"LET'S GO! FINALLY! NO MORE 'COPIUM'!
"We're switching to another server and raising the Pretender there.
"What? Why? Why?!"
Castor did not answer the dragon's question, which was spoken through the glove on his hand. The chat exploded with Ddraig's reaction to the news, causing the number of messages and "pogs" to increase fivefold. All in all, allowing the dragon to become an "artificial intelligence embedded in a glove" was a good idea that increased the number of viewers and views of the broadcasts. Plus, he wasn't so lonely in his hatred of his clumsy teammates and the game in general.
"See you in the next live stream, where we'll test the strength of our nerves on the North American server. I wish you all happiness, money, and love from your loved ones.
Brinel turned off the stream and leaned back in his chair. The glove slowly evaporated, cutting Ddraig off from the real world and the ability to speak aloud. The career of a gaming streamer... He liked it. Communicating with people who understand you, getting positive energy and money, as well as the experience of playing together. These people may be far away physically, but mentally they are with him. Most of them. Some use his voice as a lullaby. It's... strange.
"Why don't you kill the fallen one?"
Castor silently walked past and went down to the kitchen, where he began to take meat out of the refrigerator. Today he planned to make himself a meat and vegetable stew, but he needed to go to the store for the latter. However, for now, it was worth putting the meat on to cook, as it took the longest.
"She's like Red — a pesky liar. I can help you kill the bird, and you can help me kill the lizard.
Brinell sighed and looked at Office, who was sitting at the table eating her chocolate chip cookies. Her face still showed no emotion, but the mage began to notice something in her dark eyes... Interest. He hadn't noticed this before, especially when they first met.
"Disproportionate effort.
Why is she (he? it?) here? To be honest, Brinel didn't know the answer to that question, nor did he know why she voluntarily gave him hundreds of dollars on stream. And asked him to help kill the Great Red. Yes, there. Castor closed his eyes, and his smile twitched again at the absurdity of the situation. That a being equal to Corvaac, if not stronger, would behave in such a manner? This proves once again that none of the Kaern had a hand in creating this universe. It's too... Castor sighed. Calm down. That's right.
And that was good, just unusual. In the days of the Dark Dawn, a mage always waited for some "gift" from the heavens that would ruin his already bitter life by adding "divine trials," but here? Yes, Sazex was a dangerous individual, but no more dangerous than the Voice of Hton. Serafall also falls short of the level of this true demon and spawn of the Dying God. It is also worth adding that they have no real leverage over him. Brinel is not connected to the mystical world, except for superficial acquaintances.
Speaking of acquaintances... Castor glanced at Office, who tilted her head to one side and looked at him questioningly. First of all, he cannot kick her out of the house. Because she always comes back. So the deity spent a lot of time nearby, watching him, occasionally interjecting with comments or requests to help kill Red. Refusals, categorical refusals, and physically throwing her out of the house do not help. And attack a god? Brineel had enough growing new arms and legs after defeating Mogdrogen. Plus, she was useful. In theory. He didn't feel any energy emanating from her unless he got up close, but his instincts should have told him that this child was extremely dangerous. That it scared away any evil except Ddraig.
"Actually, it's kind of hurtful."
"I'm going to the shop for some vegetables. Make sure the meat doesn't burn," Office nodded, but Castor didn't expect any help from a naive and even stupid deity. That's why he needed to return very quickly.
"The main thing is that chance events don't bring me face to face with a fallen angel, otherwise my meat will meet its end in the rubbish bin."
***
How she wanted to stay in her own rented flat instead of breathing dust in this place forgotten by all the gods. Yuma, also known as Reynal, straightened her shoulders and stared at the city map lying on the table. The woman looked up at the ceiling and grimaced. Broken bricks, a lack of civilisation and cold seeping from every crack in the basement of this old church. Of course, hiding in plain sight of the enemy was smart, but why did it have to be an old abandoned church? As if demons wouldn't come here! There was no power left here to hold them back!
"I wish I served Azazel. He's perverted and twisted, but at least he's a normal boss."
However, killing the bearers of the Holy Mechanisms wasn't a bad job. Some of Kokabiel's subordinates do even more unpleasant things. They kidnap children. She is a fallen angel, of course, but there are limits to everything.
"It's getting harder and harder to throw sand in the demons' eyes..." whispered Reynal, looking at the outlined areas where Gremory and Sitri's demons were most often spotted. And there are a lot of them. Especially near the local academy and the town centre. It would be fine if they were just waiting for a guest, taking what they needed and leaving, but lately the demons had become more active, which was preventing them from gathering information.
Reynal guessed what was going on. Or rather, she had a theory without proof. One person who was different from the others. Everything about him was strange. And not just the presence of the Double Krit, a useless mechanism that doubles your strength for one strike, but everything else. Just look at his smile, as if he knows something funny and is enjoying it. But even more important is his aura... A strange coolness on a summer night. At that moment, she wanted to be on the sofa with a glass of wine, just looking at the moon. And nothing else. A relaxing effect with no side effects.
It was unnatural. So Reynal continued to pretend to be a playful neighbour and go on dates with Brinel to get information out of him. Well... And to enjoy that aura, why hide it? There was something about it... Something. Indescribable. And Castor turned out to be a good conversationalist, although he often created whole verbal constructions where they weren't needed. At such moments, she felt like strangling him for the stuffiness he created. Or was it that balance? The coolness of silence compensated for the stuffiness of conversation?
Others said to get rid of this man as quickly as possible and get on with other business. But that was much easier said than done. Reinal liked the atmosphere without her boss around, and that was all! And killing a man who was so different from the rest of the herd? How boring! And he wanted to find out as much as possible about him, and not just from documents that turned out to be as clean as a baby's tears. Although the fact that he finished all the senior classes of the academy with practically no effort... Smart? Cunning? Rich? Or all of the above?
"What? Already?" Reynal frowned when she saw the message on her phone. The nun would arrive in a couple of days, which meant she had to end her game of playing the neighbour. However, she had enjoyed playing the part. It was nice to be in the shoes of a simple girl who wanted to find a normal man, fuck him until she lost consciousness, and live to a ripe old age. The second part was possible... The fallen woman smiled. Tomorrow or the day after, she would end their game. One way or another.
"It's a pity. It's a real shame that it all comes down to this. But you can't blame God for giving you this power..."
***
"Go away, you twisted little witch. There are no tentacled monsters here.
Serapholl looked in shock at the little girl holding a wrapped chocolate bar the size of herself under her arm. But it wasn't that which shocked her, it was the words that came out of that dirty mouth!
"Excuse me?"
"I won't forgive you.
"It was just being polite, little one..." The Lord of Hell fell silent as the shock of her words gave way to realisation: there was a child in Castor's house!
"What's your name, little one?" The woman knelt down on one knee and forced herself to smile at the child. The girl, who was about twelve years old, just bowed her head, hiding the huge chocolate bar behind her back.
"I don't have tentacles to fuck you. Why do you want my name then?"
Leviathan gasped, unable to believe her ears. What did that brat just say?! And why did she look so expressionless, as if she didn't care about the world around her?! How... How was Castor?
"Oh dear..."
"Who taught you to say things like that?"
"You really are a pest," the girl said calmly, causing the Lord of Hell's right eye to twitch. The best picture was not forming in his mind, but he forced his anger and desire to spank the cheeky girl for her words away.
"Tell me, is Castor at home?" Serafall asked in a kind and gentle voice, her soul wanting to knock some sense into the girl's head.
"No," the girl shook her head. "He went to the store and was probably charmed by a fallen angel on the way back.
"I don't understand," Serafall pointed to Brinel's house as the source of her headaches, unanswered questions, and the paranoia he planted in everyone like seeds. Yes, a beast. The most ordinary one.
"Can I come in?" Serafall asked the girl in the same soft tone, receiving a slap on the forehead.
"No. He said he'd take away my sweets if I let anyone in the house."
Serapholl stood up straight and looked straight ahead. She didn't understand anything! Nothing! What was going on?! Who was this little thing?! Why did she look so strange?! Why was she willing to defend Castor's house in exchange for sweets?! And what kind of fallen angel was she? Was it some kind of metaphor for a fallen woman or someone the girl didn't like? And who was she to Brinel anyway? He said all his relatives were dead and he couldn't have any new ones.At this rate, she'll develop a second personality that will shut down her brain whenever Castor does something unusual, illogical, or that shatters her worldview. He's already alarmed the vampires with his actions, made Sazex tense, and now he's doing something on the side that's sure to make all their hair stand on end. Yes, she doesn't know him well, but what Serafall has managed to understand is the magician's total unpredictability. He might as well put on a clown mask, call himself the Joker, and start wreaking havoc.
"Is your brain trying to process too much information, which is why you're standing there staring into space?"
Leviathan looked at the girl. Are you sure she's not his daughter? That's a classic line. Castor loved to bring her back to reality with it if she let herself think too much around him. Oh, she would love to kick his ass, but Brinel was stronger and faster. And you couldn't outsmart him: he was a cunning bastard himself.
"Hmm... If I give you a kilo of sweets, will you let me go?"
"Five. Five on top, and then I won't say anything to Castor.
"There you go... Greedy little thing."
***
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