The Carriage carrying Annan and the Goblin King rolled down a bright street lined with flowers.
This Goblin King would serve as an introduction, helping Annan make contact with the goblins in the southern Swamplands.
Annan badly wanted Goblin Golems. To him, the Southern Kingdoms had squandered a treasure by driving such powerful allies into the Swamplands...
But from their perspective, it made sense. They were human; in just a few decades, they could produce dozens, even hundreds, of Epic and Legendary figures.
The problem was that Free City didn't have decades... Things were moving so fast that every month felt like years.
“You saved me. I'll give you one of my consorts,” said the Goblin King, wearing his Gray Robe like a blanket.
"Are your subjects still around?"
“They're like weeds. A whole bunch will spring up again in no time,” he said. “If my most beautiful Love consort is still alive, she's yours!”
"Uh... no, thanks." Annan wasn't that kind of Sorcerer.
The Goblin King sounded dejected. "So you're just like the other humans."
"...I just don't think other peoples should have to accept your rules."
"Oh, I see... Then can I have a human consort?"
"I have no objection, as long as someone likes you."
Elves could Love humans, so perhaps there was nothing strange about a goblin and a human falling in Love.
The Goblin King stood excitedly on the carriage seat. "Big guy, you're different from the other humans. When they heard what I wanted, their eyes looked ready to spit fire..."
The Goblin King chattered on, reminding Annan of the Kobold Guard in Free City.
His kingdom had stood in a forest about sixty li east of Flower Capital and had nearly ten thousand subjects. But a ten-man cavalry squad had wiped it out