With Aria leading me through the center of the camp, with goblins parting away, making a room for us.
Meanwhile I was collecting stares like they were tax notices, every goblin who looked at me seemed to be asking, why is he here?
Aria didn't seem bothered, but I was very bothered.
"Don't mind them," she said. "We've lost people to kobolds, and they've lost people to us, so it's just normal they would stare."
"I get it," I said. "Hatred doesn't vanish because I showed up with good manners."
She squeezed my arm lightly. "Still… you're different from what I expected."
"Different how?" I asked.
"You don't bark. You're calm and collected and you don't comically posture like male goblin," She glanced up at me, cheeks slightly warm. "It's… interesting."
I pretended not to notice the way her ass swayed more as she led me toward the chief's hut.
She was a dangerous woman. In a good way
As we got close enough to the hut, I could hear shouts coming from inside.
"My daughter is a battle maniac!" Chief Kalmar yelled. "She never looks at any males! Then how am I supposed to get grandchildren before I die?!"
Aria's cheeks went bright red, steam coming from her head then she hissed, "I need to go and handle something."
She stormed inside, destroying the door with one kick.
"Dad! It's my life! I'll choose when and with who!"
Then she added with a lowered voice, "And… maybe I've found someone for our problem!"
I felt really surprised, "They even argue like humans," I muttered. "I guess being a goblin doesn't change anything as long as you're a smart being."
The hut shook from the yelling. Then Kalmar's heavy footsteps echoed as he walked outside the hut.
Spotting me, his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped on the ground.
Falling to on his knees , he wailed like a woman who have lost her three children in war.
"My daughter wants to marry a kobold?! Is this how she repay me?!"
I raised my hands, cutting him off. "Hold on, I didn't come here to"
But before I finish my words, Aria grabbed her father by the collar and yelled at him, "NOT LIKE THAT! He has a plan for the orcs, you old stump!"
Instantly, Kalmar's panic face changed into seriousness, his eyes sharpening looking at me, then he asked:
"Do you really have a solution?"
I smirked, "Yes, but before that…"
As I kept talking, someone walked to us from the crowd
He was a hunched and hideous goblin elder with a long bone staff stepped forward.
His eyes were narrow and mean, like he had a permanent smell under his crooked nose.
Elder Bruuk.
I remembered him from the original body's memories, the most shady elder of the goblin tribe, so much that goblins themselves disliked him
He jabbed his staff into the dirt; his was so small he needed to do that in order to get noticed, and seeing that I smirked a little.
"Why you brought this kobold here?", Bruuk said. "You expect us to trust an outsider? You want us to put our clan's future on him?"
No one paid him attention except his corrupt supporters.
Aria growled at him. "Back off, Bruuk."
I pushed Aria to the side and walked to him. Then I grabbed his head, and without a word, I opened my mouth filled with fangs at him, shouting:
"Who the fuck are you? Last time I checked you were just an elder, I'm talking to your boss!". I could see him trembling with every word.
There was a loud cheer from the goblins, and that made sense, they liked the alpha male type who declared what he wanted.
I could've sworn I saw his wife among the crowd; she was all red and shaking from how much I shamed her husband.
Meanwhile he kept his head down and didn't dare to make a move, mainly because I was literally twice his size.
His face twisted with many wrinkles.
"You!"
But Aria cut him off, her eyes colder than ice:
"Touch him again and I'm gonna take your head off your body."
Her squad behind her instantly readied their weapons at his supporters.
Kalmar stepped forward, voice booming through the crowd:
"BRUUK! Enough!"
The elder stepped back, barely mustering a smile to hide his intentions.
"I only tested him, Chief. You know we cannot risk trusting an outsider."
I glared at Bruuk dead in the eyes; he was already at the point of almost pissing himself. Then I approached him slowly while whispering in his ear,
"Just watch me. Once I save the goblin tribe, they would treat me like a hero and I would make sure to fuck your wife in front of you!"
His face reddened, about to burst out, but Aria and Kalmar's glares stopped him.
At the same time, the system notification rang inside my mind:
[Suspicion: Elder Bruuk, Possible Collaboration With Orcs]
I smiled, tugged my lips. I had a hunch… and it looks like it was true.
Then I turned back to Aria and her father, saying:
"I'll explain my plan, and if the chief approves, we'll move and know that Bruuk isn't part of the plan," I declared.
Bruuk's jaw tightened so hard his teeth cracked.
Kalmar nodded. "Please, speak of your plan."
I held up the satchel the system gave me and walked to them.
Inside were Valva fruits, red and juicy, but strangely purple-skinned. I gave it to them and they could only accept it.
Kalmar took one, sniffed it, checking for any smell. Seeing it was fresh, he finally bit it.
His eyes widened.
"It's so good?! Was Valva always this good?"
I handed him the rest of the basket.
Aria didn't wait for me and took two for herself, biting into one while staring at me like I was more interesting than fruit.
The moment they touched the fruits, a glowing panel appeared in front of both of them:
[Rate the Delivery]
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ?
The goblins jumped back in shock, even Aria's jaw dropped.
"What in the…?" Kalmar muttered.
"Just rate it 5 stars," I said simply.
Aria gave a full five stars immediately without thinking and Kalmar copied her.
Looking at Aria's profile, I felt a warm indescribable feeling in my chest.
When the rating finished, the system notification sounded:
[Delivery Completed, Interactions Recorded +1]
[Next Requirement: Resolve Orc Threat]
Aria looked back at me, asking for my opinion.
"So should we make an army to circle them and push them from behind?" she asked her father.
Then she stepped closer to me, her voice low.
"Ragnar… come with me. We'll prepare the details."
Her hand brushed my arm again, longer this time, and she was getting too close.
I didn't mind, if honestly, I replied to them:
"Yes, I'm coming."
My system chimed again:
[Host, the best moment to evolve is after the goblins fully accept your plan.]
I grinned. Absolutely. I really want to see Bruuk's reaction when he finds out I've already known about his collaboration with the Orcs.