Leader of Goblin Debauchery: I Can Infinitely Evolve my Artifacts

"What?"

The incredulity in Keith's voice suggested that, for the first time, the man before him had encountered such absurdity in human territory.

Here he was, confronted by a goblin—a race that, despite sometimes amassing wealth, was still deemed inferior, especially by humans who had once eradicated them.

This prompted the man to assert, "It seems there's a misunderstanding here, Mr. Goblin.

I will decide the rules."

Given their height difference, the man—standing at just five feet—prodded Keith's chest with his finger, attempting to assert his superiority.

Yet, Keith stood his ground, unyielding.

"Ah, I see.

So I must interpret this as an admission that humans steal from other races, while also barring my people from purchasing anything in this town?"

"Huh?

What are you rambling about?"

The man was visibly taken aback by Keith's words, as they seemed to divert from the topic at hand.

Instead of simply accepting the duel and handing over those coveted eyes, the man was merely trying to stall.

"What's going on here?"

A deep voice cut through the tension as a stocky man pushed his way through the crowd, which had paused at the unfolding exchange.

All eyes turned to him, noting the insignia on his attire that clearly marked him as a representative of the Espharion Empire.

'1… 3… 5…'

Meanwhile, Keith had deliberately chosen his words with the man, having assessed his reckless nature.

Observing the officials present, who appeared to disregard the entire incident as if it were a mundane occurrence, Keith felt confident.

He aimed to leverage this moment, recognizing the distinct possibility of boosting the morale of those around him.

After all, while he was uncertain of the goblin race's standing in this world, Thoraxia had spoken in a manner that suggested comfort around them.

It was evident that racism, akin to what he had experienced in past human societies, was perpetuated by only a select few—individuals like the man he confronted.

Keith had collided with such an idiot, one who needed to be put in his place.

Understanding the dynamics at play, he focused on the guard, intent on provoking them into action.

In his past life, he had learned that marginalized communities often played a significant role in the economy.

Racism, he had observed, was frequently wielded for political gain, inciting populist sentiments to secure the favor of the masses.

Those in positions of authority were certainly aware of the economic consequences that could arise from excluding outsiders and immigrants.

On one hand, they fostered divisions within society based on skin color and other superficial traits.

On the other, they catered to the same affluent immigrants, crafting laws that favored them.

Much like his current predicament, wasn't he regarded as a VIP here?

He represented a significant source of income for them.

If they were to offend him, it would likely result in a loss on their part.

They relied on taxes and various revenues generated by those coming from outside.

"Oh, Bearers?

Come, come, witness how a duel should not be disregarded," the man remarked as he noticed one of the guards approaching.

With a hint of arrogance, he relayed the situation to him, confident that the arrival of the bearers would ensure the goblin had no choice but to accept the duel.

"Hm, indeed, as per the—"

The bulky guard, who seemed to be absorbing everything, narrowed his gaze at Keef.

He realized he hadn't seen a goblin sporting the VIP tag entering the town, and suspicion crept in.

Although the goblin exuded confidence, he wondered if he might have inadvertently offended someone powerful.

Nevertheless, he was eager for the duel to commence, but was brought to a halt.

"I see, so out of the five of you, at least one has finally decided to show their face," Keith remarked, taking into account the expressions on the guards' faces, which betrayed their identities.

He assessed their physical demeanor and articulated his observations with a foreign accent, shifting his gaze toward the approaching guard.

'!'

'.....'

The bulky man was clearly caught off guard by this, having not anticipated that the guards—who blended in so seamlessly—would be identified so quickly.

He lowered his gaze and examined the goblin's attire again, and his eyes widened in surprise.

It dawned on him that the fabric belonged to a merchant from the merchant guilds.

This realization prompted him to look back at the man causing the commotion and firmly state, "I patiently awaited the opportunity to see just how low you would stoop.

How dare you sully the image of humans in front of outsiders!"

"What?"

The man was visibly shocked by the shouts of one of the bearers.

He had hoped that they would share his race and show him favor, but instead, he found himself being reprimanded.

Clenching his jaw, he hissed, "D-Do you know that I am the son of the town's Mayor?"

'!'

Both Keith and the guard were taken aback, although their reactions stemmed from different emotions.

The guard, caught in a dilemma, realized that this seemingly foolish man was, in fact, the son of the mayor, which made everything suddenly more comprehensible.

He turned his gaze towards the goblin, who was affiliated with the merchant guild, complicating the situation even further.

One was a high-ranking official's offspring in a town governed by the empire, while the other was a merchant with substantial stakes in the economy, wielding significant power.

On his part, Keith was astonished to find himself encountering someone of such dubious character and high status.

This confrontation could potentially prove advantageous for him, as he recognized it as a chance to secure a source of income in this unfamiliar place.

To be specific, the first priority for anyone emerging from a life-threatening encounter with a predator is to secure essential resources—food, water, and the like.

In a civilized society, these necessities are often procured through wealth and currency.

At that moment, Keith found himself in a position of potential leverage, as he had inadvertently hooked a high-profile target who could serve as an avenue for ransom.

"You, what rank do you hold in the merchant guild?"

The bulky man asked, directing his question at Keith.

He understood that he needed to weigh the pros and cons carefully; one party was the son of the mayor, while the other was merely a representative of the merchant guild.

The answer to his question would determine how much the guild would care if one of their employees were mistreated in a human-dominated area.

Despite the unity established within the merchant guild, a monopoly crafted by the astute goblins, there was a glimmer of hope that they wouldn't escalate the situation based solely on the words of one of their staff members.