厨房从后面挺进李婷

— Good road.

Mr. Baker and Maxie shook hands, and Maxie nodded. Elsa didn\'t say goodbye to anyone, and just waited for Leriana to finally be free.

The girl warmly embraced Mrs. Baker, patted the children\'s hair, thanked the owner of the house once again when all the business was completed. As soon as this happened, Maxie immediately put her in the carriage so that she would not decide to stay any longer.

After waving to the family for the last time from the window, the cart moved off, and after a long break they continued on their way again. The next destination was the small town of Vels, which was located right at the foot of the mountain, where the village of Sorus was located.

The whole journey, thanks to Mr. Baker\'s innovations, was supposed to take no more than a few days, so Leriana was already looking forward to meeting with the healer. The tension remained only between Maxie and Elsa.

«Just try to throw something out…!»

«As if you have the right to order me around.»

Maxie exhaled indignantly, but she couldn\'t do anything right now. At least, the girl hoped that Elsa would not try to kill this old man right away. Otherwise, a battle between the two of them cannot be avoided.

Hoping most of all that everything would go well, meanwhile, Maxie still felt uneasy.

While Leriana counted the trees flying by outside the window, it took them two days before they reached the city. Maxie arranged for them to spend the night in a local tavern, while Leriana and Elsa asked the residents about the elder\'s whereabouts.

At first, they were extremely reluctant to talk to them, but after a little bribery, the situation changed dramatically. More precisely, Maxie once again had to say goodbye to her money. With a spender in the form of Lerian, it has already become a habit…

From the stories of the locals, it became clear that Elder Ileas lived separately from the rest of the villagers, on the top of the mountain. However, he almost never left his house, and did not let anyone in there. What kind of people have not come to him for help in recent years, and all to no avail.

But the girl herself was not at all upset by this news, because she was definitely confident in her abilities.

Before that, only ordinary people came to the elder, but they are an exception! Would he refuse the Archduke\'s daughter? Especially if she comes to him with expensive gifts.

Still, despite his abilities, the «lord of medicine» remained an ordinary mortal, on whom bribery could well work. After all, if he does not work for such a long time, then he probably needs money. You can find an approach to anyone, even the most difficult person.

And Leriana found him in it.

Fortunately, coincidentally, it was on this day that the festival of all lovers was held in the Oberon Empire. And therefore, all the shops were packed with various gifts and souvenirs. The International Red Light Day played into Leriana\'s hands in this matter.

Since coming to visit empty-handed, in principle, was considered not too good form, the day before they left for the village of Sorus, the girl dragged the two of them for gifts. More precisely, only Leriana chose everything, while Maxie and Elsa had to drag her purchases to the tavern…

The Archduke\'s daughter ran far ahead, looking for another beautiful trinket. Her companions were walking behind, and their hands were already full of bags with all sorts of junk that, in Leriana\'s opinion, an elderly man like an elder might like.

At the same time, the same contradictory thought stuck in the head of both:

«What are we doing right now…?»

The city of Wales, in which they got, turned out to be extremely beautiful today. Despite the rather weak architecture of the houses, all this was compensated by the decor of the holiday. The dark night sky was decorated with red lanterns, which people now and then launched.

The whole «banquet» was paid for by Maxie again… At this rate, the girl assumed that when she returned to the estate, she would not be able to explain to her father exactly where all this money had gone. Unless, of course, by that time she has at least something left…

But all this was not so important in the current situation.

Despite Leriana\'s joyful mood tonight, both girls were tense about the upcoming meeting. They trailed slowly behind, as for the first time in a while there was a chance to talk alone.

— Listen, so that everything goes without tricks tomorrow, — warned Maxie seriously.

— …

Elsa didn\'t say anything, but clearly heard her words.

— It will be better for everyone, — explained Maxie, — Isn\'t it good if we get back to our old life as soon as possible. As soon as Leriana is free, just leave quietly after that.

Elsa smiled coldly.

— The old life?» What do you know about my old life?

Maxie didn\'t immediately find something to answer.

— At least you will no longer be in mortal danger due to the effects of the mark. Isn\'t that why you…

— Ha! — Elsa raised an eyebrow, — If I was interested in my own life, I wouldn\'t have gone so far. Don\'t think that I don\'t guess your true intentions.

— what?

«You can\'t leave Leriana by your side,» the girl said clearly.

— You…! — Maxie stammered indignantly, — Your relationship was a mistake from the very beginning. And this contract was concluded only on your side. If you really want to do good to Leriana, then let her go…

«Don\'t even try to fool me with this.»

Maxie\'s eye twitched.

— She will definitely be safer with me! Therefore…

— No,» Elsa said without hesitation.

— Why…?!

— Unlike the rest of the herd of people, I never change the decisions I have made.

— …

— When I made Leriana «mine», I was in a completely sober mind. Until I want to, no one can take her away from me.

Maxie turned out to be very angry with such a statement, but she could not arrange a showdown in the middle of a crowded street. In her eyes, Rachel Cassius remained only a selfish possessive, ready to do anything to get her way. It didn\'t look prudent at all.

Moreover, Maxie still had no idea what exactly she wanted. Cassius is so obsessed with her only because he wants to avenge past wrongs, or…

At least, the girl herself hoped for the first option. After all, knowing about the exceptional loyalty of the members of the Cassius family, she did not want to fight for Leriana for the rest of her life.

Moreover, Maxie was sure in advance that there was no happiness in their couple anyway. A person can be happy only with another person, and in no other way. And from the union of a monster and an ordinary girl, only pain and disappointment can arise, which once already overtook them both.

Therefore, she hoped that both of them would get it over with as soon as possible. Rachel Cassius, after all, should already stop clinging to their short-term shared past.

The real fate of Leriana was Maximiliana, and the girl herself remained firmly convinced of this. Cassius was just an intermediate stage in her life that would be left behind forever.

Thinking about it, Maxie hoped that she didn\'t have to be patient for very long. After all, Cassius wasn\'t going to haunt them forever.

Elsa, looking at her, ironically chuckled.

«And what did this girl have time to invent for herself?»

In her thoughts, everything turned out to be extremely simple. Even if she doesn\'t hope that she\'s going to get anything with Leriana. And they will remove the mark, too, only over her corpse.

By this time, Leriana herself, who was still rushing like crazy choosing gifts, stood in the middle of the road in bewilderment, noticing that they were so far behind.

«And what is it with them today? Are you really tired so quickly?»

She waited a bit until Maxie caught up with her first.

— Maybe that\'s it already? — out of curiosity, the girl asked, — I really doubt that all these things will fit into the old man\'s house.

— Hmm… But I haven\'t looked at everything yet…

Leriana held out this somewhat disappointed, like a child whose mother tells him to go home. Maxie smiled, and freeing one hand from under the bags, stroked her head.

«We can come back here as soon as we visit the elder.»

— Really?!

Maxie let out a laugh.

— Really. But first, I need to cure you.

As expected, Leriana was keen on choosing gifts rather for herself, although she stubbornly hid it. Otherwise, Maxie wouldn\'t have bought so many things if she hadn\'t said that they were all needed for the case.

But no doubt, at night she will still try to drag some of them into her suitcase…

Since Maxie\'s persuasions worked on Leriana quickly enough, they were going to return to the tavern.

The first one took this news with visible relief.

They were walking through the city, and even that annoying bastard didn\'t bother them, getting lost somewhere behind. In short, the atmosphere was wonderful. It was like the two of them were on a date.

Leriana was still in a good mood when, passing by one of the shops, she was again not interested in something.

The love predictor, an elderly middle-aged woman, immediately picked them out with her eyes from the crowd. As part of the holiday, various contests and events on a given topic were held in the city.

— Young people, would you like to try the ball of fate?

«The Ball of Fate?» Leriana asked in surprise.

— They say that if two people from a couple touch it and it lights up, then their union will be long and happy.

Leriana was confused.

— B-but we\'re not a couple! — I tried to object to the woman, who clearly confused something.

But Maxie suddenly held her back.

— Let\'s try it.

— What?! She opened her eyes wide.

— Well, there\'s nothing wrong with that… Just for fun.

The girl was doubtful at first, but then Maxie convinced her that it was just a prank. In the end, it\'s always interesting to try something unusual.

As a result, Leriana gave up, and they simultaneously put their palms on the ball. In the next second, it almost immediately flashed red.

The fortune-teller watched this with admiration.

— This is a very good sign! — she declared, — For the first time the balloon shows a couple who are so suitable for each other.

Leriana took these words with embarrassment, while Maxie experienced a surge of inner happiness. Even a casual passerby tells them that they are made for each other. Isn\'t this really a sign from above?

After Maxie paid her well-deserved money for the service, they moved away just a couple of meters before the sound of broken glass was heard at that place.

The fortune teller\'s crystal ball lay in fragments on the ground right in front of the shop. All the passers-by, including Leriana and Maxie, turned around in surprise.

Elsa guiltily froze nearby.

— I\'m sorry… I think I accidentally broke it.