Chapter 172.2

VOLUME 3: CHAPTER 172 – SPRING IS FARAWAY (2/2)

10 days after the Goblin King declared the founding of a new country, word has already spread to the neighboring nations. The people who fled the western capital had spoken wantonly about the subject. After all, the goblin army intentionally allowed them to flee to the main capital.

“Let those who wish to leave leave. In fact, send them off courteously.”

At the Goblin King’s behest, whenever the patrolling goblins happened upon a human seeking to flee, they would give them food and let them go their way.

This treatment did not apply to those who tried to invade the western capital, however. In their case, they were properly arrested.

During the night, Gi Ji Arsil’s assassin squad were the ones in charge of the patrols, while the harpies and the Paradua were in charge during the day.

The monster army led by Gi Gi Orudo moved as a detached force and created a free zone east of the western capital. Its scope was vast, so much so that almost the whole area except for the road leading to the capital was covered.

The beasts under Gi Gi originally lived in the forest; hence, they were much stronger than the beasts living in the plains. The beasts that proved most problematic to the humans had already been hunted, so only the relatively less threatening beasts were left.

Beasts from the forest came pouring out in droves, so the beasts on the plains had no choice but to either be driven away or be eaten. As the ecosystem within the plains was altered, Gi Gi created the free zone and returned his monster army to the wild, allowing them to increase their numbers.

The villages to the west have already mostly come under the rule of the goblins. This was mostly due to Shumea and the elves’ efforts as they promised the villagers that they would be able to continue living as they have until now.

In fact, their lives under the goblin rule was actually better than when they were under Gowen. After all, the goblins only demanded a yearly tax of 30% of food produced.

The villages varied in sizes, but because the biggest city, the western capital itself, had fallen, none of them tried to rebel.

The humans left in the western capital numbered approximately 700.

Considering how almost 10,000 lived in the western capital before, it could be seen just how much the goblins were feared and how well Gowen was able to lead his people away.

The only people left were homeless children, old people who could no longer move, and slaves.

“If the children want, they can become warriors. If not, then give them land and have them produce food.”

At the king’s behest, food was first given to them, then the siblings, Shumea and Yoshu, talked to the children. A person was considered an adult upon reaching 15. Until then, the children would have to do as they were told.

“I didn’t think there would be these many children at this age here,” Shumea grumbled with a wry smile as she took care of the children.

The slaves were taken care of by Yoshu. The Goblin King had suggested to see if they could be used in the war, so Yoshu tried various things out to see what he could do with them.

The Goblin King also decided to hand out rewards to his subordinates. An ‘Eight-Flags’ meeting was held at the plains near the forest, and it was decided that the area around the western capital near the humans would be given to the goblins.

However, the Goblin King forbade touching the humans under his rule, as they were an important resource necessary for the production of food. Human farmers were something that the Goblin King had been wanting for some time now.

The humans that stayed behind could keep their land, while the lands that have been abandoned would be given to the elves and the demihumans.

Looking at it one way, it seemed as if all the dangerous territories were given to the goblins, but whatever complaints may have risen from that were quickly suppressed by the king.

The Goblin King knew more than anyone else just how much blood needed to be shed to grasp his sought-after hegemony. He would much rather rely on the goblins than the few demihumans they had.

At Gi Go’s request, the Goblin King also gave a small territory to Yustia and her Yugushiva who fought with them in the battle. After all, the yugushiva, who were referred to as savages in the north, had always yearned for the warmth that the southern lands had.

Of course, while Gi Go Amatsuki may have suggested it to the king, Yustia still had to thank the Goblin King himself.

“Thank you, King of Goblins,” Yustia said as she offered her sword to him while kneeling.

She swore vassalage to the king with the deepest respect she could give.

After receiving a land with warmth situated in the borders of the forest and the plains, Yustia immediately set off on her way back to the mountains of the snow god.

◆◇◆

“Come, Gi Ba!”

The king hadn’t forgotten to give names to those who had evolved.

“Yes, my liege!”

Gi Ba, a goblin who has received the divine protection of the one-eyed black snake, struck his sword into the ground and knelt before the king. The hate his kind felt for the humans could not be healed; so, the king gave them the land situated to the east, the area closest to the humans from that direction.

“I name you, Gi Ba Hagar. Keep a tight leash on your hate until the day to let it loose comes.”

“As the king commands, so shall I obey!”

The Goblin King noticed Gi Ba’s fists curled tightly and shaking, but he didn’t say anything.

The next goblins that appeared before him were those that evolved into a rare class.

The naming ceremony was held with the available noble goblins circled around them.

When Zu Vet, the goblin under Gi Zu Ruo, saw the main force of the Goblin King’s army, he was shocked.

He’d always believed that Gi Zu was exceptionally strong, but as it turns out, Gi Zu was actually just one of many powerful goblins.

He had no choice but to realize just how much of a frog in a well he was.

Gi Zu once told him that he would understand the king’s greatness once he met him. Apparently, he wasn’t exaggerating.

The Goblin King was endowed with a giant stature, out of which emanated the aura of a king, and on his body were various equipment fitting that of an old hero. When all that was coupled with his valiant image as he wielded his great sword, it was enough to make it feel as if he was something more than just a goblin… something divine.

Seeing the king, Gi Zu actually found it understandable that he would be able to slay an ogre. On top of that, the goblins that served by his side were not normal either.

“Hey, pops… Who is that?” Zu Vet asked.

“Lord Gi Ga Rax, the warrior I respect the most,” Gi Zu said as with much pride.

Gi Ga Rax’s body was covered in scars, but it did not give him the image of a weakling, instead the scars served as medals that honored his valor in battle. He was missing an arm and a leg, but even then, he did not seem weak at all.

Zu Vet did not judge him wrongly. He believed that if he were to fight him, 10 times out of 10, he would surely lose.

“What about that big one?”

“That’s Lord Rashka from the tribes.”

Zu Vet did not mind that Gi Zu replied so curtly, instead he observed the goblin.

He boasted a stature even greater than that of the king’s. He had a long tail that seemed durable, and the tone of his skin was a dark gray that was almost black. He had a lone horn that reached for the heavens and some terrifying fangs could be seen peeking out of his mouth.

His overwhelming muscles made it seem like he could crush anything in this world with brute strength alone, and the way he tapped his shoulder with his club made him look like a demon. He could probably crush anyone given one opening.

When Rashka glared at Zu Vet, he immediately imagined himself being crushed by that club of his and his whole body shook.

That goblin looked no different from an evil demon who would laugh as he smashed someone into hell. Zu Vet couldn’t help but wonder if a mistake had occurred somewhere and the demon accidentally found himself among goblins.

“Pops, what about that one?”

“That is Lord Gi Go Amatsuki. He is perhaps the most skilled swordsman among the goblins.”

Although the goblins around him all had sharp gazes, Gi Go’s eyes were a league sharper. It was such that they could be described as razor-sharp.

His skin was also gray in tone, but his body was slender for a goblin. Be that as it may, he was not at all weak, for a closer inspection would reveal that his muscles were packed tightly into his smaller frame.

It was almost as if all the unnecessary parts have been shaved away, leaving only a body that was sharp like a sword. The atmosphere around him gave Zu Vet the impression he would be cut if he were to touch him, causing him much fear.

Gi Go seemed to have felt Vet looking at him, as he turned and met his eyes. It happened only for a moment, but Zu Vet felt a chill running up his spine that he would never forget for the rest of his life. For a moment, he thought he would be cut, and he retreated one step.

They were so far from each other that such a thing was clearly impossible, but the difference in strength still made Zu Vet feel that way.

Inadvertently, Zu Vet closed his eyes.

Everything happened for but an instant, but his body wouldn’t stop sweating.

He thought Rashka was a monster, but so was Gi Go.

Gi Go had already turned away from him by the time he opened his eyes again and was looking at the goblin being named.

“Pops… would ya mind if I went back home?”

When Gi Zu saw Vet blanched with fear, he laughed and beat his chest. “Don’t misunderstand, Zu Vet. Not one of these goblins were strong right from the start. Every one of them is where they are today because they fought through death and conquered a powerful adversary.”

As Gi Zu happily said that, he compared himself to the three goblins, excluding the king.

“One day, we’ll catch up to them. One day… Right, Vet?”

“…I’m glad I decided to follow ya, pops. I’ll follow ya for life.”

As Zu Vet laughed with Gi Zu, he watched the naming ceremony continue.