The restaurant for ghosts is located at the intersection of destinies, it is like a roulette where you can win the main prize or lose everything! It has always been so. Here, by the Golden Trepang Bay, is a meeting place for ghosts. That night, Taote, the god of destruction, tried to catch up with the boy Vitya and take away the magic mirror. Taota was helped by his servants - Wongwi, and the boy was helped by a magical mirror calendar. At that moment, when the Wongwi almost overtook the boy, he managed to hide in the stove of the old bathhouse. But the boy didn't know yet that the old bathhouse was the place where the ghosts warmed their bones before enjoying a meal in the restaurant for ghosts. So, an ordinary boy, with an ordinary name, Victor, by the will of fate nine years ago, became a kitchen slave in a restaurant for ghosts. The mistress of the kitchen, the Japanese ghost Ohaguro-Battari, was angry with the boy and branded Victor a kitchen slave. The boy's term of work ended on New Year's Eve, the owners of the restaurant gave the boy a New Year's gift, but in return they took away something important - his memory. Nine years have passed. Nine is a magic number, otherwise what is destined will surely come true. The boy has grown up. The roulette wheel made nine circles and stopped right in front of the boy's fate. Is this for good or for bad? Let's find out now!
Part one. white japanese
Memory, what am I to do with you?
You, like a mischievous girl, when you leave, you run after me, when you return, you pretend that you don’t know that I’m standing next to you!
Young people celebrated the end of the university. Today, Victor defended his diploma, and although there were some formalities, he already considered that his studies at the university were over. The young man studied at the Faculty of Foreign Languages. His specialty was Chinese. However, while he was studying, he also mastered Japanese and Korean as an elective.
Studying was easy for Victor. Sometimes, during exams, it seemed to him that the devil himself was whispering clues into his ears. Of course, there were difficulties, modern variations of all three languages were more difficult for him than classical knowledge about these languages. But time passed, and now Victor was a university graduate.
The young man would have hung out in the restaurant for a long time if he had not been asked to leave. The restaurant was closing. Slightly staggering and singing a popular song, Victor went home. Victor lived not far from here, on Semyonovskaya Street. And so, of course, it didn't make sense to take a taxi. Victor walked and walked, but for some reason the scenery around him did not change. It seemed to the young man that weights were hung from his feet. To prove to himself that everything is fine, Victor even tried to run away. However, it didn't last long. Fokina Street, where he was now, was not very long, but for some reason he could not overcome it today. However, he didn't really care. Under the stairs of one cafe there was a swing.
Grinning, Victor sat on the swing, and still singing a song, began to swing.
I really wanted to sleep. Unable to resist, Victor dozed off. He woke up because he felt cold. One awkward movement and the young man was on the ground. Hop has passed! Shaking himself off, the young man decided to go back to the restaurant. He found that he had left his gloves and hat in the restaurant.
However, the restaurant was closed. Shivering from the cold, Victor decided that he would deal with this problem tomorrow, and now he had to go home. However, before he could take even five steps, he was stopped by a thin voice.
Hello sir, is that you again? We haven't seen each other for a long time.
Victor rubbed his eyes. He didn't know where the voice was coming from.
"Sir, have you forgotten me?" Look to the left, here I am.
However, the young man still did not see anything.
“Oh, sir, it is very bad that blindness attacked you. I really need your help. All hope is on you! I beg you, bring your index finger to your forehead, and press on the space between your eyebrows. If you don't do this, a man will die today.
Victor's first impulse was to run home as fast as he could, lock himself up with all the locks, and order himself not to remember. However, the young man suddenly heard crying
"Please do as I ask!" Time is running out!
Victor made up his mind. He thought he had heard that voice before. True, when it was and under what circumstances, the young man, no matter how hard he tried, could not remember. Everything was like a fog.
Not realizing what he was doing, Victor extended his index finger and touched his forehead. Looking back, he saw that nothing had changed. Everything was quiet. Finally Victor understood. It was probably because he was tired. But as soon as this sound thought came into his head, he immediately heard the voice again.
“Sir, you didn’t put in enough effort. Please press harder on your forehead! I beg you, hurry up! Do what I ask! God, she's coming out! Faster!
It seemed to Victor or it really was, but suddenly a hiss was heard from the wall of the house next to which he was standing.
"Hurry," the voice said again in alarm, and then there was silence.
However, the silence was so terrible that the young man suddenlymade up his mind! He raised his hand once more and pressed down on the area between his eyebrows.
“Sir, I need to make sure you see me,” the voice said again, after a pause, “turn to the left and look down!” Oh, finally got it, you see me!
Yes, Victor saw. In front of Victor was a small man resembling an umbrella. The little man smiled and nodded happily to the young man.
“You see me and now everything will be all right!”
- Who you are? Victor stammered, "I'm dreaming about this?" How tired I am!
Don't worry, your memory will gradually return to you. The most important thing is that you see me! However, it seems to me that it is worth introducing myself to you again! My name is Kasa-obake, I am the old parasol of the white-haired lady! My mistress is a beautiful Japanese woman with white hair! Did you remember? What's wrong with you!?
Victor's head was spinning and he sat down right on the pavement. There was a fountain not far from here, which, however, was not working now, so Victor crawled up to it and leaned against it.
- She's coming out! My lord, we didn't have time!
Victor was frightened at first, but then relaxed. There were voices and the sound of a door being opened. A company of two girls and two boys came out of the doors of a 24-hour restaurant. The guys spoke Japanese. Victor could have talked to the Japanese tourists, he even wanted to do it, when suddenly the hissing, which he had heard for a long time, intensified, and a white cloud separated from the building wall. The cloud grew larger and larger until it took the form of a young woman. All this was seen only by Vitya, well, a little man in the form of an umbrella. Tourists have not yet seen a white cloud, they stood still and tried to call a taxi.
“Mistress, don’t,” Kasa-obake suddenly shouted, “the girl is not to blame for anything!
I think it's time to explain to you what's going on. Together with Victor, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I suggest that you take a look at the place that I wrote to you about above once again. Now you are with me in the city of Vladivostok, on Fokina Street. It's night outside, the time is supposedly around three in the morning. Before you is an umbrella of a white-haired Japanese woman, a white-haired Japanese woman herself, and a young man named Victor. Four people are standing a few steps away from Victor, they are Japanese tourists who have just left the restaurant and are trying to call a taxi.
“Mistress, lady, don’t,” Kasa-obake suddenly shouted, “the girl is not to blame for anything! shouted the umbrella, “no, don’t!
However, it was already too late, a white cloud quickly swam up to one of the Japanese girls and merged with the body of a Japanese woman. The girl staggered, however, the confusion did not last long, attributing all the misunderstandings to alcohol, the girl laughed and once again pointed her finger at the phone.
The Japanese tourists had a short conversation and moved to where the taxi was supposed to arrive. It soon became quiet.
Victor did not know what to do now, he turned around his axis several times until he finally saw an umbrella. The umbrella man lay on his back and buried himself in the asphalt, crying.
The young man approached and bent over the little man.
- What? What happened? How can I help?
The Japanese tourist will die. If my mistress does not leave the girl's body before dawn, the girl will die.
Sir, do you remember me? Do you remember the story of my mistress?
The young man shook his head.
- Okay, I'll remind you! This happened over a hundred years ago. My mistress was a decent girl, she came to Vladivostok with her parents from Japan. Her father was a diplomat. She studied at the gymnasium and amazed all the teachers with her knowledge. Also, my mistress had a wonderful character and she was very beautiful. A young European seduced my mistress. The girl's family abandoned her. The European said that he loved the girl and they would live together, but less than three months had passed since the girl ended up in a brothel. And only then did she find out that her lover was a nasty and dishonest person. He seduced girls, sold them to brothels and lived on this money. The lady managed to escape from this vile institution. However, the doors of her home were closed to her. Then my mistress decided to commit suicide, but before she died, she swore revenge. Her oath was heard by the spirit of the Golden Trepang Bay. He wrapped the words of the oath in a white mist. My mistress emerges from the walls of this house on such days. Becoming a ghost, the lady took revenge, she drank the life from the offender. But the trouble is, by this time the European managed to marry a rich girl and he had a child. Now my mistress wants to take revenge on those in whom the blood of her seducer flows. When the street is foggy and nothing can be seen, my mistress goes outside to take revenge. Because my mistress is now Hone-onna, the white-haired ghostly lady. Having captured the body of a poor Japanese tourist, she will now control this body until she completes her revenge. Oh, my lord, - the umbrella opened its parachute, and then closed it again, - Help me, help us, help as you have already helped once!
“What will happen to the Japanese girl if I don’t help?” Victor asked looking doubtfully at the umbrella.
— The girlibnet,” the umbrella wept, “and if this happens, then our lady and I will never go to paradise. I, the old umbrella, it's time for me to rest, and my mistress is no longer young. The time has come for her soul to be reborn, but she does not understand this and does not want to.
For three years, until tourists appeared in this city, everything was quiet. And now it's all back again.
“Mr. Umbrella, but how can I help if the tourists have left in a taxi?” How can I find them?
“You don’t need to look for anyone, I am my lady’s umbrella, and I always know where she is at the moment. Just take my hand and close your eyes. Whatever happens, don't open your eyes. This Japanese girl has the blood of my white-haired lady, otherwise my mistress would not be able to merge with her body.
“Wait,” Victor jerked his hand away, “where are we going and what will happen next?”
“Mr. V,” the umbrella opened its parachute again and closed it, “You must trust me, I will not harm you.”
"I'm sorry, but I need to know what's going to happen next!" Where are we heading and what should we do?
“Very well, sir, your will, I will tell you everything. We must find a young man in whose veins flows the blood of that European who once seduced my mistress. I have already told my mistress a million times that children should not be responsible for the sins of their fathers! Moreover, for this young man, that scoundrel European is not a father, not a grandfather, and not even a great-grandfather. However, my mistress does not want to hear anything. She wants to fulfill her vow. This is the ninth time my mistress has turned into a cloud. After the execution that she committed on her lover, eight times she tried to carry out her revenge again, but she never succeeded. Now for the ninth time. Sir, we need to stop talking, we're running out of time.
— Oh, mister umbrella, what is it? It's… God, it's Ikire! - a young man, pale to transparency, suddenly appeared in front of the umbrella and Victor, - but how do I remember this name? And boy, are you sick? What happened to you! Can I help you?
“No, I’m fine,” the pale young man laughed! - I've never been so good!
“But… I suddenly remembered!” I remember my question and this guy's answer! Has this happened to me before? Oh, he passed out! Boy, wake up! Can you call an ambulance?
- No, it's useless! You see, the mistress is already drinking the young man's soul. Soon there will be nothing left of him!
Will you give me your hand?
Impressed by the story, Victor took the umbrella master's small hand in his palm. The world whirled around him, but Victor kept his eyes closed. He remembered his promise.
Finally, a voice was heard, this umbrella asked the young man to open his eyes.
Victor looked around, he was in some room. It was probably the bedroom. On the bed lay a young man, whose Ikire Victor saw now on the street, next to him lay a Japanese girl. It seemed to Victor that she was also sleeping, however, when he looked closely, he saw that the girl was lying on her side and looking at the young man. And the look of the girl was not at all sleepy. After making sure that the young man suddenly fell asleep or lost consciousness, and was not going to wake up at all, the girl touched him with her hand. The young man slowly opened his eyes.
— Oh, is that you? laughed the pale youth! — Am I sleeping?
“Yes, you are sleeping,” the girl laughed softly, “and after I kiss you a few more times, you will fall asleep forever!” You are afraid?
“No,” the young man stretched blissfully, “my dream is so beautiful that I would not want to wake up!” You're so beautiful! How did you get into my apartment?
“It doesn’t matter,” the girl gently stroked the young man on the shoulder, “the only important thing is that we are together now!”
The girl moved closer to the young man and began to kiss him eagerly. As you can imagine, the young man did not resist. At some point, the young man decided to unbutton his shirt and take it off, but he did not succeed. His hands became more and more transparent.
He wanted to say something, but the girl hugged him and pressed her lips to his neck.
“Mistress, no,” the umbrella suddenly shouted, “think about it!”
The only answer was a soft laugh and a sound like a big cat's purr.
“Mr. V,” the voice of the umbrella suddenly thinned and became quiet, “we have no other choice, please do what I asked you to do!”
“You told me… You told me that if nothing worked, this would be the last resort!” You told me that after that your soul will disappear! Dissolve! This is true?
“Yes, Mr. V, for the sake of my lady, I am ready to give my immortal soul!” Please,” the umbrella spoke so softly that Victor had to bend down, “don’t delay, we don’t have time!” Look, the lady has already drunk almost all her life from this young man!
“But how, how is your life?”
Don't delay, there's no time left!
"Okay, I'll do what you asked!"
Victor took a small and shabby umbrella in both hands, and taking aim, he threw it. At this moment, the Japanese girl finally pulled away from the boy. Her lips were red, and the young man's lips turned white so that they were almost invisible. Luckily, Victor was right on target, the umbrella landed right between the boy and the Japanese girl. After that, the girl turned on her side and fell asleep, and the young manm was jumped out into the street.
Hesitating a little, Victor also went outside. It was seven in the morning, dawn came to the city. Victor took a few steps and suddenly heard
Thank you Mr V! Now you won't forget! This is my gift!
Turning around, he saw a beautiful young black-haired girl with an old lace umbrella standing and looking at the sky. At some point, the girl opened her umbrella, the fog receded and the sun came out. The umbrella was just an umbrella now, and the girl was just a beautiful Japanese girl.
***
Three years ago, due to the coronavirus, my beautiful city became inaccessible to travelers from abroad. If someone does not know, Vladivostok is a city in which there are still many secrets from the past associated with the Asian quarter. Maybe that's why many travelers from Asian countries tend to come here. If you look at the world map, you can see that Primorsky Krai and Vladivostok are surrounded by Asian countries. Before the city of Vladivostok was founded, there was taiga here. There were no large Chinese settlements here. There were several fanz by the sea, where mainly Chinese fishermen, engaged in sea fishing, lived. But after the Russian diplomat rendered a great service to the Chinese emperor, an agreement was signed according to which the land on which Vladivostok and Primorsky Territory now stands became Russian. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a criminal district in Vladivostok named after Millionka. The main percentage of the population of this quarter were Asians. If you and I, dear readers, had the opportunity to travel back to that time, we would be surprised to see that we are at the epicenter of the Babylonian pandemonium with Asian flavor. The Millionka quarter consisted of several streets. The streets formed an irregular square. On the streets - Semyonovskaya, Pekinskaya, Pogranichnaya, Fontannaya, Pologaya lived the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese. I call all this population Asian, but, of course, each representative of the nation who lived on the streets of Millionka had his own character and his own face. The Chinese, Japanese and Koreans lived in communities. The Chinese were in charge, the Japanese provided their services - geishas and goods, just like the Chinese, but their quality, both goods and women of easy virtue, was an order of magnitude higher than that of the Chinese. I repeat, the Millionka quarter was a criminal quarter. I will not dwell on this topic in detail. I have written seven adventure books about the criminal quarter of Millionka, and I would not like to repeat myself. Yes, and my task today is completely different. I made a small afterword so that you understand what I was talking about above. And I was talking about urban legends. There are not so many legends connected with the past of the city of Vladivostok, but each of these legends has a special flavor and you can see the face of the city of Vladivostok in it. This face was special, many-sided. It was as many-sided as the eastern gods, which were brought with them from China, Japan and Korea by people who settled on the streets of Millionka. The streets of Millionka had their own color and smell. The color was mostly red and the smell was smoky. At every step it boiled, fried, gurgled, screeched. Taverns - small and large, brothels, barbershops, opium dens, theaters, even Buddhist temples - all this bore the imprint of the life that people brought with them from China, Japan and Korea. I don't want to romanticize that time in any way. As you understand, the inhabitants of Asian countries who came here to Vladivostok left everything and arrived in a distant Russian city not from a good life. On the streets of the Millionka quarter, the main king then was crime. However, each earned as he could. The Chinese police were created to divert eyes. This police, like the Russians, rarely intervened in the events that took place on the streets of the Millionka quarter.
Part two. The ghost of Mr. Gustav Kunst, who wanders at night and scares passers-by
The brand new diploma was in hand. Congratulatory speeches died down and Victor was left alone with his thoughts about the future. It's time to look for a job. Everything was wrong, everything didn't work out. He sent out bundles of resumes, but there were few responses, and those that came did not really satisfy him. So a week passed, then another, it was necessary to decide something and decide on something. Returning from the next interview, Victor decided to take a walk. I didn't want to go home. Passing by the central square, Victor suddenly heard his name. The young man looked back. Yes, that was his real name. A strange figure in the clothes of the last century bounced on the spot, waving in greeting and saying his name. Victor stopped, he decided that if someone really needs it, then this person now has the opportunity to approach him and explain himself. However, the man in strange clothes continued to shout his name, but for some reason did not move. Rather, this strange type did not stand still, he danced and spun around his axis, but did not even make an attempt to get out of the shadow of the building. Finally, Victor realized that the man would not calm down andm was jumped out into the street.
Hesitating a little, Victor also went outside. It was seven in the morning, dawn came to the city. Victor took a few steps and suddenly heard
Thank you Mr V! Now you won't forget! This is my gift!
Turning around, he saw a beautiful young black-haired girl with an old lace umbrella standing and looking at the sky. At some point, the girl opened her umbrella, the fog receded and the sun came out. The umbrella was just an umbrella now, and the girl was just a beautiful Japanese girl.
***
Three years ago, due to the coronavirus, my beautiful city became inaccessible to travelers from abroad. If someone does not know, Vladivostok is a city in which there are still many secrets from the past associated with the Asian quarter. Maybe that's why many travelers from Asian countries tend to come here. If you look at the world map, you can see that Primorsky Krai and Vladivostok are surrounded by Asian countries. Before the city of Vladivostok was founded, there was taiga here. There were no large Chinese settlements here. There were several fanz by the sea, where mainly Chinese fishermen, engaged in sea fishing, lived. But after the Russian diplomat rendered a great service to the Chinese emperor, an agreement was signed according to which the land on which Vladivostok and Primorsky Territory now stands became Russian. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a criminal district in Vladivostok named after Millionka. The main percentage of the population of this quarter were Asians. If you and I, dear readers, had the opportunity to travel back to that time, we would be surprised to see that we are at the epicenter of the Babylonian pandemonium with Asian flavor. The Millionka quarter consisted of several streets. The streets formed an irregular square. On the streets - Semyonovskaya, Pekinskaya, Pogranichnaya, Fontannaya, Pologaya lived the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese. I call all this population Asian, but, of course, each representative of the nation who lived on the streets of Millionka had his own character and his own face. The Chinese, Japanese and Koreans lived in communities. The Chinese were in charge, the Japanese provided their services - geishas and goods, just like the Chinese, but their quality, both goods and women of easy virtue, was an order of magnitude higher than that of the Chinese. I repeat, the Millionka quarter was a criminal quarter. I will not dwell on this topic in detail. I have written seven adventure books about the criminal quarter of Millionka, and I would not like to repeat myself. Yes, and my task today is completely different. I made a small afterword so that you understand what I was talking about above. And I was talking about urban legends. There are not so many legends connected with the past of the city of Vladivostok, but each of these legends has a special flavor and you can see the face of the city of Vladivostok in it. This face was special, many-sided. It was as many-sided as the eastern gods, which were brought with them from China, Japan and Korea by people who settled on the streets of Millionka. The streets of Millionka had their own color and smell. The color was mostly red and the smell was smoky. At every step it boiled, fried, gurgled, screeched. Taverns - small and large, brothels, barbershops, opium dens, theaters, even Buddhist temples - all this bore the imprint of the life that people brought with them from China, Japan and Korea. I don't want to romanticize that time in any way. As you understand, the inhabitants of Asian countries who came here to Vladivostok left everything and arrived in a distant Russian city not from a good life. On the streets of the Millionka quarter, the main king then was crime. However, each earned as he could. The Chinese police were created to divert eyes. This police, like the Russians, rarely intervened in the events that took place on the streets of the Millionka quarter.
Part two. The ghost of Mr. Gustav Kunst, who wanders at night and scares passers-by
The brand new diploma was in hand. Congratulatory speeches died down and Victor was left alone with his thoughts about the future. It's time to look for a job. Everything was wrong, everything didn't work out. He sent out bundles of resumes, but there were few responses, and those that came did not really satisfy him. So a week passed, then another, it was necessary to decide something and decide on something. Returning from the next interview, Victor decided to take a walk. I didn't want to go home. Passing by the central square, Victor suddenly heard his name. The young man looked back. Yes, that was his real name. A strange figure in the clothes of the last century bounced on the spot, waving in greeting and saying his name. Victor stopped, he decided that if someone really needs it, then this person now has the opportunity to approach him and explain himself. However, the man in strange clothes continued to shout his name, but for some reason did not move. Rather, this strange type did not stand still, he danced and spun around his axis, but did not even make an attempt to get out of the shadow of the building. Finally, Victor realized that the man would not calm down andm was jumped out into the street.
Hesitating a little, Victor also went outside. It was seven in the morning, dawn came to the city. Victor took a few steps and suddenly heard
Thank you Mr V! Now you won't forget! This is my gift!
Turning around, he saw a beautiful young black-haired girl with an old lace umbrella standing and looking at the sky. At some point, the girl opened her umbrella, the fog receded and the sun came out. The umbrella was just an umbrella now, and the girl was just a beautiful Japanese girl.
***
Three years ago, due to the coronavirus, my beautiful city became inaccessible to travelers from abroad. If someone does not know, Vladivostok is a city in which there are still many secrets from the past associated with the Asian quarter. Maybe that's why many travelers from Asian countries tend to come here. If you look at the world map, you can see that Primorsky Krai and Vladivostok are surrounded by Asian countries. Before the city of Vladivostok was founded, there was taiga here. There were no large Chinese settlements here. There were several fanz by the sea, where mainly Chinese fishermen, engaged in sea fishing, lived. But after the Russian diplomat rendered a great service to the Chinese emperor, an agreement was signed according to which the land on which Vladivostok and Primorsky Territory now stands became Russian. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a criminal district in Vladivostok named after Millionka. The main percentage of the population of this quarter were Asians. If you and I, dear readers, had the opportunity to travel back to that time, we would be surprised to see that we are at the epicenter of the Babylonian pandemonium with Asian flavor. The Millionka quarter consisted of several streets. The streets formed an irregular square. On the streets - Semyonovskaya, Pekinskaya, Pogranichnaya, Fontannaya, Pologaya lived the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese. I call all this population Asian, but, of course, each representative of the nation who lived on the streets of Millionka had his own character and his own face. The Chinese, Japanese and Koreans lived in communities. The Chinese were in charge, the Japanese provided their services - geishas and goods, just like the Chinese, but their quality, both goods and women of easy virtue, was an order of magnitude higher than that of the Chinese. I repeat, the Millionka quarter was a criminal quarter. I will not dwell on this topic in detail. I have written seven adventure books about the criminal quarter of Millionka, and I would not like to repeat myself. Yes, and my task today is completely different. I made a small afterword so that you understand what I was talking about above. And I was talking about urban legends. There are not so many legends connected with the past of the city of Vladivostok, but each of these legends has a special flavor and you can see the face of the city of Vladivostok in it. This face was special, many-sided. It was as many-sided as the eastern gods, which were brought with them from China, Japan and Korea by people who settled on the streets of Millionka. The streets of Millionka had their own color and smell. The color was mostly red and the smell was smoky. At every step it boiled, fried, gurgled, screeched. Taverns - small and large, brothels, barbershops, opium dens, theaters, even Buddhist temples - all this bore the imprint of the life that people brought with them from China, Japan and Korea. I don't want to romanticize that time in any way. As you understand, the inhabitants of Asian countries who came here to Vladivostok left everything and arrived in a distant Russian city not from a good life. On the streets of the Millionka quarter, the main king then was crime. However, each earned as he could. The Chinese police were created to divert eyes. This police, like the Russians, rarely intervened in the events that took place on the streets of the Millionka quarter.
Part two. The ghost of Mr. Gustav Kunst, who wanders at night and scares passers-by
The brand new diploma was in hand. Congratulatory speeches died down and Victor was left alone with his thoughts about the future. It's time to look for a job. Everything was wrong, everything didn't work out. He sent out bundles of resumes, but there were few responses, and those that came did not really satisfy him. So a week passed, then another, it was necessary to decide something and decide on something. Returning from the next interview, Victor decided to take a walk. I didn't want to go home. Passing by the central square, Victor suddenly heard his name. The young man looked back. Yes, that was his real name. A strange figure in the clothes of the last century bounced on the spot, waving in greeting and saying his name. Victor stopped, he decided that if someone really needs it, then this person now has the opportunity to approach him and explain himself. However, the man in strange clothes continued to shout his name, but for some reason did not move. Rather, this strange type did not stand still, he danced and spun around his axis, but did not even make an attempt to get out of the shadow of the building. Finally, Victor realized that the man would not calm down andwill call him until he, Victor, himself comes up to him. Victor sighed, and then remembered that no one was waiting for him at home, and he had a whole day ahead of him, which he had to fill with something. Victor lived with his brother, this apartment was left to him by his great-aunt. Mom and dad lived at the same address, on Fokina Street. However, today my brother and parents were not in the city. My brother flew with his girlfriend to Thailand, and mom and dad went to a sanatorium. After a little hesitation, Victor turned around and slowly walked in the direction where the strange man was standing. Most likely, Victor, since he was careful enough, would not have responded to the call of a strange person, but he was bribed by the fact that a man in strange clothes called him by the name V. This name was like greetings from that life that Victor did not remember. Or rather, not even like that, this name was like greetings from that life that Victor did not remember. And again the wrong wording, this name was like greetings from that life that Victor could not remember. Now that's correct. Memories began to return after he helped the white-haired Japanese woman and her devoted servant, the umbrella, finish their business and finally go to where their souls would find peace. Leaving at dawn, a white-haired Japanese woman made a gift to Victor, she returned his memories. The memories came back slowly, they were fragmentary and not coherent, but they were his memories! As Victor approached the strange man, he backed away into the shadows of the building and beckoned Victor to follow him.
“The owner is calling,” the man took off a strange headdress from his head, rubbed it lovingly, and then put it back on his head, “let's go!” I will be praised! Who is good? I'm done! Wee heard and came to the call! Don't stop, let's go!
- Where? - Victor turned his head - there is no door here!
“You are good,” the man laughed, “but you remember slowly! There is a door, you must remember! Hurry, I'm hot, the sun is rising and the shadows are getting smaller!
The young man looked once more at the building in front of him. There was no door. There was no door! The building in front of him was quite old. As old as the building that stood across the street. And these buildings were built at about the same time. Only the one across the road was a trading house, and this building was residential. Victor was angry. The memories were close, just at the tip of his finger, but he could not grasp them. The day flared up. The man in the hat looked pleadingly at the young man. And then, even though it was forbidden, he gave a hint.
"Ungaike's magic mirror," he whispered, "Wongwi." Christmas! Tunnel!
My master saved you! You went through the tunnel! No, I won't anymore! The hat on the man began to unravel, soon the lining became visible.
- No. My hat! - the little man howled, - Don't! You nasty man, remember now! Oh my hat! Excuse me, don't take my hat! I will no more! The sun is almost up, I'll burn without my hat! It hurts, it hurts! Let me back, I want to go back to the building! I'm on fire! Mr. V, we must remember! Mirror, Wongwi...
The top of the little man began to smoke. The hat was completely gone by then.
"Damned kitchen slave!" What are you doing to me!?
“Slave of the kitchen” - for some reason these words hurt the young man, and, of course, he was not pleased that he was being scolded for no reason. "Slave, slave, slave" beat like a bell in Victor's head. And suddenly... He remembered!
- Stop! I remember! The passage was here!
As soon as Victor pointed his finger at the place where, in his opinion, there was a passage, a ray of the morning sun cut him in the eyes. The man screamed and began to rub his eyes. When the discomfort partially passed, he saw the door. That strange man was lying near the door, his hands were burned and covered with blisters. Victor rushed to the man, took him in his arms and opened the door. As soon as Victor did this, the sun rose completely. The place where Victor now entered was once, as I said, a residential building. It was a long time ago, almost two centuries ago. The owner of the trading empire built this house for his family. And also in the house there were several apartments in which his workers lived. I repeat, it was a very long time ago, almost when the city of Vladivostok arose. Moving in an unknown direction, Vitya was perplexed. He didn't understand why this was happening to him right now. By this, Vitya meant precisely such situations that often happened to him recently. Unfamiliar people approached Victor, asked for something, hinted at something, claimed that they knew each other. That is, the situation was approximately the same as today. Moving along the underground passage with a burnt man in his arms, Victor became more and more immersed in past events that happened to him nine years ago. Of course, he didn’t remember everything, but the annoying word “slave” with each jolt of blood opened up more and more memories for him.
Yes, indeed, on that fateful day, Ungaike's mirror was broken. Victor remembered that it was very cold, he was walking down the street, a girl who he really liked approached him. The girl's name was Anastasia. However, seeing VictorAnd the girl was acting strange. I will not tell that story, I will only say that Victor realized in time that the wrong girl was standing in front of him. Rather, the face and figure standing in front of him looked like Nastya, but the magic mirror calendar managed to warn the owner. In front of Victor stood Vongvi - a malevolent creature that took the form of a girl Anastasia. Glancing to the left and to the right, Victor saw with horror that a ring was shrinking around him. An army of malevolent creatures with the face of Anastasia enclosed Victor in a circle, and this circle was inexorably shrinking. Fortunately, Victor remembered that there was a magic coal in his pocket.
Catching the moment, Vitya drew a door with magic coal with lightning speed and escaped through this door from the army of the malicious Wongwi. The painted door led him then just to where Victor was now. It was a house that was built for their employees by the owners of the trading empire - Gustav Kust and Gustav Albers. However, in history this building remained as the house of Dattan, that was the name of another companion of Kunst and Albers.
If you look at this house, you can see that it was built on a slope.
And you know ... Okay, I'll make a small digression! I think that the events that I am now talking about happened because there was movement around the building. The city authorities decided that the residential building, which once belonged to the trading company Kunst and Albers (then there were many more organizations, the latest organization that is currently inside is a polyclinic) will now place the treasures of the Hermitage inside. This is certainly a worthy use for such an old building, but we are not just talking about the glorious past of this building, we are talking about why the ghosts that lived for many years inside this building became more active. So, Victor took on the scorched ghost, passed through the secret door, which opened before him only at the moment when he remembered, and quickly moved forward. However, Victor did not have to drag the ghost for long, he walked no more than ten steps when he felt that someone was tugging at his sleeve.
“Master,” he heard a weak voice, “you can already lower me to the floor.
Victor did just that. By the way, about the floor, if you think that after passing through the door, Victor went on ordinary land, then you are mistaken. Victor, or as the ghost called him, V, walked across the beautiful mosaic floor. The floor tiles reflected Victor as in a mirror, by the way, the ghost was also reflected in these tiles. Well, of course, there is nothing special about this, after all, a ghost is not a vampire. Ghosts are a different kind of otherworldly.
The ghost quickly came to his senses, here was his house, in which, after his death, he lived for an uncountable number of years.
MAGIC PYRAMID
As you remember, in the previous chapter I wrote that the partners Gustav Kunst and Gustav Altbers built their shops and houses with love and diligence, this also applies to the house, which was popularly called the Dattan House. Dattan was also a companion of Kunst and Albers. Subsequently, not only the household of partners, but also store employees lived in this house. Unprecedented luxury for that time reigned in the house. Some decor items remain to this day. Stucco molding, ceilings, the shape of windows and doors - the ideas of all this were hatched for a long time by the owner of the house, and the result was impressive. The mosaic floor was especially striking. You could look into this floor like in a mirror!
But back to our hero. The floor tiles attracted the young man's attention. Victor came up with the idea to roll on the floor like on ice, then he leaned over and began to make faces at himself, then... Victor took another few steps on the mirrored floor and suddenly... stumbled. This time, in the reflection, he saw not himself, but Wongwi. He remembered these malicious creatures instantly and he became scared!
Wongwi are small evil men who obey the god of destruction - Taota. Usually Wongwi and Taote take power over the situation and people when there are wars in the world. All sorts of cataclysms, misfortunes, climatic storms - tsunamis, tornadoes and so on, this is the work of Wongwi and their owner. Nine years ago, Taote was hunting for a magical calendar mirror that recognized Victor as its owner. To become the owner of the mirror, the god of destruction pulled on the guise of a distant relative of Victor and tried to steal the mirror, but he did not succeed. Viktor managed to escape. The God of Destruction did not give up, he gave chase. Then, nine years ago, a mirror attracted the light of other mirrors. To help Victor, these mirrors shone for him in the night and were signs. The mirrors led him to where he could hide. When Victor, in desperation, decided that his pursuers were about to overtake him, and there was no one to help him, he suddenly ran into a girl. The girl also ran away from someone. Moreover, the girl was wearing strange clothes. Her body alternately gained density, then became transparent. Victor then thought, it seemed to him that he knew this girl, but the chase overtook and time to thinkit's over. Victor and the girl had different pursuers, but the situation was the same. However, Victor had no time to think about it. The boy had only managed to catch the girl's haunted gaze when he heard the signal of the car. The pursuers were very close. Turning around, Victor tried to assess the full extent of the danger, when he again glanced at the place where the girl was standing, she was not there. Turning his head, Victor was surprised to see that the girl was nowhere to be found. However, the boy had to save himself, and he soon forgot about the strange girl. If you've read The Ghost Restaurant, you know how the chase ended. The mirrors brought the boy to the old bath building, and then went out. Victor looked around. It was already quite dark, but still the boy could see the red brick from which the old bath was made. The building of the bathhouse was actually old, the bathhouse was built at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. There was a creak, glancing down, Victor saw that almost level with the ground there was a tiny door through which one could climb inside. The pursuers again overtook the boy, and at that moment he made up his mind. The Wongwi had already stretched out their long arms, stretching in time and space, but Victor managed to dodge at the last moment and jumped into the furnace door. This is how his adventure began, as a result of which he became a worker in the kitchen of a restaurant for ghosts. The manager of the kitchen, a Japanese ghost, left a brand on Victor's forehead. Time passed and the mark disappeared. But then, in the kitchen restaurant, Victor was very frightened. A malevolent ghost, though not for long, but made Victor a slave, a slave in the kitchen of a restaurant for ghosts. Now, after the lapse of time, the young man perceived everything that happened to him then as an adventure. However, the obvious idea of ;;what role the girl Nastya played in that story, Victor could think of only now. Then, nine years ago, all his memories were suddenly taken away from him. An exchange has taken place. Victor gave the mirror away, the boy's memories of the events that took place in the restaurant for ghosts were taken away from him, and in return his family was returned to him. At that moment, of course, he was not a little boy, but he was not yet an adult either. Now, thanking the unknown gods for the return of memory, the young man added two and two, but for some reason he got not four, but five. Only now, at the moment when he received this wonderful gift - a lost memory, Victor realized that the ghostly girl he met during the chase and the girl Nastya were very similar. Thinking, Victor did not notice the obstacle. The transparent pyramid, about two meters in size, was invisible from a distance. It was so transparent that only by coming close, one could stumble upon an obstacle. The young man would have inevitably bruised his forehead, if at the last moment the ghost, who had lost his hat, had not jerked him aside.
“Sir, be careful,” the ghost laughed thinly, “here, in this corridor, you need to be on your guard all the time. You don't want to be in the past, do you?
What are you waiting for, let's go, they are waiting for us!
“Wait,” Victor snatched his hand away, “Don’t you see, someone has appeared inside the pyramid, there… there is a girl! My God, I know her! Her name seems to be... Anastasia? Yes, it's her! This is how it should look now! But why is she inside the pyramid?
“Sir, this is an illusion, everyone sees what they want to see inside the pyramid. You probably thought about this girl, and that's why you saw her there.
- No, look, she is crying, she is stretching her arms towards me and shouting something! And around it ... Snow? Let me go, I have to help her! How can I save the girl? Should I destroy this pyramid?
“Sir, it only seems to you! Apparently, or rather, based on your words, because I can’t see anything, the girl is really in trouble, but the place where she is now is far from here! The pyramid is just a screen where you see the girl.
A GHOST WITHOUT A HAT BECAME A GHOST IN A BASEBAT
Gustav Kunst left Russia and Vladivostok at the end of the nineteenth century, by which time he had already realized that their joint brainchild, a trading house, was in good hands. Once the partners believed in a young man - Dattan, and did not lose. Dattan started as an accountant, and then became a co-owner of Kunst and Albers. Later, all the reins of government were given to Adolf Dattan and the heir of Gustav Albers - Alfred. Gustav Kunst never returned to Russia after he left it. However... Why is the ghost of Gustav Kunst wandering around at night in Vladivostok and disturbing the views of late passers-by. An elegant man with a cane and a bowler hat was noticed many times not only by the store employees, but also by night passers-by. More than a century has passed, and the ghost of the owner of the department store still walks around his property almost every night.
What circumstance tied Gustav Kunst to a Russian city with such strong ropes, where he was not even buried?
Together with you, dear readers, we will guess, God willing, this riddle.
Usually within nine nightsit's over. Victor and the girl had different pursuers, but the situation was the same. However, Victor had no time to think about it. The boy had only managed to catch the girl's haunted gaze when he heard the signal of the car. The pursuers were very close. Turning around, Victor tried to assess the full extent of the danger, when he again glanced at the place where the girl was standing, she was not there. Turning his head, Victor was surprised to see that the girl was nowhere to be found. However, the boy had to save himself, and he soon forgot about the strange girl. If you've read The Ghost Restaurant, you know how the chase ended. The mirrors brought the boy to the old bath building, and then went out. Victor looked around. It was already quite dark, but still the boy could see the red brick from which the old bath was made. The building of the bathhouse was actually old, the bathhouse was built at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. There was a creak, glancing down, Victor saw that almost level with the ground there was a tiny door through which one could climb inside. The pursuers again overtook the boy, and at that moment he made up his mind. The Wongwi had already stretched out their long arms, stretching in time and space, but Victor managed to dodge at the last moment and jumped into the furnace door. This is how his adventure began, as a result of which he became a worker in the kitchen of a restaurant for ghosts. The manager of the kitchen, a Japanese ghost, left a brand on Victor's forehead. Time passed and the mark disappeared. But then, in the kitchen restaurant, Victor was very frightened. A malevolent ghost, though not for long, but made Victor a slave, a slave in the kitchen of a restaurant for ghosts. Now, after the lapse of time, the young man perceived everything that happened to him then as an adventure. However, the obvious idea of ;;what role the girl Nastya played in that story, Victor could think of only now. Then, nine years ago, all his memories were suddenly taken away from him. An exchange has taken place. Victor gave the mirror away, the boy's memories of the events that took place in the restaurant for ghosts were taken away from him, and in return his family was returned to him. At that moment, of course, he was not a little boy, but he was not yet an adult either. Now, thanking the unknown gods for the return of memory, the young man added two and two, but for some reason he got not four, but five. Only now, at the moment when he received this wonderful gift - a lost memory, Victor realized that the ghostly girl he met during the chase and the girl Nastya were very similar. Thinking, Victor did not notice the obstacle. The transparent pyramid, about two meters in size, was invisible from a distance. It was so transparent that only by coming close, one could stumble upon an obstacle. The young man would have inevitably bruised his forehead, if at the last moment the ghost, who had lost his hat, had not jerked him aside.
“Sir, be careful,” the ghost laughed thinly, “here, in this corridor, you need to be on your guard all the time. You don't want to be in the past, do you?
What are you waiting for, let's go, they are waiting for us!
“Wait,” Victor snatched his hand away, “Don’t you see, someone has appeared inside the pyramid, there… there is a girl! My God, I know her! Her name seems to be... Anastasia? Yes, it's her! This is how it should look now! But why is she inside the pyramid?
“Sir, this is an illusion, everyone sees what they want to see inside the pyramid. You probably thought about this girl, and that's why you saw her there.
- No, look, she is crying, she is stretching her arms towards me and shouting something! And around it ... Snow? Let me go, I have to help her! How can I save the girl? Should I destroy this pyramid?
“Sir, it only seems to you! Apparently, or rather, based on your words, because I can’t see anything, the girl is really in trouble, but the place where she is now is far from here! The pyramid is just a screen where you see the girl.
A GHOST WITHOUT A HAT BECAME A GHOST IN A BASEBAT
Gustav Kunst left Russia and Vladivostok at the end of the nineteenth century, by which time he had already realized that their joint brainchild, a trading house, was in good hands. Once the partners believed in a young man - Dattan, and did not lose. Dattan started as an accountant, and then became a co-owner of Kunst and Albers. Later, all the reins of government were given to Adolf Dattan and the heir of Gustav Albers - Alfred. Gustav Kunst never returned to Russia after he left it. However... Why is the ghost of Gustav Kunst wandering around at night in Vladivostok and disturbing the views of late passers-by. An elegant man with a cane and a bowler hat was noticed many times not only by the store employees, but also by night passers-by. More than a century has passed, and the ghost of the owner of the department store still walks around his property almost every night.
What circumstance tied Gustav Kunst to a Russian city with such strong ropes, where he was not even buried?
Together with you, dear readers, we will guess, God willing, this riddle.
Usually within nine nightsthe round of the owner of the department store lasted, and only on the tenth night, usually on Wednesday, the ghost disappeared. And he appeared again on Monday night.
Why is that? How do you think? Maybe ghosts take a day off too? I don't know, but I hope everything will become clear as I continue to write this story.
Let's go back to Victor, or, as he was called in the restaurant for ghosts, V's kitchen slave. So, back to V.
An underground passage suddenly brought Victor to the first floor. There were windows covered with colored stained-glass windows. The hatless man stopped.
"Sir, I can't follow you!" The light is bad for me! If only I had my hat!
— But what to do? Where should I go next?
“Master… I can’t help it, and you yourself won’t be able to get through this door!” Remember, nine years ago, you couldn't get through here either, and the owner told me to go through the door with you!
- Yes, something like that is remembered! But ... How to be further?
“I don't know, sir!
- And if ... No, this is probably a crazy idea! However…
- What are you talking about, sir?
“I was thinking… What if I give you my baseball cap?”
- A baseball cap? I don't understand, sir!
- Well, a headdress, a cap that I have on my head! It's called baseball! Will you take it in exchange for a hat? Probably not?
— Mister!
Victor did not notice how the baseball cap was on the head of the Hatless Man. A rainbow swirl flew over his head, and the cap ended up on the ghost's head.
“Sir, I am now in your debt!” Let's go back to the tunnel with the mirror floor for a bit?! I want to look at myself in the mirror! I am handsome?
Yes, the baseball cap suits you! I think we don't have to go back! I have a mirror in my phone, so you can look at yourself!
- Oh, - shouted the ghost, seeing himself in a cap, - yes, I'm handsome! I am beautiful,” the ghost suddenly sang, and began to dance and spin, “my master Wee shared a drop of beauty with me!
Victor rejoiced along with the ghost, the joy of the man in the baseball cap was transferred to him. It seemed to the man that with each leap of the ghost he returned to his childhood. The childhood holiday ended at the moment when the door in front of which stood Victor and the Ghost in a baseball cap (with your permission, I changed the name of the ghost) was shaken by a thunderous knock. Something hard knocked on the door.
- Oh, - the ghost stopped having fun, - I completely forgot! Sorry!
Mr. Kunst, master, we are already on our way!
After passing through the door with the help of a ghost, Victor found himself in the living room. The living room in the past served for many purposes, meetings were held here, workers rested here, birthdays were held here, Christmas was celebrated. Now the living room was the place where Mr. Gustav Kunst, the former slave of the kitchen, was waiting.
Seeing Viktor, Mr. Kunst smiled approvingly at the Phantom in the baseball cap and dismissed him with a nod of his head. The ghost bowed once more to Victor and disappeared. All that was left was the smell of candy and the holiday.
When the welcoming ceremonies were over, Mr. Gustav Kunst asked Victor for a favor. What is this service, you will learn in the next chapter.
GUSTAV KUNST ASKING THE SLAVE OF THE KITCHEN FOR A SERVICE
At the end of the nineteenth century, two young Germans with the same names Gustav Kunst and Gustav Albers came to a common decision - to go to Vladivostok. In a young Russian city in the center of Asia, there was where to turn around and earn money. There were almost no competitors, but there was a huge shortage of food, things, building materials - everything that a fast-growing city needs.
Things were going well, but sometimes the boat of business had to be rocked to keep it moving forward, and it was at that moment that Gustav Kunst succumbed to temptation and turned to the occult. Kunst had no family; his workers, his business, were his home and family. Together with a partner, he created excellent conditions for his employees - a library, free treatment, free meals and housing, even a kindergarten - all this was provided to those who worked for our couple of merchants. In return, only one thing was required, devotion, knowledge of languages ;;(Russian, English, French, well, if possible, then Chinese) and efficiency. With whom Mr. Kunst entered into an otherworldly agreement, we will not specify, but this is what happened, having retired and handed over the business to a partner, Adolf Dattan, Kunst lived out his days in paradise, in Hawaii. Russian winters forever discouraged him from living where it snows. The time came and Gustav Kunst died peacefully, but at some point the spirit of the owner of the department store realized this, for some reason he was again standing under the arches of the house that he had built. Now the spirit of Gustav Kunst was attached to this place. Several workers, those who helped him in occult rituals, also could not go to the kingdom of heaven. Decades changed, life went on, and Gustav Kunst waited. He knew deliverance would come. And now the kitchen slave was standing in front of Kunst. Nine years ago, during a meeting with the boy, Mr. Kunst did not dare to state his request to the kitchen slave, he thought that he would have more time for this, but he was too late. The boy lost his abilities overnight, and so now that the memory has returned to the former kitchen slave,Mr. Gustav Kunst understood that it was impossible to delay.
“Greetings, young man,” the owner of the house got up from his chair, “you have changed, matured!” You remember me?
“Yes,” Victor stammered, “I remember something, but not completely yet!”
The memory will return! You just need to try!
- Yes i am trying! But sometimes…
- Yes it is hard! But for any work there is a reward!
- What are you speaking about? Victor looked up, "what job?"
- All in good time! First let's talk about the reward, and then about the work! Do you agree?
- Well maybe.
— What did the crystal pyramid show you?
“Oh… There was a girl, she was in trouble!” I think I even recognized this girl! Maybe, of course, I'm wrong ...
- No, there is no mistake, - the owner of the living room raised his cane and lightly tapped on the floor. - The pyramid shows those with whom we are connected.
- Maybe you're right.
Catching a note of doubt in V's voice, Mr. Kunst affectionately patted the young man on the head.
- Yes, I'm right. Mr. Victor, would you like to know where this girl is now? Is this your desire?
“Yes,” V grabbed Kunst by the hand, “I want it, I want it with all my heart!”
- Well, - Kunst laughed approvingly, - I will help you fulfill your desire. You will find this girl. Her name is Si I think?
No, her name is Anastasia.
- It is now she bears this name, but in the past ... However, let's not be distracted! - Kunst was silent
- What, what do you want to say? - Victor felt that he was shaking - I will never be able to meet her?
“No,” Kunst raised his hand in a soothing gesture, “this girl is your destiny, and you will definitely meet her!” But, each fate has many options, paths. Help is needed to get on the right track. Help that I want to offer you!
- Yes, - Victor could no longer control himself and therefore shouted, - I agree, I agree to everything!
— Calm down! Kunst's face suddenly aged before our eyes. You don't even know what I want to ask. Any agreement... Once upon a time, I thoughtlessly, just like you now, concluded an agreement, and for more than a century I have been paying with my immortal soul!
- I believe you! Victor said firmly. “You saved me from the Wongwi and therefore you cannot harm me.
- Well, if so, then listen!
My empire collapsed when otherworldly forces intervened. Of course, I am also to blame for something, but still ... At that moment I had already retired and did not manage the trading empire, all affairs were transferred to Adolf Dattan and Albers' son Alfred, but the family always remains a family. Even if you live far away, you think and take care of your family. Once I sold my immortal soul so that my business, my family, could develop and be happy. During the period of unrest, as I call the times when wars and revolutions shook this land, my rival Churin slandered Dattan and his son Albers! A devastating article was written in which the boys - Adolf and Alfred were called German spies. However, this would not be enough to destroy my empire. Then Churin resorted to the same force that I had once turned to. And from that moment began the decline of my empire. You have to pay for everything, I pay with my immortal soul, but I deserve it. I only feel sorry for my servants, they paid innocently, because they only carried out my orders!
“I don’t understand something,” Viktor touched Kunst pitifully on the shoulder, “what can I do to help?”
- To eliminate a competitor, that is, me and my followers, Churin performed a ritual. His trusted man, disguised as a customer, entered the department store. A trusted person knew about the tunnel connecting the department store with this apartment building. The forgery that the man left here has been lying there for more than a century. Soon this house will be renovated, as I heard, paintings will be placed here. During the repair, a lot can happen, but in no case should other people's hands take what is planted. If that happens, I will be bound to this place forever. Do you understand?
No, I don't quite understand yet!
“You must be the first to find the forgery, and give it to me!” For this, I will help you find traces of C!
- And how to do it? Yes, I read that this building is going to be renovated. Now there is a polyclinic here, it will be transferred to another place and there will be an art gallery, there will be paintings from the Hermitage.
- You must find a forgery!
— Yes, how? Who will let me in? Am I not a builder?
You need to become invisible again!
- What?
“Go back to the ghost restaurant and offer your services again!” Become a kitchen slave for a while.
MAGIC PIECE OF COAL
- Well, - Victor readily jumped up from his chair, - I'm ready to become a kitchen slave again! But how to do that? I haven't remembered everything yet. Where is the restaurant for ghosts located?
Do you remember how you got there the first time?
— Yes, I remember that. I was running from Taote, the god of destruction, the mirror calendar guiding my way. The path ended at the old bathhouse, there was a passage, a small door. It was so narrow that either an animal or a thin boy like me could fit through. I got in there, but Wongwi didn't. That's all.
- And then?
- Then ... What happened then I remember vaguely! Someone was singing - a geisha, a kitchen spirit, Chinese gods, some ghosts - everything was mixed up! No, I probably remembereverything gradually, but now ... No, I don’t remember!
- This is bad, time does not wait!
You cannot go the same way, you have grown up, and now you do not have a mirror.
Hey servant, I hear your breathing, why are you eavesdropping?
- Sir, I'm sorry! V gave me a gift and I want to help! The ghost in the baseball cap smiled and winked at Victor.
- Well, speak!
- Here's what I have!
- What is this? Wie and Kunst asked in one voice
- This is an ember, well, the one that opens all the doors, if you draw it! Mr. Wee dropped it nine years ago. I automatically picked it up and put it in my pocket. For nine years the little corner lay in my pocket and now, oops! - The ghost in the baseball cap showed the coal to the owner and the young man.
“Vivat,” the young man clapped his hands, “I remembered!” A woman gave me this ember for helping her! She still had such a look ... - Victor jerked his head, - however, it doesn’t matter! Most importantly, I remembered!
- Yes? - Victor's enthusiasm so infected Mr. Kunst that he even looked younger - that means how things were! Well, in that case...
“In that case,” Viktor Kunsta picked up the thought, “we know how I can come to the manager of the restaurant for ghosts.
- Yes. - Kunst suddenly stopped smiling and became serious, - but be careful, Mr. Wee, the manager of the restaurant, Mr. Houtu, is not at all simple. In certain situations, it can be dangerous. By sending you there, I am responsible for you.
- Don't worry! V got ready to draw right on the living room floor, everything will be fine!
“Master,” the Ghost in the baseball cap dropped to his knees, “let me accompany Mr. V!” I now have a hat and the sun is not afraid of me!
“Well,” Kunst hesitated a little, “I myself wanted to ask you for help, but I thought you would refuse!” After all, you and I are already so old!
“I’m going with Mr. V,” the Ghost in the baseball cap puffed out his chest, “I’m an important person!”
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF A GHOST FALLS IN YOU?
And so the young man returned to the kitchen of the ghost restaurant.
Victor froze, the kitchen manager was looking out the window, but this was a distraction for the manager, in fact, the hands of the kitchen mistress spoke. Ancient Japanese can also be transmitted with fingers. Each finger can be one or more Japanese characters. The Japanese woman passed a message to V with her fingers: "Don't agree, he wants to get rid of you"
The manager, Mr. Houtu, was away. When Victor entered the restaurant through the charcoal-painted door, deputy manager Hook did not want to take the young man to work. He was sure that the mistress of the kitchen would support him, but Ohaguro-Battari surprised Victor, she said that she needed an assistant like air. Hook, that was the name of the deputy manager, remembered Victor as a boy. Then, with the arrival of the boy, chaos reigned in the restaurant, and Hook valued his place and did not want to lose it. If the mistress of the kitchen had refused, then Hook with a pure heart would have ordered Victor to return to where he came from, but everything happened differently.
And now, Hook wanted to send V on a business trip. The kitchen needed ingredients that can only be obtained in China. A grand celebration was expected on the occasion of the anniversary of the owner of the restaurant - Huangdi. Huangdi was either 500 or 1000 years old.
In fact, the owner’s birthday was last year, but, firstly, because of the closed borders, it was impossible to get the ingredients for the main dish, and secondly, the Chinese always had a birthday box with a double bottom. A birthday could be considered accomplished from the moment of conception, or, from the moment of birth. In general, we needed ingredients that were on the shelves of Chinese cities, but it was impossible to get them in Vladivostok.
Ohaguro-Battari was fascinated by the man who entered her kitchen. Yes, she hated him when he was a boy, but she adored him now that he was grown up. It happens! She chose a place for a long time before putting the seal of a slave on the snow-white forehead of a man. The Japanese woman was afraid to hurt her white master's forehead. Victor, of course, did not know about the passions raging in the heart of the mistress of the kitchen, he was trusting and friendly, and took Ohaguro-Battari's attitude towards him for granted. And now the mistress of the kitchen handed him a message with her fingers: “Don’t agree!”
Yes, Victor became a slave to the kitchen, but not a slave to the manager. About this Ohaguro-Bettari and arrogantly informed the manager. Hook only took over as manager in January 2023, and then only because Howth had to leave urgently. The steward had some problems in China with the male line descendants of the Houtu branch. The problem could not be solved remotely, so Howth had to shake the old days and go to his homeland. Hook did not yet feel confident in the manager's position. To be precise, he was simply afraid of Ohaguro-Bettari. There were other restaurant workers in front of whom he was shy, but he was especially afraid of the Japanese woman. However, the ingredients were needed like air, and this could not be changed.
- What do we do? - the hostess of the kitchen propped her forehead with her palm, - nothing can replace the grass root for the dish.
“Mistress,” Victor knelt down in front of the beautiful cook, “the way outthere is and it is very simple, I need to order the root on the Internet. In a week it will be on your table.
Ohaguro-Battari did not know what the Internet was, and she did not need this knowledge, she believed unconditionally in her slave. Having removed the seal of the slave, the hostess of the kitchen let Victor go home for several hours. In the kitchen, Victor's friend, the Ghost in the baseball cap, remained to help.
INTERNET FOR GHOSTS
As Viktor said, the parcel arrived in a week. Valuable ingredients for a valuable dish were in Victor's hands, and it was time to call a real chef. If you've read The Ghost Restaurant, remember that Tsukomogami cooked the food at the Ghost Restaurant. A unique chef, Tsukomogami was also a slave, a slave of things. The older the item, the more knowledgeable the chef was. However, there was a small problem here. It was very difficult to find a truly antique thing in the city of Vladivostok. Such things were in the museum, but Victor did not want to steal anything. The young man was not a thief, in the past, nine years ago, he was looking for such things in attics. Usually no one needed such old things, and Victor easily found them. Now the situation has changed, there are almost no unnecessary things in unnecessary attics. Victor was given a hint by the Ghost in the baseball cap. This friendly ghost kept thinking about how to help Victor. The young man was even ashamed to load the ghost with his problems all the time. However, now there was a really hopeless situation, an old thing was urgently needed! Victor did not want his ghost friend to suffer from the sun's rays and therefore painted the door directly on the kitchen floor. Soon the strange couple of the ghost and the kitchen slave were already standing in front of the owner of the department store. Mr. Kunst was delighted when Victor informed him that he had come here to finally find the thing that tied Mr. Kunst to this building with invisible ropes. But Herr Kunst today refused Viktor's help. He told the surprised young man that today was Wednesday, and on that day Kunst was reminiscing. It turns out that Kunst remembered that Wednesday was the day of his death. Victor was at a loss, he urgently needed an old thing, but he did not dare to insist if Mr. Kunst was in mourning today. The Ghost in the baseball cap intervened in the situation, he also found a solution. The ghost informed Victor that a large amount of old things lay in the secret attic of the department store. Despite the fact that the department store has been repaired and remodeled dozens of times, no one has ever discovered this secret place. Victor was delighted, he did not need to go and look for old things now. Moreover, he had the consent of the owner of these things, I mean Mr. Kunst. Mr. Kunst was very glad to help Victor. Moreover, together with Victor, he went through the underground passage to the department store to help the young man choose the most ancient thing among the things in the attic in the department store. Ohaguro-Battari soon got a new chef.
A PROMISE KEEPED - THE GHOST IS GONE
Viktor and Mr. Kunst agreed to meet on Monday. However, on Monday there was a holiday - the birthday of the god Huangdi, for which they had been preparing for so long. The holiday lasted two weeks and all two weeks Victor was attached to the kitchen. When, two weeks later, Victor informed Ohaguro-Battari that he needed to visit Mr. Kunst, the hostess of the kitchen was about to remove the seal, but suddenly remembered that the manager Houtu was returning today. The festivities for the steward's return continued for another two weeks. And so it happened that a whole month passed, and Viktor still could not visit Mr. Kunst. The day when Victor said goodbye forever to his friend - the Ghost in the baseball cap and his owner - Mr. Gustav Kunst, was no different from the rest of the days. In the morning it was hot and sunny, but also dusty and absolutely nothing to breathe. The worst happened, the building began renovations.
Mr. Kunst paced from corner to corner, waiting for Viktor and his friend. The owner of the department store sent a messenger five hours earlier. Since all the ghosts were afraid of the sun's rays, the messenger went to the restaurant for ghosts at 3:00 in the morning. It was now 8:00 in the morning, the sun was burning with might and main on the street, and the building was shaking from the blows of a perforator and hammers. Finally, Victor and the Phantom in a baseball cap appeared before Mr. Kunst.
The owner of the department store was angry with himself, he was annoyed that he had dragged the situation to a critical point, but there was nothing to do, as it turned out, it happened. And then Victor asked an obvious question, he asked, what does a forgery actually look like and where to look for it? Fortunately, Mr. Kunst knew exactly what this thing looked like and knew where it was. Still, it was because of this thing that he could not be reborn, and whiled away decades after decades here. The building was in full swing, but Victor, who, as you remember, had a seal of invisibility on his forehead, calmly walked past the workers. However, he certainly did not go alone, Mr. Kunst and his devoted servants went with him on his last tour of the building, with which he had a lot to do. The thing that is tiedthere is and it is very simple, I need to order the root on the Internet. In a week it will be on your table.
Ohaguro-Battari did not know what the Internet was, and she did not need this knowledge, she believed unconditionally in her slave. Having removed the seal of the slave, the hostess of the kitchen let Victor go home for several hours. In the kitchen, Victor's friend, the Ghost in the baseball cap, remained to help.
INTERNET FOR GHOSTS
As Viktor said, the parcel arrived in a week. Valuable ingredients for a valuable dish were in Victor's hands, and it was time to call a real chef. If you've read The Ghost Restaurant, remember that Tsukomogami cooked the food at the Ghost Restaurant. A unique chef, Tsukomogami was also a slave, a slave of things. The older the item, the more knowledgeable the chef was. However, there was a small problem here. It was very difficult to find a truly antique thing in the city of Vladivostok. Such things were in the museum, but Victor did not want to steal anything. The young man was not a thief, in the past, nine years ago, he was looking for such things in attics. Usually no one needed such old things, and Victor easily found them. Now the situation has changed, there are almost no unnecessary things in unnecessary attics. Victor was given a hint by the Ghost in the baseball cap. This friendly ghost kept thinking about how to help Victor. The young man was even ashamed to load the ghost with his problems all the time. However, now there was a really hopeless situation, an old thing was urgently needed! Victor did not want his ghost friend to suffer from the sun's rays and therefore painted the door directly on the kitchen floor. Soon the strange couple of the ghost and the kitchen slave were already standing in front of the owner of the department store. Mr. Kunst was delighted when Victor informed him that he had come here to finally find the thing that tied Mr. Kunst to this building with invisible ropes. But Herr Kunst today refused Viktor's help. He told the surprised young man that today was Wednesday, and on that day Kunst was reminiscing. It turns out that Kunst remembered that Wednesday was the day of his death. Victor was at a loss, he urgently needed an old thing, but he did not dare to insist if Mr. Kunst was in mourning today. The Ghost in the baseball cap intervened in the situation, he also found a solution. The ghost informed Victor that a large amount of old things lay in the secret attic of the department store. Despite the fact that the department store has been repaired and remodeled dozens of times, no one has ever discovered this secret place. Victor was delighted, he did not need to go and look for old things now. Moreover, he had the consent of the owner of these things, I mean Mr. Kunst. Mr. Kunst was very glad to help Victor. Moreover, together with Victor, he went through the underground passage to the department store to help the young man choose the most ancient thing among the things in the attic in the department store. Ohaguro-Battari soon got a new chef.
A PROMISE KEEPED - THE GHOST IS GONE
Viktor and Mr. Kunst agreed to meet on Monday. However, on Monday there was a holiday - the birthday of the god Huangdi, for which they had been preparing for so long. The holiday lasted two weeks and all two weeks Victor was attached to the kitchen. When, two weeks later, Victor informed Ohaguro-Battari that he needed to visit Mr. Kunst, the hostess of the kitchen was about to remove the seal, but suddenly remembered that the manager Houtu was returning today. The festivities for the steward's return continued for another two weeks. And so it happened that a whole month passed, and Viktor still could not visit Mr. Kunst. The day when Victor said goodbye forever to his friend - the Ghost in the baseball cap and his owner - Mr. Gustav Kunst, was no different from the rest of the days. In the morning it was hot and sunny, but also dusty and absolutely nothing to breathe. The worst happened, the building began renovations.
Mr. Kunst paced from corner to corner, waiting for Viktor and his friend. The owner of the department store sent a messenger five hours earlier. Since all the ghosts were afraid of the sun's rays, the messenger went to the restaurant for ghosts at 3:00 in the morning. It was now 8:00 in the morning, the sun was burning with might and main on the street, and the building was shaking from the blows of a perforator and hammers. Finally, Victor and the Phantom in a baseball cap appeared before Mr. Kunst.
The owner of the department store was angry with himself, he was annoyed that he had dragged the situation to a critical point, but there was nothing to do, as it turned out, it happened. And then Victor asked an obvious question, he asked, what does a forgery actually look like and where to look for it? Fortunately, Mr. Kunst knew exactly what this thing looked like and knew where it was. Still, it was because of this thing that he could not be reborn, and whiled away decades after decades here. The building was in full swing, but Victor, who, as you remember, had a seal of invisibility on his forehead, calmly walked past the workers. However, he certainly did not go alone, Mr. Kunst and his devoted servants went with him on his last tour of the building, with which he had a lot to do. The thing that is tiedla the owner of the department store to the building for a century, was a coin. A trusted person of Mr. Churin planted this coin in this place more than a century ago. You know the rest of the story, I have already retold it several times on the pages of this book. Of course, Mr. Kunst knew what kind of thing was a forgery and where it was, but he could not pick it up. The thing was real, material, and Mr. Kunst was a ghost. And now this moment has come. Victor picked up a coin that lay at the intersection of four secret corridors. When a team of several ghosts and one person approached the place where the forgery lay, Mr. Kunst whispered a few words in his native language, he suddenly forgot the Russian language, but this did not last long. It was clear that our eminent ghost was clearly out of his mind. Victor bent down to take the coin, but Mr. Kunst stopped him.
“Young man, would you like to receive your reward first?”
“Of course I do, but I thought I would get it when I completed your task.
“You are a good person, honest and straightforward, and for this I would like to reward you from the bottom of my heart, but in reality there is little I can do, just keep my promise. Listen to me carefully, you will soon need a new button because the old one will come off and get lost on one of your shirts. Find the box of buttons that your great-aunt gave you. I know that you loved your grandmother very much, and since her death you have never touched her things. But the moment your button comes off, you have to.
There was a pause, and then Victor asked.
“And what next, what should I do next?”
“Now you must pick up this gold coin from the floor, I will tell you the rest after the coin is in your hands.
Shrugging, Victor leaned over and picked up the coin.
- The color of your button is green, - that's all that the owner of the department store, Mr. Kunst, said to Victor in parting, leaving into oblivion.
The coin remained in Victor's hands. When he looked up, he was surprised to see that there was no one else beside him. A baseball cap fell to the floor with a thud. Victor raised his baseball cap, stood for a moment, nothing else happened. For the first time in recent years, Victor felt alone. He was sorry that he did not say goodbye to his friend - the Ghost in the baseball cap, and did not bow for the last time to the owner of the department store - Mr. Gustav Kunst. However, this story is over. After standing for a few more minutes, Victor drew a door with charcoal and returned to the restaurant for ghosts. He did not feel annoyed that the gift that Mr. Kunst had promised turned out to be so incomprehensible. Victor was a devoted man, and believed in what he was promised. He knew that a meeting with Anastasia was ahead of him, as promised by Mr. Kunst.
JAPANESE GHOST FALLS IN LOVE WITH KITCHEN SLAVE
The attitude towards Victor Ohaguro-Battari has changed so much that the restaurant staff has already begun to whisper. Only the servant of the kitchen did not notice anything. He was full of reverence for his mistress. The young man has long remembered all the events that took place in this kitchen nine years ago. He remembered how he was afraid of the hostess of the kitchen and expected some dirty tricks from her all the time. Now, of course, everything has changed. A beautiful Japanese woman, the mistress of the kitchen, simply fell in love with her slave. Victor understood that his time in this kitchen was running out. He completed his main task, found a gold coin, and finally sent the owner of the department store and his servants to a better world. However, for some reason, the kitchen slave could not muster up the courage to inform Ohaguro-Battari that he was quitting. The work was comfortable, and after the return of restaurant manager Houtu, things got even better. However, Victor understood that it was another week and he would have to make a decision. Going into oblivion, the owner of the department store allowed Victor to continue to use the things that lay in the secret attic of the department store. Victor liked this perspective very much. The young man did not like to take something secretly, did not like to rush and carefully take a thing that did not belong to him. With his mind, he understood that no one needed the thing he was taking (in the previous chapter I already wrote that the kitchen slave took only old things that no one needed, things that had no owners), but the very thought that he takes the thing without permission, very oppressed the young man. Now it was completely different. Victor had the permission of the owner of these things. Sometimes, in short hours of rest, he went to a secret attic and spent hours looking at antiques. There was nothing of real value here. There were old newspapers, the last one was dated January 1917, mannequins, some rolls of fabric, an old armchair and tables, several counters and shop windows, in general, there was all sorts of really useless nonsense here. But for Victor, these things were of great value. Any thing had its owner - Bakeneko, and when the time came and the need arose for a new Bakeneko, Victor took a new thing (mostly small things that were easy to carry away) and carried it to the kitchen. What happened next wouldlo a matter of technology. The owner of the thing, or the slave of the thing, was forced to prepare the dish. Then this dish was delivered by elevator to the dining room, where the restaurant's ghostly servants were already ready to take the dish to the guest's table. If you have read the book "Restaurant for Ghosts", then you know that this restaurant had special visitors - ghosts, ghosts, heroes of the past, villains who also came from past eras. Sometimes even the emperors of the animal world came here - tigers, lions, kings of the cat world and so on. In general, life in the restaurant for ghosts was in full swing.
I already wrote that Victor generally liked this life, but time was running out. Soon his parents were to return from the sanatorium. In the evenings, Victor returned home, since his house was very close to the workplace. The seal of the kitchen slave Ohaguro-Battari did not like to take off her white worker's forehead, therefore, in order not to annoy the hostess, Victor came home just like that, invisible to people. Several times he had the idea of retrieving his late grandmother's button box, but working in the kitchen of a haunted restaurant exhausted him so much that the idea remained an idea. Victor had days off, but the mistress of the kitchen became gloomy and angry when Victor left for the whole day to rest. Once a young man noticed that he had less and less time left to spend alone, by himself, Ohaguro-Battari kept finding him a job. Victor was a young and full of strength man, but the mistress of the kitchen in love, without realizing it, gradually took away his strength.
One morning, getting ready for work, Victor felt dizzy, his ears were ringing, black flies were flying before his eyes. The young man attributed all these ailments to a magnetic storm, which he read about yesterday on the Internet, but when he came to the restaurant, he lost consciousness. The restaurant manager, Houtu, decided it was finally time to intervene. The manager was not very fond of interfering in personal relationships, but the situation that had developed now threatened that the young man would simply die. Energy exhaustion negatively affected Victor's health. Ohaguro-Battari tried to resist when the steward told her to remove the slave seal, but quickly succumbed when the steward raised her voice a little. When Victor caught his breath, the manager informed him that he was giving him three days of rest. The young man felt better, staggering a little, he went out into the street. In his eyes was the unhappy face of the mistress of the kitchen, Ohaguro-Battari. The mistress of the kitchen realized that her love was dangerous for this person, but she could not do anything with herself.
Victor's parents returned from the sanatorium. The young man's mother was horrified when she saw her son's emaciated face. Victor wanted to please his mother when he said that he had a job, but now, when his mother was in such shock, he did not specify anything.
Three days later, Victor returned to work, but the manager, in order to separate him from the mistress of the kitchen, ordered him to do another job, but Victor's work was so important and necessary that a week later the manager reluctantly ordered Victor to return to the kitchen again. Ohaguro-Battari made a conclusion, and now tried to control herself. Just like a manager, she now understood that her love was deadly for this person. Gradually, Victor came to his senses. The holiday was approaching, which usually took place every year in a magnificent restaurant for ghosts. With the permission of the owner of the restaurant Huangdi, the manager Houtu organized this holiday for the restaurant workers. He wanted the employees of his restaurant to feel their importance and need at least once a year. On this day, restaurant workers were guests of their own restaurant. To organize this holiday, the restaurant manager usually hired servants from another restaurant. However, Victor's work could not be replaced by anyone. The manager apologized to Victor and said that his work that day would be doubly appreciated. The young man didn't mind.
There were still a lot of things in the attic of the department store, and there were no problems with delivering them to the restaurant kitchen.
Part three. The legend of the sailor whose body was cut into pieces and scattered in different parts of the city
The holiday was supposed to start at midnight, and so Victor was in a hurry. He wanted to clean himself up before the holiday. A thermos of coffee jingled in his backpack, and Victor decided to take a break. Three cups of coffee was perfect for helping him regain his energy. Once he forgot the thermos at home, and barely made it to the end of the work shift. The coffee he drank was unusual. The recipe for this coffee was shared with Victor by his departed friend, the Ghost in the baseball cap. The coffee that was in the thermos was not really a coffee drink in the full sense of the word. However, the drink needed to find a name, and therefore Victor decided to equate the energy power of the drink with the power of coffee.
In general, it doesn’t matter what the drink was called, the most important thing is that it helped Victor regain his strength. When the thermos was empty, Victor looked around again. With each time little things in the atticit got smaller and smaller. There were bulky and inconvenient things to carry. Victor calmed himself and said that there would be enough things for his lifetime, but he understood that soon he would have to look for another attic. The attic under the roof of the department store was elongated. Where there were windows it was easy to find things, where there was no light it was a problem. No lamp could disperse the darkness, and therefore in these places the young man searched for things at random, in the dark. The thing he found today was small. It felt and shaped like a small chest. The young man tried to open this chest, but in the dark he could not do anything. Struggling with impatience, he brought this thing to the bright side of the attic. Indeed, it was a small forged chest. The size of the chest was small, about the size of a standard women's bag. However, the chest didn't feel empty. It was small but very heavy. So heavy that Victor couldn't lift it at first. Surprised, the young man thought about what could be so heavy in such a small chest? It was unrealistic to drag this heavy thing to the restaurant. You may not believe me, but the chest was so heavy that Victor could not hold it on weight even for one minute. However, there must be a new Bakeneko at today's feast. Just yesterday, the slave of the thing, Tsukomogami, declared to Ohaguro-Battari that his work was over and he was ready to leave. Therefore, today it was extremely necessary to bring a new thing to the kitchen of the restaurant. Victor thought that he would have to tinker with the lock of the chest, but there were no problems, the chest opened easily. Victor was a gambling young man and loved all sorts of secrets and surprises, so he looked forward to and hoped to find something unusual in the chest. So, again, the lid of the chest lifted easily. The contents of the chest were covered in cobwebs. When Victor brushed away the web, it turned out that the contents were covered with a green velvet rag. Throwing away the rag, Victor finally got to the bottom of the chest. There were real treasures in front of him. The young man was not very experienced in treasures. He faintly distinguished between costume jewelry and real jewelry, but he guessed that this chest was not simple. However, he managed to think out all these thoughts after the fact. The heavy string of pink pearls he held in his hand suddenly pulled him into the past.
GHOST LEGACY - TREASURE CHEST
When Victor came to himself, he could not understand for a long time where he was and what was happening to him. Suddenly, Victor felt warm breath and stroking on him. Gradually he understood everything. Having accidentally made a throw into the past, he was no longer a man, his spirit moved into a pearl necklace. Two people were talking, a man and a woman. From the conversation it became clear that the man was ready to give a pearl necklace to a woman, but only at the moment when she became his wife. The woman held the necklace in her hands, stroked it, breathed on it to warm it. The pearls from which the necklace was made were real, natural and incredibly expensive, but it felt unrealistically cold, and therefore the woman tried to warm the necklace in her palms.
“Ninon,” the man pulled the woman towards him, “there are a lot of such trinkets in the chest that I found. This chest is not easy, there is a lot of blood on it, which is probably why it is so heavy, although it looks quite small. All the trinkets in the chest will be yours, Ninon, once we're married. I brought this pearl so that you would believe in the seriousness of my words.
“Ah, dear, I love you without any confirmation. - the woman unfastened the clasp and wanted to put the necklace around her neck, but the man tried to take the pearls from her hands.
“No, Ninon, I will put this necklace around your neck on our wedding day. No one should know about the contents of the chest.
- But, dear, - the woman hesitated and pulled the pearls towards her, she did not want to give the necklace, - you know, I'm not talkative, and I won't tell anyone.
“No, the necklace will only be around your neck on your wedding day!”
“But, darling, why don’t you still want to give me the pearls now?”
“Ninon, I,” the man looked around, “did you hear? I felt like we weren't alone!
- No, Stepushka, everything is all right! My friend Louise is working late tonight. Don't worry, you can tell me everything, we're alone in the house.
- I got a job as a sailor on a schooner, but late I realized what the team was doing. Smuggling was the main business, and fishing was a front. Returning home, we got into a storm, barely reaching the nearest land, we ended up on an island. It was at night, the shooting started in the morning. The island turned out to be the base of the Honghuz Chinese. Here the end would have come to us, but a military schooner with our sailors came to the rescue. The island has been watched for a long time. The real fight has begun. I didn’t want to die for nothing and quietly went deep into the island while shooting was going on on the shore. I won't tell you for a long time, but on the western tip of the island, I found a thatched hut. The dying man tried to drive me away from the hut, but I was persistent. Soon, the man gave his soul to God. Of course I'm to blame, but my rimsthe fact that I wanted to live can serve as a tribute. I didn't attack this man first, but I had to defend myself. I understood that a person is protecting something very important and valuable to him. When it was all over, I entered the hut. There was an incredible stench in the hut, poorly dried animal skin, carcasses that the owner butchered - all this stank and stank. The dirty reed cup was half full of some sort of cloudy liquid. There was a pitcher next to it. As I understand it, there was Chinese vodka in the jug and cup - Suli. In general, the impression of the hut was terrible, and all the more surprising was the find that I found on the table. There was a jewelry box on a makeshift table. The box was open, and hanging from the lid was this pink necklace. The necklace and the side of the chest were covered in blood. Putting my hand into the chest, I understood why the owner of the hut was trying so desperately not to let me in. There were jewels in the chest. But…” the story was interrupted for a moment, “Ninon, I’ll ask you again, are you sure we’re alone in the house?” I heard something!
“Ah, this,” a soft female laugh was heard, “this is the cat Maruska, I forgot to put food in a bowl for her.” When she's hungry, she gets angry and overturns everything in her path. Don't worry, Stepan, tell me more, I'm so curious!
Suddenly, the sailor was reflected in the polished surface of the pearl, and Victor suddenly remembered this man. He also remembered the voice of the woman who was next to him. The man's name was Stepan, and his woman's name was Nina, or as the man called her, Ninon. The legend of the murdered sailor has already come to an end, you can read about it in the book “Restaurant for Ghosts”, but for some reason now Victor is at the beginning of that legend. Then, nine years ago, the story ended with the fact that the king of Millionka, a Chinese, ordered his henchmen to kill the sailor and scatter parts of his body around. Yes, it was a creepy story! Luckily, the kitchen slave V managed to put an end to this horror. And now he did not understand why he was here again.
- Stepushka, but where are you? - the woman reluctantly released the necklace from her hands, - You haven't told me everything yet. I want to know how the story with the Chinese hunghus ended. Our brave sailors won? Yes, and tell me more about how you managed to get the treasure chest onto the schooner.
“Nina, I will definitely tell you everything,” the man listened again, “However, I don’t like it all!” My gut, which saved me more than once in any mess, tells me ... This is the sound! Ninon, wait, are you saying that your cat Maruska also makes these sounds?
- Stepushka, well, I said ...
“Okay, Ninon, I believe you!”
The wedding will be the day after tomorrow, after which I will tell you everything. Let's meet tomorrow in that gateway called Millionka. Do you remember where we saw each other for the first time?
Oh, I dropped the necklace, if it were all wrong! Ninon, this is a bad omen! Remember if you...
Victor did not listen to the end of what the sailor wanted to say, because he came to his senses again in the attic of the department store. As soon as he returned, he immediately threw the pearls away from him in disgust. The story he fell into again was dark, heavy and bloody, and it hurt to realize that this treasure chest was the driving force behind this story.
Slightly catching his breath, Victor began to think what to do with the contents of the chest. After hesitating, he took out a huge diamond ring. Fortunately, the ring did not have such power over him as pearls. Leaving the box open, Victor returned to the restaurant. I want to upset you, Tsukomogami - the slave of the ring, prepared a disgusting dish. If a living person had eaten this dish, he would have died in agony, but the restaurant workers for ghosts had to eat the dish. Luckily, Ohaguro-Battari, who always tasted the dishes first, did not give up this habit this time. After she tasted the dish, there was screaming and screeching in the restaurant kitchen for a long time. Victor felt guilty and therefore he had to urgently return to the attic of the department store again. Fortunately, he quickly found a new thing. A small wooden doll played by some child from the last century did not hide anything bad in itself, and Tsukomogami, the owner of the doll, prepared an excellent dish. What about the box, you ask? And what will happen to her, probably she is lying around in the place where Victor left her. The lid of the box is open, the cobwebs and dust are gradually covering the treasures, because of which so much blood was shed in the past.
Part four. green button
The young man was bored. The manager told me not to appear in the kitchen for a whole week. The young man, of course, asked a question about the reason, but in response he only received a sly oriental smile and there was no point in insisting on an answer. There were not enough interesting events in the city at that time and Victor decided to go to one interesting place. Rather, this event involved visiting several interesting places. I mean the Night of Museums event. However, this place was interesting for Victor's brother, an archaeologist, and Victor himself was never particularly interested in antiquities. Brother bought a subscription to this event a long time agoiyatiya, but did not have time to use it. Therefore, in order not to waste money, Victor decided to take a walk in the museums that evening. The Arsenyev Museum was the fourth one he visited. By this time, the young man was already tired and decided that he needed to return home. However, in the end, I decided to still go over the floors of the museum. He wanted to pass the hall of shamanism, but his eyes caught on the wooden figurines. Lazily shifting his gaze from figure to figure, he saw an object that shook him. The shock was so great that my heart skipped a beat. Among the attributes, he saw a shaman mirror - Toli! The memory returned to him completely and suddenly. It's like a book has been opened. The pages of the book turned over by themselves, the young man could only look and listen. It was the memory of those generations that were before him, Victor. It turns out that Victor has already met a girl who had the face of Anastasia many times in his past lives. There was a wooden platform in the hall of shamanism. It was built so that visitors could lie down and look at the pictures painted on the ceiling while lying down. The Tree of Life, a real tree, which was installed next to the platform, complemented the picture and almost rested against the painted ceiling. Victor lay down on the platform. However, it was not the cycle of life in the shamanic interpretation that interested him now, he saw himself and Anastasia, or as Mr. Kunst called her then - Xi. Ages changed, but one thing was unchanged in each birth, they could not stay together. The first meeting of a white slave and Princess Xi took place in the ancient city of Yongmingchen. V was a white slave to an evil shaman-sorcerer. The shaman taught V and made him summon spirits. Tolya's shamanic mirror was especially often in the hands of a white slave. It helped Wee learn the language of birds and animals. And shamanic mirrors were sewn onto the shaman's clothes if a battle with the spirits of an enemy tribe was coming. Remembering, Victor fell into a kind of trance, he came to himself from the fact that he was called out and asked to leave. The night of the museums ended and Victor went home.
At home, Victor discovered that his phone was dead. After charging the phone, he read a message from his brother and rushed around the apartment.
A message came, Victor's brother reminded that on Wednesday, that is, today, he and his girlfriend are returning home. It was decided to throw a comeback party. Naturally, mom and dad were also invited. The girl with whom the brother flew to Thailand was not yet introduced to Victor's parents. Right now, at a party, such an opportunity should have presented itself. Victor was a little worried, he wanted to look decent that evening. Victor had a favorite shirt that he thought suited him. Taking a shirt out of the closet, the young man was upset, one button was missing on the shirt. And suddenly Victor remembered the last words of Mr. Gustav Kunst before they parted forever. Mr. Kunst said something about a green button and a casket of great-aunt Victor.
Victor knew roughly where the box was, but he was not sure that he would find it right away. However, the box fell straight into his hands as soon as he climbed onto the mezzanine. Going down with the box, Victor took a breath. Great-aunt loved Victor and carefully kept his things. The box that now lay in front of Victor was made by the boy himself. At a labor lesson, for International Women's Day, he himself made this box and sawed out the words "Congratulations on March 8" with a jigsaw.
Opening the box, he saw all sorts of little things that have no price, but are close to the heart of any grandmother, who is congratulated by her grandson for the holidays. Among the postcards, crafts, drawings, Victor suddenly saw the thing that Mr. Gustav Kunst was talking about. Victor took this thing, put down the box and went to the window. The green button, which he placed in his palm, sparkled like a precious stone in the rays of the sun. The button sparkled and cast beams around. Looking at the reflection, Victor suddenly calmed down, he stopped worrying. The young man just sat and looked at the button that lay in his palm. This meditation was interrupted by a phone call. The brother informed Victor that their plane had already landed and they would be home in about an hour. Victor fussed, there was an hour left, and the button was still not sewn. Surprisingly, the button fit perfectly, the rest of the buttons looked like poor orphans against its background, but there was no feeling of diversity. At that moment, when Victor finally pulled on his shirt, the doorbell rang. The first to arrive were the parents, almost immediately after them came the brother with his girlfriend. The apartment was immediately filled with noise, voices, laughter - everything that Victor had been missing so much lately. The button warmed Victor through the fabric of his shirt, and with each jolt of blood, he remembered more and more. I have already begun to tell this story, and now I will tell it further. This story began even when Vladivostok did not exist on the world map. Then, on the lands where Vladivostok is now located, the eastern city with the beautiful name Yongmingchen was expanding and noisy. It was then in the unimaginable ancientIn fact, a white slave with the short name Vi received a precious green button from the princess, the heiress of the king of Yongmingchen city. The princess's name was Si. The button was made from a precious stone. This was the beginning, the first meeting of the boy V with the girl named Xi. The ages changed, but in each rebirth, V met Xi. The age of V and Xi could be different, but not a single meeting ended happily. Something always interfered with the happiness of lovers.
Everyone sat down at the table, Victor was so distracted that even his mother noticed it. The young man knew and believed that Mr. Kunst did not waste words. He physically felt that the button made him different at one moment. Was the blood pounding in your ears, or were these the steps of a girl who was walking towards him, but could not reach him?
Part five. Meeting
The doorbell rang. Mom at that moment was talking enthusiastically with her future daughter-in-law, and dad was discussing the last hockey match with his brother. Thinking about something else, Victor got up from his seat and went to the door. For some reason, the young man hoped that she, Anastasia, was standing outside the door. But when he opened the door, the corridor was empty. Victor even walked down the corridor and down several flights of stairs. It was very strange. When Victor returned to the room, no one rushed to meet him to ask, who actually came? Moreover, brother, mother, father, future daughter-in-law - everyone ignored him. Even when he asked a question, no one answered him. It was all very strange. At that moment, the doorbell rang a second time. Those at the table again ignored the call. Victor had no choice but to get up from his seat again and open the front door, but this time there was no one behind the door. Returning to his place at the table, the young man found that his plate had disappeared, cutlery had also disappeared, even the chair on which he had been sitting a minute ago had gone somewhere. Victor was about to be indignant, when suddenly the doorbell rang for the third time.
“But I won’t go to open it,” Victor said loudly, and, moving another chair to the table, resolutely armed himself with a spoon and reached for the salad bowl.
The doorbell continued to ring.
“Son,” mom looked at Victor in surprise, “what’s going on?” Are you mad at us? Why don't you want to talk to us? This is the third time I've asked you a question, but you are silent. Are you not well?
- Mom, what are you talking about, - Victor was surprised, - for some reason you are ignoring me today! This call, but how much can you?
- What a call, son, - mom turned her head to the front door, - I can't hear anything.
- How, - Victor was alarmed, - How can you not hear this? Well, the doorbell is ringing again! Can't you hear?
“Here, now I hear,” my mother smiled, “it’s probably your brother’s friends who came!” I'll go and open!
“Mom, don’t, I’m on my own,” my brother protested, but my mother was already walking towards the door.
There was a sound of the door being opened, someone entered the apartment. Mom talked to someone, and then asked Victor to come up.
“Son,” Mom turned to Victor, “there is such a thing. The girl brought a letter for my aunt, your great aunt. But grandma…” Mom wiped away her tears. - here, this girl, - mother stepped aside, - she brought a letter for her grandmother.
- Yes, you go into the room, - my mother turned to the guest, - I will introduce you to my family.
- No, - the girl took a step forward, - sorry, I don't have much time.
The voice of the guest seemed familiar to the young man, to make sure of his guess, Victor decided and came closer. Anastasia stood in front of the young man, the girl he had been dreaming about since the moment his memory returned to him. Victor imagined a meeting with this girl so many times, but did not think that the meeting would happen so ... everyday!
“Hello, Nastya,” Victor stammered, “you ...
“Oh,” the girl laughed, “my button! I have a button on your shirt! I'm not mistaken, is this my button?
- Anastasia, - my mother laughed, - Yes, you go into the room! Let's talk there!
“I don’t really have much time,” Nastya looked at her watch, “but I can come in to say hello. Where is your grandmother? Unfortunately, I send the letter late.
The girl was upset when she found out that Victor's great-aunt was no longer in the world. The letter she wanted to deliver was from a friend of her grandmother. It so happened that a few years ago the whole family, including my grandmother, left for South Korea, the family had Korean roots. When the girl wanted to return, the coronavirus epidemic began, when the epidemic ended, the girl went to the hospital. And only now she was able to fulfill the wish of her grandmother, and even then, unfortunately, not completely.
The conversation flowed slowly, when suddenly Anastasia cried out
— Oh, it seems I am in this portrait! May I take a closer look?
The portrait that the girl was talking about hung next to the portrait of Victor.
“Yes, of course, look,” Mom smiled.
- Yes, it's me, - Anastasia came close to the portrait, trying to examine something, - why do you have this portrait hanging?
“Because this group portrait depicts my son’s entire class;was in first grade. Here he is, Victor, sitting in the front row, and you are sitting next to him.
Are we classmates? - the girl was surprised, - But why don't I remember you?
— Do you remember me? - my brother intervened in the conversation, - then you were very small, you studied in the first grade, and I was in the fifth.
“Yes,” Nastya clapped her hands, “I remember you!” Strange, right? I don’t remember my classmate, but I remember you!
I'm sorry, but I have to go!
- I'm seeing you off, - Victor rushed to the door, - Wait, Nastya.
- Fine. - the girl took the bag, - It was very nice to remember my childhood.
The girl almost ran out the door, Victor rushed after.
- Nastya, wait! Please wait! Did you recognize me?!
No, I don't remember you!
- Nastya, have you really not forgiven me so far, after all, so many years have passed? I was then small and stupid.
- What are you speaking about?
"Don't you remember?" After school, we went to the park, it was opposite the school. We played secrets, I lost and, according to the rules of the game, I had to write a scary story. I made up a story, but it turned out so creepy that you all got scared. I was also afraid, although I myself composed this story.
This horror movie had a particularly strong effect on you! You said you saw this story in your dream and couldn't sleep after that! My friends started laughing at you, and I was confused! You cried and left. When I came to your house a few days later to apologize, it turned out that you and your family had moved. Your parents took the documents from the school. All these years this story haunted me. I wanted to apologize, but I couldn't find you.
- You are confusing something, I don’t remember anything like that. Excuse me, - the girl had tears in her eyes, - I have to go!
- Nastya, I beg you, do not leave! Don't you want to ask where I got your button from? We met during the period when I was a slave in the kitchen and I had the seal of invisibility on me. I wanted to talk to you, but you didn't see me!
— Are you delirious? - Nastya stopped, - What are you talking about?
“I just want to say that I have been looking for you all my life to apologize. Please give me a chance.
“Well, okay, I remember you, or rather, I recognized you when I saw you in the portrait, but what difference does that make?
What can I do to make you forgive me?
The girl did not like to be angry for a long time, so she smiled and hesitated a little, said
- OK! Buy me, buy me ice cream! Seoul has all sorts of ice cream, but I haven’t found one like it here in my homeland!
- With pleasure! What kind of ice cream do you like? Strawberry or chocolate?
- Strawberry Chocolate!
Victor struggled to get through the girl's resentment, he went forward, casting aside his pride, he was ready for anything to earn forgiveness, and in the end he achieved his goal.
The girl really had some urgent business, but when the business was over, Victor suggested that she go to where the square once was. However, it turned out that this place now belongs to a sports club and you can’t just go there. However, this did not upset the young people very much.
They just walked to the Sports Harbor, smiled at the spring and the sun, and talked.
Nastya talked about herself. Victor listened and eagerly absorbed everything she told. Among other things, he learned that a month ago, almost when Victor saw Anastasia's face in a glass pyramid, she was admitted to the hospital. This is what happened, the girl was with friends at a ski resort. She was skiing pretty well, but as she went down the icy slope, she ran into an obstacle. A strange animal, unlike anything seen before, stood in the way of the girl, stood and simply looked at Anastasia. Realizing that a little more and crash into the animal, Nastya first tried to slow down, and when she failed, go around the animal. This maneuver led to the fact that she moved off the track. And then some kind of devilry began, the girl did not even notice how she ended up in a strange place. Moreover, suddenly she felt herself sinking into the snow. It was incredibly scary! She did not spend much time in the snow gap, but it seemed to her that time stretched out for years. She screamed and cried, tried to clear the snow and climb up, but she did not succeed. Friends discovered that Nastya had disappeared, and soon rescuers came along the track and rescued the girl from ice captivity. Anastasia was so ill that she had to be hospitalized.
- Nastya, how are you now, do you feel well?
- Yes, everything is fine now!
“May I ask what kind of animal was that that got in your way?”
- I don't know. When I told the rescuers what I saw, they showed me the footage from the cameras. According to the record, there was no animal. At some point, I just left the main track.
— But how could it be, maybe the cameras weren’t quite working properly?
- I asked the same question to the rescuers, but I found out that the cameras are checked and adjusted every day.
What a terrible and strange story.
- Yes. Now I want to ask a question, how did my button get to you?
“Yes, I’ll be happy to tell you,” Victor was about to tell Anastasia a story about rea ghost holder, about the seal of invisibility, and about how this green button fell into his hands, but suddenly changed his mind, he imagined what Nastya would think of him when he told her this story. — You must have dropped it at our house when you came to visit with your grandmother. Do you remember?
“No,” the girl laughed again, “I don’t remember!”
"Don't you remember at all?"
Well, if only a little!
Victor was happy, the dam of coldness was finally broken. Nastya laughed, Victor laughed too. The young man did not remember the last time he was so happy.
The week that the restaurant manager gave Victor to rest flew by like one day. Every day Victor met with Anastasia. The more they talked, the more he wanted to talk to her, listen to her. They even felt comfortable being silent together.
Anastasia had already asked Victor several times where he worked, the young man laughed it off, the last thing he wanted was for the girl to take him for a crazy person. Once Victor realized that the time had come. He decided that as soon as he returned to work, he would immediately put the manager on notice that he was leaving.
The final
Mr. Manager took the news that Victor wants to quit, calmly. He advised Victor to be patient and wait for the decision of the owner of the restaurant, Huangdi. The owner of the restaurant had to consult with a ghostly geomancer and choose a reward for the young man. Victor took a breath, he was glad that everything was going well. Now it was up to the little thing, to notify the hostess of the kitchen that soon she would be left without an employee.
“Mistress,” Victor laid out on a special table things that, in theory, should have had a good Tsukomogami. There were so many things that they could hardly fit on the table. - Here, I brought it!
"I can feel you sweat!" Are you afraid of something? Why is your heart beating so fast?
“I brought good things, Tsukomogami will cook good meals!”
Why do your eyes shine so much? Did something upset you? Did you cry?
“Madam, the manager told me that tomorrow we have to prepare dinner for a large company, a company of a thousand ghosts is expected. The general of the army and his fallen soldiers will sing terrifying songs, brandish weapons and recall stories of heroic deeds. You will need a lot of meat, a lot of rice and a lot of glorious wine! And Mr. Houtu asked to send geishas who would sing songs for the heroes.
“Slave, are you saying that there will be as many Tsukomogami in my kitchen as you brought things?”
- Yes. No.
Oh, your heart is beating even faster! What scared my slave so much?
Ohaguro-Bettari touched her lips with her finger.
“No, mistress, I’m not afraid of anything, I just don’t dare to tell you!”
- I know what you feel! I feel the same!
- Do you understand me? - Victor was delighted, - So you don't mind?
“The cherry blossom petals haven’t flown yet, why should I object?” Do you like being my slave? Yes?
“Miss, what are you talking about?”
- The boat floats on the river surface, the owner of the river lit the evening lanterns, women's laughter and men's voices are heard. May languor is felt in the air. Love comes with a warm wind, with morning dew, with the sound of a lonely flute. Now do you understand what I'm talking about?
- No. What you say is very beautiful, but I do not understand the essence of the conversation.
I came to tell you that my work is done. In a few days, your kitchen slave will be gone.
- No.
- What is this? Why are you looking at me like that?
- No, you won't leave. You will stay here forever, the best place on earth is next to me.
- Don't come near me! The manager, Mr. Houtu, told me that the distance between us should always be 15 paces. Why do you keep walking towards me?
- Because you are mine! - Ohaguro-Bettari came close to the young man. - I won't let you leave!
Victor staggered, the eyes of the ghostly mistress of the kitchen captured him! He would have been glad to close his eyes or run away from here, but the Japanese ghost did not allow him to do so.
Just as in childhood it seemed to him that somewhere very close by, a river was rolling its waters, a light breeze was blowing, and a beautiful geisha was sitting on the river bank and singing her gentle song.
Nine years ago, the same wraith Ohaguro-Bettari sent to Victor to destroy the child slave of the kitchen! Then the mirror calendar saved the boy, now no one was going to destroy the body of the young man, now his soul was in danger, but there was no mirror nearby.
The closer Ohaguro-Battari got, the weaker the young man felt. Finally, his legs gave out and he fell.
“Yes,” the hostess of the kitchen smiled with satisfaction, “so be it, your place is at my feet.” Why would you go somewhere when you can be in paradise now? I am your paradise, it's always summer here, the sun always shines here. I am a ghost, so I can live forever, and you will live forever next to me!
The sound of a bell rang out and the elevator doors opened. It was time to load new dishes into the elevator. However, Victor sat motionless and stared at one point.
“Slave,” the mistress of the kitchen pinched the young man painfully by the ear, “are you going to work today?”
- What was it? - the young man looked around the kitchen, - showing meI thought I was sitting by the river.
“So it was,” the Japanese ghost laughed, “did you have a good rest?” And now to work.
The young man worked continuously day and night. A week passed, the second, and the hostess of the kitchen was not even going to remove the seal of the slave from the forehead of the young man.
Victor has long ceased to feel like a person, a person. Next to the mistress of the kitchen, he was only a slave. Realizing that the days of his work in the kitchen were numbered, the hostess of the ghostly kitchen became more and more ruthless. It no longer looked like love, the feeling of a ghost woman turned into an obsession. The young man was rapidly losing strength, every movement, every step became more and more difficult for him. However, he did not complain, he understood that he would not wait for pity from the hostess of the kitchen. One day, he dropped a dish that Tsukomogami had just made. The mistress of the kitchen punished him mercilessly, the whip struck blow after blow. However, when consciousness left the young man completely, the hostess of the kitchen sat next to him, laid his head on her knees, and sang a song. She stroked and caressed the young man. It is not known how such work for wear and tear would have ended if the owner of the restaurant, Huangdi, had not finally made a decision. The sun had already set when the steward Houtu entered the kitchen to inform the young man that a gift was ready for him. What he saw angered and shocked the manager. The young man was unconscious. As soon as the steward opened his mouth to say something, Ohaguro-Battari hissed. The mistress of the kitchen now looked like a huge, furious cat. However, the manager of a restaurant for ghosts has seen more than that in his ghostly life. Without taking his eyes off Ohaguro-Battari, he raised his hand and in his hand was a whip. He did the same with the other hand. After that, the mistress of the kitchen was defeated. The whips bound her tightly. She tore, screamed and raged. However, Howtu no longer paid any attention to her. Dogs in red blankets picked up the young man. It took about three days before Victor came to his full senses. He could not be angry with his beautiful mistress, one of the dogs told him the reason why Ohaguro-Bettari behaved so cruelly to the young man. A love that had no future drove a Japanese ghost woman crazy.
The young man was waiting for an audience with the owner of the restaurant, and at this time the manager Houtu and the owner of the restaurant Huangdi were talking. Let's listen to what they have to say.
“…the Spirit of Changbanshan Mountain, my uncle, thinks it’s too early, but I have made up my mind.” Now is the time when they can be together. If obstacles are not removed from their path, they will never be able to be together again. This is my gift to the kitchen slave for his hard work. Let heavenly signs contradict their love, but I will reverse the elements. This time he will forget about everything forever. The road to our restaurant will never be opened to him again. You understand me? The owner of the restaurant looked at the manager, “Their love couldn’t happen in the past, it won’t be able to happen in the future if I don’t make a decision now.” The scales of time have swung too long. And now I say yes
- I agree with you, the young man worked hard, and there should be a reward! But here's what I'm worried about, what about the mistress of the kitchen? Her slave will not return to her again.
- Slave V dropped a green button in the kitchen when he was fighting for his sanity, he no longer needs a button. The story of Princess Xi and the white slave has come full circle and ended. The green button will remain with Ohaguro-Bettari. The mistress of the kitchen will no longer need to look for a slave who will cook the dishes. Tsukomogami - the slave of the green button will remain with her forever, and will fulfill her desires. Let it be so?
“So be it,” said the manager of the ghost restaurant to Houtu.
A young man named Victor walked out the door of the restaurant. For a while, he shook his head in disbelief. It seemed to him that he had forgotten something, but when he heard the sonorous voice of his bride, Anastasia, all extraneous thoughts flew out of his head. Spring is over, hot summer is coming.
http://proza.ru/2023/03/25/
http://proza.ru/2016/09/06/676
http://proza.ru/2016/09/08/558
http://proza.ru/2014/08/11/136
Street legends of Vladivostok
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