Chapter 390 Theodora and the Hospital

His back kept colliding with the carriage, and Halkin sat in the rear of the covered carriage, feeling a little awkward, leaning against the bumpy dirt road that was moving backwards quickly.

After his dwarf horse suffered from diarrhea, Halkin had to borrow a horse from a nearby Hundred Household District.

But unfortunately, Halkin found it difficult to ride even their shortest horse or donkey.

Fortunately, there happened to be a group of travelers from North in the hundred-household district, and they were going to Jeanne d'Arc.

At the request of the centurion, the group of travelers reluctantly took Halkin with them.

As for the pony, it can only be temporarily fostered in the centurion's house until Halkin comes with the veterinarian to pick it up in two days.

Looking around the carriage, there were five people in the teak wood compartment, including the coachman driving the horses in front, and four of the passengers were particularly tall.

As for the passengers surrounded in the middle, they looked quite short, only slightly taller than Halkin.

Most of them were wearing black robes that covered their heads, but they were all made of fine linen, so they were quite breathable and cool.

But judging from their special attire, Halkin could roughly assume that they were at least middle class.

"Are you Norsemen?" As if to break the awkward atmosphere, Halkin spoke first and asked sideways.

Those people were silent for about three or four seconds and no one answered.

However, Halkin's expression did not change at all, as if he would continue to smile and ask unless they answered.

One of the tall men said in a thick Norn accent, "We are Norn people. Moundshire and Northshire are at war, blocking the way home, so we came to the Thousand River Valley."

This Norn man's Lyraic language is not very good and his grammar seems strange.

However, Halkin was a very outgoing person. He immediately switched to Norn: "Then why did you come back? Even if Mound County and North County were fighting, you should have waited there instead of running to Longsand County."

Hearing Halkin's familiar accent, the Norns in the car relaxed a lot.

After all, although the dwarves and the norns love and hate each other, they both believe in each other's virtues, such as the dwarves' vengefulness, stubbornness and honesty, and the norns' cruelty, rudeness and simplicity.

"Our companion is sick and is going to Kasha County for treatment." The Norn man took off his hood, revealing a crescent-shaped mustache and reddish-brown hair falling from his shoulders.

Halkin immediately turned his attention to the short person. Looking at the curled up posture and special body shape, he could probably guess that it was a female.

"I have to tell you some bad news." Halkin raised his brows and turned his body slightly embarrassedly. "Kasha County has announced its support for the uprising in Rapid City and is currently under martial law..."

"what?"

"Is this news accurate?"

Halkin could clearly feel that even the driver's whipping movements became gentler, and several Norn men became visibly nervous.

"My name is Halkin, and I am a member of the Savior Government, which you can understand as a member of the City Hall. I am willing to take responsibility for what I said."

If it was said by someone else, they would probably still have some doubts, but when it came from the dwarf, they had to believe it.

They immediately ignored Halkin's presence and started discussing in their more intense local accents, completely ignoring Halkin who was standing next to them.

"What should I do?"

"What's going on in Qianhe Valley? We can't even find a monk to treat our illnesses."

“Is there a black market nearby?”

Halkin coughed, and in front of their shocked eyes, he spoke in an almost as strong Iron Sword accent as theirs: "Everyone, the black market in Langsander County has been completely cleared."

"The black market has been cleared?" A younger Norn youth took off his hood. "Are you kidding, dwarf?"

"I swear on my father's name, Brock, that the black market in Longsand County has indeed been cleaned up." Halkin said seriously.

Several Norns changed their expressions. For the dwarves, the oath in the name of the father is a very serious oath and one that they would not make lightly.

So the black market in Langsand County has really been cleared out?
"You've said so much, you must have some ideas in your mind."

A weak female voice sounded. Surrounded by four big men, the short figure took off his hood, revealing a pale face with freckles: "Sir, why don't you tell me?" "Langsander County has not eliminated all black market witch doctors..." Halkin chuckled.

"Are you kidding us, dwarf?" The Norn youth's face suddenly turned dark.

"Wait for me to finish." Halkin said slowly, "The process is quite complicated. You can probably understand it as - the black market has been legalized.

Nowadays, in pharmacies in Langsander County, alchemical potions with baptismal stamps can be sold normally.

The baptismal stamp means that His Holiness the Pope has blessed it, cleansing sins, and believers will not be condemned by the Lord and the Father when they drink it.

So, if you really need medical treatment, I can take you to a place as a thank you for giving me a ride."

Black market? Became legal? Can black market be legal?

That is the market of the Secret Party, the mortal enemy of the Messiah Cult!

Several Norn youths looked at each other in bewilderment. This kind of thing usually only happened in the border areas of the empire, and it was only a verbal promotion rather than a real promotion.

Aren't you the Salvation Army a heresy of Messiahism? Isn't this heresy a bit too heretical?
This seems a bit heretical even among heretics.

Seeing their silence, Halkin shrugged and said, "It's not far from here. I can take you there right now if you are willing to trust me."

"What to do, my lady?"

After a long silence, the short woman covered her stomach and said, "We'll treat the dead cow as a living one, Mr. Halkin. Please lead the way."

"It's my pleasure, my lady." Halkin seemed to have seen something and smiled slyly, "May I know your beautiful name?"

"My name is Theodora," the short woman replied briefly.

"If you dare to deceive us, we guarantee that you will earn the eternal hatred of the Golden Gate Castle family and Lord Papani." The unruly Norn youth threatened in a low voice.

"Bonato!" the short woman scolded, and then nodded politely to Halkin, "Mr. Halkin, please take us there."

…………

"Well, the hospital is still quite busy due to too many patients and too few physicians," Halkin handed a piece of paper to Theodora, "just check the hospital clock tomorrow and arrive on time."

To be honest, in this huge hospital, there are only three reliable witch doctors who can treat internal medicine. Although there are less reliable witch doctors, Halkin dare not make an appointment for this noble lady.

Theodora looked down at the white paper in her hand, her eyes fixed in a daze: "So fast?"

Even if you are looking for a witch doctor on the black market, you have to exchange secret codes with the pharmacist first, and then test each other's identities. Only after confirming that the person is not a witch hunter will they dare to accept the order.

Moreover, many times, witch doctors do not accept orders from outsiders, for fear that demon hunters might get involved.

"Don't worry. If you have any questions, just come to Jeanne d'Arc to find me. I live in the Colton district. You can just ask there and you'll know where I live." Taking off his hat and saluting, Halkin said goodbye to these young nobles with a smile.

As a favor, Halkin changed to another pony near the hospital and paddled towards Jeanne d'Arc.

The fields were full of straw that was burned to increase fertilizer. During this rare off-season, most villagers drank cheap potato wine and stood by the threshing floor bragging.

More ambitious people or those whose families had little land went to nearby towns to work as construction workers.

Such a scene was never seen in the past. This was usually the time to collect taxes, and the fields were filled with stewards and knights collecting grain.

He still remembered that when he walked along this road two years ago, the area was filled with the crying of farmers and farm women. The farmers had dry faces as they poured the wheat earned by their blood and sweat into sacks.

It is rare in the whole empire to find a paradise where farmers can still smile at this time of year.

Halkin was sighing, but he felt that there were more and more people rushing around him.

He immediately stood up alertly and looked around. He could see that there were many more gendarmes, Chekas and Skitarii than before.

As if realizing what had happened, Halkin's expression gradually changed and he pulled the horse hard.

The little pony neighed and walked quickly towards the city of Joan of Arc with its short legs.

(End of this chapter)