Chapter 213 A Genuine Apology

While Hermit was feeling sorry for himself under the table, Suzuka turned her attention back to Jacob, her irritation momentarily set aside.

"Look, the short version of my plan is this - to build a town. I know it sounds absurd, but it can happen. I've found the perfect location, and all I need is the gold to buy it. It's quite affordable because the place has a mountain that emits corrupted magic. But that is not a problem, the mountain will have to go, leaving flat ground for the town to rise."

Jacob interjected, "Hey, hey! Are you assuming that I will flatten the mountain? I'm a 3-star earth mage. I can't just sink a mountain, and even a 5-star mage would struggle with that. It would take months for me to level even a small one."

Suzuka reassured him, "Relax, Jacob. I've got a plan, I will deal with the mountain myself."

Jacob's voice was full of surprise as he asked, "You? And how will you do that?"

Suzuka leaned in closer, whispering into his ear, "I happen to be a 5-star mage myself."

Jacob nearly fell out of his chair in shock. After a moment, he composed himself and asked, "That's insane! What? When? How?"

Suzuka said quietly, "That does not matter right now. Look, Jacob. For now, let's just say that your role will be vital in laying the foundation for the town. As an earth mage, you'll have to level the ground where we're building. I'll have goblins fell the trees surrounding the mountain first, then use the wood for shelters. Then, you come in to create bricks for the town's protective wall. We'll have the goblins construct the wall that surrounds the town's boundaries using the bricks that you will be making."

Jacob was not impressed by the plan, but he nodded as he processed the details.

"That sounds ambitious... but doable. Making bricks will be an easy task. Now building the foundation will be a hard effort, to say the least, but heck! I've always wanted to be part of a big project like this. Let's make it happen, you can count me it."

Suzuka smiled and continued, "Great! With the town's protection secured, we'll need to gather more resources, build food farms, and establish trade routes with nearby towns. Goblins like Hermit will be quite useful, and they'll play a crucial role in the labor."

Jacob asked, "Goblins like Hermit, huh? I have been meaning to ask, how will you even get them to work for you? And what about the corrupted magic from the mountain? Won't that be a problem too?"

Suzuka chuckled, "Getting goblins will be no problem, not at all, It will be Hermit's job to convince them. I persuaded that gullible goblin Hermit to help me, he would talk to his fellow dimwitted goblins and convince them for me. As for the corrupted magic; once the mountain is level to the ground, all the corrupted magic will vanish over time. And since goblins are not affected by it, the constructions could be started at any moment."

Jacob pondered for a while and said, "Yo, think about it, goblins ain't the top-notch construction crew, you know. Weak as shit, dumb as bricks, and the brightest one's still dimwitted. Plus, you're gonna need a crazy number of them just to start laying the foundation. Ever checked out their camps? Stick huts, grass roofs, and don't even get me started on the poop situation, or, if they're feeling fancy, maybe just some janky caves and tunnels. Not exactly prime real estate material, you know."

Suzuka grinned, "Hey, Jacob, think about it. They built all that and dug the caves using just their hands, no equipment. Now, picture this: What if I handed them some tools and got someone to show them the ropes? What do you think would go down then?"

Jacob's expression turned serious as he leaned in, "Well, damn... Never crossed my mind before, but now that you put it out there, yeah! They might be dimwitted, but these goblins have a knack for mimicking. Show 'em the ropes, and they might be useful. Still, I gotta say, Helen, your plan's got more holes than Swiss cheese. I can think of a hundred other problems with it."

"Don't worry Jacob. Everything will work out."  

Suzuka and Jacob continued to discuss her plan. Meanwhile, Larry and David stood further away and had a private talk. Larry began, "David, I honestly believed you were going to end that goblin's life. I won't lie - I was ready to sever our friendship right then and there if you went through with it. Our paths would've separated. But, to my surprise, you kept your word. You even attempted to befriend the goblin. That caught me off guard."

David, with an apologetic voice, said, "Larry, I'm genuinely sorry. Not only for the trouble with this goblin I caused but for everything I have done, every mistake I made, every time I screwed up. You are my best friend, and I don't want that to change. From now on, I will work hard to be better, to do better... And regarding the goblin, initially, I thought he was just pretending to be this weak, pathetic creature to fool us all. I believed he was blowing smoke in our eyes to gather information on the town, acting as a spy or something. But after all that happened, I finally see that he is just that - a pitiful creature who can't even protect himself. You can be sure, Larry. I will not go after the goblin anymore."

Larry nodded, "Well, I hope your words are sincere. I'll make an effort to be more understanding, both for your sake and his. Perhaps I jumped to conclusions too quickly. Regardless, it's in the past now. Let's shift our attention to what comes next."

David agreed, "You're right, Larry. We need to stay focused and work together. I owe you that much, and I owe it to myself to be better."

With that said, Larry approached Suzuka and said, "Me and David finished our small talk, now I would love to chat with you and Jacob some more, but I have to deliver the goblin to Valerius."

Suzuka playfully chuckled and said, "Don't worry about us, Larry. Let me just fetch the goblin for you. We can chat some more at a later time."

Suzuka grabbed Hermit from under the table by the neck and handed him to Larry, but before that, she whispered into Hermit's ear, "You little shit! You better not mess this up, or else..."

Hermit's eyes widened in fear, and he nodded frantically. Suzuka continued, her voice low and menacing, "Remember, one wrong move, and I'll make sure your existence becomes even more miserable than it already is. Don't test my patience, goblin."

Larry, unaware of the whispered threat, took Hermit in his arms and began to walk away. Suzuka watched them leave, a sinister smile playing on her lips.

As they walked outside the guild, Hermit whispered nervously, "L-Larry, please be gentle with Hermit. Master Helen is upset with me. Hermit fears her, please do not hurt me." Larry shot a glance at the anxious goblin, realizing that despite his quirks, Hermit seemed genuinely afraid of Suzuka's wrath.

"Don't worry, little guy. I don't plan on hurting you, nor does Helen. Just behave yourself," Larry reassured in a hushed tone. Hermit nodded frantically, his eyes wide with worry.

They reached the meeting place, and Larry opened the door, the chilly air sweeping in. As they stepped inside, Larry noticed Valerius leaning against a wall near the entrance, arms crossed. His stern expression softened into a slight smile when he saw Larry approaching with the goblin.

Valerius greeted, his gaze shifted toward the goblin with a malicious smile, "Larry, right on time. And you got the goblin. Good... very good."

Larry handed Hermit over, who looked up at Valerius with a mix of anxiety and fear. Hermit recognized the evil intents behind the smile, it was the same smile every tormentor gave him before the unspeakable tortures were inflicted on him. 

Valerius examined the goblin for a moment before nodding approvingly, "Good job. I'll take it from here." Hermit gulped audibly, limbs trembling, words stuck in his through, his eyes pleading with Larry.

As Valerius continued to scrutinize Hermit, Larry finally spoke up, "What exactly do you plan to do with him, Valerius? I brought him here like you asked, but I need to know the details. We had an agreement."

Valerius happily chuckled, "Oh, Larry, my friend, don't you worry. I have my ways of dealing with goblins like him. It's nothing harsh, just a bit of... talking. We will simply have a bit of a talk, that is all. I assure you." The way Valerius emphasized sent shivers down Hermit's spine.

Larry hesitated for a moment, his instincts telling him that handing Hermit over to Valerius might not end well. Still, he forced a confident smile and said, "He's all yours, Valerius. Treat him well. Meanwhile, I look into where to house him." Valerius chuckled ominously, lovingly patting Hermit on the head like some beloved pet as Larry reluctantly stepped away.

Back at the guild, Suzuka and Jacob finished their discussion and reached an agreement. With business finished, Jacob left with David, exchanging a friendly chat. 

With them gone, Suzuka turned to her quest coordinator, Lisanna, and asked for the maps. After exchanging friendly banter, Lisanna brought the maps, and Suzuka got herself a copy of the land map where she was hoping to build her town.

After spending half of the day buried in the papers and meeting with important people to negotiate the purchase of the land, she finally managed to secure it. Since this patch of land was tainted by corrupted magic, it was relatively easy to negotiate the price and no one pried too deeply into her business.

Suzuka couldn't hide her satisfaction as she walked back into her room at Mystic Oasis Inn, holding the deed to the land. She fell onto her bed and with excitement in her voice said, "Finally, I've got myself a piece of land for the town! Now, I need to prepare. I'll gather the goblins and start the initial preparations. So much work to do. But before we can start building, I need a well-designed town plan."

Suzuka spent the next few days meticulously planning the layout of her town. She drafted designs for houses, markets, and communal areas, considering the goblins' capabilities and the specific needs of the community she intended to build. However, the complexity of the task overwhelmed her, resulting in a pile of crumpled paper and a growing headache.

Finally, she gave up and decided to look for an architect who would help her bring her vision to life. After spending another day visiting people she knew, hoping to find a capable architect, Suzuka was about to give up when she received a recommendation from her rune magic Professor at Magic Box University. 

The renowned architect, Master Elara, was known for her expertise in creating functional and aesthetically pleasing designs.