Chapter 373- Pure-Hearted Prince vs. Giant Dragon Boss (12)
The goblin leader, seeing the person before them not only feeding them but also healing his wounds, was overcome with emotion. He dropped to his knees and fervently said to Mu Jin, “Thank you, kind sir! You are so generous, so compassionate. May the gods bless you!”
Hearing this, Norris nodded in agreement, thinking the goblin’s words were entirely true—his partner indeed had a kind and gentle heart.
However, Norris quickly turned his attention back to the goblins and asked, “Why are you here? As far as I know, your people have a homeland, don’t you? I’ve heard that goblins generally dislike living in human cities. And yet, seeing your condition now…”
In Norris’s eyes, goblins were physically weak but exceptionally clever and skillful. Their craftsmanship was renowned, and their tools and creations were highly sought after across various races. This prosperity allowed goblins to live comfortably and independently.
Moreover, goblins were known to live in seclusion, only interacting with other races through designated emissaries who handled trade. To see them in such a miserable state was truly unusual.
The goblin leader sighed deeply at Norris’s question, his weariness clear. Nearby, the young goblin who had eaten first could no longer contain his emotions. He threw himself into the leader’s arms, sobbing pitifully.
The leader, recognizing that these two humans were not a threat, began to explain, “To be honest, we never used to step foot into cities belonging to other races. For generations, we lived freely in the forests along the border between the Beastmen Empire and the Human Empire. Our lives were fulfilling and happy.”
“But one day, someone discovered the markings of our tribe…”
“Thousands of years ago, goblins were enslaved, and the primary reason for our enslavement was the Goblin Mark. It was created by an immensely powerful and wicked mage. The mark allowed him to control our entire race, forcing us to obey his every command,” the goblin leader explained, his voice tinged with bitterness.
“Later, it was the Abyssal Lord who saved us. Perhaps even he found that mage too evil to tolerate. He killed him and freed us, allowing all goblins to live better lives. Unfortunately, that great being has since slumbered in the Abyss, and the mark disappeared along with him.”
“But not long ago, the mark was rediscovered, and once again, all goblins fell under its control. We were forced to hand over all our possessions to this individual and toil endlessly, crafting various items to supply these shops and make them profits.”
“We were driven from our homeland and made to live in the territories of other races. Every day, we suffer from hunger, and abuse—both verbal and physical—is a constant threat.”
“What? The Abyssal Lord saved you?” Norris’s voice rose in astonishment. He instinctively turned to look at Mu Jin, his heart swelling with admiration. His partner seemed so virtuous, having not only subdued the demon army but also, it appeared, liberated the goblins. Who knew what other good deeds Mu Jin had done in the past?
Mu Jin, hearing the goblins claim that he had saved them, blinked in surprise. Then, he searched the original owner’s memories and, to his surprise, found that it was indeed true. Thousands of years ago, the original owner had killed that mage.
But the act had been entirely incidental—merely because the mage’s dark magic had polluted the surrounding environment to an unbearable degree. Annoyed, the original owner had killed him without a second thought, completely unaware that the goblins had been liberated as a result. Even if he had known, the original owner wouldn’t have cared about such trivial matters.
It must be said that the goblins have preserved their history remarkably well. In this world, whether it’s goblins, elves, or treants, their historical heritage is usually complete and intact.
The goblins have specialized priests who meticulously record every major event that has happened to their people throughout history. Elves and treants, on the other hand, rely on inherited memories. In contrast, humans and beastfolk are somewhat lacking in this regard.
The various races don’t interact much with each other. Goblins, elves, and treants, in particular, are highly resistant to contact with humans and beastfolk. It’s no wonder they’ve forgotten much of what the dragons did in the distant past.
Seeing Norris’s astonished expression, Mu Jin pulled him back to reality. He then turned to the goblins and asked, “Can you tell me who this person is that found your mark?”
At this question, nearly all the goblins showed expressions of fear. It was the little goblin from before who finally choked out a response, saying, “Sir, that person’s name is Gardner. He is the one who found the mark and enslaved our people.
Now, our people are scattered everywhere. Across the entire continent, there are stores run by him, all built on the exploitation of goblin labor.
My mother isn’t skilled in crafting enchanted weapons and can only do manual labor. So he sent her to the Beastfolk Empire, where she works day and night weaving clothes and shoes for the beastfolk. I haven’t seen her in a long time!”
The little goblin began sobbing uncontrollably as he spoke, and Mu Jin’s anger towards the world’s protagonist, Gardner, grew. The magical world truly defied conventional logic—how could a single mark enslave an entire race?
Still, Mu Jin refrained from taking drastic action. He comforted the goblins, gave them more food, and healed their injuries as much as he could. However, he didn’t make any immediate moves beyond that.
Mu Jin understood that without finding and destroying the mark, even if he rescued these goblins now, they would still fall under Gardner’s control. Nevertheless, the goblins were deeply grateful for his help.
After finishing everything, Mu Jin bent down and said to the goblins, “Don’t tell anyone about our visit here today. Rest assured, we’ll find a way to help you.”
Having received Mu Jin’s assistance, the goblins fully believed in his words. Forced to endure their plight for so long, they were overjoyed to have a full meal and see their wounds healed. Their gratitude toward Mu Jin was beyond measure.
Hearing Mu Jin promise to help them gave the goblins hope of escaping their suffering. This hope ensured they wouldn’t tell anyone about what had happened.
After leaving the weapon shop’s backyard, Mu Jin retracted the protective barriers he had set up. He then noticed Norris beside him, who was looking excited as he sidled closer and asked, “Xiao Jin, what do you plan to do?”
“How do you know I have plans?” Mu Jin asked with a smile, observing Norris’s eager expression.
Norris glanced at Owen, who was following behind them, and then leaned in close to whisper into Mu Jin’s ear, “Of course, I know. My partner is the strongest and kindest person I know. You asked those goblins so many questions just now—it’s obvious you’re planning to help them.”
“Why don’t we deal with this Gardner right now? He’s done so many terrible things and used the goblins to amass wealth. We can’t just let him get away with it!”
Hearing this, Mu Jin gently patted the back of Norris’s hand. With his power, killing someone like Gardner would be a simple task. But if Gardner died, what would happen to Qian Sha?
Mu Jin was counting on using Gardner to flush out Qian Sha and eliminate the threat entirely. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hidden his identity as a dragon and simply claimed to be a messenger.
Mu Jin turned to the eager Norris and patiently persuaded him, “Killing someone isn’t difficult, but I feel there’s something strange about Gardner. He might have committed other heinous acts. If we kill him now, those crimes might remain hidden, leaving the innocent victims without justice.”
“Moreover, the goblins’ mark is still in his possession. If we kill him now, the goblins may gain temporary freedom, but as long as the mark exists, there’s always a risk they’ll be enslaved again. It’s better to figure out a way to get the mark first. Once we destroy it, we’ll eliminate the threat forever.”
Hearing Mu Jin’s reasoning, Norris nodded vigorously, feeling that his beloved was indeed wiser and more thoughtful than he was.
Owen, who was following behind them, was also taken aback by Mu Jin’s words. Initially, he simply thought this mage was immensely powerful, with exceptional looks and bearing. He hadn’t expected him to also be wise, kind, and meticulous in his thinking. ‘If only our prince’s partner were this person,’ Owen thought wistfully.
With a sigh, Owen glanced between Mu Jin and Norris, shaking his head in regret. Although the two clearly shared a deep bond, the prince was destined to be the dragon’s partner.
Mu Jin, while explaining the solution to Norris, didn’t provide the specifics of how to proceed. But seeing Mu Jin’s confident demeanor, Norris decided he’d simply follow Mu Jin’s lead and assist as needed. After all, Mu Jin’s power and experience far surpassed his own. Trusting Mu Jin’s judgment seemed like the safest course of action.
Mu Jin already had a rough plan in mind. Having obtained valuable information on the first day of their outing, he was satisfied. As night fell, he decided they should return to the palace early to rest.
However, upon arriving at the palace, they unexpectedly encountered Gardener, who was just leaving the main hall.
Gardner’s eyes lit up when he saw Mu Jin and immediately approached. But Norris, who had no goodwill toward this man, stepped in front of Mu Jin and blocked Gardner’s path. He said curtly, “Sir, this is the palace. Unless you have official business, unauthorized individuals are not permitted to enter.”
Gardner raised an eyebrow at Norris’s hostility but smiled and said, “I am here on official business, of course. I came to convey some new decrees from the Pope to His Majesty. It’s just a coincidence that I happened to see His Highness and the esteemed envoy returning to the palace, so I thought I should offer my greetings.”
Turning his attention to Mu Jin, Gardner extended his hand in a gentlemanly manner and said, “It seems we meet again, Your Excellency. It must be fate.”
Mu Jin nodded slightly but made no move to shake Gardner’s hand, clearly uninterested in further interaction. Gardner, unperturbed, withdrew his hand and noticed the parcels Owen was carrying behind them, evidence of their recent shopping trip. Smiling faintly, he reached into his coat and produced an intricately crafted dagger, presenting it to Mu Jin.
“Your Excellency, I felt an instant connection with you. I recently came across this dagger and thought it would suit you perfectly. I wonder if you’d like it?”
Mu Jin raised an eyebrow, glancing at the dagger Gardner placed before him. It was not only finely crafted but also engraved with advanced runes and four intricate magic arrays—a weapon of undeniable value.
Recalling what he had learned earlier that day, Mu Jin immediately understood the dagger’s origin. ‘So, this is another product of the goblins’ toil. Borrowing their sweat and tears to curry favor—how clever of him.’
Still, Mu Jin acknowledged the dagger’s quality. He reasoned that such an excellent item was better in the hands of someone deserving than with this scoundrel. Without hesitation, he accepted the dagger and casually tossed it to Owen, who was standing behind him.