The Convergence was coming. The symptoms have already started showing themselves.
He needed to be ready.
"Alright, alright, we won't hurt you, if you tell us where Redthorn is hiding at. If you even think about lying…"
Esdras produced flames in his hand and moved it close to the bugbear's face, it could feel the burn of the flames, it was just a hair's breadth away from burning his face.
"The Greendepth caverns! I-I swear that's all I know! It's further into the forest by the jagged trees."
Esdras nodded, he was able to get what he wanted nicely.
"But—"
"Hn? But what? Are you hiding something from us? Speak up!" David kicked it in the gut.
"No, no, but, I only went there months ago, recently it's been quiet. I can't go there, my payment gets delivered by the goblins to me."
Unfortunately, it would seem that there were still some things left out. But even then if the goblins are not there they still got their hands on the next clue.
Hmm, there was something else he wanted to ask, "wait, one more thing. Did Redthorn tell you to not attack the Tigerclaw guards?"
"Eh?"
"What?"
Everyone around was stunned by his question, but Esdras naturally started to suspect something was not right here.
"T-the guards? No, he didn't say anything. I just spread the rumor that I am a troll and scare anyone coming close to the bog. But, the guards always run away first and don't fight with me at all."
That was enough to make Esdras certain of his guess, the Tigerclaw mercenaries were colluding with the Redpeal goblin tribe!
He wasn't sure about the details like whether it was an actual agreement or a tactic understanding but he knew for a fact the two sides were acting in tandem with one another.
"Okay, you can go, after you give us half of your loot." Esdras told the 'troll'.
The bugbear felt like crying but being the coward that he is, he felt relieved that he could at least keep the other half.
From now on he was going to get out of here and never show his face around these parts.
Turns out the loot was not bad at all, there was some silver and even two opals. Esdras took half fairly. But before leaving he still had one more order for the 'troll'.
"Actually why do monsters care about coins and precious stones?" David asked a very vital question.
"That's true, monsters don't buy and sell things why do most of them hoard gold?" Celine asked the 'troll'.
"It means you are strong! The shinier stuff you have the stronger you are!" The 'troll' answered honestly.
Esdras was speechless at this exchange.
"Oh, and before I forget you're not allowed to leave yet, if you left they would notice that something was wrong. If the goblins ask about what happened, tell them you scared us off as usual."
"… I got it."
Esdras knew that for a very intelligent goblin he might have already started gathering information on them, so his trusted aid could cover for them or at least spread confusion.
Back in Yellmane.
Esdras and the team returned to the inn and shared their findings over lunch. This was the end of their exploits today, going to the Greendepth caverns had to wait.
The prince did not seem to be doing very well, he was very irritated but he did a good job of controlling his anger. He said something that stuck out to Esdras.
"We are the dragon kings, and yet that… relic was stolen by goblins. A shame that can't be washed in generations. Worse still, that item can't be lost, it must be returned, do so and the entire nation will be in your debt. Retrieve it at any cost!"
Esdras already knew that it was a very special item but he didn't expect the prince to say such a thing. It must be some kind of national treasure.
Anyway, he was planning to get it back, his mission included that relic. Not to mention a royal connection with Elbrim, a kingdom related to a Master mage was priceless. This mission could turn out to be of great benefit to him.
After lunch Esdras told the team to spread around town and if anyone asked they should retell the same story he gave to the 'troll'. Plus they had to keep in mind those who asked.
Esdras himself had a different task, a much more dangerous one at that. Ilundar Sunspear was known to loiter around aimlessly and was known to hand around the abandoned mill just out of town.
That was where Esdras stuck one of his Spy eyes and left, making sure that he was not followed. This was where he felt Ilundar was most likely to reveal something.
With all his friends out there they created the perfect cover for him to go in and out unnoticed. This was not overdoing it, he had long since noticed the Tigerclaw gang spaying on them and following their every move in town.
He didn't do anything and pretended not to notice because it was not the right time to act.
He already check all of them, they were all trash normal people, the only one worth something was the captain, Dash. But he was just a vigor knight.
The only one who made him wary in this village was Ilundar, peak rank 2 Ranger.
He was the biggest problem, he had to be involved in all of this somehow, and he needed to find out everything about him.
There was no way Ilundar couldn't find the goblins' hideout in such a long time.
When he found out about the troll Esdras thought that it must be the reason Ilundar didn't make a move but the troll turned out to be fake. Ilundar must have known this.
Esdras couldn't believe that he was in the dark about it. He was a scout after all. So, the only logical conclusion was that he was the goblin Redthorn!
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l