Bowstring

7 - The Banker Does Not Bugger Off

"Then I suggest you start observing the movement of the price of salt. There might be little... for now."

"Yeah, whatever—"

She was abruptly pulled by the man towards the sidewalk. It took a minute for her to register that she was almost hit by a fast-moving cart.

"Sorry!" the coachman called.

Others are complaining of the spiraling clouds of dust disturbed by the cart, some are coughing, and some people started a familiar rumor.

"Did you see what he's carrying?"

"Yeah. It was only a glimpse, but I'm sure that it's a sick man."

"For him to be in a hurry like that, it must be the blight again."

Corel was carefully listening and also agreed.

There was indeed a person wrapped in a dark robe laying on the hay and was held by another man. If he is sick, it must be the blight because the cart was going in the direction of Dravya. There may be clinics in some places of Lokapriya, but if the disease is worse, the ill person will be delivered to the Helder Keep where the sorcerers are trusted to know and attend better.

For the past few days, the number of Stained transported to Helder has increased, but she was no longer summoned to assist with the healing. She thought that Kern refused her assistance because her manner of healing is way too painful. The screams had frightened the students, and the result is far too grotesque. Perhaps he considered that the reputation of Helder will fall to crumbles if rumor comes out that a Vestri is freely roaming around the castle halls and the cause of a sorcerer's charred flesh.

It may be insulting and ungrateful to her, she was rather relieved that she did not need to help. Because Riyad has gained the gist of the ailment, she had started innovating a potion that will remove the blight with less agony. As of now, Riyad's and Kern's mentees are assigned to the infirmary.

"Uwahh... another stained man again, huh. I wonder how many are infected now," the banker muttered.

She remembered that she was tasked by Seth to update the list of the Stained.

"Mister Banker," she called.

"Laska."

She expressed a question on her face.

"That's my name."

"Well, you said you're a collector, yes?"

"Right."

"So you must have much more information than any of us."

"A considerable amount."

"Even the sorcerers affected with the blight?"

"That's classified."

"What the... so you do have information."

"Yeah. Wanna know?" Laska grinned which turned his eyes to slits.

"If you let me."

"How much are you paying?"

"What?!"

"I'm joking, dear client. Joking," he took it back immediately with a chuckle.

"Aside from being aggressive, you are really cunning, aren't you?"

He bit the last piece of his pretzel and threw the crumpled paper wrap on the ground. "Well, I knew that only the sorcerers are getting the infection even if the mortals are more susceptible. But if you want sure numbers, I recommend you go to the clinics and ask for the lists. There are only six infirmaries in Lokapriya so it won't be much of a hassle."