The Forest Feeds No Idle Goblins

’Did the Mother Tree send this guy to find me?’ Shire stared at the strange creature before him. He could clearly sense that the other party was also on guard.

"Yes, Chief." Buck Teeth nodded. Just as he was about to leave the Tree-man Region earlier, he had suddenly heard a voice telling him to go back.

So, after a bit of a detour, he successfully met the Naga before him.

The Naga had seemed deeply wary of him at the time, even deliberately keeping his distance. If the Mother Tree hadn’t told Buck Teeth that the creature bore no ill will, he might have already ordered the surrounding goblins to prepare for battle.

But from start to finish, the Naga had only said one thing: "I want to see your leader."

And so, here Shire was, meeting this odd-looking fellow by the Teleportation Gate.

He had the head of a fish, with four long, fleshy barbels framing his mouth. In place of ears were two fin-like organs. A long dorsal fin ran from the crown of his head all the way down his back, cutting through his shoulder-length blue hair. His humanoid upper body was covered in scales, and his large hands had webbed fingers. His lower body was entirely serpentine, though not particularly long, with another short fin on his tail.

’What a look,’ Shire thought, sizing up the creature. ’And he’s wearing a dark green leather tunic, with a big barrel on his back?’

"You’re their leader?" the Naga before him asked, his eyes fixed on Shire.

Shire nodded. "I am."

"My name is Pazani, the Naga Prince." The Naga introduced himself, but his posture suggested he was still faintly hostile toward the surrounding goblins. "The Mother Tree sent me to find you."

"The Mother Tree... what did she tell you?" Shire asked.

"The Mother Tree only said that you would help us," Pazani replied bluntly.

"Help you?" Shire frowned. ’Why would the Mother Tree just dump this on me? Some fish crawls out of who-knows-what puddle, calls himself a prince, and demands my help.’

"I’m sorry, I have no idea why the Mother Tree would suggest that," he said with a shrug, holding his hands out. "But look at me. I’m just a goblin. Frankly, I’m probably less than half your length. I don’t think I have the Ability to help you."

"Right." Pazani nodded. "That’s good enough."

’Well, I’ve followed the Mother Tree’s advice,’ he muttered to himself. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he pulled a piece of animal hide from inside his leather tunic.

’I did what it said, it’s not going to change again, is it?’ Pazani unfolded the hide, then exhaled in frustration. "I knew it! Now it says, ’Do your utmost to persuade him.’"

"Persuade me of what?" Shire was completely baffled. He had no idea what this Naga was talking about. ’This guy seems a little slow,’ he thought.

"My coming-of-age trial." Pazani stuffed the hide away, looking annoyed. "I have to do whatever it says. I’m only considered an adult after I complete the trial."

"You’re this..." Shire trailed off as he looked at the Naga before him. He really wanted to say, ’A big, brawny guy like you isn’t an adult yet?’

"We Naga just live for a very long time," Pazani said, glancing at the goblin and instantly understanding the question in his eyes. "So, please, help my people."

"Uh, can you at least tell me about your situation first?" A corner of Shire’s mouth twitched. "Even if I were to help, I’d need to know what’s going on."

"Oh." Pazani nodded eagerly. "I’ll explain it now. The Naga Race, we live in..."

"And? Where do you live?" Shire eyed the creature, wondering why he had stopped mid-sentence.

Pazani pulled a Pocket Watch from a pocket in his tunic and flicked the cover open with his thumb. "Five..."

"Five?" Shire blinked. "Five what? The Five Great Pools?"

"Four," Pazani continued to count. "Three... two... one."

Then, to Shire’s utter astonishment, he tucked the Pocket Watch away and asked, "It’s my break time. Do you happen to sell food here?"

Shire stood dumbfounded for a few seconds before he managed to respond. "Weren’t you just telling me about your Naga Race?"

"Yes." Pazani nodded. "But it’s break time now."

"But aren’t you the Prince of your people?"

"I am, but it’s my break time."

"But didn’t you need my help?"

"We do, but we can talk about that later. It’s break time. No work talk during break time."

Shire was absolutely floored. It was the first time in this Otherworld he had ever met someone who prioritized their personal schedule over important matters.

And the craziest part was that this guy was a Prince.

A Prince—what a noble title. The three princes back in Plantagenet City were probably going to be at each other’s throats by next year, yet this Prince was here talking about his break time.

"Heh." The corner of Shire’s mouth twitched. "We certainly offer food. But what will you be paying with?"

Pazani once again rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a few small items. "My apologies, I wasn’t sure if you had a currency. But seeing as your people can command those giant ants and I reached you through this Teleportation Gate, I figured your society must be somewhat developed."

"These are pearls cultivated by the Naga Race," he said, holding out a few pink pearls. "I imagine this should be enough to pay for a meal."

Shire’s eyes fell on the two pink pearls in the Naga’s palm. They were large, each nearly two centimeters in diameter, and possessed a brilliant luster. Even here in the Fortress, under the faint glow of the blue Mushrooms overhead, they were stunningly beautiful.

"That’s enough," he said with a calm nod. Back in Torch City, he had seen plenty of people dealing in pearls, some of them quite large. But these two weren’t just big; they were colored, pink pearls. They were certainly more than enough to pay for a meal.

"Perfect timing. We were about to eat ourselves," Shire said with a smile. "Your Highness, do you have any preferences as to where or what you’d like to eat?"

Pazani thought for a moment before replying, "Something simple will be fine. I would like some fish, if possible. Live fish is also acceptable. As for anything else... please, no rats, insects, or frogs."

"Oh, fish," Shire nodded. "We have that. All you can eat."

He quickly turned to Buck Teeth. "Go tell Bai Mao to add an extra portion of smoked fish for lunch. Have him start on it right now."

"But aren’t we having pan-fried Shape-shifting Monster patties for lunch?" Buck Teeth asked, completely bewildered.

Shire noticed the Naga Prince beside them frown slightly and immediately said, "Our guest wants fish."