Volume 3: Chapter 237 – Loyalty (1/5)
Year 232 of the history of Germion Kingdom, in the month of the Snake, on the 27th day, the army led by the Goblin King stood against the capital of Germion Kingdom. In accordance to the plans laid out by Pale, the goblins fortified their position at the west and allowed the citizens to flee.
Gi Gu Verbena led the western army. Gi Ga Rax led the southern army. Gi Jii Yubu led his regiol. Gi Zu Ruo led his brawler faction. Gi Za Zakuend the Wizard Class Goblin. Gi Do Buruga who led the druids. All of the aforementioned goblins of the Gi Village participated in the battle.
The tribal goblins also participated. These included Rashka of Gaidga, Hal of Paradua, and Kuzan of Gordob. Every one of these goblins led their tribes to participate in the war.
Of the demihumans, Mido of the Fang, and Tianos of the Centaurs participated. Of the humans, Zaurosh of the Proud Clan (Leon Heart Clan) led the swift to search the surrounding regions for enemies and gain total control.
While the sound of catapults unleashing stones could be heard in the background, Gi Jii Yubu and the others watched the castle walls of Germion Kingdom from the distance. If one turned toward the distant north and looked closely, one would find crowds of humans that could be thought of as refugees fleeing from the walls.
“Is it fine not to chase after them?”
A rare-class goblin asked. Gi Jii shook his head.
“If Pale-dono has decided that it isn’t necessary, then there is no need to pursue. My Lord supports her decisions.”
Of the goblins, Gi Jii was the one most interested in human tactics and siege weapons. His willingness to study is something worthy of special mention. He even looks up to Pale as a teacher as far as tactics went.
“Rather than that, the angle of the catapults need adjusting.”
When he saw that the catapult’s stones were going over the walls, Gi Jii gave an order. When the stones started landing on the walls again, he nodded in satisfaction.
“I bring word. Attack as soon as the castle gates fall! Stand ready!”
Gi Jii nodded to the words passed by the rare-class goblin and ordered his regiol to prepare for an attack.
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There was no end to the catapults of the goblins. This unceasing siege of theirs struck fear into the hearts of the people, causing them to fall into panic. They feared that perhaps their giant gate might break soon and the goblins would come pouring in. Gradually, that fear changed into suspicion, and the people began to wonder if there might be a criminal who’d invited the goblins into the capital. Such disquieting rumors quickly spread among the humans.
In order to forget their fears, they cursed the criminal that was nowhere to be found. In order to relieve it, they searched for the criminal that did not exist.
And in the course of the mechanism of their gossiping, what eventually came up was the old woman who once brought a goblin with her.
The person known as the Sage of the East (Turku Mercy) in the royal palace, who lived somewhere in the lower levels.
The people wanted a sacrifice. They wanted a sacrifice to make them forget their fears. A sacrifice to satiate them. A sacrifice that was no more than a powerless and old woman.
Time and time again, the catapulted stones would cause the walls shake, and the sanity of the people would be eroded.
Of these fearful men, some were soldiers. The chain of command had long ceased to function. And to this soldiers that could not function, the voice of the people became their cause.
“A traitor is among us!”
So cried the people. And in their madness, they attacked the house of Falmia De Floria.
But she was a researcher renowned as the Doll User. To be a researcher and to be a brilliant mage is exactly the same thing. Moreover, by a stroke of good luck, on that day, one of the products of her research, a monster beast that could serve humans, was with her.
When the people attacked her house and scared her, she unleashed the beast and had it defend her.
“I can’t die just yet… Isn’t that right?”
As she said those words full of resolve, the monster beast, freed from its chains, roared toward the crazed people that attacked her residence.
At roughly the same time, the Minister of State, Rufel, and the Holy Knight, Zelkof, led 400 imperial guards and took the king of Germion Kingdom, King Ashtal, away. It was also at the same time, that the goblins successfully broke through the gates and began pouring into the capital.
The fall of a castle is a chaotic event. People would trample over others to live. They would trample over others to save another. It is a crucible of chaos, and to be calm in its face would be the oddity rather than the normal.
Even the victors that were the goblins were not that much different from the humans that have lost their minds from the fall of the castle.
What entered the fray during such a time was Gi Gu Verbena’s Axe and Sword Army (Felduk), the newly enlisted soldiers, Gi Ga Rax’s Tiger and Spear Army (Aransain), and the Gaidga Tribe. Also, because it was inside the city, Gi Ga led the Paradua Tribe while riding upon his black tiger.
It was Gi Ga who suggested that the leaping power of the black tigers that allowed them to run through the forest would prove most effective within the capital.
As for the Goblin King, he had made a promise with Pale that he would simply watch over his subjects. Something that Gi Za agreed with. Because of this he had no choice but to reluctantly wait outside of the imperial capital and wait for the reports to come.
