Gringotts, England, Manager's Office.
"Ah, Carrick, Loken, it's good to see you two back!"
The goblin manager beamed at the two goblins sitting across from him.
They were unusually tall and sturdy for their kind but bore the marks of extreme age. Their skin resembled withered tree bark, etched with deep wrinkles that even their strong muscles couldn't support.
Unlike most goblins, the avarice in their eyes seemed subdued, replaced by a listless apathy.
The manager, unbothered, assumed the two old fellows were simply growing senile in their twilight years.
Or maybe they're just reminiscing about the good old days.
"I do apologize for pulling you out of retirement," the manager said, feigning crocodile tears—utterly insincere grief. As a greedy and selfish goblin, he couldn't care less about others, even his own kind.
"Sigh..."
The manager sighed dramatically. Seeing that the two old fellows remained unresponsive, he resorted to emotional manipulation. "As you know, Gringotts has been forced to lay off more and more of our excellent employees, leaving us facing a severe talent shortage. We have no choice but to recall some experienced veterans."
"..."
Carrick and Loken exchanged a glance.
The manager pressed on, "But I assure you! Your salaries will be...one and a half times what they used to be!"
"Uh...thank you?"
Carrick seemed utterly bewildered, displaying a remarkable talent for playing dumb.
The unexpected gratitude clearly confounded the manager.
Fortunately, Loken quickly picked up the slack. "He means that we are in need of employment, but...well, other places aren't exactly welcoming to goblins, you understand."
The manager's eyes gleamed with understanding. "Haha, of course...I mean, this is a mutually beneficial arrangement. I trust you two will readjust to working at Gringotts with ease."
He summoned his goblin secretary. "Please show Carrick and Loken to their stations."
"Yes, sir."
The secretary, sporting gold-rimmed glasses, approached Carrick and Loken. "This way, please."
The two goblins nodded slightly to the manager and followed the secretary out of the office.
Bang.
The office door slammed shut.
The manager opened a drawer, idly shuffling the Galleons within. "A couple of senile old fools. If only we had better options..."
...
They reached the interconnected underground vaults via mine cart.
"Gentlemen, your primary duty will be to escort clients to their designated vaults when needed."
The secretary led the two old goblins through the Gringotts underground network. "We conduct at least ten patrols daily to prevent unauthorized access and mitigate any potential financial losses to Gringotts."
At least ten times? Are they that afraid of losing money? And what do you mean by "loss of Gringotts' money"? That's OUR money! Carrick and Loken thought in unison.
As the mine cart plunged deeper, they arrived at the vault located in the deepest part of the underground complex, where a massive Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon resided.
The dragon's deep red eyes snapped open. Carrick and Loken instinctively shuddered when their gazes locked.
Fortunately, the dragon merely sniffed at them before closing its eyes once more.
Although enormous and even more robust than a typical adult dragon, it was ancient, and its strength had significantly waned. Now, its favorite pastime was napping.
Seeing that the dragon had no intention of attacking, the two old monsters breathed a collective sigh of relief.
But then they faintly heard the distinct clang of metal. The sound emanated from...below?
The secretary, noticing their inquisitive glances towards the mine cart, remained unfazed. "They are constructing a new vault down there, so there will be workers present for the foreseeable future. Nothing to worry about, though you may be asked to deliver supplies or parts occasionally."
The secretary seemed rather forthcoming.
But whether or not that's the complete truth remains to be seen.
Carrick's interest waned.
Loken, however, appeared thoughtful. He doubted it was merely a newly constructed vault. Even if it were, he would seize any opportunity to investigate.
Moreover, he had no intention of waiting to be "asked to deliver things" because he suspected that moment would never arrive.
They would have to act independently.
...
Back above ground.
The secretary escorted Carrick and Loken back to their designated break room.
The room was painted entirely in gold, with a distinctly metallic feel. Aside from a water heater bolted to the wall, the room stood practically bare, as if ransacked. The gold decor reeked of poverty.
Two bare metal beds stood side by side, devoid of blankets or pillows.
"Considering you two are a couple, we've prepared a shared lounge," the secretary announced as he entered.
"However, Gringotts does not supply furniture. You'll need to purchase items yourselves."
"..."
So stingy, even with employees. What a bunch of grasping dwarves.
Wait a minute...
"What did you just say about our relationship?"
Carrick and Loken's previously confused expressions morphed into utter disbelief.
"Couples? Didn't you two get together thirty years ago?"
The goblin secretary seemed genuinely surprised; he clearly recalled that was the relationship listed on their employee roster.
"..."
Loken recovered first. "Oh, it's nothing. I was just a little embarrassed hearing someone else say it."
"Hey, it's not a secret."
The secretary wore an "I understand" expression, then walked towards the door. "I still have work to do. You gentlemen take a rest."
As he opened the door, he turned back to remind them, "By the way, the lunch break is only two hours. Work resumes in the afternoon."
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