The next morning, as soon as dawn ca, the first thing we did imdiately went to the mountains.
Thanks to a fairly detailed tip from local residents, it was not difficult for us to find the one on which the elder's house was located. And since I was looking forward to this mont, I didn't pay attention to how uncomfortable the road turned out to be.
So of it we really had to climb the slope, and Maxie kept backing up so that I wouldn't fall down. Elsa, on the other hand, climbed up as easily as if she were walking on the ground. Being the first to reach the top, she gave her hand to help climb.
Then we walked forward along the path.
It seems that the rumors that the famous «lord of dicine» was in fact also the world's biggest recluse turned out to be true. There was not a single living soul in the local area, and even animals seed to be bypassing this mountain. My thoughts were confird by the house, which we soon ca across.
In the middle of the wilderness there was a small hut with boarded-up windows, which did not show any signs of life. We can say that it looked very much like a long-abandoned one.
However, Elder Ileas should definitely be there.
We got closer, and Maxie looked around this little house with a frown. I imdiately knocked on the door.
— hello! — she shouted loudly, — Can we co in?
In response, silence.
I tried to call a few more tis, but even putting my ear to the door, I didn't hear any noise inside. Then Elsa hopefully suggested:
«Maybe he's already dead?»
— Of course not! I imdiately objected, «The Elder is definitely still there.
I didn't know why I was so sure of this, but I intended to pursue the answer to the end. It's not for nothing that we have overco such a long way?
Maxie and I knocked together, but there was no effect from this either. After our long joint efforts, Elsa suggested another option:
«How about we co back another ti?» He's probably not at ho right now.
The girl had already pulled by the hand, intending to go back, but I insisted.
«We're not leaving here until the door opens!»
Seeing my determined look, Elsa had to give up. She sighed and sat down in the shade under a tree, because deep down she clearly did not want to get this old man out of the house. In general, I hoped that he threw back his skates ten years ago.
But Maxie, on the contrary, was eager to see him as soon as possible. And after our half-hour requests were unsuccessful, I offered:
— Maybe I'll just knock the door down?
— Don't think about it! — I was indignant, — We ca with good intentions. What if he refuses to treat then?
Maxie froze angrily.
— What else do you suggest? The old man is clearly not going to open the door for us just like that.
Still, the information that Elder Ileas had not received visitors for the past seventeen years turned out to be quite a justified fact. Moreover, he didn't even let anyone in on the doorstep. Trying to talk to him seed like an impossible task at all.
What a stubborn old man!
But I wasn't going to give up so easily either. If my life depended on this eting, then I was ready to wait outside the door day and night. It's possible that I'll set up camp right here, and he will have no choice but to go out one day.
However, first I decided to use my main trump card.
She pulled out the whole bag of gifts that she had brought with her, and began to pull things out of it one by one.
«Elder Ileas, how about this gold service? — I began in a tempting tone, — Or rare archival books on dicine a hundred years ago? Maybe you like bowling? I have a couple of balls…
Since I had no idea what was on the list of interests of the «lord of dicine», I took everything at once just in case. After all, I have to guess sowhere!
Soon, Maxie sat down next to Elsa, and they watched my futile attempts at bribery with the sa sad expression. In fact, if it would have been so easy to lure the old man with money, then he definitely wouldn't have locked himself up for so long. But I believed to the last.
By the ti my supplies ran out, Maxie even dozed off in the shade of a tree. Elsa displeased shoved her in the side so that she did not fall on her shoulder.
I got angry, and barely restrained myself from starting to scream. But no. I shouldn't make a scene here… We've co for help after all.
But what else can be done…?
We've been stuck here for half a day and no results. Requests don't work, gifts don't work either. And threats can even aggravate the situation.
No sensible thought ca to mind.
In the end, I sat down under the door, and thoughtfully stared at the ground. How could I have pitied him, and so that it didn't seem too fake…?
Hmm… then maybe not to lie at all? And just embellish so the real story.
Deciding to use this last strategy, I began my sad story with the howling of the wind, hoping that the elder would hear it at all.
There was no other choice anyway.
— My poor dad… — I whimpered defiantly, — If I die, he will be left all alone!
Still dead silence.
«You probably don't know, but my father is Archduke Ashford. Surely you've heard sothing about it! He had to raise alone, after my mom died…» I continued, «She was a beautiful and kind woman, but she left us so early… Now, you don't want my father to go through that kind of loss again, do you?»
I knew that it was not quite right to put pressure on pity in this way, but I could not find another option. It's not for nothing that they say that it's either good or nothing about the dead.
Bam-m!
To my surprise, a noise was heard in the hut almost imdiately. And the door, which we had already given up hope for, soon swung open.
I opened my mouth wide.
Really, it worked so fast?!
On the threshold stood a tall, thin old man, who, because of his lifestyle, looked more like a dead man than a living person. The only thing that still burned in him as brightly was his eyes. Two familiar amber, similar to precious stones.
Elder Ileas stared at the girl in front of him in disbelief.
— You…! Is what you said true?!
I didn't quite understand what he ant, but I nodded anyway. In the end, if you look at it that way, I haven't said a word of lies in the last couple of hours.
The healer staggered on the spot and almost fell.
— It can't… It can't be…! The old man uttered in a hoarse voice, looking sowhere into the void.
The last words remained in his throat, not breaking out.
«My daughter… She couldn't have died!»
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