Ball of Nothing

The next morning, Zero led them towards a developed part in this barren wilderness that appeared to be a town with very few living people. Zero couldn't understand why the mini-map only showed a few life signatures even if there were many beings walking around. Not all of them were alive judging from the exposed organs, bones and lack of humanoid forms. However, what shocked Zero the most wasn't the unusual sights or abandoned body parts. It was the lack of ability to buy anything with the currency they had.

"For the last time," the slave trader growled. He was getting annoyed at having to repeat himself. "We don't accept innites, binnites or cinnites. That's the money used elsewhere. It's useless in U.N.U. when we can only accept payment in the form of parts!"

Truen grew irritated. "And for the last time, I'm asking you what are parts!"

The slave trader rolled his eyes and pointed to Misana. "This girl is a part. This thing on your face, is a part. That lock of hair is also a part. You cannot trade here without parts that aren't on the list. For travellers like you, the easiest way is to head over to the vampires and trade blood. You're currently in the necromancer territory, we don't accept blood or hair or ears or eyes here."

Bob lost it and with an insane speed, went up into the slave trader's personal space. Their noses touched and he growled lowly, grabbing the startled man's shirt.

"Listen here. We want that girl and we can pay. Just name us your damned price."

Terrified at the overwhelming threat, the slave trader stammered. "F-fifteen Grade C p-parts... No! F-five Grade-B parts will do!"

Frustrated that their talks were getting nowhere, Bob growled and looked at Zero. "Master, permission to eat him?"

Zero shook his head. While it was frustrating to talk to this person, Zero decided that it was better to not act rashly on other people's turf. He still had to save Misana and talk to Sylvia to get the key.

"We don't have the parts you're talking about right now," Zero admitted. "However, if we send someone here as a downpayment, will he be sufficient? Just take it as Bob is now your property as payment for Misana's deed. Can you do that? We will get the fifteen Grade C parts of five Grade B parts in a while."

Zero gave his summoned familiar an apologetic look and whispered to him using the party call function. "Sorry, Bob. For now can you please sell your body? Truen and I will find a way to get that damned currency to exchange for Misana. In the meantime, I will be trusting you to protect her until we get back."

Bob didn't mind but the way Zero phrased it made it sound like he'd just been pimped out. Truen gave the slave trader a hard stare who meekly submitted a contract form that required Truen or Zero's signature while using Bob as collateral for the redemption of Misana.

Zero looked at the list and noted that Bob was actually higher valued than Misana. The parts that Misana was worth were for her brown fur, strong front teeth, freckled cheeks, bushy tail and perfect last pinky nail. Meanwhile, Bob was just valued on the overall for everything that was his body from his skin, eyes, hair, scales, blood and even organs.

"We will redeem them both within the week," Zero told the terrified slave trader who didn't even dare to approach Bob who had taken over his chair and demanded that Misana be unlocked.

The slave trader did as he was told and Zero noted how weak Misana's breathing was. Her brown fur was matted with blood and there was a serious wound on her head. The girl was running a high fever and her pulse was difficult to feel. She really was on the brink of death and thankfully, there was still something Zero could do.

"Get us a private room," Truen demanded. "Bob and Misana will be in that room until we return."

Unable to refuse, the slave trader had no choice but to offer his room to the intimidating buyers. Once they were inside, Bob broke the chains shackling the poor beast girl and Zero quickly cast healing magic while telling Bob what he should do after they left to follow up with the other injuries and illness. Truen wasted no time and wove a protection barrier around the room that would trigger when Misana was forcefully brought to leave it.

Misana's complexion improved greatly after five minutes and Zero checked her vitals again. This time, the girl was out of the woods even though she was still far from healthy.

"Ask Mii or Lily to grant you access to the shared inventory. Feed her well once she is awake, she needs to regain her strength and explain the situation to her so that she wouldn't try to escape. This is a salve for the scars, tell her to apply it three times a day and try not to terrorise the slave traders too much. It would also help if you could gather more information about U.N.U. because this country is weird."

Bob saluted and took the salve from Zero. "Leave it to me," he told them as Zero and Truen exited the room.

The Eternal Dragon looked at the frail beast girl and compared it to the painting that King Brice made. He saw the resemblance but the king had exaggerated her beauty a little too much in his painting. The squirrel beast girl was nowhere as beautiful as he made her out to be.

"So you are Misana," he couldn't help but be amazed by how ordinary she truly was. "King Brice must really like you to have drawn you so beautifully. They say love is blind and I can't deny it now. Please recover properly so that he can concentrate on becoming a good king when we get back, you hear me?"

Misana didn't answer and Bob sighed. There wasn't much to do in this room so he decided to entertain himself by calling in a wandering guard for a chat. Terrorising the weaker creatures was always a fun way to pass the time.