“Sit, my new friend, how do you feel about the idea of starting our own empire?”

The question reverberated in the [Goblin Commander]'s mind like the tolling of a church bell, carrying with it worrisome and wild implications. Was the [Noble Goblin] suggesting betrayal of the [Goblin Empire]? Treason of the highest order. The mere idea filled him with outrage and pity— who in their right mind would entertain such a thought? The [Queen] watched over everything, her eyes and magic permeating every living goblin. Referring to her as the true god of goblins wouldn't be an exaggeration, and the mere mention or contemplation of betraying the empire she had built would unleash the wrath of the [House of Magi] and all the other houses, hunting down whoever dared to harbor such notions.

His face contorted through a myriad of emotions and expressions as he grappled with the rage boiling inside him and the rational part of his mind. The absence of an impending deathly reaction suggested that something unusual was at play. There was an oddity about this place, something that prevented the reach of the [Queen]'s magic, rendering it unable to sweep through and eavesdrop on their current conversation or discern the thoughts of the two individuals.

This didn't bring him comfort; instead, it stirred an ocean of dread within him. What awaited him once he left this isolated room? Would he face instant death the moment he stepped out of the [House of Steam]? Regret washed over him like a relentless tide. Conversing with the [King] seemed a far more preferable option than contemplating treason. Despite the wicked and harsh nature of the [Goblin Empire], he had devoted 50 years of his life to it, receiving handsome rewards for his service.

But the more he thought about it, the more he felt himself thinking of accepting, he loved the [Goblin Empire], there was no doubt about that but there was a lot of room for improvement, power was only in the hands of a single individual; the [Queen], and as much as the [Noble Goblins] would want to disagree, that simply wasn’t the case, the [Queen] could wake up and wipe the [Goblin Empire] off the face of the earth if she chose to do so, many [Goblin Scholars] suspected she did just that many times in the past.

Thousands of ancient ruins and corpses, belonging to both [Goblins] and other unknown species, littered the landscape of the [Goblin Empire]. Many harbored suspicions that the present [Goblin Empire] had been constructed upon the graveyard of bygone empires. These civilizations, for reasons unknown, failed to meet some elusive criteria and were consequently erased from history by the [Queen].

The [Queen] extended an illusion of freedom to the [Noble Goblins] and their houses. However, even they were aware that it was not genuine freedom. To his knowledge, none had ventured as far as he was currently. Over his 50 years of service, he had witnessed the demise of many [Noble Goblins], whether through public execution or the downfall of entire houses, including a large one like the [House of Bones].

Gobbroto’ka had witnessed both facets of the [Goblin Empire] and had long since accepted the fact that change was impossible without the [Queen] and her puppet, the [King]. Even then, the decision ultimately rested with her, and only the [King] could raise her for anything. The last time she rose was 20 years ago when the [House of Bones] was discovered to be plotting the downfall of the [Goblin Empire] and was personally struck down by her. He could still remember that day with crisp clarity. It was a sight he would never forget. One moment, there was the manor of the [House of Bones], and then it was devoured by a blackness the likes he had never seen before. The sky split apart, and a massive eye composed of screaming [Goblins] of all varieties and sizes peered down on the world below. From the eye fell a single tear drop darker than the fabled void itself.

The drop expanded and rapidly devoured the [House of Bones], and everything associated with the house burst into spectral black flames that shot into the sky and fused with the eye.

The eye then blinked once, casting an eerie stillness over the world. The screams of all those fused to it intensified before abruptly ceasing, along with the closure of the crack in reality.

Gobbroto’ka shuddered as he recalled the buried memory. Would this happen to him if he proceeded any further? The thought alone almost made him say no, but he held his tongue. He was likely still going to die even if he said no and went to the [King]. The information he held about the anomalous [Dungeon Core] was likely a state secret at this point, and the [King] and all the other [Noble Goblins] would see him as a loose end that needed to be fixed.

It was bold of him to even assume he would be able to leave here at all if he refused the current offer. Gobbroto’ka was a man who loved his life and freedom and would do anything to retain those. Earning true freedom along the way would be a nice bonus, and this was a way to achieve it. Whatever the [Noble Goblin] in front of him had to offer must be doable for him to reach this far and not be outed already.

It was high time the [Goblin Empire] changed anyway. A breath of fresh air—anything to brush away the stale and oppressive atmosphere that constantly hung over it. The tyrannical rule of the [Queen] had to end, or at least be changed in some way. If not, a new empire with different rules and morals would be formed, for the betterment of all [Goblins].

The [Goblin Commander] steadied his trembling body and turbulent mind, reaching for a cup of hot green tea before giving his answer to the [Noble Goblin].

“Yes, that sounds very enticing.”