Thousands of voices merged into a single wail of panic and devout dread, which swept through the settlement like an avalanche.
"We surrender!" they screamed over one another. "Accept our service, O Great One!"
The goblins' will to resist evaporated the moment the head of their "god" hit the pavement. In the square, in the alleys, and between the ruined shacks, over three thousand green-skinned beings fell on their faces, trembling with terror.
A system window flared before Lilith's eyes, casting a violet glow on her blood-soaked armor:
[Notice: 3,114 goblins have declared their loyalty to you. Do you accept their submission?]
Lilith, still in her Monarch form, smiled predatorily and, with a single flick of her talon, selected YES.
Instantly, her interface flooded with a series of triumphant messages:
[You have conquered a goblin tribe!]
[You have earned a "Magnificent Bronze Treasure Chest"!]
[You have destroyed a unique building: Cursed Nest of the Ancients!]
[Special Loot: You have earned an "Ancient Skill Upgrade Scroll"!]
Lilith's eyes scanned the rewards.
An Ancient scroll? That sounded incredibly promising, but she had more important matters to attend to now. Everything had gone smoothly - incredibly smoothly. She had acquired a three-thousand-strong army of labor, eliminating only 15 rebellious heroes and one insatiable monster.
For the goblins, exchanging the Chimera for Lilith was a simple calculation. The beast had devoured them by the hundreds, giving only a deceptive sense of security in return. Lilith had killed the beast with ease, proving she was a "sponsor" of incomparably greater power.
"Where is your chief?" she threw out curtly, her voice cutting through the silence like a whip.
From the crowd, pushing through his smaller brothers, ran a figure who, at first glance, did not resemble a typical goblin. He was tall, almost matching Lilith's height, and his muscles were so packed and hard that his skin seemed to strain over them.
Lilith narrowed her eyes, activating analysis:
[Goblin Chief – Mutated Individual (Unique)]
Description: One in a million. A mutation has caused his strength and physique to rival that of powerful minotaurs.
The massive goblin fell to his knees, plowing his forehead into the dirt.
"Yes, Mistress! I am the chief of this tribe! Command me as you wish, and I shall execute it without hesitation!"
"What is your name, green one?" Lilith asked, eyeing his impressive build.
"This body bears the name Gorgoth, My Lady!" the goblin thundered, not daring to lift his gaze.
Lilith nodded.
"Very well, Gorgoth. Listen carefully. Begin immediate preparations for relocation. Your future lies in the Great Valley of Darkness."
At these words, the goblin chief flinched, and a shadow of panic appeared in his eyes. He lifted his head slightly, risking the Monarch's wrath.
"Mistress..." he began in a trembling voice. "We have lived in these ruins for generations. This forest is everything to us, and a journey for so many... If we moved elsewhere, we would struggle to survive. Other races, the lack of food... It could be our end!"
Lilith looked down at him, her amaranthine talons clicking against each other.
"Do you think anyone under my wings would dare touch you?" she asked quietly, and her aura slammed into Gorgoth, forcing him back against the ground.
Gorgoth was still shaking with anxiety, but Lilith only let out a heavy sigh, sensing his hesitation.
"You don't need to worry about that," she said, her voice losing some of its destructive sharpness. "From this day on, you shall not know hunger as long as you work for me. There is plenty of food in my granaries."
She smiled crookedly, adding with amusement:
"Besides, don't worry. I don't like eating goblins. They're too stringy."
For the goblins, these words were like a gift from the heavens. They knew that such a powerful being had no need to resort to lies against such wretched creatures.
A wave of authentic joy flooded the village. Lilith watched them with satisfaction - three thousand goblins were enough to turn her fields into an agricultural empire and resolve the labor problem once and for all.
Gorgoth straightened up, though he still looked at Lilith with immense respect.
"Mistress... since you put it that way, my tribe will follow you anywhere. But..." he bit his lip. "A journey with so many folk, with the elderly and children, through the Forest of Chaos... Many will die before we reach your valley. The beasts will tear us apart."
Lilith nodded understandingly.
"Have no fear. I will personally protect you during the entire relocation. No beast will approach the column of my subjects."
Gorgoth froze, completely shocked. He hadn't expected the being who had just massacred their god to offer such care.
"You... Mistress? You will truly watch over us?"
"Of course," Lilith replied calmly. "You are my subjects now. As your ruler, I must ensure your safety. My kingdom grows through your hard work, so every pair of hands I lose in the forest is a loss to my power. There is no sense in ruling a dead people, Gorgoth."
Most of the goblins didn't quite grasp the logic of her words, but they felt they were protected. Only Gorgoth understood the depth of that thought - their new Mistress was not just a destroyer, but a true sovereign.
"I understand," the chief summarized, bowing low. "In that case, we shall get to packing and marching out immediately!"
Lilith nodded and pointed toward the village exit.
"I will wait for you at the edge of the forest. Don't rush; I want you to take everything of value."
She turned to leave when she suddenly felt a light bump against her side. A small, perhaps five-foot-tall goblin with a sleepy gaze and a clearly bloated belly had run into her, bounced off her hip, and flopped onto the ground like a sack of flour.
Lilith froze in surprise, not having noticed the little one in the crowd.
Gorgoth nearly had a heart attack. His face turned a shade of rotten green.
"MISTRESS! WE ARE SORRY!" the chief screamed, falling to his knees beside Lilith. With one hand, he grabbed the culprit by the scruff of the neck and hoisted him up like a puppy. "Forgive him, Mistress! This is Bungo! He is stupid! He didn't mean to offend you!"
Bungo, still half-conscious, blinked lazily.
Only when he saw Lilith's unnaturally powerful purple silhouette and felt the murderous aura emanating from his chief did it dawn on him what he had gotten into.
"Eeee... I... s-s-sorry! Beautiful Demon Lady!" he began waving his arms and legs in the air, making comical faces. "I was just looking for a nap spot! Please don't eat me! I promise I taste like old slippers!"
Lilith, seeing this absurd scene, couldn't help a crooked smile. She waved her hand, letting them know it was alright.
"Just watch where you step," she muttered and flew off toward the forest.
As soon as Lilith was out of sight, Gorgoth let out the air in his lungs with a loud whistle. He looked at the hoisted Bungo and, without a word, clouted him on the back of the head with his free hand.
"Get it together, you idiot!" he growled, tossing him to the ground. "We almost lost our heads today!"
Bungo rubbed his head, sitting in the dust. He looked around with a sleepy gaze at the ruined village and the Chimera's carcass.
"Did something serious happen?" he asked stupidly, picking his ear.
A goblin standing nearby looked at him with pure disbelief.
"What happened?! That woman killed our God in two minutes! We surrendered to her, now we are her servants, and we have to move out! Where were you?!"
Bungo opened his eyes wide and swallowed hard.
"Seriously?" he suddenly shouted, clearly indignant. "Then why didn't you wake me up?! I missed the whole free show?!"
The other goblins only shook their heads. There was truly something wrong with their companion, Bungo.