The Mist and the Lightning. Part 19

Saying all this, Zagpeace put the pass on the table and kindly pushed it towards Nick:

“Here is your ticket to a new life. I will make sure that you live with dignity and right, I will pick you a good wife.”

“I have a wife,” Nik said.

“The unclean one doesn’t count, forget about her and all the other unclean ones! You are a man, and you must live according to the laws of people, not animals! I will find you a girl, I don’t promise that a noble lady, but I will choose a modest and complaisant one. Many free people of low birth, but respectable and hardworking, live in Upper.”

(Do you want to choose a maid to be his wife?! How noble!)

“Nik, you like girls, don’t you? It’s just that Arel and Kors forced you to serve their voluptuousness, but, in fact, you are not like them, are you? You are not…”

“Yes, they like it,” Nik hastily interrupted him, “but I don’t need any wife! I will make her unhappy. And I look not like a human, but like an unclean one, she will be ashamed of me.”

“You shouldn’t be ashamed of yourself! And if my warriors at first say to you maybe some hurtful words about your appearance or your past and try to hurt you, just don’t answer. Be quiet. After a while, seeing that you don’t react, they will lose interest and stop bullying you. Don’t even think about starting a fight!”

“I’m used to being bullied.”

“Don’t fall for provocations and dubious offers. I will support you. And at first you will be under my guardianship and protection. Nobody will hurt you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“The dirty past will be forgotten in time. You will teach my warriors the tricks of the unclean ones, they have many interesting blows and combinations that the blacks don’t know about. And you yourself have a very unusual technique.”

“I just com…compensate… for my paralysis, that’s what my father said.”

“Yes, and this is unique,” Zagpeace nodded in agreement.

“But I can’t jump, do hits in a jump.”

“Everyone knows how to do it, and no one has been interested in it for a long time.”

“I often fall.”

“Nik, you know how to fight spectacularly. I confess, when I watched your fights in the Coliseum, my heart skipped a beat! I saw perfectly well when you fought for real, and when you started the scene. That’s why I didn’t go bust at betting like the others. I like your unexpected multi-moves, one can’t guess what you will do next.”

And Kors saw that Nik was standing and listening to Zagpeace, his eyes modestly downcast, and with each praise his cheeks grew redder with pleasure.

(Oh, you little bitch! A small praise, and you are already wagging your tail to the next owner, stupid puppy! You run after every true black, it costs him a kind word! Peace is deceiving you! Nik! Just be a Demon now, squeeze the human out of you, he’s bothering you!)

Zagpeace also noticed Nik’s embarrassment and looked very pleased:

“The tricks of the unclean ones and at the same time the excellent command of academic technique — all this makes you one of the best!”

(Oh, how you sing like a nightingale, Peace, just to throw my boy under the feet of the crowd and make money on him!)

“Nik, and if you want, you will not only train warriors, but also enter the Arena again. I’ll arrange profitable fights for you.”

And Kors, realizing for a long time that all this heartfelt conversation was started by Zagpeace only for this, clenched his fists angrily.

Nik was confused:

“Uh-uh…”

“A good warrior has many privileges. Regardless of your background, I will introduce you to the world of true blacks. You will be invited to fight at holidays, at private receptions with the most influential people. There are many connoisseurs of martial arts in the Upper. Fights are held not only in the Coliseum, but also at private meetings for the elite. And no scenarios, everything is honest! You will be treated well. As a free person, you can easily go to any store and restaurant. You didn’t have this before, because your patron was the fallen prince Arel, and from his name alone the stench went throughout the Upper City. And still, Dim Al risked his reputation and was friends with the disgraced prince, only to get his warriors even for a couple of fights. A few years ago, Ram Murh became the best fighter of the year. Nothing will prevent you from achieving this, the main thing is desire. Nik, you were accepted in the Upper as a warrior. And now I and many others accept you, no matter what.”

“Tol was fighting fairly.”

“And you will fight fairly as well! I promise you!”

“Peace, I take illegal substances.”