In the last days of October, Kline receives a telegram informing him of an arranged meeting. Arriving at an unassuming café in the Margel district on the outskirts of the city, he is greatly relieved to find his recent acquaintances from the RSV alive and relatively unharmed.
***
“I see, Knight, you are still as careless about security. That’s good; consistency is a valuable trait. But the crown doesn’t suit you very well.” Kiven’s face is hidden behind a morning newspaper, and a pair of sunglasses adorns his freshly shaven face, while the air around him is filled with cigarette smoke.
“I apologize for the mishap with the lamp,” adds Yulizia, now wearing a brand-new uniform instead of Humbaba’s rags, and currently busy gluing detached petals onto Arselia’s flower. “But everything turned out even better than if we had attacked Vesha in the open field, right?”
“Luck is a symbol of skill,” Mr. Problemsolvdt states thoughtfully, closing the newspaper. He gazes thoughtfully into the distance for a moment. “I don’t think the ghost will return to Margel.”
Upon hearing these words, Kline feels something akin to a pang of conscience.
“It seems my plan to distract those fools worked like a charm, but we clearly underestimated Barsinka’s guard. Too bad, I wanted to offer him to join the RSV. Such an agent would be useful to us.”
The companions honored the warrior of the East with a moment of silence.
“How are you doing, boss?” Yulizia asks. “I read that those evil stones make everyone around them feel down…”
“Pfft, it would take 99 of those stones to break Agent P. 😎 Anyway, your mission is complete, Black Knight. You don’t need to report to headquarters; I already went there early this morning.”
“I hope you didn’t get into too much trouble with the superiors?”
“It’s happened before,” the agent shrugs indifferently. “And besides the heart, I brought something more useful for the Margel intelligence than a calcitic tan.”
“?”
“The Southerners have opened a great school of legendary techniques and are training everyone who wants to learn for free. While the sailors were having fun with their studies, I saved all the information I learned and already reported it to my colleagues in the Empire. I don’t know if my information will be enough, but I hope that in the future, the skills of the Eight Paths can be acquired for our people. It would be very foolish to give our competitors such an advantage against our superpower right under our noses.”
“Wow, boss, there’s so much more for me to learn…”
“Nothing, it will come with experience, if you don’t get killed by another genie. Ah yes, one more thing for you, Kline-Klinich.”
Kiven places a new suitcase on the table and then takes out a large travel bag.
“Could it be…?” Y exclaims in surprise.
“No, unfortunately. It’s just a negligible prototype,” the scout silently hands the bundle to the silent knight. “This is all my junk from ‘other’ things, plus Humbaba’s clothes. Since these items are related to your mission, it would be inappropriate to keep them for myself.”
“And here’s something else,” the girl hands the knight the repaired items, as well as a sealed diary. “I acquired it for work, but it’s not something an agent should do, so I never used it. Maybe it will be useful to you when you discard the old one.”
Kline nods gratefully, accepting the gifts.
“Well, that’s all,” Mr. Problemsolvdt throws the cigarette butt into the urn with a precise throw and shakes the knight’s hand. “I think there’s no need to repeat it, but don’t tell anyone about our modest organization except for the Vel-Vys-societies. Although you wouldn’t talk anyway.”
“Say hello to the green-eyed girl! I hope you get better there, and next time, after another mission, we can all go to a bar together and drink to the glory of the great empire!”
“Or on its ruins,” Kiven adds pragmatically. “If you decide to go to Calcite again, contact me through Y at her parents’ address.”
“And if you break down again, come by, don’t hesitate. If they don’t send me on a trip to the ends of the earth again, I’ll help you with three ODs as much as I can.”
“Goodbye,” Kline says.
“For your own good, I hope we don’t have to meet again. So I’ll say ‘farewell’.”
Soon, the silhouettes of the brave agents of the RSV disappear into the azure haze. Will we ever learn about their legendary adventures again? Only time will tell.
After seeing off his new friends with a thoughtful look, the cursed knight returns to his new apartment.
***
“You know, Y, maybe this stone’s influence affects the psyche, but on the way back, I seriously considered writing an autobiographical novel based on my adventures. It had everything: from preparation to action, comedy and drama, intense passions and terrifying suspense, seeming inevitability, heroic self-sacrifice, and a happy ending that readers love. I think it would make a good story.”