Two young men approached a shabby-looking building. A few hours ago, Egor, on Pouoka's instructions, called the man and said that he wanted to use his services. He listed the documents that needed to be prepared, took a photo of Klaus and sent it to the specified email address. In response, he received the coordinates where the finished order was waiting for them.
Egor didn't want to sit at home and fulfill the prince's whims, and he decided to spend his time usefully. For Klaus. Again, this damn guest somehow became the center of the young man's life in one day.
"Grandma, what else do I need to buy, besides the obvious?" Egor looked appraisingly at Klaus, who was proudly sitting on the sofa and flipping through channels on the TV. In pants that were too short. In a very tight T-shirt.
"Let's see. You definitely need to go to the market and buy some meat. The Prince of Isorobia needs it. Oh, and don't forget the promise you made to me."
"Which one exactly?"
"One that will help us not cut our budget so much."
Egor groaned. He had a shift at work tomorrow and would have to bring Klaus there. The prospect of looking after him there wasn't very exciting either, but Grandma was right. He needed some kind of work. Maybe he'd understand how things worked here faster?
"Hey, get up. It's time for us to go."
"Wait, they're showing some really exciting stuff here."
Egor walked over to the couch and looked at the TV monitor. Animals? Seriously?
"I didn't think you liked rabbits."
It came as a surprise to Egor that Klaus could be embarrassed.
"I like to eat them. And they are not cute at all," he abruptly turned off the TV and stood up. "Well, what are you standing there for? It's time for us to go!" and proudly raising his head, the young man moved towards the exit.
And so, after several hours of tiring shopping, a lot of money spent and Egor's mood ruined to the end, the young people found themselves in front of the entrance to the building indicated in the message.
"Why am I carrying all the shopping alone? You could help, after all, almost everything here is yours."
"You are a servant, and I am your master. Any other questions?"
"I am not your servant, how many times do I have to repeat this!"
"You are weak. You need to develop your body. Weights will help you with this."
"Oh you..."
"So where do we go next?"
"I don't know. The message only included this address."
"Klaus Deffender?" a melodious female voice was heard.
The young men looked towards its source and saw a long-legged blonde in a tight black dress just below the knee with a revealing slit on the thigh.
The woman beckoned them to follow with a smile, and without waiting for them to follow, turned around and disappeared from sight. The young men exchanged glances and followed. Inside, oddly enough, everything did not look as sad as outside. Light walls, tiled floor. Wooden doors.
Looking over the meager, but quite decent furnishings, the young men approached another closed door, where the same blonde was waiting for them.
"The boss is waiting for you. Come in," and she, having knocked her knuckles on the door frame twice, opened the door for them, but did not enter herself.
The improvised office of the local boss was done in red tones. Red furniture, red curtains, a red carpet and even the light from the floor lamps was red. Egor felt uneasy. It looked more like a brothel, considering the fact that most of the room was occupied by a huge four-poster bed with silk sheets and three young and half-naked girls sleeping on it. It smelled of alcohol and cigarettes. The young man desperately wanted to open the heavy curtains and open the window wide, but in the way of fresh air there was a table with a man in an unbuttoned white shirt sitting with his feet up on it, smoking a cigar.
"You brought a footman with you?" the owner of the room turned to Klaus. "And brought me gifts?" exhaling clouds of smoke, the local boss turned his gaze to the purchases in Egor's hands.
"I came to collect what you owe me."
I don't owe you anything, brat. It's a favor to Pouoka, and that's because she's an old friend of my grandfather's, and he owes her. It's always customary in our family to pay off debts. Whiskey? Can you drink yet?
"I've been drinking wine since I was ten, but now I want to take my documents and leave this brothel."
"Don't forget yourself," a voice was heard from a dark corner, and only now did Egor notice several men. Big men. With guns.
"Sasha, don't be nervous. This youngster has only just arrived and hasn't learned good manners yet. I understand you've come from of Pouoka's the homeland."
"Yes, she is my great-aunt and kindly invited me to visit."
"You have a strange family. Why do you need new documents? Did you kill someone? Rob someone? Or sleep with the wrong girl?"
"Let's say I don't have the opportunity to present documents in your country."
"Catch," the boss took the folder from the table and threw it to Klaus with one deft movement. Klaus caught the package just as deftly and opened it. He checked the contents, turned around and was about to leave.
"Where is the gratitude?"
"This is your job and I don't have to thank you."
"Oh, you cheeky puppy," the bodyguard Sasha couldn't resist and, taking a couple of confident steps towards the young man, tried to grab him by the throat. Klaus reacted lightning fast. A sharp turn, tripped him up and now the big guy is lying on the floor with his hand behind his back and Klaus on his back.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, if your limbs are valuable."
"You're an interesting guy," the boss laughed "If you need work, come."
"I have to refuse," with these words the young man got up from the bodyguard and walked out the door.
Lost and shocked, Egor, together with his heavy burden, hesitated for only a second before following his new brother.
"Are you completely out of your mind?" Egor hissed angrily at his companion when they had already left the walls of the building and were heading to the bus stop.
"I'm not used to being treated like a slave boy. I'm the heir to the throne and a warrior."
"Yes, but not in this world! Here you're just a teenager!"
"I was born this way, and I'll die this way."
"It's useless to talk to you about anything! And you'll die much earlier than your time if you behave like this!"
"So keep quiet."
"I promised grandma I'd teach you the local customs!"
"So teach me!"
"Aaah! You're simply unbearable!"
They spent the rest of the way home in silence. Egor noticed the interested glances that the fair sex threw at Klaus, but his stone face repelled them. Scared them. An arrogant asshole is the perfect description of this guy, and Pouoka's grandson has already regretted a hundred times that he made a promise to his grandmother.
"How did it go? Did you pick up the documents? How is Andryusha?" the old woman asked as soon as the young people crossed the threshold of the apartment.
"Andryusha? Just don't tell me that's what you call this bandit, obsessed with red!" Egor was indignant "where did you even get such acquaintances?"
"I've been living in this world for a long time. I think you'll have a lot of surprises."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"What a scent!" Klaus drawled, sitting down at the table "I don't know what it is, but I'll eat it with pleasure. Hey," he called out to Egor "hurry up, your master is hungry!"
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not your servant!"
"So you won't feed me?" Klaus looked at Egor and flashed his eyes.
"I didn't say that" Egor lost his cool. "It's better not to anger this guy, after all, he's used to this kind of communication," at that time he thought, but said "you can just ask politely, not order."
"Egor is right. Klaus, you promised me that you would try to fit in and not stand out. Or do you not want my help?"
"Give me something to eat," Klaus turned to Egor and, wincing, added "please."
"Well done," the old woman smiled. "So you didn't tell me anything. How did the meeting go?"
The young men involuntarily exchanged glances. Both understood that today's situation had nothing to do with "blending in and not standing out."
"We took the documents and left, Klaus shrugged."
"Yeah," Egor confirmed. No matter how much he wanted to tell his grandmother everything and watch her scold this arrogant bastard, for some reason he couldn't.
"That's great!"