Chương 16: Canisava Night Market (1)

Seeing Hale's stubborn resolve, Maddie sat on the edge of the bed and slowly pulled down the right shoulder of her top, revealing a deep, open wound. Although it wasn't actively bleeding, the flesh around the tear had turned a ghastly shade of purplish-black. Hale winced. He hadn't expected the injury to be this severe. What was worse, days had passed without any sign of skin knit or natural recovery. Yet Maddie had been acting this whole time as if it were a mere bruise.

If he hadn't put his foot down, there was no telling how long she would have kept it hidden. Hale carefully poured a small amount of the golden liquid onto the wound and watched closely. Maddie's frame trembled slightly as the damaged flesh began to mend at a pace visible to the naked eye. Seeing how well it worked, Hale poured a bit more. The dark discoloration dissolved, the muscle fibers reconnected, and within seconds, nothing remained but a pale pink line across her skin.

A total recovery using barely a third of the vial... Hale felt every single one of those 500 Merit points had been well worth the price. Maddie was equally stunned. She had assumed that even a high-grade healing potion would merely stop the tissue from decaying or spreading infection, similar to what was sold in high-end apothecaries.

An effect like this was even more miraculous than the legendary healing potion crafted by the Elites of Ember—potions rumored to be produced at a rate of only seven vials per year, impossible to purchase regardless of one's wealth. Maddie's eyes suddenly shone with a flicker of hope.

"If this medicine is so potent... could it do something for your arm, Master?" When Hale shook his head, her expression fell instantly.

"Is there only one bottle?"

"I haven't even used up this one yet. And if we run out, I can always get more, don't worry," Hale said, telling no lie. His point balance was still sufficient to cover another bottle of healing elixir if needed. The moment he willed the remaining potion back into his system storage, the vial vanished from his hand. It wasn't until early afternoon that Ryan finally stirred. He was still half-dazed, sitting blankly on his mattress for a long time.

Hale found the sight endearing; it was only moments like these that the boy actually acted his age, rather than like a grumpy old man. Hale then retrieved the nourishing tonic, diluting half the bottle with water according to the system's instructions. Since Maddie adamantly insisted that he take his share, he divided the mixture into three equal portions. The tonic's effects were immediate. Hale felt the last lingering traces of yesterday's exhaustion vanish entirely.

His body felt lighter, and his senses sharpened noticeably. Maddie and Ryan both reported that the lingering grogginess from the sedative had completely cleared as well. Experiencing the sheer utility of the system's items firsthand only cemented Hale's determination to farm Merit points. They rested at the small town for two more days before hitting the road once again.

After Hale explained that those two potions were rewards earned through good deeds—and that even greater items were obtainable—Maddie suggested they stick to the isolated merchant bypass route. She was quietly hoping they would run into a few more bandit crews along the way. Yet, strangely enough, three full days passed without encountering so much as a single low-tier highwayman. They passed several merchant caravans along the trail, all of whom looked completely relaxed and unbothered.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. By the evening of the third day, they arrived at the city of Canisava. As a major hub positioned at the crossroads of several vital northern trade routes in Berula, the city was perpetually bustling. This was Hale's first time witnessing a thriving medieval city up close.

Foot traffic flowed endlessly through the streets, and vendor stalls on both sides were doing brisk business even as dusk settled in. A few shopkeepers were already hanging up lanterns, preparing to trade well into the night. However, owing to the high density of people, public sanitation was nowhere near as maintained as in Raveno. Hale caught unpleasant odors drifting through the air and noticed clumsily hidden piles of waste tucked behind the stalls.

Yet, perhaps because this physical body had grown up in this era, Hale realized to his surprise that he wasn't as repulsed by it as he thought he would be. Ryan suddenly chimed in, "I remember reading that Canisava has a famous night market. Supposedly they have street plays and circus performances there too."

"Oh? How do you know that?"

"It was in a book. The Canisava Night Market has a history going back at least sixty years. It started out as a cluster of late-night food stalls before expanding into a proper bazaar. The famous Rock Spider Soup originated there too; they say this is the only place that gets the authentic flavor right..." Hale smirked tease-like.

"Look at you, wealth of knowledge. Are you dying to go or what?" Realizing he had rambled on a bit too enthusiastically, Ryan flushed slightly and pressed his lips into a tight line.

"I just have a good memory, that's all."

"Sure, sure, play it cool. I want to go too anyway. Let's check out the night market tonight." With no objections raised, their evening plan was set. But first, they needed to secure lodging. Following their rather disastrous charitable spree, their monetary reserves had taken a noticeable hit. By Hale's rough math, their current funds would cover food and shelter for about two months if they maintained their current spending habits. He didn't feel comfortable living on such a tight margin.

Maddie mentioned that the majority of Hale Wallace's personal assets were stored at an estate back in Seki. While its current state was uncertain, she offered to fly over and retrieve some if they ever ran low on cash.

"Let's avoid taking unnecessary risks. We can just be a bit more frugal. No more luxury suites—a basic room with a bed is plenty," Hale decided. So this time, they opted for an average inn, renting two rooms for half the cost of the luxury suite in Raveno. The rooms were smaller and the mattresses firmer, but for Hale, it was more than comfortable enough. The inn was currently hosting a small merchant group, leaving the ground-floor dining hall packed with travelers.

With about an hour to go before the night market fully set up, Hale's group decided to grab a light dinner first, taking the opportunity to eavesdrop on other's chatter.

"Man, this trip turned out to be a real blessing."

"If I knew it'd be this smooth, we could've saved on mercenary fees. Escort rates these days are outright highway robbery."

"Post-war economy, what can you do?"

"Don't get complacent. We just got lucky hitting the tail end of Archmage Venessa's bandit purge. Give it a few months and the roads will be crawling with cutthroats again."

"Archmage Venessa really is a saint. Usually, the high-and-mighty nobles couldn't care less about roadside bandits."

"Ain't that the truth! Those scum have been running wild for years and nobody lifted a finger!"

"Wonder what made her suddenly decide to clear out the roads?"

"Heard she ran into an incident near the border, so she just swept the routes clean on her way back to the capital." Hale sat there, pricking up his ears, before the realization hit him like a cold bucket of water. That was why they hadn't encountered a single bandit over the last three days. Someone else snagged all the kills! At this rate, there wouldn't be a single bandit left for them to farm Merit points from all the way to the capital. Hale gloomily downed a cup of ginger ale.

Now he needed to figure out a fresh way to earn good deeds. He was still nearly 1, 500 Merit points short of purchasing that prosthetic arm. Shortly after, the three of them set out for the night market. Since night had fallen, there was no need for heavy disguises or concealment; they simply threw on cloaks to ward off the chill. The thoroughfare leading to the market was illuminated by a long line of torch posts.

Even from a distance, the sounds of musical instruments and lively chatter drifted through the air, signaling that the market was in full swing. The venue was far more crowded than Hale had anticipated. Vendor stalls were arranged in an orderly grid, forming winding pathways that converged toward a massive canvas-canopied pavilion at the center. Hale extended his left hand toward Ryan. The boy shot him a confused look.

"Hold my hand," Hale instructed.

"It's packed out here. If we get separated, it's going to be a nightmare to find each other." Maddie scanned their surroundings, pointing toward a stall selling various masks at the outer edge of the market.

"If we get separated, let's meet back at that stall." Ryan looked thoroughly resistant to holding Hale's extended left hand, opting instead to shift over and grip Maddie's sleeve. Hale didn't push the issue, leading the way as they merged into the bustling crowd of the night market.