chapter 66 uncovering truth

Mission: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Goblin Prince's Kidnapping

Kaelith had already saved the goblin prince a day ago, ensuring his escape from the bandits. However, his current mission wasn't over yet—he needed to find out who was behind the kidnapping and what the bandits were planning next.

Dressed in his Madman disguise, Kaelith walked deeper into the bandit camp, his tattered robes swaying with each step. He had already noticed that no one was stopping him—they all assumed he was one of them.

He approached a group of bandits gathered around a fire, casually listening in on their conversation.

Gaining Intel Through Deception

One of the bandits, a scar-faced brute, was talking about the botched kidnapping in a hushed voice.

> "Damn brat escaped! Galthor was furious. We had him locked up, but when we bringing from auction house somebody saved him ."

Kaelith faked a drunken stumble, then slumped onto a nearby crate, groaning loudly.

> ". Who even ordered that job?"

The lean bandit next to him, missing a few teeth, scoffed.

> "You really don't know? Tch, figures. A noble hired us, idiot. Some high-class bastard wanted the kid gone. Probably some political nonsense between goblin clans."

Kaelith acted shocked, scratching his messy hair.

> "Wait, wait, so this wasn't even our usual job? Why the hell did we take such a risky deal?"

The scar-faced bandit sighed, looking annoyed.

> "Because the money was too damn good. The boss ain't dumb—he knew this was dangerous, but the noble paid upfront. Galthor was just following orders while the boss was gone."

Kaelith nodded slowly, his mind racing.

> "So a noble ordered the kidnapping… But why?"

He needed more.

> "Hah! I bet Galthor's still pissed, huh? Any idea what he's gonna do next?"

The bandits exchanged glances, then laughed.

> "Oh, he's not just pissed—he's planning to hunt that brat down. He sent some scouts already. If they find him, it's over."

Kaelith suppressed a smirk behind his drunken act. The bandits were wasting their time. The goblin prince was already safe within his kingdom, guarded by people who wouldn't let a few lowly scouts get close. Galthor's plan to recapture him was doomed from the start.

Still, Kaelith couldn't let them know that.

He let out a drunken chuckle, slumping further against the crate.

> "Hah… poor Galthor. Chasing after a kid who's probably halfway across the continent by now. What a damn headache."

The scar-faced bandit grunted, tossing a twig into the fire.

> "Tch, doesn't matter. Galthor's not giving up. He's got trackers, and if they find even a whiff of that brat, he's sending out a full squad."

The lean bandit laughed, shaking his head.

> "Yeah, yeah. But if the boss were here, he'd have handled this differently. Galthor's just pissed and making dumb moves."

Kaelith took another swig from the flask at his hip—water, not alcohol, but the act was convincing enough. He played his part well, shaking his head with exaggerated pity.

> "Man, sucks for them, huh? I mean, if that prince was in some random town, sure, maybe they'd have a shot. But if he's back in his kingdom? Pfft, scouts or not, they're wasting their damn time."

The lean bandit scoffed.

> "You think we don't know that? But Galthor's desperate to fix his mistake. If the boss finds out he lost the kid, he's dead meat."

Kaelith stored that little detail away. So Galthor was acting out of fear. That meant his boss was someone truly dangerous. A noble with enough power and gold to make seasoned bandits take extreme risks.

> "Hah… sucks to be him," Kaelith muttered, scratching his head.

He had all the confirmation he needed. The goblin prince was safe, the bandits were chasing a ghost, and their leader was scrambling to cover up his failure. The real question now was: Who was the noble behind all this?

Kaelith couldn't leave until he got that answer.

Kaelith let out a loud, exaggerated groan and rubbed his face as if the alcohol had just made him realize something horrible.

> "Wait… wait… hold on a damn second…" He slurred, blinking at the bandits with wide, unfocused eyes. "If Galthor sent out scouts and a whole damn squad to chase that brat… then who the hell is guarding our treasury?"

The lean bandit frowned. "What?"

Kaelith sat up, swaying slightly.

> "I mean, think about it! Everyone's so busy chasing the damn prince, right? What if some sneaky bastard finds out? If someone loots our stash while we're out here drinking and chasing ghosts, we're screwed!"

That got their attention. The scar-faced bandit stiffened, then cursed under his breath.

> "Damn it… I didn't think about that."

The lean bandit looked skeptical at first, but then his expression darkened.

> "Shit. You might be onto something… Galthor took a lot of our best guys for this damn wild goose chase. If someone knew about that…"

Another bandit, who had been half-listening, suddenly looked uneasy.

> "You don't think one of the other crews would try something, do you? I mean, with the boss gone and Galthor distracted—"

> "Tch. Damn it," the scar-faced bandit growled, standing up. "We need to check."

Kaelith hid his grin behind another fake sip. He had just created a distraction. If these idiots ran off to check their stash, the camp would be in chaos, making it easier for him to slip into restricted areas or snoop around further.

Now, all he had to do was wait for the panic to spread.

The moment doubt took root, the bandit camp fell into chaos. One by one, the bandits around the fire started cursing, then bolted toward the treasury like mad dogs scrambling for scraps.

The Scene of Chaos

Shouts filled the air as more bandits caught wind of the possible breach.

> "If someone looted us, I swear to the gods—!"

"Move, you idiot! We need to check the stash!"

"Galthor's gonna kill us if anything's missing!"

Some shoved past each other, pushing and elbowing their way toward the storage area. Others sprinted at full speed, kicking up dust in their panic.

The treasury—a fortified stone building near the back of the camp—was suddenly the center of attention. Bandits swarmed around it, banging on the heavy wooden doors and yelling at whoever was supposed to be guarding it.

> "Open the damn door!"

"What's taking so long?!"

"If anything's missing, I'll skin you alive!"

The guards stationed there, clearly startled by the sudden madness, hesitated before unbarring the door. The moment it cracked open, the mob forced their way inside.

Inside, crates of gold, weapons, and stolen goods were stacked high. Bandits rushed in, frantically checking inventory, flipping open chests, and prying lids off barrels. A few even fought each other over who got to check first.

> "It's all here, right?! Tell me it's all here!"

"I swear I'll kill the first bastard who even touched my share!"

The Roaming Bandits

Despite the growing chaos at the treasury, not all the bandits abandoned their posts. Some were still scattered around the camp, confused by the sudden panic but unwilling to leave their spots without orders.

A few leaned against crates, watching the madness with suspicion.

> "Idiots. If there was a real threat, the boss would've said something."

"Tch, whatever. Let them run around like headless chickens."

Some continued patrolling the camp, weapons in hand, scanning the area for anything out of place. Others stayed near the supply tents, half-listening to the treasury commotion but unwilling to budge.

One particularly sharp-eyed bandit narrowed his eyes at the figure still slumped by the fire—Kaelith.

> "Hey… why ain't you rushing over there like the rest?"

Kaelith barely lifted his head, letting out a loud, exaggerated yawn.

> "Because I ain't a damn fool running in circles. If someone did loot the place, it's already too late to stop 'em. If not? Then Galthor's just gonna beat the hell outta everyone for panicking. Either way, not my problem."

The bandit grunted, apparently satisfied with the lazy response, and moved on.

Kaelith smirked to himself. The distraction had worked. The treasury was a warzone, and the rest of the camp was either too distracted or too cautious to interfere.

Now, he had the perfect window to move unnoticed.