Dungeon Core Academy: Books 1-7 (A LitRPG Series) by Alex Oakchest (book suggestions txt) 📕

“I see you’ve been working on your charm.”

“We need to talk. Please take a …please float on my level, Beno.”

I didn’t move. “I’m confused about why you need to bring six armed goblins down here if you just want to have a chin wag. I don’t bring a swarm of fire beetles with me every time I visit Yondersun.”

“Take your arse off the coals, Beno. My lads are not here to tear the place apart. They’re for my protection. You see, last week, a representative from the Silkers merchant guild visited Yondersun. They wanted to set up a guildhall in our town.”

“Surely that can only be a good thing? They’re one of the biggest merchant guilds around. The commerce they’d bring…”

Reginal slammed the table with his palm. Then he bit his lip, clearly trying to hide the fact that it had hurt him.

“They bring political instability!” he thundered. “Every city, every province those slimy Silkers set up in, governors lose their seats, dukes wind up getting turfed out of their castles, lords lose their bloody heads!”

“Xynnar really needs to arrive at a simple, uniform titling system,” I said.

“Assassinations. Bribes. Shady deals, blackmail, threats. No, Beno. I won’t have the Silkers in Yondersun, no matter how much money they offer. They’d begin by helping grow our economy, and end by controlling every inch of the damn town.”

“Sometimes a leader must do things that he finds distasteful.”

“Not me! I will not deal with those…I want to say leeches, but that would be an insult to leeches!”

“Gary would agree with you,” I said. “What does Chief Galatee think about this?”

“She isn’t best pleased with my reaction. But then, she spent most of her life underground, didn’t she? Quite literally. She doesn’t know the world as I do. Alas, my experience doesn’t matter, because neither of us can overrule the other.”

This was interesting. Galatee was the chief of the Wrotun clan, and Reginal chief of the Eternals. After decades of conflict, they’d merged to become one clan, united within the walls of their new town. Along with the founding and flourishment of Yondersun, it had seemed peaceful times were ahead.

Now, it looked like there were cracks in the foundations of their alliance. I didn’t want to upset things too much since my dungeon was directly below Yondersun and I didn’t want to start a bloody civil war right above my head or something, but would it benefit me to widen the cracks just a little?

“It must sting,” I said. “Neither of you having true power.”

Reginal glared at me. “I may not be a genius, but I know when a pot is being stirred, Beno.”

Perhaps I wasn’t as crafty as I thought. My honesty had always got in the way of my rise in the world of subtlety and wordplay. “The Silkers, then. Why does their offer mean you’re traipsing around with armed guards?”

“Galatee is in favor of letting them set up their guildhall in Yondersun. This would mean commerce and jobs, and people can’t see past their own coin purse. Forget that the Silkers gradually assume control of every place they ever settle in. The leaders they can’t buy, they blackmail. The ones they can’t blackmail, usually have accidents. Someone made the Silkers aware that Galatee is in favor of them, while I oppose.”

“You’re worried the Silkers might make an attempt on your life so that a more sympathetic chief would take your place.”

“Exactly it, damn it!”

“A good plan.”

“What?” said Reginal.

One of his soldiers reached for his sword.

“Calm down,” I said. “Just because I can appreciate a good plan, doesn’t mean I have a stake in it. I don’t give a damn what happens on the surface as long as it doesn’t affect me or my creatures, as well you know.”

Reginal rubbed his hand over his face, then his scalp. His skin was a much paler green than usual, his eyes looked like someone had drawn charcoal rings around them. If the Silkers didn’t kill Reginal, then the pressures of leadership eventually would. The poor guy had spent decades fighting to be in this position, and I doubted that it was anything like he’d imagined.

“So what brings you to me?” I said.

“We agreed to give you autonomy,” said Reginal. “That makes you, your dungeon, and all your…beasts…a sovereign state, of sorts. Neither Galatee nor I can order you around in any way, as you love to remind us.”

“Let’s not pretend you did it because you have a tender heart. I gave you no choice. Anyway, it’s worked out well for all of us so far, hasn’t it? I send my mining crew to help you when I can spare them. My creatures chase off any of the hostile desert wildlife. You send me supplies from time to time.”

“A suitable arrangement, thus far. For most of us, anyway. Notwithstanding a small minority.”

“Ah. The protesters.”

“Yes, the No-Cores. A dangerous lot, if you ask me. Especially the one with the scars all over his face. I don’t trust him an inch.”

“Who is he?”

“An outsider. Booth Stramper, they call him. Always hanging around with the leader of the No-Cores. I swear, all the things I have to deal with. It gives me a headache.”

“Get rid of them then.”

“For what? Holding signs? Singing? Besides, their concerns aren’t entirely outlandish. Some folks aren’t happy with having a dungeon full of creatures dwelling underneath them. They say they feel unsafe.”

“Preposterous,” I said.

“Well, as I said. You are autonomous and do not fall under my rule. However, that doesn’t mean I am without certain persuasions.”

“You’re a lovely goblin, Reginal, but not to my tastes.”

A flicker of a grin crossed Reginal’s face. He hid it, but not fast enough so I didn’t notice. To compensate