Chapter 179 - Hundred And Seventy Nine - Is someone talking about us? (2/2)

”While I was not one of the unlucky ones,” the man admitted, ”I was there the day one of my fellow First Years was almost killed upon one of his field trips into the wild part of the mountains. A nasty case of sepia rash, that poor boy scratched those swollen pustules until they bled and became infected. This time he brings in a boy who'd upset a Dire Fox Bear and didn't get away unscathed. Except...”

”Except?” Clawse couldn't help but ask as he sipped his hot beverage.

”Keep this between you and I, but...” The Healer went on to describe the situation in some detail, mentioning about the strangely improved One Heart Pills and Corvus' lack of memory to whence they came from.

Clawse managed to retain a stoic face as he considered the origins of those pills and responded blandly; ”Is that so.”

*****

Old Julip town, on many occasions, had a flourish market to explore. There was no fixed day the market stalls would appear upon the streets nor were there fixed produce, one never knew what one would find within when it would appear. There was also no set time of day, it was more like that one person would suddenly decide to set up a stall and his neighbours would consider this a good idea and do the same and within the space of an hour, word would get around that the market had begun once more.

At this time, a youth with long yin-yang hair tied neatly with a pin and crown was wandering through the crowds in curiosity. He happened upon a stall cooking steamed dumplings and chose a few with pork fillings and a few more with fresh green fillings and wandered away happily munching upon them with a complimentary dish of soy sauce. They were very tasty. As he took his snack, he happened to walk past a stall selling saki. The vender was a bit of an entrepreneur and had set stools beside his stall, creating a small open bar for people to come and drink at. That way, people could enjoy a quick sip or purchase a bottle to take home with them.

”So my wife,” one man complained, sourly as he sipped the strong liqueur with ease, ”really has hopes for the boy and wants our daughter to wed him. However, that stubborn girl has another in mind and her mother's pleas can't move her. So my wife insists I speak to the girl. What do I get instead of an agreement? A plea that I set aside any plans for Justin and have this fellow she likes enter our sect and be made my direct disciple!”

Leon shook his head, feeling a bit of pity for the man who seemed stuck between the wishes of the women in his life, but quickly forgot about it as he noticed a stall selling strips of leather. Some thicker pieces had been woven into a belt of midnight black and rustic red. He purchased it along with some thin lengths that he could hang his wooden carvings upon as charms or necklaces. After this, he happily melted into the sea of people bustling from one stall to the next.

So he didn't hear the man at the saki stall continue to bemoan to the owner and any other listener; ”Maimai is so much more agreeable than Merylin. I'm sure she won't cause me so much fuss when it comes to her marriage.”

In a small hut, beside a bubbling cauldron, a girl with wayward curls sneezed... and then her cauldron blew up.