"I'm not what I've done worst. Yes, they died because of me, yes, I stole the univerium, but my punishment wasn't deserved - it never will be. That thing will pay," an unknown voice crossed Rargnes' mind.
Today was D-Day.
The group took the portals of the base located in the fourth world, which was being invaded, and entered the inn. They rode the mafia routes parallel to those of the noble's postal network, changing horses at each stage. On the final stretch, they boarded a chariot and let themselves be led to the city.
The scribe paid the tax at the city's massive gates, whose function was to guard, maintain, and receive payment was auctioned off at the beginning of the year, around the end of March—the date of one of the particularly popular religious festivals.
They passed through the particularly pungent central alleys where animals and humans were stuck between crushing buildings and stopped in front of a villa crowned with battlements, defended by a guard of two people, each of considerable power, on either side of the iron bars of the entrance.
Perhaps half the power of Rargnes - and his strength was considered that of an exceptional veteran worthy of being the squire of a noble's companion.
The goblin announced their visit, as was the tradition among people of importance, and a guard entered the manor and returned with another goblin who led them through the manor's gardens. The country was subdivided into multiple languages, making it necessary to use a goblin for the great families. The smaller ones thus imitated them.
Although this one wasn't that small. It was influential at the level of this city, the county's capital, where they had bought lands. The city was governed by a member of the noble's family, in opposition to the opposite city controlled by a goblin priest. The two cities had notably expanded thanks to their geographical positions, halfway between the capital and the border.
The manor was composed of various floors, the highest of which were for the domestics who also took shelter in the annexes. They entered and were greeted by the wife of the manor's owner - her husband had embarked on the conquest of the new world.
When Rargnes and the others entered the richly colored room, with elements sometimes found in the previous world, of which he barely remembered, he wondered how all this had passed.
"Oh, I see you're interested," she said with pride. "Yes, you see, they come from the new world and from very far away."
They spoke with a smile, stopping in front of a violet plant several feet tall. At the top of it, a mouth-like formation was taking shape.
"They're quite rare..." she said with a sigh. "They don't survive long when transported so far."
A thundering, incomprehensible yelling smashed Rargnes's ears.
Rargnes turned around. No one behind him seemed to have spoken or heard anything.
"Is there a problem?"
"Oh, I just heard a little noise, no worries. A magnificent plant, certainly; you said you took it from where?"
"Oh, from regions near the capital. They travel a whole journey to bring them alive, few plants survive, and the cost is immense since they only employ goblins. But what beauty! If the king were in this manor, he would wake up quickly!"
"Certainly."
They exchanged pleasantries, and Rargnes tried throughout to use his power to guess the intentions of this woman who managed all current affairs since her husband's departure. She had even undertaken many gatherings of influential people before that and had connections with the female part of the palace of the noble's brother.
This made him think: wasn't there a way to attack the members of the noble's family? The noble and his family moved across their territory to ensure everyone's loyalty, hence the temporary presence of the noble's brother in this city.
The visit ended without deals - it was necessary to show themselves first. They finished their preparations, left the city, and arrived at a small town a few miles away, where they gave some lands to the goblin priest in charge without even visiting them or knowing their exact measure - it didn't change anything for the farmers, just the usufruct would be given to someone else.