Chapter 75 The Subjugation Of The Goblin King (9) The Lair

They galloped their horses at full speed and arrived at their targeted point, the back entrance of the goblin king's lair. It's an entrance that seems to be naturally made for transporting, but differs from the main entrance, the back entrance of the mine is smaller.

"Seems like the Golden Thrills entered this place as well," Ravia commented at the sight in front of the back entrance.

There are corpses of goblins and hobgoblins scattered in front of the back entrance, and all of their ears had already been taken. They didn't leave even a single goblin with their ears.

(Not wasting even a penny, huh?) (Lyan)

They tied the horses to nearby trees and approached the mine entrance.

Lyan's eyes wandered from the goblin corpses towards the Valkyries, and towards William and the Astellian group. There is a clear distance between them which is obvious how the Valkyries are keeping their distance from them. Not only towards them, but the Valkyries are also starting to keep distance from him as well.

(Their hatred run deep, huh? But it's not my business, I guess. I doubt we'll meet again after this quest is finished anyway) (Lyan)

But the problem is, the strange atmosphere is spreading not only in his surroundings, but inside his head as well. Ever since Griselda uttered 'Prince...' from inside the grimoire's space, she refrain from giving any other comments, not even her usual snide remarks. Maybe because of that, none of the spirits are giving out any comments.

(Those [Crows] guys. As expected, they are not her killer, huh... But at least, I got some information regarding her from that event) (Lyan)

Their strength is too weak to be the killer of Griselda, and Griselda would have asked him to summon her if they were her killers. She seems to have a special relationship with the prince. When the leader of the [Crows] mentioned her name and insulted her, Julius and William reacted quite strongly towards it.

(Commander, huh...) (Lyan)

"We'll be now entering the goblin king's lair. But starting now, we'll be acting not as one group, but several groups," (Alice)

"Several groups?" (Julius)

"Yes. I'm sorry, but I have no intentions of leaving my back to people I can't trust, after all. As you have your prince that you need to protect, we have our lives that we need to protect. As long as our goal of killing the goblin king is achieved, everything will still be good, no?" (Alice)

Alice didn't hide her hostility towards the Astellian group when she say her words. There are some knights that got pissed by her remarks, but Julius and William prevent them from doing anything offensive towards the Valkyries.

"You're right. Let's go with that," (William)

(Now that I thought about it, should I call him William or Erich? Well, your highness should be more appropriate, I guess) (Lyan)

"Raine, Ravia, you'll be in our group. But you, I'm sorry, but we don't trust you enough, Evocatore," Alice points at Lyan.

(That's understandable. It seems that I have totally become an Astellian-friendly guy in their eyes. It can't be helped) (Lyan)

"Um. We'll- Lyan?" As Raine is about to refuse their offer, Lyan holds her arm.

"Join them," (Lyan)

"Y-Yes..." Raine replied in reflex when she saw Lyan's stern look.

(It's not easy for me to protect them while holding back, after all) (Lyan)

"Then we'll be entering," (Surena)

With Surena and the Valkyries in the front, we entered the goblin king's lair. Since there are no sounds of metals colliding or signs of wars around the mine, the main army, and the Astellian army must have succeeded in taking the attention of the goblins. They must have sent most of their forces to intercept them.

(It seems that the ones that lured the goblins to our positions are those [Crows] as well. No wonder we keep on encountering a big group of goblins rather than just their reconnaissance force) (Lyan)

Lyan takes a glance at William, or rather, at the crown prince Erich.

(He seems to see something in me. It's very likely that he has magic eyes, but he shouldn't be able to determine my summoning grimoire. As long as I don't show that many of my cards, he wouldn't have the proof to say I'm a summoner. It will be bad if someone like him knows about my identity as a summoner, after all) (Lyan)

Even though Lyan could feel that Erich seems to be a good egg with great skills in scheming and fighting, it's still unknown what he might situation he might drag him into by using the knowledge of him being a summoner.

(It's better to avoid such risks) (Lyan)

"Looks like most of the goblins guarding this entrance had gotten eliminated, huh..." (Emilia)

They have walked for several minutes, and all they met are corpses of goblins along the way. They know that Mythril-ranked mercenaries are strong, and it's possible for them to slay the goblin king, but none of them look like they believe that the Golden Thrill had killed the goblin king.

As they entered deeper into the mine, their body tensed up even further. None of them know the reason except for one man.

(The malice in the air is getting thicker and thicker with each step. I could feel it... Despair, Anger, and Hatred coming from inside...) (Lyan)

With his swords unsheathed from the start, Lyan proceeds with extra caution as he sharply observes the passage of the mine. The other groups realized how much he raised his wariness, all of them saw how his wariness saved the elite group several times, and they decided not to let their guard down because of the goblin corpses around them.

After walking for several minutes, the passage turns another way, and at the end of the passage, they could see light coming from an entrance at the end of the passage. There are two goblin corpses that seem to be the guards of the entrance lying at the corners.

They slowly went to take a peek to see what was beneath the entrance, but the sight made all of them widen their eyes.

"You must be kidding me..." Emilia uttered in disbelief at the sight.

(This... It's the first time I saw something like this...) (Hestia)

The other spirits' gasps of surprise sounded inside his mind as his eyes sharply observe the scene before him. Rather than a room, what the entrance connected to is two stairs running to below of them, leading to a very huge space as wide and spacious as a stadion below.

There are lots of holes that seem to be connected to rooms of various uses, and it's very likely that the goblin lair is far bigger than they originally thought in the beginning.

There are goblins clad in armor and holding spears standing neatly while at the center of the furthest end of the huge space, there is a huge chair that seems to be a throne. The figure sitting on it has a body bigger than the red goblin champion they've encountered before and is wearing a shaman's robe, while there are six goblins that seem to be goblin champions, but their skin color is strangely black-colored.

"This is the goblin king's lair...?" A bitter smile appeared on Erich's face as he stared at the sight before them.

"Having this kind of force inside our borders might lead to great disaster, your highness. It's unknown how bigger their number will be if we let them be," (Julius)

"You're right. We have to-" (Erich)

!?!?!?

As Erich conversed with Julius, the elite group saw the goblin king turn its head towards their direction, and its black eyes stared at them as it made a displeased face.

"Did we got noticed? Where is the Golden Thrill? The goblins lying dead behind us are all the ones they killed, right?" (Alice)

!?!?!?!?

As if responding to Alice's question, the goblin king pointed his index finger at Lyan and company and said something to the black goblin champions surrounding it.

The elite group immediately withdraw their heads to hide, but a loud roar suddenly resounded.

"W-What is this?" (Raine)

"I don't know. But this is definitely not a good news," (Ravia)

"What should we do, Rena?" (Alice)

"We should first withdraw-" (Surena)

*Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!*

Countless sound of footsteps sounded coming from behind them. And before long, a flood of green goblins started to gushing out, blocking their way.

As they ready themselves for a breakthrough, suddenly a goblin champion running in their direction slams its club towards the ceilings above, trying to bury them alive.

"Tch!"

(They are preventing us from running...) (Lyan)

The elite group has no choice but enter the huge spacious room where an army of goblins and the goblin king are in. They skillfully land on the ground, but the army of goblins standing by inside immediately take their stance and surrounds them.

"W-What should we do, Rena...?"

___________________________________________________________________________

Name: Lyan Arkanium Evocatore

Occupation: Gold-ranked Mercenary

Money: 49,722,400 Elnes

Weapon: None

Equipment: Black leather cloak, Leather Armor, 1 (Decent) One-handed Sword, 2 (Good-Quality) One-handed swords, 2 Health Potions, 2 Poison Vials

Grimoire's Companions: 8 High Spirits, Shadow Hobgoblin, Papilio Slime, Galewing Butterfly, Rock Golem, Deadlight, Moonlight Butterfly, Ice Golem