Chapter 203: The War Chariot in Front of the Trade Post

"To my dear Lord: I never expected you to actually escape from the Death Knight and return alive, but the omens in my cauldron have made me terribly worried this would come to pass, so I've decided to go to my mother's old house and hide from you for a while."

"Don't come looking for me. The place is filled with traps. Getting caught in one wouldn't be worth the trouble, would it?"

"That wretch is actually threatening us!" Sera flew into a rage after Ron finished reading Polly's message. "Ron, we have to go take her out! We absolutely cannot tolerate a creature like that on our land!"

"Ghost Witches are all like that. They have no reverence for Deities or devils, let alone a mortal lord," Mazarino said slowly. "However, I suggest you not act rashly. Her warning is likely genuine."

"We don't have time to play hide-and-seek with her right now," Ron said, agreeing with Mazarino. "We don't even know where her 'new home' is. It's better to head back for now than to wander around the swamp like headless chickens."

"Delaford, make sure to tell your people to send some men to stake this place out. The moment she dares to come back—"

"You got it!" The Goblin Hunter licked his lips. "We're the best at this sort of thing. Just you wait for the good news!"

'If the Ghost Witch had just turned around and left after guiding them, Ron wouldn't have said a thing, much less gone looking for trouble. But finishing a deal was one thing; deserting them before a fight was another. The Ghost Witch's power was not to be underestimated. Whether or not she was part of their battle plan could make a world of difference.'

Unable to find their quarry, Ron and the others had no choice but to head back to their lands. In their absence, the trade station and surrounding villages had undergone significant changes.

"It seems you have a Caster here who's familiar with construction," Mazarino remarked, nodding slightly as he gazed out from inside one of the two carriages they had procured from the newest village. "That's a good thing. If you left this work entirely to ordinary people, the project would be significantly delayed."

"Annie's in charge of that. She's a Sorcerer," Ron replied offhandedly. "Looks like Seymour and his people have brought in a lot of new faces. If I remember correctly, it wasn't this bustling before we left."

"Judging by their attire, they're from the south. Villagers, and it looks like some townsfolk and artisans, too," said Constance. "Um, but I thought your policy was to keep the goblins and other races separate as much as possible? It seems all the villages we've passed have become integrated."

"Do goblins really multiply that fast?"

"No matter how many are born, it still takes time for them to grow up!" Delaford was just as baffled. "Even if we sprouted from the ground like plants, we'd still need time to mature, right? There's no way they could be everywhere this quickly!"

"And didn't you see? They almost all have their own equipment! Our Dwarf Blacksmith would never forge that kind of stuff!"

Delaford pointed to the entrance of the village they had just passed, where two adult goblins wore shoulder guards of crude copper. They carried bows whittled from branches and quivers sewn from animal hide. Without a doubt, Rurik would never produce such shoddy, homemade gear.

"By the way, do you recognize them?" Aive asked the goblin. "Except for you, I can't really tell any of your people apart by looks."

"I can't either," Delaford said nonchalantly, ignoring the shocked stares from Ron and the others. "There are tons of goblins, and you never know if one's going to kick the bucket right after you meet him. Besides the few you have to suck up to and the few you have to beat up each day, who gives a damn about the rest? Not my problem."

"But now that you mention it, I've never seen that kind of getup before. I don't think Boss Klade has guys like that working for him... probably."

The question was answered soon enough. When Ron and his party arrived at the trade station, a massive war chariot of an incredibly crude and savage design was parked at the entrance to the courtyard.

The chariot, which reeked of blood, was wrapped in several layers of animal hide. A dozen or so sharpened wooden stakes and bent spears jutted out like jagged teeth from its body, their tips glinting dangerously. On the chariot itself, Ron and the others saw enough space for sixty or seventy people. A tiger-skin seat was particularly conspicuous, and it was also the most heavily fortified part of the vehicle.

This kind of chariot was clearly meant for large-scale battles, not for an Adventurer's expedition. Among the people Ron knew, only one person would have cobbled together something like this.

'A certain earth goblin, who at this point, he supposed, really had to be called a Warlord.'

"Halt!"

Just as Ron was curiously tapping on the unfamiliar chariot with his knuckles and about to climb up for a better look, a deep, rumbling growl startled him. Two enormous, hairy humanoids emerged from a blind spot behind the vehicle, blocking his path with double-bladed great-axes.

"Bear goblins?" Sera frowned. "Where did you come from? Step aside. Do you have any idea who you're blocking?"

"Don't know, but you're definitely not the boss here," one of the bear goblins rumbled. "Get lost! Stay away from Lord Klade's war chariot! Or we'll round you all up as hostiles!"

"Who gave you that authority?" Ron frowned. "Is Klade back? Tell him to come out. I need to talk to him—his chariot can't be parked here. It's blocking the entire road."

The other bear goblin brandished its great-axe threateningly. "That's the point! There's a problem inside the trade station, and our lord is handling it as the acting Steward!"

"If you need to rest, go to the village! Now all of you, get back! Back up, more!"

"Pello, what's going on?! What's all this commotion at the gate!"

The bear goblins' voices were deep and booming, making it impossible for those inside not to hear. Just as Ron was still trying to reason with them, a raspy baritone voice called out from the trade station.

"L-Lord!" The two bear goblins hastily turned, and Ron finally saw who had emerged.

Reddish-brown skin, dark red hair, yellow eyes, and a blue nose. Though he seemed rather small in front of the two hulking bear goblins, anyone could see the fear and adoration they had for him. It looked as though they would grovel in the dust and kiss his feet at a single command.

"He's just a bigger goblin, that's all," Delaford muttered with contempt. 'This is what happens when we get bigger and stronger. Just look at them.'

"What's the matter? Someone insisting on lodging at the trade station again?" In both appearance and aura, this Earth Goblin Warlord was a far cry from his former self. His every move exuded the savage, domineering nature unique to goblinoids.

"Are you blind or something? Can't you see the notice posted over there?! The trade station has suspicious individuals who need to be vetted, so all traveling merchants are to stay in the village over there! It's only a few steps, you think the walk is going to kill... oh, Ron! You're back!"