Volume 3: Chapter 216 – Negotiations for an Alliance 2
Mira Vi Burnen was a 17 years old girl. A blooming maiden before whom even the flowers blushed. Blessed with beauty and a unique lineage, and an appearance further polished by the day, it was not at all embarrassing for her to appear before others. But although no fault could be found in her as a princess, she currently stood at the crossroad of her life.
Before her was a giant goblin, whose stature was four heads taller with muscles bulging, upon which was a head with dazzling blood-colored eyes that could stare a man to death. From his mouth could be seen fangs peeking. Each sharp enough to tear apart her flesh.
When Mira thought of those things sinking into her flesh, she couldn’t help but shiver.
She thought to herself. It wasn’t like she was going to be killed. She was just going to have to play the harlot a little… Pour him a drink, cuddle close, seduce him… When Mira’s thoughts reached that point, her downcast eyes looked up at the goblin a little.
Why did she have to ask the two of them to be left alone? Mira immediately regretted her decision. The giant goblin believes that Mira had something she wants to talk to him about. His red eyes were glued to her. Mira resolved herself. She had to do everything she could even if she had to push herself.
“I-I-It sure is— Hot. Today isn’t it?”
“…Really?”
What am I saying? Mira thought to herself as she kept down the urge to face-palm right there and then. She needed to find a topic and find favor from the goblin. But when she started thinking about it, she realized that she had no idea how goblin brains worked. As she desperately racked her head for a topic they could both relate to, an idea came to mind.
“What do goblins normally eat?”
“…Surely meat.”
An audible gulp resounded in the room.
Does that include human meat? Mira wondered, but she was too scared to ask. Suddenly, it felt like those giant fangs peeking out of the goblin’s mouth was sparkling.
“R-Right…”
Mira’s eyes started swimming out of her control. If the Goblin King were to confirm her fears and say ‘I would eat you too’, she probably wouldn’t be able to resist. When such a bloody image flashed through her mind, she shook her head, trying to brush it away.
“If you feel bad, I can call someone over.”
“No. Please don’t. I implore you.”
She mustn’t show an unsightly appearance here, Mira scolded herself as she stood up from her chair. Though her hands and feet were shaking, she was somehow able to smile and say,
“L-L-Look. I’m perfectly fine.”
“That’s good to hear then…. So, what was it that you wished to ask of me?”
Sensing that the goblin before her was not happy, she desperately did her best to calm herself down. Unfortunately, the resulting image as she turned around was rather awkward.
As far as the Goblin King was concerned, he merely said those words, so he could allow this sickly young girl to be able to excuse herself sooner rather than later. An act of kindness on his part. Unfortunately, he had forgotten how terrifying his current visage was, which was that of a monster above monsters. Although the Goblin King had forgotten that one important tidbit, it would’ve still been fine if he were dealing with the goblins, whom he ruled over, but a human who has never made contact with the goblins, much less a princess raised on flower and honey, was simply asking for a disaster.
If even the orcs would retreat in fear upon witnessing the Goblin King’s visage, what more a young flower? It would have been stranger were she able to talk to him normally.
Of course, there are exceptions, such as Shumea and Yoshu. But neither of them should ever be used as a standard for expectations. The woman had balls of steel and her younger brother was just too busied with work all his life to give a damn anymore. Using them as a standard would simply be doing injustice to poor Mira.
Though the Goblin King’s knitted brows actually meant he was perplexed, Mira interpreted that to mean that he was displeased with her. With no time left, Mira decided to pull out her trump card.
—If you push a man down and let him grope your breasts, the rest will follow. You should try it too when you grow up.
That was one of the words of wisdom given to her by her uninhibited mother. Right now those words served as a kind of encouragement that pushed her from the back.
Ah, whatever! I don’t care anymore! Mira thought as she lunged toward the Goblin King and embraced his huge arm. After shedding all appearances, she did as her mother told her and pushed her breasts, whose size was emphasized by her tight corset, and pushed them onto the hard skin of the goblin.
She wrapped her two arms around the Goblin King’s arm, and pushed her breasts into it.
Unfortunately, her mother never told her what came next. Try as she might to ask her mother in her memories, no answer came. Meanwhile, the Goblin King just looked at her, wondering what was up. Their gazes met.
“…”
“…”
They stared at each other wordlessly, both very confused.
This goblin is weird, thought Mira.
This girl is weird, thought the Goblin King.
I’ve pushed my breasts into you like this and your not showing any reaction? Mira tilted her head in confusion.
Why is she suddenly hugging my arm? The Goblin King titled his head in confusion.
Because of this the Goblin King calmly decided to himself that he had thought too highly of her.
“What… are you doing?” The Goblin King solemnly asked.
“Umm…”
Naturally, Mira couldn’t just come out and say that she was using her body to try and seduce him. Mira unnaturally averted her gaze from the Goblin King’s. She looked like a poorly made doll as she looked away.
In response, the Goblin King looked at her back as if he might be able to see something. The Goblin King began to wonder if perhaps he simply couldn’t feel it, but the god of the Kushain Believers, Kushain, was in fact controlling the girl.
But try as he might, he really couldn’t find any trace of that pressure from the gods that could push him down. If so, then what could this girl possibly want? The Goblin King once again looked at Mira.
“…Hmm.”
If he couldn’t feel anything from the gods on her, then she must be acting on her own accord. But why? The Goblin King wondered as he looked down at her from above.
Her white skin could be seen peeking out from the tip of her shoulders. Her corset bound her body tightly and emphasized her breasts. Her slender arms that were wrapped around his arm seemed fragile and pale to the point that it felt as if the sun had never touched it. And her short skirt, allowed her white legs to expose themselves.
“Could it be?”
After the Goblin King’s thoughts reached this point, he finally touched upon the possibility.
The Goblin King had tacitly rejected Pale’s suggestion that the humans might be trying to lure him into a honey trap.
But perhaps she was right, and this girl was in fact planning to tell everyone that he attacked her, so that she might be able to rekindle their fighting spirit and make her people fight him once more… No. That didn’t make sense. Just as Pale said, if they killed everyone here, any claims she makes would be rendered meaningless.
The Goblin King pondered once again and looked at the situation from an outsider’s perspective.
A young maiden was wearing clothes that exposed much of her skin and was currently hugging the arm of a man. Though a monster, the Goblin King was still a man. If so, then…
“…Are you trying to seduce me?”
When the Goblin King saw Mira’s shoulders shake with a jolt, he sighed deeply.
“Eek!?”
Suddenly, Mira was lifted up by the arm she was clinging to and then sat atop the table.
The Goblin King looked her in the eye.
“Listen well, Mira Vi Burnen. This misunderstanding will help neither of us. What I seek is not pleasure for the sake of an individual, but for us to be able to work together so that we may prosper our respective people.”
For a moment, Mira had no idea what the goblin was telling her, but gradually, the meaning of the his words sunk in.
“Then… Are you goblins really planning to work with us?”
“Naturally.”
“…And if we can’t cooperate or agree to the conditions?”
“That’s why we are talking. At the very least, it’s precisely because we believe that the Kushain Believers have value that we formed an alliance with you and saved you from Germion Kingdom.”
After being told that directly, Mira could only open her eyes wide.
This goblin was really trying to negotiate with them as equals. After being remonstrated that much, Mira naturally had to respond. The confused girl from before vanished as Mira left the Goblin King’s arms, fixed herself, and then donned a face that could only belong to a statesman before facing the Goblin King once more.
“…Please excuse my earlier behavior, king of a neighboring country. If I may be so frank, what exactly is it that you seek from us? We do not exactly have an army that could help you.”
“Acknowledge my people and our right to our lands. Do this, and I promise you that we will not bare our fangs against you. We’ll start from there. As for the finer details, we’ll work them out gradually.”
Mira continued to look at the Goblin King as she considered the cons and pros of acknowledging them. Germion Kingdom and the Holy Shushunu Kingdom probably won’t be happy. Economically speaking, some people might flee from their country. Others might even criticize them and call them traitors.
But should they refuse the Goblin King, who would save them? Germion Kingdom was a potential enemy. And although they’ve been trading with the Holy Shushunu Kingdom, after having caused a war, it is doubtful that they still see them in a favorable light.
“We will acknowledge you. First, we’ll inform the people of Cultidian of the renewal of our alliance, and then we’ll make a declaration to the neighboring countries.”
After deciding on several conditions, the two decided to take a break, but the Goblin King was looking suspiciously at Mira.
“Why won’t you move from there?”
“…I can’t stand.”
Mira was beet red when she said that. Hearing that, the Goblin King decided to help her, so he took her into his arms and lifted her like a puppy.
“My… apologies,” Mira said with much embarrassment.
“Don’t worry. It happens a lot,” the Goblin King said.
“Princess, it’s almost time…” Vilan said as he suddenly opened the door.
More time had to be spent to clear up the misunderstandings of those who suddenly entered the room, but regardless, both parties left the meeting with good results.
The Kushain Believers acknowledged the founding of a country of monsters and demihumans, leading to the surrounding countries doubting the sanity of the Kushain Believers as they proclaimed that they would cut off all relations with them.
Despite that Mira only told Vilan that she resolutely spurned their complaints with her tongue sticking out and with words not all fitting of a princess.
“Have maggots infested their brains? How could it be any concern of ours if enemies cut off all relations with us.”
Mira ignored Vilan’s rebukes as she smiled.
“Still, there sure are some strange things in this world. Who would’ve thought that the day would come when I would speak with a goblin as an equal.”
Within Mira’s eyes flashed a twinkle that Vilan knew all too well in their youth. That was the look of a little girl brimming with curiosity.
◇◆◆
After signing a non-aggression treaty with the Kushain Believers, the Goblin King vigorously advanced through the yet chaotic southern region with his soldiers. The four generals that were appointed earlier were sent out throughout the land.
The first target was Elrain Kingdom. It was already weakened by the civil wars, which allowed the Red King to take over it. And with the desertion of its famed generals, its army couldn’t be any weaker. With the city states left with just enough soldiers to maintain public order, the 4 generals were free to go and conquer them.
The goblins fought under the pretense that the Kushain Believers had previously declared war.
The goblins wanted to make it clear that this was not a battle between monsters and humans but that between countries. AS such, they did not forget to be generous to those who surrendered. In the blink of an eye, the goblins overtook 14 cities, and in less than a month, they were already approaching the capital of Elrain Kingdom.
Although Elrain Kingdom ignored the goblins’ demand to surrender, before the might of the four generals, they were utterly defeated.
Gi Gi let loose the monster beasts to crush the enemy formation, while Gi Gu Verbena mercilessly attacked from the flanks. On top of that, the soldiers under the king’s direct command, the forces led by Gi Go, worked together with Gi Jii to support them and completely crush the enemy resistance.
Ra Gilmi Fishiga slipped into the dark of the night and shot arrows at the enemy city, while Gi Ga Rax led the cavalry and stopped the enemy soldiers planning to escape.
The four generals that worked together were like four fiendish arms that acted according to the king’s will.
While all this was happening the king himself was watching from a place where he could see the entire capital.
“I’ll be honest. There is no need for you to fight here.”
After Pale reminded him that, even Gi Za, Gi Jii, and the rest of the goblins stopped him from departing for battle, leaving him helpless and slightly unhappy as he watched the battlefield, a mere spectator.
“But you know…” The Goblin King tried to argue.
“You told me that I would be the one to decide where and when you fight. I became your tactician because you promised me that. Are you planning on going back on your word so quickly?” Pale asked.
“Ugh… Fine.”
“We’re still technically at the frontlines, you know? It just so happens that it’s safe enough here that all you really need to worry about is a stray arrow hitting you…”
The king was speechless.
The king didn’t really feel like winning an argument against Pale, so he decided to just keep quiet and behave.
“Besides, lording over your soldiers from here isn’t useless either. Your soldiers and generals are doing their best to show off their power. It’s your duty to acknowledge their strength and choose the worthy among them.”
“I know. I won’t join the battle this time.”
Seeing the Goblin King watching over the battlefield from atop Sui with folded arms was the greatest encouragement to the goblins.
“Onwards! His Highness is watching us! Don’t let even a single scratch fall on your backs!”
Gi Jii yelled as he led his pikemen to penetrate the enemy formation and destroy it.
“These weaklings are not worthy of His Highness’ sword! Destroy them!”
Under the might of Gi Za Zakuend’s druids, the enemy was cleaned up.
“Drop your weapons and surrender! The king will be lenient to the defeated!”
Gi Ga Rax ran around the battlefield and demanded the enemy soldiers to surrender.
Like that Elrain Kingdom, which was said to be the heart of the Southern Free Cities, fell easily before the might of the goblin army. When Elrain Kingdom accepted the goblins’ demand to surrender, the royal family appeared and gave their seal of approval. Like this Elrain Kingdom was annexed by the goblins.
After this the goblin armies split to four directions, each general likened to the four giant snakes of old, as they devoured the city states of the south. There were few city states that could stand before the might of the goblins. Moreover, because the rule of the goblins was far more lenient than they expected, the dominion of the goblins grew in the blink of an eye.
The four generals knew that they could not fight in the same way they did when they fought with the king. To fight with the king was for the goblins to muster all of their strength. But alone, they had no one else to rely on but themselves. The reality that they did not have enough pawns quickly became apparent.
As such, the four generals took it upon themselves to compensate for that in their own ways. When Elrain Kingdom fell, the goblins that were appointed as generals were also granted the honor of carrying their own flags.
The king’s flag was colored red, and on it was a black sun. Gi Ga Rax’s flag used a black tiger and a spear as its motif. Gi Gu Verbena used an axe and a sword. Gi Gi Orudo, a monster beast and a shield. And Ra Gilmi Fishiga, a bow and an arrow. The reason they used their specialties as their coat of arms was because they wished to display their achievements in battle to the king.
Of course, the goblins couldn’t have possibly crafted such detailed objects. These things were prepared by the Kushain Believers and the people of the western capital.
The goblins had no sense for such subtleties, so it was up to the craftsmen to express the goblin generals’ traits with their sense of aesthetics.
The spear and black tiger flag, Gi Ga’s forces, went to the Labyrinth City.
The axe and sword flag, Gi Gu’s forces, went to Pena.
The twin-headed monster and axe flag, Gi Gi’s forces, went to Fatina.
The bow and arrow flag, Ra Gilmi Fishiga, went to the north and returned to the west.
As each goblin went to their appointed region, the humans shook. After losing anyone who could have served as their clan leaders, the humans could no longer resist the goblins on a large scale, leaving the goblins free to expand their dominion. Before the tactics of the goblins, the humans could only stand defeated and lose their cities.