Chapter 10 – The City of Goblins and Humans
A warm breeze brushed Harsha's face as he opened his eyes. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming.
Rolling hills stretched in every direction, dotted with flowers that glowed softly under the golden light. The air smelled of wild mint and pine, and the sky—so wide, so clear—was unlike anything he'd ever seen.
But it wasn't the beauty that captured Harsha's attention.
It was the strange floating screen in front of him.
A transparent interface blinked gently, displaying a countdown timer:
6 Days 23 Hours Left
Right next to it was a blinking icon labeled Instructions. Harsha tapped it curiously.
A greenish panel slid open with four options:
→ Quest
→ Rules
→ Power
→ Backstory
Something about it felt too real to be a game—but Harsha shook that thought away. This was just another level. Another mission to complete.
He clicked on each tab in sequence, reading silently and memorizing the details, especially his backstory:
> "You are Harsha, son of a humble farmer.
Raised in the Varnlokh Region under the Adventurer's Guild, you have now come of age.
From here on, you must earn your survival."
As soon as he finished reading, a new message popped up in green:
> New Objective: Gather information about blue gemstones from the Adventurer Guild HQ.
That name again—blue gemstones. The same phrase had shown up before, back in the real world, hidden in his prototype quest. Whatever it meant, Harsha was determined to follow it through.
He opened his bag to check his inventory:
A handful of silver and gold coins, and a Varnlokh ID Pass. That was it.
He took a deep breath and began walking downhill, his boots crunching softly over the grassy slope as the village below came into view.
The place was a strange blend of order and tension.
Humans were everywhere—ploughing fields, carrying tools, repairing houses. But they weren't alone. Goblins, dressed in all manners of outfits—from military uniforms to fine velvet coats—stood among them, watching, instructing, sometimes shouting commands.
It looked peaceful at first glance, but something about it felt… unnatural. Like a stage play where everyone had memorized their lines but was afraid to break character.
As Harsha approached the village gate, a goblin guard stepped forward and held out a hand.
> "ID and entry fee. Five silver coins."
Harsha handed over the items without protest. The goblin smiled and inspected him, nodded once, and allowed him in.
He didn't waste time. His eyes searched for a building marked with the Adventurer Guild's symbol—a golden sword crossed over a flame. That was his destination. That was where the real quest would begin.
But before he could reach it, a sharp voice interrupted him.
> "You there! Stop!"
Harsha turned to find a goblin standing across the road. This one wasn't like the others. He was dressed in silken robes lined with gold thread, and his long ears were decorated with jeweled rings. His staff was carved from blackwood, topped with a glowing red gem.
He looked rich. Important. Dangerous.
> "Where are you going?" the goblin demanded. "Who are you?"
> "I'm on a quest," Harsha replied calmly.
The goblin's eyes narrowed.
> "Are you… free?"
Harsha frowned. "I'm not free, sir. I have duties to complete." He tried to remain polite, but there was urgency in his voice. "I'm looking for the Adventurer Guild. I have to find something."
The goblin's expression changed—first to curiosity, then to cold calculation.
> "And what is it you're looking for boy ?"
> "gemstones," Harsha answered.
For a moment, the goblin seemed stunned.
> "Gems, huh? So you're capable of collecting such things?"
> "Yes, sir."
> "You're from Varnlokh, then?"
Harsha nodded.
> "So you're an adventurer?"
Another nod.
The goblin smiled—a slow, sly smile.
> "Then you work for me now. I'll speak to your master. You'll fetch gems for me."
Harsha blinked, confused.
> "Pardon me, sir. I'm in a hurry."
And with that, he walked away, heading toward the tall structure that bore the symbol of the Adventurer Guild. The goblin didn't stop him—but his eyes followed Harsha's every move.
Behind him, a tall human man in leather armor stepped forward silently.
> "Master, that child… did you feel that aura?"
> "yes," the goblin replied. "I feel it . And i think you had already done your job."
The human adjusted a pair of strange spectacles on his nose and whispered,
> Yes master
"His stats are better than any slave we've ever evaluated. Strength, stamina, mana—all over 50. He's a human child, but his level matches a Gold League adventurer."
The goblin's lips curled into a grin.
> "Unawakened, and still that powerful? If trained well, he could become a beast. A weapon."
He stared after Harsha, who was just disappearing into the guild entrance.
> "Find his master, Jubair. I want that boy at any cost."
Harsha stepped into the Adventurer Guild, and a wave of mixed sounds and smells crashed over him—boisterous laughter, clashing mugs, burning oil lamps, and the metallic scent of worn weapons.
The place looked like chaos wrapped in stone, with warriors from every race lounging, bragging, drinking, and sharpening their blades. He clutched his worn-out ID tightly, trying not to stare too long at the strange creatures passing by.
But then… he saw her.
Leaning on a sleek obsidian desk, a stunning goblin girl tapped her long, crimson nails against a crystal register. Her figure was divine—hourglass curves wrapped in a deep crimson corset-top that barely contained her. She wore a short, slit skirt with golden linings and thigh-high boots that hugged her legs like a second skin. Her jade-green skin shimmered under the enchanted chandelier, and a tattoo curled around her hip, partially visible as she shifted.
Long silver hair cascaded down her back like moonlight silk, and her eyes—molten amber—narrowed playfully when they met his.
> "Well, well, what do we have here?" she purred, voice sweet as honey and sharp as daggers.
"Did a baby prince wander in looking for milk—or are you the dessert himself?"
Harsha froze, cheeks flushing. "Uh… I'm here to register."
The goblin receptionist stood and approached, her hips swaying with deliberate grace. She leaned down—so close he could smell her cinnamon-scented perfume—and gently ran a cool finger across his cheek.
> "Mmm… soft skin, nervous eyes, and carrying those ancient bangles. What a delicious contradiction."
> "Name's Neera," she whispered, blowing a soft puff of air into his ear. "And you're adorable."
He swallowed hard. "I… I'm here for a quest. I need to find blue gemstones."
Suddenly, the noise in the guild died. Utensils clinked mid-air. Heads turned.
> "Did he just say blue gems?"
"Pfft, this kid's got a death wish."
Laughter erupted around the room like a thunderclap. Drunken adventurers pointed, mocking.
Neera raised an eyebrow but didn't stop smiling.
> "Ignore them. Their quests are as dull as their swords," she whispered. "You? You're dangerous in all the right ways."
She pressed her finger to his lips playfully. "Let's see what secrets you're hiding."
She motioned him toward the back, leading the way. Harsha tried hard not to stare at the sway of her hips.
---
Evaluation Room
The glowing orb in the center hummed with energy. Harsha stood under it, arms tense. The orb blinked to life.
> Strength: 51
Stamina: 50
Mana: 50
Elemental Power: Locked
Accessories: Restricted Item – Data Masked
Neera's eyes widened, her smirk vanishing for a second.
> "Oh… my… gods."
She walked slowly around him again, this time slower. Her finger trailed across his shoulder.
> "You're a gold-league monster in the skin of a boy…"
She let out a slow breath, biting her lower lip. "If I wasn't working, I'd steal you myself."
With a snap of her fingers, a fresh ID appeared on the glowing desk.
> "Registration complete. One gold coin, baby."
Harsha handed it to her. She placed her hand over his and whispered:
> "Careful now. Eyes like yours attract daggers. And hearts like mine… well, we're dangerous too."
Then, with a dramatic sigh and a wink, she scribbled a note.
> "If you're really chasing gemstones… go upstairs. Find Lady Sephara Velcryn."
She lowered her voice.
"They say she's ancient," Neera said with a sweet-but-sour smile. "Probably needs a walking stick and a magnifying glass to find her own beauty these days."
Harsha blinked, confused.
She stepped back and ran her tongue across her upper lip slowly.
> "Tell her Neera sent you. She'll know what that means."
Before he could ask, she turned around with a wink and returned to her desk, hips swaying like a serpent dancing through fire.
> "Good luck, Gem Hunter," she called out. "Try not to get stolen on your way up."
Harsha narrowed his eyes slightly as he climbed the dimly lit stairs, the faint echoes of laughter fading behind him.
> "That goblin woman… dangerous and cunning. I wonder what is waiting for me next."
Next chapter:11 "Contract or Cage"