Nerphyl and Nedira had crossed off nearly every na on their list in Progenitor City. Now, they moved with clinical speed toward Bitter Maja. Although a battlefield stretched between the two areas, the Kingdom had long ago constructed secure subterranean arteries, allowing the high-ranking officials to mobilize in an instant.
"I knew sothing was wrong," Nerphyl said, breaking the heavy silence between them.
"Yes, even I didn’t expect the situation to be this dire," Nedira nodded, her face etched with anxiety.
While they had yet to unmask the primary traitor, the interrogations of several Hobgoblins had forced the two Queens to realize how deep the roots of resentnt ran. Every na on Nedira’s list belonged to single male Hobgoblins who had failed to secure a mate. Most were war veterans—survivors who had watched their entire units slaughtered by the enemy.
Nedira could see that they blad the Kingdom for every misfortune. To her, that was almost understandable; much of their suffering was indeed a direct consequence of the Kingdom’s warfare policy. However, what truly chilled her were the young Goblins who had never even set foot on a battlefield.
These youths were too weak to be sent to the front lines; they hadn’t even undergone the evolution into lethal Hobgoblins yet. And yet, their hatred for the Kingdom far surpassed that of the veterans.
Nedira was certain this hatred had not grown naturally. So adult figure was systematically poisoning their minds with provocative narratives. Unfortunately, Nedira couldn’t point to an external culprit, because she knew the "primary offender" was the Kingdom’s own system. The trend of marrying Asuras had beco an unstoppable tide; countless female Goblins abandoned their families the mont they evolved into Hobgoblins, purely to chase the status of a Valkyrie.
Nedira understood their mindset. The biological urge to beco stronger was hardwired into them as monsters. The Hobgoblin race was stronger than a common Goblin, but they were pathetically weak compared to other evolutionary lines. They could not manipulate Mana like a Valkyrie, they couldn’t shapeshift into mutated animals like the Druids, and they certainly weren’t blessed with the Dragon Prana of the Asuras.
A Hobgoblin’s only advantage was physical reinforcent—and even that was severely capped. Even if they reached the Adamantite Tier, they could never hope to match the god-like speed of Padakacarma or the devastating destructive force of Brajadenta.
As a result, Hobgoblins remained a race branded as "weak," with their potential hitting a hard ceiling. Nedira had once questioned Luna, the Director of the R-18 Departnt, about this. Luna had explained that, biologically, Goblins and Hobgoblins were born as a "worker race." Their bodies were designed for labor and production, not for the heights of combat. This was why their evolution granted them physical buffs that enhanced productivity rather than magical combat prowess.
Without a bright prospect for a future as warriors, it was only natural for female Hobgoblins to choose Asura husbands to transform themselves into Valkyries. Ironically, the Kingdom made no effort to halt this phenonon; if anything, they encouraged it.
Nedira understood why Moku allowed this. The Asura were a race devoid of females. To propagate, they had to marry won from other races or species. Despite the Asuras’ overwhelming strength, their small numbers made their grip on power vulnerable to races with larger populations. Given that the Asuras were the primary pillars of military strength, their stability was paramount to the region’s security.
Moku’s decision to limit each Asura to a maximum of four wives was actually a form of "kindness"—a way to throttle the growth of the Valkyrie population. Nedira couldn’t challenge that decision without appearing selfishly biased toward her own kin.
But the single Hobgoblins and the n whose wives had abandoned them didn’t care for political logic. They couldn’t bla the fate of their birth, so the only target for their hatred was the asura. Combined with their frequent use as "bait" on the battlefield, their fury had reached its boiling point.
"Nedira, do not worry. Things are not as bleak as you think. We only need to find this traitor, and everything will be under control," Nerphyl said softly, sensing the gloom on Nedira’s face.
As the possessor of The Eyes of Queen, Nerphyl had begun to sense similar seeds of resentnt among the Sylphs and Druids. Though not as nurous as the Goblins, many males among them were now single because their partners preferred the prestige of an Asura. Fortunately, Nerphyl’s abilities allowed her to monitor their thoughts, ensuring no secret could be kept from her for long.
Nonetheless, Nerphyl knew those seeds wouldn’t take much longer to grow strong. Her greatest fear was internal fracture. Currently, their kingdom was besieged by enemies from every direction. Perhaps many young monsters had forgotten that they were not born as creatures loved by this world. They were "hated" by nature, born without a single drop of mana in their bodies in a world saturated with it.
It was only a matter of ti before the Demon race—their current allies—turned their blades against them. Nerphyl knew that mont was fast approaching. If Wilwatikta remained divided when that betrayal arrived, then extinction was the only certain future for them all.
Shortly after, they arrived at Bitter Maja and felt the pulse of the capital—literally. Several Valkyries ca to greet them. These were warriors on leave before their next rotation.
Nedira and Nerphyl had no ti for pleasantries. They knew the traitor would have already caught wind of their investigation in Progenitor City. Before he could erase his tracks or flee, they had to find him.
Of all the nas on the list, only five candidates remained. Nerphyl had a strong suspicion regarding one na that had slipped from the mouth of a young Goblin during interrogation: Leon.
"I checked his residence, but he isn’t there," reported one of the Valkyries. She was a forr Druid, allowing Nerphyl to maintain a psychic link with her through The Eyes of Queen.
"According to the ledger Boku provided, Leon shouldn’t be at the front lines. He was ordered to rest while awaiting his next call to arms," Nedira added, glancing at Nerphyl.
"In that case, he must still be in the city. We need the Inner Eye of an Asura. Are there any Asuras left in the capital?" Nerphyl asked.
"Kuja and Diru are still in recovery."
"Then I want to see Diru. I want to see for myself the Asura who managed to survive an attack from a Level 5 Constellation Mage without the aid of Vivid Dream."
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