Fall in love in a weekwe get by

As expected, Chester came to the empty dish. And the coffee pot – the professor and I just filled another cup each. I felt almost happy – well-fed, dry and warm, enjoying the rest after the idiotic, there is no other way to put it, run through the swamps. Dr. Norwood seemed to feel something similar; he was almost complacent. I slightly teased Chester, who exchanged pie and coffee for an arenarius mustache, built theories about the reasons for the failure in the portal system, which were quite logical and beautiful, I even felt ashamed that I knew the real reason, but could not say.

“Here you are,” he saluted Chester with a cup of coffee. – Made it just in time for the wake.

– What are you talking about? – It seemed to me that Chester’s thoughts were not yet here, but with the same Arenarius and the rest of our prey.

“About the pie,” Norwood pointed to an empty dish. – As you can see, there are only a few sad, lonely babies left.

“Then I’ll ask Mrs. Ferguson to bring some more!” – the hospitable host was delighted. – And coffee?

And he ran away without waiting for an answer.

“Let’s hope he doesn’t confuse the way to the kitchen and to the greenhouses,” Norwood chuckled.

“All these,” I moved my hand, “magical heathers, arenarius, purpurea, what else, verbena?” Are they really that rare? If your friend is a botanist, he probably himself knows where they grow? I have a feeling that we brought him some incredible treasure, and not an armful of grass. It's nice, of course, just a little awkward.

– Of course he knows. And, of course, they are not that rare. Except for the purple one – it’s not easy to lure it into the light. But sending Chester to buy herbs is like forcing a snail to pass a speed test. He will be lost to society for at least a week. And this is if it goes no further than the neighboring lawn. So the herbs for it are usually collected by trainees or graduate students. If it is justified by their work, which happens less often than Chester would like. Therefore, you can, with a clear conscience, consider yourself a treasure hunter and gift-bearer.

I laughed and then shook my head.

– At first glance it’s funny, but in reality it’s sad. It turns out that he would be happy to go somewhere himself to collect all these herbariums, but his work won’t let him go?

– He loves his job no less, so don’t waste your pity and sympathy. This is not a suitable object for them. Just look, is this disgustingly satisfied and radiant individual worthy of sympathy?

As if to illustrate Norwood’s last words, two dishes, a coffee pot, and Chester, who was conducting this parade of goodies, floated into the living room, truly glowing with contentment and happiness.

“Here,” he proudly announced, “another meat one and, for dessert, plum.” Ah, my friends, how good it is that you were able to keep me company! Otherwise, I would have been left alone against the culinary genius of Mrs. Erguson, and this is an obvious defeat.

“Given the size of your belly, my friend,” Norwood mockingly mimicked, “you could easily cope with this minor difficulty.”

– Dougal, no! Not again! – Chester put all the wealth he had acquired on the table and settled down on a chair. – I won’t die from obesity, I won’t have a stroke in my prime and won’t have a heart attack. Of the two of us, I’m the healer, I know better, don’t even start.

– Oh well.

At the last moment I refrained from asking about the role of magic in preventing heart attacks. What would be the topic? Sensation. “Yes, yes, for THAT world,” a piece of plum pie helped to restrain first curiosity, and then the sudden melancholy. We would like to figure out what could become a sensation here, but first we will have to resolve more pressing issues. Life and death, so to speak.

“Tell me, Miss Blair, didn’t this impossible, callous man traumatize the purple girl too much?” I mean exclusively the moral side of the issue. Purple girls are gentle, trembling creatures, they love affection and cannot stand rough treatment. How did you pull her out, barbarian? – he turned to Norwood, – she has a constriction on the third internode. The juice circulates in slow motion. And this is an even lesser evil, it could break!

– Oh, I was all tenderness and trepidation. I have a witness.

“I think the purple girl would have gotten it if she was a student.” And since she’s just an innocent plant, the professor was really gentle,” I smiled into my coffee cup.

– Here you see. In this case, through the lips of the well-fed and peaceful Miss Blair, the truth speaks. So leave me alone with your internodes. I don't know and I don't want to know. Better eat before we repeat our previous feat of gluttony.

“Oh, yes,” Chester looked at both pies with an attentive, weighing and appraising glance and reached for the plum one. But, as soon as he transferred the piece to his plate, he perked up again: – ? time? How long did she stay without soil?