Meline. She hoped that Necroline could get out by some means or a miracle. For example, strongly kick Verdandi with a knee in the stomach or chest.

A “perfect hold” is a hold on an opponent when he cannot move. In this case, Verdandi held Necroline’s chest and left limb with both legs, twisting her palm with her hands. The defeated kunoichi gritted her teeth.

“Move more, and I will break your arm,” Verdandi smiled bloodthirstyly, wanting her to disobey.

As expected, Necroline listened to only two people: Melania and Caroline. Verdandi’s order or request did not impress her, and so the kunoichi jumped to her feet with all her might, throwing off Verdandi, breaking her arm. The left limb limply hung along the body. Without waiting for the opponent to get up on all fours, Necroline slightly threw her back and punched her good hand next to her opponent’s temple. The first left a decent imprint in the ground in the rock, serving as a terrible hint.

“Don’t get in my way anymore,” Necroline spoke softly and decisively.

Rising to her feet, the kunoichi, without looking back at the loser, went to her friend. The medical ninja immediately started whispering a healing spell, unable to bear the pain and violence. Verdandi left silently. They’ve had similar fights before, usually ending as abruptly as they started.

– Stupid! Caroline gave her friend a resounding slap in the face.

Did I break my promise? Necroline’s eyebrow arched in surprise.

– Was it necessary to break your arm with a jerk?!

“We should have done it gradually,” Zander suddenly laughed nervously.

– That’s right, pointy-eared, – Necroline smiled, defusing the situation.

– Listen, can I ask a question? Dale suddenly asked.

Kunoichi turned serious again and nodded in agreement, froze in anticipation of the question.

– Why are you trying to seem ruder than you really are? Dale continued. You are very beautiful when you smile.

– It’s just that when you start treating everyone in a good way, everyone starts to be rude, and it will be bad for me later. It’s better to be afraid then. And what?

– No, nothing, – Dale looked from Necroline to Melania, from Melania to Caroline, and then to Zander.

“Today you can rest,” the elder sister graciously allowed, which could not but rejoice.

Necroline nodded her thanks.

– I still have things to do today.

Together, the company headed towards the house, leaving the kunoichi alone with their “business”. Necroline sat at the very edge of the waterfall, listening to the sound of falling water, and looking down, thinking painfully about something. Yesterday’s chamomile stuck out in her hair. Caroline, on reflection, decided to return, approaching her friend from behind.

– Do you want to talk, – rather affirmatively than inquiringly whispered “fair”.

Necroline nodded. Now she looked very tired.

– Do you think about that girl, Lesya? Caroline asked again.

“Yes,” the kunoichi nodded. – She is very similar to me. Melania was threatened, and then I shielded her with myself. They told me to leave otherwise I would die. And I said that I would accept death with dignity. I was then eight years old, no more. You know, I dream that someday I will live in peace and not be afraid for the lives of my friends. But all these horrors… as if it happened yesterday.

– I understand you, – Caroline laid her head on her friend’s shoulder.

“Although something else worries me now,” Necroline hugged the “fair” by the shoulders. “I think I’m starting to fall in love. For the first time, my heart feels something…something other than anxiety.

– Dale?

– Yes. He looks so much like that guy, but is often silent. I read his mind several times. By the way, he didn’t even block me, but Care, he’s completely clean. Honor, pride and feelings – he has all this.

– You’re just afraid of getting burned. Like then… you’ve been alone for too long, so it’s hard to accept at least some feelings.

Necroline sighed sadly.

“Thank you,” the ninja smiled. You have supported and helped me so many times already.

– Necroline, I’m your friend. You can always rely on me.

They were silent for a little longer. Necroline sighed heavily, and Caroline touched her friend’s forehead with her forehead, helping to cope with mental problems. Whatever one may say, but they are still friends, the most real.

***

Necroline was sitting at the table with everyone. Melania and Caroline cooked well, so they covered everyone in the shortest possible time and forced them to eat a variety of delicious food, cooler than any self-assembled tablecloth. Dale and Zander ate with gusto. Ninja very rarely eat well. Usually they have to eat pasture, not really relying on delicacies. Necroline sat gloomy, darker than the clouds.

– What’s the matter? Caroline smiled sweetly at her friend.

Necroline slammed her hand on the table. The girls jumped in surprise, and the guys calmly raised their eyes.

– Takasaki!!! Necroline said the name loudly, clearly, and with her eyes closed.

Dale nodded and immediately choked on his salad as he realized WHAT he had done.

– Hound?! – surprised not that asked, not that approved Melaine.

– How did you know? Dale, or now Takasaki, slowly got up from his seat, pushing his chair back.

– Purely by chance, – Necroline also stood up. – Why did you lie?

– Necroline, he’s half Hound. His father was a Hound, and his mother was from the village of Haya, – Zander smiled disarmingly.

– Why did you lie to me? the ninja girl insistently repeated her question.

– I lied, and then by accident, – the elf made honest eyes.

Necroline stood up, threw her dark cloudy cloak around her shoulders and said:

– I’ll be back late.

The door creaked shut behind the girl. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

– So the Hound, – thoughtfully confirmed Melaine.

Is this a reason to hate a person? Takasaki asked.

– You understand Necroline correctly. Her family was killed by the Hounds. All Haya dream of revenge. The first one she will kill from the Hounds will be you, – Melania smiled bitterly, but confidently. “Though not all is lost. A truce is possible. By the way, where did my sister go?

“Save Lesya,” Caroline replied.

– The dark ninja saves, something terrible is coming, – Zander grinned and everyone burst out laughing.

***

Necroline came to the only fourth building in their settlement, still not understanding why she was doing it. As expected, Lesya was already there, on the roof, and someone else was with her. There is not a soul on the street, which was the norm at such a late time – it has become a kind of tradition in the settlement to spend evenings surrounded by relatives and friends. Dark dog. But ninjas see well in the dark thanks to the pumped human data, including with the help of magic.

Necroline climbed to the roof and saw a phenomenal picture. Lesya stood in a fighting stance, and opposite her a demon hung in the air. Demons are generally rare in this world, because in order to summon a demon, great magical power is needed. Every ninja dreams of “killing a real demon”, like killing a dragon in the Middle Ages.

Necroline attacked immediately, without asking too many questions, thereby saving Lesya from inevitable death. The fire attack burned the enemy, leaving only a clot of dark ash. Necroline chuckled. “Fire” is unique in the world, as well as the other three elements of nature. Most demons die from the touch of fire. The only exceptions are fire and water demons, they had to be tinkered with.

– You saved me! Leslie smiled. “So you still have Light in you.

The little girl was engulfed in a golden radiance, and snow-white wings luminous with purity and whiteness grew behind her back.

– I’m an angel. Necroline we will meet again.

The angel flew away, leaving Necroline, who stamped her foot in annoyance. It all happened too fast to be true.

***

Necroline returned home even more gloomy than she left. When asked: “What’s the matter?”, The girl honestly answered that she had saved the Angel…

They laughed at her for a long time and sincerely. The dark ninja saved not some “light-haired” one, but an Angel. In fact, the Dark Ones maintain their image and do not save anyone for free. And here??!

“Shame on my gray head,” Necroline shook her head in dismay.

“All is not lost yet,” Zander added, trying to remain calm. – You save a couple more Angels, the road to Paradise is secured.

Necroline shrugged. When the Dark One starts doing “light” things, it’s a nightmare, a loss of reputation.

– And also love, also a bright feeling. Do you like Takasaki!?! Caroline grabbed her hand, covering her mouth, realizing that she had blurted out too much.

Necroline continued to look collected seriously, with a stone, impenetrable face.

“If this is true, then you will have to be upset – this is not mutual,” Takasaki lowered his gaze.

Now he could not explain why he had lied again. He lied rudely and unfairly. He liked Necroline and Takasaki began to understand what “Ultimate Power” was. Absolute strength is not physical, magical or spiritual training and strength, it is something more, more sublime.

“Actually, I wanted to hire you, I need additional security to my village,” Takasaki put a heavy purse of money on the table.

– I agree, – Necroline sighed heavily.

Further, hike does not make sense of the description. It takes eight hours to walk to the village of the Hounds. Takasaki and Zander were delighted to be accompanied by three kawaii (seemingly) girls. Melaine was dressed in a crocodile skin jumpsuit, and her face was hidden by a cape wrapped up to her eyes. Usually, bandits do this when they go out on their “dark deeds”, or ninjas wear the same masks. They wear a mask that only reveals their eyes.

Caroline’s conscience “ate” all the way. Yesterday she betrayed – she betrayed her friend. Necroline said, “It’s okay!” but that didn’t make Kara feel any better. Her ninja friend was as calm as a tank. She was protected by the armor of tranquility.

Arriving in the village, the conscience attacked Necroline, and, having bitten, left. The reason lay in the Takasaki family. The family was very large – seventeen people. These seventeen included an ailing old mother, Takasaki himself, and fifteen of his brothers and sisters, between the ages of six and eleven.

The first thing the children asked for was money for food, but Takasaki just shrugged. He gave all the money to the three girls who accompanied him and Zander on the way. Now seventeen people will be hungry.

– Takasaki, darling! – some dark-haired girl threw herself on the guy’s neck.

Necroline watched with understanding as Takasaki hugged the girl, how they were talking cheerfully, laughing…

Necroline chuckled. Yeah, she wasn’t kawaii. But does it matter? But now the reason for Takasaki’s refusal is clear. He has the girl of his dreams. But with all this, Necroline was not upset, but on the contrary. It suddenly seemed to her that life was beautiful (such an incident happened to her infrequently). Usually a girl, like all Dark Ones, perceived everything in black.

Necroline was not exactly Dark, because in addition to black, she also saw white in life. Despite the entire Dark Code, Necroline still performed Light deeds without taking a fee, although she often spoke about it herself, as if she wanted to show that nothing but money bothers her. But, seeing the children, Necroline first thought about a completely selfless act.

She called one of the Takasaki brothers, handed over the purse of money, and left. She left unnoticed, in English, without saying goodbye. Such generosity was out of character for a ninja girl.

Many knew her as a cruel warrior who does not betray or forgive. Along with this, there was also a myth that Caroline “holds” all the cruelty. The myth is unfounded. Caroline really reduced the number of victims to some extent, but here you still need to take into account the human factor in the face of Necroline. She is not a supporter of violence, but some sometimes very well suggest themselves. Or patience sometimes bursts. Although one does not interfere with the other.

Zander twitched his long, pointed ear. He heard Necroline leaving, but didn’t stop her. What could he do or suggest? Ninja honestly did her job. What else is needed? He did not know that the mercenary gave the money. When the whole company finds out about this, they will have a shock. The mercenary who returned the money is doomed to eternal disgrace. But everyone appreciated the wisdom of Necroline in the sense that she gave the money not to Takasaki, but to one of his brothers.

“Meet my second cousin Kaname,” Takasaki smiled.

A fragile pale creature with black, rather long hair, but unusually cheerful. Kaname was very pleasant despite her sickly appearance.

– Sister?!!? – Melaine and Caroline exclaimed in surprise, and the elf was aware, and for that period of time he was worried about Necroline’s departure.

– These are my friends. Melania, Caroline and… Where’s Necroline??? Takasaki’s face changed.

Who is Necroline? – Kaname portrayed puppet surprise.

“Good girl,” Zander waved him off. – With a kawaii appearance and the character of the Devil, – after which the elf giggled.

“Ninja of the Haya clan,” Kaname added, smiling and holding out her hand to Takasaki’s friends. – Nice to meet you. Today I am the head of the Hound clan and do not want a war with the Haya.

– I’m in charge for now, but literally in three days Necroline will be in charge, – Melania smiled. She won’t fight you either.

– Can we go to the house? Kaname suggested.

Everyone nodded in agreement. No matter how you slice it, it’s better to talk at home with a good snack and plenty of vodka. The main thing the next day is to remember what happened yesterday. And this is problematic.

Just then, Takasaki’s younger brother showed up, saying that “the clearing is covered” and immediately the truth about the money that Necroline returned came out. This is where everyone was horrified.

– At least she knows what she’s doing! Takasaki yelled, clutching his head.

“She is always responsible for her actions,” Melania said quietly.

“The girl who gave me the money said that she was very sorry for our huge family and ashamed that she took the money,” brother Takasaki suddenly said.

– Donation. So she’s on the mend!!! Caroline yelled happily.

– Hardly, – Takasaki shook his head gloomily and, looking somewhere in the direction of the forest, added – She just does what she wants. Nothing personal.

“Maybe you are right,” Melania confirmed sadly, receiving a telepathic message from her younger, too independent and independent sister.

***

Necroline was already at home. On a telepathic level, she managed to warn her older sister that she refuses to take part in the Strongest Ninja competition, they say, let Caroline take part and represent the Haya clan.

Now Necroline was going to the Emperor to negotiate some things with him.

The country of MeioSetsuno (translated as “Dark King”) consisted of many different clans. Emperor Tatsumi created such a code of laws, according to which everyone can live peacefully in their clans, but in a single country. In the event of war, everyone will rise as a united front. Tatsumi himself was a young but intelligent emperor. Power passed to him from his older brother, who fell in love and decided to rush off after the girl he loved. The new emperor was barely seventeen years old. He is beautiful.

Necroline came out of the forest to the big city. She thought about her settlement. Everyone thought it was a village, but in fact Haya was hiding the City underground. These are secret catacombs in which there is everything for life in case of wars.

While she was thinking about everything in a row, she went out to the palace and now two young guards blocked her way inside, asking her to show some kind of pass. Necroline looked up at them with her violet eyes and, as feminine and shy as she could, she wrapped her arms under her breasts so that the guards could see as much as possible. Large elastic breasts were now only emphasized by a deep neckline. From this, the chest seemed full and voluminous.

– I really need to see the emperor, – Necroline folded her eyebrows like a house.

Caroline taught her this technique. She thought that Necroline should be more feminine. Just in case, the ninja girl remembered and even managed to try this method several times (when she had, she wanted to, but there was no money. Then she was fed to such a state, and then taken to the hotel, and then they also brought breakfast). The guards, opening their mouths and drooling, observed the girl, and then, nodding in unison, let her into the palace.

The palace is huge, chic and rich. All in gold, velvet, silk. On the ceiling are huge gold and diamond chandeliers. Persian rugs on the floor.

Necroline walked into the huge throne room. The emperor walked along the walls and examined the hanging paintings, which depicted all the previous emperors and their relatives. Emperor Tatsumi was tall, slender and had a fine face. He had blue eyes and dark hair. He was wearing an expensive three-piece suit, but Tatsumi had his tie in his hands, his shirt untucked. Looks like he was already tired of all the tricks, and now he was resting, not expecting that they would come to him again.

Necroline bowed politely.

– Line, and I was already afraid that you would decide to break your word, – the emperor rushed to the girl.

“I always keep my word,” Necroline smiled.

Tatsumi hugged Necroline and suddenly asked in a low voice:

– Have you changed your mind?

– Sorry, no. Honestly, I need your advice, – Necroline smiled coquettishly.

– Then let’s go to the balcony. Bring us some tea.

By order of the emperor, the servants began to fuss.

Necroline remembered very vividly their first meeting with Tatsumi two years ago. In the marketplace, the guards seized her and, dragging her to the palace, threw her at the feet of the emperor. The girl was then accused of using dark magic. Angry, Necroline was ready to use a powerful spell and destroy the entire palace, but Tatsumi seized the initiative and offered to drink coffee. Then Necroline immediately bowed and tried to explain her actions. Namely, it’s not her fault.

They then became very friendly with the emperor. Then Tatsumi helped Necroline learn palace etiquette, dreaming of leaving such a wonderful girl next to him. And one day he proposed. Necroline refused, but managed to do it in such a way that they still remain friends. She said that she was still small and did not understand what love is. Tatsumi proved to be very wise. Then he realized one thing. Don’t pressure the girl. You need to show her signs of attention so that she understands that everything is serious. Tatsumi was always worried about Necroline and, given the opportunity, he could even start a war with the nearest countries if we only thought of threatening the girl.

“Tatsumi, remember Kira?” the ninja girl began.

– That bastard who cut your legs? Tatsumi frowned. – Did he get you?

– No, I just met a guy who looks very similar to him, but he is not like that… He is a ninja from the Hound clan.

“Necroline,” the emperor suddenly smiled. – You just fell in love!

Tatsumi’s eyes shone with concern and understanding.

– I don’t know. My heart hurts all the time. I don’t even know who to turn to for help.

“You just need help getting through your first impulse?!?” The Emperor raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Necroline nodded curtly. A strand of white hair fell over her forehead. The girl looked confused. Tatsumi moved closer and put his arm around the girl’s shoulders with a smile and said:

– You know, no matter what happens, you can always rely on me. This Takasaki ninja. I suggest you just beat him in the tournament.

– Will you come?

Surprise flashed across the emperor’s face.

“Yes,” he nodded slightly. “I get the impression that you are afraid of something. This is true? He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

– I? I’m afraid? No, – Necroline wanted to say a confident “no”, but then decided to answer honestly. – Yes, I’m afraid. I am now afraid of losing everyone who is dear to me. I was having a dream. I fell into the void. I’m really scared. I also dreamed that I was in Hell.

Necroline’s violet eyes softened visibly.

Tatsumi could tell from her face that what the girl was afraid of was more serious than she was saying. There must be something else behind these words.