I immediately knew that the goblins pointing their spears at us or waiting in a defense position with their swords ready to slash enemies did not belong to the New World. This was not because they were hostile against me, but because I had an inherent sympathy for the goblins I had summoned, and lacked such emotion when it came to the goblins I had not. Would I start having the same sympathy for them if they were to join the New World?

This question perhaps begged a much deeper insight about the workings of this world and being dungeon master - was my skills more relevant to my feelings than my role as a dungeon master. If the sympathy is contagious to newly acquired citizens of my dungeon, then it would mean that my title as a dungeon master has some intrinsic effects on my perception of the world. If it is the other way around and my sympathy only extends to those who are brought to this world by me or my powers, it would mean that creation itself has some sort of meaning inscribed into it.

In both cases it might be that I subconsciously perceive those for whom I harbor a stronger sympathy as a part of me, either by proxy of my summoning skill or indirectly via my dungeon. The latter sounds more accurate: I can confidently say it out loud that my dungeon feels like a part of me. So, those who are affiliated with my dungeon are essentially affiliated with me. It is only reasonable that I wish to protect those with a shared sense of belonging to my dungeon.

I started running my mouth as I imagined speaking in the goblin tongue. That was how it worked before with the inscribed languages - I imagined speaking them and evoked their knowledge from within.

I knew I was able to speak coherently, but witnessing the shock of seeing someone who looks like a human speak to goblins in their own tongue confirmed my thought. I was successful. The first step was done, and I hoped it was done well.

“I have some shiny stones to trade with you, but I would first like to see your inventory.”

Although nervous at first as the sight of a human communicating with bunch of goblins solely for the purpose of trading despite having enough soldiers to run over them in an instant seemed suspicious at best, the goblins must have found some ease in the fact that the soldiers the human led had many goblins and hobgoblins in them and the talking human was the only humanoid in this group of wolf riding strangers. Everyone else, indeed, surprisingly, was a monster.

Perhaps it was “they may, but you have to wait here, human” that the goblin wanted to say to me. Or I was reading too much into his thoughts from the look they gave me. But they were probably still scared by the threat they were facing.

Tired of waiting for the suspense to disappear, I used my storage magic and dropped some shiny stones on the ground. This must give them some motivation.

“These are the shiny stones, I assume you would like to see them.”

Goblins’ eyes started shining like the Northern star in a clean night sky - it was as if they fell in love with the love of their life. It was love at first sight. I knew this encounter was one that would bring me great benefits at low price - some stones.

“Please follow us. But please leave your mounts here.”

Some of the goblins dropped their guards to take us into the village while some others stayed around to make sure to defend the village against the wolves in case of a decoy as we got off them and started walking. But for all everybody knew, we would not need such decoy - it would have been easier than killing a hare to kill all the guards. They must have realized we have come in peace by now.

This village was evidently bigger than the first one, and much more populated. Maybe three - or even four or five times bigger. Of course, it did not come as a surprise when I saw the fields.

“What do you grow?”

The goblin leading us the way next to me spoke calmly.

“Corn, wheat, barley, lentils…”

Seeds! I can get some seeds here as well.

Wait… are those fish hanging on drying racks? Is this village not too developed compared to the first one? There is no way the goblins are fishing too right? Instead of asking this, I will use my scanning magic to see if there are any water bodies around.

While still walking I close my eyes for a moment to concentrate. I disperse my magic like a ripple, infinitely enlarging. As it gets bigger and bigger, I learn of the living beings it touches and focus on the swimming ones. After ten seconds I can sense many fish. This has to be a river as many of them are swimming in one direction in a single line. This is an amazing finding - We can figure out the path of this river and set at least one of the two camps near it.

Passing through the suspicious looks of the goblin civilians, we are eventually brought in front of a tent big enough to house 50 people. Our goblin guide opens his mouth as he pulls the entrance curtains:

“These are the best products we have.”

I lose my words the instant I step in. Many unconscious humanoids are inside wooden cages.

“Slaves?”