Novels2Search
The Dragon And The Author
Vol 2 Ch 12: The Doctor Is In

Vol 2 Ch 12: The Doctor Is In

It had been about two weeks since the incident with Dumarn’s champion, and there were no other crises to deal with. Benjamin eased back into his role overseeing the construction of a city. He took to the job surprisingly well, directing everyone efficiently. Those who were still arriving from further places around the world were introduced and put to work seamlessly. The dragons under him had grown crabbier than before and led to more pauses in the workflow. He managed to sort out those arguments before anything serious happened, but tensions had started flaring up more and more.

If there was any part of the job that he would rather do without, it was being the mediator. He’d set up plenty of arguments between characters in his other works and knew most of the ins and outs of them at a base level. That was as an unseen observer, however. Actually being here and having to break them up himself put a pit in his stomach.

Speaking of arguments, interactions with his main character felt more distant after that battle. Seeing him try and save those people made Ben think that he’d jumped a great distance on his arc. Naturally, he wanted to nurture this behavior with praise and positive reinforcement. And the fact that it’s what saved the day? It should have been a walk in the park. Imagine his surprise when he was denied so completely and utterly. The cherry on top was Kinsoriel telling him to fend for himself from now on.

That whole encounter told him what he saw wasn’t progress, but an erosion of it. Maybe then wasn’t the time for it. Given how hard his MC had raised his voice over the crowd, it should have been apparent that he wasn’t in the mood. But, Kinsoriel doesn’t lie. He’d still have the same opinions, even if they weren’t tinted by frustration. In a way, perhaps it was better to have that in the open now and not later. At least now he didn’t need to waste time on methods that weren’t working anymore.

The ex-Author shook his head, attempting to focus on the task at hand. What his character needed was someone to show him how other deathbounds could be of use, not a friend. Mentally retching at having said that in his own head again, he finished nailing in a flyer.

They were at a point where the people present would have housing through the winter, though it might be a bit cramped depending on how many more came by then. The current focus shifted toward infrastructure. They already had some cobble roads and stone walls started thanks to the help of some mages. When it didn’t require intricacy, magic and dragons made for quick results. Artisans could handle the aesthetics later, though Ben wasn’t all that concerned on that front.

Building a storehouse was the next item on the agenda. They needed to get a surplus of food before pickings became slim, and a secure place to put it all. Preservation would be key.

Production was already being handled as best as it could be. Being so close to winter, starting up any farms would be a waste of time and effort. Luckily, more experienced hunters and fishers were among the groups that had been arriving. Ben had also taken the initiative to put together a food import budget. Anyone with the means to go buy food for the city would get to dip into his sizable gold pouch to make it happen. It wasn’t much use to him right now and it was tied to his brother, so he might as well. Anything to make sure there was enough food to keep everyone from killing each other.

He had a light lunch and made his way to the location he specified in the flyer. Extra consideration of their huge residents needed to be taken into account here. It would have to be a far larger building than normal and accessible to both. He took out his notepad and looked over the design once again. What he’d come up with alongside some architects was a rectangular design. It would have two differently sized entrances on opposite ends and come with a cellar for further storage.

As he was going through the various notes he’d made on it, a shiver ran up his spine, and it wasn’t from the cold. He jerked around without a word only to see a face he’d never expected to see again.

“C-carthex?” Ben sputtered out in surprise.

The dusty blonde man gave a good-natured laugh as he lowered his mask. “Bravo, Benjamin! Very few people can tell when I’m behind them.”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Ben briefly thought about going for his knife or blasting out a spell but realized both would be too late. Not even Bang would be fast enough at this distance. He didn’t have a blade trailing across his neck yet, nor was he being gagged. The surgical assassin could have already done something, and if he was here for him, he would have.

“Why are you here?” he asked after the initial shock wore off.

Carthex gestured an arm in the general direction of the town square. “Why, this up and coming town, of course.”

Ben’s lips twitched. ‘Great. This place could definitely use a contract killer, really liven it up around here. Maybe we could even spread some plagues while we’re at it.’ He wisely kept those thoughts to himself, instead saying, “For what?”

Before the dangerous man could respond, another, larger being approached them. Ben felt his nerves settle a bit once he saw Kinsoriel’s reassuring presence.

“There you are. Benjamin, I need you to take…” He dropped whatever he was saying upon noticing the mercenary.

“Ah, greetings again master Kinsoriel.” With a curt bow, he added, “I was hoping I’d find you.”

The dragon scrutinized him for a moment before it seemed to click. “Carthex, wasn’t it? If you’ve come seeking work, I’m afraid I am in no position to hire you. I still have your card if the need arises.”

“What he said,” Ben butted in eagerly. “We don’t need anybody ‘taken care of’. And if we did, we’d do it ourselves. Thanks.”

His rashness earned him an odd look from both of them. Carthex waved him off. “Come now, that’s more a job of necessity. It enables my true passion.” He patted the medical bag at his side affectionately. “If you would allow me, I’d like to establish myself in this fine city as a surgeon and open up a clinic.”

Kinsoriel chuffed before shaking his head. “It isn’t as simple as that. This is no mere city, but the capital of Wex’s nation. Everyone here was chosen by Wex for the knowledge they possess. I can’t allow just anyone to settle here, even if I am not opposed to them personally.”

Nodding his head, Ben cheered internally. He did a double-take when dissecting what had been said. He wasn’t chosen by Wex either, so what did that make him?

“Yes, I’d heard that this is to be a kingdom of wisdom, where all the greatest minds would gather. Some of those who’d gotten that dream shared that information with me. Willingly.” He put up a hand as he said that, anticipating the obvious. “Wex may not have picked me, but I assure you, I can add to that claim as much as other settlers.”

Benjamin’s heart skipped a beat when instead of shooting him down like he had before, Kinsoriel asked, “How so?”

He tapped a finger to his forehead, the bracer of scalpels clinking as he did. “You’d come up short looking for anyone with a better understanding of anatomy than me. Most others limit themselves to those already dead and whatever bodies they have donated to them. My other profession allowed me to step around such restrictions.”

Blinking twice, Ben could hardly believe what he was hearing. ‘Is he seriously bragging about being a psychopath?’ That was the sort of behavior that got him labeled as the Butcher in the first place.

It was also what would have made him an effective antagonist in the original plot. That hunger, that drive to know more regardless of the method. It would have resonated with Kinsoriel and drawn parallels between them as they fought in the middle of the story. With a dark shade of humor, Ben remembered what the circumstances for the fight would have been. Kinsoriel would be fighting alongside Nela and the others to save Oslow, who had his eye taken to send a message. Now? All of them were dead except for the ratman and his kidnapper.

Snapping back into the present, Ben realized that the conversation had concluded. Both of the characters now looked at him expectantly.

“Can you handle it then?” Kinsoriel asked.

“Hmm? I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

The dragon slid a hand down his long face with a grumble while Carthex answered. “How soon will you be able to start on the clinic?”

What? How tuned out had the ex-Author been to not catch this outcome? It couldn’t have been more than thirty seconds. Regardless of how it happened, this was now expected of him.

Swallowing back his better judgment, Ben flipped open his notes again and pretended like he needed to consult them. “Wellllll, we need to build a storehouse first, followed by a water reservoir. After that, there were plans to get a library going. We also need to make barracks and an area to hone our combatants. That’s not including the-”

“He’ll have it assigned after the storehouse,” Kinsoriel interrupted. Ben looked at his MC incredulously while Carthex gave thanks, leaving with a satisfied look. “Come along now. I need to get back to the altar soon, and I need you to handle another separate task in the meantime.”

Following the dragon as he left, Ben let a frown crawl down his face. He knew what problems they had just stepped in by allowing that assassin to settle. There was no way this was all that he wanted in coming here. Far from it.