Tursed my worid upside down

"Klaus, come to my office after your shift."

"Is that necessary? I don't want to linger here."

"I need to talk to you, - insisted Clara."

"I'm taking a smoke break."

"Why can't you be as friendly with me as you are with the clients?" she smiled.

"I don't get paid extra for this."

Klaus went to the emergency exit to the improvised smoking room for the staff. He understood why almost all the employees smoked. It was the only way to get a break from the annoying guests. The guy took out a new pack of cigarettes and lit it.

"Disgusting," he said, exhaling smoke.

"Then why did you start smoking?"

"Mia."

"You're really in a bad mood today. Did something happen?"

"This is my usual mood."

"Here. They asked me to give you this," she handed Klaus a folded piece of paper.

"Again. This is starting to irritate me."

"Increased attention to your person increases your earnings," she laughed.

"I'm not interested in frivolous girls," he said, crumpling up another phone number and an offer to meet after work.

"If a girl makes the first move, it doesn't mean she's frivolous. Or do you just not like girls in general?" she giggled.

"I love women, but base desires are not a priority for me right now."

"What about love? Is it base? Love is a lofty feeling," Mia said dreamily.

"Then why don't you tell Egor about your lofty feeling?"

"Where are you from...," the girl answered, blushing. "No, it's not like that. I like him, but I don't want anything more with him.... Do you understand?"

"No. I've never loved anyone, but I think your position is wrong. If you love, it means you want to possess. Isn't it?"

"It's all very complicated. I don't feel reciprocity from Egor and I don't want to hear a refusal. Now I have hope, but if I start acting, I'll lose it too."

"Then you're just a coward. If you want something, achieve it, take it, steal it, win it back."

"Wow! You're determined, but you still won't understand if you haven't loved."

"Maybe you're right. Disgusting." He threw away half of the cigarette and stubbed it out with the toe of his shoe.

"Then again, why did you start smoking if you don't like it?"

"It's better to inhale this disgusting stuff than to grovel for a few extra minutes."

"You're weird."

Egor was laying out napkins at the bar when Mia and Klaus came out of the smoking room. "And they've become close," flashed through his mind. The couple were talking about something and Klaus was almost smiling. "Well, so be it. Maybe he'll stop exploiting me and switch to Mia. She'll run away from him as soon as she gets to know him better!"

"Why are you frozen?"

Egor winced when Klaus put his hand on his shoulder.

"Nothing. Everything is fine," the guy threw his hand away more aggressively than he intended. "And why did he make me so angry?"

"Today we need to stay a little longer. Clara is calling me for some reason," Klaus grimaced.

"What does this have to do with me? You know the way home perfectly well. You can find it yourself!"

"Anyway, you heard me." And with these words the guy left, having the last word.

"Well! I don't even know what to call him!" Egor got angry.

"You get along great," Mia giggled.

"I can't stand him!"

"I wouldn't say that," Mia smiled sadly, took the menu and went to greet the guests.

"I hate him," Egor repeated quietly.

Klaus worked diligently all shift and calmed himself down with the fact that tomorrow was a day off. His patience was running out. He couldn't help but wonder which of the gods he had managed to anger? Were they angry because he had stopped reading prayers and bringing them gifts? But there were no temples for his gods in this world. No magic that he could bring as offerings. He was powerless here. Or maybe that was what was making them angry?

Egor couldn't believe that Klaus could combine two completely opposite personalities. He found an approach to each guest so easily, smiled so dazzlingly and so quickly became Klara's favorite. Without much effort. So why was he behaving like a complete bastard with him? Why was he being rude to grandma? Why did he continue to talk this nonsense about another world? Egor was sure that Klara wanted to give Klaus some kind of incentive, although he had only been working there for a week. The anger he felt today when he saw Klaus leaving the smoking room - was it envy? Had Egor really stooped to this base feeling?

"Egor, you can go. Klaus, please, to my office."

"I'll wait for you outside," Egor said to Klaus and left him alone with his boss.

Be so kind as to check if the door is locked. You know Slava, he's always in the clouds, but he makes amazing cocktails!" Klara smiled at him.

The working day was over. Only the three of them remained in the bar. Egor approached the door. It was locked, but the blinds were not lowered. On the other side, pressed against the glass, stood a strange girl. She did not look like a beggar, but her shabby clothes, smudged makeup and a shock of dirty hair said otherwise. Maybe she found or stole expensive branded items? Or was she a drug addict, with whom her parents got tired of fighting and kicked out of the house? The second option seemed more plausible to Egor. The girl's gaze was abnormal. Her eyes were wide open, her pupils were dilated, her breathing was heavy. The girl was scraping the glass with her dirty hands, as if she wanted to seep through it. Involuntarily, the young man took pity on the poor thing, but simply lowered the blinds and went out the back door to wait for Klaus.

"So, I'm surprised."

Clara sat in her wide black chair at her desk, her legs crossed. Klaus stood with his arms crossed, waiting for her to finally let him go home.

"You called me just to share your impressions?"

"Don't be sarcastic. Unfortunately, your courtesy only extends to guests. I won't get tired of repeating this and hoping for some changes. At least to me. I have a proposal."

"I'm not interested."

"You didn't even listen to it."

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm not interested."

"Okay, let's approach the issue from a different angle. Do you want to earn more? Do you want a new apartment, a car, and other benefits that money can buy?"

"Pouoka made me work for money, therefore I need it. - The young man said thoughtfully, so quietly that Clara could barely hear."

"Who is Pouoka?"

"The old hag I'm staying with now."

"You mean your and Egor's grandmother?" She laughed. "It seems you don't feel any sympathy for your close relatives either."

"We have a purely business relationship with her."

"Then my offer should interest you," Clara smiled predatorily.

"Don't drag it out. Get straight to the point."

"I have another establishment. I select only the best there. It's a special club where wealthy clients come and pay much more than here. For comparison, you can earn a month's salary there in one evening."

"What's the catch?"

Clara laughed loudly and looked at the young man with a searching gaze. Klaus again felt a sharp sense of hidden danger coming from this woman. The boss stood up from her chair, slowly walked around the table and came right up to Klaus. She took him by the chin and lowered her face so that her lips were next to the waiter's ear.

"There is no catch. You just need to serve the guests as you do here, and provide them with additional services at mutual request. Do you understand what I mean?"

Klaus slowly freed himself from the snake's grip and took a few steps back.

"No, I don't understand."

"Don't play dumb. Why else would wealthy people go to a club where they are guaranteed complete privacy and where beautiful and young employees work?"

"Are you suggesting that I work in a brothel?" Klaus raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh, come on! Don't exaggerate. Whether or not to sell yourself is your right. No one will force you."

"As I said, I'm not interested," Klaus was ready to lose his temper. Isn't it enough for her that he had stooped to the level of a servant slave? This woman decided to put him in a brothel! This is too much.

"I'm not rushing you with an answer, but don't take too long either. Several people have already asked about you, and they are ready to pay good money. You don't even have to do anything, just sit and have a drink."

"I already gave my answer."

"Have a nice weekend, Klaus. I'll ask you this again. When you think about what you're giving up."

Klaus turned around and left the office before his anger could explode and he could nail that snake on the spot.

"Why are you so angry? Did they really fire you?"

"No. Let's go."

Klaus walked quickly, walked around the cafe and went out onto the main street. Egor hurried after him, deciding not to ask any more questions.

"Finally!!!! Finally!!! I've been waiting for you for so long!" - with these words, the girl whom Egor had seen earlier in the window tore herself away from the glass of the bar and, staggering, moved towards Klaus.

Her eyes were wide open, her pupils were darting from side to side, and there was a terrifying smile of a madman on her face. She stretched her arms forward and spread her fingers wide. The young people froze for a second, but then Egor looked at Klaus's expression, which was distorted with anger.

"Girl, the bar is already closed. Come another time," Egor held Klaus with his hand so that he wouldn't do anything stupid. The stranger seemed not to hear anything and continued to repeat the same thing.

"Finally! I found you."

"Hey! Do you hear what they're telling you?" Klaus asked her irritably. As soon as the girl heard his voice, she stopped abruptly, and then rushed at breakneck speed straight towards the young man.

Before Egor could even think, he stood in front of Klaus and stretched his arms out in front of him to stop the stranger. But she was looking only at the guy behind his and running. When she was almost touching his outstretched hand, Yegor pushed Klaus away, who stirred and moved towards the girl himself. He noticed a strange tattoo on his palm in the form of an eye in a circle, and it even seemed to him that he was moving.

The girl made a desperate attempt to grab Klaus, but Egor stopped her and she, losing her balance, flew onto the sidewalk, having grabbed Egor's hand first. He felt terrible pain in the place where the palm touched his hand, and smelled the smell of fried meat. His jacket was burning from the touch of the stranger. He quickly shook off the hand, but it was too late. An even circle was burned on the sleeve, and on the wrist there was the same tattoo as the stranger had on her palm. The pupil of the imprinted eye moved, the brand flashed and suddenly went out, leaving its mark on the wrist.

"What the hell is this!" the guy screamed, but the girl was lying unconscious on the sidewalk.

"Show me," ordered Klaus, who grabbed the guy's wrist, turning it with the tattoo facing up. "It can't be!"

"Do you know what this is?" Egor was still in shock. "I swear, I saw that eye move!"

"Did you see that mark on her?" Klaus pointed to the girl lying down.

"Yes, on my palm. When she touched me, it was like..."

"Like they're burning a brand into you," Klaus finished for him.

"How do you know?"

Klaus slowly crouched down next to the girl. He checked both palms, but there was nothing on them. He felt her pulse.

"Call an ambulance. She collapsed, exhausted. I don't know how many days she was possessed."

"What's going on? Explain it to me, already!"

"Call an ambulance first. Otherwise, she'll die."

Egor took out his phone and dialed the emergency number. When had he gotten used to following Klaus's orders? He was shocked by what was happening, but what struck the young man most was his own behavior. He didn't think twice when he stood between Klaus and the stranger. Only one thought flashed through his head: "Protect." But why? He hated that bastard with all his heart.

"Good night. We have a girl unconscious on the sidewalk. The address?... Oh yeah...."

Egor dictated the address of the bar, said exactly where the girl was lying. It occurred to him that he and Klaus should leave before the team arrived. They would obviously call the police, and he had absolutely no strength or desire to come up with an explanation for what had happened.

"They said they'd be there in five minutes," the guy said to Klaus, who had been squatting next to the girl all this time and looking for something on her body.

"Hey, stop touching her, you damn pervert!"

"Shut up. I have to find the artifact."

"What other..."

"I told you, shut up! We need to get out of here. I don't want to spend the rest of the night explaining who she is and where she's from, especially since we ourselves have no idea."

"Agreed."

The young people, hearing the approaching siren of the ambulance, hurriedly left. They didn't say a word the whole way home. Egor was stunned by what was happening and was afraid of Klaus, who was thinking about something intently.

"Wake up, old woman!" Klaus shouted from the doorway.

"Why wake up grandma? Explain to me, finally, what happened..."

"Old woman, if you don't come out now, I'll come to you myself," the prince did not let up, ignoring Egor's pleas.

"Are you completely out of your mind? Why are you making so much noise at such a time," Pouoka's sleepy voice was heard from behind the door.

"A stigma for surveillance has appeared in this world!" Klaus addressed grandmother, who opened the door with a displeased face. Pouoka immediately perked up.

"How is this possible?" she cried out, pressing her hand to her lips.

"That's what I'd like to know. We were just attacked by a possessed woman who branded Egor."

"Why him?" the old woman was already moving towards the stove to put the kettle on.

"She was aiming at me, but he stopped her. Yeah, don't look at me like that. I myself was shocked when I saw a selfless attempt to protect me. Egor blushed and mumbled something incoherently."

"Where is the brand?" asked the worried old woman, examining her grandson, and lingered her gaze on the burnt sleeve. "Give me your hand."

Egor extended his hand. He still did not understand anything, but remembered the moving eye on his wrist, which now looked like an ordinary and completely tasteless tattoo. Now the stories about another world seemed less delusional to him. Either this was a well-thought-out prank, or real magic.

This is not a simple brand. Only a powerful search mage could have made such a thing. An ordinary highborn could not afford such slaves. Influential people are involved in the attempt on your life. Where is the artifact?"

"I know that without you. The artifact was the girl herself. I did not find anything on her that could have become it. Can you get rid of it?"

"No, it self-destructs as soon as the target approaches the seeker."

"Stop! Egor could not stand it. "You are discussing, but you are not including me in the conversation! Don't forget that I am the victim and I want to know what you are so upset about!"

Klaus and Pouoka looked at each other in surprise, as if they had just remembered about Egor's existence.

"Explain to him yourself, I will make some coffee for now. Will there be anyone else?"

"If the great prince himself offers, then I will not refuse" the old woman laughed. "Make some for Egor too. When else will he get to try a drink prepared by the heir to the throne himself."

"I am not in the mood for your jokes."

"Where should I start?" Pouoka turned to her grandson. "This will be difficult for you to understand. You still do not believe that the prince and I are residents of a completely different world. Not a country. A world."

"Let's say I believe this incredible story. Then can you explain to me what this thing is on my hands and how it could have appeared there from the touch of a crazy girl?"

This is a search mark. I told you that in our world there is magic and those who wield it are highly valued. Magic comes in different directions. In this case, you were marked by search magic. This mark serves as a kind of chip. Now the one who cast the spell will always know where you are."

"And what threat does this pose to me?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know what these people will do next, but clearly nothing good can be expected."

"But if this mark was for Klaus, then does that mean they now think I am him?"

"The caster cannot see the one who has the mark. He sees the signal. Usually, the spell is cast only on the target, but since it was sent to another world and attached to a person, what happened is what happened. Now you are Klaus for them, and whatever they have in mind, it will be meant for you."

"Just wonderful! It was not enough for me to have problems with Klaus himself, now I have to become him!"

"Don't whine, here, drink this. As an apology for the mark." With these words, Klaus placed the hot, aromatic coffee next to Egor, handed one mug to Pouoka, and with the third he sat down on a free chair and took a small sip, closing his eyes in pleasure.

"I'm not whining. I'm indignant," Egor said, frowning, taking the mug in his hands. And it's true. Just one mug of coffee, prepared by Klaus, completely knocked all the anger at the prince out of Egor. How does he do it? How can he be a bastard and with just one word or action calm you down. It's impossible to hate him. At least not all the time.

Pouoka and Klaus discussed the situation for a long time and speculated on what to expect next. The stranger definitely didn't just decide to find Klaus for no reason. He could be either a well-wisher who, on the instructions of his father, tried to find his son, or an intruder who wanted to finish what he started in the prince's bedroom. Whoever it was, there was only one way into this world and it needed to be explored. Having decided this, everyone went to bed, but they were only able to fall asleep in the morning.