Goblin Kingdom

Volume 4: Chapter 268 – The Unexplored Lands of the West (2/2)

As though the words themselves possessed weight, the words that left the dragon’s mouth weighed heavily upon the goblins. In fact, just the sight of the ryuu’s giant stature was enough to make sweat trickle down Gi Za’s back.

“…I know why you’re here. You’re here because of your body,” Gawain said.

Gawain looked at Douhet as though the existence of the Goblin King could not enter his eyes at all.

“…I see an annoying shadow,” Gawain said.

It was then that Gawain turned to the Goblin King and Reshia for the first time.

“Servant of the Goddess of the UnderworldAltesia and Ruler of the Heavens, Gawain. Lend me your power. I have a contract to fulfill. The Goddess of Victory and Glory’sHekaterina’s song must sound once more upon these lands,” the Goblin King said.

“…Kuhahaha. I see that mouth of yours is what convinced the Earth-Devouring SerpentPerseval to give you his blessing,” Gawain said.

The ryuu’s mouth twisted into a smile, then the ryuu blinked a few times as he gazed straight into the goblin king.

“The small one over there should be the adherent of the Goddess of HealingZenobia. Just how did you swindle my servant?” Gawain asked.

“It is my duty as Zenobia’s adherent to heal the wounded,” Reshia said.

“I see, so that’s why the shadows flickered… And you, small one, I sense an old kin of mine within you,” Gawain said.

He had been lying down, but then he raised his head and lifted his giant body, giving rise to powerful winds as he brought dragon eyes to the Goblin King.

“Tell me, small one, you yearn for it, yes? The raging storms! The raging storm that we have been waiting for so long! It is at hand!”

The ryuu’s breath blew like a violent gale and echoed powerfully like thunderclaps.

“I am halfway through this path I’ve begun, and I have no plans of pushing it into someone else!””

“Good spirit, small one, good spirit!　In that case you should use my divine protection to call forth a thunderous storm.”

Gawain’s ryuu orbs shone brightly as they enveloped the Goblin King.

“But beware, the souls that have mingled will one day become the wedge that will destroy you. Not even my power can help you with that. Though you will be able to use all of your powers, no one will be able to save your flesh,” Gawain said ominously.

“I never believed I would have a peaceful death!” The Goblin King said.

“Good spirit, good resolve! Oh, how I miss the days of our storms,” Gawain said.

The ryuu orbs Gawain held grew brighter, and the Goblin King inhaled them.

“…Douhet,” Gawain called.

As his eyes moved to the fire ryuu, the king of the ryuus, Gawain, declared.

“Someone like you whose life has been saved can no longer be considered my servant. Go forth then with these people to the south, and that shall be the symbol of my pact with the little one.”

“…As you will,” Douhet replied.

Upon seeing the light that had been absorbed into the body of the Goblin King, Gawain laughed.

“It is wonderful that these long days will finally come to an end. It won’t be long now before our mother, the Goddess of the Underworld, will these lands again.”

Gawain looked at the Goblin King with narrowed eyes, he appraised him calmly with his gaze.

“Now, return. You are only halfway through, yes?”

“Of course!”

The Goblin King turned heel and Gawain narrowed his eyes.

“A pity that you must be sacrificed, but if it’s for the sake of our master, it cannot be helped.”

After the Goblin King left, Gawain shook in jubilation, knowing that the descent of the Goddess of the Underworld was at hand.

◆◇◆

When the Goblin King’s group returned on the back of Douhet the Flame Ryuu, Gi Go and the others welcomed them with jubilation. When Gi Za unhappily told the group what had happened, they were astonished and admired the king even more.

Their king had negotiated with a being spoken of only in legends as equals and even formed a pact. Moreover, the proof of that pact was right before their eyes in Douhet.

But while they were elated at the king’s accomplishments, Gi Za was not happy.

“What’s wrong?”

Gi Go, who was secretly wondering if he could duel with the ryuu, called out to Gi Za.

Gi Za frowned. “It went too well.”

“Isn’t that because the servant gods have placed their expectations on our king?”

“Even then would they really go so far as to dispatch a subordinate ryuu to accompany us?”

“…Maybe that’s just how big their expectations are.”

“I’m not familiar with the expressions on these ryuus, but the way Gawain looked at His Majesty was more akin to observation rather than expectation. At the very least, he was not as easy to read as that Douhet.”

At the end of Gi Za’s sharp gaze was a troubled Douhet. Reshia had asked him how to raise Gastora properly, but he hadn’t a clue how.

“I’ve heard that ryuus know everything! If so, then you must know this as well! Please teach me the safest and most proper way to raise Gastora!”

“Please don’t misunderstand, my lady! There’s no way I can guarantee something I haven’t done before!”

As the two argued, Gi Za let out a solemn sigh.

“I can see that ryuu is obviously not trying to spy our affairs, but…”

“You’re overthinking it. Even if the ryuu did manage to gain information about us, just how beneficial would that be to them?”

“…I hope you’re right.”

But even the spirit within him had sent him an unpleasant feeling after they left Gawain.

“For the meantime, let’s celebrate the king’s safe return, and then return to the East. That’s what matters most right now.”

“Of course. It is annoying, though.”

“By the way, Gi Za Zakuend. Would you happen to know of a way I could fight with that ryuu called Douhet?” Gi Go folded his arms as he asked that in a groan, but there was no reply, for his question had left Gi Za stupefied and speechless.

With Douhet’s cooperation, the Goblin King was able to return to the capital, The City Where the King SitsRevea Su, immediately. The ryuu was so fast that it didn’t even take half a day to return from the unexplored west. Everyone was shocked at that, but the people in Revea Su were even more shocked when they saw a ryuu suddenly appear above them, a shock that lasted only until the Goblin King alighted, and then turned into a jubilation that enveloped all of Revea Su. This matter was promptly announced to be an auspicious event.

The king of the Kingdom of the Black SunAlrodena had returned from the unexplored lands through his friendship with the ryuu.

Word of this was sent even to the generals fighting in the front lines, along with the vassals and allies fighting there, who in turn sent messengers to congratulate the king, while the generals became heartened and strengthened their attacks.

“I knew it! My king is the greatest! Long live the king!”

Gi Gu Verbena of Felduk. Gi Ga Rax of Aransain, Gi Gi Orudo of Zeilduk. All of these goblins strengthened their attacks, but the ones that managed to increase their pace the most during this period were none other than the mixed army that was conquering the southernmost area.

“Word has it that our king has befriended the ryuu. Tell me, what kind of creatures are the ryuu?”

A salty wind blew from the south to land on Gi Jii Yubu as the goblin asked that question to an ally tactician in the middle of calculations.

“…Hmm. Actually, I’ve never seen one myself.”

Vilan Do Zul was participating in this war with an army made up the Akazones, adherents of the God of the DesertAshunasan. They numbered 1000, consisting mostly of young boys, but their morale was surprisingly high.

It was an army secretly prepared for Vilan by Queen Mira Vi Burnen.

The Kushain Believers trusted Mira to a frightening extent. So long as it was for her sake, their saint and matriarch, they would stake their lives and fight.

But such treatment was only given to Mira. It was not something that would extend to Vilan just because she trusted the man. If anything, the great trust she afforded him only served to turn the believers against him.

Mira was nearby during the defensive battles of Kushain, so this problem wasn’t a big deal then, but now that Vilan was on an expedition, the problem could only rear its ugly head. It would hurt Vilan’s career if it were to be presumed that his soldiers would sabotage him.

Mira, who was wise enough to realize the problem even before taking the throne of the holy city of Cultidian, proposed a solution. The solution was to create an army of pagans. Though the Kushain Believers were indeed monotheistic, the polytheists haven’t been persecuted since Mira came into power.

As one of the leading governors in the continent, Mira did not wish to see her country’s national power affected because of persecution, so she acknowledged their religion. However, several restrictions were made.

The polytheists had to pay a higher tax in Kushain lands.

Part of these taxes was that each family would have to provide one male for conscription. Cultivated from an early age with good diet and loyalty toward their nation, these men are what one would call elite soldiers.

It was these soldiers that were entrusted to be Vilan’s first battalion in this expedition.

A rare army specialist unit considering Kushain Believers were usually made up of peasants, showing just how much importance Mira placed in this expedition.

“I know, let’s wrap this battle up quickly, and then go back to Revea Su to get a good look at this ryuu.”

As Vilan finished his calculations, he raised his right arm and said that with a smile.

“Yes, it shouldn’t be long now,” Gi Jii Yubu said.

“The Thousand-Demon ArmySazanorga are already in position,” Vilan said.

“In that case, I should have my armyRegiol in position too.”

“Please.”

At Vilan’s behest, the goblin army lined themselves up and began their assault. Before long, one of the minor nations in the south fell.

◆◇◆

While Alrodena steadily advanced, one of the major nations to the east, Alsas, was becoming more and more chaotic.

The attempted holy kingdom revolution in the early summer of year 461 of the Holy Kingdom’s, Alsas, calendar, or year 4 in the King’s Calendar of the goblins has ignited a class conflict that has been smoldering until now. Already, not a spot in the capital was without blood.

And yet just when the attempted revolution was finally about to calm down after the purge of the Senate, the situation took an unpredictable turn.

After suffering a decline in national power due to the shortage of human resources, looting, and a paralyzed economy, Alsas decided to march for the Oceanic Kingdom of Yarma to try and restore its national power. Just like that a reckless plan that stood no chance of success began.

When Sophia, Vine, and Pale saw all the chaos happening, they smiled and leisurely watched over the events. Meanwhile, Yarma responded like any other trading nation, and hired a lot of mercenaries to try and defend itself.

Anyone who saw the situation believed that Alsas had gone mad to start this reckless war, but regardless, they sent the declaration of war, and proceeded to assault the borders and attack Yarma.

But it was then that the situation started to take an unexpected turn.

The Alsas army that could not even resupply itself somehow managed to quickly break through Yarma. They easily passed by the defending forces and occupied the capital.

In the blink of an eye, the Holy Kingdom of Alsas had conquered all of the Oceanic Kingdom Yarma, then declared itself to be reborn as the Holy Kingdom Altigand, annoucing the engagement of the king’s daughter with a young man, who would also be the successor of Altigand.

He was two heads taller than your average men with black hair and reddish-brown eyes, and a youthful appearance that made him appear about 5 years younger than he actually was.

“A hero?”

When Pale finished reading the report, she found herself grimacing at this ominous situation.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

Protection of the Wingless Sky Snake: Reduce abnormal statuses, as well as interferences from the gods.

Enemy of the World: Due to receiving the blessing of the four servant gods of the Goddess of the Underworld, it is now possible to use the ether of the underworld. Consequently, those that have received a divine protection from hostile gods will hate you. (MEDIUM)