One morning my fat-... boss called me. It's strange even for him, usually he sent couriers to me with reports. The last time I saw him with my own eyes was two weeks ago, although the distance between our bedrooms was 3 meters, no more. I opened the massive oak doors to the reception room. Here the boss and his retinue resolved a wide variety of issues regarding the management of the clan's actions.
On the wooden floor of the room, made of cherry wood, lay a wide carpet. The patterns on the carpet were, to me, very strange. The dominant colors were orange, gray and red. About three years ago I asked my father where this carpet came from, to which he replied:
- A tourist from the then Soviet Union visited me and this carpet was his gift.
A strange gift. It looked like it had been sitting unvacuumed for 10 years, thrown in the trash, then taken out a year later and put back on the floor.
When I looked at the carpet with an indifferent gaze, the boss's face suddenly became stern and rude. With all his appearance he tried to say: "Just try to insult it again!" Behind the body with that angry expression was a sword rack. Five swords of varying degrees of angularity lay in their places from top to bottom, as if in a rainbow of colors. Although I was a master with pistols, I was powerless against my father's sword techniques. To avoid serious bodily harm, I decided to make my face simpler and not stare at this ugly carpet.
There was a table in the middle of the room, there were no chairs, they were pushed back against the wall. The "swordsman" stood in front of the table with his back to me, already turned away. Okay, I also know what disrespect is. I went to the wall, deliberately, with a loud noise, took a chair, placed it in front of the table and sat down on it. The dissatisfied man turned to me.
-Reigai Yurei, do you know why I called you today?
- Of course, boss. I'm a damn psychic, I can read minds...
-Don't you dare be rude to me, and besides, this is an unofficial meeting, just call me father.
- I will refrain.
In front of him, I simply couldn't bring myself to call him "father". Although I was not created without his help, he did not take part in my upbringing. My mother died when I was 7. Some kind of STD she got from one of the boss's henchmen. He had no intention of simply trying to cure her.I experienced this loss for a very long time; I didn't talk to anyone for weeks. As a result, our master's conscience decided to awaken, and he sent me a young maid of about 14 years old. Seven (!) years difference. As I understand it, this asshole just wanted to ruin the girl's life by making her a nanny. In any case, she coped with her task. About 2 years later I accidentally called her mom, it came out, I don't know why, but there was such a bright and kind smile on her face that I decided to continue calling her like that...
Time passed, now I'm 20, she's 27, the difference is already not so dramatic, but over all these years she has become a second mother to me. But I never got a father.
-Reigai, I have important information for you, as for my son. I am sick. Our doctor said that I have no more than a month left. But when I die, who will inherit my place, do you think?
- Crazy intrigue.
-I didn't give you a word, Vector! So, I need a successor and initially I wanted to put you in this place, but you are being too rude.
It can't be any other way with you.
-In order to test you and check how good you are at diplomacy, I am sending you to an important meeting with another, neighboring clan. Your task: to negotiate over the territories covered by our clans. If you behave normally and succeed in this mission, consider that my place is your place. If not, my deputy will manage the clan. Any questions?
-Yes, when can I leave ?
-When I allow it. Do you have any questions about your mission?
-Nope.
-Then free.
You old idiot, what kind of diplomacy ? Who did he take me for, an official ? Although, becoming a boss just like that is quite profitable. I can change the clan completely. Yeah, all I'm missing is a pink set of clothes and yellow hair... Do you have a month left to live? Okay, even if I don't become a boss, at least this cockerel won't piss me off.