Wizard: I am a goblin

Chapter 212 Judge Geb

"Kill! Kill them!"

"Wait!!!" Gebu amplified his voice with a secondary phantom, and the two words echoed through the underground port.

The guards were clearly stunned and stood frozen in place. The Rat King was also startled and almost fell off the three-meter-high platform.

"Your Majesty, the Rat King, is this how you reward your servants?" Gebu asked solemnly, his words neither humble nor arrogant. "I can testify that Yvette, and her orc companions, with my help, killed Peacock and her witch hunter lover—all to gain your approval. You are protected by the Raven Queen, with connections everywhere; how could Peacock, whether dead or alive, escape your notice?"

"We didn't do anything wrong, but we were still punished."

Yvette spoke in a hoarse voice from the side; though weak, she was unyielding.

The Rat King's eyes darted around, and he chuckled twice, as if he had asthma.

"The peacock is dead! I knew it all along—eaten by mice, then turned into mouse droppings, hehe. That bossy elf woman always looked down on us, but we had the last laugh. We mice always have the last laugh—"

This guy is really strange, Gebu thought. Who would call themselves a rat? Even though he looks a lot like one—

Besides, if you already knew the peacock was dead, why did you bother with this whole thing? Who are you trying to scare?

Geb realized: this guy might be trying to establish his authority.

The more capricious a leader is, the less his subordinates dare to overstep the boundaries—because they don't know what they might say to anger him.

"Your Majesty, the peacock couldn't believe you were the one who murdered her when she was dying. It's a pity you couldn't see the expression on her face—it was truly spectacular," Gebu flattered. "Your plan was flawless, but the peacock actually had a witch hunter as her lover. He was incredibly powerful. If it weren't for that gentleman's help, we wouldn't have been a match for him."

"That gentleman?" This question piqued the Rat King's interest. He stood up, gripping the handrail, and said shakily, "Which gentleman?"

"Of course, it's the one we both know—you know that Peacock would appear in the Silver Moon Corridor that night, so someone must have shown you the way."

Geb hinted.

The weaker the guy, the more he has to bluff. This guy made such a big fuss right from the start, so he's probably all bark and no bite.

The wicked will be punished by the wicked. You try to scare me, so I'll bring out someone you can't afford to offend to scare you back: The name of the Golden Mask is intimidating enough, isn't it? He's the Great Wizard of the Empire.

"That gentleman instructed me to come to Port Queen to serve him. I had heard of the Rat King's great reputation and came to pay him a visit, but I did not expect that Your Majesty seemed to be less than pleased with us. As for me, I am a humble servant and can only offer my sincere apologies."

But that gentleman might be disappointed.

"Disappointed—disappointed? No, no, no, you've misunderstood me—"

The Rat King's crown fell down untimely, obscuring his eyes. The man quickly lifted the crown and said hastily, "We didn't know you were here on behalf of some great lord. My apologies, my apologies, I haven't been welcoming you properly—uh, you, quickly remove Yvette's shackles."

The guard hesitated for a moment, then didn't move. The Rat King yelled, "Hurry up, do you want to die?!"

Just as the man was about to step forward to unlock Yvette's door, the woman snatched the key from his hand with a vicious glare.

"Don't fucking touch her!"

Then the woman herself untied the chains from Yvette's feet and hands. The dark-skinned half-elf was finally free, and her eyes reddened slightly. She subconsciously pulled at her clothes to cover her exposed skin. Upon closer inspection, Yvette's body was covered in bruises, especially on her neck, where faint fingerprints and strangulation marks were visible.

Without saying a word, the swordswoman took off her cloak and wrapped it around her.

"It's alright—it's alright."

Yvette gripped her cloak tightly, looked gratefully at the swordswoman and Geb, and then asked.

"Where is the big guy?"

"Someone, pull that orc out of the water dungeon—if he's still alive," the Rat King ordered.

After a brief commotion, the goofy-looking orc was led into the crowd by several guards. The big man had whip marks all over his back, but they didn't seem to affect his movements. Upon seeing Yvette, he immediately broke free and ran over.

"Stop—I can't take your hug, big guy—" Yvette quickly called for a halt.

"I—I drank a lot of water in prison, my stomach is so bloated, I can't drink anymore," the big guy said with a bitter face, looking aggrieved.

"It's okay, I'll buy you some flatbread later to help you digest it." Yvette gave a bitter smile, moved closer to the big guy, and secretly squeezed his large hand.

The two companions were reunited, and the scene was heartwarming. But the atmosphere was completely different for the female warrior; her face was full of murderous intent, and she looked at the Rat King as if he were a corpse.

"Don't get excited—" Gebu sent a message to the swordswoman.

"Don't tell me you're going to spare this guy's life—I'm going to strangle this bastard with my own hands."

"I understand, but not now. We still need him—"

Dove glanced at Geb, his tightly furrowed brows trembling slightly.

"What he did to Yvette is unforgivable."

Geb nodded secretly, then turned his attention back to the Rat King.

"Thank you for your greetings, Your Majesty. I will convey your regards to that gentleman." The halfling bowed politely and continued, "I have another reason for visiting you. Although I am an enemy of the Peacock, I have some dealings with her herbal medicine business. As you know, after her death, her former subordinates were leaderless, and the dozen or so rare medicine shops in the new kingdom lost their protection."

"Yes, the old peacock and her herbal business—" The Rat King rubbed his hands together, his demeanor utterly lewd.

“I think it would be best if you, as a fellow member of the Gray Raven Society, took over these businesses. However,” Geb changed the subject, “her subordinates are not sitting idly by. They still control the underground trading network, supply channels, and connections with the church established by Peacock. The operation of these hidden assets is built on a fragile balance. If a conflict arises due to the merger, these things could be destroyed beyond repair. In that case, the originally valuable businesses would quickly become worthless.”

"What does it matter? The peacock has vacated a spot, so our people can take it." The Rat King wrinkled his nose and raised his voice, which was very grating.

"Starting a herbal medicine business from scratch? If it were that easy, the peacock wouldn't have monopolized the entire market—"

"You're not the only leader of the Gray Ravens; others will have the same idea. If they encroach on the Peacocks' old assets, it won't be easy for you to compete with them."

"So what do you mean?" The Rat King narrowed his eyes.

"I can help you reach an agreement with Peacock's old henchmen, so they will work for you willingly, and everything will remain the same. People won't even notice that the Miracle Medicine Shop has changed owners. The only difference is that the gleaming gold will flow into your pocket."

The Rat King hesitated for a moment, then began to squeak and grind his teeth loudly. He seemed to be itchy all over, scratching himself left and right, unable to sit still.

Watching this guy's ADHD made Gebu feel uncomfortable all over, as if he had caught it from him.

Five minutes later, the Rat King finally stopped convulsing.

"—You're being so kind, you just want to get some of the benefits, didn't we guess right?"

"Your Majesty is indeed wise! Nothing escapes your eyes!" Gebu immediately flattered him.

"I knew it! I knew it!" The Rat King slapped his thigh and jumped to his feet. "The moment you arrived, I knew you were here for money—everyone wants our money. Everyone wants to take gold out of the rats' pockets—but you can't fool me. My eyes are sharp—I'm not blind, I—"

“You’re not deaf, I know,” Gebu continued, picking up where the Rat King left off. “Serving you is my honor. Peacock’s former subordinates are terrified of you and are willing to give you a larger share. Peacock used to take 20% of the revenue, but they’re willing to give you 30%.

"Thirty percent? No, at least eighty percent!"

"I'm talking about revenue, not profit. If you take 80% of it, the shop can't operate anymore. The only option is to raise prices, but raising prices will lead to a decline in customers, which is not a long-term solution."

"Hmph, we've already done our research. Herbal medicine is an extremely profitable industry. The raw materials are just a drop in the ocean compared to the selling price, so they still make a profit. Nobody can fool us!"

Seeing that the Rat King was not easily fooled, Gebu changed his tune, saying, "Compared to the price of the potion, the material cost is indeed not high, but you have to consider labor, operating expenses, the cost of maintaining the underground transportation network, and the cost of bribing the church and town administrators. These are the major expenses. Peacock takes 20%, which already takes most of the profits. If it takes 30%, it can barely keep the business running."

"Fifty percent, no, forty-five percent, that's our limit. If those guys don't agree, we'll send men to kill them all and take over the shop—if peacocks can do it, why can't we rats?"

"How about 40%? I know they're unwilling, but I'll persuade them to accept your price. The half-percentage they give up will be my commission as a middleman. You're generous; you won't make things difficult for your subordinates on this small percentage."

"Little by little, over the years, it'll add up to a fortune." The Rat King remained unperturbed, his eyes gleaming with undisguised greed. "You earn so much just by running errands?"

"This money is certainly not for me; it's a gift for that sir (the Golden Mask). Facilitating this deal will greatly benefit you. You know that gentleman's identity; our need for the potion will only increase. Peacock is dead, and that gentleman hopes to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with Peacock's successor."

"You keep mentioning that gentleman," but there's no evidence to suggest you have any connection to him—" the Rat King suddenly said sternly. "Are you lying to us?!"

With a roar from the Rat King, the guards surrounded them again. The woman with the sword immediately drew her weapon, while the big guy panted like a bull, his face full of rage.

At the height of the tension, Gebu remained calm and composed.

"Your Majesty, if it were only me who wanted to harm you, there would be no need for such a great deal of trouble."

As soon as he said those words, Gebu's figure suddenly became blurry and trembled, as if his reflection in the water was disturbed by ripples.

The Rat King's eyes widened. He suddenly felt a lightness on his head, and when he reached up to touch it, he found that his crown had disappeared without a trace.

He panicked and, leaning on the chair, searched around. He saw the crown hovering in the air, circling a few times, and then settling on a high roof beam.

The halfling sat on the roof beam with a grin, the Rat King's crown hanging from his wrist, and gave the speechless Rat King a goblin-like toothy smile.

"As I said, I didn't mean to harm you. However, if you don't want to cooperate, I won't waste everyone's time."

"Our crown!"

Geb casually tossed the object aside, the gleaming crown arcing through the air. The Rat King reached out anxiously to grab it, but just as he grasped the crown, his foot slipped, and he was about to fall off his chair—

The crown remained suspended in mid-air. The Rat King gripped it with both hands, his feet barely touching the edge of the wooden throne. His body was half-suspended in the air, and the three-meter drop below seemed like an abyss to the hunched old man.

Geb manipulated the wizard's hand to push the crown toward the chair, and the Rat King followed the crown and finally stood firmly on the seat.

Geb then withdrew his magic, allowing the Rat King to retrieve his crown. He sat on his high throne, still shaken, and breathed heavily.

Gebu whistled at the swordswoman, then used a stealth step to teleport to the ground, merging with his shadow. After a series of dazzling maneuvers, amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, he smiled at the still-shaken Rat King and said, "Fifty percent, that's fine, but you have to do me a favor—I have a shipment that I need you to transport out. I'll have someone discuss the details with you."

The Rat King was pale and could only nod in agreement.

"Fifty percent—we agree. As for that batch of goods—we can help with anything we can—please tell that gentleman that we are willing to cooperate with him long-term."

"That would be perfect. Also, this place is too conspicuous for me to show myself, so please arrange for someone to hand over the goods to Dulin of the Salt and Iron Merchants' Guild. If you have no objections, I won't bother you any longer."

"You leave—you leave, we'll send someone up."

The Rat King seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and quickly waved for the guards to let the group pass. Geb strolled leisurely ahead, with the Swordswoman protecting Yvette close behind, her eyes scrutinizing the guards present, making them feel extremely uneasy.

The big guy brought up the rear, looking as if he were facing a formidable enemy, walking backwards with his eyes never leaving the guards.

The group left the underground port the way they came. Yvette pointed out a shortcut, and the group passed through a hidden cave and emerged from the Mica Beach on Crescent Coast.

"Phew—" Geb breathed a sigh of relief and muttered to himself, "Luckily, this old man Deng hasn't seen any magic before, and he was fooled by me—he's really lucky to be alive."

The swordswoman looked at the bard with concern.

Are you alright?

"No, it's nothing!" Yvette gave a big smile, but for some reason, the smile looked more tired than usual.

"What did those people do to you?"

"Hey—it's nothing, I'm used to it."

The elven poet's embarrassed smile finally crumbled, but he still murmured something, his tone almost as if he was trying to convince himself.

"You don't need to get used to it, Yvette. You shouldn't."

The swordswoman placed her hand on the shoulder of the dark-skinned half-elf. The battered man looked up and saw the woman's pair of grey-blue eyes staring at him intently, like a deep, still well.

Something warm slid down Yvette's cheek. She buried her face in Doveennis's chest and sobbed softly.

"Those guys—filthy guys—yalhaas "rathus (castrated boar, Elvish swear word) —"

""

"I will avenge you. Those men will pay for their atrocities—I assure you. In the name of the Rose Knight, and in the name of Dofin Ennis-Hawkwood."

"—Ugh. I'm alright, really. They did to me—unspeakable things, but I'm still alive." Yvette raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on the swordswoman: "My body, my sanctuary, they cannot defile them."

As she spoke, the half-elf perked up. A pair of large orcish hands reached out and embraced Yvette from behind.

"You're crying, Ai. What did I do wrong?"

"Big Guy said softly. This idiot (no offense intended) doesn't hide his feelings; he looked like a child who'd done something wrong, his face full of guilt and concern."

"Waaaaah—I missed you so much, big guy—"

Yvette didn't say anything more; she simply turned around and hid in the orc's arms.

Goliath embraced the dark-skinned half-elf like a giant bear, and the woman's body almost disappeared into his.

Taking this opportunity, the swordswoman left the two of them and quietly walked to Gebu's side.

"You agreed to 50%, but you never really intended to fulfill the contract, right?"

Geb acquiesced, looked at the distant horizon, and took a deep breath.

"How long?" the swordswoman asked coldly.

"Four days," Geb said slowly, his tone very serious. The swordswoman remained silent, her stubborn expression no longer showing any sign of sulking with Geb, and simply listened quietly to the goblin wizard's words.

"I know that even if I disagree, you will still go and kill those bastards."

Gebu turned half his face toward the woman with the sword. His expression no longer held the cunning and shrewdness he had shown in front of the Rat King; only a chilling murderous aura remained.

"Don't worry, I won't let you go by yourself."

"Four days from now, I will personally send these guys to hell with you."