[Fire Painting] wasn't the only trait the goblins were in danger of losing.
'It's probably because they were suppressed by the snails for a long time.'
I thought of the second trait whose status window had changed.
+
[Greed]
Rank: B
Effect: The Goblin Race is filled with greed. Perhaps it is because of their shame for being too ugly. Or maybe the Goblin Race wants to be recognized for their possessions instead of themselves. 'Kerk! I just put on warm mud!', 'Kerk! I just covered myself with premium mud from the head of the stream!'.
They desire to be the most distinguished.
They long to be even greater.
In the hearts of the Goblin Race, their inferiority complexes, low self-esteem, and desires for greatness combine to create a powerful form of greed. Maybe the Goblin Race will crave shiny treasures. Or maybe they'll catch slaves and brag about whose slaves are prettier. The Goblin Race are greedy, and with this greed comes potential.
How their 'greed' develops will depend on you.
※However, this trait can change depending on how history progresses.
※Caution! After a long period of oppression, the Goblins have become aloof to their desires. They have given up on the thought of coveting things since they wouldn't get it anyway. If they continue to fail in 'gaining their desires', their greed will disappear.
+
'Hmm.'
Greed meant desire. Being greedy meant to covet something. Greed, desire, covet. Although these words all had negative nuances…
My thoughts were a little different.
'It's better than having no desires at all.'
-Well, that's just your opinion.
Bae Hu-ryeong scratched the back of his head.
-Desire is like a river. If you build a dam and block it, it will build up until it overflows, and if you cover it with a lid to prevent it from overflowing, it will become stagnant and rotten. Where will the rotten water go? It will seep into the ground around it and corrode it.
Bae Hu-ryeongs voice was very serious.
-You have to release the river. And if you're going to release it, then it has to be big. So that it all flows in one direction. I think that will determine the direction of their lives.
'This disciple's thoughts are the same. Teacher.'
-Hey, hey, who the hell is your teacher? I never had a disciple as stubborn as you.
'How do tadpoles learn to swim? They learn by watching frogs. Mr. Sword Emperor. You are my frog, and I am your tadpole.'
-Crazy bastard…
Side by side, we tried to devise a plan, like the perfect example of teacher and disciple.
'Now then. What is the best direction to direct their [Greed].'
I didn't have to think about it for very long.
Before I could find the answer, and even before Bae Hu-ryeong could find the answer, someone else found the answer and brought it to us.
Well, to be precise, not 'someone', but many 'someones'.
-Kekerkker!
It had been three weeks since we'd begun our journey home.
Behind me, the goblins began to make a fuss. The children, who had been following me obediently, urgently ran forward. I turned my head to see what was going on, and my eyes met Gorke's.
-There are soldiers behind us! Ker!
'Soldiers?'
I directed my aura towards my eyes and looked out over the horizon.
The first thing that I noticed was a cloud of dust. The weather was clear, but there was a large cloud of dust in the distance. This meant that it wasn't natural, and instead had been formed by a large number of animals moving together.
I enhanced my vision even further.
'Mm.'
Hundreds of hounds.
Were galloping across the plains towards us.
Regardless of whether dogs were pack animals or not, there was no way that hundreds of them would gather on their own. As if to prove this, it soon became clear that each hound was carrying something on their backs.
-It's the snails!
The snails were clinging to the hounds' backs.
-The snails are chasing us! Kerk! Battle formations! Battle formations!
-All the young ones get in the middle! Be careful not to step on them!
Horse riding soldiers.
No, dog riding soldiers* were currently charging at us. (TL: I will call them cavalry from now on… but you get the memo.)
5.
The snail cavalry reacted quickly.
-Rime!
-Drive them to the riverside! Keep your distance!
As soon as they saw the goblin's battle formations, the snails gave up their charge. Instead, they slowly began forcing their prey in the direction they wanted. By lightly pressing against the goblins' weak ranks, they were able to force them to step back.
-Kerrk…!
-Don't break ranks! Match your steps with those beside you!
The goblins had the advantage of numbers, but among them were young children and the elderly. They had no choice but to choose a formation that protected the weak and elderly. The goblins focused on defense, and the snails took the initiative to attack because of their mobility. Without rushing, the snail cavalry calmly began driving us to the riverside.
'They're pretty good.'
I thought while protecting the goblins from the front.
'I thought the military power of the snails wouldn't be a problem after the collapse of Rimepolis.'
-If they didn't have a good military, it would have been impossible for them to rule over the other six races. Didn't you win only because all six races rebelled at the same time?
'Well, that's true. It's well thought out.'
I had been on the frontlines of many battles on the 11th floor for the [Aegim Empire]. In other words, I knew a thing or two about battle strategy.
-Buuuuu.
The snails blew horns to control the speed of their march. Sometimes they slowly advanced and increased the pressure, and sometimes they rushed forward as if they were about to charge.
-Rime!
When the encirclement was completed, a snail, who seemed to be the general of this army, stepped forward.
This general skillfully rode a hound that was much larger than those of the other cavalrymen. Did the snails use their mucus as an adhesive? Unlike horse riding cavalry, the snails used neither saddles nor stirrups.
-I'm here to inform you mold bastards!
The snail general shouted.
-Your little 'slave rebellion' has been subjugated! Rimepolis has overcome its defeat and risen up. The twelve cities of our great empire have formed a massive army and are now hunting down the remnants. This is proof!
The general put a tentacle into its shell and withdrew something round. Then he raised it high into the air and threw it at us.
It was the head of a sprite.
But the general didn't stop there. Instead, he continued throwing one head after the other. Mermaid, vampire, human, elf. A head for each race rolled one after the other.
-Look carefully! Rime! This is the fate of the slaves that dared to rebel against our great Snail Empire! Our anger is large and fierce. These are not the first to be punished, and they will not be the last. Molds, if you don't want your dirty heads to become blood covered stepping stones, then surrender immediately!
-Ke-, kerr.
The goblins shrank back.
-Did they subjugate the other races already?
-That's a lie. It can't be. The snails' world is already over.
-I don't want to go back to hell, ker…
Mm.
'They are shaking our morale.'
-What are you going to do?
'I'll just expose that fraud over there.'
I stepped forward.
The goblins immediately stopped whispering and looked at me from behind. There was a small space between the snails and the goblins. In the middle of that, I stood, silently staring at the snail general.
[Purchased 'Oracle Message'.]
[20 Race Points have been deducted!]
[You currently have 50 race points.]
I'm sorry, snails of this world.
I'm one step ahead of your trick.
I used the oracle message and sent words directly into the head of the snail general.
[The White Lion sees through your deceit!]
Flinch.
The tentacles of the snail general, who was proudly riding his hound, trembled. I wasn't too familiar with snail physiology, but I could tell he was nervous.
It was simple.
'You couldn't have suppressed all the rebels.'
If the snails had won, the tower would have informed me with a message saying that the rebellion had failed. Or that the other races had returned to being slaves.
'I have received any notifications yet.'
The reason was obvious.
The snail general was threatening us with lies.
'Well. I have the benefit of the system, which allowed me to figure it out… So it's a matter of using whatever you can.'
I opened my mouth and took a deep breath.
Then I let out a loud lion's roar.
"Roaaar-!"
My roar rang out across the plains. Startled, the hounds' bodies squirmed and twisted. The snails didn't fall off only because of their excellent adhesion, but they still raised a fuss.
-Th-, the molds' god…
-It's one of the false gods that descended and brought calamity to the city.
-Those bastards did something disrespectful to Rime in Rimepolis. Idiots! There's nothing wrong with serving Rime and receiving his blessings.
From the snails' perspectives, I was an evil god. But an evil god was still a god. When they witnessed the goblins' god, they couldn't help but falter and lose their momentum.
'Good.'
I saw an opportunity.
An opportunity to revive the goblins' [Greed].
[Purchased 'Oracle Message'.]
[20 Race Points have been deducted!]
[You currently have 30 race points.]
Despite clearing the 31st floor, participating in the great escape on the 32nd floor, liberating the slaves, and finding a way to continue the [Fire Painting] heritage, I had not received any race points.
The reason for this would be explained in the future, but now was not the time.
'This is enough.'
I used some of my remaining points to buy another Oracle Message.
Then, I sent another message to the snail general.
[The White Lion proposes an honorable duel.]
The snail general flinched again. He must have been afraid because an evil god was talking to him.
However, that didn't prevent the general from asking a question.
-Rime. An honorable duel…?
"Krrr."
Hearing it a thousand times couldn't compare to seeing it once.
I turned around and walked towards the goblins. While the goblins all looked at me in confusion, I stopped in front of a certain one.
'Hey.'
It was Gorke.
'Get on.'
-...
Gorke's expression darkened.
-L-, Lord Kekerkker. It is a great honor for you to stand in front of a humble servant like me. I hope that Lord Kekerkker will continue until you find what you want.
'I did.'
I bent my forelimbs and took a position that would make it easier for him to climb onto my back.
'Get on.'
-Kerup!
Gorke hiccuped.
He looked at me with eyes that were pleading for mercy.
-I, I don't know why the Great White Lion is doing this in front of me. It's very strange. Can any of you guess what the White Lion is trying to say, ker?
The other goblins looked at each other and whispered.
-I think he wants him to ride on his back…?
-No matter how you look at it, it looks like he wants him to get on.
Gorke opened his mouth desperately.
-Kerurup! How could believers like us ride on the back of the White Lion? Blasphemy! There must be some other holy meaning that we cannot even begin to understand!
I bent my hind legs.
Then I tapped my back with my tail.
The goblins thought deeply.
-As expected, it seems that he's telling you to ride him…?
-If you don't ride him, he might become angry…
-Wouldn't it be blasphemous to not obey the White Lion's command? Gork?
Gorke sobbed.
'Brat.'
I used the last of my points to directly send an Oracle Message to Gorke.
[The White Lion says to get on his back quickly, otherwise, he will kill you.]
In the end, the sobbing Gorke got onto my back.
When they saw Gorke's tears, the people around us cheered.
-Look! Kirukerup's grandson, Gorke, has obtained the favor of the White Lion!
-He's so moved that he even began to cry! Gor!
-He's crying! But he deserves to cry! This is an honor that will be passed down to his later generations!
-How lucky!
Gorke sobbed harder.
-Kerr… It's not that. You're wrong… Kekerkker isn't the God you think he is… He's not a god, he's more like a big brother. A very bad big brother…
Of course, Gorke's voice was buried by the cheering of the others cand couldn't be heard.
Untruthful cries always went unheard.
Without anyone understanding the tears he shed, Gorke was carried on my back until we stood in front of the snail general.
-...Indeed.
The snail general looked at me, then at Gorke on my back.
-So that's what you meant by honorable duel. I understand.
The general waved his antennae.
-I heard that you molds didn't participate in the slaughter of my compatriots in Rimepolis. Rime. It is your destiny to rot in the salt mines, but we will take into consideration the fact that you didn't participate in the massacre.
This might also be Rime's will, the general muttered under his breath.
Then, he turned his head and shouted towards his army.
-The dirty molds and their god have offered us a duel! It's funny that a slave who used to break rocks in a pit thinks it can fight us! Men! Is there any soldier in my army willing to break this mold's nose!
-...
-I swear on my antennae that I will give the soldier who wins the duel a glorious life! Wealth! Slaves! Honor! No matter what it is. All you need to do is break this mold's nose!
There was a stir among the snail soldiers.
And after a while, a snail strode out with its hound
-Rimu! I would be honored!
It was a large hound indeed.
In all honesty, I wasn't sure if it was fair to call it a hound. This beast, which was as large as a lion and had three pairs of feet, seemed a bit much to be called a dog.
It wasn't just the dog that had a lot of legs.
-The Helix Apostle's heir has stepped out!
The snail on its back also had more tentacles than the other snails. Four tentacles held four swords at the same time, and each time the tentacles swayed, the swords cut through the air. Swish! Swish! All the snails were awed by the brilliant swordsmanship.
-Ohh. A high ranking noble!
-Wow… The Helix Apostle's heir is terrifying…
-He must have received the blessing of Rime!
They were a funny species.
'Do they judge nobility based on the amount of tentacles they have?'
-Seems like it.
'It's pretty weird.'
-Right. It's really exotic.
'Huh?'
-Huh?
As Bae Hu-ryeong and I judged the strangeness of the snail race, the snail soldier, the heir of the Helix Apostle, approached us.
-I am from one of the seven families that govern Canyon City, a member of Lekamurime, and the heir of the Helix Apostle! Seimsalam! Servant of the evil god! Name yourself!
Gorke was intimidated by the dazzling self introduction.
-G-, Gorke, grandson of Kirukerup…
-Are you the priest?!
-Kerr. The priest died.
-A noble?!
-We do not have nobles, kerk…
-So a lowly slave.
The snail soldier twisted his tentacles.
This was probably a gesture that was made to mock the other person.
-Today, I will show you the dignity of those loved by Rime! Heeya!
The snail charged forward with his hound.
His four swords clashed in the air, making noisy clanging sounds. It seemed that he was using the sound to build his momentum before the fight. I wondered who would be frightened by such a ridiculous sight, but the coward on my back immediately showed me.
-Ker! Kerrrr!
Gorke grabbed my mane and cried.
-Why me?! Why did it have to be like this?! You demon! As I expected, I was deceived by a demon!
"Krrrng."
Hey. Don't worry.
Trust this big brother!
I'll make you a hero!