Maybe I should invest some time in learning Goblin.
This thought went through my mind, as I observed the unfolding drama with a growing sense of concern. Witnessing Bolka land two quick punches on the face of my newest goblin creation, I felt a twinge of unease. The goblin reeled back, clearly stunned by the sudden aggression, and I was just about to try to intervene or issue a command when Touk stepped in. His commanding presence immediately halted Bolka's potential outburst. She turned to him, her posture shifting as she seemed to search for a way to justify her actions.
This altercation triggered a cascade of worries in my consciousness. Things had been progressing smoothly, so why this sudden conflict? I pondered the implications of such disputes among my creations. Would they become a problem? As they grew in strength and number, would they pose a threat to each other, potentially leading to the death of my newer creatures?
My thoughts spiraled as I considered the future of my dungeon filled with a variety of creatures. Would they learn to coexist peacefully, or would my domain become a battleground for their conflicts? The possibility of internal strife within my walls was a troubling thought.
My panic intensified as I realized the limitations of my influence. I had bestowed powers upon these creatures, yet I lacked direct means to control their interactions or prevent potential confrontations. My abilities were confined to transmitting emotions and general sentiments. While I had the power to eliminate them, such a course of action was counterproductive to my intentions for the dungeon.
My fear was slightly dispelled as the Seer looked directly up at my awareness. He turned then spoke to the group, whatever he said had the effect of calming Bolka and perplexing the new goblin, whose name, if I recall correctly, was Lakar as mentioned by Touk.
Can he see me?
It did seem plausible, considering his title as a Seer.
The Seer extended a hand to help Lakar up, and it became apparent that Lakar was offering an apology to both of them.
I couldn't help but wonder if he had said something offensive when I first created him, which might have been the reason Bolka hit him.
It appeared that they had managed to resolve their differences, at least for the time being, even though Bolka still seemed somewhat upset. After watching them engage in a somewhat friendly conversation for half an hour, it became evident that they had no intentions of turning on each other again. However, I knew that I couldn't stop them if they did, I would only intervene if they posed a threat to Varian's life. Fortunately, the Seer didn't seem to have a problem with Lakar, and had taken on the role of a peacekeeper and prevented the conversation from getting heated. Satisfied that I could rely on him, I returned to working on my latest room.
Varian and I had meticulously planned this room ever since the invasion. I had a strong attachment to my crystal room, finding solace in its ambiance, and Varian seemed to appreciate it as well. Hence, I was determined to maintain this room as my primary space. Varian had explained that I had the liberty to rearrange the dungeon as I pleased, with the ability to swap rooms at will, by utilizing a small amount of mana. He mentioned that some of the newer dungeons relied on changing their layout to confuse adventurers, essentially wearing them out, especially since they had weaker mobs to defend against intruders.
With this in mind, we devised a plan to construct a new room at the rear of my library and then switch their positions once the new room was completed.
Maintaining a slender barrier at the rear of the room to prevent the goblins from venturing into the construction area, I diligently sculpted the stone, all the while harboring an ambitious vision for my newest room that would undoubtedly require a substantial reserve of mana.
Varian had instructed me on the use of mana to transform the rooms according to my desires. I had already discovered that I could create objects like books, tables, chairs, and rugs without depleting my mana. However, using magic, I could expend mana to manipulate the weather in specific rooms, conjure never-ending waterfalls, fashion floating islands, generate natural resources such as water, trees, and plants, and even craft illusions—such as the one I envisioned for my library, creating the illusion of an infinite space.
Despite this newfound power, I had to remain mindful of the fact that I was uncertain about how to even do this. Varian had provided the knowledge that it was possible, but the actual execution remained a mystery. Currently, I couldn't even create the water or plants I desired. This was particularly concerning for the well-being of the trees and plants, which might wither due to the absence of adequate light.
Suddenly, it dawned on me—light! My dungeon was devoid of illumination throughout. Not a single candle or lantern cast its glow, and Varian had never mentioned this peculiar detail. Strangely, the snail and goblins inhabiting the dungeon appeared unaffected by the perpetual darkness.
While the absence of light could serve as an advantage in deterring adventurers, it presented a dilemma regarding the growth of plants. To reach a compromise, I contemplated a plan: I would leave my library and the first room in darkness while introducing light to this new room, allowing me to nurture the desired plant life.
As I continued carving, my thoughts were dedicated to the room I was shaping—a room that harmonized with the qualities of one of my mobs, and happened to align perfectly with the design Varian and I had in mind. In my imagination, I visualized a grand chamber with towering stone pillars that reached up to the high ceiling. The walls adorned with luminescent crystals, diffusing a soft alluring glow.
At the heart of the chamber lay a tranquil underground lake, its waters serene and inviting. In the middle of the lake, a small rocky island hosted an array of unique plants and flowers, forming a perfect setting for meditation, just as Varian had suggested. Simple as the plan may have been, it served its purpose well, especially considering that it was only my third room in my dungeon.
This setting wouldn't just be an ideal environment for my newest mob; it would also serve as a training ground for the growth of my mobs. Given their inclination to spar, the larger space with diverse environmental elements would provide them with more opportunities. Additionally, it would prepare them for potential encounters with invaders, making them more adept at defending the dungeon.
My hope was that with water and plants nearby, it might attract more elementals for Lakar to potentially form pacts with. At least, I hoped that this was how the pact thing worked.
As if answering my question I got a couple blue box.
Your mob [Goblin Mystic Trainee] Lakar has learned a new spell. [Mana Speech]: This spell allows the caster to manipulate the ambient mana to communicate telepathically with one willing creature within 60 feet. The spell doesn't grant the ability to read the recipient's thoughts, but it allows the caster to send a telepathic message to the target. The recipient can respond to the message in a similar manner. The spell creates a telepathic link between the caster and the recipient, allowing for silent communication that only they can perceive.
Your mob [Goblin Mystic Trainee] Lakar has made a pact!
[Complete Wind Elemental Pact: Aeolian Harmony]: Aeolian Harmony signifies the profound bond between the wind elemental and the pact holder. As their pact matures, the wielder will progressively gain greater control over the elemental forces of the air, unlocking enhanced powers and profound insights at each stage of their development.
A new spell, and a complete pact – I should probably check if this one also fainted.
As I ventured through my dungeon, I sensed my Arcane Resonance skill had activated as I entered my crystal room. Across the room, Lakar was surrounded by a swirling vortex of wind, tearing books from the shelves and scattering paper into the vortex.
He started to levitate just above the floor, and his eyes and mouth emitted a brilliant green light. The tattoos on his right arm also began to glow in a matching shade of green, while the others remained unchanged.
Touk watched with a contented smile, clearly pleased with the turn of events. Meanwhile, Bolka's expression grew increasingly envious, and the snail retreated to be hidden within its protective shell, perhaps retreating from the sudden display of magical power.
Gradually, the swirling wind dissipated, and Lakar slumped to the floor, unconscious.
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"I swear to Varian, these books will never stay on these shelves," I mumbled under my breath, as I repaired then moved the scattered tomes back to the shelves, my voice tinged with amusement at my curse.
The goblins watched with a sense of mild awe as the books autonomously found their way back to the shelves. While their initial astonishment had waned, there was still a noticeable glint of curiosity in their eyes. The snail, however, remained relatively unfazed, as if unimpressed by the spectacle.
After I had gathered the scattered books, Touk carried Lakar's unconscious body and made his way to the room I had prepared for Bolka. He placed Lakar gently on the bed, ensuring he was covered, and then quietly left the room, leaving Lakar to rest.
Faced with my inability to intervene, I returned to my room construction, dedicating the next couple of hours to the task while awaiting the goblin's eventual awakening or, ideally, Varians.
I continued to carve out a section of the new room, finding solace in the calming and repetitive task of giving the wall a more cave-like appearance. It allowed me to concentrate all my attention on the work at hand, diverting my thoughts from the complex situation with my newfound role and the monsters in my dungeon.
However, as I focused on carving out a section of the underground lake, a peculiar sensation washed over me—an unmistakable feeling of being poked. It was an unnerving experience, and it left me feeling quite uncomfortable and perturbed.
I navigated my way back through the dungeon, and there I spotted my Healer gleefully poking at my crystal form, a wide, goofy smile adorning her face. Her infectious grin had a way of diffusing my initial annoyance.
"Please don't touch me; it feels uncomfortable," I softly communicated, momentarily forgetting that my Healer couldn't understand my words. My message startled her, prompting her to step back in surprise.
She called out to Touk, who had been busy writing in a book. He sighed and retrieved the communication book, which indicated that Bolka had a question. I made my way to Touk, who once again directed his attention toward my awareness.
This made it evident that he could indeed perceive me. Bolka rushed over, speaking rapidly, though I couldn't understand her words, her excitement was unmistakable.
“She wants to know if the snail has a name.” Touk wrote.
What?
I found myself a bit perplexed. It was just a snail, and I couldn't fathom why it would need a name. After all, there wasn't much chance of confusing it with another snail.
But if it made her happy, it didn't seem to hurt.
"Please refrain from touching me," I wrote, hoping to discourage any further prodding. "And no, it does not. Is she interested in giving it a name?"
Touk conveyed my message to Bolka, and her near-freakout was evident, though she managed to contain her excitement and simply nodded in response.
He said something to her again and she nodded once more.
“She wants to name it Adrian.”
"Alright then, I suppose that's its name now. Although I'm not sure why they asked me, as if I would know if they did," I mused to myself, a faint hint of amusement coloring my thoughts as I continued to observe the interaction.
"Adrian, I hope you enjoy your new name," I spoke, observing as a gentle glow emanated from the snail's shell, which then unexpectedly grew larger by half a foot. To my surprise, a box suddenly popped up in response to this unexpected development.
Your mob [Sorcerer Snail] #001 has gained a name and a new ability.
Name: Adrian
[Mana Crystallization]: With this magical power, Adrian can produce crystals infused with concentrated mana energy. These crystals can be absorbed by any being or used to craft magical items and artifacts.
The surprise on Bolka and Touks faces indicated that they hadn't anticipated the naming of the snail to be such a significant event. It seemed that naming the creatures within the dungeon carried more weight than I realized.
As I reread the information within the box, a realization washed over me. I felt drained, so I checked my mana pool, and I now had only 2 mana left, which indicated that it had cost 10 mana. Luckily the reward seemed decent. Reading It led me to ponder whether I might also be able to absorb the mana. If the snail could employ its Mana Leech spell to extract mana from a target and then store that mana within its crystals, there was a possibility of gaining double mana.
Bolka rushed over and embraced the colossal snail's shell, her enthusiasm evident as she began to affectionately stroke the snail's body. She didn't appear to mind the snail's slimy texture, and Adrian leaned into her petting and scratching, clearly savoring the attention.
Touk, slightly repulsed by the display, opted to keep his reservations to himself, not wanting to spoil the joyful moment and allowing Bolka to share a special connection with the newly named snail, Adrian.
The surprises continued to unfold as the door to the room where Lakar was resting suddenly swung open, revealing him standing there. He was no longer hunched over as he had been before, and his right arm was adorned with green tattoos, although they were no longer glowing, but instead, they emitted a dark green hue. His eyes had returned to their usual purple, and he appeared just as perplexed as ever, clearly disoriented by the recent events.
Before Lakar could even begin to voice his questions, Bolka started to excitedly ramble, pointing at the snail with enthusiasm. Lakar, still shaking off the remnants of sleep, stood there with a baffled expression, attempting to process Bolka's excitement. Even though the words were incomprehensible to me, it was clear that she was sharing the news of Adrian's newly acquired name.
Lakar, evidently mindful of not wanting to upset Bolka further, nodded in response to her and said something to the snail. His gesture seemed to please Bolka, who returned to gently stroking the snail's head, her contentment evident in her actions.
He walked over to Touk and they began to converse, as they talked Lakar took a chair and sat down. Once finished Touk started to write in a book again, and Lakar looked over at me.
I watched Lakar gaze at my crystal, my mind brimming with curiosity about the small transformation he had undergone.
"Was that entire display of wind and glowing eyes solely for me to gain a bit of height and to change some of the markings green?" The sudden echo of a voice in my mind initially startled me. It was an unexpected development, but I quickly realized it was Lakar.
What struck me even more than his question was the realization that I could understand him perfectly. He wasn't using the goblin language. Instead, he communicated in Common, a language that was universally understood within my domain.
"Hello?" I thought back.
My response startled Lakar, prompting him to let out a surprised yell that echoed through the room, startling everyone else in the vicinity. He tumbled backward in his chair and executed a somersault, eventually landing back on his feet in a rather acrobatic display.
Lakar's abrupt yell startled Adrian, causing the snail to retract into his shell. This upset Bolka, who began to berate Lakar, who appeared to be attempting to apologize and explain himself.
Bolka's expression shifted to one of surprise as Lakar finished speaking, and she glanced back and forth between my crystal, and Lakar, squinting hard, probably attempting to communicate with me like he did. Her gaze returned to Lakar, her demeanor now reflecting frustration as she pointed back at my crystal. Lakar, in turn, appeared to have a realization looking shocked and nervous.
Then, I heard Lakar's voice once more, it sounded shaker than normal. "I'm so sorry I kept you waiting, Lord Dungeon."
"I appreciate the apology, Lakar," I responded, a hint of uncertainty in my thoughts as I navigated this newfound form of communication. "It's a bit of a surprise to be able to converse like this. How are you feeling after everything that's happened?"
"Yes, I'm feeling quite well, my lord. I appreciate this second chance at life," Lakar responded with a nervous smile.
Observing Lakar, I could see him visibly trembling, akin to a leaf quivering in the breeze. His stance wavered, his knees appearing as though they might give way at any moment. This reaction puzzled me, as it was starkly different from Varian's response. But then again, Varian was a god, and it made sense that a deity wouldn't be perturbed by my voice. When I spoke aloud to the other goblins, they did react with surprise at the suddenness of my voice, but it didn't seem to physically pain them. They jumped, yes, but there wasn't the same level of distress as Lakar was exhibiting.
I speculated that the difference might be because I was speaking directly into Lakar's mind, or perhaps it was the fact that he could understand me now. Whatever the reason, it was clear that Lakar was struggling with the experience. This realization led me to decide that I should try to keep my communication with him brief and to the point, to avoid causing him further discomfort.
"Your gratitude is well received, Lakar," I communicated gently, careful not to overwhelm him with my presence. "It appears you have undergone a significant transformation. How do you find your new abilities?"
Lakar's reply, tinged with a hint of uncertainty, came through. "I'm sorry, Lord Dungeon, but I don't think I've gained any new abilities. There are these green and black markings on my skin that I can't seem to remove, and I've noticed I've grown taller."
A soft chuckle escaped my essence as I delved into explaining the true nature of the pact Lakar had entered into. I clarified that the green markings were not just random inscriptions but permanent tattoos, a physical manifestation of the pact. To my surprise, Lakar didn't seem overly concerned about the permanence of these tattoos. Instead, his attention was captivated by the revelation of the pact and its implications. The fact that he was directly communicating with me, a capability he had not possessed before, was a significant aspect of this transformation.
Lakar went on to share that he had heard the wind speaking to him, asking him to form a pact. Unaware of the potential consequences, he had accepted, and fortunately, he seemed to have encountered an elemental that was amicable enough to enter into a complete pact with him, whatever that means.
Eager to understand more about the nature of this pact, I asked him about his status, curious to see if it would provide further insights. However, my question seemed to confuse him, as if the idea of a 'status' was completely unfamiliar.
"Status?" he echoed, his voice laced with bewilderment. Suddenly, his expression changed to one of surprise. He recoiled, staring at something invisible to me but evidently quite real to him.