Lord: Starting from a Goblin Nest

”It’s not easy, my dear,” Daniel said with a troubled expression. ”The Carolina City-States have never been short on money, and they’re willing to spend it. The influential members won’t side with me.”

”Unless...” Daniel stood and went to his room, returning with a heavily annotated list. ”Let’s see... Many of these people have their own needs. If we can help them, perhaps we can use the favor to change their position?”

Money was valuable, to be sure, but a personal favor was much harder to repay. This might be the only advantage they had over the Carolina City-States.

”This one... this person,” Daniel said, quickly finding a target. ”Yunier Cindy Hendricks. This spice merchant has been complaining that one of his workshops is haunted, and it’s ruining his newly developed samples. He suspects his competitor is behind it but has no proof. If you could sort this out for him...”

”Why doesn’t he just hire a Priest?” Victoria asked. ”Something like this shouldn’t be too difficult, right?”

”He can’t hire a Priest from any church—that’s the key!” Daniel said gravely. ”I get the feeling this Yunier has a lot of secrets. Maybe he’s a non-believer, a Cultist, or something else entirely. In any case, he never worships any Deity, not even the god of trade.”

”But he’s a decent fellow. As long as you don’t go deliberately searching for his secrets and just solve this problem for him, you should be able to get him to owe you a favor without any trouble.”

”He’s not a council member, is he?” Liya asked, curious. ”Why do you want the kids to help him?”

”Of the Rose Council’s two hundred and eleven members, twenty-one are connected to him,” Daniel huffed, annoyed. ”He’s pretty much the third-biggest magnate around here.”

”And I hear he’s preparing to seek a noble title. If he succeeds, he’ll control a tenth of the votes in the Rose City council from then on.”

”How did you even get connected with a man like that?”

”Ah, well, there was that public trial. He had me testify in court to protect one of his relatives. That’s how we met.”

Daniel glanced at his daughter and wife. ”Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t commit perjury! Yunier’s side was in the right, and the evidence was irrefutable. I was just the final piece of the puzzle that made the judges reach their decision.”

”You know what kind of person I am. How could I possibly commit perjury!”

”In that case, we’d be grateful if you could make an introduction,” Ron said to Daniel, thanking him. ”Please, rest assured. We’ve been through our share of trials. We definitely won’t let you down on something like this.”

”Not today. I’ll take you first thing in the morning,” Daniel said with a smile. ”You’ve had a long and difficult journey. I’ll arrange lodging for you shortly. If there’s anything else you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Uncle Daniel will do his best to accommodate you!”

”It’s too early for lodging!” Aive laughed. ”After we eat, I’m going to take them for a tour. Rose City has plenty of great places to visit!”

”You should take off your armor and shield first,” Liya said with a light chuckle. ”Rose City is much safer than Delusional Land. There’s no need for you to be bundled up so tightly.”

”You’re the host now, so make your own plans after dinner. Your father and I still have some things to attend to.”

”Ehhhh—”

Aive deliberately drew out the sound. While humans and Elves could theoretically have children, the actual success rate wasn’t very high. This was especially true since Daniel, though he had aged well, was getting on in years. The chances of her getting a little brother or sister were slim.

”Let’s go, I’ll show you around!” After a satisfying meal, Aive changed into a set of casual clothes and grabbed the savings she kept at home. ”Rose City’s main industry might be spices, but our snacks, desserts, and textiles are just as renowned. Buy whatever catches your eye. Everything is on me today!”

”Really? In that case, I’m going to pick out a few outfits!” Silvia laughed. ”Back in Carolina, I always saw the nobles dressed so extravagantly, but I never had the chance to try it myself. I’m not holding back this time!”

”I wasn’t going to let you off the hook even if you said no!” Aive laughed. ”Victoria and Sera, you two need new clothes as well. Same for you, Ron and Andre. And Delaford—don’t you run!”

”I won’t be your plaything!”

Seeing things were about to go south, the goblin shouted and bolted. But the bustling city streets were no swampy jungle—how could he possibly shake Aive? He was caught and dragged back after only a few steps.

”Count me out,” Sera said, holding the still-struggling Delaford. ”Look at my build. Fine silks and satins wouldn’t suit me at all. A bearskin would be a better match!”

”How will you know if you don’t try?” Victoria laughed. ”Come on, let’s go! Aive, lead the way!”

Ron was taking it all in stride. It wasn’t like his companions needed him to carry their bags, and shopping in a bustling city in another world was a novel experience in its own right. Andre, however, was much more withdrawn. For a young man from a remote village, even a trip to Fromm Town counted as ”going to the city.” Arriving in Rose City, he practically forgot how to talk or walk, just trailing awkwardly behind the group.

When the ladies went to look at clothes, Ron had to drag him away to wander around. Otherwise, Ron honestly suspected Andre would just stand stiffly at the shop entrance like a cardboard cutout.

As for Delaford, the goblin felt like he’d hit a new low. He was treated like a doll, dragged around by Aive and the others to try on different outfits—on with the clothes, off with the clothes, on with the makeup, off with the makeup. It was only because a goblin didn’t make for a very good model that they grew bored after a little while. Otherwise, he might have had to spend the night in the dressing room!

”I am never wearing anything but a cloak ever again!” Delaford complained bitterly to Ron after they got out. ”You’re better looking than me in their eyes, aren’t you? So how come you didn’t have to suffer that treatment?!”

”How should I know?” Ron shrugged. According to Aive and the others, his fashion sense was ”a total disaster.” He almost never wore anything besides all black or black and white. ’Maybe that’s why,’ he thought.

Andre, on the other hand, ended up in a rather magnificent outfit. Aive even bought him a Longsword as a souvenir. It was a Rose City original—a flashy, impractical decoration that wasn’t even sharpened. But the patterns were gorgeous, and the Hand Guard had two small hollows carved into it for holding spices, allowing the sword and its owner to be perpetually surrounded by a fruity fragrance.

”Don’t you dare take that sword on an adventure,” Aive warned Andre, who couldn’t put it down, half-joking. ”Otherwise, the only thing we’ll be able to do is build you a pear-scented tomb.”

”Why is it so crowded up ahead?” Ron asked, looking toward the end of the street. A crowd was milling about, and he could faintly hear angry shouting in a thick accent. ”A street fight?”