311 7.39 The Price Of A Slave...Err, No...It Is The Price Of Freedom

"What's the matter, Boss? Did you sense an enemy approaching? You had a murderous intent aura emitting from your body and everyone can see it enveloped you like a flame...!"

"Psst...did you see any of the men-at-arms or something, Robin? Don't scare me or the other people...you better deactivate that murderous intent or someone would call the fire department to put out those flames around you..."

"Is there anything wrong with your friend here, buddy? He'd better off be putting out the flames and act not like one of the Fantastic Four characters, or he going to be in my book here..." a health inspector who was a head shorter than us waddled close and held a small 555 notebook that was used by some illegal money lenders and waves it under Jean Lethal's nose.

Jean Lethal pushes the little health inspector's forehead with his forefinger so he that he would be at an arm's length away before he showed Gotham up close to the latter's nose.

"Got ham little fella? Would ye like a little knuckle sandwich up yer nose, aye? Or maybe ye fancy a little fist up yer arse, aye!? Scoot back to where ye cometh, little man...or the book going to end down yer throat...Go git...!"

I looked at Jean Lethal and wonder how this Frenchie can speak Ole English in times like this and it was either hilarious to look at or simply an insult to others who hear him speaketh. Hahahaha.

*Clang Clang* *Clang Clang*

"Hear ye...hear ye...look at this fine young lad. A hard worker and a multi-tasker. He can breathe in and swallow his saliva at the same time...one in a trillion of such existence."

"He can work with minimum or no wages at all till he retires at 75... No pension, insurance or health benefits required to acquire this young lad over here...Cheap...Cheap..."

"Do I hear 5 gold coins for the first offer? You won't regret it. A hard worker. He works so hard he needs no rest at all...! He can work 18 hours a day without overtime pay...! Hear ye...Hear ye..."

"First bidding is going for 5 coins...! Low maintenance, high yield...1 bowl of gruel can make him work and toil for the whole day without a rest...! 5 gold coins...! Do I hear 5 gold coins...!"

The one thing I hate most is a slave trader. Exploited the human race even his own kind despite skin colour, ethnic or language. Another one is manipulation of other people, tricking them off by promises of care and wellbeing and lastly, ended up being drugged and sold off as slaves...!

People were milling around and I saw the so-called merchandise that was being auctioned off my the fat, slobbery sorry-assed slave trader. No one seems interested, which was a good thing but another thing was that with my Third eye, I noticed something odd with this auctioneer.

It was as if a green goblin of some sort was perching on his shoulder and the first thing i thought, he was trying to sell the one on his shoulder. Eeerrr...i wouldn't want a bald-headed, wrinkly-skinned gremlin with googly bug eyes near me and clinging on my back all the time. It got pointy ears and he had hair on top of its ears too.

No...no...no...goblins are out. Even for free, I won't accept it. This fancy pants medieval English fantasy game is way too much. If its a cute little gremlin before transformation would be a better choice and I would gladly accept it. Sorry...I sidetracked, back to the storyline.

No, the goblin is not the only one that attracts my attention but it was the casting of shadows by the lanterns that were lit around the market. Everyone had one, even the animals had one too. But he was standing there with a goblin perched on his back and not a single was cast on the ground by the duo.

"Eeehhhh....is he a ghost or an evil? If he is a ghost, no wonder no-one is taking notice of him ringing the bell in the middle of the market square. If he is evil...I don't know. Would he have a sort of agenda or something? Appear in human form and disappear in a wisp of smoke?"

What interests me further was a boy of not more than 11 years old, I guessed. He had a hangman's noose around his neck and was garbed in a mortuary shroud of some kind that made him look like a pocong or a wrapped ghost.

*Clang Clang* *Clang Clang*

"Hear ye...hear ye...5 gold coins for your young lad here that would make your life much more simpler and sweeter. Strong bones and teeth. Young and full of vitality. You can use him as your target practice for all I care. Once in a lifetime to own your own slave at home and make you live like a King or Queen. Long Live His and Her Majesty...!"

I slowly walked towards the slave trader with a green goblin perched on his shoulders and swinging his handheld bell as he announced his wares to the public which currently no one takes heed at all.

Matilda and Jean Lethal walked behind me with haversacks on their back and an axe and picks dangling at its sides. They were glancing at each other and was wondering what I was up to.

"Hello, trader...do you have something interesting to sell?"

"Ah...my young adventurer. Hello yourself, I have a one time-limited offer here with me and its right before you. A young lad of 10, full of vitality and food to be a slave for your adventure trips. He is strong as an ox and is fit to carry your heavy haversack off your back."

"He could also be used as target practice with your bow and arrows as you can dress him like an elk and make him run and hide and play peek a boo while you trained your arrows in him."

"Shoot him as a target practice eh...? 5 golds for such a puny figure like him as a running target dressed as an elk? If he is as tall as you, I'd gladly pay 5 golds to you."

"I offer you 1 good coin and take this burden off you..."

***Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the Hitokiri of the sharp tongue is now in session and he will bring the person down grovelling at his feet soon*** Someone with a loudhailer made an announcement as it echoed audibly somewhere in the market square.

"Young adventurer...this is a rare find. He can run faster than kids if his own age and he is helpful in the kitchen and around the hearth if you need him. He can be at your beck and call 18 hours a day or even more...!"

"Final call for this lad here for 4 gold and 5 shillings."

"How about selling yourself for 4 gold and 5 shillings...? You would make a great target practise..."

"Hiiiissssssssss.....He's not for SALE...!" the green goblin that was perching on the trader's shoulder hissed at me and spat on the ground.

"That green goblin would be his Master...weird to have a goblin at its master and not the other way round." I thought to myself as i glanced back at Matilda and Jean Lethal.

"Do any of you seen anything off with that seller over there?"

"No, Boss...nothing seems weird. He looked alright by me..."

"Nom...nom...nom...He seems to be slightly haggard and may not have taken dinner at all...nom...nom..."

Where did that packet of pretzels come from, M A T I L D A...?!?!?!

"Awww...what the heck...4 gold coins. I got no time to haggle with you and hand over that lad over to us. We need to get some supplies from the market first. Hurry up you haggard little man..."

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting.

"Alright...SOLD...!!! To the young adventurers that need to go the market to buy groceries...Ahh...Ahh...Ahh...Ahh..."

Damn...he sure sounds like Count Dracula from Sesame Street after he counted the 4 gold coins I tossed at him.

He quickly released the nose around the lad and removed the prop that was used to shroud him and shooed him off the platform. I held the lad's shoulder and led us out if they horrendous place as we head to the market.

"Matilda and JL, you know the drill. Get two week's supplies and 1 day on perishables. Here are 10 shillings...it should be good to cover the expenses. Gather here in 10. I'm going get a shovel, a hoe and a rake and I would be doing some dumpster diving with this boy here. PROCEED..."

The moment the 'Proceed' command was issued, they both raced to the respective stakeholders with the 10 shillings and picked up the readied groceries because all the stall traders had trained their ears and listened to our conversation as soon as they discovered we are adventurers.

I would never hope to see any change back from Matilda as she would efficiently use everything up for the 2 weeks of our needs.

The boy looked at me as I lead him to the dumpster and asked him to find a basket as I collected rotten tomatoes, ladyfingers, potatoes, tapioca stalks, bell peppers, chilli, dried string beans, brinjal, mustard leaves, pumpkins, strawberries, cranberries, mulberry stalks, carrots, onions, garlic, leeks, parsley, chives, cucumbers and peas.

After the boy had found a basket, I dumped all the rotten fruits and vegetables inside it and asked him to carry it. Next, I bought a hoe, shovel and garden rake and that too he carried.

He was speculating to himself why was I picking these rotten fruits and vegetables after acquiring him off at 4 pieces of gold coin and given my comrades 10 shillings, and yet does dumpster diving shamelessly until he saw me purchase the gardening tools and he finally comprehended.