บท 17: An Offer You Can't Refuse
At that moment, the entire cafeteria was silent.
Goblin narrowed his eyes and turned serious, emitting a threatening air around him.
In the cafeteria, everyone suddenly felt a subtle sense of suffocation from the mere display of power.
Goblin stared directly at Elias, openly expressing his anger and impatience.
"What do you mean?"
Unflinching, Elias stared back with a casual gaze.
"I meant exactly what I said, Goblin."
In front of such a suffocating aura, he didn't back down and rather felt more confident.
Perhaps it was due to his inner self-confidence or talent, but he didn't feel any sense of fear to stronger opponents.
The two of them continued to stare against each other for moments that seemed like hours for others.
After a while, Goblin retracted his gaze and shook his head, waving his hand in a 'shooing' gesture.
"Go away. I won't do any business with you."
Despite that, Elias didn't move away and simply stood like he didn't hear anything.
Goblin narrowed his eyes once more.
"Brat. I said, go away if you won't…"
However before he could finish, Elias cut off and let out a low chuckle.
"Why not hear my offer first? aren't you curious about what it is?"
Goblin clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"What can a brat like you possibly offer?! It's impossible! It's impossible! Now, shoo, shoo! Don't make me angry!"
Elias didn't mind the rejection and simply shrugged with a smile. With a slightly reluctant expression, he took a step back.
"Alright then, and here I was generous enough to offer you the location of your hometown. A pity. A pity."
'Heh, that's righ…'
Goblin was about to mock Elias again, however, his entire body immediately stiffened up.
'... location of your hometown…'
Goblin couldn't help but freeze in shock, his eyes widening in utter disbelief. Home may mean very little to others—but to him, it was everything.
While he was still in shock, Elias nodded and turned his back, looking at his five subordinates.
"Let's go. I'm already starving from my morning routine."
Donato and the rest nodded and internally sighed in relief. It was dangerous earlier.
However, just as Elias was about to take a step to their table.
At that moment, before he could move, a skinny and small hand suddenly grasped his legs and stopped him!
Goblin's panicking voice resounded.
"Wait! Wait! We can discuss this more. What did you mean by that line?!"
At the same time, Elias' lips curled into a smirk, turning his gaze to below him and spotting the small Goblin.
Goblin's ruddy face was in slight panic. He wore a pleading expression, as though begging earnestly. It was widely different from his earlier actions.
Instead of the confident and conniving smile he usually wore, it was replaced with a pleading and pitiable expression.
It was like a merchant turning into a beggar in an instant.
Goblin didn't hesitate to throw away his pride!
"Good sire! We can discuss this, please don't go as of yet! Wh-what do you mean about my hometown?!"
However, Elias merely shook his head and waved his hand in dismissal.
"Forget it. It seems like you didn't want to know about Elysia and Franheirt."
Hearing 'Elysia' and 'Franheirt' combined in one sentence, Goblin's expression further exploded in dazzling disbelief.
This time he couldn't keep himself calm anymore, he tightened his grasped to Elias leg and his eyes turned slightly crazed.
"You know?! You know where those two places are?! Tell me..! Tell me, right now! I'll give you anything!"
"Please! Tell me! I'll give you anything, anything you want..! I can even help you escape this place!"
At that moment, under everyone's widened gaze, the conniving confident Goblin turned into a man on desperate straits in mere words.
The others couldn't help but look at Elias, whether in fear, admiration or respect, they all subtly felt a sense of awe.
Galilei, Donato and the rest were about to take a step and act against Goblin—but Elias stopped them and simply smiled.
'A chance!'
Seeing that, Goblin's eyes flashed a sense of relief before pleading disgracefully again.
"Are you willing to tell me where is it?! I'll give you anything you want. Any price. Anything! Just…"
However, Elias suddenly raised his hand, stopping Goblin midway. With a nonchalant smile, he told Goblin.
"The same condition; be my subordinate for ten years and I'll tell you in the fifth year."
Hearing that, Goblin's expression immediately changed into a complicated and difficult one.
Although he was desperate to find those places, being a subordinate for ten years was simply too long.
And additionally, how could he confirm that the man was speaking the truth? He couldn't help stutter.
Goblin gritted his teeth.
"Ten years… that-that's rather… plus how…"
As though completely being able to complety read his thoughts, Elias narrowed his eyes and snorted.
"What? You don't believe in me? I'd say that I'm more reliable than a devil. Think for yourself, my words are more trustworthy than a devil's whispers."
Hearing 'devil' being repeatedly mentioned, Goblin suddenly trembled uncontrollably again.
'Does he know?! Does this kid know about that existence…?!'
Stunned, Goblin raised his head again and spoke hurriedly.
"You even know that..! So you must know the risk right? it's not worth it, in my opinion, you will be implicated..."
As I thought… Elias subconsciously frowned before shaking his head. He answered calmly and put his hand on Goblin's mouth, cutting the man off.
"I don't know what you're talking about. But I'll say that under the Castellano name, I would never betray a promise."
To prevent anymore secrets from coming out of the little man's snappy face, he covered Goblin's mouth.
While leaning, Elias whispered a few words.
Goblin nodded and tried to calm down. But because of the shocking revelations coming from Elias mouth, his body was still shivering while he took deep heavy breaths.
After a while, he finally calmed down, took a deep breath and stood up. During that timeframe, he thought about whether to accept or not.
'...No matter. He's right. I now have another option than to trust a devil, but how can I be sure?'
'Besides, if what he's saying is true then... he's my only option.'
As he stood up, Goblin asked with some apprehension before deciding to accept.
"...How could I be sure you know where those places are? What if you're scamming me?"
Elias suddenly laughed and put his hand on Goblin's shoulder. He stared at Goblin's face unflinchingly and directly said without a hint of fear.
"You don't. It's a gamble. Simple as that. You gamble your chances that I know and you can trust me more."
"Don't you merchants like playing with your odds?"
Goblin's face massively changed. But Elias didn't care, he simply waited for a response.
After a while, Goblin's experienced myriads of emotions. His expression had changed from desperation, reluctance and finally to acceptance.
With heavy breathing, under everyone's gaze, Goblin let out a sigh and suddenly kneeled down.
"...I accept to be your subordinate for ten years as long as you tell me the location."
Looking at the kneeling Goblin, Elias couldn't help but smile widely, as though he was happy.
Approaching closer, he patted Goblin's shoulder and spoke in a calm tone.
"I told you I'll make you an offer you can't refuse."
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