Chapter 37 Mark of a Chosen Mate!

I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer, and with a gulp of anticipation, I turned to the goblin and asked, "Goblinworth, why does Lady Zylithia harbor such intense hostility towards goblins?"

Goblinworth's eyes grew wide with an eagerness to tell a story of exaggerated proportions, and he began to weave a tale that bordered on the epic. 

"Ghe ghe ghe, silly goblin did bad touch and got kicked! His own fault if I must say," After a short pause and a hearty sigh he continued, "Ah, Master Kazuki! Lean closer and lend your ears to the saga of Lady Zylithia, the fearsome demoness! One of the strongest protectors of Luminecia rivaling the power equal to Master Alitia and Olivia! Also, she is a member of the council."

He took a deep breath as if preparing to narrate an ancient legend, and with an exaggerated, dramatic tone, he launched into his narrative.

 "Long ago, in the annals of time, demons and goblins clashed in wars that shook the very foundations of existence. The lands trembled beneath their battles, and the skies wept fiery tears at the strife that unfolded."

Goblinworth's goblin-like speech added an extra layer of charm to his storytelling. He continued, "For centuries, the hatred between demonkind and goblinkind raged like an inferno, fueled by mistrust, greed, and ancient grudges. Tales of these wars echoed through the ages, and the hatred between the two races deepened with each passing generation even up to this day."

He punctuated his narrative with wild hand gestures and theatrical expressions, fully immersing himself in the storytelling experience. 

"But behold! In this very town, a miracle occurred! A sanctuary where peace was forged, and the hatchlings of goblins found solace. Here, they were safe from the age-old vendettas and hostilities. No more innocent goblin hatchlings like me felt the fear of being hunted down by the demons."

He grinned mischievously, adopting a mock-serious tone as he continued. 

"Now, Lady Zylithia, she is a demoness of old, steeped in the lore of those ancient battles. She is rememberin' the fiery clashes and the goblin warriors that fought with all their might. But in this haven of peace, she sees not the hatchlings as her foes, but the true goblins, harboring the grudges of yore."

Goblinworth's storytelling prowess made even the most serious of tales sound whimsical and entertaining. He leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming with goblin wisdom. 

"So, Master Kazuki, while Lady Zylithia might be a stormy sea when it comes to true goblins, we, the hatchlings, have found our own haven in this town. A place where we feast together, laugh together, and live together in harmony! If a true goblin were standing in front of her she would have cleaved him in half without a second thought!"

As I stood there listening to the goblin talk, raindrops gently fell around me, and an unexpected encounter unfolded. Our eyes, mine and hers, locked in a straight line, and time seemed to stand still for a fleeting moment. Her cheeks flushed with a delicate hue, she averted her gaze in shyness and quickly retreated, her steps hurried, and her face hidden beneath the shelter of her umbrella.

Intrigued by her reaction, I turned to the goblin and asked, "Hey, do you think she's the shy type?"

Goblinworth responded with a naughty giggle, "Ghe ghe ghe! Shy, you say? Oh no, Master Kazuki, she's not one to shy away. It's not in her nature. You see, demon folks possess extraordinary eyes, they do! Eyes that can discern a person's very mana, the essence of their being. And as it turns out, Master Kazuki, your mana seems to align with all the markings of a chosen mate! Oh, Master Kazuki, you didn't tell me you were a great mage!"

"Unfortunately I am not one yet, my admission is still pending," I said jokingly.

I leaned in closer and asked, "A chosen mate, you say? And what does that entail? Tell me more about these mana properties!"

Goblinworth's air of wisdom, considering his quirky nature, surprised me. 

"Ah, you see, Master Kazuki, when demon folks gaze into the very soul of a person, they look for the resonance of their mana. It's like a dance of energy, a harmonious duet of souls. If a person's mana aligns with theirs, it's a sign! A sign that their destinies are entwined, bound by the threads of fate itself."

I listened intently, captivated by the goblin's fictional narrative. 

"So, Goblinworth, what happens when such a connection is made? What's the next step?"

Goblinworth chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mirth.

 "Well, Master, once that connection is forged, it's like the universe's way of saying, 'You two are meant to be!' Well... you know... cuddles and smoochies... and stuff like that."

I pondered to myself, "It must be my colorful mana, compatible with all of the magic boxes. No wonder she found a liking to my mana. I probably looked like a tasty candy to a 3-year-old."

After our encounter with the demon lady, Goblinworth and I sought refuge beneath the protective overhang of a nearby building. We huddled there for what felt like an hour, waiting for the relentless storm to relent in its fury.

As time dragged on, Goblinworth's exhaustion caught up with him, and he began to mumble incoherent stories about demon folks. His tales were so exaggerated and fantastical that they sounded like pure fiction. However, his narrative was cut short as he drifted off to sleep mid-sentence.

I watched in amusement as the goblin snoozed away, his eyes closed, mouth agape, jaw hanging low, and his tongue nearly touching the ground. His ears, which were typically perky, now drooped like soggy noodles, almost touching the puddle forming beneath him. It was a comical sight, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

As I observed the deserted street, occasional passersby sprinted past us, seeking refuge from the torrential downpour. The streets had transformed into small rivers, and the water cascaded downhill over the cobblestone pavement.

It was then that I noticed something peculiar. A goblin body had become a makeshift raft for a group of what appeared to be child goblins. These pint-sized kid hatchlings clung to his figure, using his belly as a floating raft of sorts. In their small, puny hands, they wielded thin, long sticks as makeshift paddles.

The child goblin hatchlings, perched atop the goblin, were in the throes of gleeful chatter as they navigated the makeshift river formed by the rain-soaked streets.

One of the little gobbling waving a stick like a paddle, yelled, "Look at us, on Big Gobby's belly pillow! A river ride! Wheeee!"

Another gobbling clutching a dripping leaf as an improvised umbrella, chimed in, "And look at all this water! It's like a... a... a lot of bath times!"

The next gobbling trying to mimic Big Gobby's snores gurgled, "Gurrchew! And Big Gobby's snores are like music for our river dance! Gurrrcheew!"

Yet another gobbling playfully splashing water at his companions, giggled, "Splash attack! I'm a water goblin! Wree! Drink my water attack! Wreee!"

The last gobbling yelped, "Water goblins? No! We, we're the finest river rascals!"

The Goblin Raft, in the midst of this water adventure, emitted a raucous snore that echoed through the rain-drenched street. His snoring was loud enough to reach my ears even from a considerable distance, providing an oddly endearing touch to the scene. With each snort, snore, and gurgle, his mouth smacked and puckered in a rhythm all its own.

All the kid goblins together started to sing a silly song.

 "Big Gobby's belly, so squishy and round,
 carries us safely through the watery sound.
 With paddles in hand, we brave the rain's might,
on Big Gobby's belly, we're taking this ride!"

One of the cheery kid goblins started to squeeze himself into Big Gobby's nose for shelter from the rain. Then, in a bewildering and abrupt manner, Gobby jolted awake. With a wild-eyed look of confusion, he leaped to his feet and shouted, causing the child goblins to tumble in every direction and splash into the water.

"Muh...? Wha'z happenin'? Who's kickin' my noggin? Wazzat?! Where am I? Whatcha, doin' on my raft?! No! I mean... I am not a raft! Whatcha doin'?" the goblin bellowed, his voice a curious blend of irritation and befuddlement.

The child goblins, drenched and bewildered, chattered in their own peculiar goblin tongue.

One of them, still clutching a tiny paddle, yelled, "We needed a ride, Big Gobby! The rain was too wetty for us! We tiny, water too deeply!"

The goblin scratched his head, the water cascading down his face.

 "Rain's too wetty? Ain't that what rain's s'posed to be?"

Another child goblin, with an air of wisdom that only a child goblin could possess, chimed in, "Nah-uh, Big Gobby, this rain's extra wetty. It's like rain, but wetter!"

Big Gobby blinked, then let out a hearty guffaw.

 "Extra wetty rain, huh? Well, that makes sense! Alright, ya little wetty gobbies, hop in!"

With heist, Big Gobby scooped up the child goblins and placed them in his big meaty ears, fashioning a makeshift shelter from the rain. 

 "There! Now yer safe from the rain, me little ear-fishies! Time to scuttle like a squirrel on a sugar rush!"

He then sprinted off down the street with his unexpected cargo secured, he bolted down the street, his feet splashing through the growing puddles. His goblin companions hooted with delight as they embarked on this peculiar journey through the rain-swept city. 

"Rainy! Rainy fun! Water from the sky!"

"Look-look! Goblins in the water!"

"I catch rain in my mouth!" 

"Me too! Me too! Raindrops yummy!"

I let out a sigh of relief, watching the goblin. The brief shadow of concern that had flickered across my thoughts was swiftly replaced by a sense of reassurance as the goblin scampered away.