Estra was distraught. She hugged herself on the floor with tears streaming down her face. Her grief was flooding the bond created by their contract, causing Dink to sigh in pity. Murkuk walked to Estra’s side to awkwardly pat her on the shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. She flinched at his rough touch.

“Tribe… war… difficult. I fight,” Murkuk said in broken common. He pledged his service to her.

This anguish… it’s comparable to the turmoil I felt after having my name struck from the history books. Now, no one will speak my name out loud. Even the mention of my title results in spitting on the floor before uttering a curse. The decree will likely have a similar effect on Estra’s House members. Only her closest family members can likely sympathise with her actions. Her father may even be pressured into exiling her. All because of an overgrown child throwing his toys out of the cot. It seems I must go teach Chazrick some manners.

Dink's lip curled into a sneer of contempt. He fluidly drew his sword from his back. The screech of steel broke the silence among the crowd, the onlookers retreated at the murderous fury on his face. Axion pushed through the crowd to intercept his path, his expression was solemn. He leaned heavily on the gorgeous cat-girl while he recovered from their fight earlier.

“Think carefully, Dink. Chazrick became an adept magus centuries ago. You may have caught him by surprise earlier with your draconic bloodline. But now that he’s aware of it, he won’t be playing by the rules anymore. He’s a devious bastard, Madame Celeste once ordered me to throw him out for harassing the girls. I found out he’s much more talented in channelling magic the hard way. It didn’t end well for me. My experimental mana tattoos were applied as a last resort to save my life. It’s far too easy to forget he’s not an Attuned when he loves bullying everyone with his fists,” Axion said.

“Chazrick’s not the first magus I’ve confronted. I’ve dealt with worse before,” Dink replied. He pushed into Axion, who stepped aside to allow him to pass.

Dink continued steadily toward the door, sniffing the air for Chazrick’s scent. He discovered a slightly reptilian odour leading deep into the maze of hallways. As Dink exited the room, Axion called out once more.

“Wait, Dink. I don’t think you have. I recognise your skill, but you’re still only a Goblin. The Arcane Academy doesn’t jeopardise mages of Chazrick’s calibre by being sent into the expanding woods. There’s no way you’ve encountered someone like him before,” Axion said. Dink stopped before turning toward him.

“You underestimate me. I’ve never entered the expanding woods. Now, if you’re finished. I have some Elf-ears to collect to craft my woman a pretty necklace,” Dink replied, hefting his sword with a bloodthirsty grin.

Axion regretfully shook his head before making his way back through the crowd toward the grieving Estra. He roared toward the spectators gathered around to watch her misery.

“What are you all gaping at? This is the House of Worldly Delight, you can satisfy any of your deepest desires if you have the coin. That doesn’t mean you can stand around grabbing your cocks and watching a girl cry for free. Fuck off!” Axion shouted.

Dink couldn’t help but chuckle at his outburst, shaking his head with a wry smirk. His expression became grim as he turned to resume his exit. He quickly isolated the scent of reptiles among the clash of heady aromas used to mask the odour of sweat on the noble’s side of the building. Dink followed the smell through expansive corridors until he discovered furniture strewn across the hallway.

He stopped as his nose twitched, detecting a familiar aroma. Dink crouched down to sniff around a gold-framed oil painting discarded on the floor. He reached out to touch a mysterious substance on the carpeted floor, lifting it to investigate. His face twisted in disgust, wiping it off his hand on the thick rug.

I don’t believe this. I’m going to make Chazrick pay for this. He stopped to have a rebound fuck in the middle of the hallway after just being rejected. Of course, he had to stroke his wounded ego to prove that he was still a man. Wait, I recognise the woman’s scent, they left in opposite directions. It’s Madame Sharan. Why am I not surprised? The prince would be her ideal clientele, after all. Time to go find the satisfied customer before he decides to leave.

A feminine shriek caused Dink to recoil in surprise. He turned to investigate the disturbance. A pompously dressed male Gnome stood with powdered makeup on his face. The Gnome was wearing a layered skirt with a permed blonde wig on his head. The frightened Gnome hurriedly fled when Dink directed his attention toward him, quickly disappearing around the corner.

Why was that Gnome dressed like a woman? He didn’t look like he worked here. The tastes of the wealthy never cease to amaze me. Each to their own, I guess.

Dink laughed quietly to himself before his demeanour turned sombre once more. Without further delay, he resumed his hunt. He encountered many more wealthy patrons as he navigated through the House of Worldly Delight. All of them fled after seeing a Goblin stalking through the halls with bare steel resting on his shoulder.

It didn’t take too long before Dink arrived at an opulent closed door. This was where the prince’s scent led to. Madame Sharan’s aroma had rejoined it. The smell of her flowery perfume masked the musk of sex. He reached out to test the doorknob, discovering that it was locked.

“How unfortunate. It seems there will be a witness to the assassination of Prince Chazrick. Pity,” Dink sarcastically muttered to himself, grinning wickedly.

Without hesitation, he raised his bastard sword. He reversed his grip and then slammed the hilt into the weakest point of the heavy door. The lock shattered as the heavy wooden door swung open amid a shower of splinters. Inside, standing in the middle of the foyer were Prince Chazrick and Madame Sharan. They had been engaged in conversation only moments earlier. The pair of lovers were now looking toward the door in surprise, holding luggage. A green light was slowly engulfing them.