CHAPTER 77: MAUI RETURNS!

Murkfang managed to escape and ran all night, trying his best to stay hidden, but his feet were swollen and his wounds still weren’t healed.

The good news was that the paint allowed him to blend in with the other humans at first glance, and he had managed to steal some clothes as well.

Murkfang had been foolish—he revealed everything to the boy, including details about himself.

It was a careless mistake on his part, but he wanted to show the humans they were not a threat.

That was the best way to inform them because, even if the boy was homeless, there was still a chance he could spread the information.

And things like that spread like wildfire—all he had to do was light the spark, but it unfortunately backfired.

He stayed hidden despite starving, knowing that keeping his life was the better trade.

Murkfang had his wounds treated, which gave him a small measure of comfort.

All he had to do now was lay low, but escaping at this point was impossible because security had tightened.

There was no way anyone could come to rescue him, even though he had left a clue that only Byung could find.

He knew Byung was smart—he just needed a lead—but it would have been smarter to bring him along.

Murkfang had to keep him away from Drekk. He couldn’t let Drekk get his hands on him, and to some extent, it worked.

Drekk had no interest in their mines at first and only came to scold them for their poor quota, but that interest increased overnight.

There had to be a reason for that sudden change, which was why Murkfang expected Drekk to come much sooner.

He had to put his plan into motion right away because Drekk could appear at any moment, but he made a terrible miscalculation with the timing.

Drekk no longer followed protocol; he came at random times, and Murkfang realized he must have had a mole in the mine reporting directly to him.

That was why Murkfang was sure Drekk would come—but what if there had never been a mole in the first place?

What if what happened the first time was pure chance? It was a strong possibility, considering Drekk wasn’t aware of the orcs or the forges.

That information would have changed everything happening inside the mine.

Murkfang didn’t know about these new developments, but he was certain the goblins must have already assumed he was dead.

The creature he saw on the wanted poster—Murkfang had gained something he never thought possible.

The world was far bigger than he’d imagined, and that scared him—but it was something he knew Byung would appreciate.

Murkfang knew he lacked the means to use all the information he’d gathered, but he had gained entry deep into human territory.

It was messy, but it still counted as infiltration, no matter how it happened.

The enemies might be searching for him, but the place was too vast for them to find him easily.

That was an advantage—and with his disguise, he could slip in and out unnoticed.

The young boy who painted him wanted Murkfang to stay longer, but Murkfang left the room that same night.

An escape attempt—or at least that’s what the boy thought.

Now, the humans could use what they knew to torture more precise answers out of him.

Murkfang couldn’t make the same mistake that had landed him in this mess to begin with.

He had to be patient and learn more about these people.

--

Byung had sent out a search party. He didn’t need to inform Gribnox of this development because it would make no difference.

This was something he had to do on his own—he was the sole goblin responsible for them.

The construction of houses was almost complete. Their smaller sizes meant they didn’t need to build exceptionally tall structures.

They were done with the foundations—it was simple and not too complex.

It was better than sleeping under a leaking roof; they deserved this level of comfort.

Just as Byung was focused on his work, a commotion broke out at the entrance.

The goblins were whispering among themselves, but Borkle’s eyes met Byung’s in the distance as if he was looking for him.

He mouthed something, and Byung tried to understand what he was saying, slowly repeating it to himself.

"Shit is black..." Byung pondered what that could mean. Was it some strange insight Borkle had discovered, or was he literally telling him the color of their shit?

But then he saw it—it was Maui, and as expected, she didn’t look good.

"She is back..." Byung muttered under his breath, realizing that’s what Borkle had been trying to say.

Byung rushed to her side to see what was wrong and saw she was covered in dirt and dust, as if she’d crawled across the ground.

"Where have you been!?" Byung demanded in front of everyone, but Maui looked far too tired to answer.

Everyone noticed she still had her dual swords, but Naz and Naruz ran up and embraced her—they had feared the worst.

She shouldn’t have been gone this long, and both of them knew Maui was hiding something.

Maui had her secrets, and they never questioned her, because whatever she kept from them never affected how she treated them.

Byung stayed silent. He hadn’t realized how much her absence had affected him until now—his heart was thumping, and relief showed clearly in his eyes.

Byung never hid how he felt about anyone or anything. He wasn’t evil, but he was impulsive, just like any goblin.

Torgzit’s broken jaw was proof of that. Maui met his gaze and didn’t need to be told that this goblin cared about her.

But there was something important she needed to tell him.

"I have so much to tell you, master," Maui said, and Naz and Naruz shared puzzled looks.

"Master?" they thought in unison, though Naruz had a good idea why.

It must be that damn cock of his—it had a way of turning their minds into sex-depraved machines that craved only him.

Maui noticed the place looked very different now. There were new structures, and some were large enough to accommodate her.

It was a kind gesture from Byung and the goblins.

"I, too, have a lot to tell you," Byung responded, partly flustered that she’d called him master so publicly.

Byung welcomed Maui back into the comfort of his home. She noticed he had expanded the ceiling so she no longer had to slouch to fit.

She smiled—this showed he had been thinking about her. It was refreshing to have someone care for her, despite her own strength.

At the end of the day, she was still a lady, and Byung treated her that way.

He didn’t treat her like a fragile flower. He respected her strength but still saw her as feminine.

It was the opposite of how the orcs treated her, where strength was the only compliment.

"Are you sure you don’t need anything? We can talk later, you don’t look so good," Byung said.

He wanted to make sure she was in the right state of mind—that was what mattered most to him right now.

"Maybe I could use a shower..." Maui said. She was covered in dirt, and there was no doubt a shower would help.

"I’m on it!" Byung exclaimed.

He didn’t treat her like a slave, despite the title she used. If anything, he treated her as an equal.

But Maui knew deep down that her life would likely end when she conceived his child.

It was inevitable because there was a high chance his offspring would inherit some of his unique traits.

That would be revolutionary for the goblins—something that could evolve their entire race.

With such high quality, she knew it might not just be one goblin she bore, but an entire litter.

That wasn’t unusual among their kind, but low semen quality usually made even one successful birth rare. A litter was impossible.

She watched as Byung hurriedly prepared a place for her to shower.

He made sure it suited her—she couldn’t just shower anywhere like the other goblins.

"Come here..." Byung’s gentle voice called, and Maui slowly stripped. Byung saw wounds on her body he hadn’t noticed before but said nothing.

"It is okay if you no longer find me attractive," Maui said quietly. There was a chance he might not like her scarred body anymore.

Byung chuckled at her words, watching her body stiffen in shame as if afraid to show him the marks she carried from battle.

"You’re beautiful, Maui, with or without the scars," Byung said softly. Gesturing for her to come to him so he could take his time and wash her from head to toe.

Byung didn’t know the story but something told him he had a hand to play in this.

Each scar on her body was a reminder of what she was willing to do for him.

Every words that came out of his mouth was the truth, there was no deception within them.

Maui didn’t understand why she was feeling this way toward a goblin.

"What the hell is this?" she thought, as her heart thumped in her chest like it was trying to break free.