The morning was delightful, anticipation of breakfast had me awake before the sun had risen, and I decided to take a stroll to have my letters sent. En route however, I bumped into some adventurers who mentioned they were passing through Haslon and decided to ask them to pass them along instead in exchange for letters of introduction to the blacksmith, reliquarian and an inn keep who I also knew from my time working. Knowing that such letters also equated to discounts, they were eager to accept the side job unofficially. I then returned to the manor and collected Lia from our room before we headed to breakfast.
As we entered the family dining room, we were greeted by the sight of a few snickering lords whom we met the night before, Lord, who gave us a sideways glance accompanied by a look of disapproval, and Almick's family who all seemed perfectly fine except Almick himself.
As we approached, he stood and bowed in apology, before saying how sorry he was to have pried into the finances of a young couple, we accepted his apology before taking our seats and as we did Lia looked at me with pride in her eyes. Lord then stood, bowed in apology, and then told us how sorry he was that he did not try to stop his cousin before we felt the need to prove our financial independence, which we also accepted as Lia gave a discreet signal to initiate a mind link.
With that established, I heard her squeal in my mind before she told me she loved me and that I missed my calling in life as a troublemaker, but now was time for the less fun part of such things and gestured to Elshia. I was surprised to hear the noble lady use such language at a dining table, but the end result was that I stood, bowed and apologised to everyone for upsetting everyone's breakfast.
Our first day at the new home was hectic, buying furnishings admittedly a heavier hit to funds than I was expecting, and I thought of just using magic to create it, but the shopping seemed a good introduction to normality. That said, I was wrong, shopping with your mother would prove to be the most frustrating experience of my life, every suggestion I made was wrong and we went between several general shops that dealt in furnishings only to end up back at the first.
When the purchase was finally completed, I then had the privilege of being told, several times, to be careful as I placed each item into the magic bag, and that is ultimately how I realised that next time we needed to do this, I would have a prior engagement.
As I wore a mask of calm and pushed the frustration down, as to preserve the elation she was expressing however, I must admit it had dissipated before long, and we made our way back to what had become our favourite restaurant, so we could have some lunch.
The restaurant was quieter than it usually was at lunch time, and I realised why as we were escorted, the proprietor was in the middle of a meeting with an art dealer. We apologised for the intrusion and made to leave but were halted, and he ushered me over to examine the piece they were talking over, though when I asked if the fake was simply a means of observing the work closely without endangering the original the mood soured quickly.
When accusations of falsehoods and forgeries began flying, I used unity to assess guilt but found none, speedily explaining the situation. As tempers settled, they both asked how I knew, leading me to point out a patch of correction, which had been removed with a substance that had yet to be created when the artist was alive, leaving both men annoyed that they hadn't noticed.
I apologised for being the bearer of bad news, but they assured me they were only grateful for my eyes, and smoothing things out after, inviting us to join them for lunch.
As we say down the proprietor gasped, realising he had yet to introduce himself, we had both been excessively enthusiastic about the subject at hand and forgone formalities in our previous interactions.
After he introduced himself as Dasan, he then introduced the other gentleman as an art dealer from the northern kingdoms by the name of Eliquis. The mention of the "Zealot kingdoms" as our recent noble acquaintances had been referring to them as meant I looked at Lia, then asked the man what he thought of me.
He chuckled before humouring me, stating he thought me far more cultured than others my age, with keen sense and a distaste for conflict and I replied with an introduction of both me and Lia. "You're the heretic Unity? What have the clergy been imbibing to brand you a heretic."
I laughed before admitting it wasn't a false claim, we then recounted our stories thus far, leaving the man deflated. Cursing the time he had wasted on blind faith; he referred to the gods as impetuous children throwing a tantrum. When I asked why he believed us so readily, he replied simply that no one who values art enough to spot the slightest blemish, would be so blind as to oppose a righteous god.
He also made a point to mention I would be welcome at his gallery any time I wished to visit, and for every fake I spot he will pay me handsomely, after which we ate and chatted, careful to not pick a subject too obscure out of respect for your mother.
When we realised the sun had long passed its peak, we thanked them for the meal and company then made our way home, the phrase accompanied by a strange, yet pleasant feeling.
The cobblestone streets and clear skies were somehow brighter than they seemed previously, I asked Lia if we should invite everyone from Haslon over and she glared at me. Threatening me not to dare cut our alone time short, as almost every other moment between us had been, I decided it might be nice to simply enjoy our time together for a change and felt an adjustment period to living alone together might be in order before we invited guests. Though upon arriving we discovered that choice had been removed from us, Almick, Aisha, several adventurers and the guild master were loitering outside, each carrying a housewarming gift.
The lord and Aisha came with some high-quality cooking utensils, which came with the good will of the cooking staff who had coached us both at some point. Lord came with a gift he had requisitioned from Palto, which when fitted to any storage container to kept things inside cool, Lord explained things like this had become popular means of keeping food fresh, whilst the reliquarian included a letter challenging me to improve the design.
The adventurers in attendance were a group who took us with them on our first survey outside of town and were a great help in refining the basic hunting skills we learned back in Haslon. They brought some gifts on behalf of other guild mates including our proctors, most of which were traditional housewarming gifts from their homelands, but the proctors sent us their old rank plates which is a guild tradition symbolising their faith we would catch up to them, and helped keep operation costs down for the plates made of precious metals.
The guild master brought something that was also a guild tradition, to their most promising members the branch master of their place of registry gives them a binder containing both the request sheets they have completed so far and the three hardest jobs the guild has clear record of completion, which we looked at immediately.
The first was a job to identify a new breed of monster from almost a thousand years ago and ended up being the mission that identified the gorgons as a species rather than an individual monster. The second was a scarcely eligible request to investigate a rampaging ancient dragon from several hundred years ago and the final mission was a request, obligatory to all adventurers and yet the odds of completion are tragically low, live long enough to die of old age.
As we opened the door to go inside, the guests all tried to leave except Almick who would have likely been slain by Aisha on the way home, but I stopped them and with just a 'little' pressure convinced them to help unpack furniture whilst I started on dinner.
I asked magic to carry the utensils in and retrieved some ingredients from the bag before chucking it to the adventurers and telling them to have fun, I am not ashamed to admit I chose this course because I could foresee what would happen as I prepared dinner.
I listened to Lia bark orders to the unwitting well-wishers, using them as extensions to lay out our purchases to create her dream home down to the last detail. Only emerging from the kitchen when the last item had been placed.
As I served everyone's dinner, they asked about the blatant timing of my tasks completion and I was not shy with the truth, instantly admitting that the process of buying things made me acutely aware that Lia had developed a precise plan in her mind after our stop there in the morning and I had no desire to subject myself to becoming a tool in the process of bringing that vision to life.
As they began to gripe, I recommended they try the food before complaining about the way I treat guests, as suspected my cooking smoothed things over and before long everyone was in a cheerier, more energetic, frame of mind. Before long however it was time for the mixed bag of guests to retire for the evening and we found ourselves alone, in our home.
As we waved them off, we noticed that the guards, whom we thought had accompanied the lords and young lady, weren't leaving and were actually on orders to remain on watch and report any threats to us back to the manor.
I made to tell them that they could put a pin in that directive, when I was interrupted by their addition that Lady Elshia had also ordered them to keep an eye on us and report any mischief on our parts back to her. It was then I enchanted the building with a privacy spell, making it so windows from the outside acted as mirrors and eavesdroppers would only hear their inner most fears spoken to them. I then brought them out a bowl of stew each, and some sandwiches for the those who would relieve them in the night and finally lit the hearth.
Sitting on the lounge chair I felt weary in the most normal way, eyes heavy and ready for sleep, it was mere seconds before I fell asleep. For the first time in what felt like forever I done so without Lia next to me, yet I woke up face to face with her, whether she had laid me down or I fell to the side was unclear, but she was sat on the floor smiling at me as she stroked my hair.
She told me how glad she was I felt so comfortable there, but recommended we sleep in the bed instead, before helping me up and guiding me in a half-asleep state up the stairs. I don't even remember getting into bed, just waking up in a strange place I didn't recognise, despite the displacement however I felt relatively at peace.
Within days we had fallen into a routine and a few weeks passed by quickly, rising in time for the sunrise, making breakfast for both us and the watchmen outside, then a run around town, quick sparring session in the guild's exam hall, do a job then a trip to the bath house. Evenings were varied, we explored the town, Lia helped with the guards training, and I trained Muchin and Kipis when he was free to join us, other times we would go out to eat or whatever job we took would last until late in the night.
The adventurers I had tasked with delivering my letters, had returned and left on another adventure, this time taking my response to the reliquarian's challenge, a device that halted decomposition entirely in the box it was stored. The response I received was a lecture in writing from Lord, a verbal one from Almick and a complaint from the adventurers upon their second return, asking why I would get them to transport something so valuable without warning.
I needed them to explain what they meant, I didn't have any concept of value, since the first time I went shopping I had the opinion that value is arbitrary at best. To put it simply though, it was worth more than our cottage, and I do mean after we had furnished it, a revelation that would have once made me apologise out of awkwardness. Having grown a fair bit in time since arriving in Burlot however, I simply thanked them for not stealing it.
I couldn't stand the fact I was growing so accustomed to this lifestyle, I could see myself falling into complacency and it concerned me, this was only a temporary stop gap to assess the looming threat the gods posed us after all.
I allowed it for Lia's sake, but the thought that I couldn't afford to remain began to fester, and at the end of the third week I had to ask Lia if she would allow me to continue alone. Asking the question led to severe consequences however, as your mother threw me around like a rag doll, the watchmen outside felt obliged to summon the Lord and Elshia who arrived just as the fight spilled out into the street. Greeted by the sight of Lia straddling and hitting me again and again whilst I tried talking her down, left them completely uncertain of what exactly was happening.
Almick and Elshia both shouted at us to stop immediately, and Lia obliged them, running to Elshia in tears and telling them I was trying to leave her whilst I asked magic to repair all the damage. The Lord and Lady told me to explain myself and I did, telling them that Lia preferred this life, so it made no sense to come with me, they only needed one of us here for their plan and I didn't want her to have to fight anyway.
Glass, wood, brick, mortar and cobblestones were swirling around and restoring all the damage we had caused but no one was mystified by my ability on that occasion, rather they were dumbfounded at how ignorant I was.
Elshia was doing her best to console the blubbering superhuman, whilst Almick tried explaining that the only reason she was so comfortable was because I was there. I told him not to be stupid, she was comfortable there because she cared for everyone, we both did, but I couldn't afford to stay since ultimately, I was the only effective weapon we had against the gods.
Before I knew it Elshia had released Lia and slapped me across the face, I prepared to defend her against Lia but the moment she started talking Lia was stopped in her tracks. "You are not a weapon. You are a boy who deserves the same chance at a life as anyone else does." Her words, clearly something that Lia had been trying to articulate for a long time. She then hugged me tight, as though trying to squeeze the sentiment into me physically, I found myself unsure of what to do anymore.
Almick went over and talked to Lia, whatever he said seemed to strip her of any remaining desire to retaliate against Elshia. I shrugged Elshia off after that, telling them that regardless of what I deserve, I had no desire to waste my time enjoying a shallow version of my dream. I moved to leave, not just a walk to clear my head, I was done playing house and waiting for the gods to make good on their threats.
I was acutely aware I lacked the power, knowledge and experience I would need for any kind of final conflict, but sitting still and giving myself more to lose was only going to help the enemy in the long run. As I walked past Lia, Almick blocked my path with an arm, and I warned him he nearly lost it. He responded by telling me that if I felt so strongly, then of course we were free to leave, but leaving Lia would only be seeding something precious to my enemy.
I told them I was going to think it through and left, the first time I had left town by myself. Having stopped by the guild and asked the receptionist what the most challenging fight I could take was, to which she replied only with a curious expression but could tell that it was best to leave well-enough alone.
After a brief look through her binder, she removed a request and showed me a listing to deal with a goblin settlement, telling me it could take Lia and I out of town overnight, but she had no idea how much I had been holding back, even using magic to limit my strength and stamina. I told her I'd see her later then left unarmed, unarmoured and out of patience.
I ran at a normal human speed until there was no one around, then went all out and found myself close to the specified location in under an hour. I asked magic to guide me to the nearest goblins and then sprinted towards them at full speed, as I came to a clearing in the woods that pockmarked the base of the mountain, I saw something unexpected, the goblins were killing each other.
To say the creatures were peaceful or harmless would be a lie, however whilst they were certainly dangerous, more so than the average bandits in fact, they typically only looted caravans occasionally when resources were scarce and had tight knit clans and hierarchy which made the scene in front of me puzzling to say the least.
I stepped out casually, more focused on curiosity than venting now, and asked magic to hold them all still and mould the earth into a chair for me. Sitting calmly whilst the terrified goblins shook in fear, I activated Unity and realised I had already grown complacent enough to forgo maintaining it constantly, then I asked them what was happening.
Whilst they struggled to speak the language of humans it was far easier for them than goblin was for humans, but I used unity to interpret the meaning behind the broken sentences. They spoke of a division, a king had been born and was forcing the others to kill each other, wanting only the strongest subjects.
I had studied monsters as part of my education and was quite familiar with the goblin family tree, Kings weren't at the top, but they were dangerous and their Prescence also prophesised a goblin horde, making the creatures far more aggressive and dangerous.
I realised that the attacks so far were likely a result of the weakest goblins fleeing before they could be culled, and asked if they wanted me to kill the king which was offer that made them all plead in acceptance, dropping their weapons in submission. I told them to lead me to the king and whilst fearful of punishment, it was clear they feared me more than their monarch.
Making our way through the woods at first, then into a cave that led into the mountain. We ran into dozens of goblins along the way, and I brought them all to heel, the smarter goblins didn't even need a demonstration and then finally we reached the throne room.
The King was furious to say the least, barking at his subjects to kill me and I left them free to comply, not that any did, then I told the king to kneel. The cancerous mountain of flesh and muscle chuckled and roared to call his personal guard from the inner halls of the den, but I was out of curiosity and my need to vent returned and they died before they had a chance to leave the corridors.
Now aware of my strength it tried to kneel, but as I said, my mercy ran dry and unity was telling me this was deception, not subservience, I told it the time had passed, that its only choices now were to kill me or die. Then I removed my sword belt and dropped it, dashing and striking with a frontal kick that forced the abomination to crash into the wall behind it.
After prying itself free of the cave wall it charged at me and swung a fist with all its might, and whilst the attempt had plenty of strength behind it, there was no speed or coordination, which left me realising that I was just bullying a weak creature that had no chance of winning. I apologised for my cruelty, then removed its head, asking magic to numb any pain and suffering its regenerative abilities might prolong. With that done, I asked all the goblins present to gather any hiding deeper in and return. It took a fair while to gather them all, but it could only have been about mid-day when they had done so.
Now gathered, I asked if they enjoyed being treated as monsters and one of the smartest among them, possessing a surprising talent for the human tongue replied that they didn't but their creators told them they could never live in peace with humans.
I told them I didn't care, I had no stomach for slaughtering the weak personally or watching them slaughter each other, and if they helped the humans travel the roads safely I would ask the humans to provide them as much food and materials as possible when natural supplies ran low.
The goblins of course had concerns, but I grew tired of playing diplomat and grabbed the rudimentary staff one had in their possession and enchanted it, explaining that breaking the stuff would call me, and I would attend as soon as I was able but if any blood was spilled as the result of anything other than self-defence I'd hold the whole tribe responsible, a tactic to force them to self-govern.
I didn't realise at the time I was giving them the opportunity to evolve and leave the creatures they were behind them; I only knew that since they posed no threat to me, killing them would be wrong.
With all that dealt with, I took the king's head back to the guild in Burlot, finding Lia there talking to the receptionist about me. As she turned from Lia, the receptionist was about to ask if I got lost or gave up, but then she noticed the head and nearly passed out.
The entire hall was looking at me as I carried the proof of kill, the head nearly as big as I was and forcing me to use its unkempt hair to carry it over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. As I reached the front desk, I dropped the head on the ground and asked for the guild master, the wet thud of my cargo snapped her back to her senses, and she ran to get the master.
Lia had turned to face away from me, and the adventurers present were torn between wanting to ask me what happened and valuing their lives too much to get between us. The receptionist and guild master burst through the door to the back rooms and the flabbergasted leader asked me what in the hell happened, and I replied with "I think I became the new goblin king, but I don't know since there was no crown like in the books."
Lia suddenly burst into laughter, knowing that I only spoke like that when we were both in trouble with authority and acting as a united front, my awkward gesture clearly hitting her funny bone. I reminded her of an olive branch she extended years ago that if I made her laugh, I was automatically off the hook, and she grumbled and welcomed me back, though it came with a warning not to do anything like that again.
The guild master wasn't amused though, and he asked where my sword was, I suggested we talk in a more private setting, and he led us to his office. The first thing he did was reprimand me for my recklessness in going alone, but after I explained everything that transpired, he realised it wasn't recklessness but rather he didn't have any understanding of my abilities at all.
When we had finished talking, he told me he would need to discuss the diplomacy matter with the lord, but since it was backed by me it would ultimately prove a nonissue.
Lia and I had a lot to discuss, and we left to go home. The talk was long, we both cried, and we were both stubborn which meant compromise was not something we considered, luckily the guards had reported our return to the manor and Elshia came by after dinner to mediate.
After helping me understand Lia's truth, that she only feels safe enough to be happy because of her faith in me, I realised that meant leaving her wouldn't be an option in that case and apologised for not understanding that fact which brought the matter to a close.
With Lia having called me a dummy, Elshia informed us that Almick and the guild master had discussed the matter of the goblins, deciding that my rudimentary plans for a pact of co-existence were feasible and would be implemented on a trial basis. She asked me to accompany Kipis, who would be placed as representative for Burlot in initial negotiations.
The next day I returned; Lia, Kipis, an official of some kind and the guild master in tow, upon sight the goblins at the den's entrance came over and bowed to me. I couldn't tell them not to, I needed to insert myself into their hierarchy to keep their allegiance, so instead I told them we had no time for such things, and they should gather the others in the throne room as before, then I led our group there.
Upon the throne rested the sword I left behind and decided to leave it as a reminder to them in my absence, I also had Kipis hang a sigil of his house over the hilt so any who bore it would be recognised as under my protection. When the goblins gathered, the long talks began and a deal was reached, I then added that the goblins should create their own mark to be recognised so they couldn't be mistaken and also told the guild master to bring one of each rank plate and a guild card so they could be recognised as well.
Finally, I told the goblins again that any non-defensive killing would see me as their enemy and told Kipis failure to uphold their part would see me as theirs, the official started to speak but Kipis silenced him. "His elevation can see through deception and ill will. If he sees such treachery in us, then we aren't worthy of his friendship." His words made me respect him even more, it was clear he didn't see the goblins as lesser, and he even shook the pseudo-leader's hand at the end.
My fear led to this peace, frail and impromptu as it was at present, and I realised that my vision of peace may be more colourful than I first thought. If I could create a lasting peace between all the sentient species, whether human, beast, or monster I might even find allies among those species who could stand to fight by my side in the end.
I told Lia and she told me she thought that sounded like an exciting world, but cautiously told me not to get my hopes up and that she didn't want me to have my heart broken if some refused my offer. I couldn't help it though, I had found a way to make use of this time in Burlot, my new plan was to take guild jobs hunting monsters and try recruiting them instead.