Annan had no intention of talking down the price by belittling the goods. He made no effort to hide his admiration for Goblin creations.
"Your eye is as keen as a Goblin Sage's," Village Chief Mark praised him in the Goblin fashion.
It reminded Annan that Dole had once said the same thing.
A long row of Goblin Golems stretched before them. They were all covered in dust, having gone a long time without use or cleaning.
By the time they counted the thirtieth, they had reached the end of the Treasure Vault.
"That's all?"
Only a dust-free patch of ground remained there, showing where the Giant Goblin Golem had once stood.
"What you see is everything we have."
"What about the Giant Goblin Golem outside Strange Tales City that day?"
For once, the question silenced the Goblins. "Give us the resources, and we can build another!"
So there had only been one Giant Goblin Golem.
Annan was no expert, so he summoned Femi over.
They had not seen each other for about two months. At some point, a faint scar had appeared on Femi's cheek. He circled a Goblin Golem and gave it a favorable assessment. "I can already see it swimming through the Rat Tide."
"How does it compare to a Greater Earth Elemental?"
"I'd have to see it move." Femi patted the golem's shell. It felt like patting a wall. "But it's definitely sturdier than an Earth Elemental."
In every battle they had fought, Greater Earth Elementals had been vulnerable to being swarmed. When hundreds of Ratfolk rushed them, their crude weapons chipped away at the elementals' bodies bit by bit.
But the dull-sounding metal shell beneath his hand would barely show a few dents even if they hacked at it all day...
Annan returned to the