Chapter 70: The Price of Invasion
Lucien walked through the gates of Eldoris. Tanaka followed him. For a few seconds, the two men said nothing. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the muddy road.
Lucien’s gaze was not on Tanaka. It was on everything around him. Two goblins were walking on the road, carrying wooden beams. One of them almost dropped his part. "Careful!" said the other goblin. "I am being careful!" "You’re holding it wrong!" "I built more houses than you!" "You built a house without a roof!" The two goblins continued their argument while walking away.
Tanaka gave Lucien a look. "Don’t mind them." "I wasn’t." Lucien replied. They continued walking through the settlement.
It was much bigger than Lucien expected.
It was not yet as big as a major city. Not exactly. But it was more than just a monster camp. Houses stood proudly on the road, decorated and built. Workshops were scattered throughout the settlement. Storage buildings had been built near the Craft Quarter. The farms outside the capital were already expanding. Several watchtowers kept an eye on the forest. Everything had its place. Lucien stopped when he saw a group of young goblins practicing with wooden weapons. An older goblin stood in front of them, barking orders. "Again!" He growled.
The children raised their wooden spears. "Formation!" The old goblin shouted. They stood in a row, clumsily. Some of them were too close to each other. Others held their weapons in bad position. The old goblin immediately berated them. "Move closer! Everyone! Shields up! Don’t break the formation!" Lucien watched silently. Tanaka gave him a look. "That’s Eldrin." "An Hobgoblin?" Lucien asked. "Yes." Tanaka replied. Lucien looked at the old goblin. "He trains them?" "Among other things," said Tanaka. The goblins practiced their formation again. Lucien crossed his arms.
"You teach them to fight." Tanaka shrugged. "I teach them to survive." Lucien looked at him. "Against humans?" "Against anyone," replied Tanaka. He looked at the young goblins again. "The world outside these walls doesn’t care if we’re peaceful or not. If someone comes here intending to kill them, I’d rather they know how to protect themselves."
Lucien nodded. That was a fair point. Suddenly, he heard a growl. Lucien’s hand went to his sword. He turned around. Raizen was a few meters away, watching him. The Star Wolf King’s golden eyes were piercing. Several Star Wolf Warriors stood behind him. Lucien kept his hand near his weapon. Raizen’s ears twitched. Tanaka sighed. "Raizen." The Star Wolf King growled again, but turned around. Lucien watched him leave. "Your people don’t trust humans," said Lucien. Tanaka looked at him. "Can you blame them?" Lucien did not answer. Tanaka continued walking. "Most of the humans they met wanted to kill them."
Lucien looked at the gates. His soldiers were still there. He understood. The monsters of Eldoris did not trust humans. Not exactly. They had their own reasons, their own fears. Tanaka brought them together, made them stronger, but he could not erase their past.
Lucien continued observing the settlement.
"What about you?" he asked. Tanaka looked at him. "Do you trust humans? You have a human form but you are also a monster."
Tanaka paused for a moment. "Some." He replied. Lucien gave him a small smile.
"That’s not exactly reassuring." "I didn’t say it was." Tanaka replied. They continued walking. Lucien soon realized something. The monsters were not watching Tanaka.
They were working. Goblins built houses, Kobolds worked in the workshops. Moonhares carried baskets of vegetables from one garden to another. Stoneshell Turtles transported materials. Greater Ogres lifted logs with ease. Mana Birds flew from one building to another. The five Kijin could be seen walking further away, organizing some of the workers.
It was not an army. It was a nation. Lucien stopped walking. "You built all this," he said.
Tanaka looked around. "Not alone." He replied. "You gave them direction." Tanaka nodded. "I suppose." Lucien watched the settlement. "And they follow you." Tanaka gave him a strange look. "Usually." He replied. "You’re their king," said Lucien. Tanaka shook his head. "No," he replied. "Then what are you?" asked Lucien. Tanaka looked at the people of Eldoris. "I’m their leader." Lucien nodded.
Suddenly, there was a commotion near the gates. Tanaka turned around. Lucien followed his gaze. Several soldiers surrounded a group of humans. They had just arrived from the forest. Hunters. There were three of them. Their clothes were torn, and one of them had a wound on his temple. Another hunter helped his wounded companion. "What happened?" One of the soldiers asked. "Monsters," growled the hunter with the injury. "Three of them ambushed us," said the hunter helping his friend. "Where?" Another soldier asked. "North of here," replied the hunter.
Tanaka and Lucien walked towards them. The hunters immediately sensed Tanaka’s aura. They looked fearful. Lucien stepped forward. "What kind of monsters?" he asked. The hunter hesitated. "Small," he said. "Green," added the other hunter. "Goblins?" Lucien asked. "Maybe," replied the first hunter. Tanaka narrowed his eyes. "Maybe?" he asked. "They attacked you. I don’t suppose you had time to look at them closely?" The hunter gave him a strange look. "Then how do you know they came from Eldoris?"
The hunter pointed at the settlement. "They were goblins!" He said. Tanaka shook his head. "There are more goblins in these woods than in Eldoris." The hunter opened his mouth to retort, but he seemed to have no words. Lucien looked at Tanaka. "When did the attack happen?" "Less than an hour ago," replied Tanaka. He called to Eldrin.
"Have any goblin patrols left Eldoris today?"
The Goblin Elder blinked. "No." He replied.
"Yesterday?" "No, Great One," said Eldrin.
Tanaka turned to Lucien. "There." He said.
Lucien nodded. He turned to the hunter.
"They weren’t from here." "But they were goblins!"
The hunter said shocked Lucien didn’t take his side. Lucien’s expression hardened. "Tell that to the people of Eldoris." He said. Calian stepped forward.
"Commander." He said. Lucien looked at him. "What?" he asked. Calian pointed at the forest. "You’re taking their word over a human hunter." Lucien shook his head. "No," He replied. "I’m not accusing anyone without proof."
Calian clenched his jaw. Tanaka watched him silently. The hunter looked down. Lucien turned to the hunters. "You should return to the capital and report what happened." He said. The hunter nodded.
"Yes, Commander." He replied. They were escorted away. Tanaka watched them leave.
Then he looked at Lucien. "You believe me." He said. Lucien shook his head. "I believe the evidence." He replied. Tanaka gave him a small smile. "Fair enough."
Calian said nothing. He looked around Eldoris. The roads, the watchtowers, the monsters, the children. Everything contradicted the words of the hunter. His frustration boiled inside him. He turned to Tanaka. "You expect us to believe this is peaceful?" He asked. Tanaka looked at him.
"No," replied Tanaka. Calian frowned. Tanaka continued. "I’m asking you to judge my people by their actions." "You have monsters living here," said Calian. "Yes," replied Tanaka. "Monsters have attacked humans," said Calian. "Yes," replied Tanaka again. "Then why should we believe your people are different?" Tanaka looked directly at him. "Because you haven’t found evidence that they attacked you." Calian’s expression darkened. "That’s convenient." Tanaka did not reply immediately. "If one of my people attacks a human settlement, bring me proof," He said."I won’t protect them," continued Tanaka. Calian was silent for a moment. Tanaka continued. "But don’t punish everyone in Eldoris for the actions of a few." Lucien looked at Tanaka. That was probably the most honest answer he had ever heard from the young monster. Tanaka did not believe in blind loyalty to his people.
He asked for justice.
Lucien looked around Eldoris again. He could see the Star Wolves standing guard at the inner walls. The Greater Kobolds watching the roads. The goblins working.
The Moonhares taking care of the gardens. The Greater Ogres carrying materials. The Kijin standing near the district. No one was attacking. No one was threatening the humans. They were all watching. Waiting. Lucien realized something. Tanaka did not prepare Eldoris for an attack. He prepared them to survive. But the arrival of the human army changed everything. It was no longer about survival. It was about defending against an invasion.
Tanaka turned to Lucien. "Take your army back," He said. Lucien looked at him. "You’re giving me orders?" Tanaka shook his head. "No," He replied. He looked at the soldiers outside the walls. "I’m giving you an option." Lucien said nothing. Tanaka continued. "If you leave, nothing will happen. If you stay..." His gaze met Lucien’s.
"My people will continue watching you. They won’t attack. They won’t chase you. But they also won’t lower their guard." Lucien looked at the Star Wolves. Then at the watchtowers. Then at the Kijin. He understood. Every single soldier in his army was being watched. Their weapons were being counted. Their every move was being observed. Eldoris did not want war. They only wanted to survive. Lucien turned to Tanaka. "What happens if the Kingdom orders us to stay?" He asked. Tanaka’s expression darkened. "Then we’ll deal with that problem when it arrives," He replied. Lucien studied him for a moment. Then he looked at the settlement again. It was a thriving place. Children played in the streets. The workers continued building. Life went on, as if nothing happened. Lucien realized something. The Kingdom did not come to investigate a monster infestation. It came to conquer. And from Eldoris’s perspective... The war had already begun.