Goblin Kingdom

To that end, he has continued to search for a functioning alliance even in adversity. Because of that the various elves had to offer their strength and technology to the goblins.

They couldn’t help much in military affairs, but they could still contribute to Alrodena in other ways.

In exchange for the full protection of their villages and an equal alliance, the elves offered what they could.

“We offer our techniques to control floods.”

Feeney’s long aqua hair extended down to his hips as he said that to the king.

Just as the sylphs could hear the voice of the forest, the undine could hear the voice of the water; hence, they specialized in preventing floods, regulating rainfall, and weather forecasts.

“In that case, we shall offer our smithing and our architecture.”

Barrui laughed with his gray skin and burning red hair.

They, who excelled in smithery and architecture, were an oddity among the children of the God of Water and the God of Forest. If one asked them about it, they would say that there’s nothing wrong with one child out of four turning odd.

The gnome warriors used to specialize in farming, but after they were chased out of their home, they had no choice but to abandon it. Since they were driven to the desert some hundred years ago, they have been living as hunters.

“We will offer our martial arts to the kingdom,” Berk said.

“Oh?　What voice do you hear?” Barrui the Salamander asked the young Berk.

“I hear the voice of the sand, but hunting sand whales is the livelihood of my people. Which is why I intend to use the sword skills I have trained to work with the kingdom.”

“Intriguing.”

When the man named Barrui smiled ferociously, perhaps that was his true nature, as someone who has been living as a merchant for so many years. Contrast Feeney, who only raised his brows, he smiled a ferocious smile as he turned to the Goblin King.

“Can you leave the task of appraising his contribution to me? Let me find out whether this contribution of his is worthy enough.”

“So be it.”

The Goblin King nodded, and then the salamander and the gnome warrior headed to the training grounds.

◆◇◆

“It’s too late to apologize now.”

Barrui took out his long sword and grinned at the gnome warrior before him. While Berk Alsen, with his silver hair, golden-brown skin, and long drooping ears, only quietly nodded.

“Take a good look at the sword forged from the blood of my ancestors.”

He pulled out a long sword and a short sword in a strange shape.

The three-pronged short sword was called a main gauche.

“Come.”

Barrui approached him slowly.

Berk wielded his his main gauche in the low stance, then he approached Barrui as though to lure him.

Their exchange lasted for but a moment.

Barrui’s razor sharp attack lashed out toward Berk. Given their distance, it was a sure hit. A thrust aimed straight for Berk’s throat. It was not just fast enough to kill, it was also meant to kill.

If Berk were to react even a moment slower, he would surely to die. Moreover, the power behind it was so great that even if it landed only on his shoulder, it would still be able to blow it away.

And yet a sword as fast and as powerful as that was met by Berk’s main gauche.

With a willow’s softness, his main gauche tangled the long sword. At the same time, Berk shifted half his body and took a step toward Barrui and pointed his long sword at the salamander’s neck.

“Think you’ve won with that, Kid?”

A closer look would show that the three-pronged blade had been caught by Barrui’s long sword.

“…You handed me the victory. Naturally, I’d accept.”

“Hmph, what an unlovable kid!　What did you say your name was?”

“Berk Alsen Royon, Barrui the Salamander.”

“You can drop the salamander. The name is Barrui Neisaris.”

Barrui put away his sword and offered his hand, a hand Berk took.

“I look forward to working with you brethren from the southSauzan Arata, Berk.”

“And I look forward to learning from you. brethren from the northNoizan Arata, Barrui.”

When Feeney saw Barrui hug Berk, he sighed.

“He’s not a bad man, but he’s really simple-minded… Please don’t think all the fire elves are like him, Shunaria-dono.”

“Don’t worry, I know someone like him from our tribe too.”

“I see… That’s a bit troubling.”

Feeney brusehd up his aquatic hair, and Shunaria smiled.

When the two warriors returned before the king, they knelt. Barrui spoke first.

“King of Goblins. On the honor of the Salamander, I guarantee that this gnome’s words are true. He will surely be of use to you.”

“So I’ve seen. We have a swordsman among our people as well. It will surely benefit the both of you if you can cross swords one day.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty. As long as you protect us, we gnomes will forever be loyal to you.”

Berk spoke after Barrui, but after speaking on behalf of the gnomes, the Goblin King nodded.

Later, he would meet Gi Go Amatsuki and cross swords with him.

After seeing each other’s mastery over the sword, they would mutually accept each other.

◆◇◆

On the first spring of the second year of the King’s Calendar, the Goblin King received word from Pale that preparations have been completed.

And so, they left Garm Su and relocated the capital to Revea Su.

The original residents had never left, so the late Rishu had to be rapidly expanded in order to accommodate the great number of goblins and elves.

Some of the walls had to be demolished and its materials used for construction, but even then it was only thanks to Barrui the Salamander’s fire elf technology that the barracks of the goblins could be completed before the king arrived.

Because of how rushed everything was, the elves and the goblins were crammed into the new barracks without much thought.

“Is there anything you’re unhappy about?　You’re fine as long as you can stave off the weather, yes?”

The new place only had shared living quarters, so there were a lot of people unhappy, but as far as Pale was concerned that in and of itself was a luxury.

Once again, the Goblin King was made to realize his error in entrusting this job to Pale. She was a brilliant woman. Whether it was politics, military, or schemes, she was a woman who could do it all, but unfortunately, she had no talent when it came to city planning.

If Yoshu had taken the job, he might have raised hell and complained, but he would have still made sure that no one would have anything to complain about.

The Goblin King never had much want in the way of luxuries like grand palaces, so he sold all of those stuff away along with the treasures, leaving behind only the bare necessities, and resolved to promote the development of the city.

He needed to talk to someone about it, and the person he found was Shunaria.

“In that case, we surely must plant trees!”

As her long ears twitched rapidly from excitement, the Goblin King realized that he had made a mistake. If he left it to the sylphs, they would just end up planting trees everywhere.

They would demolish houses, cut off roads, destroy farmlands, all to plant trees.

They were sick.

Pale wasn’t afflicted with the same disease, but in her case, she was too restricted by rationality. When it came to delicate matters, she would actually make a decent match for Shunaria.

Hence, the person the Goblin King tried consulting next was Berk Alsen.

He has fought with Gi Go the Sword King, as well as the snow demons, so the Goblin King tried talking to him, but his answer was exceedingly simple.

“A house built from the hide and bones of beasts is enough. Any more than that is unnecessary.”

His tribe was a savage tribe that lived in a region so remote it was referred to as the Land of the Southern Barbarians.

The Goblin King knew that he lacked talent. It would be too reckless for him to implement a plan on his own. At the end of his wits, the Goblin King thought he had no choice but to call Yoshu, but then Barrui suddenly passed by him.

“Just when I was wondering what you wanted to talk about, it turns out to be about the development of the city. In that case, you need to expand toward the north. And then you’ll have to do something to keep the residential area of the humans in the south from becoming a slum.”

When the Goblin King heard that, he froze up just like a sage that had received a divine revelation.

“You understand, Barrui?”

“Come on now, what do you take us for? Please don’t lump us in with those vulgar humans who only know how to fight.”

Barrui laughed heartily, then flexed his arms to the Goblin King.

“We’re the mavericks birthed by the God of Water and the God of Forest, you know? When a kid has gone off the wrong road and his parents don’t like it, it’s his duty to make them understand.”

The grinning middle-aged warrior, Salamander, looked really dependable to the king.

“You should call that guy, Feeney, too. Those flood control abilities are really something. If we work together, we can have a sewer ready before breakfast.”

And just like that, with the help of his newfound advisers, the Goblin King developed Revea Su.

The sylphs that ever whispered by his ears to plant more trees, the humans that fled from the scary goblins, the gnomes that found tents more comforting than stone houses, the undine that inflated the budget in their pursuit of beautiful statues, and the salamanders that wanted to make everything big, thinking it would be more exciting that way.

It was with the opinion of all these different races that the city of Revea Su was gradually developed.

“Well, it should serve as a good distraction,” Pale said.

A clamor of voices could be heard coming from the king’s office.

Everything had gone just as Pale had planned.

Indeed, she was good at schemes.