"Not hard to guess." Shire held up one finger. "When we found you, you were all alone. And afterward, you never mentioned any of your companions being captured. I don’t think your Clan Leader would have sent you out to find the Unicorn by yourself."
"He is my father," Evita said, lowering her head.
"That’s understandable. He didn’t want you to walk into danger." Shire nodded. "But your proud nature still drove you to sneak away."
"But I have one more thing to remind you of." He stared at the centaur maiden before him, his tone serious. "Your people have suffered greatly at the hands of the Earth Goblins and other goblins. Now you’re asking them to seek refuge with a goblin Race. Can they accept that? If they can’t, and they try to leave later, it will cause a huge problem."
Shire knew all too well that the most difficult part of any group action was unifying their thoughts. ’It’s always the same,’ he thought. ’Organize a group activity, and everyone has a different idea of where to go or what to eat. It’s impossible to get them to agree. In the end, a leader just has to make a decision and force it on them to get things done.’
"I know. I’ll go back first and do my best to persuade them." Evita bit her lip. She understood this was the most difficult part of the whole plan. Even she had been wary when she first encountered Shire’s Race. It was only after observing them from a distance for many days that she finally made up her mind to seek Shire out.
"You’re very brave." Shire gazed at the centaur maiden before him. He knew what kind of situation she was about to face. Sometimes, allies are harder to deal with than enemies.
"But I think I can help you with that." He smiled, hopping off his chair. Then, with his hands behind his back, he walked out of the stone room. Evita, puzzled by his actions, set down her teacup and followed to see what he was up to.
Shire strolled ahead leisurely, as if taking a walk in a garden. He knew Evita was following, but he didn’t look back.
Soon, the two of them, one after the other, arrived at the stone chamber near the Fortress entrance. Evita froze for a moment. She saw a snow-white creature lying on a patch of weeds by the side of the room. It was the Unicorn.
"This fellow likes to come here and lie down around dusk. I guess it’s gotten used to it by now." Shire squatted beside the Unicorn and carefully moved closer. He had previously considered moving it out, since his subordinates were always coming and going, and he worried they might startle it. But he later discovered that the big fella just slept here, coexisting peacefully with his Race, so he didn’t bother.
Evita also cautiously approached the Unicorn. She looked at the goblin squatting beside it, her eyes filled with envy. ’This Unicorn is practically a domesticated pet for the goblins. Can it still be our Centaur totem?’
"Hey, big fella, I need to ask for a small favor." Shire reached out to stroke the Unicorn. His movements were gentle, and the Unicorn watched him in silence.
"This won’t hurt. I just need a little bit." Shire’s hand slowly slid down to the Unicorn’s tail. Its long, golden tail hairs were like satin brocade. Then, drawing the Short Blade from his waist, he cut off a lock of tail hair amid Evita’s gasp.
"Huihui," the Unicorn nickered, seemingly protesting the goblin’s action, but that was all.
Shire let out a soft breath. Just now, when he’d done that, he’d been terrified the Unicorn would charge and gore him right through. Fortunately, he had gotten along well with it these past few days, and his action hadn’t provoked its hostility.
"Take it. This should help you persuade your people." Shire handed the long, golden hairs to Evita. It was the only solution he could think of right now.
"I... you... this..." For a moment, Evita forgot what to do. Should she scold him for daring to cut the Unicorn’s hair? Should she thank him for taking such a risk? Or should she be checking on the Unicorn after its hair had been cut?
After a few seconds of indecision, she wiped her hands on her clothes several times before solemnly extending both hands to receive the Unicorn’s golden tail hair.
"You’d better tie them up with a string so they don’t fall apart," Shire said with a smile, pointing at the long hairs.
Evita nodded quickly, then stole a glance at the Unicorn lying nearby. It didn’t seem to care that it was missing a tuft of tail hair. It just lay on the weeds, not even sparing them a look.
’Is this really our totem?’ Evita complained inwardly. Her perception of the Unicorn was already starting to change slightly.
"That should be enough, right?" Shire eyed the golden hairs in the centaur maiden’s hands. He then looked back at the Unicorn lying there quietly. It still had a lot of golden hair on its tail. ’Since it didn’t seem to mind much just now, maybe it can help me express a bit more sincerity? After all, it’s all to help the Centaurs. Giving a little more hair should be fine.’
"It’s enough, it’s more than enough," Evita said immediately. She was already getting a headache just thinking about how she was going to explain to her people how she obtained this lock of golden hair from their Race’s totem.
"Then let’s go back. There are still many details to plan to ensure this operation is a success," Shire said, walking ahead with his hands behind his back.
Evita looked down at the Unicorn hair in her hands, then at the goblin walking in front of her. She suddenly had a thought: maybe the Unicorn’s journey south was all to find this short goblin.
...
In the northern forest, inside a huge tent, several Earth Goblins were gathered around a fire pit, eating roasted venison.
The tent was pieced together from various kinds of hides, making it look like it was covered in patches.
The red-nosed Earth Goblin sitting in the most prominent position picked up a Small Knife, speared a piece of venison without caring if it was cooked through, and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing loudly. "These Big-horned Deer raised by the Centaurs are really not bad."
The surrounding Earth Goblins all nodded in agreement. They also had several pieces of venison roasting in front of them.
"General, are we just going to let the Centaur Race go like this?" one of the Earth Goblins at his side asked tentatively.
"For now, we have to. If we fight them to the bitter end, our own strength will be weakened. They’re already showing fear, so now is the perfect time to get them under our thumb." The leader, General Evil Throat, stabbed his Small Knife into the ground and looked north. "After all, our target isn’t the Centaurs, but that Goblin Kingdom to the north. Only by amassing enough strength can we fight them."
"The General is right," the other Earth Goblins all nodded in assent.
"Now that these Centaurs have signed a letter of allegiance, we can constantly exploit them, even make them part of the Evil Throat Army. If we have them drink the ’Holy Water’ as well, I believe a Centaur Charge will be much more powerful than a goblin’s." After speaking, General Evil Throat looked at a large wooden barrel beside him. Inside was the "Evil Throat Holy Water" he had just mentioned.
"General, Scarface has arrived," an Earth Goblin from the tent entrance came in and announced.
"Tell him to get his ass in here," General Evil Throat waved his hand dismissively.
Soon, a short goblin came "rolling" in at a trot and immediately knelt before Evil Throat. With a sycophantic expression, he lowered his head and stammered out a request for instructions from General Evil Throat.
"I have a job for you," Evil Throat said, continuing to eat his venison without sparing the goblin on the floor a single glance. "I’m appointing you Commander-in-Chief of the Ogre squad. Go and press the Centaurs for their tribute. Remember to collect as many of their resources as you can, and make them hand over the share stated in the letter of allegiance as quickly as possible."
"Yes, General," Scarface said respectfully, lifting his head. Then, his gaze fell upon the venison in front of General Evil Throat, and a flash of greed crossed his eyes.
General Evil Throat casually cut off a bloody piece of venison and threw it in front of Scarface with a SPLAT. "A reward for you. Take my orders and go to the Ogres tomorrow."
As Scarface exited the tent, clutching the piece of venison, another Earth Goblin spoke up. "General, won’t the goblin mess things up? They’re stupid and greedy, they can’t even recognize numbers. He’ll definitely fail to carry out the order, and he might even provoke the Centaurs into resisting."
"I know," Evil Throat said, his tone nonchalant. "That’s exactly why I’m sending a goblin to do it. Those Centaurs have just sworn allegiance; their fighting spirit is at its lowest. We’ll let a greedy goblin go and fleece them. When the Centaurs can’t take it anymore, we’ll execute the goblin right in front of them. It kills two birds with one stone."
"An excellent plan," the other Earth Goblins chimed in.
"Don’t push those goblins too hard. Just keep them half-fed. We’ll let them eat their fill when it’s time for battle," Evil Throat instructed the Earth Goblins around him. They still needed those goblins to Charge for them on the front lines.
Meanwhile, in an underground stone room not far from the tent, Scarface was showing off the piece of venison to a few other goblins. "See this? This is from the General."
The other goblins stared at the meat with envy. In a large cauldron next to them, some tubers and a few rats were boiling—their dinner. The rest of the goblins in the Evil Throat Army were all eating the same thing that night.
"Cyan Hide, want some?" Scarface deliberately offered the venison to a younger-looking goblin. As he smiled, the three scars on his face looked like three writhing earthworms.
"Yes," the goblin said, moving closer to grab the venison.
But in the next instant, Scarface kicked Cyan Hide away. "Idiot! This was a gift from the General to me."
Scarface tore at the venison with big bites, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding goblins. He said contemptuously, "I’m the Commander-in-Chief of the Ogres now. Starting tomorrow, I can eat as much meat as I want."
Then he swaggered over to the large cauldron and fished out half a rat. "I told you all to learn from me. If you had, you wouldn’t have to eat this stuff anymore."
"When I’m sleeping in a tent in the future, you’ll have to kneel when you see me," Scarface said smugly. He then sat down in front of the cauldron, eating his venison and the rat from the pot, completely ignoring the hateful glares from the other goblins.
"Centaurs, starting tomorrow, life is going to be good for Scarface."