The Goblins Are Revolting: An Isekai Adventure (Only Villains Do That Book 3) by D. D. Webb

Author:D. D. Webb [Webb, D. D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Published: 2024-11-26T00:00:00+00:00

20

In Which the Dark Lord Rethinks His Position

For once, I decided not to make a speech.

Not that I didn’t make a spectacle—reassuring my new gang about their decision and securing their loyalty was a priority—but in show business you have to be able to gauge your audience. In my professional opinion, the last thing any of these folks wanted right now was more pressure of any kind. It was a moment for calm and a much needed sense of security.

So I simply told everyone, in a quiet and empathetic tone, that we were going to be moving as fast as we could on foot without exhausting anybody. I gave instructions that anyone should talk to me if they needed healing, to Zui if there were any other material needs or issues that had to be sorted out, and to Yoshi if Flaethwyn caused them any problems.

Flaethwyn very nearly caused a problem there and then, but Nazralind turned her head to stare, and she subsided, visibly seething.

“You’re coming along, then?” I asked Gizmit. “I know the original plan was for you to rummage around this place and find your own way back, but …”

“But that went down the crack as soon as we found it abandoned.” She nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure I could turn up something else in here with time to work at it, but nothing more valuable than what we’ve already learned.”

“I’m almost disappointed,” Zui said sweetly. “You know this guy asked me earlier why I was even along? I’ve been waiting for the moment when he realized he had nobody else to navigate back to Sneppit’s place with you gone.”

“Obviously I had considered that,” I lied with my customary aplomb. “For somebody who lives to dish out the snark and banter, Zui, you sure can’t seem to take it.”

“Listen, boy,” Rizz cut in. “You didn’t win that fight, Hoy lost it. That guy is an infamously self-centered shithead, to the point I wonder if he’s got a legit brain issue. When you face Jadrak, it won’t go down like that. I’m very curious how much Jadrak actually believes his progoblin talk, but whatever the truth, he is very good at presenting himself that way. He’s charismatic, strategic, and commands a lot of fanatical loyalty. He won’t mistreat his followers so badly they’ll turn on him midfight. Do not try to repeat what worked before.”

“Disagree,” Zui stated, all the jocularity gone from her tone. “Don’t try hitting Jadrak where he’s weak; whatever weaknesses he’s got are out of your reach. You’ve been hitting him where he’s strong, and that’s your best strategy. The whole time you’ve been down here you’ve been sparing goblins when you can, listening to goblins, and respecting goblins. All these folks turned against Hoy, yeah, but they turned toward you, and it wasn’t for no reason. Every time that happens, the word spreads. Keep laying that groundwork, and when it comes time to confront Jadrak, you can give him a real fight in the court of public opinion.

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