Chapter 187 Just a Passing Thought

Larry and Suzuka walked out of the guild, the noise of the bustling town streets enveloping them as they ventured into the heart of Rockmine town.

Suzuka turned to Larry and asked, "Well then, Larry, lead the way."

Larry, looking ahead with a determined expression, asked in a somewhat cryptic tone, "Aren't you curious where I'm taking you?"

Suzuka chuckled lightly, her eyes glinting with intrigue.

 "A bit, yes. But I did not want to pry earlier, I assumed you didn't want to discuss it around other people."

Larry nodded in agreement as he led the way down the cobblestone street.

 "You're right about that. I'd rather keep this information close to the vest. Where we're going is no one else's business."

Suzuka's interest was piqued.

 "So, it's just the two of us now, strolling on the street with no prying ears to eavesdrop. You can talk freely; I won't go around telling other people your secrets, you can be sure about that."

Larry couldn't help but smile at her assurance. 

"That's what I like to hear. So, we're going to meet the people who requested the goblin to be rescued from the bandits. And please, don't be too surprised, but it was a request from the ruler of Rockmine himself and his right-hand man and advisor, Valerius."

Suzuka, in an exaggerated tone, raised her voice to playfully act surprised, "What?" 

She then chuckled, teasing Larry, "Relax, Larry, I'm not that easily shocked. I figured it must have been someone in a high position orchestrating this. Although I admit, I didn't expect a ruler of town himself to care about some stinking wimpy goblin who shit himself every opportunity it gets. So, why is this goblin so important, really? And don't spin me that noble story of helping slaves out of goodwill and friendship."

Larry took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. 

"Let me ask you this, Helen: do you know how fast goblins grow?"

Suzuka, a bit surprised by the question instead of an answer, replied with a touch of jest in her voice, "I'm not sure. I've never kept one as a pet before. But from what I've heard, should be like a month or so?"

Larry nodded agreeing, "Yes, that is correct. But that's the short answer."

Suzuka, intrigued, asked, "Short answer? So, what's the long one?"

Larry continued, "The long answer is a bit more complex. It takes only one day for a goblin egg to become fertile after the goblin lays its eggs in a victim. They then drop the eggs into a pile of feces, where they continue to grow, much like plants absorbing fertilizer. In another five days, the goblin hatchling cracks open out of the egg. Unlike other creatures in our realm, goblin hatchlings hatch with a basic understanding. They can walk, communicate, although in a limited manner, and perform basic tasks if shown. Goblin hatchlings are like sponges for knowledge the moment they're hatched, observing and discovering but they become less capable of learning as they grow. And do you know how many of these hatchlings are born in just one day?"

Suzuka shrugged her shoulders and said, "A lot? Honestly, Larry, I didn't really bother to investigate. I've been too busy dealing with all of them. Orcs, goblins, gobliman, goblin hatchlings, and even goblin slaves are all the same to me. By the end of the day, they all lie equally dead on the ground. Nothing more, nothing less."

Larry nodded, understanding her perspective but also aware that he was about to share something that might shift her viewpoint. He continued, "I completely understand your perspective, Helen. But there's a crucial factor we need to consider. Goblins reproduce at an alarming rate. A single goblin can lay dozens of eggs a day inside a single victim, and these eggs hatch in a matter of days, as I mentioned earlier. Unlike most creatures in our realm, goblins are born with a basic understanding of survival, and they can learn and adapt quickly. It's like dealing with an infestation that spreads rapidly. If we don't act, we'll continue losing the war against the goblins in sheer numbers. In the upcoming years, their population could swell to the point where they could overwhelm us simply by throwing their bodies at us. And let's not forget goblin tenacity, they can stay without water or food for months or longer. They shrivel up into scrawny skeletal bodies but they keep on going, nibbling on anything to survive."

Suzuka couldn't resist a light-hearted comment, "Well, that would be a sight, goblins hurling their hatchlings at us like rocks. Hilarious, even."

After a short pause, she continued, "So, what's your point, Larry? Are you saying we should be concerned about this goblin problem because they breed like crazy? And can starve themself for months?"

Larry replied, "Exactly. If goblin hatchlings are left to their own devices, they'll grow in numbers, and soon, we might find ourselves facing a goblin invasion that we can't easily quell."

Larry's expression remained serious as he continued, "This is no laughing matter, Helen. Do you even realize how many secret goblin breeding farms there are? Scouts discover one or two of them every day, and there are likely many more that remain hidden. And I'm only talking about the Rockmine town, not even considering the other seven great towns."

Suzuka adopted a more serious tone as she responded, "Okay, Larry, I get it. It's a serious threat. So, what does that stinking Hermit have to do with all of this?"

Larry explained, "Hermit is a goblin. He's practically a goldmine of insider information about those secret goblin breeding farms. We can dangle a deal so sweet, even honey would be jealous, right under his sensitive sniffer. He'll be grinning from ear to ear as he helps us locate those farms. Then, we swoop in, obliterate everything, and level those farms to the ground for good! Hermit doesn't have an ounce of affection for those so-called 'evil' goblins who oppress his kin. Promise him the liberation of his fellow goblin hatchlings, and he'll be our eager little guide showing us the way."

Suzuka, with a mischievous glint in her eye, rolled her eyes and suggested a more ruthless approach, "Ughh! One dimwitted goblin such as Hermit is already pushing it. Why bother saving any of those hatchlings? Just squeeze the information out of him, put a leash on him like on some hunting dog to lead the way, wipe those farms off the map, and tell him some tragic tale about the evil goblins butchering his hatchling buddies. He's head over heels for you; he'll swallow it all, even if you dangle his fellow hatchlings' guts around your neck."

Larry gasped dramatically at the suggestion, "Ughh! What? No! We can't simply discard the goblin hatchlings. They have their uses. We can train them to perform manual labor, like working in food farms. Their small hands are remarkably dexterous; they could be incredibly efficient at harvesting crops and tending to lands. Just look at how their tiny hands can dig tunnels without a single tool! Give them a pick axe and they are the best miners in business. Not to mention the immunity to corrupted magic in the air and senses of direction. Goblins do not get lost in the forest where corrupted magic is disrupting the senses of direction. They would be perfect guides to show us the way toward the more secretly hidden breeding farms."

Suzuka chuckled at Larry's response, teasing him, "Oh, Larry, you sly fox. Rescuing slaves from one oppressor only to potentially have them as your own labor force, huh? Nicely played."

 She grinned and whispered to herself, "A goblin hatchling slave army doing my bidding? Hmm, interesting... very interesting."

With a feigned air of nonchalance, she asked, "Larry, do you happen to know if goblins are any good at construction work? Building walls, houses, that sort of thing?"

Larry scratched his head and replied, "Well, if they're trained from the moment they hatch, I suppose a hatchling could become quite adept at building things. They are, after all, the backbone of goblin construction. All those goblin structures you see? Built by goblin slaves, without any tools and limited resources. Why do you ask?"

Suzuka waved off the question with indifference.

 "Oh, it's nothing, really. Just a passing thought, you know." Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she pondered her own personal gains and possibilities.

After a long and arduous walk, Larry and Suzuka finally reached the imposing main gates that separated them from the upper town, where the elite and nobility resided. As they neared the gates, their path was obstructed by a pair of stern-faced Royal paladins, their polished armor gleaming in the afternoon sun. These guardians of privilege were vigilant in monitoring the flow of citizens passing through the gate.

Suzuka turned to Larry, her expression a mixture of concern and surprise, "Larry," she confessed, her voice tinged with unease, "I forgot to mention, I do not possess the necessary papers to gain entry through the main gates of the town. My guild registration only grants me access to the outskirts of the town walls."

Larry flashed a reassuring smile and spoke with confidence, "Worry not, Helen. This meeting is a formal affair. You have my endorsement, and you are welcomed by the town's ruler himself. That opens all doors for you. Just follow my lead, I have the formal invitation with your name on it."

With Larry's guidance, they successfully passed through the inspection at the gates, stepping into a world of luxury and extravagance that was reserved for the town's elite.

Suzuka couldn't help but express her awe as she gazed around in wonder, "So," she began, her eyes wide with curiosity, "I can safely assume you are a citizen of the main town, huh? It appears that you know your way around here. I've never ventured inside the main town, where all those rich bastards live. I must admit, it does look rather fancy."

Larry nodded proudly, his demeanor a mix of satisfaction and humility, "Yes, I am indeed a resident of the main town," he admitted, "I have a small mansion here."

Suzuka's reaction was nothing short of astonished. She let out a yelp, "You what? A mansion? An adventurer having a manor?!" Her eyes twinkled with playful disbelief as she tried to wrap her head around the idea of her fellow adventurer living a life of such luxury.