Free Web NovelChapter 64: Chapter 58: The Storm is Coming
"Try it on," Philip said without expression, holding a skirt barely half the size of his palm. "You know this isn’t a request."
In front of him was an exquisite, gilded metal bird perch. Curled up on it was a slender, young, female little goblin, a little over ten centimeters tall. She had fair skin, fiery red hair, and four dragonfly-like, translucent wings drooping listlessly behind her. An iron chain bound one of her ankles to the perch.
"Hurry up. I’m not very patient," Philip said coldly.
The little goblin didn’t even glance at him, simply sitting there on her own. Though she was so small Philip could crush her in one hand, she still paid him no mind.
After a few seconds, Philip put down the miniature skirt and picked up a Magic Metal Rod instead.
He pressed the metal rod against the perch. A current instantly surged through it, making the little goblin tremble all over and wail in agony.
"Change into it," Philip commanded. The perch’s structure was simple, with no cover, only three platforms for resting and holding sugar water. If the female little goblin wanted to change into the skirt, she would undoubtedly have to do it...
After screaming in pain, the little goblin tried desperately to flap her wings and fly away from the perch, but the thin iron chain held her back.
"BZZT!" Another jolt of electricity shot through her. The little goblin wailed as she fell, swaying limply like a butterfly larva unable to break from its chrysalis, trapped in its cocoon, waiting for death in the wind.
"Young Master Philip." A slightly aged voice interrupted Philip.
He put down the Magic Metal Rod and said coldly, "I expect you to have it on by the time I return. And learn that song I taught you yesterday, quickly. My patience is wearing thin."
Then, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked out of the room. "Let’s talk in the reception room, Yu Le."
The two went into the adjacent reception room. Yu Le closed the door and immediately approached Philip, saying ingratiatingly, "We’ve received a reply from the Prince."
"Oh? What did it say?" Philip rang a service bell twice, and a maid immediately pushed the door open a crack.
"Coffee," he ordered curtly, then looked at Yu Le, whose temples were streaked with gray.
"The Third Prince didn’t give a definite answer. The entire letter was spent discussing the aristocratic life in Plantagenet City with the Count," Yu Le said. He then got up, took the tray from the maid at the door, closed it, and returned to his spot.
"The Count says he’s very cunning and won’t make any promises without seeing a benefit." He poured coffee for Philip first, then stood to the side.
"So, what is Father’s intention?" Philip asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
"The Count wants to send you to the Royal Capital to meet the Third Prince, but we don’t have a suitable welcoming gift," Yu Le said. "The original plan was to procure a few Intermediate Beast Cores from the Adventurer Association, but I went to ask, and Beast Cores have been scarce these past few months. There are none on the Black Market, either."
"What if we don’t use Beast Cores?" Philip asked. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"It would be difficult. The Count says that if the Valentine Clan wants to escape its fate as a border territory and advance further, the coming year will be a once-in-a-century opportunity. We need to actively foster good relations with Plantagenet City, but none of the nobles there are easy to deal with. The Count has already decided to levy an additional tax on the domain, and we also need to deepen our connection with the Third Prince."
As the next heir of the Valentine Clan, Philip Valentine knew full well how desperately his father—Count Valentine—wanted to escape the plight of being a Border Count. Their territory was small, far from the Royal Capital, and bordered the Nightmare Forest. If not for some common iron ore they could mine and sell, their domain’s income would be even lower than that of a coastal Barony.
"So Father sent you to ask me?" Philip set down his coffee cup and glanced up at Yu Le.
"Yes. The Count wants to ask if you know of any fine things that are scarce in Plantagenet City but that we can obtain here."
’A few things,’ Philip thought for a moment. "They don’t lack live goblins, and they don’t care for other Monsters. But there is one thing that would suit their tastes perfectly."
Yu Le didn’t speak, instead assuming an expression of someone ready to listen intently.
"Little goblins. Many nobles in the Royal Capital want to keep a little goblin as a pet," Philip said with a smile, picking up his coffee cup again.
"Little goblins?" Yu Le asked.
"Yes. They’re kept like ornamental birds. They can fly, sing, and talk to relieve boredom, and they’re intelligent. The nobles greatly enjoy the feeling of taming them," Philip said with certainty. "Female little goblins are more expensive, but some noblewomen also keep male ones."
"But they’re very rare. Should we commission the Adventurer Association to..." In Yu Le’s memory, he had almost never seen a merchant selling little goblins.
"No, that would be too much trouble. The Count’s Mansion cannot be directly involved," Philip refused flatly.
Just then, there was a knock on the reception room door. The maid outside spoke softly, "Young Master, the leader of the Storm Brotherhood requests an audience."
Philip nodded and ordered, "Let them in."
A few minutes later, the sound of CLOMP CLOMP CLOMP came from the hallway, and several burly men with rough skin, dressed in high-end formal wear, pushed the door open and entered.
"Honored Young Master Philip, good day." They bowed respectfully.
"Hello, Matel," Philip greeted casually from his seat on the sofa.
"We’ve come to see you because we are about to depart for Yangjiao Town. We were wondering if there is anything you need us to handle," the Brotherhood’s leader, Matel, inquired with a slight bow.
"Departing so soon?" Philip put down his empty coffee cup, and Yu Le, standing nearby, immediately stepped forward to refill it.
"Yes. We have been searching for a long time, but the traitor Shire Merlot is still nowhere to be found. Winter is coming, so we need to go into the forest to clear out the goblins. We will return after the operation is complete," Matel replied in a clear voice.
"Alright. Maintaining the security of the domain is indeed important. I hope you return triumphant. I’ll have someone take you to get some supplies later."
"Thank you for your generosity. What can we do for you?" Matel asked, placing a hand on his chest and bowing his head.
"There is one thing, actually," Philip said, picking up his coffee cup and sniffing its aroma. "Help me capture some young little goblins. Their bodies and wings must be intact. Gender doesn’t matter. The more, the better."
"Yes, I understand," Matel answered with a nod. "If you have no other requests, we will take our leave."
Philip didn’t look at them or speak, simply leaning back on the sofa and drinking his coffee.
After bowing, Matel and his men withdrew from the reception room.
"Can we rely on them?" Yu Le asked.
"Yu Le, you’ve been the Captain of the Guard for the Count’s Mansion for so long. Don’t you know that some things can only be done by people like them?" Philip said calmly, crossing his legs. "If we don’t want those sanctimonious bastards from the Earth and Life Church showing up at our door, this is the only way."
"Very well. In that case, Young Master Philip, I will go report back to the Count," Yu Le said with a nod, then turned and left.
’A once-in-a-century opportunity?’ Philip mused. He put down his cup, stood up, and rang the service bell. He then instructed the maid at the door to clean the room and, as an afterthought, to give the rug Matel and his men had walked on to Yu Le.
He then went into the inner room and looked at the little goblin on the perch.
"I told you I wasn’t patient." He picked up the Magic Metal Rod.
