Thais Soter “Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple things

Thais Soter

Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple things

Series "Other Worlds"

* * *

I thank Carisa Lear, Eri, Atropos, Miriam Lavien and the magnificent nest in full for their support in writing, as well as my beloved readers who always find a way to please their unlucky author.

I escaped from the stuffy meeting room, filled with people hugging, laughing, and here and there crying, and went up to my old workshop. I will miss her almost more than my fellow students and teachers. There was no one in the workshop now, and I could allow myself to relax.

In my hands is the treasured diploma, my path to the future. Of course, happy and bright. Where I have a prestigious job, clients who value me and enough money not to deny myself anything. Now I, Sofia Werner, twenty-three years old, am a master of artifact research, a glorious successor to my family’s work, already having work experience and some kind of professional reputation.

She clinked glasses with one of the pot-bellied retorts and finished off her glass of champagne in one gulp. Today you can be a little frivolous.

I took off my graduation gown, which was too thick for summer, and took off my academic cap from my head. My hair has already grown to my shoulders, but today I chose not to put it up in a complicated hairstyle, but tied it with an elegant silk ribbon to match my light dress. Well, now I’m not a student, but just a young, pretty sorceress... with vague plans for life. Sad.

The door opened with an ominous creak, and the one I least wanted to see appeared on the threshold. I found it after all. Perhaps it was worth looking for a more reliable shelter.

– Sofia, will you marry me? – Martin Shefner asked me formally and even somewhat primly.

That's how I came across the most inappropriate offer that can be made to a specialist striving for independence.

It was an anniversary, twentieth marriage proposal. Since I started counting them. True, this proposal was different from others. Firstly, almost all the previous ones were done to me by a completely different man, probably looking for me now in the common room. Oh, if I had known that this would happen, I would not have left Peter a single step. And secondly, this time I could not refuse as easily and calmly as I had done before. If only because she owed Shefner an unpaid debt.

To understand how everything came to this terrible proposal from Mr. Scheffner, we need to somewhat clarify the essence of our relationship with his nephew, Peter. And by that time they were already difficult. It just so happened that Peter was in love with me since our first year.

We both entered the Artefactology Department of the Faculty of Applied Magic at Braig National University. I am by vocation, he is out of despair. And it’s not that it’s such a shame to be an artifact specialist - no more than a dozen such specialists graduated every year, and only at our university. The profession is respected and lucrative, all specialists are in great demand. One hundred percent job placement rate, mostly in government agencies. Yes, I couldn’t leave for a week when I found out that I was admitted after all!

But Peter was from a very influential family, so they expected something more... impressive from him. But he had no talent for combat and mental types of magic, so he was assigned to us, having found the beginnings of the ability to enchant objects. Needless to say, the young man was very disappointed and did not pay due attention to his studies?

And completely in vain. Artefacts is an area of magic that requires special scrupulousness and diligence. Even the simplest protective artifact, which each of us was supposed to be able to make at the end of the first year of training, required at least a day of work with minimal breaks for rest and food. And this is if there is a ready-made material carrier at hand. And if not, then like it or not, you will have to do it yourself. It was not for nothing that we were taught not only enchantment and the theory of magic, but also jewelry, blacksmithing, pottery, wood carving, and even sewing. We had to be able to work with all the materials, because it depended on them what enchantments could be cast on an object and how best to do it.

Therefore, it was difficult and uninteresting for Peter, a good fencer, shooter and horseman, who had never hammered a single nail or sewn a single button in his life, to study with us. And he probably would have dropped out of the first year if he had not suddenly become interested in my modest person. And then he suddenly became motivated and interested in studying. Obviously, he was one of those people who, falling in love, was ready to move mountains for the sake of his beloved. But I wasn’t too ready for his feelings and didn’t need a change of landscape, especially in such a radical way.

Probably, many could envy me and say that this happiness fell on me undeservedly. Peter was rich, noble and quite handsome. And why he became attached to me, and not to one of the law students from a noble family, was unclear. No, my pedigree was also considered good, if not impeccable, and I myself could not complain about my appearance and lack of interest on the part of men. True, this interest quickly faded away when it became clear that I was a boring and mundane person and was not suitable as an object of romantic interest. And I myself liked studying much more than going on dates. After all, I had a goal... no, not even that - a goal. I, Sophia Werner, did not want to become a respectable housewife or one of those unfortunate accomplices who riveted protective and combat artifacts for our military. I dreamed of becoming an independent master, inheriting my grandfather’s business and reviving the former glory of the Werner family as the best artifacts in the capital. And this is not so simple: in order to become an independent master, you needed either a lot of money or patronage, and I had neither of those. My family was going through difficult times.

I absolutely did not need Peter Scheffner’s sudden passion and even irritated me. I went on a couple of dates with him, however, hoping that after that he would fall away from me on his own. Didn't fall off. By the middle of my second year, I managed to get used to him and stopped taking his advances seriously, especially since he didn’t allow himself anything rude towards me, not counting one single stolen kiss on the second date. And therefore, when he offered me his heart and hand for the first time, I was somewhat unprepared for this. But she responded with a firm and principled refusal.

Series "Other Worlds"

* * *

I thank Carisa Lear, Eri, Atropos, Miriam Lavien and the magnificent nest in full for their support in writing, as well as my beloved readers who always find a way to please their unlucky author.

Chapter 1

She clinked glasses with one of the pot-bellied retorts and finished off her glass of champagne in one gulp. Today you can be a little frivolous.

The door opened with an ominous creak, and the one I least wanted to see appeared on the threshold. I found it after all. Perhaps it was worth looking for a more reliable shelter.

– Sofia, will you marry me? – Martin Shefner asked me formally and even somewhat primly.

That's how I came across the most inappropriate offer that can be made to a specialist striving for independence.

The profession is respected and lucrative, all specialists are in great demand. One hundred percent job placement rate, mostly in government agencies. Yes, I couldn’t leave for a week when I found out that I was admitted after all!

Whether he saw this as a challenge or perceived it as a game, after that he began to ask me to marry him regularly. I laughed it off, was offended, and once even set him an impossible condition, hoping that this would cool him off. They say, make me an artifact that I can’t make for myself. But by that time I had quite good success in my studies, and I also owned some family secrets, so it was not easy for even senior students to surpass my crafts.

Peter disappeared from my life for three months. I saw him only at school and in workshops when our schedules overlapped. And then he showed up at the door of my house - thinner, haggard, but damn happy. In his hands was a box with a silver bracelet - antique, expensive. But the charms on it were new and very strange.

What’s surprising is that I couldn’t understand what kind of weaving was put on the bracelet. Some kind of mental magic. But mentalism worked well with people, but not with soulless objects!

Grandfather, seeing the bracelet, demanded Peter for himself, without explaining anything to me. He looked at the young man, frowning his bushy eyebrows.

- Your charms?

“Mine,” Peter nodded proudly.

– Who invented weaving?

“I myself,” the young man said somewhat embarrassed.

“This is no longer true,” the grandfather shook his head disapprovingly. “I’ve already seen this weaving and this bracelet.” You yourself once helped your father cast spells.

“But the spells are new,” I objected.

– No, only slightly changed and re-imbued with power. Also delicate work and not easy, but still a fake.

Peter looked away, blushing.

- Did they figure you out? – I asked peacefully already in the kitchen, pouring tea with milk for Peter. – But you know, you’re still great. It must have been difficult to understand grandfather’s weaving patterns?

“I spent so much effort trying to figure out what my father and Master Werner had done,” Peter sighed. - So this doesn't count?

“It doesn’t count,” I answered, holding back a smile.

Still, I liked my classmate, even if I didn’t want to marry him. And my grandfather, oddly enough, also liked it, although he called him “the same dunce as his father.”

But I still gave that bracelet to Peter, offending him so much that he refused to tell me what kind of charm was on it.

Having visited my home and met my grandfather, Peter soon became a regular guest with us, justifying this by the fact that our family workshop was much more convenient for him than the university one.

“If I were younger, and your friend a little younger, I would take him as a student,” my grandfather once told me.

I was not offended by him, because from childhood I knew that, despite all my efforts, he would never see me as a worthy successor to the family business. He even considered my studies at the university to be self-indulgence, and when I took his last name, he remained silent. I know he was disappointed in my mother. She was his student, very talented, but she stopped working after marrying her father. He, although of an ancient family, was not rich and enjoyed my mother’s dowry. He forbade her to work: a woman from a noble family should not have soiled herself with work, especially one as dangerous and difficult as artifact research was sometimes. So her talent faded away, and soon her life. My grandfather did not forgive my mother’s betrayal, and after my father’s death from an illness that literally devastated the capital when I was seven, I was left an orphan, and he took me in and began to teach me the craft. But I never called her my student.

In my third year, Peter invited me to his house. He invited me before, but I usually refused, not wanting to get close to him. And then she agreed, having learned that Johann Heinz, an artifact specialist working at the court of our emperor, would be at the party. And it’s not even a matter of ranks, God bless them, I’ve never been greedy for that. They just told us that about him at university! Heinz was the best of the best, not counting, of course, my grandfather. But due to poor health, he rarely took orders, and therefore did not have much fame. Unlike Heinz.

And here I am sitting in the huge Shefner house, in my best dress and with my hair styled for once, and enjoying intelligent conversations with an intelligent person. And Heinz, although he was somewhat arrogant, loved to talk about his “art,” as he called artefactorics, and, realizing that I was able to carry on a conversation, he became a nightingale. All the other guests soon began to get bored and after dinner hastily scattered in all directions. Among the guests were mainly Peter's friends, the same wealthy and useless hacks as he once was, as well as several girls from noble families. Compared to their dresses, mine looked simple and unfashionable, but this did not bother me at all.

– Master Heinz, let me ask a question.

- Yes darling? – the artifacter said good-naturedly, puffing on his pipe.

– How was Peter able to drag you to this evening? Are you interested in joining us?

- Oh, to be honest, he bribed me. I needed to meet his uncle for a long time, but Martin Scheffner still couldn’t find time for me. And Peter promised that I could see him today. Apparently, I cheated, but I don’t regret it at all. After all, I had a chance to meet you, my dear.

I blushed, flattered by his words. The thought even appeared in my head that he would now offer to become his student and invite her to work in the palace. Of course, I will refuse, because my plans were to become an independent master...

– Maybe someday you will come to visit me, Sofia? – Heinz suggested meanwhile. - I would introduce you to my son. He is my heir, very talented, but, unfortunately, still not married. If only he had a wife like you, who understands all the difficulties of his work and is ready to support...

I wilted, but still answered firmly:

– Thank you, Master Heinz, but still I am not yet focused on marriage. At first I would like to achieve something in life on my own.

- Commendable aspirations. My nephew could use that kind of determination,” someone said nearby, making me flinch.

I was so carried away by the conversation that I didn’t notice how a gentleman I didn’t know approached us. And he definitely wasn’t among the guests. An adult, ten years older than everyone present, not counting Master Heinz. With sharp sharp features, a slightly massive nose with a hump and dark hair. The eyes are also dark, almost black, and somewhat unhappy.

- Mr. Shefner, I finally met you! It is vital for me to talk to you about the project that you launched with Werner.

I shuddered when I heard my family's name. So this is Peter's uncle and he has some business with my grandfather.

Martin Shefner was a very influential person in the capital. The head of imperial security, who received his position by exposing the treason of the former head. Quite young, a little over thirty, secretive and very unpleasant to talk to. This is what I heard about him from others. Peter preferred not to talk about his uncle at all. I knew that, having lost my parents due to the same epidemic that took the life of my father, he lived for some time with distant relatives, and it was not easy for him there. And when the boy turned twelve, he ran away from home. Peter was found by his uncle, who had already reached good heights in the Security Council. Found it and left it in my house. True, judging by Peter’s carelessness, he didn’t take much care in his upbringing and didn’t train his nephew, which might be for the best. Such a person would hardly be a good teacher for the frivolous Peter, who does not tolerate any pressure on himself.

Heinz and Scheffner left and I could finally relax. Then the excited Peter galloped up on horseback.

- This is a disaster, a disaster! – he groaned, collapsing into a chair.

- What exactly?

“I didn’t think my uncle was in the capital.” I didn't tell him anything about the evening!

– Ay-ay, I deceived not only Master Heinz, but also my uncle. I guess we should leave before we get kicked out?

Peter looked at me with a pleading look.

- Sophie, stay! This is your first time in my house! When will I be able to show you... - He paused, and then solemnly continued: - My books on magic!

-You mean uncles? – I chuckled. – Why do I, an artifactor, need books on mental magic?

- Well, why don’t you find any benefit?

In the end, I agreed and, leaving Peter to entertain the guests, I settled comfortably in the Shefner library. And then, without even noticing, she fell asleep.

I woke up from a touch on my shoulder. Martin Shefner stood above me, looking at me with some amazement in his eyes.

“Sorry,” I muttered, standing up awkwardly. - What time is it now?

- It’s already twelve. Your family won't worry about you? Or is it natural for you not to come home to sleep?

I blushed, offended by the hint.

- No, not natural, I’ll leave right now.

What I was most annoyed about was that Peter didn’t wake me up.

“He’s still partying with his friends,” Shefner said, reading my thoughts. “However, I’m going to kick them out too.”

– Don’t like guests? – I muttered, expressing a yawn into my palm.

– I don’t like my nephew’s friends. But you are not like his usual girlfriends. What is your name?

“Sofia,” answered, confused, “Sofia Werner.”

- Werner, then? – Shefner raised his eyebrows. - Did not recognize.

- We have met?

– I once saw you in your house, just as a child. Other people's children grow up quickly. I knew you were studying with Peter, but I didn't think you were close.

“We are friends,” I answered almost honestly. Don’t tell me that his nephew constantly proposes to me and doesn’t live in my house!

Interestingly, Martin Shefner himself did not know this. Apparently Peter didn't tell my uncle about me, and he wasn't very interested in his nephew's life.

Shefner frowned with displeasure, not very happy about our friendship with Peter.

“Wait, I’ll take you home, Fraulein,” he said to me behind me when I was already at the door of the library.

- It’s not worth it, Peter promised me...

- He got drunk. And now it is too late for the young lady to return alone.

The fact that my driver would be the head of the Security Service himself was terribly embarrassing. But the embarrassment passed as soon as I saw Shefner’s chrome car.

- Wow! – I muttered, running around the car and examining the spell placed on it. - Wow! Yes, with such a crumb, it’s not scary to crash into a wall at full speed! Yes, if you fall off a cliff, there won’t even be a scratch left on you! This is skill...

Then I froze, realizing that the style of weaving charms was familiar to me. She looked up at Shefner, still calm and even bored, and asked:

- Was it my grandfather who enchanted the car?

“It’s him,” he confirmed calmly.

- Why not Master Heinz?

– I trust Master Werner. Even Heinz is still far from him.

Then I almost kissed Uncle Peter. Although he, of course, is not a very “kissing” man - he looks like if you touched him, you would immediately cut yourself. At least that's what it seemed at first glance.

“Yes, that’s true,” she nodded solemnly.

And already in the car I asked Shefner:

– Why didn’t I know that you were my grandfather’s regular customer?

“Because your grandfather, Sophia, is a smart enough person to remain silent about our cooperation when I ask for it,” Martin said softly, looking at me in the windshield mirror. – I hope you will take this into account.

The hint was clear.

Martin Shefner seemed a little dark and scary to me, but our first meeting was quite interesting. Despite my desire to be an adult and responsible, I was still a young girl, and meeting such an influential person as Mr. Shefner pleasantly tickled my nerves and flattered my pride. Come to think of it, the head of the Security Service himself gave me a ride! And even in a car filled with the most first-class charms! If I get rich, I’ll buy a car and make myself even better...

However, although Mr. Shefner made an impression on me, I had no desire to see him again, and I responded with a firm refusal to all of Peter’s subsequent attempts to invite me to visit.

- But why? - whined this already grown man, who had forgotten that he had grown up and no one was going to dance around him with rattles.

“You got drunk and forgot about me.” Because of you, I got hit by my grandfather.

“I looked in the library, you weren’t there.” And I thought that you had already left...

“You’re a fool,” I answered kindly and hit the top of the dark-haired head with a folded notebook. “If it weren’t for your uncle, I would have been home even later.”

- What about uncle? – Peter asked warily.

- He gave me a lift.

- Doesn't look like him. I hope he didn't say nasty things about me?

I shook my head in surprise.

- Don’t you guys get along very well?

“He’s hard to get along with,” Peter grumbled.

After that we didn’t talk about Martin Shefner, and I didn’t think about him at all. Still, we lived with him in different worlds - he is in the world of big politics, among dirty secrets, betrayals and intrigues. And in those days when I wasn’t studying and wasn’t trying to make something and stuff it with charms so that it wouldn’t explode, I sat reading books and if I went out somewhere, it was only to the park near my house.

In the park, to my surprise, I met Martin for the second time. Almost six months have passed since our first meeting, and I just started writing my bachelor’s thesis project. Yes, a little early, even before the start of the fourth year, but I was really impatient to get to work. While I was at the stage of constructing diagrams and at the same time trying to understand what material was best to use for my charms.

My idea was quite banal - invisibility for the bearer of my artifact. But here it is worth understanding that, despite all the attempts made, no one has succeeded in achieving complete invisibility. As I believed, it was because of the “chameleon” principle, which was most often used for such charms: basically all the artifacts were made so that the object would merge with the environment and mimic. I took a different principle: the bearer of my artifact should simply fall out of people’s sight, so that they would look at it and not see it.

Only some mental magicians could do this. But there were even fewer of them than us artifactors, and besides, everyone knows that mental magic is not suitable for material carriers. So before I tried to combine it and artifactorics, I needed to understand whether I could even independently remake the mental spell to suit my needs.

One out of two. Either I will fail my thesis project, or I will make a breakthrough in my field. Fifty fifty. In my opinion, the chances are good.

By the third week of working on the project, my brain was already racing. Grandfather, once again finding me doing calculations, could not stand it and, having taken away all the papers, simply pushed me out into the street.

“Very soon you’ll become pale and sick,” he grumbled. - Summer is just around the corner. Go for a walk and don’t come back until evening.

So I ended up in the park, and not in my best shape. Rumpled from lack of sleep, pale (here my grandfather was right, a little sunshine could do with me) and, as it turned out later, with ink-stained fingers. I tried to rub off a few stains and then gave up on it. There are mothers and babies walking in the park now, who should I impress?

What should student and talented artifact designer Sophia Werner do if the head of imperial security offers her his hand and heart? It would seem that you need to dance for joy, but no. Sophie dreams of having her own business and is in no hurry to tie the knot. But Martin Shefner is not Sophie's only problem. With her thesis, the girl managed to affect the interests of two very dangerous structures at once. And who knows what is worse - working for the War Ministry or for the security service? Or maybe after all... get married?

A series: Other Worlds (AST)

* * *

by liters company.

Two days were allotted for the defense of bachelor's projects. A diploma was usually given to everyone who was able to complete their fourth year of study, but only those who had not yet reached the limits of their capabilities and showed good results in defending a project were accepted into the master’s program. Usually a third or even half of the artifacts were cut off. The bachelors had no problems finding a job in their profession, but they could no longer get truly high positions. And my task was not only to stay at the university, but also to become the best! Not only and not so much for the sake of reputation and by no means for vanity reasons. I wanted the Werners to be talked about again as the best artifacts of the Graydor Empire. This was supposed to be my gift to my grandfather.

But the doubts that Shefner planted in me prevented me from calmly waiting for the day of defense. I was confident in my work, but I wasn’t sure whether it was worth showing it to the commission. Moreover, the composition of experts this year was unexpectedly impressive.

In addition to the dean of the Faculty of Applied Magic and our head of the department, Professor Morike, people from outside were invited to evaluate students' final works. For more than ten years, Master Heinz, the court artifact, sat on the commission. Artefacturers from the War Department were almost always present, especially if some student work was of interest to them. This year there were two such graduates - Peter Shefner and Lianar Stormann, who is working on improving the armor. Although the latter had some success, the work was still rough. But Peter, unexpectedly for others and quite expected for me, who watched the entire progress of the work, created a really good artifact. Its “silencer” made it possible to make a shot from a firearm almost three times quieter and at the same time was suitable for both hunting rifles and police revolvers.

And yet this in no way explained the fact that Gregor Reinecke himself, the chief artifact officer of the ministry, who usually did not condescend to students, decided to join the commission. But what’s even worse is that the head of the Security Council, Martin Shefner, honored the bachelor artefacturers with his presence at the defense. Most of my fellow students were terribly worried about this - Shefner had a frightening reputation. Everyone blamed Peter for his presence - they say, his uncle wanted to see his nephew’s success in person. Maybe that was the case, but I kept remembering our last conversation in the workshop.

My speech was scheduled for the second day of my defense, like Peter’s. Still doubting the correctness of the decision, I let all my classmates go ahead. And when Peter, beaming and joyful, jumped out of the hall, I only managed to hug him, and then the secretary invited me to enter. Clutching the box with my creation tightly to my chest, I boldly stepped over the threshold, appearing before the best artifacts of the empire. And Martin Shefner, so that...

Standing before the commission turned out to be quite exciting. I admit, I was somewhat confused, especially when I saw the boredom on the faces of some of the commission members. And the representative of the ministry, Reinecke, looked at me with contempt. This not yet old master did not consider girls suitable for such a complex art as artifact making. However, like Heinz, he clearly sympathized with me.

“Please introduce yourself,” Professor Morike asked me, smiling good-naturedly.

– Sofia Werner.

- Werner? – Reinecke chuckled, looking at me meticulously. – A relative of August Werner?

“His granddaughter,” Morike prompted. – And one of the strongest students in our department over the past few years.

“Old school,” the dean nodded understandingly. - Well, what will you please us with, Sofia?

I glanced quickly at Shefner, expecting to see... mockery in his eyes? Approval and support? Don't know. But he looked at me quite indifferently, as if not recognizing me. Having laid my bachelor's thesis before the commission, I began:

– My task was to construct an artifact of invisibility...

– Optical camouflage? Interesting,” Reinecke immediately interrupted me, without even looking in the direction of the dissertation.

He wonders how. My eyes lit up with gloating in anticipation of recognition of my failure.

- Not really. The artifact does not work on the basis of optical illusion, but uses the principles of mental magic. In fact, it makes those who fall under its influence forget about the presence of the person wearing my artifact.

– Will we be able to see this? – the dean asked boredly, looking at my dissertation. – Or is your work purely theoretical?

“Even theoretical research in this area is very valuable,” Martin Shefner said, and I saw in his eyes... a warning?

He gave me the opportunity to back down.

I nodded decisively to myself and, putting the box on the floor, took out the artifact from it. Heinz was the first to break down and burst out laughing loudly, while Reinecke burst out laughing. The dean looked at Professor Morike in surprise, but he spread his hands:

– This is the first time I’ve seen the work of student Werner. No offense to you, Sofia, but why did you choose such a... bright and noticeable form for the artifact of invisibility?

I was holding in my hands a scarf I had knitted myself, consisting of many multi-colored scraps, and so long that even wrapped several times around my neck, it went down almost to my knees.

Reminding myself to remain calm, I threw a scarf over myself and, moving to the window, sat on the windowsill, enjoying the unfolding performance.

“The current students are so pretentious,” Reinecke said, stretching.

“You were the same, Gregor,” said Professor Morike, standing up. - So, let's take a short break and have a snack. It is better to discuss student grades in a complacent and well-fed state.

“You worry too much about them,” said the dean, transferring my dissertation to the others.

Everyone gathered, quietly talking and exchanging impressions about the students. The secretary coughed, attracting the management's attention.

- Excuse me, but what about student Werner?

- Oh, that sweet blonde girl! – Heinz nodded. – By the way, I don’t remember her performing. Isn't she in a band with your nephew, Martin?

“Exactly,” Shefner answered calmly, still sitting in his seat.

- So call her! – Reinecke said impatiently.

The secretary blushed.

– She is already listed in the protocol as a speaker.

“What nonsense,” muttered Dean Ligman.

Morike was the first to guess. He pulled the stack of dissertations towards him and, taking my folder in his hands, beaming, showed it to the others.

– Mental artifact of invisibility! Do you understand what this means?!

Reinecke frowned:

- And what?

- It worked! I believe Sofia is here now and laughing at us old people who were so cleverly fooled!

“Let’s say we didn’t manage to deceive everyone,” Martin said quietly, winking at me.

The dean, noticing where Shefner was looking, turned sharply in my direction, passed his hand in front of his eyes, as if removing the cobwebs of a spell, and his gaze cleared.

- Student Werner! You really managed to amaze me today!

As a result, everyone was able to see me except the secretary who did not know magic.

“Come here, Sophia,” Professor Morike invited me.

I jumped down to the floor and headed towards the commission tables. And then everyone forgot about me except the mental magician. True, this time it’s not final.

– There was just a student here with an artifact of invisibility, where did she go? – the head of the department asked confused.

“Exactly, it was,” agreed Professor Ligman. He looked again at the dissertation in his hands and slapped himself on the forehead. – Sofia Werner! Has she managed to make us forget about her again?

- She started to move. I believe you were able to see her the first time because she remained in a static position for a long time,” Shefner helpfully suggested.

- You are absolutely right.

I took off my scarf, fearing to irritate the commission. Look, Reineke is already frowning with displeasure, annoyed that he was fooled twice.

– Why didn’t the spell work on you, Mr. Shefner? – he asked sharply.

“I’m afraid the student Werner’s charms are not so good as to affect a mental magician,” Shefner answered condescendingly, causing irritation in everyone. – Sofia, how many people can your artifact reach at the same time?

“About ten, but if the objects are magicians, then less,” I admitted. - And at a distance of no more than twenty meters.

– Other restrictions? “Master Reinecke snatched the scarf from my hands and almost began to sniff it.

– The spell must be started with a magical impulse and renewed no later than three hours later.

Heinz grabbed the other end of the scarf carnivorously, and I now seriously feared for the fate of my product.

– That is, not only a magician can use the artifact, but he is not able to act independently for a long time. “Very inconvenient,” Shefner noted.

“In the future, the work period can be increased significantly,” I rushed to defend my beloved brainchild. – And even make the spell self-sustaining!

In the mentalist’s gaze one could clearly read: “What a fool!”, so I hastily turned away from him.

“I can’t understand how it works,” Reinecke muttered. – It looks like the hand of Master Werner, but is somehow different. Why doesn't the spell break?

– In fact, this is not one artifact, but several interconnected, like patches. Each of these patches has its own function,” I explained. – This principle can be used if you need to enchant a large and technically complex object like a car.

I saw similar charms for the first time on Scheffner's car, but judging by Reinecke's unexpectedly sharp and cold gaze, the War Department knew about this style and was willing to use it. But we weren’t taught anything like that, and my grandfather didn’t tell me either...

“I believe Master Reinecke means that no one has ever managed to pull off such a trick with mental magic,” the dean explained. – What horizons can this open up for artifacts...

“I’m not sure that anyone will be able to repeat the artifact of student Werner,” said Professor Morike. “August and I once studied together, and one of the features of his work was that even our teacher could not accurately reproduce his charms. Augustus could never boast of great powers, but he had no equal in the subtlety of his spellwork. Sofia clearly inherited her grandfather's abilities, but also has a much greater magical reserve.

Now both Heinz and Reinecke were looking at me carnivorously. And only Professor Morike’s gaze was somewhat sad, as if he was already saying goodbye to me.

“You’re exaggerating somewhat...” I noted cautiously, glancing towards the door. I did not expect such “success”, nor did I expect such a setup from my favorite professor. But I went to him for advice on how to make sure that the artifact did not get lost somewhere in the basements of the ministry. And Morike convinced me that the university would be on my side! Well, yes, the artifact may be able to be saved. But how to avoid ending up in these very basements of the ministry. - I'll go, right?

“Go,” the dean nodded to me benevolently. - So, it seems we wanted to have a little snack?

I hastily rushed out of the meeting room, leaving my scarf for the commission. All the same, he won’t work without me - not because of some of my mythical abilities, but because of protective spells that cannot be removed without my help.

-Where are you rushing to? – Peter asked, following me.

– Did you fail the defense?!

I didn’t have time to answer - Master Reinecke called out to me. We had to stop.

“Student Shefner, leave us,” the ministerial artifact ordered.

Peter reluctantly walked away, leaving us alone.

– Dean Trogar said that you asked him for an internship in the Department of Magical Inventions.

- This is true.

This idea was again suggested to me by Morike, although I did not want to get involved with official structures at all. The department is at least a much less gloomy place than the War Ministry or the Security Service. I could learn a lot there, and after finishing my studies I could calmly leave there and go on a free voyage.

– I wanted to offer you an internship with us.

“You don’t have female artificers working for you,” I voiced a well-known fact.

- Stop it! “Reineke grabbed me tightly by the elbow and dragged me somewhere along with him. “It’s time to say goodbye to outdated views.” No one will send you to the battlefield! Do you know that your grandfather also once collaborated quite successfully with us? I had the opportunity to work with him for some time, and in gratitude for his patronage, I would like to help you too. The Department of Inventions is a gathering of weirdos and dreamers; all the most interesting things are created within completely different walls! The best masters work for us! When you join us...

I planted my feet on the floor, forcing Reineke to slow down. But he never let go of my hand.

“I refuse,” she said firmly. - Please let me go. I'm very tired and want to rest a little.

“Indeed, Gregor,” came a mocking voice. - Let the girl go, otherwise people will think badly of you.

For the first time I was so happy to see Shefner Sr. And pretty soon I regretted it.

“Student Werner has already signed a cooperation agreement with my service,” said this impossible guy, smiling pleasantly.

Taking advantage of the fact that Reinecke was a little confused, I freed myself and stepped aside, looking at the mentalist from under my brows.

“Werner told me that she was going to do an internship in the department,” the artifact specialist objected. So I'm afraid you're on to something, Martin.

– Sofia told you that? I'm afraid she lied. I asked student Werner not to talk about the contract concluded between us for now.

I opened my mouth to express my indignation, but realized that I simply could not utter a word. It was as if I had completely forgotten how human speech should sound. The damn mentalist cast a spell on me!

- You can see. All signatures are there, and even certified by Professor Morike.

He unfolded the paper and grimaced his face.

- So that's why you're here. So, the Security Council has been overseeing this project for a long time?

– Do you really think that I will leave developments in the field of mental magic unattended? – Shefner raised his eyebrows arrogantly.

Reineke snorted and left without saying goodbye. Now Shefner, without bothering to remove the spell, grabbed my hand and led me along. I was lucky that no one saw us, otherwise I definitely would not have avoided the rumors. Looking into one of the classrooms and making sure that it was empty, he dragged me there and, closing the door behind us, freed me from the mental influence.

I sat down at one of the desks and laid my heavy head on the table. The touch of cool wood against hot skin was pleasant. I suddenly lost almost all my strength, and even my anger at the mentalist was somehow sluggish. Everything that was happening seemed like some kind of bad dream. This is not at all how I imagined my defense...

- Sofia, are you okay?

“No,” I answered sadly. - I want to die. Why are you doing this to me, Mr. Shefner?

“Oh, so you just decided to indulge in spleen,” the mentalist chuckled. - Sorry for using coercion on you. You left me no other choice.

“I won’t forgive you,” I answered weakly. - I don’t want to see you. Go away. And I won’t go to you for an internship, even if I get expelled. I don’t know what kind of document you showed Reineke there, but I personally didn’t sign anything and won’t sign anything.

- Sofia, you stupid child.

The magician carefully touched my hair. I hastily straightened up, looking at him with round eyes.

- What are you doing?!

Shefner smiled contentedly.

- Well, you’ve come to your senses. Otherwise I thought that you again decided to sleep in my presence. I am, of course, very grateful that you trust me so much, but right now I need your full attention.

– I am listening to you very carefully! – hissed.

“Do you realize that a few minutes ago I got you out of a lot of trouble?” The War Department is not at all the place where you can spend pleasant time honing your talent.

– So your office is the best alternative to VM? And the department too?

“The department wouldn’t protect you,” the magician put his hands on the table and leaned towards me, our faces were on the same level. I've never seen Shefner this close before. For example, I had not noticed a small mole on my right temple before. As well as slight asymmetry of the eyes. It was because of her that it was always difficult for me to understand with what expression he looked at me. The right half of the face seemed quite good-natured, and the left - somehow sinister. - Why are you looking at me like that?

I blinked, coming to my senses.

- Yes, so... What did you say there?

Now Shefner's face was completely sinister.

“I said the department won’t protect you.” Do you really think that if I was able to put pressure on the dean, then Reinecke or Heinz won’t do the same?

- What are you talking about? You threatened our dean?! – I was indignant.

“There wasn’t even any need to threaten here,” Shefner winced. - Just to remind you of something.

– Why did you give up my artifact if you bypass it so easily?

“It’s not about the artifact, and Reinecke understands this, and Heinz will soon understand it.” For student work, your scarf is more than good, but, in addition to other principles of operation, it is not much more convenient than those found in our military structures. Much more interesting is your ability to work with mental magic and create spells based on it. “He brought his face closer to me and exhaled almost into my lips, parted in amazement: “I have a great temptation to take you over completely.” Hide from prying eyes and find out what you are capable of in good hands.

Shefner pulled away and sighed.

– It sounded somewhat ambiguous, I agree. I'm just upset that it was you... It doesn't matter. Nothing can be done.

– Can’t you help it? What's with this mental magic? There are, of course, few mentalists, but no one threatens them, and no one persecutes them!

“If you haven’t noticed, dear Sofia,” Shefner said in a casual tone, crossing his arms over his chest, “then all mentalists work for government agencies, regardless of the strength of the gift.” Our skill is too dangerous. Dangerous and unpredictable. At least because only other mentalists can track and control the gift of mentalists; ordinary people or other magicians are powerless here. But you, Sophia, are potentially capable of creating artifacts that will not only replace mental magicians, but will also be able to track and control the mental gift. When Morike spoke about the uniqueness of your abilities, he thereby protected you from me.

- Defended? – I echoed. – So that I don’t end up in the Security Service?

“So that I don’t kill you,” the magician said completely calmly. – First, of course, using your abilities to the fullest. You are a great threat to some and at the same time a great temptation to others. Reinecke, I think, is already dreaming of a laboratory in which mental artifacts are riveted - controlling and subjugating... And he will direct them not only to my colleagues, but also to those whom the War Ministry could not recruit in any other way. Can you imagine a society where there will be no prisons and no dissatisfied people? An ideal society that will soon turn into hell on earth. True, if you believe Morika, mass production will not work for him, since your gift is unique. Therefore, our state is relatively safe. Unlike you. So I highly recommend working with me, Sofia.

Shefner was able to really scare me. If he had spoken to me like that before, I would have forgotten about my desire to show everyone my exclusivity. But, apparently, it was too late. However, you cannot allow yourself to be intimidated, nor should you allow yourself to show your weakness. Otherwise they will eat me and not even choke.

- What makes you better? – I asked quietly.

– Because I promise that your internship will remain an internship, and will not turn into a legalized form of slavery. You will come to our workshops two or three times a week for two years, work with our masters, learn from them. And then you can leave and do what interests you, and not the state.

- Just like that? – she asked incredulously.

– What about the contract that you signed behind my back? – I reminded.

“Oh, the contract,” Shefner’s dark eyes flashed slyly. - This?

He handed me the paper that Reinecke had shown before. I looked at the empty sheet, turned it over - it was also empty. She looked up blankly.

- What is this?

– Reineke saw what he wanted. Of course, maybe later it will dawn on him that he was deceived, but I hope that by this time we will have settled all the formal issues.

Mentalist stuff. Disgusting.

- Why are you trying to persuade me? “We’d be brainwashed and that’s all,” I said tiredly.

- There is no need for that. You're a smart girl. Come see the dean tomorrow. I will leave all the necessary documents for him to sign. And have a nice holiday, Sofia.

Still, they patted me on the head and finally left me alone.

Already at the gates of the university, Peter caught me.

-You're all pale! What's happened? – he asked worriedly.

“It seems I’ve just been recruited by SB... I’ll be doing an internship with your uncle.”

- So that means he fulfilled my request! – Peter was delighted.

I slowed down, slowly turning to face my friend.

- You mean a request?

“I’ll also have to do an internship in his office, and without you I’d be completely bored out of my mind.”

I forced myself to calm down, reminding myself that all my misadventures were still my fault. And Shefner Sr., of course.

“These will be fun days, I have no doubt.”

Peter was so caught up in his joy that he didn’t hear the sarcasm in my words.

– By the way, the results were announced – we both passed! Shall we go celebrate?

“Let’s go,” I nodded obediently.

– Will you go to a picnic with me tomorrow?

Why not go? Now I urgently needed something to distract myself. And Peter was always good at distracting me from bad thoughts and worries.

-Will you marry me? - the friend suggested insidiously.

- You... Ha, almost caught it! By the way, this is already the fifteenth marriage proposal from you. Maybe it's time to give up?

– Chefners don’t give up! – Peter declared pathetically.

“So, Mr. Shefner Sr., you think that I can create a protective artifact against mental magic? Oh, I hope to live up to all your expectations. You will regret that you brought me to this idea...”

“When you smile like that, Sophie, I get scared,” Peter said thoughtfully.

- Never mind. I was just thinking about future projects.

– This is what scares me... But no matter what you come up with, you can count on me!

I impulsively hugged my friend. How dear Peter is! It's a pity that his uncle is completely different from him.

Martin refused the drinking party that the dean of the Faculty of Applied Magic decided to arrange, citing business. In fact, he didn’t plan anything, but the mood was so... contradictory. On the one hand, he achieved what he wanted, but the methods were not very pleasing. He frightened the girl and almost became an enemy in her eyes. It really made a lasting impression!

Taxiing towards the house, the magician saw his nephew in the company of Sophie. Peter walked, as always, actively waving his arms and almost jumping. The girl looked rather depressed and did not listen to Peter too carefully. Martin felt a pang of guilt. He slowed down, intending to give the guys a lift, but Sophie suddenly smiled and then hugged Peter.

- Hey, what kind of immoral behavior! – Martin was indignant out loud. My mood immediately went from average to bad.

He understood perfectly well why Peter was attracted to Sophia. The nephew lost his mother early, but it cannot be said that he had one before that. Teresa, who once charmed his brother, turned out to be a cold bitch who didn’t care about her husband or son. Peter, a lively and intelligent child, had to dodge to get at least a little of his mother's attention. So it’s not surprising that Peter fell in love with Sophie, who not only looked like Teresa, but also behaved almost the same. But if the behavior of Peter’s mother hid naked selfishness, then Sophie remained cold towards people only because she was overly carried away by her ideas and thoughts. Martin understood his nephew - he really wanted to amaze and captivate her. Make her really see herself, the way she looked at him at the university: without taking her intense gaze off, catching his every word...

“I’m going crazy,” Martin muttered, realizing that young Werner was stupidly jealous of his nephew. – You can’t mix personal matters with work. And she is now a job for you.

He forced himself to stop at the side of the road and watched the couple until they disappeared around the bend. And then he leaned back in the driver’s seat, bringing a funny colorful scarf to his face. Martin felt Sophie's magic, as unusual as she was. Unique. And also the aroma of perfume: honeysuckle and lemon. He liked the way she smelled. However, he seemed to like everything about Sophia Werner. Except for her friendship with Peter.

And he had absolutely no idea what this would lead to. Unlike his nephew, Martin preferred to approach everything wisely, rather than be guided by blind feelings. His life was planned for years in advance. And yes, he was going to get married, sooner or later. But he saw his wife as a soft and patient woman who would not interfere with him and would be almost invisible. The impetuous and sometimes harsh Sophie was definitely not suitable for this role, and making Master Werner’s granddaughter his mistress was completely unthinkable - the girl simply did not deserve it.

She had no place in his life, but she hardly wanted to have one. But Martin understood that he was drawn to Sophie more and more every time.

* * *

The given introductory fragment of the book Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple things (Thais Soter, 2016) provided by our book partner -

Thais Soter

SIMPLE THINGS

I thank Carisa Lear, Eri, Atropos, Miriam Lavien and the magnificent nest in full for their support in writing, as well as my beloved readers who always find a way to please their unlucky author.

In my hands is the treasured diploma, my path to the future. Of course, happy and bright. Where I have a prestigious job, clients who value me and enough money not to deny myself anything. Now I, Sofia Werner, twenty-three years old, am a master of artifact science, a glorious successor to my family’s work, already having work experience and some kind of professional reputation.

She clinked glasses with one of the pot-bellied retorts and finished off her glass of champagne in one gulp. Today you can be a little frivolous.

The door opened with an ominous creak, and the one I least wanted to see appeared on the threshold. I found it after all. Perhaps it was worth looking for a more reliable shelter.

Sofia, will you marry me? - Martin Shefner asked me formally and even somehow primly.

That's how I came across the most inappropriate offer that can be made to a specialist striving for independence.

And completely in vain. Artefacts is an area of magic that requires special scrupulousness and diligence. Even the simplest protective artifact, which each of us was supposed to be able to make at the end of the first year of training, required at least a day of work with minimal breaks for rest and food. And this is if there is a ready-made material carrier at hand. And if not, then like it or not, you will have to do it yourself. It is not for nothing that we were taught not only enchantment and the theory of magic, but also

What do you tell a girl who doesn’t know how to love to do? The answer suggests itself. Brainwash her. And the handsome tyrant copes with this very well. As a result, the beauty falls in love...

Thais Soter is a young writer from Kazan. Her track record includes several novels and stories on love themes and more. We invite you to read the next brainchild of the writer - “Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple things".

Sofia Werner is the heiress of a magician. The ancestor dies, and the girl becomes a tasty morsel for all sorts of government organizations whose goal is power over the country. Sofia urgently needs a protector. His role is played by a relative of her old friend. And what will come of all this? The honor of the magician family will be protected. Independence has been preserved. The games of the powerful have been unraveled. Only it was not possible to save the heart from love... Which is not surprising. Too many men around are fascinated by Sofia. But she is still that flint. She behaves coldly towards them and is busy with work. Her dream is to buy herself a car. All. Let the guys wait for now. Although, if you think about it, there are many who want to give her this car. But our heroine is still young, stupid... Only Martin Shefner is able to bring her to reason.

Read the book “Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple things" is nice. A leisurely narrative describing a couple of the brightest years in the life of the main character. Unobtrusive humor and romantic moments soften the aggressive scenes of kidnappings and assassinations. There was also a place for death here. But there is very little love in the novel. Therefore, if you do not really respect all sorts of sweet love stories, then the “Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple things" is just for you. Steampunk at its finest.

The author Thais Soter describes in great detail the different types of magic present in the work. He suggests reading about artifactors (you’ll find out who they are from the book), battle magicians, mentalists, alchemists, and healers.

The ending is unexpected. But considering that Sophie is an artifact, her antics are not surprising. They are strange, these figures, and one cannot expect standard actions from them.

Conclusion: the book “Faculty of Applied Magic. Simple Things” gives the impression of being pleasant, romantic, sometimes naive, but interesting. You will definitely want to get acquainted with other works by Thais Sauter. The author is also working on a sequel to The Faculty. Therefore, the story is not over yet. Look forward to!

On our literary website you can download the book “Simple Things” by Thais Soter for free in formats suitable for different devices - epub, fb2, txt, rtf. Do you like to read books and always keep up with new releases? We have a large selection of books of various genres: classics, modern fiction, psychological literature and children's publications. In addition, we offer interesting and educational articles for aspiring writers and all those who want to learn how to write beautifully. Each of our visitors will be able to find something useful and exciting for themselves.