The Goblin and Gold

Just as the goblins arrived I smiled and bowed. "Welcome little green fellows."

The goblins looked around and stared at the many dead bodies. The little green people made way for a larger yellow goblin. This goblin normally in the waves would always escape to come back with more soldiers. It's name was Lurpet, a hobgoblin that is rather difficult to beat normally.

He used used some hand signals for his scout party to back off. Lurpet for his part then looked at me with suspicion. I moved the cradle towards him. He lifted the small blanket I laid over the sleeping child.

"You save goblin?"

I gave a warped smile, "I've seen humans far worse than any goblin."

Lurpet nodded, "You kill village to save Midas?"

I waved a hand, "Eh, the village felt off to me. They had no children, were holding expensive merchandise, and well..." I raised my hands, "Goblins would hardly raid a village like this one."

Lurpet knew what I meant, a village this size was too big for them. Even with the goblin king behind them. To many people, too many bodies, too many possible witnesses.

Lurpet pointed, and the goblins followed. They started grabbing corpses. I raised an eyebrow. This event I certainly didn't expect. "You are gonna bury them?"

Lurpet looked over, "Yes, they were monsters, but we not kill them. So we honor them. You come, meet father of Midas. You want reward yes?"

I raised an eyebrow at the goblins working to bury the bodies. Honor them? That one was new. I shook off the curiosity as it didn't matter. I wanted my reward and Lurpet knew that. My grin gave it away.

So I followed the hobgoblin into the woods. His movement was swift and quick, proof of how he always escaped if you went through the normal routine of this level. In a minute we were at a small camp with 3 tents with a river behind them.

Lurpet then turned, "You wait for king, he reconnect with child."

I waved, "All fine, just point me to a place I can sit."

Lurpet pointed to a place and i sat down. When i first did this floor i slaughtered all the waves with Providence by my side. I managed to even kill Lurpet on the 3rd wave. Those were the days I still used just a spear....

I wonder if Providence has even more skills now. While I was in my slipspace I trained hard. If I had the power I have now back on Earth. When I was still alive with providence. We'd have been equals.

Now though.... How far was the distance? Was it the same? The towers on Terra were more recent than the ones on Earth. Hmm... I whispered, "What is the date of the earth tower?"

The tower didn't respond. So I waited instead of thinking stupid thoughts.

---------

My eyes flicked open as I heard heavy foot steps. The goblin king stood over me. The red bastard had one hell of a grin. Lurpet coughed and I rolled my eyes standing up. The goblin king expression changed, he nodded and held out his hand.

A test of strength, I knew about this. If you pass it he gives you his axe after you help him or slay him. However this time... I held out my hand and took his. We shook and he applied no pressure and neither did I.

"You are as Lurpet said. Smart, Strong, and Simple. You want reward, but you know what reward don't you?"

I nearly raised my eyebrows in surprise. That was unexpected, but I remained stoic. Nodded, "Yes, first I want some answers. I have obvious suspcions, but..."

The king laughed and Lurpet nearly choked. The king psuhed Lurpet forward, "Explain, simple words though."

Lurpet nodded with some unspoken understanding. "Son of King, his name Midas. Village was greedy, they wanted gold. Midas make gold, children are the price."

I blinked, I raised an eyebrow, "Wait, were all the jewelry their children?"

The king shrugged, "Yes, Midas only child of tribe currently. King's kin first kin."

I almost burst into laughter. The king was right, I did know what I want. I gave a smile, "Onto my reward then, I am mostly satisfied with the riches I got from the village... So, for my reward. I would like the Blessing of Kin."

The king nodded, "Figured, you are lucky human girl. Very very smart one too. Follow me, I bring you to shaman for blessing."

I used the words satisfied with to prob the tower slightly. I knew you could end a floor early with what you have with those. Since it didn't end I knew I could get the blessing.

To be honest I had no clue what the blessing of kin would do. The only info I knew about it was that some girl named Diana got it on earth with Orcs. She turned into a muscled beastly woman after that. Though she already was one beastly woman before from what I heard.

The king stopped, Lurpet clearly went missing and the tent we stood in front was the smallest. The king looked away, "You talk to wife alone.... You want blessing, you tell her Midas home. Good luck, she test you more than me."

I blinked, wife? From my knowledge the shaman you fight in the waves was a male. I entered the tent as the king stayed outside. A smaller reddish goblin stood over a lantern.

She looked up, her eyes glowed and I ducked.

Several glass shards stood where my head just was. I frowned used my skills and turned intangible. Just on time as the shaman moved the shards into me. They floated straight through and the goblin froze up.

"You're a spirit? My child, no! He-"

"Alive, your son Midas is alive. I see why the king didn't want to tell you himself."

The shaman paused, then laughed, "HAHAHAH! Yes I assume the worst most times. You save my son spirit?"

I gestured, "Not a spirit, just using a skill. If you would?"

She nodded and the glass moved back to the lantern. I blinked I didn't even realize that's where the glass came from. She was at least level 60 with that. I spoke again, "So I actually came for my reward for saving your son. No good deed and all that."

The shaman nodded, then yelled, "BUTCH! GET IN HERE."

A smaller male goblin ran in. I recognized the him as the shaman you fought in the waves. He was the apprentice apparently. The shaman turned to me, "What's it you want?"

So I responded. "The blessing of kin."

She nodded, "Make sense, you saved the goblin king's son. It is certainly in line with what is possible." She turned to butch, "Bring me my son. While I handle this."

I paused, "Wait, he isn-"

She waved me off, "Nah, Butch just apprentice no help in the ritual."

She took out a small cup, a jug and some paint. "Place paint on forehead, pour cider in cup, drink cup. You get blessing."

I raised an eyebrow, "Its just that easy?"

She laughed, "No, Cider is special, only goblin shaman's know recipe"

I sighed, but at the same time I got an idea. Just needed the research. I followed as she said and a second after, the tower responded.

<Blessing of Kin(Goblin) received.>