Is Master going to be alright? Taloress asked worriedly as Mr. Marion carefully laid Brogen on the mattress in his bedroom.
Don't underestimate the Master. This is merely an inconvenience for Him, Mr. Marion said confidently as he stood back up.
The words didn't comfort Taloress in the least. She and Mr. Marion were siblings and constantly knew each other's feelings and emotions. Despite his confident words, Mr. Marion was nervous and uneasy.
Hasss this ever happened to the Massster before? Spider asked as his tentacles curled in displeasure.
This is the first time, Mr. Marion admitted. But I'm sure the Master is only tired. He has been constantly working day after day with little rest, so His body is only taking its time to replenish.
Taloress and Spider weren't satisfied with Mr. Marion's explanation, but it was enough to mollify them.
What do we do now? Taloress asked.
For now, we proceed with the Master's plans, Mr. Marion said as he started walking back to the Grisly Hall, his two siblings following behind him. Before the Master was incapacitated, He had allowed his thoughts to reach me, so I was privy to His plan. We shall negotiate with the dryads and purchase fibers from them in exchange for goblins' waste.
Taloress and Spider made disgusted noises.
When they exited into the Grisly Hall, a puppet was waiting for them, the one Mr. Marion had randomly chosen as the leader of their newly-birthed siblings. It was of average height and had an androgynous appearance. Its face had complete human features such as eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth, but Unlike Mr. Marion and Taloress, the puppet had no genitalia to classify it as a male or female.
Despite the puppet's human features, it looked far from human and appeared more like a mannequin. Its entire body was a plain dark grey, and despite greeting Mr. Marion and the rest excitedly, its facial features remained static. I am ready to be in service to the Master, Senior Brothers and Senior Sister!
Mr. Marion felt awkward at how the younger puppet addressed him, but Taloress and Spider only seemed used.
Your eagerness to serve is admirable, young one. Follow us, Mr. Marion said as he led their group outside the cave. Only to be intercepted by Tedd. The little bear looked panicked.
What happened to the Master?! Tedd cried out.
Everything is fine, the Master had simply pushed Himself too hard, Mr. Marion explained. He will be fine.
How can you let the Master come to that point?! You should have stopped Him! Tedd shouted angrily. Imagine the shock I experienced when I suddenly felt dozens of siblings come to life and the Master's constant presence diminish!
Mr. Marion felt shame at the stuffed bear's words, for it was true. Just like how the newly born puppets' purpose was to serve, Mr. Marion's purpose when he was created was to protect the Master and ensure His well-being. Today's events taught him that he also had to protect the Master from Himself. Mr. Marion clenched his fists in frustration at himself.
Oh stop nagging, Taloress said as she picked up a thrashing Tedd beneath his arms, the bear's legs kicking futilely. I bet if you were there, you wouldn't have been able to stop the Master from doing what He wants.
Unhand me, woman! Tedd exclaimed, but his struggles were useless. In the end, he just slumped in her hands and sighed. Fine, it's no use to dwell on your failures. The Master's probably fine, anyway. He always did push Himself all the time during His younger years. Just bring me with you to whatever tasks you're doing. Watching the goblins all day is getting tiring.
Tedd's confidence in the Master's well-being helped calm the other puppets. Tedd, despite his small and unintimidating appearance, was the oldest and wisest among them, and he knew the Master well. If Tedd thought the Master was going to be alright, then He probably will be.
But didn't the Master command you to watch the goblins? Mr. Marion said as he looked pointedly at Tedd. Just because the Master is incapacitated doesn't mean His orders are rendered null.
The Master only told me to watch over the little critters while He was away. The moment He returned, my duties were already finished, child, Tedd said with a sniff.
Just because you're older than me doesn't mean I'm a child, Mr. Marion grumbled as he started walking towards the goblin camp.
Don't worry, I'll still keep a close watch on the little bastards, Tedd said as he positioned himself on Taloress' shoulder, then spotted the new addition to the group. Well hello there, little one. Who are you supposed to be?
The puppet perked up. This servant is not yet worthy enough to be given a name yet, Senior Brother!
‘Senior Brother?’ Ohohoho, I think I'm going to like this one! Tedd chuckled in amusement. Do not worry, Junior Brother! Your magnificent Senior Brother will give you plenty of chances to prove yourself!
The puppet radiated gratefulness that everybody felt. Taloress chopped Tedd on the head. Cut it off, you're not allowed to lord over our younger siblings.
Oh? Taloress is acting mature? What have you done with the real Taloress?! Tedd exclaimed as he started thumping the side of her head.
Hey, I'm always mature! Taloress shot back. It's thanks to my maturity that I have a human friend! Unlike you!
I bet your human friend is just as immature as you.
Mr. Marion sighed internally as his two siblings bickered behind him. He wanted to be as laid back as them, but he couldn't find it within him to have a good mood when the Master passed out under his watch.
No use trying to beat yourself up over what happened, little Marion, Tedd said behind him with a relaxed voice that irritated him. What's done is done. Or as the Master would put it: ‘No use crying over spilled milk.’
Why ussse ‘milk?’ Spider wondered. ‘Blood’ would have been more appropriate. No ussse crying over spilled bloood.
That sounds good as well, but it's inappropriate for younger audiences, Spider. We have a minor in our midst. Tedd pointed at the new puppet, who had been watching them eagerly for the entire time.
Ah, I sssee.
Mr. Marion sighed in exasperation. His siblings were setting a bad example for the new puppet. To make things worse, he had made the puppet the leader of the rest of the newborns. His siblings' antics might become a bad influence on the entire group of newborns.
As the puppets made their way through the camp, the goblins bowed respectfully, sometimes even offering some fruits and nuts. Mr. Marion ignored them, but Taloress happily received their gifts, storing them in a hidden pocket in her dress where Tedd couldn't reach them.
When they neared the pit that the goblins used as a toilet, Mr. Marion saw the female hobgoblin approach them, the male hobgoblin trailing behind her. He was glad that he could finally talk to someone with a sense of responsibility, but Tedd suddenly spoke up behind him with a serious voice.
Be wary of the female hobgoblin.
Before he could ask the stuffed bear any further about his annoyingly mysterious warning, Zerza reached them.
“Merciful One! It is an honor that you grace our humble home with your presence,” Zerza said in her wild goblin accent. “Do you require something of us?”
There was a few seconds of silence between them.
Oi, she's talking to you, Tedd said with a hint of mirth.
Mr. Marion cursed as he remembered that he couldn't communicate with the female hobgoblin. He had become so used to remaining silent while the Master spoke to other people that he forgot that the Master was no longer inside of him. Mr. Marion felt his temper rise as Tedd laughed behind him.
Zerza and the male hobgoblin, Kral, looked uncomfortable as the silence went on, unaware of Tedd's boisterous laughter and Mr. Marion's curses.
In the end, Mr. Marion decided to communicate using his own body. He unraveled his hands into numerous threads that twisted and looped over themselves to form words, surprising the hobgoblins. The words said ‘We are in need of your feces.’
Tedd laughed out loud, and even Spider and Taloress looked amused.
Even if they could understand human words, what kind of question is that? Tedd said in between laughs.
Mr. Marion froze at the likely possibility that the goblins didn't understand human letters, but fortunately, Zerza seemed to understand. Although even the female hobgoblin seemed to doubt her ability to read human letters once she understood Mr. Marion's words.
“A-Ah, forgive me, Merciful One, but am I right in assuming that you desire our… dung?”
Tedd's laughter renewed with much vigor, accompanied by Taloress' giggles, but Mr. Marion ignored them stoically. He reformed the threads and said ‘Yes.’
Zerza looked confused at the request, but she composed herself quickly. If she was curious why Mr. Marion was not speaking, she showed no sign of it. “A-Alright, then I will lead you to our waste pit. I will also call upon some of the children to begin collecting the dung.”
‘No need, we will handle it,’ Mr. Marion said.
The puppets followed Zerza to the other end of the clearing, far away from the cave. The circular waste pit was somewhat small, only a meter in diameter and about two meters deep. When Mr. Marion peeked over the edge, he saw that it was half-filled with dark brown sludge. Fortunately, Mr. Marion and the puppets had no sense of smell. Judging from Zerza and Kral's scrunched faces, they immediately understood why they put the waste pit on the farthest side of the clearing.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
‘Why so few?’ Mr. Marion asked. The goblins had stayed here for a week already, but the waste inside the pit looked too few for more than thirty goblins defecating in the same place.
“Ah, this waste pit is relatively new, Merciful One. This one had been dug just this morning,” Zerza replied. “When this pit becomes full, we bury it with lots of soil and dig a new one.”
Mr. Marion was surprised. He looked around and saw that the soil in some parts of the clearing looked disturbed, as if something had been buried there recently. There were easily more than a dozen of them.
If the other buried pits were of the same size as the one they were inspecting, then they were looking at a literal shit-ton of goblin waste. Although if the Master's plan went well, they would no longer be called ‘waste.’ No, Mr. Marion was looking at a treasure trove.
‘From now on, you don't have to bury your waste with soil,’ Mr. Marion communicated. ‘When your waste pit becomes full, notify us.’
Zerza looked confused but agreed readily. “As the Merciful One wills it.”
Mr. Marion nodded in satisfaction. If the goblins filled their waste pits this quickly, then they'd have an almost limitless supply of fertilizer to be used for trading with the dryads. The Master's plan was going very well.
Ugh, I'm not wading into all that poop to collect it, Tedd complained with a shudder. Taloress and Spider also looked hesitant to volunteer for the task.
No worries, Mr. Marion said before turning to the new puppet. Leader of the newborns, you have your very first task.
Instead of looking disgusted, the new puppet looked excited. I shall not disappoint you, Senior Brother!
●●●
“What did the masked human want?” Kral asked once he and Zerza were alone in their tent. He was a mighty warrior, but reading letters, be they of the human or goblin tongue, was beyond his skill set.
Zerza tutted at her companion's question. She always did try to make the hobgoblin warriors learn their letters, but the only things going on in their heads were fighting and eating. “Gammilu Abratu has demanded that we give them our night soil, although for what purposes, I do not know.”
Kral snorted. “To think the masked human would value our waste more than our service.”
Zerza was silent but secretly agreed. For the past week, she had been constantly offering the tribe's physical labor to the masked human to increase their value and create a closer relationship, but he had rejected her every time.
“No matter,” Zerza said. “We still have plenty of time to earn Gammilu Abratu's trust for our goals.”
Kral frowned but remained silent. He never liked their shameful plan to betray the masked human, but he saw its necessity.
Zerza pretended not to notice Kral's dissatisfaction. “For now, we'll have to focus on increasing our numbers—”
The Shaman was interrupted by a flurry of activity outside the tent. Both hobgoblins frowned and went outside to check what was happening, readying themselves for combat.
When they emerged from the tent, they saw the crowd of goblin children chattering noisily as they curiously watched Gammilu Abratu's cave. It didn't take them long to realize why.
Emerging from their master's cave was a large group, no, a battalion of humanoid creatures. They walked at a normal pace, but what caught their attention was the synchronization of their movements. Like a well-trained army, the humanoid creatures moved exactly as one, with a leader that walked at the front of their neat formation. Their synchronized movements, coupled with their utter silence, made the sight eery.
And there were a hundred of them, marching towards the waste pits.
The goblin children had mesmerized looks on their faces as the humanoid creatures marched on, but Zerza and Kral looked like they had just eaten a bitter fruit.
“Did you include that in your considerations when you made your plan?” Kral asked pointedly at Zerza.
The Shaman scowled at the warrior. “I'm not a god, you buffoon. I don't know everything. What I do know is that this complicates things.”
Their initial plan to betray the masked human when he was weakened had just increased tremendously in difficulty. Zerza was confident that under her leadership, her tribe would eventually return to its former glory, but even she knew that they wouldn't be able to fight against an enemy with his own army. The goblins' strength had always depended on their numbers to defeat their enemies, but if their opponent both had power and numbers, then their advantage was lost.
Kral might have been a dim warrior, but even he was able to come to the same conclusions as Zerza had. Fighting against the masked human, even when he was weakened, was foolish when he had an army with him. “What do we do now?”
“We need information,” Zerza replied darkly. “We don't know if Gammilu Abratu has more soldiers hidden inside his cave, or if he has some other secret weapon. We have to infiltrate his cave.”
“And how do you plan to sneak in?” Kral asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Why sneak in when Gammilu Abratu will invite me in himself?” Zerza asked with a cunning look. “All I'll have to do is request for a tour. The masked human is stupidly kind. He will not reject me.”
Kral shrugged. “If you say so. Just make sure to be careful. The masked human may be kind, but I doubt it applies to his minions.”
Zerza scoffed. “His minions do not matter. They are loyal to the masked human. Whatever he says, they will obey. They will not be an issue as long as I have the masked human in my grasp.”
Kral eyed Zerza with an unreadable expression before shrugging. He thought it pretty stupid to disregard the masked human's minions, but who was he to question the wise Shaman's decisions?
The hobgoblins watched quietly as the humanoid creatures began digging up the waste pits.
●●●
The loud crunching of leaves disturbed the silence of the forest as hundreds of feet steadily walked on the forest floor. The puppets traveled quickly, their backs hunched as they carried huge sacks of cloth over their shoulders. All sorts of bugs flew around them, attracted to the smell emanating from the sacks of cloth that dripped a dark brown liquid.
I do hope the dryads agree to trade with us, Tedd muttered from atop Taloress' shoulder. Imagine lugging all that goblin poop through a monster-infested forest, only for the dryads to send us away. That would be shitty. Hah! Shitty. Get it?
That is a shitty joke, Taloress added, eliciting a guffaw from the stuffed bear. The leader of the newborn puppets remained silent, but he radiated amusement.
All of you, focus! Mr. Marion chided. According to Disserla, we are nearing the dryads' Sanctuary.
That's what she said an hour ago, yet I don't see any beautiful tree ladies. Admit it, we're lost, Tedd said with an absent wave of his paw. Who would've thought our own guide would get us lost.
Mr. Marion wanted to tell the stuffed bear that compared to them, Disserla had a better understanding of the forest and could guide them back to her own home. But as he looked ahead, where a floundering dryad was inspecting the nearby trees for any clue as to where they were, Mr. Marion lost hope.
“I know we're close, I can feel it!” Disserla muttered as she looked closely at a tree trunk. “This tree looks familiar. Where have I seen you before, Mr. Tree?”
That tree looks familiar because we passed by it ten minutes ago. This idiot, Tedd said in exasperation.
Mr. Marion wanted to smack their guide's head. They brought Disserla with them in the first place because they needed a guide to take them to the Sanctuary, but the Steward literally did the opposite of her job and got them lost.
I should have brought Wennena with us, Mr. Marion said in regret. Before they left earlier, he had chosen to leave behind Wennena to assist Spider in guarding the cave.
No, leaving the Sentinel behind was the right choice, Tedd said seriously. The Master is currently vulnerable. If the goblins suddenly decided to attack, they would be able to go past Spider with their numbers. With Wennena there, we could rest easy.
The goblins would never turn on Master, Taloress scoffed.
Unlikely, but not impossible, naive child, Tedd said.
Do you suspect them of treachery? Mr. Marion asked as he suddenly felt apprehensive.
I wouldn't say that, but I always did find it suspicious that the goblins suddenly decided to become our servants without complaint, Tedd replied.
That's because they witnessed Master's power! Taloress interjected. Anybody would want to serve Master if they knew of his true abilities!
Must be nice to be as ignorant as you, Tedd muttered.
Hey!
Before they could bicker further, Disserla suddenly exclaimed triumphantly from the front. “Aha! I know this section of the forest! We're not lost anymo— I mean, I led us to the right place!”
Mr. Marion shook his head in exasperation. If Disserla hadn't found their bearings in the next ten minutes, he would have decided to turn back. Tireless puppets they may be, but that didn't mean they could stay active forever. They needed the Master's mana to stay awake, and with more than a hundred puppets active at the same time, the toll on their Master was heavy.
One of their abilities as puppets was the instinctive ability to gauge their Master's mana pool. After all, that was their source of energy. Right now, it was currently at about sixty percent and kept steadily decreasing due to the extra energy the puppets required to carry the sacks of goblin waste.
With Disserla no longer lost, their pace through the forest increased significantly. A few minutes later, their group was forcefully halted as a large tree ahead of them burst in an explosion of bark and splinters. A towering Sentinel in her battle-form emerged and glared at them.
“Halt! You trespass upon the territory of the Dayadra,” the Sentinel announced, before realizing that a fellow dryad was a part of the group. “Steward Disserla, is that you?”
“Hi, Tellorda! How's it going?” Disserla greeted cheerfully as she approached.
Instead of joy, Tellorda had an exasperated expression on her face. “That's Sentinel Tellorda to you. The Matriarch has sent you to serve the Masked Ascendant. Did he finally tire of your antics and send you back?”
“Of course not!” Disserla exclaimed, before sneaking uncertain glances at Mr. Marion. “Right?” she whispered.
Mr. Marion ignored the Steward and addressed Tellorda directly with an elegant bow. His hands began splitting into numerous threads to form words. ‘Greetings, Sentinel. I am Mr. Marion, and I have come to trade with the honorable Dayadra.’
The Sentinel looked confused at Mr. Marion's way of communication, but once she understood the message, she immediately offered a bow of her own. “Ah, I did not realize the Masked Ascendant himself had come. I apologize for any offenses given, honored friend. I am Sentinel Tellorda.”
‘No offenses were taken, Sentinel Tellorda,’ Mr. Marion communicated. He felt uncomfortable at the thought that was impersonating his Master, but he forcefully quashed his discomfort.
“The Dayadra have not traded with others for centuries, so I do not know the proper procedures to these things,” Tellorda admitted. “I believe we will have to consult one of the Elders for this.”
‘That is fine by me,’ Mr. Marion said.
The Sentinel proceeded to guide them to the Sanctuary, her large feet thudding heavily on the forest floor. After a few minutes' walk, they finally arrived in front of the huge wall made of leaves and vines that surrounded the Sanctuary. Ferti, the living wall, rustled its leaves as it detected them and cleared the path without protest.
Once the group entered the Sanctuary, the puppets paused to admire the Dayadra's home. Despite this being their second visit, Mr. Marion, Taloress, and Tedd were still speechless at the sheer beauty of the Sanctuary. The newborn puppets' awe was apparent on their faces as their neutral expressions changed for the first time, displaying pure amazement at the lush basin in front of them.
Unlike last time, they weren't led to the center of the Sanctuary. Instead, Tellorda led them to an area dominated by all sorts of flowering plants instead of towering trees. Dozens of dryads roamed the area, caring for the plants. Mr. Marion saw some of the dryads' hands glowing with green magic as they caressed the leaves of the vibrant foliage.
Disserla looked happy as they entered the area, and after asking Mr. Marion for permission, she went off and joined the other dryads in caring for the plants.
The arrival of their group caught the attention of the dryads, and moments later, one of the beautiful creatures approached them. She looked as young as the rest of the dryads and had a welcoming expression on her face, but one look at her eyes told Mr. Marion that she was older than she looked.
“A pleasant afternoon to all of you!” the dryad greeted cheerfully once she reached them. “I didn't know we were receiving guests today. You should have given me notice, Sentinel Tellorda.”
“I apologize for the intrusion, Elder Zarelbis, but an honored friend of ours has come and wishes to discuss the possibility of trade with us,” Tellorda said as she gestured to Mr. Marion.
“Oh? It has been a long time since somebody traded with us,” Elder Zarelbis said as she looked at Mr. Marion. “If I remember correctly, you are Mr. Marion, correct? You came to visit us not long ago.”
Mr. Marion nodded and formed his hands into words. ‘That is correct, honored Elder.’
Elder Zarelbis looked amused at Mr. Marion's mode of communication but didn't comment about it. “So you wish to trade with us, then? I'm really curious as to what manner of product you wish to obtain from us. As far as I know, human society is more than capable of providing a much larger variety of products than us and should be more convenient for you.”
‘What I need is nothing so grand, honored Elder. I only need a supplier that could steadily provide me with plant fibers for producing cloth, and Steward Disserla had informed me that the Dayadra can satisfy this need.’
“Perhaps we can,” Elder Zarelbis said vaguely. “But why seek us when you can easily procure what you need by visiting your human cities? Surely that would be more convenient, not to mention you'd be trading with your own kind, which would make any transaction safer because of your numerous laws.”
‘You raise good points, honored Elder, and I would have done what you said if not for the time restraint I am currently operating under,’ Mr. Marion said.
Ah, you're a hopeless merchant without the Master, little Marion, Tedd said behind him as Elder Zarelbis smirked. Mr. Marion felt genuinely confused.
“I appreciate your candor, Mr. Marion, but a piece of advice for the next time you negotiate with others: don't let the other party know that they hold absolute power over the deal,” Elder Zarelbis said with a large grin.
Mr. Marion still didn't get what he did wrong, but before he could embarrass himself further, Tedd spoke up behind him. You shouldn't have revealed that you were under a time constraint, little Marion. Now she knows that she's the only supplier we could buy fibers from. She could charge a dozen sacks of goblin poop for a single piece of flax and we'd have no choice but to accept the deal if we wish to reach the deadlines of Master's plans.
The realization dawned on Mr. Marion and he cursed at himself. Why didn't you tell me not to do that?!
To be honest, I didn't expect you to say something so stupid! Tedd said with an annoying laugh. Fine. From now on, only say what I say.
The negotiations with the Elder Steward began in earnest. When the dryad learned of what Mr. Marion would pay her for the flax stems, her eyes lit with greed. She immediately stated a price: one sack of goblin waste for one bushel of flax.
Even Mr. Marion, who had no talent for negotiation, could see how disadvantageous the deal would be for them. A bushel of flax contained a lot of plant stalks, but the soft fibers inside only constituted a small portion, with the rest consisting of unusable fibers that would be discarded in the breaking process of production. The deal was unacceptable, and Tedd made sure the cheeky dryad knew it.
For the next half hour, Elder Zarelbis and Tedd, through Mr. Marion, negotiated fiercely. Mr. Marion silently communicated through his threads, but even without a voice, he was able to stand his ground resolutely, courtesy of Tedd speaking through his mind. Mr. Marion offered some of his insights throughout the negotiation, eager to contribute.
Tellorda, Taloress, and the leader of the newborn puppets watched with bated breath at the fierce exchange between the two parties, and when a deal was finally struck, the puppets cheered silently. One sack of goblin waste in exchange for three bushels of flax stems.
I can't believe we managed to get this deal, Tedd muttered tiredly as he slumped on Taloress' shoulder. I think the dryad took mercy on us.
Thank you, Tedd, Mr. Marion said earnestly, which elicited the stuffed bear to radiate smugness.
“I'm impressed, Mr. Marion,” Elder Zarelbis said after she ordered some of the dryads to start gathering the flax. “You performed better than I would have expected. Here I thought you were a novice when you made that blunder at the start. You did that to fool me into lowering my guard, didn't you?”
‘A merchant has his own tricks, honored Elder,’ Mr. Marion said, although in truth, he didn't feel as confident as his words might imply. If anybody deserved the recognition, it was Tedd. The only thing that Mr. Marion accomplished was almost tarnishing the Master's image as a proficient merchant.
Psh, stop beating yourself up over it, little Marion, Tedd chided. We each have our own niche according to the purpose our Master created us for. Negotiating simply wasn't a part of your skillset.
Mr. Marion didn't immediately cheer up, but his older sibling's words did help him accept the things that happened. Next time, I'll do better.
That's the spirit! Tedd exclaimed. Now as punishment, go help the rest of our Junior Brothers and Sisters carry the goblin poop to where it needs to be!
Mr. Marion grumbled but complied. Their time was limited, so speeding up the process with his efforts would help the Master's plan reach the deadline. His only complaint was getting his fabulous clothing soiled…
By the end, the sacks of goblin waste that the puppets had been carrying earlier were now replaced by hundreds of bushels of flax. Despite the increased number of things to be carried, each bushel of flax was significantly lighter than a sack of solid goblin waste, so the mana expenditure of the puppets was reduced.
The Master will refuse to ride me after this, Mr. Marion sulked as he looked at his body. Dark stains dotted his once-pristine coat and his formerly-white mask was now a faint shade of brown. He had no sense of smell, but Mr. Marion was sure he stank to high heavens.
The Master will surely understand why you had to stain the body he had graciously gifted to you, Tedd chuckled as Mr. Marion glared at him. A moment later, he was knocked off Taloress' shoulder as he was impacted by a brown goop. Wha…
I'm sure the Master will understand why your body is stained as well, Mr. Marion said with a smirk.
The rest of the journey home was filled with bickering between an adult-sized puppet and a stuffed bear.