Reborn 1-5

by D. W. Jackson

  After walking through the door Ash moved around looking for a monster. He found one not long after it was the saber bunny that he had fought back in the small town. Sighing He moved forward and started to look for the boss room. Along the way he was forced to fight the bunnies but just like the slimes they fell with one hit. Containing himself he didn’t absorb them and just picked up what they dropped and moved on.

  Once again he found a large double door with a small plaque beside it. [Danger Boss ahead: Lighting Rabbit- suggested group level 5.]

  Walking through the doors Ash found what looked to be a saber bunny with yellow strips of fur running along its back. Before he had a chance to attack the rabbit jumped forward and seemed to disappear only to reappear a moment later right in front of him kicking him hard in the chest costing him 3 HP. Before it had a chance to hit him again Ash took a quick step back while swinging his sword and was happy to see a purple -30 appear. Unlike the slime the rabbit didn’t have a high defense to physical damage so after only four strikes it fell to the ground and stopped moving.

  Once again he received the message saying that the monster could not be absorbed. “I wonder how long it takes for the boss to come back.” Ash mused allowed as he picked up the scraps of fur and coins.

  “I will only appear once a day for each person. If you wanted to find it again today then you would have to join in a party with someone who hasn’t fought it,” Rachel replied quickly.

  “Still not back if I could absorb it then in thirty days I could get one of the boss’s skills.”

  “Cheat,” Jun said with a huff.

  “Definably a cheat,” Rachel said in agreement.

  Ignoring the two farriers Ash pushed forward into the next room. Inside he found a lot more people than he had in the previous rooms. “Ah sir,” an older man said bring Ash to a halt. “Today the guild school is having a test. Would you mind skipping to the next level or going back to the previous one?”

  “A test…And skipping how do I even do that?” Ash said more than a little confused.

  “You must be new,” the man said with a thin smile. “We have a small school for adventures in town. We take ages from ten to thirty, so if you’re interested you should check it out. Today we are having a test to judge out class three students. If you would like to go to the next level I can escort you to the boss room but in the future if you want to go to a room you have previous been in just make your way to the boos room and touch your hand on the plaque that way you can instantly transfer to any plaque you have touched before.”

  “I think I will head back up then. I don’t want to push myself too far, but thank you for the information and offer,” Ash said politely bowing.

  “It was my pleasure young man,” the teacher said before turning around to watch his students.

  As Ash left he made sure to touch each plaque. It was easier than having to go through it all again each time he wanted to enter the labyrinth. Just thinking about when he reached level twenty and had to fight his way there each time made him shudder.

  Once he left the labyrinth Ash walked around the market district. They had a number of stalls and it didn’t take him long to find a slave dealer. Shortly after he walked inside a portly man with a scraggily beard greeted him. “Good sir how can I help you today?”

  “I was just checking on the prices of a good fighting slave,” Ash said trying to keep his nervousness out of his voice.

  “Ah very good. I tend to deal with workers but my friend Gill deals in fighters. Do you perchance know what kind you would like?” The man said quickly.

  “A best man if I can find one,” Ash replied.

  “Ah then you will need to see Halan three blocks down and one block to the left. He is the only slave trader that deals with demi-humans.” As soon as Ash mentioned beast men the slavers nose wrinkled and his voice changed to one that was obviously displeased.

  Following the man’s instruction led ash to a small ramshackle store at the edge of the market district. Unlike the slaver’s store before the inside didn’t have chairs to sit nor did it have a fragrance of fruit in the air. All Ash could smell was sweat, and mold. “Good sir can I help you?” A tall lanky man with only a few remain strands of hair asked as he came out from the back room.

  “I was looking for a beast man slave,” Ash said as he took a step back from the man who smelled like rotten cheese.

  “Ah then I shall show you our stock. Please follow me,” The man said waving his hand grandly signaling Ash to follow him to the back room.

  As soon as he stepped through the cloth barrier the smell got worse and Ash was forced to cover his nose. Along the wall more than two dozen beast men and women were chained to the wall most of them looking as if they haven’t eaten in days. When he had first heard of beast men, he had pictured humanoid beings with fur and animal like faces. Instead what he found was what appeared to be humans with animal ears and tails. As he looked at them he could only find them cute… in the same fashion one would a dog.

  “The men are good workers and I can let them go for as little as two gold a piece. The women can cook and clean so I can let them go for a gold at the lowest. The little rascals can do light chores but will be good if you train them up right so I can let them go for about fifty silvers.

  Ash didn’t pick up much while he was in the labyrinth and given what he already had only amounted to 11 silver 48 copper and 125 Iron Pennies. “None of them look worth it and I only brought eleven silver with me today. Who would pay more than that for a demi-human,” Thad forced his words to come out cold and condescending even though it made him sick to his stomach to do it.

  “Ten silvers bah,” the man said with an annoyed look. “For that I will let you have the runt but no matter how dirty they are its hard to get a quality slave for that price. You are just in luck I have one that is costing more coin than she is worth. Little rat won’t eat, and just yells all day.” As Halan spoke he opened a small crate and yanked a small creature from inside.

  As Ash looked at the small being on the ground he felt like killing the man in front of him. Laying on the ground bound and gagged was a girl no more than twelve years old. The only clean places on her face were where tears had washed it clean. “Ten seems a bit much for the runt but she will have to do,” Ash said through gritted teeth.

  Halan picked the girl up by her ropes causing her eyes to widen in pain and carried her like luggage. Pulling back the corner of the rag she wore as a dress exposing her shoulder he placed his hand on it and the smell of burning flesh filed the room making the small girl twitch in pain until she passed out.

  Halan handed Ash a dirty needle. “Need a drop of your blood for the contract.”

  Pushing the needle aside Ash pulled his sword and used the tip to make a small cut on his finger and let some of his blood drop onto the new brand on the girls back.

  Ash watched as his blood started to swirl around as it was absorbed into the girl’s skin and the brand turned a dark red. “Done, now my coin,” Halan said greedily. Ask took out ten silver coins and placed them on the table then carefully picked up the girl who felt too light in his arms and carried her back to Emelia’s manor.

  1-8

  The girl was still unconscious when Ash brought her to the bath and handed her to the attendants and asked them to wash her. When he said he didn’t have clothes for her one of the attendants said she would take care of it. “Please just bring her to my room when you’re done,” Ash told them before leaving.

  It was more than an hour before the little girl was brought back to him, and amazingly enough she was still unconscious. “Umm…Sir,” the older blond attendant who carried the girl said as she stepped back from where the child laid covered in a cheap white dress.

  “Yes,” Ash said his face taking on a worried expression when he saw the maid’s nervousness.

  “I just wanted to make sure that you knew the girl had Klines disease.”

  “Klines… I’m sorry I don�
�t know what that is,” Ash admitted.

  “It isn’t all that rare but it is easily treatable with a potion for about seventy silver,” the maid said.

  “Ah I don’t have that much,” Ash cursed. “What will happen to her?”

  “Right now it’s still early only a few sores have appeared on her body but within a day or two they will cover her completely and she will die.”

  “Don’t worry,” another voice said from the door as Emelia walked in and handed him two small bottles of brown liquid. “Take this just in case. The disease is contagious so I was notified as soon as they noticed the spots.

  “Thank you,” Ash said meekly as he quickly drank one of the potions.

  “Next time you go to buy a slave please take Edgar with you. This time it was easily solved but there are much more dangerous things that would cause no end of trouble,” Her words were that of a request but her tone let him know different.

  “I will,” Ash promised before walking over and lifting the small girls head and slowly pouring the medicine in her mouth.

  Ash had expected Emelia to leave but instead she took a seat in the only chair in the room. Ash not knowing what to do sat on the floor next to the bed waiting for the girl to wake. The two sat in silence for more than an hour until a small voice rang throughout the room. “Where am I…Did I die?” the sound of wonder in her voice caused Emelia to giggle.

  Ash quickly stood up and turned around getting a good look at the young girl. Her pointed ears were on the top of her head about four inches above where a normal humans would be and just like an animal’s ear were covered in light red brown fur. From where she sat a small six inch bushy tail of the same color stuck out. “No, you’re not dead,” ash said with a warm smile. “I bought you and had you brought here.”

  “But…I was sick,” the girl exclaimed. She quickly pulled up her dress making Ash turn red as he quickly turned away. “Why wasn’t she wearing any underwear?”

  “We gave you a potion to cure you,” Ash hurriedly said.

  “Twank yuuuuusss,” the girl said breaking down crying as she jumped from the bed wrapping her arms around Ash.

  Not knowing what to do Ash awkwardly patted the girls head consolingly and looked at Emelia who looked at him with a smile. A he patted the girls head his fingers brushed her ears and he found them incredibly soft. Unable to control himself Ash pinched one of the ears between his fingers and rubbed it. “Ehhhh,” the girl said pulling back and looking up at Ash.

  “Sorry,” Ash said. “They just looked so soft.”

  “Uhhh…Thank you,” the small girl said blushing.

  “What is your name?” Emelia asked walking over to stand beside Ash. He didn’t know why but she had an odd look as she came so close that their shoulders touched.

  “Yuki,” the girl said trying her best to bow.

  “Yuki I am the Duchess Hawkwing and this is Sir Ash your master,” Emelia said her tone elegant yet stern. “If I am right you are from the fox tribe. What do you know how to do?”

  “Yes milady I am from the fox tribe…I,” Yuki’s face took on a worried look. “I haven’t learned anything yet…I was taken from my parents when they didn’t pay their taxes.”

  “Then you were only taken about five to seven days ago,” Emelia said knitting her brows.

  “Emelia no reason to scare the child,” Ash said thinking she would lighten her tone but instead she gave him a harsh glare.

  “Ash she has to learn proper etiquette, otherwise it will cause her and you both trouble in the future. I am not doing this to be mean. If you don’t mind I will have her work with some of my maids so that she can learn the basics.”

  “Ok just don’t be too hard on her,” Ash said completely defeated.

  “Good,” Emelia said giving Ash a warm smile and turning her attention back to Yuki. “Yuki tomorrow morning one of my maids will come by and start your training.”

  “Yes milady,” Yuki said as she tried to bow again.

  “Ash, I have something to do today so I will have the maids deliver dinner to your rooms,” Emelia said before leaving the room.

  Once Emelia left Ash let out a strained breath and turned to find Yuki looked at him with big eyes that still held the same fear she had when facing the Duchess. “You can relax I won’t yell at you,” Ash said while trying to give his most welcoming smile.

  “M-master what should I do?” Yuki asked her voice slightly trembling.

  “Right now I don’t have anything for you to do so you can do whatever you want as long as you stay in the room. I don’t think it would be a good idea to roam around the manor just yet.”

  Yuki nodded her head and jumped from the bed and rubbed the small red lines on her wrists. She walked over to the window and looked out, “Pretty.”

  Ash moved up behind her to see what she was looking out. The window had a prefect view of a large garden that was masterfully kept. Ash didn’t have much an eye for such things so he went back to his bed and pulled out his armor along with some oil he had gotten from one of the maids and started to work on his armor. Ashe rubbed the oil into the leather straps Ash noticed that Yuki was still at the window and her bushy tail was swaying back and forth.

  As if she noticed his gaze Yuki turned to look at him. And blushed and rushed over to where he sat. “What are you doing master?” Yuki asked as she leaned on the bed her tail swishing behind her.

  “Taking care of my armor,” Ash said moving his hands slightly so Yuki could see what he was doing.

  “Is master a knight?” Yuki asked with sparkling eyes.

  “N-no nothing like that,” Ash denied quickly. “I am just some hopeless adventure.”

  “But master is friends with the lady Duchess.”

  “That was just luck,” Ash said blushing. “Sorry but sooner or later we will have to leave here, though I don’t plan to anytime soon.”

  “Can you teach me how to take care of the armor so I can do it for master?” Yuki asked with a determined look on her face.

  “Sure,” Ash said. As he explained how to rub the oil into the leather to make sure not to miss any of it Yuki sat right beside him her eyes glued to the armor. Once he was finished he let her do the sword sheath as he ran a wet stone over the swords blade a few times.

  “How old are you Yuki?” Ash asked as he watched her small hands play with the hard leather of the sheath.

  “I turned fourteen just this year,” Yuki declared proudly.

  “Are you sure you are going to be fourteen. I could have sword you were eleven,” Ash said teasingly.

  “Mou,” Yuki puffed out her cheeks. “I will be fifteen in half a year and a full adult.”

  Ash poked Yuki’s cheeks and laughed. Just then a knock came at the door and one of the maids entered carrying a large silver try. Sitting in on the small table in the room she uncovered the plate to display a large serving of steak, greens, a cream soup, and for dessert small pastries.

  As picked up one of the two plates that the maid sat down and started to fill his plate when he noticed that Yuki still sat on the bed though her eyes were glued to the platter and her moth was slightly drooling. “Yuki you can make a plate as well,” Ash said trying to stifle a laugh.

  “A slave doesn’t eat until the master is finished,” Yuki proudly stated.

  “Yuki if I have to eat while watching you drool I will feel bad,” Ash said. “So for your master won’t you eat as well?”

  “If master says so,” Yuki said.

  Ash watched as Yuki ran over to the platter and started filling her plate while her tail moved so fast her bare but was clearly visible. It was then he noticed that Yuki was only putting meat on her plate and didn’t take the other bowl of soup. “Yuki you have to eat the greens as well and get the soup.”

  “Mou,” Yuki said her tail instantly slowly to a light sway. Ash could have sworn that even her ears drooped a little.

  “Don’t give me that look,” Ash said as Yuki looked at him with large ro
und eyes as she sat on the ground opposite him. With only one chair in the room Ash had decided to eat on the ground since he didn’t want to get the bed dirty. “If you don’t eat healthy then you will get sick.”

  Maybe it was because she had just gotten over an illness that would have caused her death Yuki’s eyes widened and she quickly began to eat the leafy greens though her face still showed her dislike of them.

  After she had cleared her plate Ash gave her one of the pasties and once again her tail moved at an incredible speed as she ate, while her face bore a huge smile showing off her sharp canine teeth. Never having much of a sweet tooth himself Ash let Yuki have his pastry as well.

  Looking out the window Ash guessed it was another two or three hours before the sun would go down. Unlike back home here people went to bed when the sun went down and rose when the sun did since there was nothing as convenient as electricity in this world. There was magic but even the duchess only had a few enchanted items that provided light and they only lasted a short amount of time before they needed to recharge so they were used to go to and from the chamber pot during the night.

  While waiting for nightfall Ash picked up a small book from the table. Opening it he found that it was a story about a hero saving a princess. “So these stories are liked even here,” Ash said to himself as he continued to read.

  “Where should Yuki sleep master,” Yuki asked a short while later with a large yawn.

  “You can sleep on the other side of the bed. This thing is huge so even if we both sleep on it we won’t fill crowded,” ash responded until he reminded that Yuki was still a fourteen year old girl. Suddenly he thought about asking Emelia to get Yuki her own room but Yuki simply crawled under the covers on the far side of the bed and shortly fell asleep.

  Soon the light in the room was not enough to read without straining his eyes. Closing the book Ash looked over to where Yuki was sleeping. The look on her face made him smile inwardly. Thinking it best Ash sat the book aside and decided to sleep on top of the covers.