[Evolving goblin:Nemesis]
[Goblin is evolving into Hobgoblin!]
As the system spelled out the magic words, the small goblin who sat next to Michael began to flash with a beautiful green glow.
The radiance slowly covered the entire room, not leaving any space unoccupied. Even the inside of Jingwei's incubator was not spared by the powerful growing rays.
As the light burnt strongly for a couple more seconds, it slowly began to weaken. Leaving the expanded center more and more visible for each second. Until.....
...
"What the hell Jenkins!? You said it was a boy!"
"ALL THE OTHER ONES I KILLED WERE BOYS!"
In front of the hulking mass of muscle and unclean elf, sat a young woman who was currently wrapped in some bed sheets. However, unlike many other normal women, she had some rather green skin and small sharp ears. Accompanied by this was also her longer canines, sharper claws and dark green eyes.
Her features were also rather lackluster, resembling any other person in the town nearby.
This was the goblin Michael had evolved, she had surprisingly been a girl this entire time.
However, while they intently argued with each other, a frail voice fought it's way in between rhem. Interrupting the vocal death battle.
"U..Uhm"
They both stopped what they were doing and looked towards the hobgoblin with complicated gazes. Somewhat confused, yet a little expecting.
"Sir Michael, do you hate me now?"
Her face gave off a stiff energy, but deep inside her eyes you would clearly see a powerful sorrow.
He only looked at her somewhat sadned, not wanting to answer, but clearly needing to.
"It's not like I hate you, but..."
Michael felt guilty for the rude display he made after she evolved. Wishing to apologize to the creature that was emotionally bound to his soul. However, the first word they spoke to each other were unexpectedly flushed down the drain by the mad elf. Who was at this moment still only wearing a dirty tuxido and a pair of underwear.
"Che! If you don't like this thing, then we can just get a new one!"
"Dark Magic: Death beam of the underw...."
"NO WAIT, WE CAN KEEP HER! W..We can keep her! Stop chanting."
"Tsk! You will one day be played by a damnable woman with such thinking!"
Jenkins put his hand down, looking back at the Goblin.
"So, brat. You are still too weak, so just stay here until this fat demon evolves you into something strong. As for you Michael, there is a little request I wish for you to do for me, before we rob this place."
Some surprise brewed up in his heart. What kind of request?
"Just tell me then."
Jenkins tightened his eyes around Michaels large body, not holding any of his usual behavior in them.
"I want you to go out with that Firnell girl! And I want you to visit her clan!"
Michael's pupils widened instantly. The red and gold iris shone a little as he registered what was said.
"What?"
"Shut up Michael! You are going to her home. Don't disappoint me now.... Also.."
Jenkins placed his finger on Michael's forehead, sending some sort of light into his brain.
"That was two novice gold spells I cooked up and also one for blood. You'll figure out the rest. Spells you have high understanding in are easier to cast."
A little touched by what he was given, he decided to forget their previous dispute.
"T..Thanks! Where did you get them?"
However, this guy did not calm down in the least. Waving the golden hair back and forth as he angrily spoke.
"Oh lord...MICHAEL! Eat these pills and go knock on that Firnell girl's door! We don't have all day!"
He summoned a bunch of pills out of nowhere, most likely from the dungeon.
The green woman seemed rather reluctant to part with Michael, and tenderly ask Jenkins if she coukd join
"Can I go too?"
He spun around towards her, with a mighty disgust seeping out of the wrinkles forming on his face.
"No! I have to max your damn level again because you are such a waste. After that, I am planning on opening the dungeon. We are going to run this museum to the ground with a bunch of undead bears."
"In the meantime... Goblin woman, you just don't move from that spot, got it?"
She looked a little down by his answer, but still nodded at him.
Michael, who saw this, was more interested by how he refered to their robbery as 'running this place down'.
"Didn't you say we were only robbing it? That sounds more like a raid.."
Jenkins finally began to have enough, and pulled his own hair while screaming at him.
"ARGH! SHUT UP MICHAEL! I CHANGED MY MIND!"
Jenkins started shove the jellybeans he summined into his large hands, continuing to scream whilst doing so.
"Here. I don't want to spend more time with that hideous green woman. Bring me back when you hatch Jingwei."
He turned around and brushed his hair with the dirty hands. Letting it glide away as he left. Not carring about anything else.
Once he was gone, Nemesis turned towards Michael.
"Sir Michael?
"Michael will do, thank you."
She understood that he had things to do, and only got straight to the point.
"Very well, Michael. Shall I watch the egg while you continue your task?"
"Yes, please do!"
He swallowed down all the pills Jenkins gave him and placed the slowly shrinking hand onto the iron door knob. His black clothes also got smaller alongside his brutishly massive body. Lastly, to top it all of, he withdrew some black shoes from his ring.
Michael gave a last look to the hobgoblin behind him and nodded, telling her to stay put until he came back.
After locking the door, he began to walk through the castle shaped academy.
The more he explored, the more astonished he was at how aged, yet clean the surrounding brick walls were. Almost as if they wash themselves. There was also some rather fancy paintings decorating the empty halls.
As he traversed the stone corridors, he kept thinking about where to turn next.
'Wonder where I can find Firnell..'
Not stopping his journey, Michael eventually stumbled upon two familiar faces.
It was the two siblings he had met on the day of the entrance exam. The day he had gotten their older brother kicked out. Gwen and the little brother.
Once they saw him, both knitted their eyebrows, very dissatisfied with him.
However, he did not bother about this, and questioned them in hope of finding where Firnell's room was.
"Hey, uuh.. Gwen? Do you know where I can find Firnell from the 'earth boar' clan?"
When the white haired noble woman heard him, she frowned even more. Answering him in an arrogant, yet composed tone. Her voice was rather pleasent, but the anger ruined it.
"I have no obligation to answer any of your questions, Sir Marss."
Michael frowned back at her, just wanting to finish this before he had to consume the rest of the shapeshifting pills in his ring.
"Do you not belive I can get you kicked out?"
Her eyebrows twisted even more, but this was not a joke she dared ignore.
'A threat? But it is not groundless..'
She closed her eyes while answering him, walking away with her brother after finishing.
"Just turn left down the hall. Farwell."
He did not thank her, only continuing to walk towards the way description Gwen gave him.
As he followed the instructions, Michael finally found Firnell. She was currently talking with some other girls from their class, which he hadn't been to in a couple of days now. All of them were dressed in a similar kind of turquoise robe.
His footstep quickened a little when he saw her, and the two friends she spoke with look in his direction. She, of course, also noticed him approaching them after following their eyes. A soft blush formed around her cheeks, and she humbly began to talk to him after coming near enough.
"H..Hello Marss! What brings you here?"
He smirked back at her stuttering. Wanting to be as straightforward as possible to see more.
"I was wondering if you could show me around your home. As I currently do not have anything to do at the moment."
As he expected, her face became completely red, yet somewhat extaic. Showing her leniance to answer the request. Not what he was expecting, but it was what he came for.
Without stuttering this time, she answered him with a joyous smile.
"That would be splendid! I will call for my carriage at once!"
He only nodded back, a little confused by this.
'That was...too easy?'
Before another thought could cross his mind, Michael felt something lock one of his arms in place. Turning left, he saw Firnell having it connected to her own while trying to breath slower.
Michael didn't seem to feel anything, as he wasn't sure why she suddenly got all darring despite the previous shyness.
She pulled his arm a little while the two friends she just talked to waved back at them.
"Please, Marss. Let us walk to the entrance."
And so he was basically escorted back through the academy. Several students with different clothing, yet the same bell shape badge all looked at them. Some showing approval, while some showing envy.
'This is rather weird actually. Why did she suddenly get so forceful?'
Eventually, they ended up near the stone gates. leading out to several different dirt roads, each containing long lines that marked the highway. Most likely created from all the traveler's who came here for the entrance exam.
However, in this apparent dust bowl, there stood a finely made horse carrage in the middle. It had been painted with a light brown color, perfectly blending into the environment. There sat a driver on the front, tending to his two horses with some sort of short broom.
The main body was not only brown, but had several carvings ingraved into it. Mabye supposed to resemble tree roots? Well, most were overshadowed by the large wrapper which laid laid beside the entrance door. The painting reassembled some sort of hog made out of stone.
Before he could analyse more, Michael was then dragged towards it by the overly happy Firnell. Her smile never stopped entering his eyes, as she seemed to get happier and happier by each step he took.
Finally arriving before it, the rider hopped on top of his post, preparing to ride off.
Firnell opened the door for him, which would't look good if somebody else saw it, but luckily, they were only accompanied by the barren earth and surrounding trees which filled the road side.
"Please, Sir Marss! Sit down!"
The interior was not really that incredible. However, he guessed that it was the outside view which counted.
After setling down on one of the fur covered seats, Michael then found himself sitting opposite to the blond haired girl. Having her head lean against both palms, intently looking at him with the trademark blush. Her Dimples kept getting more red as he looked back into her charming green eyes.
Not quite wanting to ask why she seemed so happy, he tried to get some relevant information about this world. Doing this while seeming as normal as possible.
"Firnell, you see, I am from a rather excluded side of the continent. And although I have been educated, I feel like there might be some things which have been missed. Mind enlightening me?"
She didn't seem to be bothered, actually happy he started to talk with her.
"Of course, sir Marss!"
Her lips then began to dance as she relayed all the things she knew. It felt like this girl just wanted to keep a conversation going.
"Well, first would be the human continent. It is divided into five territories, all with their own capital."
"The part we are currently in is called 'Torvel' named after a hero who once lead an army of devils away from it. This is the capital, 'Bell city'. It is connected by several individual towns spread around the eternal forest."
"The next land closest to us is called 'Nunel'. With 'Hender' as it's capital. Both named after the great sage Nunel Hender. It is the place where most wanderers and traveling merchants meet up, as there is a teleportation formation set up there. Be careful if you ever go! Lot's of scammers try to fool newcommers who visit."
"The third land after that is called 'Lindel', with Lindela city as the capital. Named after a great woman who once lead her people to prosperity. That is, before the devil invasion. It has many museums and renown artifacts at display there. We should go sometime!"
Michael momentarily looked at her with a profound gaze. Wondering to himself about something she said.
'Devil invasion?'
However, before he could reafirm his thougts, the girl continued to talk.
"The fourth land is called 'Brandy', with 'delil' as the capital name. The land is named after the strongest warrior who ever lived, Brandy delil. She once singlehandedly beat a 'Hellmarker devil sage' in single combat. The city is very old, and there are lots of colosseums and competitions there. Yes, and there is some sort of famoues liquor named after her! Never have I tasted it myself, but they say it's not that good if you are a light drinker."
"Yes, I almost forgot!"
"Forgot what?"
"Every hundred years there is a large competition held by the royal families from each continent there. The next one will begin the coming of 'Fall time'. That's not too far actually!"
"And the last one, which is also considered the wealthiest of them all, is called 'Ingel'. With the Ingel royal city as it's core. Ingel is the name of the royal family, so I guess that's why both the land and the capital is named after them. The 'four clans' also have their headquarters surrounding the capital. They often have several meetings with each other. Don't know much else."
She happily answered all his questions no matter how weird they were.
"We shouldn't be too far away now, but before we arrive, there is something I wish to tell you about my family..."
Michael was certainly interested by this. How was the family of such a shy girl?
"Oh? pray to tell then."
Firnell started to grind her knees togheter while looking into the table seperating them.
"Well...They are kind of weird, in a sense. So I hope you can excuse them.."
Michael was going to answer, However, a weird sort of feeling made him hesitate a second.
"I..You wouldn't have to think about such minor things."
She seemd pleased by his answer, softly looking back at him.
"Thank you, Sir Marss! Can...Can I ask about your family?"
The same feeling kept haunting him, as he looked deeper into the shiny green eyes on the woman before him. Not even making him care as how to answer.
"Not much there, sadly. My mother died not too long ago, and I haven't heard from my father in some time..."
Looking back at her, Firnell's face seemed to drain itself of all blood. The once rosy cheecks were now deathly pale from fright and regret, as was her wide open eyes and trembling lips.
"I...I...I did not...."
Michael felt a sense of comfort seeing her regret it so much. This girl was too sincere and open with her feelings.
"You do not have to think about, Firnell. What has passed can only by learned from or forgotten."
She calmed herself a little when seeing how calm he was. Even giving her a tender smile back.
The same red color grew back onto her face. It definitely made her feel a little better seeing him not mind.
"Again...I am sorry. Let me make it up to.."
*DUNK
She was suddenly interrupted by the sudden stop of the carriage. However, this did not upset her, as a smile once more reappeared on her white face.
"Ah! We are here! Please, Marss. After you!"
He leaned towards the door beside him and lightly opened it.
As it slowly began to creak, he was met by some sort of luxurious dark coloured mantion. The wood it was made of seemed quite aged, but still solid. There were not many windows, but several carpets with a similar 'stone boar' figure painted on them hanging all around.
The large double door entrance was guarded by two knights. Only their sharp eyes were visible through the smooth brown plating. Must have been made by a material which held a similar color to the mantion and carriage.
After he stepped out of the vehicle, Firnell once more appeared beside him. Dragging his arm before the entrance where the knights stood. Only glancing at the two when they came near enough.
One of them bowed lightly, making sure not to let his guard down, eveb before the most trusted individual.
His voice was hoarse, like one you could get after screaming from prolonged periods at the time.
"Welcome back miss. The lord and lady have been waiting for you to arrive. Please proceed."
Firnell just ignored him, pulling Michael inside the opening door along with her.
As they entered, he got a better look at the mantions interior. There were several human sculptures carved out of some sort of fancy rock, all placed in different corners of the large room. Besides them, there were several sets of doors and stairs leading to who knows where, and always some very elegant servants and maids walking through them with plates or jugs.
The moment they entered the mantion, Michael felt his body being eyed down like some sort of sheep.
The maids and servants who were currently nearby halted their movements and looked at him. All smiling with colorless and almost dead eyes. As if they were showing some excitement, yet also some piety.
"W..Welcome to my clans home, Marss."
He turned back towards Firnell who was smiling at him with the her red lips. It looked a little weird, as her eyes also seem to bend a little in the shape of a crescent moon. It made the usual delicate smile now resembled something you would only find on a doll of some sort.
The servants and maid still stood where they were, all eyeing him down with those devouring, empty gazes. Not blinking nor moving a step away from their position.
He wanted to ask her some questions, but she began to pull him down one of the stairs. Most likely leading to the lower floors.
"Please, Sir Marss. Let us meet my parents."
Her eyes turned back to normal, and the usual blush could be seen once more.
One the surface, it looked like he did not notice her sudden facial expression twist. However, deep inside, Michael felt something awfully wrong.
'Why can I still feel the eyes of those servants on my back?'
He frowned slightly, making sure Firnell didn't notice as she currently dragged him away.
'And why did Jenkins want me to come here?'