Synopsis

A young boy, Vikir, reveals that merchants are taking advantage of the Ballak tribe by manipulating prices and trading valuable goods for cheap ones. He exposes the merchants' distribution of dream-inducing orbs laced with harmful drugs and highlights the significant discrepancies in trade values. This revelation leads to an uproar among the Ballaks, prompting them to prepare for battle, knowing that injured merchants will likely return for revenge. The chapter ends with the arrival of a prominent merchant family, the Bourgeois, and a subsequent market where Vikir continues to expose the unfair trades.