Chapter 89: Goat[Name] Refugium

    [Path] Aether

    [Rank] 1

    [Ability] Nostalgia

    Description: Refugiums are born in places once filled with life, where people of all kinds lived, loved, and died. Abandoned homes, forgotten shelters, and ruined settlements serve as the perfect cradle for their emergence. They feed on lingering joy, offering peaceful sleep and comforting beds to those who remain.

    Ability—Nostalgia: Unless moved by an external force, Refugiums stay rooted at the place of their birth until they wither away. To survive, they create an environment so soothing and pleasant that those who enter lose all desire to leave. The Spark gently replays their most cherished memories in vivid dreams, day after day, feeding on the joy they produce. In time, the occupant forgets the outside world entirely, spending their final days in blissful illusion, unaware that their happiness is slowly being consumed.

    This is crazy. Adyr frowned, lost in thought.

    He had already accepted that a Spark could take any form. But this one stretched even his imagination.

    "I wonder what happens if someone evolves with this," he murmured with a dry chuckle.

    During evolution, a practitioner would gain one innate talent and one physical trait from the Spark. In his case, he had inherited wings from the Dawn Raven. But trying to imagine someone with a body resembling a house was... absurd.

    "They become walking homes, apparently."

    The voice came from behind, answering his thoughts directly.

    Adyr hadn’t sensed the presence at all. Startled, he turned around.

    Standing there was a middle-aged man with long, drooping goat ears and a neatly trimmed white goatee that reached his chest. His face was narrow, his legs ended in cloven hooves, and he wore something resembling a black-and-white formal suit.

    The fact that Adyr hadn’t noticed him, combined with how silent the man’s movements had been, hooves and all, gave him an immediate impression: this goat-man was at least stronger than he was.

    The goat-man stepped forward slowly, his gaze fixed on the Spark. "I once saw a giant from one of the elder races who evolved with one," he said. "There was a massive door stretching from his chest to his groin, his hair layered like rooftop tiles, and his nose shaped like a chimney. The strangest part? When you opened the door on his stomach, it led into a full-sized house inside."

    He stroked his long beard and raised an eyebrow. "Quite crazy, isn’t it?"

    "It is..." Adyr nodded, then glanced at him. "You work here?"

    "Me? Hmm..." The goat-man placed his hands on his hips, pausing for a moment. "Well, I’m the only one around. So, call me the owner. Or the guy who runs the place. Makes no difference."

    "Are you planning to buy or sell?" The goat-man asked, stroking his beard again.

    "Both," Adyr replied. "I have two Rank 2 Sparks. I want to sell them first before buying anything."

    "Rank 2? Then you’re in the wrong place. That kind of trade happens on the second floor." The goat-man turned his back and started walking away.

    "Okay. Thank you."

    Noticing the man had no interest in continuing the conversation, Adyr turned and headed toward the exit, intending to find the second floor. But just then, the goat-man snapped his fingers and turned back toward him.

    "Welcome to the second floor, customer. So, what were you looking to sell?" He asked, approaching Adyr again.

    "What?" Adyr blinked in confusion, not immediately understanding—until he looked around.

    When did this happen? He glanced around, slightly surprised. The entire environment had changed.

    Behind him, the Rank 1 house-shaped Spark was gone, replaced by a massive lantern. The restrained Sparks around him were completely different now. A little further ahead, the center of the shop had transformed into a pool filled with colorful aquatic creatures swimming among vibrant, forest-colored trees. Water sprayed upward from the middle, catching the light as it fell.

    Thinking it had to be a Spark ability—and already suspecting the goat-man was at least a Rank 2 practitioner—Adyr hid his surprise well. He pulled the Hollow Mimic from his bag and said, "This one. I also have the Aqualith, but it was too large to bring with me. I just want to get a price for it."

    He had wanted to bring Aqualith, but Malrik had told him the Frost Wyvern couldn’t carry something that size. So he’d left it behind, planning to return later with a carriage when time allowed. For now, just getting a valuation would be enough.

    But the goat-man’s next words—and what followed—caught him off guard again.

    "Oh, customer, don’t worry about small details. We offer transfer service as well."

    He snapped his fingers again. Suddenly, Adyr’s surroundings shifted once more.

    This is just getting annoying, he thought, frowning as he looked around.

    He was now back in the same grand hall of Orven Draven’s mansion—the one where they’d last had dinner. In the corner of the room, Aqualith still lay bound in chains, guarded by knights who now stared at Adyr in shock and confusion.

    "L-Lord Adyr?" One of them asked, stunned. sea??h thё ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Don’t mind me. I’m just here for the Spark," Adyr replied flatly as he walked toward Aqualith.

    The knights didn’t move. They looked completely bewildered but said nothing. Their only task was to guard the Spark, and technically, its owner had arrived.

    Adyr stopped beside Aqualith and glanced around. There was no sign of the goat-man.

    "So what happens now?" He muttered aloud, hoping the goat might hear him.

    In the next instant, his surroundings changed again. He was back on the second floor of the shop—and this time, Aqualith’s massive body was right beside him.

    This bastard just makes me feel inferior, Adyr thought with a sigh. The goat was toying with him, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

    "I hope you’re satisfied with our service, dear customer," the goat said, grinning as he stroked his beard. "Now, let’s talk business."

    "I can give you crystals worth 99 energy for the Aqualith. No bargaining on that one," the goat-man said quickly, hands clasped behind his back. "As for the Hollow Mimic—quite rare, easy to feed. Let’s say... 160 energy worth of crystals."

    "185 for the Hollow Mimic," Adyr replied.

    He had no real idea about the actual market prices, but he figured it was worth trying. And it wasn’t a completely baseless attempt—after all, the goat had explicitly said there would be no bargaining for the Aqualith but made an offer for the Hollow Mimic. That alone suggested some wiggle room. Besides, Malrik had mentioned it could sell for anywhere between 150 and 190.

    And just as he suspected, despite all his power, the goat-man didn’t seem particularly skilled at negotiating.

    "175," the goat said, narrowing his eyes.

    "195," Adyr countered in a flat tone.

    "185. Final offer." The goat stroked his beard again.

    "Deal." Adyr agreed without hesitation.

    The goat’s bargaining skills were even worse than he’d expected.

    "Hehe, you’re good, young man. Ever thought about working here?" The goat said with a laugh. "I can offer you a monthly salary of 30 energy in crystals—plus a cut from each sale."

    He clearly knew he wasn’t good at bargaining but acted like he didn’t care.

    Adyr actually considered the offer for a moment. But then he shook his head. "Thanks, but I’m not looking for a job right now."

    He still knew too little about the world. Settling down somewhere didn’t appeal to him—not yet. Wandering and seeking adventure sounded far more interesting.

    "Too bad," the goat said, not sounding particularly disappointed. "Then let’s complete the trade."

    He snapped his fingers, and both the Hollow Mimic and Aqualith vanished. In their place, two sacks filled with crystals appeared.

    "Now," the goat continued, "let’s talk about what kind of Spark you’re looking to buy."