Volume 3: Chapter 206 – Underground World (l/2)
Although the Goblin King possessed eyes superior to even other goblins in seeing in the dark, he could not see through that darkness.
When the Goblin King returned to the Fortress of the Abyss, he passed the residential area and moved toward the temple's domain, passing through even the very gate which the twin headed snake once protected, carrying with him a torch.
The faint flame in the Goblin King's hands illuminated the naked path of rocks. Each time the Goblin King raised his torch, Verid in his right arm and the twin-headed snake on his left would throb. It was as if this place was trying to tell him not to bring fire here.
To that, the Goblin King could only wryly smile. "If you have a problem, then give me another solution."
It was simply too difficult to proceed without seeing what's in front, the Goblin King reasoned as he brazenly continued into the darkness.
The tribal goblins and the goblin bigwigs were worried about the king going into the deeper parts of the Fortress of the Abyss, but the one to persuade them was surprisingly Kuzan. Although the newcomer, Pale, could persuade the demihumans, she could not do the same for the goblins. After all, Pale once belonged to the defeated faction.
Kuzan was someone who has received the blessing of the Underworld Goddess, and she herself was a priestess of the twin-headed snake. It was that Kuzan who told the goblins that it was safe. She had earned much respect even within the tribes for being a priestess, and her healing abilities have earned her even more.
The goblins of the imperial guards, for example, have been saved by her countless times.
The king was great, but Kuzan was their life's benefactor. As such, when Pale advised the goblins worrying over the king, they could not just brush it off.
The Goblin King dressed as if he were about to go to war as he descended into the basement. By his waist was Zweihander and on his shoulder was his spare sword, Flamberge. The Goblin King prioritized mobility and wore a set of leather armor with the Scarlet Speckled Big Bear's overcoat on top.
Who knew how many days has already passed as the Goblin King walked through the darkness with only the bare minimum food he would need. Ever since he came into this world as a goblin, the fear of the darkness has long vanished from his heart. Perhaps that was the privilege of someone who was no longer human.
People feared the dark because they did not know if something could be lurking behind its veil. But as someone who lives in that side, this darkness now instead gently wrapped itself around him, giving him a sense of security.
"It's like being embraced by one's mother," the Goblin King thought to himself as he wryly smiled.
It was like the joke of a child. Not something a king would think.
"Did my heart remain human?"
The Goblin King continued down the basement, but the air remained tepid. Was that due to a special trait of being a goblin? Or was is it because there was some sort of special mechanism down in the basement. Regardless, the Goblin King could barely notice the change in temperature.
Monster King.
It was because he wished to become that that he should lead the goblins and make the other races submit to him.
That woman...
"Reshia."
He would save Reshia Fell Zeal, make the world his, and carve his name upon the annals of history. The fact that he had to antagonize the world to save her was no more than a convenient accident.
The deep black of the dark silenced even sound itself.
According to his senses, the Goblin King believed that he had already walked about half a day's distance. He has been chewing on his food supply while walking without rest the whole time, so his sense of time was hazy.
It was as if he was walking through a fog. The walls illuminated by the faint flame of his torch looked the same no matter how far he went.
But even then, the Goblin King walked onward.
He had to.
Ahead was the underworld. The Goblin King believed that and that belief in turn supported him.
One step. Another step. And another...
The Goblin King walked wholeheartedly like a traveller on a long journey.
"...Hmm?"
Then a faint light other than his torch came to view.
The Goblin King didn't think that he'd found the exit.
But as the light gradually grew stronger, the Goblin King put down his torch.
When the Goblin King passed through the tunnel, what appeared before him left him in disbelief.
"This is..."
The faint light pouring from the Goblin King's head illuminated the area, revealing a vast room with a distance of about 60 meters to the ceiling and a depth of about 500 meters.
It was hard to see what lay deeper in for pillars stood in disorderly fashion blocking the rest from view.
The stone walls have been eroded terribly, but they were arranged in such a way that it was impossible for them to have been made by nature.
Like a limestone cavern, many giant pillars could be seen erected from the ground toward the ceiling. On each and every one could be seen the image of something that could not be likened to man. Each and every one of those figures held up a battered shield and a sharpened sword.
"This is just like..."
The giants, the Goblin King muttered as he thought back to the myths that Reshia once spoke of.
Tl Note:
Happy New Year!
This is the first release for this year and the week for GK. The site had some problems early this week, but everything seems to be working now, though I've removed the chat for the time being.
Anyway, holidays are over, so we'll continue with our normal schedule starting today. Jiggly's resolution will be to post more! Ha ha. Hopefully it holds. And hopefully I can get rid of that overflowing queue by the end of this month. I plan to. Fingers crossed.
