Rebirth Of The Bastard Spirit Summoner

As early as 6AM the journey to Sandhill began. Although the merchant was an old man, he still had that merchant fire burning within him.

"I need to get these bags of wheat to the killer before someone presents him with a better deal!"

That was what he had said before they set off, and now they were two hours into their journey.

The man's wagon was a simple design, nothing too flashy.

There was a flattened portion on the wagon that permitted two drivers to sit; that was where Stark and the old man sat.

Then at the back where the goods were stored, there was a slight elevation that served as a small seat.

Jade sat there, leaning over the edge of the wagon and watching the trees speed past them.

"You know, you guys came at the perfect time," he said, sparking up a conversation.

"Really? How so?"

The old man laughed. "The streets aren't as safe as they used to be. Goblins have poured in from the neighbouring forests."

He paused and scowled. "Those little demons don't even go after the goods! They go straight for your gold!"

Goblins were attracted to anything that shone, it didn't matter if it was a rock, a silver spoon, or an expensive brooch.

As long as it glittered, they would go after it.

"Why don't you just keep your gold hidden then? They are so dumb that they can't tell if coins are in there."

"Haha." The man tapped him on the shoulder friendly, his hands still firmly holding the reins.

"Those bastards have gotten far smarter. They go straight for your pockets. Sad that they leave all those coins in a pile of shit back in their base."

Stark noticed how the man's face contorted in disgust and couldn't help but laugh lightly.

"Don't worry. If any goblins show up, we'll take care of them."

The man nodded. "I trust you. Your wife seems really tough too. To be able to tame a girl like her…" he winked.

Thud!

Something slammed into the wagon, causing it to shake. But when they turned around, Jade was just leaning by the side, her eyes closed as though nothing had happened.

They both turned back, a drop of sweat drifting down their faces.

"Uhum." The man cleared his throat. "But the goblins aren't even the worst part."

Stark arched his brow. "What could be worse than goblins?"

The man's gaze darkened. "Slavers…"

There was a short pause.

"Most travelers going with their wives or daughters now take extra precautions. Those people ambush carriages and take all the young women, just to peddle them in a distant city."

Stark exhaled sharply.

Slavers were a constant issue in the south. During his time as lord, he had done all he could to quell slavery in his kingdom.

Even though it was difficult, kidnapping had been cut down entirely.

But that was also how he knew…

It was a business, a booming Trade… a cancer that had dug its way into the nine regions.

Slave trade was only so hard to stop because of those who benefited from it.

Nobles who sold their people, merchants who facilitated the trade, and the end users who purchased them.

Stark leaned back slightly, observing the road with a keen eye.

Goblins, slave traders…

'I wonder who we will be meeting first.'

A part of him wanted to meet them all. That way he could gauge the level of his growth and clear his mind.

He needed a clear head for when he would encounter Darell.

• • •

A woman with short blonde hair and a nervous gaze whimpered softly as she stumbled through a room, a tall stack of papers in her hands.

"I-it's going to fall!" she screamed, moments away from tripping when a steady hand held onto her.

One on her waist and the other guiding the papers to the desk.

"Ah, thank you—Eek!" she screamed when she realized who had helped her.

"M-my lord…." She bowed low.

The man sighed, looking between the stack of papers and the young woman.

"I told you, call me Darell. You may raise your head, or do you plan on staying like that forever?"

The woman raised her head, still shaken from earlier, but Darell had already moved on to other things.

"Are these the final papers?"

She nodded curtly.

"The kingdom of Stormbridge lost their lord in a tragic fire, so the king wants you to take over for the time being."

She picked up one of the papers, switching to full business mode.

"These papers are all the reforms and tasks he used to handle. It seems he was quite the hard worker, the kingdom was riding on his back..."

"…But now that he is gone, everything is in shambles."

Darell watched her with a strange expression before moving over to his desk and pulling out a cigar.

He placed it between his lips and glanced at her. "Kaeri, light it."

A red mark on her neck burst to life, and Kaeri felt a tingle spreading through her that intensified by the second.

A burning sensation that would only grow violent the more she resisted.

With a sigh, the back of the cigar sparked, a small fire consuming it before fizzling away.

Darell took a long drag before releasing the white cloud into the room.

Kaeri coughed, unable to help herself, her respiratory illness already kicking in.

But he had not told her to leave, so she could not.

He waited a sweet minute, just staring into space before he glanced at her, his eyes sharp.

With each passing second, she felt her lungs burn, her body trembling from the painful reaction that was happening within her.

Yet she remained impassive.

She endured the pain.

"You may leave."

Kaeri smiled and stepped out of the room, but just as she shut the door behind her—

"Haaaa!" She took in a deep breath, coughing until she coughed up blood.

Then she leaned on the wall, slowly sliding to the floor, tears forming in her eyes.