Chivalrous

Chapter Twenty-Two -

It was raining again. The raining season had finally arrived in Xenon after the polar current that swept from the east coast. Bradley shook the majority of the droplets off his umbrella as he entered the guest house and bid good evening to the owner. They had been the main providers of the guest house's business lately, and thus the owner greeted him with utmost benevolence and sycophant. 

He walked into the room to find it stifling hot. The fireplace was lit bright red and Xiao was sitting in bed, reading (to Bradley's amazement), under even more blankets than before. A cup of bitter-smelling medicine was placed next to him. Seeing that Xiao was better, Bradley felt relieved and vindicated that he could let out all his anger and dissatisfaction.

"The mayor must be bribed by the Trafficking Organisation," Bradley said as he walked in. "It all makes sense now."

Xiao put aside his book. "Seeing that the priest is widely acknowledged as a saint, he must have bribed the mayor to not investigate the maiden's case. We've discussed this."

"Yes but even now, after so many more cases here and around this area, the Curtis guy and the guy yesterday was deemed innocent." Bradley hit his outer coat hard on the wall.

"What?" Xiao nearly knocked over his medicine.

Bradley sat on the bed. "They were just released. Without a trial or anything. Samuel and Leon tried both of them before bring him to the mayor but they got no information, even after some beatings. Either they were really tight lipped or they don't actually know much of the organisation. The guy from yesterday, Hood, he only knows about earning money."

Xiao prevented himself from throwing the book across the room. "Let out! Who is this shitty mayor? You know, we should have went into the town hall a long time ago. Teach a lesson to this corrupt animal once and for all."

Bradley nodded. Xiao saw his clenched fists and knew that he was way angrier than he let on. "I'll go tonight. You stay here and sleep, alright?"

"I'll stay up and read this," Xiao said. He held up his book, which was on medicine. "Monk Olga came to visit after you left. Then later, one of the other monks came at his orders to send me a book. I told him I was bored out of my mind, see."

Bradley smiled a little. "I take it it's more interesting than law?"

Xiao grinned. "Way more interesting. Unlike laws and stuff, this saves people. But of course, there are good government officials. George, for example."

Bradley nodded. "Don't force yourself, though. Nothing's going to happen to me, but something will happen to you if you stay up tonight."

Xiao smiled in an exasperated way. "Alright, alright. I know how to take care of myself."

"Have you eaten?"

"Some udon a few hours ago."

"I'll get you some tofu and vegetables," Bradley told him. "You shouldn't have eaten something so oily. This guesthouse serves it with so much sesame oil..."

Xiao smiled as he left and Bradley came back to find him smiling like an idiot. "What now?"

"Do you remember the last time you took care of me?"

Bradley froze for a moment before nodding. He set down the tray onto the bed, on which were two really tasteless-looking bowls of soup.

"We drank too much that night," Xiao reminisced. "It was the last night of freedom before mentor came back from Wen River, and we drank outside. We left Stephanus and Jonah in the disciples wing and climbed down to the lake at night, do you remember?"