After a while, Aurora and Heilbronn finally approached the house, and I stepped out, my eyes widening at the sight. The boar was huge, its tusks still glistening, while the ghost bull - its dark skin scarred and grotesque - looked even larger. I couldn't hide my surprise.
"This boar is enough to feed us for days. But this Bull... did you actually hunt it?" I asked, scratching my head.
"Its meat isn't good, but its parts - its horns, its skin - can be sold for a high price. You should take it to the market or the butcher shop and trade them for money, it'll be quite a haul."
Aurora nodded, her excitement returning as she adjusted her cloak.
"Quite a bit of money? Okay, I'll try! Heilbronn, let's go sell this Bull!" She chirped, leaving the village with Heilbronn.
"You greedy glutton," Heilbronn's voice teased Aurora.
They set off with the ghost Bull's carcass slung over Heilbronn's back, heading for the bustling market square ahead. The air was thick with the smell of spices and the chatter of merchants, but as she approached a stall, the vendor's smile vanished. Whispers spread like wildfire—overnight, news of her relationship with me, the executioner, had reached their ears, whether true or not. The vendor shook his head, refusing to look at her.
"Sorry, miss. I don't do business with anyone related to that cursed family. Please take them somewhere else." He muttered, turning away.
Undeterred, Aurora went to another stall, then a third, and so on, but their reactions were the same. Averting eyes, waving her away with excuses. Aurora trudged toward the meat section, where the clanging of cleavers echoed in the air, hoping for a warmer reception. The burly butcher glanced at the ghost cow, his expression suddenly amused—until a colleague whispered something about her connection to me. His face hardened.
"Get that thing out of here. We don't want any trouble with the Executioner Baron. Go!" he roared, slamming the cleaver into the meat.
Discouraged, Aurora wandered the market, slowing her pace. Amidst the rejections, her eyes fell on a small stall tucked away in the corner, displaying an old leather-bound book. The cover glittered with magical symbols—obviously some kind of grimoire. Her heart pounded; She loved collecting such magical books, they contained spells she had always longed to learn, whether useful or powerful, for she was a collector of magic. She approached eagerly, her fingers lightly brushing the cover.
"How much is this book, sir, I want it?" she asked, her voice beaming with hope.
The salesman, a hooked-nosed old man, squinted at her. Recognition flashed in his eyes, and his voice turned cold.
"You're an Outsider with Baron Charlie the Executioner, as rumored recently, aren't you? I won't sell anything to the likes of you—go away before you curse my merchandise!" He snatched the book away, shooing her away with a bony, harsh hand.
Aurora's shoulders slumped, the pain of rejection deepening. She lingered for a moment, staring at the empty space where the grimoire had been, then turned away, her excitement slowly turning to quiet disappointment. Heilbronn still carried the unsold ghost bull with her, and she headed home, the weight of the day weighing heavily on her shoulders.
When she got home, I noticed her pensive expression. The ghost bull was still unsold, the grimoire couldn't be bought, and a hint of sadness lingered in her eyes. Still, she forced a smile, patting Heilbronn on the side.
"At least we have the boar… I'll have meat today, that's great." She spoke softly, her voice still filled with determination despite the hardship.
I nodded, glancing back reassuringly as we began to unload the boar, the whisper from the night before echoing in my mind, hinting at the trials to come.
"It's okay, I'll find a way to help you sell this remaining ghost Bull later."