Forests Don't Support Idle Goblins

“Our Naga people used to live in the ocean,” Pazzani said, approaching the table and pouring himself a glass of red wine. “But we were constantly driven away and slaughtered, and in the end, we could only go upstream along the Dalun River and hide in Lake Dalun.”

"But our bodies have adapted to seawater, so we're not quite used to being in the lake, especially in terms of salt content." He took a sip of red wine, then glanced at the goblin leader across the table. "I can taste that there was salt in the lunch."

Ciel nodded. "That's right, goblins also need to consume salt regularly."

"It's amazing," Pazzani sighed softly, his expression somewhat forlorn. "You goblins managed to get salt, while we Naga can only obtain a tiny bit of it no matter how hard we try. Yet you can just put it in your food."

"Actually, we still have plenty of salt," Charles said calmly. "By the way, why didn't you use Water Ink to find salt in the first place?"

“We’ve tried,” Pazzani frowned, “but you don’t know, Chief, that Shuiyu Mo has two other names, one of which is ‘Words of Divine Revelation’…”

He raised his hand, holding up two fingers, then lowered his middle finger, leaving only his index finger, and said with a serious expression, "There's another one, called the Devil's Smile."

"This name..." Charles moved his lips, but ultimately did not finish his sentence.

"Once you casually ask out your thoughts, Shuiyumo's hints will linger in your mind every day. It's like the smile of a beautiful woman. When you know that as long as you follow the hints, you can achieve final success, one day you will not be able to resist the temptation. At that time, you will no longer be yourself. You may become a thief or an arsonist."

Pazzani glanced at the stone wall behind Sharl, seemingly recalling something. "A long time ago, Shuiyumo was strictly controlled by the clan, not to mention that there are only so few left now, which are almost not enough to even meet the adult trials of the Naga clan."

"You're right," Charles nodded. "Unrestrained desires will have a very bad impact on the people. Your ancestors did the right thing."

"So, although you're currently hiding in Lake Dalren," he took a small sip of red wine, then slowly said, "the Feathered Serpent Kingdom has come after you again?"

“Yes,” Pazzani nodded. “We have hidden ourselves in such a secluded place, avoiding the elves and humans, but there are still people who covet us. They are like those little fish that you can’t get rid of, always circling around you, always trying to snatch a piece of seaweed or fish from your mouth.”

"You said before that the Naga's water magic didn't work on them. I'd like to know," Sharl paused, then asked, "have you tried other magic?"

Pazzani was taken aback, then immediately said, "No, we Naga don't know any other magic. You know, we take magic potions when we're young so that we can awaken our water-controlling magic abilities."

"Potions?" Ciel raised an eyebrow. "That's interesting. Aren't you all born with magical abilities?"

He remembered some rumors he had heard before, that the Naga were born with water magic and were masters of water control, but now it seemed that this statement was somewhat biased.

"It's not that we were born with it," Pazzani shook his head. "Our clan is naturally suited to the water element, but not everyone can cast spells. According to the elders of our clan, we didn't know how to use these water-attribute spells a long time ago."

"So who is it?" Charles looked at the Naga prince opposite him and asked with great interest, "Or how did you learn it? I've heard before that everyone in your Naga tribe knows water magic."

Pazzani looked up at the glowing mushrooms on the ceiling, trying to recall what he had heard before: "A long time ago, this is what I heard, someone taught our race water magic, including some shaping magic, and later they developed a potion that could awaken our race's magical abilities."

"Someone?" Charles narrowed his eyes. He wondered if those potions could awaken magical abilities in his subordinates. He still had many magical abilities stored in his consciousness, such as [Rocket Spell] and [Wind Blade Spell], which he had obtained from the adventurers he had defeated. However, after that, he tried to grant these magical abilities to his subordinates. He didn't know if the goblins were just too unintelligent or if they were born without magical genes. So far, only three goblins—Nine Fingers, Lame, and Buck Teeth—had awakened their magical abilities.

If those potions could also awaken magical abilities in their subordinates, it would greatly enhance the strength of the race.

"Hmm," Pazzani nodded, then silently tried to recall. Just as Shar was about to advise him, "Forget it, it was a long time ago, it's okay if you don't remember," Pazzani looked at the goblin in front of him with certainty, "I remember now, the elder said that those people called themselves high elves."

Upon hearing this, Charles's eyes widened immediately. "That must be something from a very ancient time."

"Yes, thousands of years ago." Pazzani took a sip of red wine and sighed. "Back then, we lived in the deep sea."

Charles smiled slightly. He felt that if the Naga race really possessed the potion for awakening magic and the Water Ink, it would be strange if they weren't hunted down by other races. Frankly speaking, if he were a powerful leader and knew that the neighboring races had such powerful items, he would definitely try every means to seize them.

"Like that saying, 'How did my oil end up in your country?'" Charles shook his head slightly and smiled, "As for the Feathered Serpent Kingdom, I think we might be on the same side."

"If what you said before is true, they are marching south, and as far as I know, these guys don't do that easily. But if they keep going south, they'll likely encounter my people eventually." Charles tapped the table lightly, thought for a few seconds, and then, they will definitely attack us.

He clenched his fist and said, "No one knows goblins better than me. It's going to be a big battle."

Pazzani nodded and said, "I think that's the case, so we're now in an alliance?"

"It's not the right time yet," Charles waved his hand. "We'll have to see how things develop."

"Hmm..." Pazzani heard the other person's reply and also fell into deep thought while holding his wine glass, but he was soon interrupted from his thoughts.

"Chief!" A goblin ran in, looking out of breath as if he had traveled a long way.

"Broken Tooth?" Charles looked at his subordinate. He had sent the man ahead of time to scout the area formerly controlled by the Evil Throat Army. He hadn't seen him for quite some time, but now he was standing in front of him.

"Goblins, so many goblins!" Broken Tooth exclaimed urgently. "And a few more goblins, they..."

"Flying."