THE SCHOLAR OF GOBLIN LORE

Chu sat in a corner of the General Store of the Trading Post. The clerks present were familiar with him and left him alone as they sent a message to Master John. Ming had gone out to the tavern to solicit information while Lucy and the girls went on another errand.

"Young Master, why are you here? You should have come over at the collection bay outside the south gate. These days are hectic because the merchants are preparing their final loads."

"I have something to discuss with you in private."

Chu said.

John nodded and then whispered some words to a clerk, before beckoning the boy towards a room.

"Have you started gathering?"

"Like you instructed. I sent a message to the Trading Post in Limerock requesting the purchase of grains, while using my private business as the buyer. I also reached an agreement with three of the regular merchants to purchase and deliver grain from Limerock. Since the offer is near double the price, they have agreed."

Chu nodded in response. He had enough empty buildings to stockpile the expected grain. The next full moon would coincide with the last day of autumn, and also the day of agreed delivery. Chu expected his quota to only increase as the goblins spread his name across their tribes. Hopefully, they would not try and hoard this business.

"One other thing John. I need to downsize the horses on my farm. If I can sell them in a discrete manner, I don't mind sharing the profits. You can consider it a bonus."

"Oh, how many do you want sold? Two, maybe three?"

John asked while sipping some hot water. He knew the boy had about a dozen horses after the bandit escapade.

"About fifty."

'Pfftt'

John sprayed out the water, pounding his chest while coughing.

"What?!"

When Chu walked out of the compound, he heard a familiar voice shouting lower down the road. Squeezing through the small crowd of onlookers, he found Miki engage in a heated dispute with a young man dressed in decorative leather armor. The man had a well-built body with a sharp clean-shaven face and blond hair.

The soldier had a face to make a girl swoon, and from the polished equipment also owned the gold to entice them. From the conduct of the man, it seemed he had a habit of using this type of pickup on simple-minded girls. Chu automatically labeled him as an enemy.

Rose and Lucy stood frowning beside her, while a group of four men looked on in anticipation from behind the accuser. All of them had eyes that belittled the surrounding crowd, with faces contorted as if glancing at trash. When their gaze fell on the girls, the change in expression betrayed their intent.

"These boots belong to me, I just came from the cobbler with them. You are spouting filthy lies!"

"You dare slander my reputation? How can a peasant girl afford such an expensive boot? You should thank the heavens I noticed you because you will never have the opportunity of sleeping with nobles from Limerock City."

Said the soldier, while peering down at Miki from his upturned face. His companions continued to leer at the girls, smacking their lips on thinking about the long night. These young soldiers from the city seem well versed in the ways of the world. With winter approaching, now was the time to find desperate peasant girls seeking food and shelter.

"She doesn't want to go with you."

Chu said as he walked over. He had been in this world long enough so as to understand this play. Miki called out his name on hearing his voice, her face of disgust changing to delight. She beamed a smile while hugging his arm. Even though she confronted soldiers, she never had an inkling of fear.

"That lanky and his cronies blocked our path while talking about us coming to warn their beds. When we refused, he had the nerve to accuse us of stealing."

Miki pouted.

"Boy don't stand in our way because you might feel sorry afterward. We are way above the usual guards of this pathetic village. Leave the girls, it's their luck my brothers and I want to enjoy them."

The soldier said as a fit of jealousy stabbed his heart. Usually, the girls from common families would throw themselves at him. His face turned purple on seeing this enticing girl embrace this average-looking boy.

"I'm sorry and don't mean to offend you, but these girls aren't for sale. If there is nothing else, then we are leaving."

Chu said in neither servile nor offensive tone. He turned to walk away with Miki.

The poor and common people had developed a habit of speaking and displaying a cowardly and spineless attitude when interacting with the rich. The rich and noble-born naturally possessed an ingrained character to bully the weak and converse in an overbearing manner.

This social stigma could never change overnight, and so Chu accepted it as the norm. That's why he preferred to avoid confrontation. At the moment, he did not have an invulnerable body. If someone did decide to provoke him, however, then he would not back down.

A rough hand grabbed his shoulder. The action sparked a retaliation.

"Three on the left. Ballbreaker!"

Miki shouted.

Chu grabbed the hand and yanked it forward while sidestepping. The young soldier stumbled for a few steps to prevent his leaning body from falling. The man's face contorted in rage, as his white skin turned red. Before he could raise his body, another boy sprinted towards him, jumping and slamming a knee into his pointed nose, breaking it while sending him toppling backward.

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He joined three companions curled like shrimps on the ground, squealing in agony. The last man drew his blade halfway when Chu rushed him and placed a jump kick square on his chest. The man's eyes popped out while stumbling backward to fall on his butt.

Cold steel pressed against his neck, while his companions lay defenseless on the ground, cupping their privates. The leader crawled on all fours seeking to escape, helped along by some well-placed kicks on his rear.

"Yoush naught geese wave which these... My Captene wilsh here bout its."

"Sure, sure. Next time don't meddle with us okay."

Chu said.

Only when he returned to the store to purchase some supplies, did it dawn on Chu, that he made a mistake.

***

In a room at the lodge, a thin wizened old man sipped a cup of tea. The hair of his eyebrows and mustache grew out long and twirled together like whiskers. A beard lacking in body cascaded down his chest. Faded but shrewd eyes glanced at the man sitting across from him.

"I finally met you, Captain, I hope you have not been waiting long."

"The wait has not been that long. The Commander stationed here is an old friend of mine."

The old man nodded, with an uncaring expression. His business was much more important than the well being of this hired soldier.

"And the recent news?"

"We heard about a mercenary party meeting a group of goblins in the forest coming from the north. They returned victorious but lost about half their men in the skirmish. Ten men lost, and still some goblins even managed to escape."

The Captain reported. The latest clash indicated the goblins had moved to the north. Since then the adventurers had avoided scouting deep in the forest to avoid these skilled creatures.

The old man acted like he didn't hear the concern of the Captain.

"Good. Then from next week, we should begin our push into the forest, this will be the culmination of nearly five generations of research. Ten years ago, luck smiled on me during a journey to the south, handing me the means to accomplish this elusive goal. History, Captain, we will make history."

The door burst open as a battered young soldier staggered in.

***

In a corner of the General Store, Chu inspected the boots Miki collected. These quality leather boots certainly couldn't be bought by an average farmer. Even adventurers might not want to cough up the cost, but he had no issue. High-quality boots made it easy on the feet, and so were important equipment for adventurers.

These boots received a double sole and stitching at the cobbler. Inside each of them, the tradesman had placed a fitted lining of thin rubber which he had provided. Chu tried on a pair and strutted around. The difference in comfort nearly had him swoon. He would never ever underestimate the value of comfortable footwear again.

"Make me one of these as my shareholder bonus."

John said while inspecting another. He had found the boy dabbling with the boots in the corner and wormed his way into the conversation.

"Taths hime… rite here!"

A bloodied, annoying face entered into view.

Chu shook his head on predicting this outcome because of his earlier mistake.

"Hitting a soldier is a grave offense. Take them away."

The man who spoke was not the gray-haired Captain standing at the side, but an older person dressed as a scholar.

His white hair tied up in a bun, loose beard cascading down to his neck like a waterfall, and a heavily embroidered robe. Chu wanted to lift the robe to see if the old guy also wore pointed shoes that curled at the front. The old man had his head held up so high, he probably had difficulty walking.

"If it isn't Scholar Rang, did this young associate of mine cause some problems?"

Master John stood while asking in a cordial manner. This person came from Limerock City and had some standing. Apparently, the Captain and those beaten men were waiting for him. Scholar Rang stayed in one of the rooms of the lodge with a strange companion.

"Master John, this whelp and his friends accosted a few of my guards. They need to be severely punished."

John frowned at the man's words. In the past, he would have been arrogant and even more vindictive, but now John would never dare to belittle any customer. John also knew that this old man had the backing of the unfathomable Tower.

"Scholar Rang, this boy belongs to the Thomas farm. I believe you know about the inventions that have recently appeared from there."

Scholar Rang raised an eyebrow but pressed even further with additional zeal. Chu detected a glimmer of hate in the old man's eyes.

"So what? Do you think some trivial invention makes one above the law? My success will be sung throughout the ages while those inventions turn into the dust of the past. Ah, Garrison Commander, arrest those brats."

Sometime during the squabble, the local Commander had arrived. Apparently, the noble-born soldiers had spared no expense for justice. When the Commander noticed the target of the finger he burst out in a fit of coughing. Whispering and sending off an accompanying guard, he tapped the shoulder of the Captain signaling with his eyes.

"Scholar Rang, this boy belongs to the Thomas farm. They have been helpful in ridding the village of bandits, and also goblins. The family has proven their worth in the village while keeping to themselves."

Said the Commander. He hoped the old man would hark the warning in his words.

The Thomas farm remained shrouded in mystery. Rumors about their skills and escapades abounded in the tavern, while he himself had been dishing out gold coins to these ruthless goblin hunters. They also had the protection of someone even he would never become qualified to meet.

"So this group of thugs belong to the local snake? Snakes bow in the presence of Dragons. The Commander might be had pressed to act, but my escorts come from Limerock City. Captain arrest them."

Scholar Rang flaunted grandly, not forgetting to wave his sleeves.

Chu could only curse at this old man's ignorance. Clearly, the Commander had tried to open a path of retreat, but the man continued pressing for their arrest. What he didn't understand was why an educated person would act like a vindictive noble. Far as Chu recalled, he never crossed this old bat.

Before he could think of a means to diffuse the situation, the vice commander came running, puffing and panting, his face red from haste. He held out a scroll to the Commander, handling it like glass. The Commander simply handed it over to the Captain. The gray-haired man wrinkled his eyes, but on opening and reading the scroll gasped in shock.

Chu stared at the scroll, finding the large emblem drawing at the back a tad familiar.

The Captain took a moment to compose himself before striding forward.

"My apologies for my soldiers lack of respect. Be assured this wouldn't happen again. Scholar Rang, I will handle this issue myself, no need to concern yourself in army matters."

Scholar Rang grinned when the Captain strode forward, but then the words splashed on his face like a bucket of cold water. Why the hell did the army slap his face for some lowly brats? He looked on confused as the Captain seemed keen to run away.

"Wait, Captain."

Chu said coldly. He pointed to the sneering soldier who now looked bewildered.

"He falsely accused a simple farmer like me and threatened to bed, my sisters. Then he had the audacity to bring his Captain to arrest me. After suffering this much, do I get no justice... are the poor in the Empire so easy to bully?"

The Commander sweated bullets.

Poor? If this guy was poor, then was he a noble? Since a month ago he had been dishing out gold coins to the Thomas farm for goblin ears. Did gold grow on trees?

Simple farmer? Did a simple farmer require one of the Great Generals to send a scroll stating to provide any assistance to the boy and also mobilize the garrison in Karst?

Threaten your sisters? Dammit son, who haven't heard about that matter in the slums and tavern. Those brawls have become a local legend.

He stumbled out from the group and grabbed the collar of the young soldier before the Captain could also act.

A barrage of slaps filled the air before he released the bewildered man.

"Well done, but next time I hear this happens in the village, the punishment won't be so easy."

Chu looked at the group hustling out of the store. If wasn't for that scroll, then maybe that Scholar might have had his way.

"Captain we have lost face, as soldiers hailing from a city, I demand justice."

The bruised man squeaked while limping behind the group. The Captain turned and slapped the young man until he felt satisfied.

"Revenge? Justice? Do you imbeciles have any idea on the hornet nest you poked? Even nine generations of your family won't suffice as punishment."

The Captain roared.

Did these soldiers think their noble standing in the city could suffice against that little boy?

Behind him lay the protection of one of the four Great Generals!