The black sun hangs high

Chapter 39 The Giant-Eared Goblin and House No. 37
The armistice celebrations are drawing ever closer.

Therefore, Hugh and Violet's trip was not only to find the "Golden Boot Caravan" that appeared in the Legal Committee's records, but also to find a safe enough new shelter.

The escalating situation in the city subtly confirmed the judgment the two had made together—if there was truly no way to leave Seren, then they should try to find a place where they could safely weather the potential threats.

The speech in Love Square not only brought a new shock to the residents of Seren, but also sounded the alarm for Hughes once again.

The speeches given by Putrin and other young people in the square gave him a sense of déjà vu that was both absurd and terrifying.

Hughes couldn't tell whether this was just a misconception arising from his own preconceived notions.

But as he connected the dots of the surrounding situation he knew in his mind, a chilling premonition could not be dispelled.

Perhaps due to his anxiety, or perhaps for some other reason, Hugh found himself becoming impatient. He had felt this way before; for example, when playing games with long and frustrating storylines, he had thought more than once, "If I killed you all, the problem would be solved."

Unfortunately, he can't do that now.

Even if he replaced the crystal gun he carried with a crystal Gatling gun, he still wouldn't be able to completely solve all the problems at hand.

With mixed emotions, Hugh and Vera walked through the dense crowd, and after walking quite a distance, a street with a completely different style came into view.

The street in front of him was filled with all sorts of vehicles used to haul large quantities of goods. There were vehicles that used magic crystals, as well as simple but sturdy old-fashioned horse-drawn carriages. Of course, Hugh could also occasionally see a few new vehicles that were powered by a combination of steam and magic crystals.

This is the gathering place for caravans and merchant groups; merchants always like to congregate here.

Although there are far fewer people here than on streets lined with shops, the number is still considerable. Only those seasoned veterans who have been in the business world long enough know that if they want to buy truly high-quality goods at low prices, they should not go to those bustling shops, but head straight to the caravan camps.

Those who need to purchase large quantities of raw materials at once will especially come here first.

In such places, people can frequently see the giant-eared goblins.

This is a race known throughout Vaan for its stinginess and greed. As non-humans, they should have been strictly excluded from human society. However, throughout Vaan's long history, the giant-eared goblins have used their powerful talent in the realm of wealth to completely bind themselves to the human commercial sector.

Even the Legislative Council had to admit that removing the giant-eared goblins from the existing commercial system would have a serious impact on trade in a wide area.

However, this does not mean they will be welcomed by humans.

Even children know that these creatures with dark brown or green skin, huge ears, and a stature slightly taller than human children are treacherous and untrustworthy. Even in the Kingdom of Walter, which has a strong cooperative relationship with the giant-eared goblins, there are many fairy tales and fables that use them as villains.

"Oh! A tall guy!"

A short but ornately dressed goblin with huge ears was accidentally bumped into by Hugh. He let out a shrill howl, glared at Hugh, and then prepared to continue on his way.

However, Vera reached out and stopped him.

"A tall... lady!"

Faced with the female mage, whose demeanor remained distinctive despite her disguise, the giant-eared goblin merchant shrank back, forcibly shutting his mouth, and asked with an awkward and impatient smile, "What can I do for you?"

Hugh knew that Verine wasn't good at this kind of conversation, so to prevent her from using magic to pry into other people's thoughts at the drop of a hat, he directly took over Verine's words and asked, "Could you please show us the way? How do we get to the Golden Boot Caravan's camp?"

"Golden boots?"

Upon hearing the name, the goblin's enormous ears twitched twice, and he asked with his hands on his hips, "Whose golden boots are these?"

Before the two could react, they saw a contemptuous look on the giant-eared goblin's face: "We have too many golden boots here! Mandani's golden boots, Half-Ear's golden boots... there are at least a dozen caravans and merchant groups with the name 'Golden Boots.' Which one are you looking for?"

Hughes was dumbfounded.

He remembered that in the Vaan mythology stories he and his team had written, King Ruhr, known as the "God of Commerce and Trade," had always been an object of worship for merchants, and according to legend, this god always wore a pair of golden boots...

It is indeed very possible that the caravans of the giant-eared goblins would use such imagery to name their teams. After all, in their eyes, gold is the only aesthetic standard, and goblin caravans have never had any restrictions or constraints when naming themselves.

Vera shook her head and said, "Then do you know any caravan leaders who like to have their teeth set in silver?"

"Silver??"

"Yes, all his teeth have been replaced with silver ones."

"Those are Silver Fang Lyle's golden boots!"

The goblin yelled out a name that made one's fists hard, then raised his chin in one direction: "Those guys are at house number 37... Tch! A bunch of tasteless, heretical country bumpkins who love silverware... If they love silverware so much, why don't they change the name of their gold boots to silver boots!"

After demonstrating his strong aggression, he pushed aside Hugh, who was blocking his way, and hurriedly left.

In any case, they finally got the address, so Hugh and his companion followed the signs in front of the buildings and soon found a two-story house with a courtyard in a secluded corner, which was very much in the style of goblins.

However, the courtyard was deathly silent, without a sound. Violet rang the silver visitor bell hanging outside the gate twice, but after the crisp sound, there was still no movement from within. Whether it was psychological or simply the secluded nature of the place, the moment the two arrived at house number 37, the chaotic noise of the commercial district seemed to be completely shut out by an invisible wall. The distant prosperity was reduced to a faint, indistinct murmur, making the courtyard and mansion before them seem even quieter and more oppressive. The metal gate of house number 37 was adorned with an exquisite image of Kim Rul, the god of commerce; however, here, the image of this boot-wearing deity was also outlined in silver on the gate.

Just as the goblin had described, the "Silvertooth Lyle's Golden Boots" caravan was indeed an anomaly among the giant-eared goblins; these guys really loved silverware.

"Is no one here? Did they leave Seren on the same day they arrived?"

Vera muttered to herself. Seeing that no one was around, she picked up the spellbook and placed her palm on the door. A moment later, a very faint magical light flashed, followed by the sound of gears and chains turning. Then the tightly closed door slowly opened.

But at that moment, Hugh discovered that the magic disc in his mental world had begun to slowly rotate. Based on past experience, this was a sign that unknown risks and crises were approaching.

Although he still didn't understand the underlying principles of these signs based on intuition and perception, Hugh decided to adhere to the principle of caution to the end. So he quickly called out to the female mage who was about to explore the courtyard: "Miss Vilin, please be careful... something is wrong here."

Seeing that the other person was looking at him, Hugh explained, "Giant-eared goblins value wealth the most, so it's impossible for their stores not to have some protective magic. Although I haven't received any formal training, tricks like 'opening locks with a click' are taught in every magic academy, right? How could they be so negligent?"

This is a very reasonable explanation.

Vera nodded and said, "I didn't sense any magical rituals in operation on the gate and the courtyard wall... but I'm sure magic once existed on them for a long time."

Hughes reached for his waist and drew the crystal gun: "Does this mean those goblins maintained these protective rituals for a long time?"

"Well, goblins can inherit some magical talent to some extent. Although they may not be able to use magic normally, they should have no problem mobilizing a small amount of magic to maintain the ritual. Or they can use some inferior magic crystals. This is not difficult."

Vera placed her hand on the wall to feel around it, and then she confirmed, "Not long ago, the protective magical rituals set up here were still working, but until recently... they have temporarily stopped working because they have lost their daily maintenance and magic supply."

After a thorough inspection to confirm that there were no hidden dangers in the courtyard, the two entered one after the other. The air was filled with a slightly pungent smell due to the accumulation of magic crystals and magical items, but it was generally tolerable.

In this unusual stillness, any sound would be extremely noticeable. Hugh's gaze swept across the path in the courtyard, and he immediately noticed a new anomaly: the temperature had begun to drop, and the trees in Seren had long since begun to shed their leaves, and the trees in this courtyard were no exception.

But the strange thing is that the path in the courtyard is spotless, with not a single fallen leaf in sight—they have all been swept into a pile, seemingly ready to be taken away or buried.

This is no longer a sign that no one is there.

Fallen leaves don't automatically huddle together and form a pile.

"Crack...knock..."

A faint sound seemed to be coming from the other side of the mansion. Hugh and Verine exchanged a glance and then slowed their pace. Under the protection of Verine's protective magic, the two slowly made their way towards the direction from which the sound came.

Gradually, the sound became clearer, and the closer it got, the more confused Hugh became. He realized that it was the sound of someone pruning plants with garden shears... Could it be that the goblins of this caravan had indeed all left, leaving only a temporary worker responsible for cleaning to guard the gate?
It should be noted that mansions and courtyards are also considered goblin assets, and given their temperament, they would never allow such a thing to happen.

After bypassing an extravagantly large goblin statue placed on the side of the mansion, Hugh finally saw the source of the sound.

Right in front of the plants behind the house, a hunched-over goblin with dark brown skin and huge ears was idly trimming the branches of the bushes.

Perhaps due to his advanced age, the giant-eared goblin's movements were not very coordinated. His gardening skills were terrible, and the entire thicket was left jagged and uneven under the huge shears, looking almost like it had been chewed by a dog.

Under the cover of magic, Hugh and Verine moved with utmost lightness, but perhaps by chance, as they tried to approach, the old, giant-eared goblin suddenly turned around. He was ugly, with a sunken nose, a pursed mouth, drooping eyelids, and extremely loose, wrinkled skin, exuding a strong sense of disharmony.

"Even among giant-eared goblins, it's considered shockingly ugly."

Hughes silently assessed the situation in his mind before speaking, "Excuse me, we have some business to discuss with the Golden Boot Caravan, we didn't mean to intrude..."

The old goblin completely ignored what Hugh was saying. It pointed to itself and then shouted out a name at the top of its lungs: "Sergei!"

“Alright, Mr. Sergei.”

Hugh looked at the old goblin and repeated the purpose of their visit. Then he asked, "I would like to ask, where have the caravan members gone? Have they left Seren City?"

"Caravan...caravan."

Old Sergei held his gardening shears and snipped twice in the air, then muttered, "I don't know, I should probably leave. They never tell me anything. I'm only in charge of this area."

This is clearly not a proper answer.

So Hugh asked again, "So now you're the only one left at the base?"

Upon hearing this question, the old, giant-eared goblin lowered his head, his ugly face trembling violently. He seemed to have something to say, but in the end, he swallowed his words, looking both strange and pitiful.

"It's not just me, it's not just me... there are others too."

Old Sergei finally raised his head and pointed to the mansion next to him: "They're all inside."

Hughes noticed that two silver rings on Sergei's fingers were sparkling.

(End of this chapter)