Chương 10: X. Blood Money

Fresh baked bread mixed with something nutty wafted out The Cat's Cradle. The mirrors were darkened, but there was a small throng of tiny people inside. There were at least eight, which was eight more than I felt comfortable with, so I paced outside. A little girl left with her two friends, each holding soft bread that was glazed with butter and honey, and stuffed with nuts. Their shoulders had a small amount of gauze near the vein, but they chittered to each other while chewing with their mouths full.

Then came boys that were, I assume, the same age. Their eyes were a bit too big for their face, and that babyfat hadn't melted off to show adulthood. They stared at me, pulling their soft bread closer to their chest and exposing the same gauze wrap on their shoulder. At least now, the Cat's Cradle was empty and I slipped in. Bread, honey, and nuts wafted in the air, overpowering the much sweeter scent of books.

My stomach growled, since watery 'soup' didn't really constitute a meal and I wasn't that great at being a [Cook], even if Addy restocked my pantry.

"Ah, chérie, you're back!" Madeleine said, waving her wand and pulling a bread mold out of a hidden oven. It floated, before upturning and placing a sweet-smelling brick of soft bread onto the plate.

"Normally, I'd ask for a small pint of blood for it, but les petites agneux in this small town have such good quality."

"... Isn't calling a lamb 'little' kind of redundant? And why do you need their blood? Do you grow crops with it?"

"Grow Crops, [Acolyte]? I'm not… how you say… Symphonic? None of that [Arcane] or [Divine] nonsense, just… Loam. Herself. Everything is sacred, even blood. It has to be from an innocent, or a virgin for the potion. Though, I would hope she doesn't actually drink it…"

"You can have some of mine then, and I'll take the cakes," I offered. Madeleine covered her face and suppressed a laugh; her other hand pushing the cakes forward." Financiers, demoiselle. Take as many as you like. I don't want any of your blood, [Acolyte]. Besides, I had imagined you and that pretty-boy outside were…" The Financier was as soft as it looked, and it looked plenty soft. My finger sunk into dough and hot honey mixed with sweet-smelling syrup poured against my fingertips.

It singed my skin as I brought it up to my lips. The bread melted in my mouth, the soft crumbs molten sugar.

I couldn't get enough, as I opened my mouth more and shoved as much as I could inside.

"Fairly close? You've had sex, la?"

"No-GAWK!" My throat constricted, and I began to cough.

"Mon Dieu!" Madeleine jumped from the other end of the counter and rubbed my spine. The soothing sensation wasn't enough to dislodge the portion. I grabbed my throat and squeezed, and Madeleine sighed. She grabbed a bottle, and handed me a potion with creamy, white liquid inside. She uncorked it, and forced it in my mouth. It tasted like milk, cooling my mouth and wetting the dry and soft bread. Half of it went down to my stomach, and the other was coughed out on her table.

"... How do you eat worse than a child?" Madeleine scolded, pulling out her wand and flicking it at the mess. It disappeared into nothing. She took the bottle of milk from my hands and slammed it on the table, and picked up another piece of the cake. She tore just a bit off and handed it to me.

"Chérie, eat slowly." I took the small bit from her and inspected it. It was too small to stuff my mouth with, which was probably the correct amount to eat. I had no interest in returning to the old conversation, and instead pushed forward.

"How do you even know I'm an [Acolyte]? I thought I had my [Veil] set correctly." Madeleine crossed her arms, and her black eyes narrowed at my face.

"Fine, fine, but you will tell me how you know the [Inquisitor] soon, la? You do, but I have [Underworld Contacts]." I focused on [Underworld Contacts] and the tooltip opened. [UNDERWORLD CONTACTS (PASSIVE)] By Mandate of The Witch-Queen; Your life is held in [Sacred Trust], and you may pierce a [Veil]. A [Sacred Trust] was a contract between a higher power and [Hero].

I believe Addy would have had to make one as a [Paladin] with Amaril, though, I think the punishment for going against his vows is excommunication, not…

"You'd die if you reveal it?"

"Oui, Oui. Your secret is safe with me, and so is the rest of the towns. I may not be able to give you specifics, but there are other [Criminals] here, though most tend to be something less exciting, like a [Thief]. But an [Acolyte]... that is interesting." I didn't like the way Madeleine was looking at me, so I decided to pull out my backpack and take out the shipment of [Blood Carrots] to put on her desk. Madeleine lifted one up, and brought it to her eye." [Uncommon], chérie? I had expected just common…

These are better than the shipments from the Mad King's County. Neuf à quatre pièces chacune, multiplié par la prix de gros de trois fait neuf et quatre et trois.."

"Cent huit," I finished for her. Mathematics was transitive, so any multiplication was done right.

"Oui! Tu parles Martivian?"

"I vastly prefer Empyrean, but I like Jack Cosqué," I said. Madeleine nodded and reached to her till.

"One moment, chérie, I must ask. Why do you want this gold minted? It is 108 gold pieces, yes, but that is the unminted currency that criminals use. If I were to convert this for you, I'd give… 11 gold pieces, because I like you, chérie." The amount was too low, and I pulled out the Mortis Agrariae. Madeleine stared at me, but I had work to do. FACTS Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Unminted Coins (with no [Receipt]) are converted at a rate of 1: 10 (10 unminted silver to 1 minted). A [Vendor] can provide a [Receipt] to make unminted coins converted legally at 75% (10 unminted silver is 7 silver, 50 copper). Consider [Uncommon][Carrot] vendored at 20 silver pieces. → 20 9 = 180. 75 = 135 silver coins. Consider [Uncommon][Blood Carrot] sold at 120 (40 price * 3 wholesale) silver pieces (4 gold). → 120 9 = 1080. 1 = 108 silver coins. Consider [Uncommon][Carrot] sold at Crop Rate (1. 5 minted).

→ 180 * 1. 5 = 270 silver coins. NOTE: I do not want to talk to people. Consider [Uncommon][Carrot] sold to the [Farmer's Guild]. → 180 Silver coins. NOTE: I do not want to work with the [Farmer's Guild]. CONCLUSION Sell My Self (Not Viable) > Farmer's Guild (Not Viable) > Vendor w/ Receipt > Illegal crops"I'll… take the 11 coins then, Madeleine," I said, putting my quill on the book.

"I don't see why I'd continue making this. It's harder and…" I glanced out the window, but he wasn't there.

"Besides finishing your quests, demoiselle?" Madeleine said, taking the carrots, and handing me 11 minted gold coins. She rotated the Mortis Agrariae and looked over the table.

"Plume?" she said, hand beckoning. I gave her my quill, and she wrote two new lines. FACTS [Guild] and/or [Business] conversion rate is 1: 3 minted: unminted. CONCLUSION START A [GUILD] or [BUSINESS]. Madeleine returned the book to me. She wasn't wrong with that addition; that would make a lot of money quickly. BUT, I would have to deal with people… and Adrian wouldn't really support that?

I mean, I had enough work on my plate convincing him that an [Orange Tree] wasn't a viable asset for the farm, but he was a [Paladin] now. How on earth would I convince him to let me run a [Guild] that sold illegal goods? Madeleine put her finger against my chin and lifted it.

"Consider, chérie. You are trying to move nine crops. What will you do when you're at 900? Or are you planning to remain small scale? Illegal or not, your own table, demoiselle. 900 [Uncommon][Carrots] sold at vendor price…"

"I know. 900 is 18, 000 silver coins but the [Farmer's Guild] would make 27, 000 silver coins. And that's assuming I could find someone who wanted 900 carrots every 3 days."

"No one person does, but a country will, chérie. If you want to go to scale, and want the profits.." I rubbed my eyes.

"It's not that simple. Besides, if I could just get 18, 000 coins that'd be 1800 Gold Coins! I'd be able to get out of my debt instantly… but I would have to become Pa and work with the [Farmer's Guild] and what they wanted. Then, one bad harvest, and I'd have to work with the Florans…"

"L'homme n'est rien d'autre que ce qu'il se fait," Madeleine said.

"... I know," I said and lowered my head.

"But Adrian wouldn't like me if I did that."

"... I do not get your relationship with that man. He is definitely my type… so small, lean, young and… but I did not think he was the type to take a mistress?"

"... A mistress? I don't think he would, no."

"Shame, then what is the issue here? I have no interest in crop goods, the [Farmer's Guild] has the monopsony there. And besides, if you are an [Acolyte], I believe you will eventually be able to make reagents even I would use… Speaking of which. [Uncommon], chérie?" Madeleine took out 25 more gold coins from her pouch, and added it to the 11 – giving me a total of 36.

"Pour toi, better than the Guild can offer you." I grabbed another financier off her table and broke it in half. The bottle of milk was still nearby, so I dipped a small amount of the soft bread in, and chewed.

"PAH AWF ADWAIN AND –""Mon Dieu, swallow your food, demoiselle," Madeleine said, and I chewed louder to spite her. I swallowed, and did not choke this time.

"Pa, Ma, and Adrian were always about the right way of doin' things, Madeleine. Pa would say I'm takin' shortcuts and just rushin' the work. Adrian is a real farmer, and Ma…" She put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Every child must outgrow their home, chérie. Mon maman had one daughter, and three sons. We were an [Aristocrat] family, and I was meant to marry a [Baron]. That was before La Révolution, and… the man they had wanted me to marry had his head separated from his neck. Me, on the other hand, followed what I wanted to do. Met a Tree, The Walker in the Woods, and started a [Coven]. It is not my Maman's principles, but my own. Life belongs to the living, and only you will be able to judge it."

"It's not that simple. Addy would be disappointed, and he's – ""A [Paladin]. You are an [Acolyte]. I may not know which God you advocate for, but any that would take an [Acolyte] is not one a [Paladin] would support." I put my hand atop of hers, and raised my eyebrow.

"I'm not [Divine], Maddy. I was a [Scholar], and I only know [Arcane]." Her fingers squeezed my shoulder.

"La? Intérresant. An [Acolyte] is not [Divine]? Do you not see…" she leaned in, and whispered against my ear.

"The Great Deceiver? L'Enemie?" My reflection in the bottle of the milk shifted. There was a figure behind me in the reflection. Her face was familiar, and her eyes were brown like Addy's. She gave me a smile, though her eyes were downturned. She shook her head, and her lips mouthed…

'not yet'. But I did. I swallowed, and Madeleine caught that.

"So you are like the Varikinians and their Goddess Nyla. I will make plans then… do you know anything about [Medicine]?"

"... Basics. I know about Humours, and I've dissected mostly animals. I'm a better [Veterinarian] than [Doctor] if you're asking."

"Not a [Nurse]? Good for you, chérie. If what I think will happen happens, you might want to practise it."

"That involves… people."

"An [Acolyte] can become a [Necromancer], chérie." I pulled her hand off my shoulder.

"That's… a bit too far for me. I'll let you know, Maddy. If I can find a way to make it right with Addy, I'm definitely interested." She chuckled, and waved me off.

"I don't think you'll be able to, if you want to earn your full potential. Leave the past behind." I turned and walked out the door.