My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 348

"Which gives us time," Kelvin said. "Time to finish Third Line fortifications. Time for Loki’s reinforcements to get closer. Maybe even time for Satou to return."

"How long will Elric wait?"

"For someone as careful as him? Could be days. He’ll send scouts to probe. Test our responses. Map every defensive position before risking his soldiers in a direct assault."

Lyra felt conflicting emotions—relief that they weren’t about to be immediately overrun, and frustration that this meant a prolonged siege rather than a decisive battle.

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait. We watch. We make absolutely certain that when his scouts come probing, they learn nothing useful." Kelvin smiled grimly. "And we make them pay for every scrap of intelligence they try to gather."

That afternoon, the first probe came.

A squad of twenty human soldiers approached the First Line under a flag of parley. They stopped precisely at the edge of what military doctrine considered effective bow range and planted their white banner with professional precision.

From the command tent, Vex’ahlia observed them through far-seeing equipment. "Your assessment?" she asked Lyra.

"Legitimate parley flag, but also reconnaissance," Lyra said immediately. "They want to talk, but they’re also getting detailed looks at our outer defenses while they’re here."

"Should we respond?"

"We have to. Ignoring parley looks desperate or afraid. Neither is a message we want to send." Lyra considered. "Send someone who speaks their language and knows their customs. Someone who can give them nothing useful while appearing cooperative."

Vex’ahlia nodded to one of her purple-skinned lieutenants. "Fetch Kelvin."

Ten minutes later, Kelvin approached the parley flag with two goblin warriors flanking him. He’d removed any distinctive equipment, carrying only basic weapons and wearing standard armor. Nothing that would give the humans intelligence about leadership or special forces.

The human soldiers tensed visibly when goblins approached. Hands moved toward weapons. Nervous glances were exchanged. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Peace," Kelvin called out in flawless Common, his goblin accent minimal from years of practice. "You came under parley flag. We honor it."

The leader of the human squad—a captain by his insignia, young but carrying himself with academy training—stepped forward. "I am Captain Marcus Thorne of Commander Elric Stonewall’s Third Regiment." His voice was formal, rehearsed, probably memorized from a script. "I bring terms from my commander."

"I’m listening," Kelvin said neutrally.

Captain Thorne unrolled a scroll with practiced ceremony. "By order of King Harold the Third of the United Human Kingdoms, this settlement is declared an illegal gathering of monsters and threats to civilized lands. You are commanded to surrender immediately and without condition. All monsters will be bound and transported to proper relocation facilities. All humans who have collaborated with monsters will be detained for trial on charges of treason against humanity. Resistance will be met with overwhelming lethal force."

Kelvin let the silence stretch for a long moment, his goblin features utterly neutral. The human soldiers shifted uncomfortably.

Then he laughed.

Not a polite chuckle or nervous giggle. A genuine, belly-deep laugh that made Captain Thorne’s face flush red with indignation.

"Something amusing, goblin?" the captain asked stiffly.

"Your terms," Kelvin said when he’d caught his breath. "Let me make sure I understand. You want us to surrender so you can send monsters to ’relocation facilities’—which everyone knows are death camps—and try humans for the crime of not wanting to murder their neighbors. And you think we’ll just... agree to this?"

"These are your king’s terms—"

"Your king’s terms can get bent," Kelvin said flatly. "Go back to Commander Elric. Tell him we reject his demands completely. Tell him if he wants this settlement, he’ll have to take it the hard way. Tell him we won’t surrender, won’t submit, and won’t go quietly to his killing facilities."

Captain Thorne’s jaw worked. "You’re choosing death over peaceful surrender?"

"We’re choosing freedom over slavery." Kelvin’s voice hardened, all humor gone. "We’re choosing to defend our homes against invaders who call themselves righteous while planning genocide. We’re choosing to stand and fight rather than kneel and die."

"You realize you’re outnumbered four to one?"

"I can count, Captain. Can you?"

"What does that mean?"

Kelvin gestured at the settlement behind him. "Count how many of us you’ll have to kill to take this place. Then count how many of your soldiers will die doing it. Then go ask Commander Elric if this settlement is really worth that price."

"We have superior numbers, siege equipment, mages—"

"And we have motivation," Kelvin interrupted. "We have the knowledge that surrender means death. We have homes worth defending and people worth dying for. You’ve got numbers and equipment. We’ve got everything to lose."

He leaned forward slightly.

"Numbers aren’t everything, Captain. Ask the defenders of the Alarian Pass who held against ten thousand orcs with three hundred soldiers. Ask the garrison at Keth’s Stand who beat back an army twice their size. Ask anyone who’s ever defended their home against overwhelming odds—desperation is a force multiplier that doesn’t show up in your tactical manuals."

Captain Thorne looked like he wanted to argue further, but he was clearly just a messenger delivering prepared terms. After a moment’s hesitation, he rolled up his scroll stiffly.

"This is your final opportunity—"

"No," Kelvin said quietly. "This is yours. Turn around, Captain. Take your army home. Tell your king that not all monsters are the threat he thinks. Save your soldiers’ lives and your own soul."

"I don’t have that authority—"

"I know. But you’ll remember I offered." Kelvin turned and started walking back to the settlement. Over his shoulder, he called out, "See you on the battlefield, Captain Thorne."

Behind him, the young captain stared at the retreating goblin, then looked up at the settlement’s defenses. At the fortifications clearly visible even from this distance. At the warriors who’d spent months preparing to defend this place.

For just a moment, doubt flickered across his features.

"You foolish goblins , you should have just surrendered and accepted a peaceful death " he said siliently.

Then he turned and marched back to report to Commander Elric.