One hundred percent? As in, she was completely loyal? To me?
I blinked and squinted at the numbers, double-checking just to be sure I wasn’t imagining things.
Nope. There it was. Zahra was more loyal to me than anyone else in the clan, even Zzok.
It made zero sense. If she was this loyal, then why was she acting like I’d personally insulted her entire family?
What, was she a tsundere?
That had to be it. The classic "I pretend to hate you, but I secretly like you" vibe. So... did that mean she had some affection for me?
Wait. No. Don’t be delulu, Eli.
I shook my head, trying to ground myself in reality.
This was no time to be fantasizing.
I needed to focus on leading the clan, not interpreting mixed signals from one goblin. One sexy goblin.
Females’ affection shouldn’t be your goal, Eli. Strength. Power. That’s what matters.
My brain said but a bulging part of me countered.
But one attracts the other, so focus on strength first.
...Nah. Screw the order. I’m taking whichever comes first.
Priorities, man. Get it together.
It’s not my fault, Blame my horny goblin DNA.
Says the guy who’s watched way too many por—
Alright, self. Conversation over.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus.
Zahra’s loyalty made her the only one I could trust completely, and yet she was the most distant, cold, and indifferent.
Was that irony? Maybe. Probably.
Honestly, I wasn’t great with figures of speech.
Whatever. It didn’t matter. I had bigger things to handle.
Leadership duties were calling, and I wasn’t about to ignore them.
I took a headcount of the goblins in my clan.
Seven of us had survived the hobgoblin attack, and with the four new additions—including Zahra—we’d grown a bit.
It was time to step up. Time to lead.
I faced my clan, standing tall.
This time, I wasn’t just speaking as Eli.
I was speaking as their leader.
"First things first," I said, addressing the group. "We need to find a new base. Anyone got ideas?"
I waited, scanning their faces. I wasn’t exactly a seasoned adventurer.
My entire journey so far had been the cliff battle and going straight to this spot.
I needed someone who had a mental map of the area.
The goblins murmured among themselves, and then, to my surprise, Zahra raised her hand.
"Speak," I said, trying to keep my face neutral.
Inside, though, I was fighting off an excited grin.
"I found a cave while I was hunting for food," Zahra said, her voice calm and steady—and, okay, maybe a little cute.
"It’s not far. We could get there before nightfall. But..." She hesitated.
"It’s occupied by dire wolves."
The murmurs grew louder.
"That’s dangerous. We should look for another place," Flogga chimed in, frowning.
But I shook my head. "No. We’re choosing that base."
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Was I just trying to score points with Zahra?
No, no, no. Absolutely not.
This wasn’t about being a simp—seriously, stop thinking that.
The truth was, I wasn’t hearing any other options. It was that simple.
When Zahra had mentioned direwolves, all I heard was one thing: EXP.
This was an opportunity to level up, and I wasn’t about to let it slip away.
"Chief, direwolves are dangerous," Zzok said, his tone cautious. "We can’t just stroll in there. We’d have to fight them, and if their alpha shows up, we’d be dead for sure."
I turned to him with a grin.
"First off, my dear lieutenant, we’re not chasing them away. We’re killing them. All of them. And if the alpha shows up? I’ll handle it. No need to worry."
My confidence seemed to work.
The worried looks among the group eased up, and I could see a few of them nodding hesitantly.
I glanced at Zahra, who was finally looking at me—not with disdain, but something closer to curiosity.
Alright, Eli, time to make a cool move. Impress her. Show some charisma.
I raised my hand, gave her a thumbs up, and said, "Nice suggestion."
...Seriously? A thumbs up?
Nice one, dude. Really nailed it.
That’s definitely how you win over your crush.
Seriously, at this rate, I’d never have a woman.
Zahra simply nodded at my thumbs up, then turned away without a word.
I sighed, loud enough that even the trees outside the cave might’ve heard.
Understanding human girls was already a puzzle, so you’d think understanding a female goblin would be easier. Nope. Still a complete mystery.
Another sigh escaped me.
Zzok broke the awkward silence. "Chief, it’s best we keep moving. We don’t want nighttime to catch us in the forest."
I nodded, grateful for the distraction. He was right.
The forest would only get more dangerous once the sun dipped below the horizon.
"Alright, you heard him!" I called out to the group, clapping my hands to get their attention. "Let’s move, chop chop! Pick up anything you think might be useful. We need to get out of here ASAP."
The goblins scattered, scavenging for supplies.
They grabbed all kinds of things—makeshift weapons, scraps of cloth, cooking utensils, rocks, and even a skull. Seriously was use was a skull.
And then there was Thok. I swear I saw him pocket a dead rat while muttering:
"Snack for the road."
I shook my head, trying to push away the disgust clawing at the back of my mind.
Then I noticed Flogga approaching me, trailed by another goblin carrying her belongings.
This old hag. She even had someone to carry her things.
I glanced at her, trying to remind myself that she was an asset to the clan.
She had influence and skills that were invaluable, especially in our situation.
Okay, fine. I’d try to accept her...unique appearance.
Focus on her inner beauty or whatever.
But let’s be real, that was complete nonsense.
I still couldn’t look her in the face for more than a second without feeling my stomach twist.
"Chief," she said in her raspy voice, which made me flinch. "I have something for you."
She gestured to the goblin behind her, who was carrying her haul. With a nod, she reached into the pile and pulled out an object wrapped in a tattered blanket.
I raised an eyebrow, watching as she carefully unwrapped it.
The moment the covering fell away, I took an involuntary step back.
"Totem," she said, holding it up with a wide grin that only made her look scarier. "This is an ancestral bone."
In her hands was a bone. A long, cracked bone stained with fresh blood and flesh.
Then I saw the flesh squirm, and a fresh squirt of blood shot out from the bone splashing on my face.
Then my brain short-circuited, and before I could stop myself, I let out a high-pitched scream like a teenage girl.