Chapter 229 - Nine - We think about matters of money (1/2)
”En,” Sun continued, breezily. He was quite proud of his association with Leon, their previously and very one sided enmity at the beginning of their relationship completely forgotten. ”Teacher Corne of the martial arts school considers Leon.. Leo very reliable and consistent. And I heard from my Teacher, Corvus, that Healer Lepus likes to keep a stockpile of Leo's pills in stock for emergencies.”
”Pills?” Lessa latched onto the word in the paragraph with some fervour.
”Leo's a part of the alchemist school...” Sun tilted his head realising that something was amiss.
”Sun, shut up,” Jin Li commanded, before refilling their cups, but it was too late to retract his words.
Men and women of the countryside relied on herbal medicines for ailments, which were almost always bitter and unpalatable and unfortunately not always reliable. Herbal medicine relied upon the prescription, thus the knowledge of the doctor, the quality of the herbs as well as in small part, the skill of the one to boil it into medicine. However, it's not as if they did not know about pills. But in comparison to Herbal medicine, many pills were that much more expensive and then a reliable pharmacist would not sell too many freely. Who would purchase a soft ice pill for fevers when herbal medicine coupled with cooling towels cost half the price, even after paying a doctor's fee? Granted a pill would ease the fever in the time it took to burn two sticks of incense, while the latter method could take a couple of days. But that extra money could provide food for the rest of the family for a few days, so it could not be easily parted with.
However, if she could get her hands on pills for free...
Her lips curved into a smile that seemed so out of place upon a face etched with scowling lines, it terrified Sun. The boy looked over his shoulder to offer an apology with his eyes, sorry that he had inadvertently dug a huge pit for his friend rather than helped him out as was his original intention. Leon simply shook his head; it wasn't Sun's fault. His aunt was just that sort of person. If you were a hinderance, she hated you. If you were useless, she had no time for you. But if you had something she wanted, a bloodsucking leech would be easier to get rid of.
”My dear Nephew,” she beamed and rose from her seat, though Leonard glared at her as if he could ensure she remained. Such was futile to a woman with determined intent. ”You know Aunty was hard on you because I could see you had potential but not the will to succeed.” Leon noticed the avarice in her eyes and shuddered in distaste. It was even more unpleasant than dealing with the hare's guts and organs in order to provide the two Coeurl a meal.
Jin Li also noticed her behaviour and immediately moved to shield his small alchemist. How dare she covert his things! Of course Lessa did not want to provoke the Martial Artist, she knew where the line was even if she did not like it, she could only force down the dissatisfaction in her heart.
”Lessa, go home,” Leonard sighed, grouchily from his rocking chair. ”This house cannae cope with a big woman such as ye self.” The woman sent her father an unhappy look, before waltzing out of the door, though not before declaring that she would return to see them both soon. Those young master's wouldn't stick around in the poor village for long, it was all a novelty for them, they'd soon understand the difference between them and the villagers. And then Leo would only have her father as a pillar of support. The old man was crumbling, how could he compare with her husband's household?
And naturally her husband thought it would be an excellent boon to his family and heir that an alchemist be related to them, it would be good for both connections and reputation. Even her mother-in-law insisted that the youth be invited to visit as soon as possible. Lessa glanced at the beaded bracelet on her wrist which she had coveted for an age, but the old biddy would never have let her touch before. Now it was hers, a reward for being her nephew's aunt. Now she just had to figure out how to improve the ties between them, too aware that blood was not everything.