Chapter 29: If You Don’t Do It, Plenty of Goblins Will

Chapter 29: Chapter 29: If You Don’t Do It, Plenty of Goblins Will

He suppressed his shock.

’It seems this is more complicated than I expected.’

’In that case... I’ll need to find Baron Uer and confirm a few things.’

...

Two Guards stood watch at the manor gate.

Upon seeing Hesia approach, one of the Guards immediately straightened his posture, his face filled with unconcealed respect.

After the battle two days ago, everyone in Print Town knew he was the legendary genius Mage.

This was especially true for the Guards who had fought alongside him; they had witnessed his heart-stopping Power with their own eyes.

"Your Excellency, Mage Hesia!" The Guard saluted respectfully. "Are you here to see the Lord?"

Hesia was taken aback by the sudden honorific, then gave a resigned smile. "Yes, if you would be so kind as to announce me."

"Please wait a moment! I’ll go report immediately!" The Guard turned and trotted into the manor.

A moment later, Baron Uer appeared at the manor gate, with the Guard following behind him.

His face showed undeniable exhaustion, but his spirits seemed decent enough.

He looked at Hesia, his expression complex—a mixture of gratitude, admiration, and the caution of a nobleman facing Extraordinary Power.

"Hesia..." Baron Uer paused, finally settling on a more formal address. "Your Excellency. May the morning light shine upon you. Is there something you need?"

Hesia quickly waved his hands. "My Lord, you’re being too kind. Cyril and I are friends, so please, just call me Hesia. Besides..." He paused, his tone candid. "By the standards of Mages, I don’t even qualify as an apprentice yet."

Baron Uer looked at Hesia’s young but composed face, a flicker of emotion passing through him.

’The Atmesia Clan... to think that the talent for a Mage would manifest in a scion who couldn’t even awaken his bloodline. His future is limitless.’

"Very well... Hesia. But I imagine official certification as a Mage is only a matter of time for you. Seeing how you’re dressed..." His eyes swept over the pack on Hesia’s back. "Have you decided to leave?"

"Yes, my Lord. But before I go, there’s a question I’d like to ask you."

Baron Uer looked puzzled. "What is it?"

"Have you tallied the town’s losses, my Lord?"

"It’s a heartbreaking number." The Baron’s expression darkened. "The confirmed dead and missing townspeople total twenty." He looked at Hesia, confused. "Why do you ask?"

"I’m considering the origin of this goblin army." Hesia didn’t beat around the bush, getting straight to the point. "Even from the closest source, the Gray Mist Forest, the journey here would take half a month. It’s impossible that the watchtowers and villages along the route would fail to notice such a large force."

He paused, his gaze sharp as he stared at the Baron. "Therefore, I suspect... they came from somewhere much closer. For instance, the Black Stone Mine to the east of town."

"The Black Stone Mine?" Baron Uer was stunned for a moment before he chuckled and shook his head, his tone dismissive. "Hesia, you have a vivid imagination, but that’s utterly impossible."

"Why so certain?"

"Because there are only about thirty goblin laborers there, and they are under the constant supervision of overseers," the Baron explained, as if correcting a young man’s misguided theory. "They’re stupid and scrawny, without even proper weapons. How could they possibly have formed an army?"

Hesia thought of the clump of long, black hair and asked, "In the time before the goblin invasion, did anyone from the town go missing?"

"Missing?" Baron Uer frowned. "I only returned from Houlder a few days ago... The steward never reported such a matter."

Then, as if recalling something, he turned to a Guard beside him. "Carl, you live rather close to Matt’s family. Have you... seen them return recently?"

The Guard named Carl thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Reporting to the Lord, I have not. Matt and his two brothers... I haven’t seen them come back from the mine in a long time."

"And what about Matt’s mother and sister?"

"I haven’t seen them in a long time either," Carl recalled. "The last time I saw them was probably... about two months ago? Matt had brought back some venison, and I think the mother and daughter were smoking it by their door. After that, I never saw them come out of the house again."

Baron Uer: "What?! They haven’t been seen for that long, and no one reported it?!"

Carl lowered his head, looking uneasy. "Matt’s entire family works at the mine, and they’re distantly related to Viscount Rick of Oak Town. I just assumed they might have moved to Oak Town."

"Fool! Oak Town is even farther from the mine! Why would they move there?" Baron Uer snapped, his expression turning grim.

Hesia seized on the shift in his mood and pressed in a low voice, "My Lord, what is all this about?"

Baron Uer said, "Matt’s family, from our town... the three brothers all work at the Black Stone Mine to the east. Although that mine is closer to Print, it’s owned by Viscount Rick of Oak Town."

"I suspect Matt’s mother and sister might have secretly gone to the mine. But by regulation, the mining camp strictly forbids entry to family members..."

Hesia’s brow furrowed. "How many human miners are at the mine?"

"Over a hundred."

Anger flared in Hesia’s heart, and his voice grew cold. "Why keep over thirty goblins in the mine instead of killing them? Just to save the expense of a few miners? Goblins are idiotic and inefficient creatures. Are they really more useful than human miners?"

Baron Uer sighed. "Perhaps... it’s to drive down the wages of the human miners. And with those tireless goblins working day and night beside them, the miners wouldn’t dare to slack off... for fear... for fear of losing their jobs..."

Hesia hadn’t expected the reason to be so absurd.

’So that’s their game. "If you won’t do it, a goblin will!"’

His eyes turned icy. "So, to save a few copper plates, they let these dangerous creatures live and kept them in the mine?"

Baron Uer tried to explain. "There were never any reports of goblins attacking miners before. They were always kept under close guard..."

Hesia suppressed his rage and pressed on. "Then why were Matt’s mother and sister forbidden from going to the mine? Do you suspect they went to deliver the smoked venison?"

Baron Uer nodded with difficulty. "Yes, I suspect... they went there secretly to bring Matt food. Viscount Rick... he... he made that rule because..."

He paused, seeming to weigh his words, and lowered his voice even further. "Viscount Rick forbids family members from approaching the mine precisely to prevent accidents... because there are rumors that goblins abduct other Demons, like Kobolds.

But that shouldn’t happen. Besides, when Viscount Rick herded that batch of goblins in, he made sure there were very few females to begin with, and had them all killed. Those goblins shouldn’t be able to multiply."