The Way of the Clan 8

by Dem Mikhaylov

  I took the pen, leaned over the table, and checked it. Yes — the contract contained a large amount, some of which would go to pay taxes. Maybe it was worth demanding more? Curbing my greed, I signed it. The other parties did not have to check the details again - this was done in advance and repeatedly.

  Done.

  The last signature was delivered.

  The paper rustled, and the contracts went to the lawyers. They also put their signatures, and then seals, looking very severe throughout the process. Real knights, powerful and adamant. A few minutes later, the whole procedure was completed.

  The Baroness took one of the treaties, ran her fingertips along the rows of letters and nodded:

  "It is done."

  "It is done," I echoed.

  Before his father's eyes, his son had just become a millionaire. There is something to be proud of - and I was proud! I was prideful! Though I did not yet own this money, it had been done! And I would get some money in the very near future! I saw the carefully concealed pride on my father's face.

  But the Baroness outperformed everyone - she looked like a black puma that had killed the rabbit and now licked the bloody muzzle.

  No wonder she was happy...

  The Black Baroness had just acquired her Great Navigator. The deal of the century had taken place. Well, to my understanding it was the deal of a century. I do not think that they would ever offer me such big money again.

  "If you go to Valdira now and give me the status of the Great Navigator, I will transfer all the money to your account in the same moment,” the tempting smile of the Baroness could make Satan himself suspect. “The whole amount at once.”

  “Transfer the advance payment,” I smiled in response. “So that after paying taxes on my account there will be exactly five hundred thousand euros. While there is no money, I will not go to any of your ships.”

  "Everything is already in progress," she assured me. "Believe me, it is in my interest. And yes, Ros. I am going to start the Great Trek to the Lost Mainland tonight. Close to dawn.”

  "What?!! That is impossible! I do not have that much mana. I cannot utter the spell ...”

  “Everything is thought out, Ros. I know how to work a surprise,” snorted the Baroness. “It is necessary to us. I am talking about the way we are going to pump your character. Have you forgotten that, at the time of death, players lose experience and levels? They need somewhere to make up for their losses. You will take advantage of this. The main thing is - be ready! Tonight the Sleepless begin the Great March!”

  “Okay, I am not going to put a stick on your diamond wheels. Kira, are you ready?”

  "For the Great March?" For the first time today, Kira sharply became serious. “Of course! I dreamed about this for years!”

  "Not only you," the Baroness assured her, rising from the table.

  I exchanged glances with Father and Pal Pavlovich - they nodded reassuringly. All was well.

  They had been surprisingly calm and peaceful. It was gratifying. And I had become much richer - I had not gotten crazy with greed, but joyful feelings overwhelmed me. Again, I was not ashamed before my father. I had already decided that, as soon as possible, I would immediately send at least a third of the total amount to my parents’ account. Yes, everyone in our time screams that money should be spent and not stored, but I do not believe it. A million will remain for me.

  A million…

  I had all my chances to receive the remaining two-thirds of the amount. The contract clearly stated that, if the Sleepless fleet did not reach the shores of the Lost Continent through no fault of mine, the whole amount would still be paid to me. For example – if, at the end of the journey, we would be taken in by a ring of united enemy forces and all the ships of the Sleepless sink to the bottom of the ocean. Was this possibility real? More than real. Would this be my fault as the Great Navigator? No. Then my conscience was clear.

  While I reviewed some points of the agreement in my memory, the BB's trusted secretary had already made a phone call. Then, approaching the boss, she whispered something. The head of the Sleepless listened, nodded, looked at me with her brown eyes, and walked over, cradling another mug of coffee in her hands. Yes, she is a caffeine addict. Or, was it coffee? Overall, not one of those who worried about too much coffee. Perhaps, she just had a few very stressful days. But when does the head of the most powerful clan of the gaming world get to have non-stressful days?

  "Congratulations," the BW said casually.

  "Congratulations," I replied. We knocked glasses, the sound coming out short and deaf - not ringing crystal, but solemn. Kira did not participate - she was busy talking with the gray-haired lawyer, explaining something.

  "The plane will be ready in two hours," added Mirela.

  "And are the laws so strict for private planes?" I said. "Stay. Have a snack. Sleep another hour.”

  “And can we chat?”

  “Yes, with pleasure,” I nodded. “Only not about the future of our joint business ventures, and not about new proposals. My brain is not used to digesting so much new information at a time.”

  “You’ll get used to it,” promised the Baroness. “I also used to get headaches, and then got used to it.”

  “The daughter of a Hungarian gypsy,” I chuckled, looking at the girl standing next to me. “And that father, the evil scientist? What nationality is he?”

  "Have not you found out yet?" The BB was surprised. “You know my personal data from the contract, including my name, country, city, and so on. And when I woke up, you and your friend were sitting at the computer and studying something carefully. I thought you were researching me…”

  “Ahem ... no, we were on Valdira messenger, following the campaign of our team,” I confessed. “Kaylen is good at telling stories, and takes good screenshots. It is like reading a book.”

  "Mmm," the BB said, with some uncertainty.

  “Sometimes you should not dig too deeply,” I shrugged my shoulders. “And they were having a great adventure. It began famously.”

  Having pulled out a phone from her pocket which, I noticed, was in a special shockproof and waterproof s ribbed case, the Baroness checked the screen, read a few lines, and nodded thoughtfully:

  “Yes, they are having an interesting adventure. And a dangerous one.”

  "Mmm," I said, myself with uncertainty this time.

  The Baroness again was showing her awareness of my company’s movements. But there was nothing to be surprised at – among the group of adventurers was my daughter Roska, the future goddess. And it was clear the Sleepless would follow her day and night. I did not intend to protest. No point. Because if some powerful creature attacked my sweet little daughter, the same Sleepless would be informed about this immediately, and maybe even before my own comrades. Again - Roska would be traveling for a long time by the side of the Sleepless Clan. And I was taking my daughter on the flagship. Speaking of which…

  "Roska is among the passengers who will be aboard the flagship with me," I said.

  “Two besides you,” nodded the Baroness. “You, Kira, and Roska. Well, I will say. Just the perfect young family going on a round-the-world trip … how nice ...”

  "Well, and you, too," I snorted. "You and your younger brother. Two brave adventurers seeking to conquer new horizons. Your goal is world domination. And his - to dispel boredom.

  "Ugh ..." the Baroness grimaced. "You got that right."

  “About world domination?”

  “About "dispelling boredom.” And you pinned me too. I am with my girl and a daughter, and you are with your younger brother, but you do not have a boyfriend at all. Is that what you wanted to say?”

  “In no case. So what about the dad? You understand my interest - you yourself said that "my dad is an evil scientist." How can you not be interested after such mysterious words? If you had said, for example, "my dad the accountant" or “auto mechanic,” I would have heard it, noted it, and forgotten. The profession is ordinary. But a wicked
scientist ...”

  “It is the truth. My dad is an evil scientist. A real one,” the girl shrugged her shoulders. “Since you love history so much ... my father all his life, from earliest childhood you could say, was fond of and then worked with the creation of artificial intelligence. First, he worked in a government office – details you can read in Wikipedia. And he then moved to the Valdira Corporation. And there he was responsible for many things, including such things as game logic, the reactions of "locals", the stability of AI, the vitality of their actions, the richness of the vocabulary used, and so on and so on and so forth. After the first launch of Valdira, the world worked "on its own" for a month. No one entered it. No foreign players. Valdira lived for a month only by and for herself. And then, after thirty days, only one person appeared in the gaming world - my father. And he stayed there for a week.”

  "Oh," I said, completely stunned. "That makes sense ..."

  The Black Baroness had just informed me that her father was the first "foreigner" to visit the world of Valdira.

  And something else - after the first launch, the world of Valdira had never been. All changes, additions and so on, were brought into the world online. Since the launch, the servers have never been deafened… and it appears that the father of the Baroness was the first "living" or "foreign" resident.

  He spent a whole week wandering around the vast world alone...

  “It was important for him to observe the "pure" reactions of the AIs to the world around them, to each other, to wild animals and other creatures. And he watched them for days. He stayed there, invisible to the "locals", listening to their conversations amongst themselves, watching how the artisans first took up the hammer and began to make something - not as a test, but for real. Production of the very first objects of the world of Valdira. My father watched the King of Algora give the first decree - not to hinder the strangers who appear from the portal that has arisen in the outskirts. And this was the first intervention, in general - it was my father who pushed the king to such a decision. The first intervention of many. The first thread pulled. In general, my father was behind very, very many events that happened in Valdira even before the first player from the legion of thousands of testers entered the game. But they saw the world as completely different – for my father, all the doors were opened, all the gates were flung open, all the "locals" were ready to communicate and help. Then the global "settlement" was launched — all the doors closed, the “locals" became much more demanding, it became hard or almost impossible to get to them. Valdira became almost the same as you saw it when you first entered as a newbie in the cradle.

  “I am in complete shock,” I sincerely confessed. “Your father was the first! And for him, all doors were open... He is like Columbus who first discovered America. Although ... Columbus only saw a little of what was available, but your father visited everywhere, watched almost everyone, could enter any door, speak to anyone. Amazing! He was not like Columbus – he was just like a god!”

  “The first god,” smiled the BB. “And he, by the way, participated in the birth of the gods of Valdira. They did not appear immediately. The gods came to the world on the seventh day following his birth. So it was. Do you agree now that my dad is an evil scientist?”

  "He is a legend," I answered quite sincerely. "He is a real legend! I would like to shake his hand!”

  “That's unlikely,” the Baroness sadly shook her head. “He does not leave the house. And he does not receive guests. And he rarely leaves the cocoon. By the way, have you heard anything about what is happening on the volcanic plateau of Vale of Darkness, near our clan citadel?”

  "The orcs, giants, trolls and other creatures have taken up arms against you," I answered, barely able to stop daydreaming about what Valdira looked like at the time of birth, when all the doors were hospitably opened, and all the "locals" were cordially smiling at you, glad to communicate. Maybe even the dark creatures were inclined to spill a couple of words? Damn!

  “My father took up arms against us,” the Baroness smiled. “My father intends to destroy the clan of the Sleepless and all who support us. And all because I stood in his way of Tantarial.”

  “What? Why! Destroy you? I don’t understand ... He wants to get into divine hell? This is where I recently sent Digratsy?”

  "Yes," sighed the girl. "He's trying to get there with all his might. For several years now.”

  “He wants to break into the hell of the gods?”

  "Yes.”

  “But why?”

  "Well, let's just say he wants to take one long-fallen goddess out of there. A goddess with shiny black hair, kind brown eyes, a sweet smile, and a surprisingly resonant, merry laugh,” the unfathomable brown eyes of the Baroness looked at me pointedly. “The test version of AI served as a "shadow" for a real person and was directly studying with him. The test was considered unnecessary and gotten rid of it. The prototype for that goddess was a beautiful Hungarian gypsy woman, who played this role for a long time, generously giving AI her emotions, cheerfulness, and ability to dance, as well as her manner of talk. A goddess in the image of a gypsy walked across the continent at that time. And in the real world, a gypsy was chained to an ultra-modern hospital bed. And she could only walk in Valdira. And only talk there, too. And independently eat there. Only in Valdira she could laugh, dance, drink sweet wine and enjoy the taste of fruit.”

  "My God ..." I muttered.

  “And then the disease took its toll, and the gypsy died,” the Baroness said deafly, staring out the window. “In the world of Valdira, the goddess of dances and fertility gained independence. All management of her was completely transferred to AI. But she was still laughing like that Hungarian gypsy. And she loved my father just as much. And then the very first war of the gods of Valdira happened. The goddess was not able to call enough ally players to her side. She was overthrown. She disappeared into the divine hell of Tantarial. It happened in those days when my father was in hospital - complete exhaustion of the body, a two-week coma. He spent too long in the game cocoon, spending his days and nights with the cheerful gypsy goddess. And then he went to the hospital. When he was better and he returned to Valdira ... the goddess was no more.

  "My God," I repeated.

  “Yes,” the Baroness sighed. “Yes. My dad was torn up. He was hell-bent on taking her out of hell — that woman whom he considers his wife and our mother. How do you like the story?”

  "I ... I do not know what to say. Of course, I will never tell anyone. It is too personal… and scary ...”

  “Thank you. I was about to ask you to keep silent about it. And now, my father will do everything to destroy the Sleepless. In his opinion, I dared to prevent him from releasing my mother.”

  "But it is not so ..."

  “Yes. This is not true. My mom died. And no digital copy of her can compare,” the Baroness cut me off. “Anyway… enough horror stories. Just be ready for a new, serious enemy to appear on the scene. My father ... he just got stuck in it. At first, he tried to pull the goddess out of hell through administrative means. Given his merits, he went to a meeting and was offered to create a personal copy of the digital entity. But not to touch the one that is in hell. For the goddess was active, she had "local" believers, which could not be changed. And some players were among believers, and persistently visited her temples. She is a gaming legend. But my father relented. After all, in his opinion, the original would remain in hell, where she would suffer day and night. He asked for the release of the goddess. He was refused. And so he decided to go the other way, to pull her out from there "manually" and return her to the divine throne. And before that, he avenged those who were involved in the story of the overthrow of the gypsy goddess. Those clans no longer exist. Those players went to the rebirth. That is how serious everything is. And now my daddy has bared his fangs at me ...”

  “Wait a minute! And Orbit? What does he think?”

  “Orbit? I don’t know. That bald asshole is good at hiding hi
s emotions. Ros, what else do you want to know? My mom died! And I often visit her grave! In the real world! There is also a grave in the inner courtyard of Barad-Gadur - and I also go there often. No digital copy will replace my mother! ... Forget it. Don’t you remember the campaign is about to begin?”

  “Of course not…”

  “Well then. Before we leave, let us discuss today’s schedule. Something you must do before you sail. Malice will wait for you near the town of Dry Wind. Do not forget to take some gold with you, and teleportation scrolls - you have a few hours left, and every second of them should be used wisely ...”

  Chapter Three.

  Chicken and gold coins. A blooming garden city!

  Selected articles of the current issue of the Bulletin of Valdira.

  A nightmare on the market!

  For the first time in the history of trade transactions, a situation of financial insanity! Sales representatives of large clans literally clamber at each morsel! Skirmishes break out every minute! Thanks to fifty bales of high quality canvas, the clan of the Soaring Berkuts got into a fight with the clan of Sea Beasts! The prices for wood, sailcloth, resin, rigging and metal fastenings soar! Ready-made ships are sold at almost their weight in gold! And those wishing to sail - they crowd on the gangways, shout at the shore, promise a double, triple, quadruple price! At the same time, the owner of the ship gets so many threats, that he is simply afraid to start bidding!

  The leader of the merchant's frenzy is the clan of Architects, who spent a huge sum to buy a whole fleet of slow-moving river vessels together with barges. And the purchase took place. Their holds were clogged with selected grain and vegetables. Then, a huge cargo teleport opened in the river, and the entire cargo was thrown out of the barge without the slightest mercy. The river was covered with a thick layer of grain thrown into the water for many miles downstream! Following the grain, the old crew went overboard, too. Above the river was seen the most magnificent golden dragon, on whose back sat a formidable golden knight. Madness! Madness!