With her words came the message:
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Attention, Alex Phoenix!
You receive a strict warning for disrupting approved planned activities!
Notes:
1. Punishment is + 20% to pain until the end of the course.
2. If you reach negative values minus 100, the ‘Newbie’ project of your group will be considered a failure.
3. The group removed from the first round ‘Newbie’ is no longer allowed to study, in groups or individually.
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What’s the...? Alex opened his eyes.
He spotted Sophia in the oval doorway and fought the urge to hug her.
Amazing girl.
Sophia made him think of the goddess Aphrodite. She was dressed in a tight-fitting black suit emblazoned with a large, shining number four. Her nickname, Lady Munstead Wood, shone above her left shoulder, and a framed zero was displayed above her right shoulder.
Wow.
“Do you like it?” Sofia asked, coquettishly laughing and spinning around, showing herself in all her glory.
“Indeed.” Alex involuntarily swallowed, but mastered himself. “What is this on you, dear? I beg you, stop showing this perfect weapon of yours, or our friends will be waiting for us until evening.”
Lady Munstead Wood squinted cheerfully, squeezed her juicy lips. Holding back a smile, dimples appeared on her cheeks.
“This is a training suit that the Minstrel gave. Yours is there.” She pointed to a blob the size of an apricot hanging next to his bed. “The numbers on the chest and on the back are the serial numbers.” She spun again, showing off magnetic beauty. “The number in the box above my right shoulder is most likely an indicator of efficiency.”
He stared at the small blob.
“Alex, you need to get out of bed,” Sofia prompted, flashing a smile.
The moment he rose to his feet, a nimble blob smashed against his chest. Within seconds, it had spread over his entire body.
He examined himself – a huge number 1 glowed upon his chest. Above his left shoulder was a golden five-pointed star, apparently designating him as the leader of the clan.
The number ‘27’ shone above his right shoulder in the frame.
Okay.
Alex made some mental calculations. 10 point penalty for using Prana. Another 20 for violating the timing of training. Did I only earn 3 points? They were credited for fighting creatures, most likely. It’s so little… I wonder why? Why wasn’t my modernization work counted?
A brief feeling of injustice knifed through him, but he didn’t dwell on it. He just waved his hand, as he always did in such cases. The main thing is that I’ve achieved what I was striving for.
“Alex, before you lost consciousness, you never told us what you did. We were so worried.”
“About the project or me?” Alex said, playfully mocking her. He immediately received a jab in the ribs.
“Think what you say,” Sophia warned.
Alex had to act decisively and outside the box. Or maybe that’s what all guys do when their girls turn into angry lionesses.
Smiling, he scooped up the angry beauty in his arms and spun her around, laughing and kissing her on the neck and cheeks. “My soul, I’m sorry. When I look at you, I can’t think about anything else.”
“Forgiven,” Sophia said before responding to his hot kisses.
Making their way back to their clanmates, Sophia caught Alex up on current events. As it turned out, due to the delay in training, the Minstrel had announced a new term. The delay was equal to three days.
Good. This is what we all need, Alex thought, reasoning that this time should have been enough both for adaptation with the new spell pack and for trial tests.
They walked and walked. Unable to resist, Alex left the camp and went into the cold white frost. He wanted to see the Minstrel at work.
Alex surveyed the camp, which harmoniously blended into the surrounding landscape, perfectly combining with the harsh rocks and majestic sequoias.
Sophia froze in admiration, whispering, “We’ve been here for a day, and why?” Frowning, she contacted Anna via mental communication. Anna, you need to get out here. This is something…
A few minutes later, the entire team joined them the crisp snow, filling the space with enthusiastic, almost childish exclamations.
Alex had never seen such architectural delights at the level of a miracle. “This builder is a real Minstrel from architecture… there’s no other way to put it,” he whispered. He had a burning desire to thank the builder and give him Intellectum.
“Minstrel of Stone Plateau!” he announced.
Within moments, the frightening fire creature appeared before him. After receiving the injection of Intellectum, the Minstrel bowed deeply. “I am grateful to you. Your attention to my person is priceless. I hereby vow to use the gain as intended.”
After Minstrel’s disappearance, Alex received a message that made him grin.
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Attention, Alex Phoenix!
You are warned for excessive squandering of an invaluable resource!
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Alex turned his head and counted his efficiency points, it read -28.
Was that extravagance? he sneered.
Almost immediately, the numbers changed again. It was now -18. The next announcement unfolded before Alex's eyes.
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Attention, Alex Phoenix!
You are given a reward for enhancing the intellectual capabilities of the Minstrel!
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“Take me to the dining room. I’m hungry. Let’s hold all questions until the end,” Alex said, anticipating the questions of his people.
They rushed into the warmth, even though the fierce cold that reigned outside the camp no longer worried them.
It was difficult to stay calm as the ice creatures scurried around the table, but Alex knew these ice helpers were stronger than the ship’s steel.
During the meal, he noticed the group displayed enough patience to not shower him with questions. Even Talker was silent.
Let’s start with you, mate, Alex decided. The weakest mages among us are Homo-42s. And if it works out with Talker without complications, then
