Isamu and Cadas had been left behind.
Instead of seeking out the spirits, they watched Garrick sit in an office. The dust elf was constantly flipping through pages. Occasionally, he would turn, take hold of a quill, and write sothing in another book. It was not fun, and Isamu kept glancing out the window as they waited. He'd thought about playing cards, but Cadas always won.
"What are you looking at?" asked Isamu, glancing at Garrick.
Garrick did not look up. "The docuntation for this office's finances. There are a great many inconsistencies here."
Isamu wasn't interested, but he was even less interested in silence. "What kind of inconsistencies?"
Garrick looked up. "They have been taxing the people here a great deal. Actually, the rates are far higher than they are contractually obligated to. Indeed, far more than they are ant to."
"Why would they keep this record if it incriminates them?" asked Cadas.
"Even criminals need contracts," said Garrick. "Without them, they would be unable to operate without constant infighting. More importantly, I doubt anyone has been enforcing these rules in years."
"Why not?" asked Isamu.
"These people are not considered a priority," said Garrick. "Many regard them as little more than a cheap labor source, for whom there are plenty more." He shut the book. "Still, this by itself will not be enough."
"What do you an?" asked Isamu.
Garrick shrugged with nonchalant indifference, and Isamu didn't like it. "Even if I were to bring proof of the abuses, they would not be arrested. In fact, I'd be surprised if anyone raised an eyebrow, let alone suffered any consequences. The officials who gave them these positions did it with the expectation they'd do just this."
"But they're priests!" said Isamu. When he'd seen that one before, he'd assud he was a particularly bad one. How was it possible that an entire nation's priesthood could be this horrible?
If Baltoth ever conquered this place, the executioners would have a field day. There'd be crucifixions from dawn till dust for weeks, and every one of them would be deserved.
"And that makes them law-abiding citizens?" asked Garrick.
"In Calisha, an official who acted like this would be..." Isamu tried to think about what Baltoth would do. "Well, they'd be crucified if Baltoth was feeling lenient."
"In Sorn, it is not the custom to punish criminals by raising them on a cross," said Garrick with wry humor. "We much prefer to raise them up with promotions."
"So what are you going to do?" asked Isamu, liking this place less by the minute. He doubted Garrick had co out here if he didn't have a plan.
Garrick seed to think about it. "...In this situation, all contracts are effectively null and void."
"What do you an?" asked Isamu.
"No one involved in this sorry situation is fulfilling their obligations. Let alone their obligations in the social contract," said Garrick. "And therefore, an argunt could be made that we are not obligated to consider them. As such, using proper channels need not apply."
"So we're going to break the rules?" asked Isamu.
"Of course not; Knights of the Coin follow every rule and regulation, even if others do not," said Garrick. "To break such a rule, publically, would be a violation. One from which our reputation as impartial lawyers would never recover."
"So you'll let them get away with this?" asked Isamu.
Garrick drew up the book he'd been writing and put it on the table near Isamu. "...I'd love to see all these people hung, but I cannot. I'd love to take these finances to the recently established printing press. From there, I ask them to produce several copies. Naturally, I'd use that bag of gold over there to pay for it. I have a subordinate, Finn Osman, whom you can find at the Headquarters of the Knights of the Coin. I am certain that he would carry it out if given this plan, even without specific orders.
"Of course, this is all theoretical since I must do nothing. It is a sha these findings are not printed on every street corner. It would no doubt pressure the rchants to reign on their own. And that is assuming the ordinary people didn't take matters into their own hands. But my hands are tied.
"Unfortunately, I cannot afford to break the rules in the letter.
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"Still, I suppose I'll take a walk. I find that doing so often clears my head. Please do not do anything I wouldn't do." And with that, he stood, turned his back on them, and walked to the door. "I think I shall take a long, long walk. You can certainly go soplace if you wish. Depending on how things turn out on that walk, I may find a reason to ignore your previous error in judgnt."
And he strode out without another word.
Isamu glanced at Cadas. The big man eyed him warily. Isamu decided he didn't really have a problem with Garrick's plan. It would also save him the hassle of getting his legs broken. "Cadas, wait for Urus and Oresa; I'll handle this."
"Are you sure about this," asked Cadas. "Mob violence can get pretty ugly. It was a big problem in Drennish, with Lord Baelgost always gone."
Isamu grabbed the book and moved to the door. "Don't worry. These people deserve it, anyway. Tell Urus where I've gone, will you?"
Then he headed out.
Running at top speed, without waiting for the others, Isamu made it to the gates in a few hours. Although it left him tired and sweaty, he approached the gate. The guards barred it, and he noted they wore a different armor than last ti. It was gilded, and they held spears. Their helms hid almost their entire face, and they had n with crossbows on top.
"Hold where you are, traveler," said the guard. "If you wish to pass, you must pay the toll of one silver."
"I just ca through here," said Isamu, annoyed at this. "A day or two ago, I think."
"True enough, but that was in the company of King Abdul Sahshir, a guest of Sorn," said the man with a shrug. "You are no longer and must pay the toll."
"I am a demigod," said Isamu incredulously. Didn't divine blood an anything to these people? "Don't you make exceptions for half-gods?"
"Well, that changes things," said the guard with a shrug. "The toll will be three silver."
"What?" said Isamu.
"Priests are generally far richer than ordinary people, so we tax them more," said the guard with a shrug. "You're not an ordinary person, and we don't have rules for demigods since they're so rare. So I'm counting you as a priest."
"...I don't have any money on ," said Isamu. He wished he was back in Kalthak; you didn't need money there. It's just the strength to defend people from bandits and get a free al.
"That's not our problem," said the guard. "If your order doesn't have the sense to use your position for profit, we've got no sympathy."
"I'm on an errand..." Isamu realized he couldn't blab about it. If he told the wrong person, Garrick could have serious problems. He supposed he could scale the wall a little way down if it ca to it. "Look, isn't there so sort of exception you make for ergencies?"
"Usually, we charge more for those," admitted the guard. "People in ergencies don't haggle as much. It's a nice way to make a profit."
"You haggle?" asked Isamu. Calisha had set tolls and prices. "So you're telling
that if I man was running for his life, you'd force him to pay extra."
"Yes," said the guard. "Unless there was a price on his head worth more than that. Then I'd turn him in.
"Wait, do I know him?"
"Why should that matter?" asked Isamu.
"Well, if I know him and he's a friend, I might let him through," said the guard. "If he's an enemy, I'd want to rough him up a bit before I turned him in. It makes a big difference."
"You people are sick," said Isamu.
"That's not my problem," said Finn. "Oh, and we also haggle in desperate cases if there is no price. If you tell them the toll is higher than it actually is, sotis they just pay up and don't ask questions."
"That's outrageous," said Isamu. "How do you sleep at night?"
"In soldier's quarters," said the guard simply. "If I make enough money, I could live in luxury with lots of nubile won. Thus, the tolls. Are you paying or what?"
There was no way Isamu was paying this guy. He could beat him and his n up. Then he'd scale up the walls, beat up the crossbown, and be into the city in a flash. No, that would cause a stir, and while Isamu normally didn't care, a stir could get them killed.
"...I'll co back later," said Isamu after a mont. Scaling the wall in secret, it was. Then he realized he needed to find out where the Knights of the Coin headquarters was. "Still, before I go up, can you direct
to the Headquarters for the Knights of the Coin?"
"You're looking at it," said the guard.
"...You are Finn?" asked Isamu. Or was he bluffing?
The guard took off his helm to reveal a bald, bearded man. He smiled, revealing perfect teeth.
"Yep, Captain of the Southern Gate at your service. There are other HQs, of course, but for soone traveling with Garrick, I'm as good as them. Why are you looking for ?"
Isamu raised the book. And he realized he didn't fully trust this guy. "Garrick wants these printed and distributed."
Finn took the book and flipped through it. "Hmm, well, this is going to be fun. I expect we'll get a pay raise and get to crack so heads once we send out this." He glanced at a very tall woman with auburn hair. "Lauren, take over here." Then he looked to Isamu. "You can head back."
"No way," said Isamu flatly. He wasn't that dumb; everyone in this place was a rcenary. "I'm not letting you walk off with that book without keeping an eye on you."
Finn laughed and began to walk. "Fair enough, and smart too. Follow behind; I'll show you the way. I've already made all the arrangents."
"Why?" asked Isamu as he chased after him. "Were you expecting this?"
"Garrick figured out what he'd need others to do for this anyway," said Finn.
"What's your association with Garrick, anyway?" asked Isamu. He wondered how Garrick, the closest thing to a good man, fell in with this scoundrel.
"When I was a boy, he took
into his company and taught
to fight," said Finn. "That was after the rest of my family had died because of that bastard Kaba. Let's head on in. I'll read through the docuntation, figure out what to post, and we'll start so fires."
Isamu paused. "You do know that the people you incriminate are going to want you dead after you do this, right?"
Finn smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."
Isamu was so sick of Sorn.
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