Lord: Starting from a Goblin Nest

Executing Hubert might leave some of the Shapeshifters with lingering resentment, but it would also effectively solve the problem of their integration into the community—they’re honorable people, after all, who won’t even shelter their own. Even the residents most prejudiced against the Shapeshifter race wouldn’t be able to say a word against them.

This way, the situation for the remaining members would inevitably improve significantly.

”I hope there aren’t any more like him among the people you’ve chosen,” Ron said, listening to the clamor outside. He knew someone had just been executed. He nodded at Quest. ”You and I made an agreement, but it has no room for characters like that.”

”Of course,” Quest said with a slight bow. ”I assure you, no one among the rest of them wants to see something like this happen.”

”I just want to live a quiet life,” the artisan from Cloud Port mumbled. ”You’re short on artisans to provide daily necessities here. I can clearly fill that gap.”

”The Lord is short on everything here,” the Half-Elf said with a shrug. ”I imagine there’s a spot for a locksmith, too.”

”Changing locks, picking locks, copying keys—that’s what I’m best at... Don’t look at me like that. I gave up that line of work decades ago.”

In the end, the Shapeshifters were handed over to Quest to manage. Annie would select a suitable location for them to build their new home. Just as Ron was finishing up the last of the details, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance to the trading post’s main hall.

”Mr. Ron,” the Half-Elf Priest came over, dressed in a Priest Robe, and gave Ron a slight bow. ”There’s something that may require your consent, regarding the two... two humans you brought back.”

”Oh, them. Is there a problem?” Ron raised an eyebrow. ’It seems Gelan and the other one went to find Buni, hoping to repent for losing their way.’ ”Does Lady Taimola disapprove of this course of action?”

”That’s not it...” Buni hesitated. ”Lady Luck has no teachings on this matter, and I personally would be very happy to see them free themselves from the Demon Lord’s influence. It’s just that Mr. Gelan doesn’t intend to stop there.”

”He wishes to remain here and continue to serve as a member of the clergy after he converts.”

”That won’t be easy, I’m afraid,” Victoria said, glancing behind Buni. The two former Cultists were trying to hide behind the Priest to make themselves less conspicuous, but the Half-Elf Priest’s petite frame couldn’t possibly conceal two large men. ”You two, can you still cast Divine Magic normally?”

”Not anymore,” Gelan said with an awkward laugh. He raised his hand, and a fleeting, murky speck of light at his fingertip suggested he had been a member of the clergy until recently. But now that he had refused the gifts of the Abyss, he was once again an ordinary man.

This was perhaps the common fate for all Casters whose Casting was similar to that of a Priest: their power did not come from within. Once they abandoned their faith or betrayed their oaths, if they couldn’t find a new patron, their former abilities would vanish as if they had only been a dream.

”I’ll admit, we have our selfish motives,” Gelan confessed freely. ”The life of an ordinary person is too far removed from us now. Plus, we don’t know if the Abyss will retaliate for this—we need a new patron, a new source of protection.”

If they had offended a devil, they might have been dismissed without a second thought, or they might have simply lost their souls. But demons are different; no one knows how they think.

’Would they be furious? Would they not care at all? Or would they happen to forget about it, only to remember at some random future time?’ No one could be sure. Even the demon involved might not know for certain.

For Gelan and his companion, the pressure of waiting in fear was undoubtedly the greatest burden of all.

”I’m not sure if Taimola will help you, given your mindset,” Ron said, looking from them to Buni. ”But I do think your concerns are valid. Buni, if it’s not too much trouble, please help them out.”

”I’m afraid that’s not something I can decide, but since you’ve put it that way...” Buni turned around. ”You two, please follow me. I will share the gospel of the Lady with you, but as for the outcome, I’m afraid I can’t make any guarantees.”

”That’s more than enough! Thank you, Miss Buni, and thank you, Lord Ron!” Gelan and his companion were overjoyed and hastily followed Buni out, one after the other.

”You’re finally back,” Seymour said, walking in just after Buni. Unlike the Miss Priestess, the Zor had no one following him, but he was cradling a wooden box in his arms. ”While you were away, the militia I’m training found this while driving off some nearby beasts.”

”According to my militiamen’s reports, this box was found in a semi-abandoned campsite. A madman saw them, immediately fled the camp, and never returned.”

Ron motioned for Seymour to place the box on the table. ”A campsite? Isn’t your patrol range for clearing out beasts getting a little too wide?”

”We only went as far as the area around the newly tilled farmland. The furthest point was a spot where the villagers occasionally go for lumber,” Seymour said, equally baffled. ”You can see the village watchtower from there just by standing on your tiptoes. There’s no way he didn’t see the village.”

”Then he must have been up to no good,” Aive said. ”Didn’t that Pollution Worm Demon and the Devil Duke mention it? People have already started digging up graves. It’s possible that madman was one of them.”

”Considering the guardians at that place we visited, it’s no wonder he went mad. As for this box, you don’t think it’s the queen’s remains they dug up, do you?”

Sera lifted the box, hefting it in her hands. ”Give me a break, Aive. When is anything ever that convenient? This box is way too light. It’s definitely not that.”

”I bet it’s just their clothes or something. As for what drove that guy mad, it was probably the Ghosts and Ghost Fires that wander around at night.”

”Seymour, did you open the box to see what’s inside?”

”No,” Seymour said, shaking his head. ”According to the militiamen, there was something strange about the campsite’s location. It’s not in a remote area; our patrols pass by there every day.”

”But the camp ’suddenly’ appeared on that day. No one had ever noticed it before. Even an ordinary person could tell something was strange about it.”

”That’s why I told them not to dismantle the camp for now and had some men watch it from a distance. This wooden box was the only sealed container there. After confirming with Annie and Buni that it was safe, we brought it back as evidence.”