Annan dropped some of his more vain titles, leaving only the ones he had genuinely earned.
The two Goblins still couldn't understand him. They put their heads together and whispered.
"What did he say?"
"He said his name is very long."
"How long?"
"As long as us stacked on top of each other."
"I want to be on top."
"No, I do."
Seeing that they were about to argue, Annan put it in terms they could understand. "I'm an envoy from the Southern Kingdoms."
The Goblins chattered. "Prove it!"
The proof was the Princess sitting in the Carriage.
But Annan didn't want to reveal her identity. He pointed at himself. "I'm the proof."
Klein led the way. Annan walked in the middle with Madam Puppet and the Princess draped over his shoulders, while Lemon brought up the rear.
Annan watched Klein's footprints. Each time those steel boots, fitted to his leg armor, struck the ground, they left prints several centimeters deep in the damp Soil before seepage filled them with muddy water.
Fog shrouded everything around them. Once the footprints vanished, they would quickly lose their way in the Swamp.
That wasn't even the worst of it. The damp fog was thick with moisture. Without a Spellcaster, they couldn't even start a fire here. By comparison, the lingering stench of rot was almost bearable.
They encountered several more groups of Goblins along the way. After explaining their purpose each time, Annan found himself with an ever-growing entourage.
At last, a group of Goblins in well-fitting Leather Armor appeared. They had to be regular Goblin Soldiers—a people capable of building a giant Golem couldn't all be too poor to afford clothes.
"I'm—"
"I know who you are, Jack."
Even the Goblin Soldier leading them spoke with considerably more composure.
Annan