VOLUME 2: THE DISTANT PARADISE – CHAPTER 96: THE KING’S GUESTS

VOLUME 2: CHAPTER 96 – THE KING’S GUESTS

Status

Race Goblin

Level 36

Class King; Ruler

Possessed Skills Ruler of the Demon Children of Chaos; Defiant Soul; World Devouring Howl; Sword Mastery A-; Dominator; King’s Soul; Ruler’s Wisdom III; Household of the Gods; One-Eyed Snake’s Evil Eye; The King's Dance at the Edge of Death; Magic Manipulation; Soul of the Berserk King; Third Impact (The Third Chant); Instinct; Blessing of the Underworld Goddess

Divine Protection Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia)

Attributes Darkness; Death

Subordinate Beasts High Kobold Hasu (Lv77); Gastra (Lv20); Cynthia (Lv20); Orc King (Bui) (Lv82)

Abnormal Status Blessing of the One-Eyed Snake; Protection of the Twin-Headed Snake

“…And? Why are you here?”

Standing before me was the human girl I saved before. Beside her was that elven maiden, listlessly looking around her, and her younger brother.

“Boss, you’re so manly I fell in love!”

Scratching my head with the butt of the spear in my hand, I thought, this is her alright.

“Don’t lie.”

I bitterly smiled at her, and she bitterly smiled back.

“Well, alright. Actually, we don’t have anywhere to go, so I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind having us for a while.”

I say… This girl really has nerves of steel. Those two behind her… The elven maiden is Selena, I think, and the male human should be her younger brother, Yoshu. The reactions they showed when I looked at them was still normal, but this girl, Shumea, is just…

“You are humans. You should live with other humans in a human village.”

The goblins aren’t very happy with the humans right now, and there are even those who possess the Man-Eating Snake skill. I might be able to keep an eye out for them, but it’s still dangerous. And while I certainly intend to one day rule over the humans, I don’t enjoy needless killing.

“Actually, we’re slaves. Our former master died, and… I don’t know if you know about this, being a goblin and all, but when a slave loses his master, whoever catches him will be his new master. It’s an unwritten law, so it would be really dangerous for us to go back.” Shumea nonchalantly said.

The things I’ve heard from Reshia are well and good, but this woman, Shumea… The perspective she offers is that of someone who’s lived through the worst of society. And from the looks of things, it seems that living in a human village is so difficult for people like her that she would literally rather live with monsters.

Bitterly smiling, I asked her, “I can see why you would prefer living with monsters, but you do realize that there are those among the goblins who kidnap the females of other species for the purpose of reproduction, yes? Are you not afraid of that?”

I smiled as I said that. It wasn’t my intention, but the result was an utterly horrifying face, such that it looked like the devil himself was smiling.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine as long I’m around you, Boss.” Shumea smiled.

That innocent smile of hers made me knit my brows.

“Sis!” Youshu screamed.

It was such an odd situation that I was actually stupefied.

“Well, alright. You do what you want. In the name of the king, I promise you safety in these lands,” I said.

“Hear that, Yoshu, Selena! Thank you so much, Boss!” Shumea said.

“Understood, I’ll inform the others,” Gi Za said, having come out of nowhere, as he looked carefully at the elf and the humans. He looked especially taken in by the elf.

“Eek… A druid!?” Selena said in surprise.

Gi Za knitted his brows.

“You should be more careful with your tongue, little girl. I am not a druid, but a shaman,” Gi Za said as he grabbed Selena’s hand.

“L-Let go! What are you planning!?” Selena cried.

“What, you say? I want you to teach me a couple of things. Now, hurry! We have much to do!” Gi Za said.

“W-Wait a moment! Boss!” Shumea cried out to me.

The way he talks is really just begging for misunderstandings.

I continued to watch them for a bit, but once things looked like they were about to escalate, I stepped in.

“Gi Za, Selena thinks she’s about to be raped,” I said.

“What!?” Gi Za said in surprise as he glared sharply. He first turned to the frightened elven maiden, then to the humans, and then back to me. I nodded to the unbelieving goblin while holding back my laughter, and Gi Za finally let Selena go.

Immediately, the frightened elf ran behind Shumea. Seeing all this happen brought a huge grin on my face.

“To rid ourselves of this misunderstanding, what Gi Za wants you to teach him is the elven knowledge on magic.”

Gi Za nodded pitifully as I said that, while the frightened Selena looked alternately between me, Gi Za, and Shumea.

“I think you’ll have to give up for today, Gi Za,” I said.

“Sigh… I suppose it can’t be helped. I don’t enjoy forcing others either,” he said resignedly.

When Selena saw that, she finally heaved a sigh of relief.

“Gi Za, let the others know they’re my guest.”

“Guest? Not your treasure?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”