Chapter 15: Operation build a town.

The gnomes worked tirelessly, even when the goblins looked at them with hunger in their eyes.

 They laid the first foundations by the end of the week, priding themselves on not flinching when a goblin would pat them on the heads, as if they were mindless animals.

Their dungeon core gave them strength.

More than one goblin had been exiled from the den, after they had tried to see how meaty a gnome's arms were. Some had even lost their fingers, courtesy of their protector, Marcellus.

The gnomes had always known that they would need to deal with goblins, one day. Goblins were the bread and butter of any dungeon. For theirs to not have had them had been a miracle.

But, as with every miracle, theirs had come to an end. Now, there were goblins everywhere, and the gnomes had to put up with them. The children were not so bad, most of the gnomes thought.

They did their share of the work without grumbling, happy to be getting meat that was not half rotten. The gnomes had been appalled at how the goblins raised their young. Almost as if they wanted for most of them to die.

Chavu and Marcellus passed by a group of gnomes, and a single gnome woman ran out to greet them. The gnome children were in the Still Pond cave. Safe and guarded by adventurers. Enjoying the play pens and the library the system had helped the gnomes make for them.

"Master Chavu, a minute," the woman spoke, and Chavu smiled down at her. He bent his tail, so he was face to face with her. He had found early on that the gnomes liked it when he did that.

"Yes, Odette?" Odette the Gnome smiled. She was always happy when Chavu showed her he remembered a gnome's name.

"The rest wonder if you want running water in the houses?" Odette asked. A lot of extra work would need to be done, in case the dungeon core decided to grant such a luxury to the goblins. Work that could be put towards a gnome town.

"I will have the system take care of the pipes; don't you worry. Just focus on building the houses using the plans the system provided for you," Chavu told the gnome.

"But dungeon core, Chavu, we are doing all of this for goblins," Odette made a wide motion with her hands, to show off the half-build town.

"We are doing this for colleagues," Chavu corrected her. A couple of goblins stopped to stare at him. He knew that now he had his chance to win them over. Pretending not to see them, he continued.

"There is no luxury too great for a mob of the Still Pond Dungeon. If it is any consolation, the town I have planned for you, gnomes, is even bigger than this one," Chavu told Odette.

"Really?" Odette had stars in her eyes. "And we will have running water?"

"And heating, plush chairs, anything you wish! All with your size in mind. But, you have somewhere to live — for now. The goblins do not. Have a heart and finish their town. They will help with yours, too," Chavu smiled at Odette and turned to the goblins who were staring at him with wide eyes.

"Do we get heating too?" One asked. "For the winter."

"What sort of question is that?" Marcellus asked. "What is a house without a heating system?"

The goblin smiled brightly, and went, without prompting, to lift a heavy rock and place it on a cart. Chavu watched as he wheeled it towards the dumping site, where goblins were dealing with all the junk of their former den.

"Neither the gnomes nor the goblins will forget what you promised them," Marcellus warned.

"I intend to keep my word," Chavu told him. He meant it. Back, when he had been just a boss mob, the old dungeon core did not fulfil all its promises to him.

He had not been allowed to go on a spa excursion, as he had been promised. He had not been given a cake for his birthday. That had led to Chavu ignoring the core for a long time. Not bringing it to the pond cavern the one time he should have. Now, that dungeon core was dead, and Chavu learned from its mistakes.

"You are good at this," Marcellus noted, as Chavu began to load some rubble into a cart.

"Give me a hand, will you? Also, Marcy..." Marcellus glared at the slip up, but did not pull out his sandal of doom. "Sorry."

"No, it is ok. If you want to call me Marcy, I do have a demand," Marcellus told him with a smirk.

"Do tell," Chavu picked up some rusty nails, which made him wonder how the shacks had stood, and began to place them in the cart.

"I would like to drink some of your blood," Marcellus told him. "Not too much. I can control myself."

"Sure, I am surprised that you waited so long to ask," Chavu told him. "You get the blood after the workday is over. As payment for all the work you just agreed to do."

"I just gave you permission to call me Marcy," Marcellus whined, but he went to help Chavu fill in the cart.

"Be that as it may, you have to help. As a motivation for the others," Chavu took a small boulder and placed it in the cart. It tilted dangerously, and Marcellus took out the boulder.

"This thing won't be moving, at all. We can always come back for it later," Marcellus then took a hold of the handles of the cart and began to wheel it to the dumping site.

Chavu stared at the boulder. He shrugged, picked it up, and slung it over a shoulder.

Goblins and gnomes alike watched them work the entire day. Somehow, the creatures began to work faster and with fewer breaks.

Assured that their dungeon core and boss monster were both helping out of their free will. As unbelievable as that was, they had to trust their eyes.

Eyes which shone with joy, and a pinch of hope.