Chapter 11 – The Trumpet of Goblin Awakening
In the Goblin area outside the Qirwood Forest, the preparations of the Goblin Army were as follows:
57 old, weak, sick, and crippled goblins
126 Goblin Warriors
53 Goblin Fighters
33 Goblin Archers
11 Goblin Scouts
10 Goblin Knights
1 Goblin Lookout
4 White Goblin Giants
1 Violet Viper Goblin Commander
2 Violet Goblin Shamans
Total: 291 Green Goblins, 4 White Goblins, 3 Violet Goblins.
Unfortunately, these four White Goblins were already quite old, and their professions had been set and could not be changed.
Among these goblins, the most outstanding was a goblin scout discovered by chance. This goblin's vision was several times wider than that of others. By building hidden lookout posts on tall trees in the forest, it could play a vital role in providing warnings when humans invaded.
When war began, time became the deciding factor. The right time, place, and people would be extremely important when their manpower and equipment could be destroyed, and the situation was highly unfavorable.
Among the 57 old, weak, sick, and crippled goblins, a few of the elder goblins possessed higher experience and intelligence and could join the military advisory team to play certain roles, but most of the others would essentially be eliminated by the goblin population. The young and strong goblins had to do their utmost just to survive, let alone the old, weak, and sick.
The way for the ugly, lowly goblin clan to survive was to continuously eliminate goblins who could no longer adapt to survive, and allow the healthy ones to give birth to more goblins—who would then be eliminated again.
However, as emperor, Altair would still take good care of them. After all, there were so many wild vegetables and poisonous insects that needed to be tasted and recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica. How could he bear to sacrifice their lives so easily?
In pitfall traps, if they could handle sharp wooden spears and knew how to hide, they could actually become an unexpected surprise weapon.
Under Altair's arrangements, every goblin had their own task, and it was perfect. Realizing how strong they were, the three Violet Goblins muttered in the goblin tongue and worshiped the greatness of their emperor.
More traps were being set, and the newly made knights and scouts took time to undergo necessary training. When the human team appeared again, none could know how many goblins would die.
At present, humanity's suppression of goblins showed no end in sight, and the safe life Altair longed for was nowhere to be seen.
Inside the goblin cave, Lyra held her belly, which grew larger by the day, feeling extremely nervous. It felt… it felt like only the fourth day since I was captured, the third day since we married, and just the second day since I became pregnant ╥﹏╥?
Outside the room, Altair brought new food for Lyra that day. Seeing her already swollen belly, he appeared deep in thought.
Normally, goblins gave birth to around seven pups. When they were born, aside from Altair, whatever their type, their weight was usually less than one kilogram, and the smaller ones even less than half a kilogram. Because of their smaller size, the pain of childbirth was not as severe as for normal women.
However, giving birth still somewhat drained a woman's vitality, and in severe cases, it could affect her lifespan. Therefore, Lyra still needed to be given vitality-enhancing medicine regularly.
But these medicines were rare here. The herbal plants that added extra health points mostly grew in the habitats of the Ledgebreak Monkeys, where human adventurers often appeared.
The only life-giving herb they currently had was just enough to sustain Lyra alone. If they wanted to add new human women to his harem and produce stronger offspring, herbs and food would become a problem.
Altair sat by the bedside and touched Lyra's small head resting against him. Let us just look forward to the birth of the first child that would soon arrive.
The next day, the fifth since Lyra's capture, the human vanguard encircling the goblins appeared. Humanity had no plan, relying on sheer force—five teams of ten men each.
Forty-five guards and five knights, under the guidance of the adventurer Klethar, advanced into the goblin area outside the Qirwood Forest and headed directly for the goblin cave. As the vanguard, their purpose was simple: to rescue Lady Lyra before the next extermination force arrived, and then to survey the terrain to lock down the goblins' escape routes first, preparing for the next large-scale encirclement and suppression operation.
The basic mission of their journey was to rescue Lady Lyra and kill all the low-level goblins living there. Their secondary mission was to enter the habitat of the Ledgebreak Monkeys and gather a number of vitality herbs.
The arrival of humans disturbed the peace of the Goblin District. The goblins suddenly became flustered and confused. Usually, when humans saw one of them, they killed them one by one. If they found a pair, they would swarm together and dismiss their physical worth as too low.
The reason they had not gone extinct entirely was the ultra-fast growth rate they accidentally developed one day. The price they paid was that they grew smaller, their lifespans shorter, and they became less and less like demi-humans.
But when the trumpet sounded from above and spread throughout the forest, all the goblins recalled the order given by their supreme emperor, and their instinctive obedience quickly calmed them, making them begin to act in an orderly manner. Some things seemed to have changed long ago.
…
According to legend, the birth of the first goblin was caused by the mistake of an elven princess. One day, a noble-blooded elven princess fell in love and married a common human, despite her tribe's opposition. This violated the rules of the elves, and she was cursed by them.
The princess's elven blood became weak and no longer favored by nature. She lost her great power and long life. The dwarven wizard, jealous of the incompetent humans who won the love of the beautiful elf princess he had always desired, cursed her descendants with his soul before his death, making them worse than dwarves for generations to come.
From then on, goblins were born—the lowest demi-human race, with green skin and short stature, despised by nearly all races.
…
"Le, what's that sound?"
In the Goblin Cave, Lyra placed her hand by her ear, pretending to listen, drawn by the strange noise.
Altair was silent for a moment, touched Lyra's small head, and answered, "That is the trumpet of life."