Chapter 304 Job Assignment

By the end of the day, Suzuka finally recovered and stepped out of her tent. Normally, mana sickness as severe as hers would take weeks to recover from, but with her enhanced body, she bounced back in just a day. As she emerged, the camp buzzed with the energy of progress. The vast expanse of the forest had a small deforested area. The ground was even and hard, preventing any pesky vegetation from regrowing. 

The goblins and Jacob were taking a well-deserved break, gathered at the clearing they had created. They marveled at the massive compressed stone chunk in the distance that was once the towering mountain. Suzuka walked up to them. Upon seeing her, the goblins fell to their knees and slammed their heads to the ground in a deep bow, performing an act of reverence they reserved only for her.

"Hey! You fellas did a good job while I was bedridden," she said, a playful smile on her lips.

"Yeah, after last day's show," Jacob replied with a grin, "me and our lumberjack crew really put elbow grease into it."

The goblins, still on their knees, dared to lift their heads slightly to peek at Suzuka. Their eyes were wide with awe and admiration. To them, she was not just a leader but a living legend. They had seen her perform miracles, and now, even her presence seemed like a divine act.

Suzuka looked around at the work they had done. The progress was impressive. The trees were cleaned and ready for transport, and the land was prepared for the next stage of their plan. She felt a swell of pride and satisfaction. Her people, her team, and the goblins had managed to keep everything on track despite her brief absence.

"Stand up, all of you, there is no need for such theatrics. You, fellas, did a great job, take the rest of the day doing something fun, or go grab a snack," she said, her voice gentle yet firm.

The goblins hesitated, then slowly rose to their feet, their eyes still filled with admiration and gratitude. They beamed at her praise and generosity. For so long, they had been treated as nothing more than disposable labor. Now, they were part of something greater, something that gave them purpose and hope. Their faith in Hermit had been a beacon, but Suzuka was their guiding star, leading them toward a brighter future.

She turned to Jacob and said, "You've done an incredible job. A nice team effort with the goblins, Jacob."

"Well, boss," he said, "we couldn't have done it without your kickstart. That mountain trick was something else."

"Just so you know, I am not planning to repeat that. It was a one-time show."

"I hope so because if you do, you might not get so lucky next time. All this work will be for nothing if you kill yourself by pulling some crazy stunts like that. Without you, everyone's hard work will be for nothing."

"I will be careful, I promise and I'm glad to see the results of everyone's hard work. We're one step closer to building something amazing here. And with this much open space, we can start forming the land for crops. Our supplies will run out soon, at this rate we might last a month or so. We need to start growing something to solve the food issue. With goblin numbers growing we will need food sooner than we think."

Jacob noted, a smirk playing on his lips.

 "We could do that today but maybe we should let these little fellas rest for the day and start forming the crop fields tomorrow. They’ve really put their backs into it after seeing your mountain trick. They were eager to show their devotion and prove themselves worthy of your presence. At least, that’s what Hermit and some of the goblins who can speak our language said."

"You’re right, Jacob. They’ve earned a good rest. Plus, we wouldn’t want to push them too hard and risk them fainting again. And I think they like you."

Jacob nodded, his expression softening as he looked at the goblins.

 "They’re a tough bunch, but they’ve been through a lot. A bit of rest will do them good. But seriously, you’re the one who inspires them. They see you as a goddess of mercy, their savior. I’m just the guy who ensures they don’t mess up too badly."

Suzuka laughed, her easygoing nature shining through. 

"Well, you do a great job at that, Jacob. Now, let’s make sure we’re ready for tomorrow. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us."

The morning came, bringing with it a new day brimming with work. Jacob, an early riser, got up before the goblins and set about preparing the crop fields. He meticulously reviewed Suzuka's town blueprint and using his earth magic carefully carved the earth to form precise crop fields as marked on the blueprint.

Meanwhile, Suzuka instructed Hermit to gather all the adult goblins. Hermit, trembling with anxiety and unsure of her intentions, scuttled around and assembled a crowd of just over a hundred goblins. They all took a seat on the hard ground, while Hermit stood by Suzuka's side, nervously awaiting further instructions.

Suzuka, with her easygoing demeanor, began to address the crowd.

 "First, I want anyone who understands what I'm saying to stand up. I need more goblins who can understand me to help translate for your fellow goblins. Now, don't be shy, get up if you understand."

The goblins looked at each other in confusion, their faces contorted in a stupor. After a brief pause, a few goblins hesitantly stood up, mumbling among themselves.

Suzuka smiled warmly.

 "Great, thank you. Now, for those who stood up, your job is to help me explain things to everyone else. We're going to be working together to build something amazing here, and I need all of you to be on the same page."

The standing goblins nodded, their initial hesitation fading as they realized they had an important role to play. Hermit, still trembling but feeling a bit more confident looked at Suzuka with a mixture of awe and relief. 

"Alright, now that we understand each other, let's get started," Suzuka continued.

 "We're going to be farming this land, growing crops to sustain us. Jacob has already prepared the fields, and now you need to work together to plant and care for the crops. This is a big step toward our future, and I know you can do it if you work as a team."

Suzuka, with her easygoing demeanor, began addressing the goblins, her voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm.

 "I want to know who has experience with farming the land. Has any of you worked in a crop field before, like pulling weeds or planting seeds and such? Anyone who has done such work before, please stand up."

The goblins mumbled amongst themselves for a few moments. A group of them hesitantly stood up, the bravest among them daring to speak. 

"Oh, great master, we have worked in crop fields at our previous breeding farms. We know a little about working the land and looking after nature's bounty. We will be honored to tend to crop fields."

Suzuka's face lit up with joy. 

"Great! From now on, you are responsible for the crop fields. Anything you need to grow better crops, just tell Hermit, and we will see what we can do. As for now, form a team and go to Jacob; he will tell you what to do from there. I am expecting great things from you all."

The goblins, slightly bewildered by Suzuka's encouraging tone, shuffled over to Jacob. They had never experienced such positive reinforcement before and it filled them with a strange sense of purpose. In breeding farms they were beaten to death only then told their role but here they were treated with respect. 

Next, Suzuka addressed the remaining goblins.

 "Now, I want to know who is good at cooking. Any of you were responsible for making the food in those goblin breeding farms?"

After a short pause, a few goblins hesitantly stood up. One of them spoke up, "Master, we were in the Master goblin kitchen. We were responsible for managing the grub for the Master goblin and the rest of the evil goblins. But we are sorry, the food we made often angered the masters. Goddess, our filthy hands are not good enough to touch the same food you eat. We are not worthy."

Hermit walked up to Suzuka, his eyes wide with pleading. 

"Master Helen, the slaves who were tasked with making food had the worst fate of us all. They were forced to make food tasty enough for the Master goblins, but they were not provided with food themselves or allowed to taste it. If the food did not suit the master goblin's taste, they were brutally punished or simply killed on the spot. Please, Master Helen, do not sentence them to the same fate. Please, mercy."

Suzuka looked at Hermit with a mix of confusion and worry. 

"What the hell are you talking about? They'll be making food, simple as that. If it's bad, just do it again. I'll send them to Silvia, and she will teach them how to cook. No one is punishing anyone. And one more thing, Hermit. Stop calling me master, just call me Helen. Got it?"

"Yes, H-Helen," Hermit stammered, his voice filled with a mixture of ease and disbelief.

The goblins gasped in shock when they heard their leader address Suzuka so casually without any honorifics. It was unheard of to speak to a higher being than themselves like that. Such disrespect in goblin breeding farms was punishable by death if any slave dared to forget his manners when addressing the master. In their eyes, Hermit was no longer a fellow slave; he was now equal to the masters themselves. They felt even more insignificant, but at the same time, they sensed deep pride in their leader.

The goblins were astonished by Hermit, who was friends with such divine, god-like beings. In their diminutive minds, it was unthinkable that a goblin like them could associate with such powerful figures. Their faith in Hermit grew tenfold, seeing him as a bridge between their pitiful existence and the grand, awe-inspiring world of their saviors.

With renewed vigor, the goblins set to their tasks. The farmers eagerly approached Jacob, who began instructing them on how to prepare the land for planting. The cooks shuffled nervously toward Silvia, who greeted them with a warm smile and began her lessons on the basics of cooking.