Episode 9: Chaos"There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry."
Doctor Goblin spoke. The physician who had been checking the pulse bowed his head.
Even to my untrained eyes, the Chieftain appeared beyond saving.
His entire body's skin was charred black.
Fourth-degree burns covering every layer of skin.
By the goblins' medical standards - which couldn't even touch modern medicine's toes -
it was already a miracle they'd kept him breathing this long.
"How long can the Chieftain survive?"
A goblin standing behind asked. He'd been the first to enter when the Chieftain screamed.
Apparently the head of security responsible for the Chieftain's protection.
"At most a month. At worst... he could die tomorrow."
Life hung by a thread. With bad luck, death could come tomorrow.
If the Chieftain died, responsibility would fall on him.
The goblin's eyes darted nervously.
I could practically see his brain working overtime to shift blame elsewhere.
"Then what caused this atrocity against the Chieftain?"
"Exposure to extreme heat. Since there were no fire sources in the Chieftain's chambers, we suspect magic was involved."
"Ha! Then the mage must be responsible! Arrest every magic-user immediately!"
The Guard Captain shouted.
Soldiers moved to obey.
With the Chieftain hovering between life and death, this man seemed to hold the highest authority now.
'Magic Stones. I need to consume more Magic Stones.'
I followed the soldiers.
The Mage's mansion. More Magic Stones would surely be there.
I clung to the shield of the rearmost soldier.
Shifting position, I moved to the inner side where the handgrip was.
Since it didn't touch my skin directly, I felt no discomfort,
and it provided perfect concealment from outside observers.
The soldiers exited the castle.
Torchlight illuminated the dark streets.
I witnessed the civilization built by goblins.
Shabby dwellings barely worthy of being called houses.
Most were crudely constructed from straw or animal hides.
Some goblins lived in dugout tunnels.
Occasionally a proper house appeared, but these were rare exceptions.
Kieeeek!
A scream echoed from a tunnel.
A blood-soaked goblin burst out, running toward the soldiers as if begging for help.
But the soldiers shoved him aside.
Another goblin emerged from the tunnel.
He held a bloodstained knife.
Apparently attempting to butcher the first goblin for food.
The victim was dragged back inside. Final screams reached us.
The soldiers paid no mind to this open murder.
"Shouldn't we punish this?"
Well, one soldier did care.
But not out of compassion - only because it violated the Chieftain's prohibition decree.
"We're on critical duty. No time for trivial matters."
The rebuke was swift. Not a flicker of hesitation among the troops.
'These bastards really are monsters.'
I reaffirmed that goblins were indeed creatures of horror.
Every member of their species was sociopathic and psychopathic.
The soldiers reached the mansion. Not castle-sized, but impressively large for a residence.
Guards blocked their path.
"What business brings you here at this hour?"
"We arrest a suspect in the Chieftain's assassination!"
"Assassin? Has the Chieftain died?"
A soldier shoved aside the blocking guard.
The unprepared guard looked utterly bewildered.
Anticipating possible combat, I detached from the shield.
Hid in a shadowed corner where light didn't reach.
"What is the meaning of this nocturnal disturbance?"
The Mage emerged from the mansion, confusion plain on his face.
"You're under arrest for the Chieftain's assassination."
Soldiers surrounded him.
"Assassin? Me? You're gravely mistaken!"
His protests fell on deaf ears.
The soldiers dragged him away.
"The Chieftain's killer? Our Family Head assassinated the Chieftain?"
"What will become of us now?"
Chaos erupted in the mansion. Servants panicked.
I slipped inside during the confusion. Entered what appeared to be the Family Head's Chamber.
Discovered numerous Magic Stones on the desk.
I swallowed as many as my body could absorb.
No matter how many I consumed, the mana increase remained constant.
+10 was sufficient - I resisted greed.
'Where should I hide these?'
I needed my own secret stash for future use.
I indulged in pleasant scheming.
"Who killed the Chieftain! Was it you?"
A roar shook my body.
"No sir!"
"Nothing's confirmed yet! Control yourself!"
Looking outside, I saw a sword-wielding goblin causing havoc.
He swung his blade at servants. Guards restrained him.
More guards poured from the mansion.
Over ten in number.
"Ha! Your days of holding your heads high are over! Prepare to die!"
The sword-goblin blustered weakly before the superior force. An empty threat.
After shouting bravado, he fled the mansion.
The situation would've been laughable if not for the grim atmosphere.
I exited the Family Head's Chamber.
'Should I create greater chaos?'
I stalked the sword-goblin as he headed toward deserted alleys.
"Hahaha, this is my chance to eliminate all those bastards."
With no witnesses, the goblin burst into mad laughter.
The faction conflict I'd seen at the council meeting was clearly severe.
I gathered mana.
A massive fireball materialized.
The same inferno that had instantly killed the Chieftain.
"Huh?"
The swordsman noticed too late.
Before he could react, flames engulfed him.
Boom.
A thunderous explosion. Roaring flames.
Unlike with the Chieftain, I threw a second fireball to ensure the kill.
Boom.
This should definitely have finished him.
I fled before other goblins arrived.
* * * * *
"Karkan-nim! The Chieftain has been assassinated!"
"What?"
Karkan rose from bed.
"How did he die?"
"Well, technically not dead yet - but certain to die soon!"
The muscle-brained subordinate couldn't deliver a proper report.
"Good. Then there's hope."
But Karkan thought similarly.
Unless instantly killed, recovery was always possible.
Having repeatedly cheated death himself, Karkan saw mortal peril as surmountable.
"No, he's truly at death's door."
The subordinate corrected. Unable to explain properly in one attempt, he continued:
"Oh no, Chieftain!"
Karkan finally understood. He dressed hastily and rushed to the castle.
Though fiercely competitive and self-aware of his stupidity,
even he knew the Chieftain's death would spell disaster.
Despite differing opinions, the Chieftain had mediated conflicts to prevent societal collapse.
"Worthless fool! Can't even protect properly!"
After seeing the Chieftain's condition, Karkan grabbed the Guard Captain's collar.
He growled like a beast ready to devour its prey.
"It was unavoidable! The mages set magical traps without my knowledge!"
The Guard Captain protested. Magic - power granted to few. To laymen, it seemed capable of anything.
"We've imprisoned the mages in the Underground Prison. Interrogate them yourself!"
"Fine. I'll handle the questioning."
Karan Kal headed to the Underground Prison.
The Mage sat pitifully confined.
Despite his wretched state, his appearance remained dignified.
His family was prestigious.
They avoided torture methods.
"Have you come? Unbelievable as it sounds, this wasn't my magic."
The Mage spoke calmly.
"Expect me to believe that? Are there other mages in this city besides you? Has the barrier sealing our entrance vanished?"
City mages were few.
All fell under the Mage's influence.
"Why would I kill the Chieftain?"
"You might have reasons we don't know. Or no reason at all. Must murder always have motive?"
"I was home when the Chieftain was attacked."
"Those magical stones exist. You could've used them somehow."
"I've never even entered the Chieftain's chambers."
"You could've bribed servants to plant stones there!"
"Magic doesn't work that way."
The debate reached stalemate, replaying their council meeting conflict.
"Regardless, all city mages answer to you. Thus this incident is your responsibility! No new mages could appear with the barrier intact! By city law, you'll answer for this!"
Karan Kal shouted. The Mage fell silent.
Circumstantially, Karan Kal was right. Though unjust, responsibility lay with the Mage.
All magic-users were under his influence.
He bore partial responsibility for the Chieftain's death.
"...Understood. I'll capture the assassin and present him."
He yielded. Minimizing damage required compromise.
With the Mage conceding first, Karan Kal eased pressure.
'At least the prohibition can be lifted.'
The assassin's identity wasn't the priority now.
Quelling chaos quickly mattered most.
Prolonged disorder could collapse their fragile system.
Frame some mage, close the case.
Elect new leadership, restore order.
This was his desired outcome.
"Karan Kal-nim! Karkan-nim has been killed! Same method as the Chieftain's assassination."
"Mages were attacked by those seeking bloody vengeance."
"Mages used magic! Heavy casualties on our side!"
Hearing subordinates' reports, Karan Kal's face hardened.
His plan shattered.
Chaos hadn't been contained - it had exploded.
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