Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Kaka's Past
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126.
Kaka's Past
Kaka, the hobgoblin, is an artisan from the Red Thorn tribe.
Having completed numerous commissions and established himself as a master craftsman, Kaka opened a workshop bearing his own name. As his workshop grew, he acquired power and wealth that would make any noble envious.
However, his kinsmen’s lives did not unfold as smoothly as his.
Most of his tribe was forcibly taken as slaves by a noble.
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Why capture goblins? They aren't elves or dwarves. What use are they?"
They're filthy, and their skills are often inferior to dwarves, so why bother capturing them!
…It was a harsh thing to ask a goblin, but the already-tamed Kaka answered without a second thought.
"Ah, our case is a bit different."
"Hmm?"
"My tribe has long been known for its exceptional dexterity and design skills. I believe they were after that ability."
"Ah…"
Lee Shin nodded in understanding.
Goblins, with their vast numbers and numerous tribes, often had distinct characteristics unique to each tribe.
The Red Thorn tribe's specialty was their outstanding craftsmanship, which had unfortunately caught the eye of a cruel noble.
'So they were forcibly captured and put to work. After all, they're just goblins.'
Forced labor, despite them having committed no crime.
Though it shouldn't be allowed, it was all too possible in the Eteun Kingdom.
The kingdom was already bordering on lawlessness, so it was unlikely that any protection would be offered to goblins operating within its borders.
"Am I right?"
"...You are correct."
It was the decisive reason the Red Thorn tribe had been reduced to slavery.
And knowing this, he could now understand why Kaka wanted to stand above the lord.
His plan had been to turn Count Parker into a puppet and use him to negotiate with the noble who had captured his tribe.
Gillaim asked.
"Why do it that way?"
"Hmm?"
"It seems you are taking the difficult path. They are slaves, are they not? You could simply purchase them. Of course, they would be expensive as valuable slaves, but… you have plenty of money, do you not?"
If Kaka's goal was truly to rescue his tribe and not for money or power, wasn't there an easier, faster, and safer way?
At first glance, it seemed like a valid point, but Lee Shin firmly shook his head.
"That wouldn't work."
"Why not?"
"A noble who would forcibly capture an innocent tribe and enslave them isn't going to listen to a goblin."
"What? Ah…"
In fact, if the noble found out Kaka was from the same tribe, he could use it as a weakness to make absurd demands.
The outcome was obvious!
Therefore, Kaka believed that to conduct a proper transaction with the noble, he had to rise to at least a similar station.
"Hmm…"
Having seen this far, Lee Shin was lost in thought.
Lee Shin's original plan had been to walk a tightrope between Kaka and Count Parker, squeezing out the maximum benefit.
However, with the Union Guild practically monopolizing the territory quests, his means of connecting with the lord had all but vanished, making that plan difficult to execute.
So, he had considered just getting the necessary information from Kaka, raiding the treasury, and getting out…
'But there's no need for that now.'
He had succeeded in taming Kaka completely.
If he could just sever Kaka's ties with Count Parker and rescue his tribe.
He could bring Kaka and his entire tribe to Count Edgar's territory.
The implications of this were by no means small.
Kaka was a craftsman so skilled that the previous Salseong had personally commissioned him to create a dungeon.
And though not as skilled as him, the Red Thorn tribe were also goblins with a talent for crafting.
If they were incorporated into his territory, Lee Shin could build his power much more quickly.
It would also help with the territory's budget, which was currently stretched thin from golem production.
Lee Shin quickly made his decision.
'Alright.'
I'll take them all!
Lee Shin turned back to Kaka and said.
"How many of your captured tribe members are there?"
"About thirty."
"Hmm? You called it a tribe, but there are only that many?"
"...There used to be many more, but the other lord killed everyone except the skilled ones."
"Hmm. Is that so?"
Though Kaka spoke grimly, Lee Shin nodded in satisfaction.
A smaller number would make negotiations easier, and he wouldn't have to bring useless ones along when taking them to his territory later.
It was actually better this way.
"Good that they died."
"Pardon? What did you just…"
"It's nothing. More importantly, I've been thinking."
"Yes."
Lee Shin explained the plan he had just come up with.
He would help rescue the tribe, and in return, once everything was successfully concluded, they would come with him to Count Edgar's territory.
Kaka's eyes widened.
"You'll help me? Are you serious?"
"Yes. If we can just turn the lord into a puppet, you can handle the rest, can't you?"
"...That's true, but can you really do it? The lord has already noticed that I've been drugging him. He'll be on his guard."
The lord hadn't even been leaving the castle lately, he said.
At the same time, he was hiring adventurers and mercenaries beyond Kaka's reach to tighten his security.
Lee Shin asked.
"He's not going to stay like that forever, is he?"
"That's true, but if we wait too long, he will retaliate against me first."
"...Ah, right. The lord isn't just going to sit back and do nothing."
Ultimately, they had to somehow approach the count, who was holed up in his castle… which was sure to be no easy task.
But despite that, Lee Shin made his decision without much hesitation.
Let's do it!
He judged that the reward for success far outweighed the risks.
Besides, infiltrating a lord's castle was something he'd done many times before, and he figured it would be manageable with Gillaim's help.
Kaka bowed deeply.
"Sniff, sniff!! Thank you!"
[Kaka is deeply moved by your help.]
[Kaka's affinity has greatly increased.]
[His obedience is already very high! If you fulfill Kaka's wish, he will pledge his true loyalty to you.]
"Save your thanks. Just work hard for me later."
"Of course!"
"Good."
* * *
'Come out.'
- Yes.
After his conversation with Kaka ended.
Lee Shin and Arthur left the mansion before dawn.
Having already mapped out the mansion's interior on their way in, their exit was uneventful.
"How did it go?"
Jeong Yu-ra, who had been waiting, approached and asked.
Lee Shin adjusted his disheveled clothes from climbing over the wall and answered.
"It went well."
"Really?"
"But a new problem came up."
"What is it?"
"We now have to figure out a way to infiltrate the lord's castle."
"...Why!?!?!?!"
Jeong Yu-ra was flustered by the sudden news.
But instead of explaining the reason, Lee Shin got straight to the point.
"That's just how it is."
"What is 'how it is'!?"
"That's not important. What's important is figuring out how to get in there right now."
In Lee Shin's opinion, they didn't have much time.
The lord already knew Kaka was targeting him.
He was staying put because he lacked concrete evidence and because Kaka had a large number of private soldiers, but it was clear that once his preparations were complete, he would retaliate, just as Kaka had said.
Gillaim asked.
"When do you think the retaliation will begin?"
"There's no way to know."
Even if the preparations were finished, the timing of the execution was entirely up to the count.
That's why he wanted to move as quickly as possible.
If Kaka was taken out, everything they were doing would become meaningless.
"Or, hyung."
Just then, Arthur, who had been listening to Lee Shin and Gillaim's conversation, spoke up, his eyes glinting.
Lee Shin turned his head and asked.
"What is it?"
"What about using it to our advantage?"
"Use what?"
"Kaka. You said the count is definitely targeting him, right?"
"Right. ...Ah, use him as bait?"
"Yes."
Even without a detailed explanation, Lee Shin understood immediately.
Arthur's point was this:
If they knew the count would eventually target Kaka, couldn't they induce the count to act by having Kaka deliberately show a weakness?
After all, the other side was still unaware of the existence of a third party, Lee Shin.
"How about it?"
"Hmm…"
'Not bad.'
It wasn't a bad idea.
It would lure the count into a false sense of security and, at the same time, draw some of the forces guarding the castle toward Kaka.
If they took advantage of that opening to attempt an infiltration, their chances of success would be much higher.
Of course, the trade-off was that Kaka's safety would be at risk, but…
That wasn't really a problem.
"Why not?"
"Because you can take his place."
"Take his place as what?"
"If anything dangerous happens, you can transform into Kaka and die in his stead."
A player could resurrect, but an NPC, once dead, could not be brought back.
It was a valid point, but it was a harsh thing to say to a party member.
However, Arthur nodded without any protest.
"Okay."
Having been through all sorts of things with Lee Shin, he was now used to such requests.
He also knew that without a task like this, he didn't really have a role in this operation.
His skills were too lacking to infiltrate the lord's castle with Lee Shin.
'Can't be helped.'
Arthur quickly accepted his lot.
With Arthur's role decided, Jeong Yu-ra asked.
She had roughly figured out what had happened inside from their conversation.
"What do I do?"
"You? You... hmm."
"…"
"...I don't know? You don't seem particularly useful for this."
Lee Shin's words were brutally direct!
Jeong Yu-ra's jaw dropped, but Lee Shin's answer didn't change.
She had no value as bait, and when it came to infiltrating the lord's castle, her abilities in that area were even worse than Arthur's.
If she came along, she would clearly just get in the way.
This time, doing nothing was the best way to help…
"...No, wait."
"?"
Lee Shin changed his perspective.
If she wasn't helpful in combat, he could use her in a completely different way.
As it happened, there was a job only she could do.
"Really? What is it?"
"A spy."
"A sp... what?"
"A spy. You said the lord is hiring adventurers and mercenaries. The more inside information we have, the better, so try to get into one of those adventurer parties."
"…"
For someone like Jeong Yu-ra (her class was Priest, after all), joining a party likely wouldn't be too difficult.
Her level was low, but if she tried enough places, one was bound to accept her.
The problem was whether she would want to do such a thing…
"Alright."
Surprisingly, she didn't seem to mind much.
Having spent a long time with Lee Shin, she had become somewhat desensitized, and her diligent nature meant she disliked having no role more than she disliked doing something unpleasant.
Thanks to that, it was Lee Shin who was surprised.
Lee Shin asked again.
"What? Really?"
"You're the one who told me to do it, so why are you surprised?"
"I just didn't expect you to agree right away. ...Well, whatever. This works out."
With their general roles decided, it was now time to figure out the specific method.
How they were going to infiltrate the lord's castle.