The Dark Jade Forest occupied a vast area in the northeast of the Nexia Empire, within its borders. It was inhabited primarily by magical creatures and demi humans, who lived in villages. It was even said that it was entirely protected by the legendary Strong Wind Dragon, one of the five Primordials dragons. Although it was called a forest, the area was not a uniform expanse of trees: to the north lay a small mountain range, with a cold climate, inhabited by mountain trolls and a detachment of the Dwarf Kingdom and ice trolls. It was even rumored that ice dragons lived there, but this was not confirmed.

  Moving to the west, there was an arid, desert-like area, consisting mostly of uncultivable land and a few mountain passes. It was inhabited primarily by orcs, giant pig-like beings, distant cousins of oni and ogres. This area was believed to be the home of a powerful beast called the Sand Crocodile , but the veracity of this legend was questionable.

  Descending to the south, there was the forest itself; a vast expanse of trees stretching for more than ten kilometers. In these areas lived various tribes of goblins, and a single—but numerous and proud—tribe of Oni. Finally, in the central-eastern part of the forest, there was a large expanse of swampland, inhabited by lizardmen, creatures with humanoid features, but covered in scales, tails, and elongated snouts. They were divided into various tribes, all under the rule of a single ruler, wielder of the "Tyrant's Trident," a legendary weapon said to have been forged by one of the demigods of the Freliord—the vast expanse of mountain ranges that separated the Theocracy of Reia from the Bashad Federation to the north, and the Empire of Nexia and the Kingdom of Ashen to the south.

  Simply put, that area, untouched by man, was a paradise for demi humans and all magical creatures, which is why the Theocracy and the Holy Church of the North had attempted to send volunteers there to purify it of these considered inferior beasts, only to experience one failure after another. Even the Empire of Nexia was not happy with having nearly a third of its territory occupied by an unusable forest inhabited by monsters. However, despite the lack of opportunity to exploit the land's resources, the empire managed to take advantage of the monsters themselves. Often, the more primitive creatures, such as ogres and trolls, would attack villages located near the forest, forcing the Guild to intervene and, in effect, providing work for adventurers, boosting the economy.

  That said, there had been attempts to reclaim the territory by some overzealous nobles, but each time it had ended in a stinging defeat for the humans, given not only the enormous numerical disparity between the two forces and the attacking faction's poor knowledge of the territory, but also by a factor that no one would have ever thought possible: evolution.

  Given the huge influx of monsters and creatures, the magical substance in the forest was extremely high, favoring the evolution and empowerment of the various races, increasing their strength and intelligence while simultaneously reducing their bestiality—which is why the Oni, for example, could also be described as humans with bestial traits, not to be confused with the beastmen race. With evolution at play, the humans had no hope of victory; their enemies were as intelligent as they were, more organized, with greater physical and magical abilities, and knew the battlefield perfectly. It would have been foolish to even think of attempting to conquer the Dark Jade Forest; no one could succeed...or could they?

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  1st day of the month of the gray dragon (March) 15:22 PM

  The sun was high, its light shining on the forest, casting various shadows beneath the trees. A figure was advancing with a determined step through the fir trees. It was none other than Almodeus, a demon who had decided to conquer the forest of Dark Gaida and was now heading towards a goblin village to bring them into spontaneous submission. For the mission, he had assumed the same form he had used in Anna's village long before: shorter than usual, the body hidden by a black robe and his face covered- though this time he had discarded the mask and gloves, simply raised the collar of his robe and tilted his top hat slightly to hide part of his face. The form he assumed was called the Mimesis Form, while the one the demon mostly used as his base form was called the Containment Form. He had many others, but rarely adopted them. Almodeus had chosen that form because he wanted to avoid scaring the goblins away immediately or being mistaken for a monster, while, at the same time, maintaining an intimidating and authoritative appearance so as not to lose an advantage in negotiations.

  As he walked, Almodeus began to wonder whether it was a good idea to embark on this plan of conquest. It would certainly attract attention, but he was only hoping for more information and security. Almodea had been attacked and he needed to figure out who had done it. It would be difficult and time-consuming to do so while remaining unseen.

  It's too late to turn back now. I have to stop overthinking. Everything will be fine.

  He shook his head—this wasn't the time to doubt his choices. He had demi humans to subdue, and appearing hesitant would make it more difficult, if not impossible. His thoughts shifted to his wife, who had just returned from her trip to the capital and was sitting in her office handling bureaucratic matters; and to his daughter Almodea, who was also on a mission like him. She was headed to the Oni village in that moment.

  Was it a good idea to send her alone?

  Almodea had refused the assistance of her succubi or an escort to avoid them being mind-controlled should she encounter her attackers again. The girl possessed power second only to that of her father, Nikusa and Hirashi, but despite her skill she was relatively inexperienced with more complex magic- so mastering high-level spells, such as the mind-control attempt on her, could prove difficult.

  I should be more worried about Shaco, actually. If I hear explosions followed by screams or laughter, I know who to blame...

  He trusted Shaco, but at the same time, it was undeniable that the clown was a natural disaster. Speaking of disasters, in the new world, dangers were divided into four groups, based on their destructive potential: Calamity, Disaster, Catastrophe, and Extinction. From what Almodeus had understood while speaking to the Guild through the character of Amon, the first level— Calamity —was for beings capable of destroying multiple cities. The Disaster class, or rank, was assigned to those capable of bringing down an entire nation. The Catastrophe class was assigned to those who proved too great a threat for a single state, so much so that they required the union of multiple nations or human powers to quell them. In the end, the Extinction class —as the name implied—grouped all those beings that could lead to the extinction of the human race; furthermore, beings considered superior to the Catastrophe class, but theoretically inferior to the Extinction class itself, were also catalogued there. In this case, they were placed in a subclass called Premature Extinction. Almodeus would have been classified as Extinction without a second thought; the same process went to Almodea, Hirashi, Nikusa, and the Terror Trio.

  This world has lower standards of power than ours. The universe itself seems to be suffering...hm? I sense something!

  Almodeus's thoughts were interrupted by a murmur in the bushes—something was approaching. Was it a beast? Or a goblin attack force? He didn't know, but something told him he'd find out soon. If it were the former, he could subdue it to add it to his collection of rare beasts, provided it was native and unique to that world; if it were a goblin strike force, it would make more sense to subdue them or have them brought to their leaders directly.

  "S-Stop!"

  "Mh?"

  He turned toward the source of the voice and saw a small band of goblins, but they weren't an attack force—they looked more like homeless bums. A normal goblin attack force would have been made up of powerful, fearless goblins, heavily armed and well-trained. But the ones Almodeus found before him were short, with ragged clothes, rusty weapons, and anything but fearless. In fact...they were shaking with terror. This wasn't unusual, considering his aura of terror. There was one small problem: he hadn't even turned it on.

  "Are you talking to me?"

  "Y-Yes! M-May I know what your intentions are here, mighty creature?"

  "Creature?"

  Almodeus's right eye widened at that definition. Even though he was keeping his aura as low as possible and blending in, those goblins had still figured out he wasn't human. He couldn't complain too much, though—his work had been pretty sloppy.

  "Y-Yes, it's clear right away that you are a powerful magical beast!"

  "I'm not a beast- and most importantly- I'm not a slime! I don't know why people keep mistaking me for one."

  "W-We’ll not call you a slime! Please, tell us what you came here for, I beg you..."

  The pleading tone of the goblin leader of the expedition was more than enough confirmation that these beings posed no threat—not that could exist something that could pose a threat to Almodeus. However, they were losing value in his eyes, precisely because of how pathetic they were.

  "I came here to speak with the various village leaders of you goblins."

  "And w-why? If I may ask..."

  "I have some things to discuss. Can you take me to your boss?"

  At that question, the goblins stared at each other, unsure of what to do: bringing a stranger into their village was a dangerous choice, especially one as frightening and terrifying as the one before them. However, denying that request could prove to be a death sentence.

  "Don't worry, I don't mean to hurt you. I just need to check some things out and make arrangements, I promise..."

  The goblins didn't seem convinced by Almodeus's warm words, but they had to give in. Having no other option, they would have to trust this stranger with the terrifying aura. After agreeing, they began escorting him along a path. It took them less than ten minutes to reach the village.

  Were they a search squad? No... they’re in too bad of a state.

  "Here we are."

  One of the goblins said, pointing to a small open area. Almodeus approached what looked like a small wooden archway at the entrance to the main path and took a quick look around: the village was very small, with a dozen or so ramshackle huts made of wood and weeds, standing by some architectural miracle. To the right of the village flowed a small stream, with a few wheat fields nearby—also miserable and dilapidated. The demon was made to wait a few minutes outside the headman's hut, before being welcomed with some honors inside the hut, which included a small bed and some bowls on a small table.

  Luckily I have this form; I would never have entered with the containment form. Here everything is so...poor.

  He was seated on a small raised cushion, with a bowl of water beside him. After a few minutes, two goblins entered: the first was familiar—it was the same one who had approached him earlier; the second, however, was an elder with a staff, whom he assumed was the village chief. After the two, a third figure entered, a female goblin with dark brown hair. She was short and thin, but still looked attractive. Almodeus theorized that it was a gift they might have wanted to offer him as a sign of peace or something similar.

  "Sorry for this ungrateful welcome, greater being..."

  The elder began, bowing to the ground alongside the two younger goblins. It was clear they were frightened of the demon and were trying to curry favor with him. Almodeus couldn't blame them or be surprised about it; the two were making the most logical choice. It was as if he'd already achieved what he'd come here for. To be safe, he decided to activate his Aura of Terror at its lowest power. Usually, those who bowed without a show of power were the first to want to betray—he couldn't let his guard down.

  “I was told by my second son, Rigur, that you wish to speak to me.”

  The old man began, taking a sip of water from his bowl to hydrate his dry, scratchy throat.

  “I am Gurd, the goblin representative of this village. It is an honor to have you here, greater creature.”

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Chief Gurd. My name is Almodeus."

  The elder goblin was surprised by his guest's respectful and reverent tone. Their race was highly skilled at hunting, but despite that, they were generally considered weak, so many looked down on them in advance. That such a powerful being didn't do the same was quite surprising.

  "To what do I owe your visit, mighty Almodeus?"

  "Before I answer that question, I have a question of my own. May I ask you, if possible?"

  The old man nodded, unable to hide his surprise at the respectful tone in which the man before him spoke. It was completely different from what he had expected. In that forest, the strong ate the weak, so there was little respect for the latter.

  "You keep calling me powerful, but how can you be so sure? Is it because of my looks?"

  Almodeus knew that his mimicry was easily mistaken for the stereotypical enchanter in that world. Consequently, he theorized that this was the reason for the fear of the little green men.

  "Lord Almodeus, you need not be so modest. It is clear from the start that you are a being beyond the ordinary human."

  "So it's just because of my looks?"

  "Absolutely not! Your aura speaks for itself!"

  "My aura?"

  "Exactly!"

  Almodeus seemed surprised by this response. He was keeping his aura of terror to a minimum, yet to them it was considered a power big enough to make them tremble. How powerful was he truly compared to that world?

  "Could you explain, Chief Gurd?"

  "Certainly! Magical creatures can see the auras around other magical beings. Yours is almost comparable to that of the great Strong Wind-Dragon, our patron deity!"

  "Strong Wind-Dragon?"

  "Yes! It is one of the primordial dragons, one of the most powerful beings in this world! It is said to protect these lands."

  Almodeus rubbed his chin at that statement. There was no such creature in their world. He was already wondering what level this phantom dragon was, and whether it could truly be compared to a true deity.

  "Understood. Out of curiosity, how powerful would you rate it, on a scale of 1 to 10?"

  "A 10! Absolutely! Even more!"

  The old goblin replied, almost losing his composure from euphoria. Speaking of the dragon, his fear had completely vanished, something that made Almodeus frown.

  "And what level would you give me, in the same table?"

  At that question, the goblin hesitated to answer. He feared his words might enrage the stranger before him.

  "Here...I...I guess a 7? I-I think a 7, yes!"

  A 7? This means that my aura is at least seven-tenths that of a being considered on a par with a God. I can't take this testimony as empirical proof, but it is further confirmation of how powerful I and others are in this world.

  The answer satisfied him, heightening his interest in that mysterious dragon. Unwittingly, the old man had given him yet another reason to conquer the forest. He didn't know whether to thank him or laugh at the situation. He decided to opt for the former, which would make him seem more respectful and intimidating at the same time.

  "Understood. Thank you for answering my question, Chief Gurd."

  "No need to thank me, Lord Almodeus..."

  "Now I think it's my turn to answer your question, if you're still interested..."

  "Yes, I'd like to know what you're doing in a small goblin village like ours. You understand that visitors aren't something we see every day here. Especially if they're your kind."

  “I understand perfectly, Chief Gurd.”

  Almodeus opened his arms dramatically, revealing the claws on his hands.

  “Well, I'm here to propose a deal!”

  "An agreement?"

  Gurd's old, wrinkled eyes widened in astonishment. What could a being like Almodeus want from them? It was clear he feared the answer to his own question.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "Exactly. You see... I have a base nearby, just outside the forest territories. My intention is to conquer all of Dark Jade! This will prevent attacks from magical creatures."

  "Do you want to conquer the whole forest!?!?!"

  Gurd's toothless gums almost grew back from his astonishment. It took him a few minutes to compose himself and calm down, regaining a demeanor more befitting his position as village chief.

  "Lord Almodeus! I do not doubt your strength, but how do you plan to conquer such a vast area?"

  "I have my methods."

  The demon reassured him, putting his hands up.

  "For now, I'm here to discuss your role in the new Dark Jade. Would you be willing to submit?"

  "Submit? I-I should ask the others before making a decision, besides-"

  The old man stopped, almost frightened by everything that was happening.

  "There's no need to be afraid! I promise I'll bring only good to this village! Only if you submit, of course."

  "Lord Almodeus, I do not doubt your words, but-"

  The old man fell silent again, searching for the right words. It was a thorny situation, and he didn't want to make it any worse. Almodeus's eyes widened at the hesitation. In normal situations, someone who realized they were completely at the mercy of another faction would have to negotiate a favorable position for their own—yet Gurd was hesitating. It was clear he knew something Almodeus completely ignored. It was in those moments of uncertainty that the female lowered her head to the ground, her eyes brimming with tears, surprising everyone present.

  "Please, Lord Almodeus! Save us from the trolls!"

  "From trolls?"

  What did the trolls have to do with them? Almodeus didn't know, but the nameless girl's prayers were sincere—of that he was certain.

  “Does that sound like a request to make to a guest, Gobua?!”

  Gurd scolded her soundly, before turning to face the demon with a terrified expression on his face.

  "Please excuse her, Lord Almodeus!"

  "It's not necessary."

  The demon declared, raising his right hand in good faith.

  “You've got my attention! I'll forgive your intrusion if you explain the situation to me better.”

  The elder Gurd sighed and nodded, drinking some water to calm his nerves, which had long since given way to be honest.

  "We could say that...the trolls had the same idea as you, Lord Almodeus. Their king has decided to invade the entire forest!"

  "Seriously?"

  "Yes! They allied themselves with the orcs and sent emissaries here to collect tribute in food and metals. We tried to rebel, but..."

  Tears began to fall from the old man's eyes, memories of an unhappy past weighing on him. Almodeus could have seen everything that was making him suffer so much with his powers, but he decided to respect the old man's privacy.

  "Calm down..."

  Almodeus moved his right hand and touched the goblin's head, causing him to calm down instantly.

  "...The past is the past. It pushes us into the present, but it cannot harm us directly."

  Gurd nodded at those words and wiped away his tears, taking a few breaths to compose himself.

  "Excuse me, Lord Almodeus. Please forgive this old man who got carried away by his emotions! Unfortunately, the rebellion did not have the desired outcome. They took many of our comrades, including my firstborn, Rigur's elder brother."

  "I can understand your pain."

  Almodeus replied, his tone surprisingly sympathetic.

  “I'm a father too, even if it doesn't seem like it.”

  Gurd opened his mouth in surprise, then shook his head and slowly caught his breath in his decrepit lungs. After that, he continued explaining the situation.

  "A few months ago, some trolls arrived in our village. They claimed to be emissaries of their ruler and ordered us to submit, or we would be turned into food!"

  Almodeus wasn't surprised by these words. Even in their world, lower-level goblins were used as food by other races. Honestly, their species was truly underrated: they possessed excellent basic skills and were certainly one of those races that had nothing to envy of the human race. However, this concept only applied to higher-level goblins. Those before him were on par with cannon fodder.

  I could kidnap human women and force them to reproduce.

  The unwholesome idea swirling in Almodeus's mind was due to a peculiarity of the goblin race: their enormous genetic adaptability. It was not uncommon for wild goblins to kidnap women after raiding a village or small town. They not only used them to satisfy their sexual lust, but also to impregnate them and force them to produce a large number of children. These newborns would be larger and stronger than normal members of their race. Simply put, goblins raped human women to create better specimens who would serve them in the future.

  It would be interesting to see what would come of it, but it would take too long... besides, these goblins don't look like much.

  He dismissed the idea almost immediately. His wife would have been completely unhappy with the use of innocent women, and besides—honestly speaking—Almodeus didn't think those pathetic goblins before him could produce anything interesting. Judging a book by its cover was always wrong, but the demon remained skeptical nonetheless.

  "You talked about tributes in food and metal, right?"

  He continued, trying to bring his mind back to the reason for his visit.

  "Exactly! They demand an exorbitant amount of food! So much so that we're starving! They've also taken almost all our iron, leaving us only the rusty stuff. Even if we wanted to increase food production, we wouldn't have the tools to do so."

  "Not to mention the shortage of manpower, due to blood tributes..."

  The addition of Rigur plunged the elder into sadness once again, simultaneously heightening Almodeus's curiosity. It was clear there was still much he needed to discover, and this piqued his curiosity.

  "What do you mean, young Rigur?"

  "Well... if a village can't provide enough food, trolls take villagers as a substitute—like a blood tribute. You can also replace the food tribute entirely with a blood tribute."

  "I understand..."

  Almodeus crossed his arms and began to think. The trolls were giving the goblins a very clear choice...

  Give up food or companions. Brutal, but cunning.

  From a survival perspective, offering villagers instead of food was logistically better. However, in the long run, it would have led to the village's extinction due to lack of manpower and supplies, given the lack of hands to cultivate the fields. Such brutal and high taxation was not practical for managing a territory, but what could one expect from trolls? Speaking of them, Almodeus was surprised that such primitive creatures could implement such a system, however unsuccessful.

  There are two options: either their King is smarter than average, or there's someone else behind it...

  Both options made sense in their own ways. Trolls were a very powerful and highly adaptable race, but they were not very intelligent. It was possible that among their ranks there were thinkers on a par with humans, but they were certainly a distinct minority.

  "You tried to rebel, right? I assume it went badly, from what you told me."

  "Exactly! It takes about twenty goblins to defeat even a single orc, and that's not even mentioning trolls! Without fire, they're practically immortal! Unfortunately for us, we have no spellcasters, and the only one capable of using the Battle Arts, my firstborn, died on the battlefield."

  The old goblin began to cry again at the thought of his lost son.

  "May I ask your son's name?"

  "His name was Graud. He was very brave, an excellent warrior..."

  "I don't doubt that."

  "Noble Almodeus, you said you were a father, right?"

  The elder asked hesitantly. He continued only after Almodeus nodded.

  “It has little to do with the situation, but... can I just know your son's name?”

  Gurd's words surprised the demon. He felt sympathy for the decrepit old man. Almodeus understood that he was dealing not just with a simple goblin, but also with a father who was seeking support from a figure akin to him in that field—even if he was addressing an unknown figure with terrifying power.

  "I have no sons, only a single daughter. Her name is Almodea and she recently turned eighteen."

  Almodeus spoke those words proudly—talking about his daughter was always a source of pleasure and great pride for him. Just with that sentence, his tone changed completely; from solemn and authoritative to calmer and more composed, so much so that he seemed like a different person.

  "I-I see. Congratulations, Lord Almodeus!"

  Gurd stammered, surprised by the change in attitude of the powerful creature before him.

  "Thank you, thank you."

  The demon took a breath and tried to regain his composure, partially succeeding. Thoughts of his daughter were still flashing through his mind, reducing his coolness.

  "I understand your problem, Gurd leader, and I'm willing to support you! If you submit to me, I will offer you financial and logistical assistance, and complete immunity from troll attacks..."

  “S-Submit?”

  “Exactly. It seems like the most logical choice to me, and-”

  "Why do you suddenly want to help us? Why don't you ally yourself with the trolls instead?!"

  To everyone's surprise, young Rigur raised his head and glared at the demon with hatred. Until then, he had been able to mask his distrust, but now he could do nothing but look at Almodeus with a look of distrust.

  "Rigur! What are you saying?!"

  His father promptly scolded him, giving him a hard blow on the back of the head.

  “Lord Almodeus! Forgive my son, please!”

  The old man's demands were interrupted by a light laugh.

  "Ah Ah Ah !”

  Almodeus slapped his right hand on his thigh, demonstrating his good mood with gestures.

  "There's no need to apologize—you should be proud of your boy, instead! Your son has brains, he just needs to learn to read between the lines..."

  "Read between the lines?"

  “That’s right, young Rigur!”

  With a powerful cough, Almodeus regained his composure and continued his explanation. Rigur had spoken from the gut, without reasoning, and his repressed hostility was evident. But what he had said wasn't entirely wrong. An alliance with the trolls was a possibility like any other.

  "Why am I helping you? It's natural! In your opinion, between a faction that's winning easily and one that's losing miserably, who is more likely to receive my help and ally with me?"

  "It makes sense, actually. I hadn't seen it that way."

  Young Rigur lowered his head, embarrassed by his previous question. Meanwhile, old Gurd breathed a sigh of relief that the demon wasn't angry with his son. They were certain that any disrespect would spell doom for their village.

  "So? What do you think of my proposal?"

  "It's very tempting, but I'd like to ask you something, Lord Almodeus: what do you want in return? Just our loyalty?"

  The demon raised his right hand to his chin, pondering the question. Indeed, he could have demanded anything in return, but only in theory. Practically speaking, those poor goblins had little they could offer him. A tribute of food would have been a valid thing—not that he needed it for himself or his family—but he could have sold it within the empire for a little extra profit, necessary to maintain the masquerade of wealthy foreign nobles that C and Hirashi were currently putting on.

  "I could even accept a tribute in food..."

  "In food?"

  Gurd's face darkened at those words. Almodeus immediately understood what was going through the old goblin's mind. From the conditions in the village, it was clear that even such a basic commodity as food was in short supply. Gurd feared that by accepting the demon's proposal, they would be passing from one tyrant to another.

  "Don't worry, Chief Gurd."

  Almodeus responded promptly, raising his right hand and indicating that he still had something to say.

  "I won't take too much food. What's the point of starving you if you're going to serve me in the future? How many people are there in this village?"

  "About sixty: twenty-three males and thirty-seven females. The rebellion took many men away."

  "Assuming you didn't have to pay any tribute to the trolls, could you produce enough food for everyone?"

  "Yes, but with difficulty..."

  Gurd answered confidently, lowering his head.

  "Okay, so here's what I propose..."

  Almodeus began, raising three fingers of his right hand.

  "We'll divide the harvest into three bands: high, medium, and low. Are you following me?"

  The three goblins nodded and motioned for the demon to continue.

  "If your harvest is barely enough to feed you, then I'll consider it low-end and only take 10% of it. If it's enough to feed you and there's still some left over, it'll be considered mid-end and I'll take 20%. Finally, if you have enough to feed your tribe twice over, it'll be considered high-end and I'll take 30% of the harvest. Sounds like a reasonable deal, don't you think?"

  "Yes! Basically, the taxes increase when the village is in good health, but decrease when it is in difficulty, encouraging us to help each other."

  "I see you understand my reasoning, Chief Gurd. In addition to this, I will provide defenses for the village, assistance with cultivation, construction, and embroidery..."

  "Thank you, Lord Almodeus! Your generosity is second only to your immense power!"

  The old Gurd smiled, revealing his toothless mouth before bowing his head in reverence. If the submission had merely involved handing over a portion of their harvest, they would have been wise to accept. They doubted that Almodeus, as powerful as he seemed, would need military force, especially from weak goblins.

  “So...it's all about the harvest, right?”

  The old man asked for safety, trying not to let anyone understand his reasoning.

  "Exactly."

  Almodeus replied without a second thought. He didn't need the goblins fighting for him, and it would be a thousand times more profitable for him to exploit them to produce food he could then resell. The profits would be decent, and he'd have to work less as Amon.

  "So, do you accept my offer?"

  "As I said, I should discuss this with my teammates. I'm the leader, but I don't want to make this decision alone. I know it's very rude of me, but can I ask you to wait?"

  "It's no problem, how long will it take you?"

  "I think we can give you an answer by tomorrow, Lord Almodeus."

  "Understood, I'd say our discussion is concluded then. I just have one last question to ask..."

  "Ask away, your high lord."

  "Do you think the neighboring villages would be willing to accept the same deal I proposed to you?"

  The ancient goblin's eyes filled with joy and exultation.

  "Certainly! Our village has suffered relatively few losses compared to the others. I'm sure everyone will be willing to accept!"

  "Can I ask you a favor, then?"

  "All for you, Lord Almodeus!"

  Gurd's response had been a bit too hasty. He truly hoped this alliance would bring well-being to his people, which was why he was so hopeful of making a pact with a being who emanated such a powerful aura.

  "Could you send messengers to let the other villages know of my proposal?"

  "Sure! A couple of people came in and we should get some answers! Hopefully, of course."

  "Well, now there's one last question..."

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Almodeus was led to the river, where the goblins' small crops were located. Like the rest of the village, they were extremely sparse. It was obvious that the villagers had put great care into cultivating them, but the trolls' abuse had affected the quality of the soil. He looked closely and approached a shriveled seedling.

  As I imagined. The land isn't fertile because it's been overexploited...

  The demon leaned toward the plant and took it in his right hand. He immediately cast the Absolute Transmigration spell, that allowed the passage of matter or energy from one body to another. In a sense, it could even be used for teleportation. In this case, Almodeus used it to transfer part of his energy to the soil, making it fertile again and causing several plants to bloom.

  "Incredible!"

  "It's a miracle!"

  "Long live the Supreme Almodeus! Long live!"

  The goblins behind him were stunned by that sight—comparable to a divine miracle—so much so that they began celebrating among themselves. The only one who remained even slightly serious was Gurd, who approached the demon hesitantly.

  “Lord Almodeus! May I...ask you another favor?"

  The demon nodded and was led to one of the village huts. Inside were a dozen wounded goblins and several females busy tending them. The latter were merely cleaning the bloody wounds with water—it was the best they could do with the limited resources at their disposal.

  "To survive, we are also forced to hunt, but it doesn't always work out. A few days ago, we managed to slay a powerful magical creature, but at the cost of these brave men, who are still incapacitated."

  "I understand."

  He looked at the goblins and noticed how frail they were compared to the ones he was used to. They were barely taller than a human child and barely developed in terms of muscle development. In Gurd's case, Almodeus could tell with absolute certainty that he was elderly based on his features, but he couldn't tell whether the females present were adults or children. Simply put, the only physical difference between males and females was the length of their hair and their clothing.

  "Could you cure them? Even enough to keep them alive?"

  "I'll see what I can do."

  Almodeus leaned toward the goblin nearest him. A female was wiping his forehead with a wet cloth, careful not to touch the bandaged areas, still stained with blood. It was clear they were survivors of the rebellion, or a failed hunt.

  "Excuse me, may I?"

  "C-Certainly!"

  The goblin stammered, stepping aside. Almodeus placed his hand on the wounded man's head, as if examining him.

  These goblins are truly desperate. Even though he's unconscious, I can feel his constant fear. They're so weak. I don't know how much I'd benefit from helping them this far...

  The demon's gaze shifted to the rest of the room. He gazed at the other wounded goblins. They were all covered in blood and bandages, some even missing limbs. It was a miracle they weren't dead yet.

  I've already given my word, and caring for them isn't a problem. Also, as for their usefulness, perhaps Almodea will find some female she'd like to befriend.

  With that in mind, Almodeus returned his gaze to the wounded goblin before him. Now he had a clear idea of what to do.

  “Absolute Heal!”

  Once the spell was cast, a red circle with a red A inside materialized on the goblin's chest. Within seconds, all his wounds were completely healed, and he awoke, full of energy. It was as if they had never been there in the first place.

  "Amazing! I've never seen healing magic of this level!"

  Gurd commented, opening his mouth in dismay. To them, level 2 magic was already considered divine. Almodeus's work had been a miracle in their eyes, further fueling their belief that the demon was actually a god.

  "Hold back your excitement, Chief Gurd...I still have to finish."

  He stood up straight and raised his right hand toward the rest of the goblins. He used Absolute Heal again, and as before, all the targets affected by the spell awoke, fully healed and free of wounds or scars. Even the lost limbs regenerated without any ill effects.

  "This is what happens to those who submit to me. I've given you a taste!"

  "It's a miracle! Everyone's fine!"

  Tears of joy began to roll down the old goblin's wrinkled cheeks. For nights he had feared that his wounded comrades would die from their wounds.

  “Lord Almodeus, you will have our eternal gratitude!”

  Gurd knelt as the demon left the hut, allowing other females to help the formerly wounded remove their now useless bandages. He hadn't come here to improve the goblins' situation, but the situation had dictated that approach. If he had behaved as the trolls had—using the little green ones as food or slaves—it would have only led to the goblins' despair and death, nullifying any potential advantage. Moreover, Almodeus had taken a liking to the village chief, seeing him as a kindred spirit.

  Goblin corpses don't generate exceptional undead. This was the best approach.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  That evening, Almodeus was seated at a small table, furnished with a few cushions for comfort. He was served a plate of fire-cooked meat and bread, accompanied by a jug of water. The portion wasn't large, but given the situation of the goblins in that village, it was comparable to a thirty-course meal for them.

  After dinner, he was given a hut to rest in; the owners were more than willing to sleep in another house and leave it to him. In their eyes, he was the village's savior, a hero, and even a kind of deity. His magic had made it abundantly clear how powerful he was.

  What a strange day...

  Almodeus sighed and sat down on the tiny bed they'd provided for him. Even though he'd reduced his height, he was still too tall for the village. He decided not to mind it and raised his right hand toward the ceiling. He spoke only a single word.

  “Call.”

  In less than a few seconds, he heard a voice in his mind, as if someone was there with him.

  “Almodeus? Is that you?”

  “Yes, darling. How are things going over there, in the Imperial capital?”

  “All good, so far. I'm exhausted! I spent the day ingratiating myself with the nobles of the aristocratic faction. We got some great deals, however...”

  “Luckily you’re good with words, love.”

  Then, a light chuckle was heard on the other end of the mental communication.

  “I doubt it’s that, honey. I don’t think half of them really listened to me, to be honest. They were too busy staring at my tits.”

  “I can't blame them. You look good, after all.”

  “I thought you were more jealous, you know?”

  “Oh, I am! If I ever conquer the Empire, I want the names of anyone who dares look at my wife with lust!”

  “I wish my husband would look at me with lust. But that's asking too much, I'm afraid...”

  “Yes, yes. Good joke, love.”

  Another laugh was heard from the wife, who was teasing her husband.

  “Haha! Speaking of you, how did it go with the goblins? Did you cause a massacre?”

  "No, don't worry. I subdued them without any problems. There will be some work to do, but I think this village could make a good base of operations."

  “I see. Do you know anything about Almodea or Hirashi? Is everything okay with you? Do you have my ring on your back?”

  “They haven't reported back yet. And I'm not alone! Talia is with me, and so is Frederica. Some Esoterica are guarding me from the shadows. You don't need to worry.”

  Almodeus nodded and simply replied “Yes, you’re right.” It was clear he was worried about his wife. Since Hirashi was away on a mission, his defenses had been lowered. Intelligence gathering was going well, and he was happy that C could roam the world without having an overprotective husband at his side, but he still remained worried about her.

  “Listen, Almodeus...Honey...I have some work to finish tomorrow. Can I call you back later?”

  “Certainly, in fact...I'll come and see you when I'm finished here.”

  “Okay, then. Good night, honey! I love you…”

  “I love you too.”

  With that, Almodeus broke the spell, cutting off communication. He wanted to talk to her more, but he understood C's needs and didn't want to come across as pedantic or boring. He tried not to think about it and shifted his focus to the other two women on the mission.

  Almodea and Hirashi haven't reported back yet. They're probably taking their time to decide the best course of action. Worrying excessively and morbidly is pointless...

  After about ten minutes, the demon closed his eyes and stopped thinking, falling asleep. Almodeus didn't need to eat or sleep to survive, but he did it anyway out of habit. It was also very relaxing for his psyche; being awake 24/7, at the mercy of their own thoughts, would drive anyone mad.