From all sides came shouts of agreement: "Of course! You are our Ruler! Speak, we are listening to you!"

      "So," Diana continued, "here and now, I cancel and forever terminate the holding of the "Duel of Minds" competition.

      Then she turned to Seunch: "Bring Barch."

      The guards very quickly delivered him to the Godecan - to the Central Square.

      Diana extended her hand, inviting him to sit on the throne.

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      When he entered and sat down, Diana said: "My will is this: I wish to transfer and do transfer my power to the former Ruler - Barch," then added, turning to him, "your people remember how you ruled: you loved them, paid attention to their difficulties and requests, provided help and protected them, did good, and it was the very good directed at them that returned in the form of love and respect - to their Ruler. To you, Barch! So continue to rule according to the law, according to your conscience, according to the truth!"

      Everyone, holding their breath, listened with interest and attention.

      “But I will have one wish and one question: "I want to possess the Diamond-Water from the Carbon Staff and, what needs to be done in order for me and Berta to return home? To our Sunny world! I know that such an opportunity exists." She added.

      "Yes," answered Barch, "you will not be denied anything. But, at least tell me, why do you need it?"

      "Berta and I promised to help those who once helped us. And the Diamond-Water possesses the power with which we can do this," Diana said, as if remembering.

      Barch approached Seunch, separated the Diamond-Water from the Carbon Staff and handed it to Diana: "Take it. You can rightfully possess it! Despite your age, which is still a child, you have achieved a high level of consciousness and intellect with your erudition, ingenuity, and spiritual maturity, and then used this knowledge and intuition to win over Mayin. Honor and glory!"

      Bertonya raised her button eyes to Barch: "And we're not little! Well, we're small, but actually big. And we were smart even when we were little," she spoke so quickly in a rapid-fire manner that she even gasped for breath.

      Barch looked questioningly at Diana: "I didn't understand, so you're adults?"

      "She's joking," she replied, looking at the little one, added, "Bertonka, didn't you get your words mixed up? I understand, today was a hard day" - and looked at her sternly. Showing that Berta's explanation was completely unnecessary.

      Smarta came up to them: "So I didn't understand, how old are you?" Diana shrugged: "I don't know how old I am here, in the Lower Level, but, in fact, at home I am an adult and married," she replied. Smarta looked at Diana as if she were seeing her for the first time: "You have a husband? So you're quite grown up? Well, you, my friend, blew my mind! And what's his name?"

      "Igor," she replied. "We worked for a long time to be together. And, you know, the more time passed, the more it only strengthened our attachment to each other and, gradually it turned into sympathy, and then into love. And on our wedding day, I was absolutely sure that we did not meet by chance - this is the result of a chain of amazing events and coincidences. And, our meeting was conditioned by the entire previous course of our life."

      Smarta looked at Diana appraisingly: "You know, here, in my world, the age for marriage is eight hundred years or more. So, you're about that old here..."

      "Wow! - Berta could not resist, - Ma, you look perfect! Eight hundred years is the very heyday of youth! I'm telling you for sure! You look so super because you go to the gym at home!"

      Everyone laughed loudly. "Maybe the fact that I'm not really a child: I know more, I read more and it helped me win the tournament," said Diana. "Honestly, for a child it would have been an impossible task. Mayin is cunning and thought everything through, but he could not foresee that the child he chose would turn out to be not a child at all."

      "Enough," Smarta replied with a smile, "don't be modest, just say it, you'll turn out to be an adult.

      Barch approached: "It's not important anymore. Wasn't there a child on the center stage? Well, that's it! The main thing is the final result, and the result is victory! Winners are not judged!"

      Everyone heard footsteps approaching - it was Seunch returning from the storage: "Here is a scroll of Eternal Paper, where everyone who had the opportunity to get from the Lower Level to the Middle Level is recorded."

      He took the pen of the Rastr worm and wrote in the scroll: "Diana - using her knowledge, intellect, intuition, and ingenuity, won an honest duel of the grand tournament "Duel of Minds" against Mayin the First, who deceitfully seized power. In gratitude for free and happy existence, as well as the possibility of further development and prosperity of the entire Lower Level, her wishes will be fulfilled."

      Diana leaned slightly towards Smarta: "Why such a name - the pen of the Rastr worm? It looks so simple, just a flat strip of plastic."

      "What's that? - Smarta asked. - What is plastic?"

      "It doesn't matter," Diana replied.

      "It's like a thick sheet of white wood," Berta decided to explain, "but it can be colored."

      Smarta stroked Bertonya, and answered Diana: "The Rastr worm is specially grown: it's not very long and it's all like a grid with depressions. In each such cell there is a white feather. You can carefully pull it out, write what you need, and put it back into the hole. It's okay. It won't hurt him at all."

      "The Lower Level is still an amazing world! It constantly surprises and amazes," said Diana.

      Seunch, having finished making a record on the Eternal Paper, rolled it up into a scroll.

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      He took the Carbon Staff and turned the ring that divided it in half. With the speed of lightning, a ray flashed from there, somewhat similar to the ray of the Gray Shadow guard-observer, but much brighter, very reminiscent of a fiery sword. He directed it upwards and where the ray pointed, everything began to blur and lose clarity of vision. A barely noticeable corridor appeared on the celestial sphere, which went up beyond the celestial vault.

      "The passage to the Middle Level is open," said Barch. "To get to your world, you must first reach the Middle, and then, if you can get to the High Air Level. There is no other way. No one knows what the road there will be like and how everything will turn out. But, with your ingenuity and ability to quickly find and make decisions, I am sure that you will succeed. I can only help by showing the ruler of the Middle Level the Diamond-water when you see him. He will understand that Mayin does not have it, and therefore, he himself has been deprived of power and punished. The ruler will know that you were sent by me. His name is Barchin."

      "Thank you," said Diana, and approached Smarta: "Shall we say goodbye?"

      Smarta hugged Diana: "Yes, it's time. Indeed, life brings unexpected surprises and turns. You know, then on the road, I stopped just to talk a little and rest. But, unexpectedly, for myself, as it turned out, I met a good friend, excuse me - a girlfriend. And for the City of Desires - a savior. It's a pity to say goodbye to you and Bertonya. I don't think we'll meet again," a transparent tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't know if you will remember us when you return home, but in any case, it's good that we met on the road then. And also, take the false costume and the Talking pendant. Maybe you'll need it? And once again, thank you for helping my World."

      Smarta picked up Berta and started stroking her: "You're a real running positive. And how many new words I learned from you. I had a great time with you! Just fire, cool, bombastic bomb and five with a plus! - she touched her nose to Berta's nose, - for now, little one, keep an eye on Diana."

      Lexi and Lota ran up to Berta loudly, vying with each other: "We decided to make you small gifts as a souvenir," and each put a thin string of pearls around Berta's neck: Lexi - yellow, and Lota - blue.

      Lota said: "If you need it to get very hot around you, hold the yellow necklace around your neck, and if it's cold - the blue one. Their power will manifest itself only when touching your paws. For everyone else, it will just be an ornament. And don't forget that the dark brush at the end of your tail is our birthday present to you!"

      Berta hugged them: "Thank you, girlfriends. Usually, I'm asked to be quieter and talk less, but now I just have no words. I love you, you're great girls! Thank you for your help and for the presents. I'll talk to my memory, and it won't forget you" - and Bertonya hugged them once more.

      Everyone gathered around Diana and Berta: Seunch, Sun, Smarta, the twin sisters Mia and Em, Lexi and Lota. Barch got up from the throne and also approached them. They hugged each other in turn. Everyone was sad and melancholy.

      The defense descended near them. The door opened and Diana and Berta sat in it. They waved goodbye to everyone once more. Silently, the door closed almost inaudibly, and the defense simply flew up from the stage.

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      All the inhabitants of the Lower Level saw how the defense flew into the corridor, around which the air rotated in dense circles, making circular movements, and after that, the transition from the Lower Level to the Middle Level, curling into a bright point, closed, disappearing before everyone's eyes. The portal was closed.

      Seunch unfolded the Eternal Paper, took the pen of the Rastr worm and next to the words "Wishes will be fulfilled", wrote "Fulfilled".

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      To be continued in Book 2.