Volume 3, Chapter 218 - The Swiftness of Aransain (1/3)

The Goblin King attacked Elrain Kingdom, and after its capitulation, divided his army into four parts.

The spear and black tiger flag, Gi Ga’s forces, went to the Labyrinth City.

The axe and sword flag, Gi Gu’s forces, went to Pena.

The twin-headed monster and axe flag, Gi Gi’s forces, went to Fatina.

The bow and arrow flag, Ra Gilmi Fishiga, went to the north and returned to the west.

The Goblin King, who was scheming to take over the entire southern region, remained in Elrain Kingdom and tried to rule it. Only a small number of people remained with the Goblin King. They were Pale, Ra Tribe, Gi Go, and Felbi. But few as their numbers were, with the elite having been specifically picked out, they were able to lord over the entire capital of Elrain Kingdom.

After the Goblin King broke through the remaining forces of Elrain, he immediately occupied the Imperial Capital. He arrested the government officials and bound their families. A fitting number of officials was necessary in order to run a country. As such, the Goblin King decided to continue using the officials of this country to manage it.

If for example the management system of the kingdom were to be compared to the Elder Council of Pena, one edge the kingdom’s system would have over them is the speed of their decision-making process. The king would decide on a policy and the country would immediately carry it out. It was a system that largely depended on

one skilled individual. But even if one sought such an individual through blood lines, it would still be very rare to produce such talents continuously.

With such power, the Goblin King could use the funds meant for the expenses of the imperial court to construct his own palace, and none would be able to stop him.

The Goblin King gathered the government officials of the defeated country and said to them, “Swear fealty or die with your family.”

So effective was the Goblin King’s threat that the government officials shook and some of them even fainted. From the start, the Goblin King had decided to suppress Elrain Kingdom with force.

To the Goblin King who had to transform Elrain Kingdom into his headquarters in order to swiftly take over the southern lands, being able to control the government officials that managed it was the same thing as deciding the war.

“The unfair will not be forgiven. Those who fill up their own pockets by abusing their position will not be forgiven. Those who work to disadvantage my army will not be forgiven. Any and all who transgress upon these shall be punished duly.”

The humans shook before the king’s words. The standards the king had imposed were vague, making it easy to interpret it however one wished. Because of that they had no choice but to interpret the king’s words as ‘If you do something I don’t like, I will punish you.’

As a result, the Goblin King couldn’t get the results he wanted. Although the government officials swore fealty to him as he’d asked, and management of Elrain Kingdom continued without a hitch, but there was no one who proactively worked to cooperate with the goblins.

There were even some who were uncooperative, although at least, they didn’t try to sabotage anything.

The Goblin King considered punishing them to make an example out of them, but Pale actually thought that everything was going quite well considering they were just starting.

“There’s no need to hurry. When persuading others of the advantages of something they don’t know, sometimes words aren’t enough.”

They would have to give them some actual advantages, Pale said, and the Goblin King nodded.

“In other words, it’s still good since they haven’t rebelled.”

“That and we do have people.”

The name Pale pointed at was a low class government official.

“Elbert Noen…”

It wasn’t a name the Goblin King recognized.

“From my investigations, he is someone well-versed in financial affairs. Previously, he brazenly argued with some nobles and was demoted.”

“I see. An uncompromising gentleman. But that begs the question all the more, will he cooperate with us?”

“It seems he has a family he treasures.”

Pale’s eyes narrowed as she said that, prompting the king to ask back, “Weren’t we supposed to be more discreet?” But then again, if one knows that there’s an effective method, questioning it would not be rational but instead emotional.

“…Politicians are like that, aren’t they? In any case, I would like to meet him first.”

“…As you will.”

When Elbert was summoned to have an audience with the king, it was Pale and a Gi Za donned in robes who called him.

“Are you sure you have the right man?”

“Yes, thank you for answering the summons of the king. Elbert- Dono.”

After Pale answered with a cold face, Gi Za spoke.

“Act rudely before the king and you may consider your life forfeit.”

“…I intend to display myself with decorum, but I am not familiar with goblin custom. Please excuse me that much.”

As Elbert said that unreservedly, Pale quietly nodded.

“The king is waiting. Come.”

The place Elbert was led to was the office of the former king. A giant desk and chair had been prepared in it for the king’s use, who himself was hard at work. The job of the king… In other words, the settlement of accounts.

But the materials necessary to make such decisions piled up like a mountain and the circumstances varied from country to country.

And the bigger the country was the more agency the government officials were given. Despite that, however, the amount of documents requiring approval stacked up into a mountain. But that came to no surprise, after all, Elrain Kingdom was half destroyed.

In fact, it was so buried in debts that it could not even afford to pay its soldiers. It was actually because of that that the Red King were able to take their territory. But even if the Red King were able to take over, that didn’t mean that they would immediately be able to turn around their financial situation.

“Your Majesty, I have brought Elbert-dono.”

“Enter.”

The Goblin King’s appearance was truly something to behold when coupled with that dignified voice that resounded from the piths of one’s stomach. Or at least, it would’ve been, had it not been for the piles of documents stacked up before him.

“My word…” Elrain found himself muttering as he witnessed a goblin doing office work.

A goblin was doing office work!

Elbert’s eyes nearly fell off its sockets when he was greeted with that scene.