The Merchant’s Rise

Not all journeys begin with a sword in hand. Some begin with a ledger and a wagon full of goods. In a world of adventurers, Kanatherine Trakkoni is something different-a merchant. She doesn't slay monsters or chase glory. She builds trade routes, makes deals, and carves out her own place in a world that barely notices the people who keep it running. In The Merchant's Rise, the second book in NPCs: The Merchant's Journey, Kanatherine's growing trade network faces new opportunities-and new challenges. Expanding her routes, hiring her first real crew, and navigating the shifting tides of power, she quickly learns that trade is as much about strategy as it is about survival. Told through ten flash fiction stories, each exactly 500 words, this book offers small but vivid glimpses into Kanatherine's world-where a single trade can change everything, and where the road ahead is never as simple as it seems. For readers who love cozy fantasy, slice-of-life adventure, and the unsung stories behind every great RPG world, The Merchant's Rise is a tale of ambition, trade, and the quiet power of those who keep the world turning.