The Monster King's Legacy - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: A Year€™s Progress Chapter 80: A Year€™s Progress The goblin city was alive with celebration.

Lanterns made of animal hides and metal hung from every corner.

Stalls lined the streets, converging towards the centre of the village, filled with roasted meats, colorful fruits, and Mira’s carefully brewed tonics that promised to refresh even the weariest of them all.

She had learned quite a bit from the orcs and beastkin concerning the art of brewing, particularly ale and wine using fruits.

Naturally, it made more sense to explore the wine part.

Laughter and music filled the air as goblins danced in the main square, their joy contagious.

The sound of musical claps and stomps mixed with rhythmic chants echoed throughout the settlement, creating an atmosphere that was equal parts wild and harmonious.

The goblins’ celebration wasn’t just for their growing prosperity, it was a testament to how far they’d come.

The festival had been Rynne’s idea.

“We’ve been working like mad for months,” she had said while sparring with Lance earlier that week.

“The people deserve to celebrate, and it wouldn’t hurt for them to see that all this effort is paying off.” Now, as Lance walked through the bustling streets, he saw how right she’d been.

Goblins mingled with beastkin and orcs, sharing food and laughter as though they’d never been at odds before.

Surely, this was how history was written… or so the saying went.

Lance had quite well planned to do something like this, but perhaps, doing it sooner than later was for the better.

Their allies had also been invited to attend, so it wasn’t just the goblins celebrating this time.

Near the edge of the central square, Kaeli had even set up a demonstration of her latest weapons and tools, drawing an eager crowd.

“Come on, give it a try!” she encouraged, handing a small crossbow to a curious goblin child.

With her guidance, the child aimed at a makeshift wooden doll target and hit it squarely in the center, earning cheers from the onlookers.

“Not bad,” Kaeli said with a grin, ruffling the youngone’s hair.

Most of the weapons displayed were still prototypes she was yet to completely perfect, and one could argue how dangerous letting the public try them out might be, but well, how else?

As Lance passed by, he heard his name spoken in excited tones.

“The Chief is the reason we’re here,” an older goblin said to a group gathered around him.

“He showed us that goblins can be more than scavengers.

He gave us a future.” “He’s not just strong,” added a beastkin merchant.

“He’s smart.

That’s rarer than gold these days some say…

well, not that I agree with them, the gold part, of course, don’t get me wrong.” Lance felt a pang of humility at their words.

He hadn’t set out to be a hero, he’d only wanted to survive, but somewhere along the way, his vision had become something bigger than himself, or so it seemed.

As the evening wore on, Lance found himself at a large table surrounded by his closest companions.

Rynne leaned back in her chair, a mug of wine in hand.

“Not bad for a bunch of goblins, huh?” she said with a smirk.

“We’ve come so far,” Mira agreed, her soft green eyes glowing with pride.

“And it’s all thanks to Lance.” She added, looking at him with a faint smile while Lia poured him some wine.

“Don’t forget yourselves,” Lance said, gesturing around the table.

“None of this would’ve been possible without you all.” Zarra grinned mischievously, leaning closer.

“Careful, you’ll strike something.” Kaeli laughed, raising her own mug.

“To Lance, the human who made goblins believe in something more!” The group joined her toast, their laughter mingling with the sounds of the festival.

… As the night wore on, Lance stood on a raised platform at the edge of the square.

The crowd quieted as they turned to face him, their faces glowing in the lantern light.

Lance took a deep breath, his golden eyes scanning the crowd of eager faces.

“Look around you,” he began, his voice steady but full of emotion.

“This, this celebration, this unity, it is what we’ve built together.

A year ago, none of us could’ve imagined this.

But here we are, stronger than ever!” The crowd erupted into cheers, but Lance raised a hand, calling for silence.

“This isn’t just about what we’ve accomplished.

It’s about what we will accomplish.

Together, we’ve proven that goblins, beastkin, orcs, and anyone else willing to work with us can build something incredible.

And we’re not stopping here.” The cheers returned, louder this time, their voices a thunderous affirmation of Lance’s vision, or perhaps, it was the atmosphere speaking?

Either way, the message was passed effectively.

… As the festival began to wind down, Lance found a quiet moment to himself near the outskirts of the city.

The sounds of laughter and music still drifted through the air, but they felt distant now.

Being alone, he couldn’t help but reminisce, thinking back on his life on earth, the people, the culture and environment, and how he was now here.

He truly had come a long way in this comical and fantasy filled journey.

‘I wonder what would have happened if I had appeared closer to a human settlement instead of here… perhaps, I’d be hunting them down by now if given the chance… that’s what you do in a fantasy world after all, hunt the weak goblins.’ Lance thought to himself before he was called out of his thoughts.

Rynne appeared beside him, her spear absent, surprisingly.

“Not bad, Lance,” she said, her voice soft.

“Not bad at all,” Lance replied, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“We’re with you, you know,” Rynne continued, her golden eyes meeting his.

“All of us.

Whatever comes next, you’ve got us at your back.” Lance nodded, his resolve strengthening.

The road ahead would be difficult, but tonight had reminded him why he fought so hard.

Together, they could face anything.

They were ready to face the future with renewed strength and unity, and of course, there would always be a problem or two around the corner, especially after a long streak of peace.

[A/N: We approach the end of the first Arc.

It has been one year since they arrived in this new location where their goblin tribe resides]