Chapter 48: Not a slave
Stefan’s POV
My eyes flashed red.
And for a second, I glared at the guy wondering how I could deal with him in an appropriate way.
I stepped closer, deliberately unhurried, and watched him take an aequally deliberate step back, his shoulders curling inward like he expected to be struck.
"I am not a slave," I said, low and even, letting every syllable land with weight, "like you. I never will be."
"And guy, let me tell you something..."
Whatever else came out of my mouth after that - and even I couldn’t fully recall the exact words later because I was so angry at that moment, something cutting about the difference between men who accepted their chains and men who were simply biding their time - made him flinch hard enough that he actually stumbled backward into another slave’s shoulder.
I guessed it was the tone of my words that made him flinch that hard because I doubted he would have understood what I had said.
Well, he didn’t wait for permission to leave. He just turned and hurried back toward the river without so much as a backward glance.
I exhaled sharply through my nose, tugging irritably at the collar of my slave cloth and when I felt the rough fabric scrape against my skin like a physical reminder of everything wrong with my current situation, I exhaled again.
First thing. First thing when we hit town... New clothes.
"That is what I’m working on first." I muttered aloud as if that would do anything to calm the anger simmering inside me or reduce the irritation. It didn’t help at all, actually.
And I hissed.
~~~~~~~~~
The camp began breaking down again not long after.
The horses were re-saddled, warriors mounting up, the whole column preparing to push forward toward whatever town waited somewhere ahead. I stood among the slaves, running quick calculations in my head.
The Ride-with-Belladonna mission had already been completed. In theory, that meant no reason left for me to go back to her, at least not for now, or for her to remember me specifically, or the bird, or any promise made mid-gallop while she had been threatening to drop me to my death.
Walking with the slaves seemed like the smartest possible move now. That would be safer, quieter, far less likely to end with my head separated from my shoulders over a piece of missing whatever.
I nodded to myself then out of curiosity, I looked up in Belladonna’s direction to see what she was up to.
She was settling onto her horse with a warrior seated in front of her this time. Belladonna’s expression gave away absolutely nothing, carved from the same stone it always was.
And thankfully, the System decided to show up at this crucial time with a useful information.
[BELLADONNA’S CURRENT MOOD : Hot Angry.]
"Ouch!" I winced, actually winced, physically recoiling half a step.
Mercifully, her gaze never drifted anywhere near me. Small, precious mercy. And I was pleased to know I wasn’t the cause of that hot anger.
Then the System chimed, and I hated it before I had even finished reading the first line.
[**INCUBUS ASCENSION PATH]**
"Not again... Not now, please." I grumbled but that didn’t stop more lines to appear.
**Development Arc I**: Presence
**Purpose**: An Incubus does not live like a lowlife. He asserts dignity.
**Mission**: Find another warrior to ride with.
**Reward**: +5 MA, +200 EXP
**Penalty**: Host will suffer premature ejaculation for seven days.
**Time Limit**: 00:02:00
My teeth ground together audibly as I read through.
"Are you actually serious right now."
"The heck is that penalty? What’s wrong with you? Who programmed you?" I gritted under my breath.
Anyway, as usual, the countdown didn’t care about my feelings on the matter.
**00:01:52**
Of course, I sprung into action even though I didn’t feel like. It would be a calamity for me to suffer premature ejacuation for a whole week.
What would that do to my dignity?
I scanned the mounting warriors fast, my brain racing through options, and landed on the obvious answer within seconds.
Jonquil.
She had loyalty banked, actual percentage points of it, more goodwill toward me than anyone else currently breathing on this entire planet.
I jogged over just as she was gripping the reins, catching her at the horse’s flank, breathless.
"You know what, Babe? I began in a low voice, pitched soft enough to sound almost vulnerable. I wasn’t entirely sure if that would work on a beastwoman but I had to try.
"My legs aren’t built for a ride like this. Not the way yours are." I let a small pause hang there, watching her face for any reaction at all. "Would you let me ride with you?"
I got nothing in response. She simply swung up onto the horse like I hadn’t spoken a single word, like I had become invisible mid-sentence.
**00:00:41**
Was I going to fail this mission?
Panic spiked hot and fast in my chest. I raised my voice, throwing pride out the window entirely. It was my dignity as a man on the line.
"Okay, darling, consider it payment for all that training I’ve been giving you! You know I deserve it." I called out to her.
Jonquil went still atop the horse. Then, slowly, she looked back down at me.
I held her gaze. She held my gaze too for a long, unreadable second - the same stare she had given me a dozen times before, weighing something invisible behind those steady eyes...
**00:00:35**
Then suddenly, Jonquil reached down, gripped my forearm firm, and pulled me up onto the horse behind her in one smooth motion, without a single word passing between us.
[MISSION COMPLETED.
[REWARD ISSUED: +5 MA, +200 EXP]
I let out a slow breath, settling in against her back as the whole column lurched into motion around us, hooves striking earth in a steady, building rhythm.
And the journey toward town resumed again.