For a goblin, nothing was more painful than having a huge pile of gold coins right in front of him, yet knowing they did not belong to him.
My name is Jimmy, and I currently have a big deal in the works. Today, a flock of fat sheep arrived in Booty Bay. They spent lavishly, and that pretty boy leading them had to be some noble family's young master. Otherwise, why would his guards have such fine equipment and fight so well? Yet they didn't smell of the sea. One look at their clean, pale faces told me they were rookies who had never traveled far. They were practically a walking treasure trove. Yes, treasure waiting for me to uncover. As long as I trick them out to sea, whether they ended up round or flat would be up to us. Watch Daddy Jimmy teach them how the world works.
—Jimmy's Diary
Shane's lips twitched. He had learned that the goblins were up to no good, not because he knew what they were thinking, but because their intense emotions at the prospect of successfully deceiving someone could not escape his senses. Before Jimmy had left, Shane had planted a mental beacon on him. Unless someone possessed magical attainments far beyond his own, they would not discover it.
While he waited, he observed the goblins' lives. They bustled about like spinning tops that never stopped, while also putting their little clever tricks to excellent use, constantly finding ways to swindle money—if not from outsiders, then from their own kind.
"Honored mage, take a look. Goblin products—absolutely mind-blowing."
On the street, this was not the first goblin to peddle wares to Shane. His group was fully armed, with expressions that warned strangers to keep their distance. They looked like they were not