Chapter 120

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Deafening cheers resounded all around.

On my hand was a long sword dripping with blood. Before me was the centaur chief breathing his last breaths on the ground. He was strong. His fast legs, trained specifically for hunting, and his never ending attacks made me thought I would die several times throughout the duel, but in the end what decided victory was my persistence.

He’s strong, but somehow, it feels like that strength comes from his resolve to die.

“…It’s over, huh,” he said, his voice tinged with pain.

“Seems like it,” I said.

I raised my black burning sword up. “Let me put you to rest.”

“…Wait, before that, hear me out,” he said.

“If it’s something I can do, sure,” I said.

I lowered my sword and knelt beside him.

“Promise me, you’ll ensure the safety of my tribe,” he said.

“I promise it,” I said.

Despite all the bleeding, Daizos’ lips curved up into a smile. Seeing him smile despite being in so much pain made me raise up my brows.

“As expected of a king… You, are, reliable… I have, one, more, thing… I’d like to ask. Please, don’t, push the, elves any further.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am indebted, to them. I can’t, speak ill of them, but—”

“—What is this!? What is going on!?”

I looked up upon hearing that shrill voice. What greeted me next were the graceful faces of two elves, one of which seemed high-strung while the other seemed anguished as they looked at us.

“A-a-a goblin? You actually lost to this thing!?” The high-strung of the two elves said.

Nothing was more disgraceful than the way that elf acted. Inadvertently, I narrowed my eyes at that elf’s behavior.

Daizos grabbed my arm. “I beg you! King of Goblins, do not…” But before he could finish, the last of his strength left him, and his hand powerlessly fell back to the ground.

I closed his still open eyes.

“…Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll be possible after seeing that.”

I took my blood-smeared sword with me and approached the screaming elf.

“W-W-What!? What do you want!?” The high-strung elf asked, pointing at me as his voice cramped.

“I am the Goblin King that rules the east,” I said.

“P-Peasant, how dare you!? We are the proud and noble elves! You should be prostrating yourself before us!”

The desire to mess this elf up grew stronger. A vicious smile appeared over my lips. I wanted to swing the sword in my hand and lop off this foolish elf’s head.

To think he wouldn’t even give a word to the person who fought for him.

Such an act is an insult to Daizos… and to me.

“Goblin King, Lord Cecil, I believe it would be best if we send off the dead first before anything else,” the other elf, who looked anguished a while ago, said.

He seems frail, but he’s better off than this one.

I swung my sword to get rid of the blood and the fat before sheathing it by my waist.

“Eek! T-T-That’s dirty!!!”

It was a good opportunity, so I accidentally got some on the elf’s face.

Hmph, dirty, huh. Unfortunately, Daizos, it seems your death meant nothing to these elves of yours.

The better of the two elves walked up to Daizos with a sad look on his face, then he knelt down and offered a silent prayer.

“And you?” I asked to the other elf.

I didn’t really want to ask, but I thought I might as well to see his response.

“W-What?” He asked.

I turned to where Daizos was to indicate that I was talking about him.

The elf’s face twitched as he laughed. “Why would us elves do anything for someone the likes of him?”

I see… It seems this elf is really stupid. Relying solely on his race’s status, while not even thinking the slightest bit about the demihumans. The more I think about it, the more pitiful Daizos becomes.

If he followed me, I could have sent him to die in a more fitting battlefield.

Instead, he fought me, lost, and at the end of his life, begged me to guarantee the safety of the elves. A pitiful end for a warrior.

What value is there to this elf who looks like he’s about to collapse from my glare?

How pathetic.

“…Sorry for that. Please, let me introduce myself.” After the better elf finished praying, he walked over to where I was and bowed his head. “My name is Shunan. I am the envoy tasked with making rounds on the border. This person here is Lord Cecil. He is also an envoy, but he is chief envoy, whereas I am vice-envoy. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

This man is unusually polite.

“I don’t mind, but…”

As I was talking, Gi Za walked over to me. The direction he came from, however, was from the direction of the centaur village.

“We have captured the village, Your Highness. There were some resistance, but we managed to suppress them. Shall we capture these elves?” He asked.

“That was quick. No, there’s no need to capture them. Just bring them to the centaur chief’s house,” I said.

After Gi Za nodded, I walked over to Yushika, who was standing by his corpse, and called out to her.

“I want to give him a warrior’s burial. Can I leave everything to you? I don’t know how you people do it,” I said.

“Yes… Just for today, it’ll be off the books. Thank you, King of Goblins,” she said.

I didn’t want to see her beautiful face covered in tears, so I turned around.

I didn’t have the right to say anything. After all, one of the reasons behind her sorrow was me. The words of a man like that couldn’t possibly reach her.

Instead, I should be thinking of what I should be doing now. There’s no time for regrets.

Stifling all weakness that sought to rise within me, I looked up ahead.

With this I’ve finally made all the demihumans my allies, opening the door to the elves.

Unfortunately, I never thought the elves would be so weak. I might have expected too much, but I was informed that they sometimes go out to become adventurers, so I expected them to be a bit stronger, yet it seems my expectations were too high. Every time I think back to that elf, I get anxious.

If it’s like this, I might as well just use the goblins to suppress them, but… No, I shouldn’t give in to my temper. The elves are supposed to have technology we don’t have. The technology to train exceptional warriors, to temper weapons, to create armor. Moreover, that vice-envoy might be someone special.

It might be worth my time to talk that to elf called Shunan.

Even if the elves are no good as warriors, they might be useful in other fronts. I need more informations. The informations I got from Selena is not enough.

◆◆◇

The goblins and the other demihumans made camp around the centaur village. When everything had settled down, I gathered the goblins and gave them instructions on hunting and patrolling, while also prohibiting them from insulting the demihumans.

There is much to do. The other demihuman chieftains need to elect a new leader for the centaur village. Peace and order must also be maintained. That elf, Cecil, needs to be dealt with as well.

After finding the time, I called out the vice-envoy, Shunan, along with Shumea, Selena, and Nikea. The sun had already set, so the elf, Shunan, cast his light magic, Light, to light the room.

After Selena, Shumea, and Nikea introduced themselves in order, we began the meeting.

“An alliance? This is a bit sudden. Even if you tell this to me…” Shunan said after I proposed the alliance with a strong conviction.

“If you can’t give a response, we will have no choice but to enter the elven villages,” I said.

“…Is this a threat?” Shunan asked.

“I’ll get straight to the point. I am unhappy with the way you elves behaved this afternoon.”

Shunan frowned upon hearing that. Apparently, I hit a sore spot.

“What I have heard from the descendants of the crystals, I have seen today with my own eyes. I cannot help but feel disappointed. Especially, that man, Cecil,” I said.

“You would actually go so far? Even I cannot stay put after hearing my brethren insulted,” Shunan said.

“Oh? Then are you implying there is more to that man’s behavior other than scorn?”

“That’s…”

I shouldn’t insult them too hard, there’s no point to it. Thinking that, I stifled all my pent up irritation to keep myself from grumbling.

“Will you accept? Will you not? That is all I really want to know,” I said.

“…As of now, that is not possible. I do not have the authority to make such decisions,” Shunan said.

There was a sternness to his face now.

That’s a much better face.

What I need to know now is who has the right to make that decision and what kind of government the elves have. If their government is nothing more than some flimsy body, wherein each village makes their own decisions, then I’ll have no choice but to conquer them one at a time. Hopefully, they’ll have a situation like with the demihumans, but I doubt things will go so smoothly.

“Who has the right then?” I asked.

“The sage’s council,” he said.

So they do have a council of sorts that govern the different villages of the sylphs. Apparently, the representatives aren’t limited to representing only one village. Some of them represent more than one village.

“A council, hmm… I take it they are not always convening.”

“Yes. A meeting is held when deemed necessary, and whatever is decided is implemented to all villages.”

“Let me attend that meeting then.”

“I will have to ask my elder brother first.”

When the words ‘elder brother’ came out, Shunan cast his eyes down.

“When can you ask him?”

“From here it would take 5 days.”

“Even with the elven road?”

A look of shock appeared on Shunan’s face, then he immediately turned to Selena.

Sighing, he shook his head in resignation.

“No, with the elven road it should only take a day.”

“Then please ask that brother of yours as soon as you can. Until then, we’ll keep that man, Cecil, here in the village.”

If we let Cecil go instead, he might abandon Shunan. But if it’s this weak-looking man, he probably won’t abandon him. Putting it positively, he looks trustworthy. Negatively, he looks weak.

“What we seek is only the strength to fight back against the humans. We have no hostile intentions toward the elves,” I said.

“I… understand.”

There’s no reason to say any more than this.

This man will inform the elves what we have told him, so it’s best to keep our impressions good.

“Well then. That’ll be all tonight.”

I glanced at Selena, and timidly, she stepped forward.

“This girl was taken captive by the humans. Due to some circumstances, I am currently taking care of her. Why don’t you talk with her a bit?”

After that I stood up and left with the others.

The next day, Shunan left to request that meeting.

◆◆◇

Westmost of the demihuman region, a five days’ walk from the centaur village, was the forest known as the Rustling Forest. The wind elvesSylphs liked to name each forest they lived in.

The Tranquil Forest, the Rustling Forest, the Silent Forest, the Windy Forest, the Forest of the Lost, the Whispering Forest, there were countless forests in the region of the sylphs, but in a relatively bigger forest, in a relatively bigger village, was a meeting between six sylphs.

It has been three days since Shunan bid farewell to the Goblin King.

The six representatives of the sylphs were gathered in one building.

There was no one else in the meeting except for these six people. They were gathered around a round table, upon which was drawn a golden spiral ivy, symbolizing the wealth and advanced technology they were so proud of.

The elves lived twice as long as humans. They aged slower, accordingly. From the humans’ perspective, the elves were indeed beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that their faces are said to be carved after Mother Deetna’s. This was said for both men and women.

Be that as it may, there were still individual differences.

“Why in the world would the goblins have the right to negotiate with us?” An elf by the name of Fenit, hailing from the Tranquil ForestSymphoria, said. The fat on his body greatly shook as he spoke.

“Is it true that the demihumans have fallen to the goblins?” Silver from theForest of the LostSheng was dubious. He was short and plump, and as he listened to Shunan’s proposal – essentially, the goblin king’s proposal – a look of displeasure could be seen on his face. “It seems the demihumans need reminding who they’re masters are.”

“Indeed,” Priena of the Silent ForestSinfall with his beautiful but cold eyes and Nash of the Whispering ForestJirad with his slender body agreed.

“…We could stay quiet, but then nothing would be resolved,” Shure of the Rustling ForestForni, Shunan’s brother, crossed his arms and frowned.

Quietly nodding was the middle-aged Falun. The forest he represented was the Windy ForestGastair.

“But you know, Shure Forni. I don’t believe your junior brother’s words have any place in this council. Surely you don’t actually believe we would work with some goblins, do you?” Silver Sheng sneered as he looked up Shure’s face.

Shure turned to him with a face as calm as still waters. “You have no intentions of accepting the goblin’s proposal then, I take it?”

When Shure asked a second time, the one who blew up in anger was not Silver but Fenit.

His overgrown tummy shook waves as he yelled. “Enough with this bullshit!”

The middle-aged Falun was greatly perplexed at the man’s lack of grace. “…I don’t believe those words are appropriate for the noble-minded.”

“Of course,” Priena Sinfall agreed as he looked coldly at Falun. “But the same could be said for Lord Shure.”

“If this is all you have to say, I would like to request that this meeting be dismissed. Is there anyone in disagreement?” At Nash Jirad’s proposal, the meeting came to an end.

After four elves left, only Shure and Falun were left.

“What do you think?” Shure’s wise-looking face frowned a bit as he looked sharply at Falun.

“The sage’s council is not truly united. That’s basically it,” he said, sighing.

Shure nodded. “Is it exactly as Shunan said? The human threat?”

“The reports from the adventurer elves goes in line with his report. The warring kingdom, Germion, has turned its eyes on the forest.”

“…I take it victory isn’t possible unless we unite the elves then?”

“Most likely…”

The middle-aged Falun caressed his beard as he agreed.

“Then for the sake of the sylphs, I shall carry this shame.” Shure smacked his hands, and in the next moment, Shunan and some elven youths appeared.

“It is as you’ve heard,” Shunan said. “We will need to talk. Shunan, tell the Goblin King to bring his horde here.”

Shure spoke those words as calmly as he could. After Shunan and the elven youths nodded they left.

“Are you sure about this? Things might not go according to plan.” Falun said.

Shure bitterly smiled. “It is impossible for things to go exactly as you plan them. To deal with the problems that arise in one’s plan is precisely what leads to victory. I would have liked more time, however…” Shure said.

“So young yet already so brilliant. We of Gastair do not regret throwing our lots with Forni.”

“Thank you, teachershifon.”

“Hah, it’s been a while since I was last called that. I think I’ll begin preparations. I have to show my face in the banquet, after all.”

The remaining two members of the sage’s council stood up.

“By the way,” Falun said, remembering something as he stood up. “Your daughter… Shumelia is almost of age, I believe.”

Shure faintly smiled, but it seemed sarcastic. “She has become quite a shrew, actually. I’m not sure who she takes after.”

“It’s good to be vigorous while young. Ha ha ha!”

The next day, Shunan returned to the goblin king and extended an official invitation for him and his horde.