novelraw Chapter 147
Chapter 147
The goblins exchanged nervous glances, but not one of them moved to intervene.
In their tribe, the Chieftain and the Elders were supreme rulers. Their actions were absolute, their authority unquestionable. A common goblin had no right to question them, even if it meant watching them devour one another.
Tens of thousands of goblins stood in the cavern, watching in dead silence as the four Elders feasted.
Clatter.
A gnawed hand bone hit the stone floor.
It was all that remained of their former Chieftain.
The four Elders, their faces smeared with dark green ichor, lifted their heads. Four pairs of jaundiced eyes swept over the huddled masses of their kin.
"Go to the crater," the First Elder commanded, his voice raspy. "Dig a passage to the surface."
The goblins looked at each other, then back at the Elders.
"GRAHHH!"
With a unified roar, the horde surged toward the blockage, ignoring the pile of picked-clean bones on the floor.
***
Slurp.
Aiden licked his chops with a long, scarlet tongue.
Delicious.
The flavor of the Season of Life is exquisite. I could eat this forever and never get bored.
Clink. Clink.
Crash.
The sound of pickaxes hitting stone drifted up from the crater below.
Aiden turned his red head toward the pit.
So, the ugly little runts finally came to their senses.
His lips curled into a grin he couldn't suppress. This is cause for celebration.
A semi-awakened goblin tribe. The value of such an asset is incalculable.
For a moment, his vertical pupils dilated, replaced by spinning symbols of gold coins. Little darlings! Mountains of them! Waving at me!
He was about to drift into a full-blown miserly fantasy when he snapped back to reality. His pupils constricted.
Focus.
Right. The rings.
I wonder if Isolde has the [Rings of Enslavement] ready. It's been a full day. She should be done by now.
Time to check in.
The contract reversal with the First Crown had made communication much more convenient.
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The Crown symbol in his left eye ignited with a red flame.
[Isolde. Are the Rings of Enslavement ready?]
A few seconds later, a sweet, youthful, yet hesitant voice echoed in his mind.
[Master... Isolde has prepared what you require.]
[Um... Master... could you...]
Aiden’s eyes narrowed. That tone. It's too familiar. I used to sound like that right before asking for money.
[If they are ready, send them through the portal immediately.]
Miles away, in a large tent.
[Wait a moment, Master. Could you possibly...]
Click.
The connection severed.
"...pay a small deposit?"
The voice trailed off into a whisper.
Isolde slumped forward, burying her round face in the paperwork on her desk. Her cheeks puffed out in frustration.
To her side, Thea sat elegantly, reading a document.
The Royal House of Rhoyce had officially acknowledged Isolde's status as the heir. The formal appointment letter would arrive in a few days.
With it, command of the Fourth Prince's army would transfer to Isolde. As her retainer, Thea needed to be prepared.
The Fourth Prince had been surprisingly cooperative, transferring all relevant files to House Valerius without protest. Before the heir was named, he would have fought tooth and nail. But now that the succession was settled, there was no point in petty games.
The Rhoyce Empire had a long history, but "accidents" befalling heirs were suspiciously rare.
Through her reading, Thea had discovered something interesting.
The Fourth Prince was neither incompetent nor a genius. He was decidedly mediocre. His troop movements reflected this perfectly.
And that was the interesting part.
Why would the King send such a mediocre prince to command the most critical front line?
It was almost as if... he wanted the Beastmen to invade.
Gather the nobles. The Beastmen invasion.
The dots connected quickly in Thea's mind.
To weaken the great noble houses?
Her gaze drifted to the slumped figure at the main desk.
And to build prestige for her.
She looked back at the document.
"Thea..."
Thea looked up, her black eyes softening as she looked at her pouting Princess. "Yes, Your Highness?"
Isolde’s face was still pressed against the desk, squishing her cheek. "Thea... the Rings of Enslavement."
"They are ready, Your Highness."
Isolde sighed, the sound heavy with defeat. She raised a hand and lazily conjured a red mana portal in the air.
"Send them through."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
Thea’s lips curled into a faint smile. The aggrieved Princess is quite cute.
"Linda."
The maid stepped forward from the shadows. "I am here, My Lady."
"Bring the shipment in."
"It is my duty, My Lady."
Linda bowed and exited the tent. Fifty thousand Rings of Enslavement took up a lot of space; they weren't kept in the command tent.
Click.
Aiden cut the connection decisively.
Tch. That cheeky Divine Favored.
You call me 'Master' and then try to ask me for money? The audacity!
Besides, since when does a Divine Favored ask their god for money? It’s supposed to be the other way around! Good thing I hung up fast.
Whoosh.
A red portal opened in his vision.
Aiden’s pupils dilated. Excellent. She might be cheeky, but she is efficient.
[Eternal Ring] active.
Clink. Clink.
Crash.
The digging sounds from the crater grew louder.
He waited.
Thump.
A large wooden crate fell out of the portal.
Then another. And another.
They tumbled out in a steady stream, piling up until they formed a small mountain of wood on the forest floor.
Finally, the flow stopped, and the red portal winked out of existence.
[Master... the items have been sent. Did you receive them?]
[Received.]
[Um... Master... about the...]
Click.
Aiden severed the link again.
Not today, Isolde. Not today.
Tch. Persistent girl.
Rattle.
Stones shifted at the edge of the crater.
A goblin head poked out.
He pulled himself up over the lip of the crater. He was scrawny, indistinguishable from a common worker, except for the necklace of predator teeth around his neck.
Rattle. Rattle.
Three more goblins climbed out behind him, all wearing similar necklaces.
The four Elders stood there, blinking in the sunlight.
They looked at the dragons.
One Red. One White. One Blue.
It was baffling. Chromatic dragons were notoriously solitary and antagonistic toward one another. Seeing three different colors working together was unheard of.
But now was not the time for curiosity.
Slowly, the four Elders bent their knees. They lowered their bodies until their bellies touched the dirt, and pressed their foreheads against the ground.
Submission.