chapter 38 properly this time

Kaelith wasted no time.

The goblin prince, now freed from his bindings, sat cross-legged atop the now-empty wooden crate, lazily stretching his arms as if waking from a long nap. Despite being kidnapped, bound, and stuffed into a box like stolen cargo, he seemed unbothered—even amused. His sharp, yellow eyes gleamed with curiosity as he studied Kaelith.

Meanwhile, Kaelith's mind was already moving.

Loot the Bandits—Properly This Time

Earlier, he had only done a quick search, grabbing obvious valuables—gold pouches, weapons, and anything that looked useful. Now, he needed information.

Kaelith crouched beside the nearest bandit's corpse, his fingers moving with practiced ease as he searched for anything of value. Gold and weapons were useful, but information was priceless.

He started with the most obvious loot:

A small pouch tied to the man's belt—Kaelith cut the strings and poured its contents into his palm. Six silver coins and a few copper pieces. Not much, but every bit helped.

A short sword, well-maintained but standard issue—Kaelith left it. Too heavy to carry when he already had better weapons.

A leather bracer with a hidden compartment—inside was a tiny metal key. That could be important.

Now for the real search.

Kaelith turned the body over, running his hands along the seams of the man's vest and boots. Experienced criminals knew how to hide things, and if these bandits had been part of a larger operation, there had to be more.

Sure enough, inside the inner lining of the vest, Kaelith's fingers brushed against something stiff—a folded parchment.

A Hidden Message

With careful precision, Kaelith cut open the seam with his dagger and pulled out the parchment. Faded ink, slightly crumpled edges—this had been carried for a while. He unfolded it, scanning the words.

---

[Message from the Black Fang]

"Deliver the 'package' to the buyer in Luthgar's Hollow. Payment upon completion. Do not open the crate. If compromised, destroy all evidence."

---

Kaelith's eyes narrowed.

Luthgar's Hollow.

That wasn't just some backwater hideout. It was a black market hub, a gathering place for slavers, mercenaries, and corrupt nobles looking to trade in illegal goods and people.

And the note explicitly said:

Do not open the crate—Meaning the bandits weren't supposed to know what they were transporting.

Destroy all evidence if compromised—Meaning whoever ordered the capture was powerful enough to make people disappear.

This wasn't just a ransom job.

Someone paid to have the goblin prince delivered, and Luthgar's Hollow was only a stop along the way. That meant there was an even bigger buyer waiting on the other side.

Kaelith folded the parchment, slipping it into his coat.

He had what he needed.

Final Sweep

He moved to the other bandits, repeating the process. Gold, weapons, a few lockpicks—nothing major. But then, on the third corpse, he found something interesting:

A crude map, drawn hastily on a scrap of cloth.

It showed a path from their camp to a larger hideout deeper in the forest.

Kaelith smirked. This wasn't their main camp. There was more to loot.

But for now, he had bigger priorities.

Pocketing the key and the parchment, Kaelith stood up, brushing dust off his coat. The bandits were dead, but their plan was still in motion.

And now?

Now, Kaelith could use it against them.

Kaelith had always been an opportunist. He knew that chance encounters like this—finding a kidnapped goblin prince of all things—were once-in-a-lifetime moments. And he wasn't about to waste it.

As Valtar prepared to activate the communication talisman, Kaelith's mind spun with possibilities.

Goblin Kingdoms were rich in resources—not just gold, but rare alchemy ingredients, powerful relics, and specialized weapons crafted by their best artisans. If he played his cards right, he could gain favor with the royal family, access their hidden markets, and maybe even secure a special reward.

Kaelith knew that simply saving the goblin prince wasn't enough—he had to make himself indispensable. If Valtar returned to his kingdom and merely mentioned Kaelith in passing, his role would be forgotten in an instant. That wouldn't do. If he wanted access to the Goblin Kingdom's treasures, influence, and rewards, he needed to position himself as someone crucial to the prince's survival.

Kaelith's mind worked quickly.

The Goblin Kingdom wasn't just some backwater settlement. Goblins were masterful craftsmen, notorious for their rare enchanted items, intricate alchemy, and underground trade networks. Their nobles possessed artifacts that could rival even royal human families. If he played his cards right, he wouldn't just receive a simple reward—he could gain access to resources that would take him years to acquire otherwise.

But that required something more than just goodwill.

The Setup: Making Valtar See the Truth

Just as Valtar reached for his communication talisman—a small, jagged crystal inscribed with glowing runes—Kaelith smoothly stepped forward.

"Wait."

His voice was calm, confident. The tone of someone who had just realized something important.

Valtar paused, his long, clawed fingers hovering over the crystal. His amber eyes flickered with irritation. "What is it?"

Kaelith folded his arms, his posture completely relaxed despite the high stakes. He tilted his head slightly, a knowing smirk forming on his lips.

"Think for a second. If you just tell them you were rescued, do you really think they'll believe you?"

Valtar frowned. "I am the seventh prince of the Goblin Kingdom. My word is enough."

Kaelith let out a low chuckle. "That's cute."

Valtar's frown deepened.

Kaelith stepped closer, lowering his voice. "But let's be real. Someone wanted you gone. If you return with no proof of what happened, what's stopping them from claiming you've been compromised? Or worse, that you're lying?"

For the first time, Kaelith saw uncertainty flash across Valtar's face. It was subtle—the slightest twitch of his lips, a small shift in his stance—but it was enough.

Kaelith pressed on.

"Whoever arranged your kidnapping didn't do it randomly. This wasn't just a bunch of greedy bandits trying to ransom a noble. This was a deliberate attack. Someone made sure you were taken. And if they wanted you gone, they're not going to just welcome you back."

Valtar clenched his jaw. He hadn't considered that.

The Persuasion: Making Himself Indispensable

Kaelith took a slow step forward, his voice smooth, persuasive.

"You need to make sure that when your family sees you again, there's no room for doubt. You need a witness. Someone to vouch for you. Someone who fought for you."

Valtar's golden rings clinked together as he exhaled. His grip on the crystal tightened.

Kaelith watched his reaction carefully.

The prince was proud—he wouldn't easily admit vulnerability. But he wasn't stupid. He knew Kaelith had a point.

Kaelith continued, his voice even softer now, laced with just the right amount of gravity.

"If you simply return and claim you were kidnapped, your enemies might twist the story against you. But if you return and say that a powerful outsider fought for you, risked his life to save you—that changes things."

"Why?" Valtar asked sharply, though Kaelith could tell he was already considering it.

Kaelith smirked. "Because it means someone else saw what happened. Someone else can confirm you were in danger. And if your enemies try to bury the truth, they'll have to deal with me."

Valtar's amber eyes narrowed. He understood the implications. If Kaelith was involved in the story, it wouldn't just be about the prince's word—it would be about an outsider's account. Someone they couldn't silence so easily.

The goblin prince clicked his tongue in frustration, but after a moment, he nodded.

"Hmph. And I suppose you expect a reward for this?"

Kaelith let out an easy chuckle. "I expect to be treated as someone who just saved a prince's life."

Valtar studied him, his sharp gaze analyzing Kaelith's expression. Then, after a long, calculating pause, he exhaled sharply.

"Very well. When I call my kingdom, I will make it clear that you were essential to my survival."

Kaelith grinned. That was exactly what he wanted.