Rick and even a couple of the other Chiefs were just about ready to get up and get moving after Rick dished out orders.

  Everyone just got kind of caught up in the moment thinking that the meeting would be over after Rick spoke, until Chief Galgo awkwardly cleared his throat.

  “Ahem… sorry to sour the mood. But there is one more item on the agenda, Sir.”

  “Oh ah, sorry, please continue Chief Galgo.”

  Chiefess Hugala frowned internally, but she didn’t say anything this time.

  “Thank you, Sir. Then the last item is to centralize our power structure. How it worked beforehand was all Chiefs were in charge of their own Clans and made their own decisions.

  “If there was a problem or situation that concerned all of the Clans or even some of them, then it was likely that a Chiefs Council would be called and then we would discuss and vote amongst us to get to a solution.

  “In the situation that we couldn’t come to a decision by vote, then the Chiefs and their Clans would simply do their own thing— as long as that thing didn’t harm other Clans and Goblins or risk our position in the Dark Lands of Mir.

  “This type of situation was rare though. And it will never happen again, as we now have you, Sir.

  “You are now the center of everything we do, and no decisions can be made without your approval. There will be no more need for a vote, as your choice will supersede all others.

  “Of course, despite that, we would like to suggest the idea of allowing us to continue managing our respective Clans, but we would hold a Chiefs Council more regularly to report on occurrences within our respective Clans.

  “All major decisions will still get routed to you, and as King, your will trounces all. Is this arrangement good for you?”

  Rick thought about it for all of 30 seconds before he asked Velora her opinion.

  ‘So. You seem to know more about being a King, what should I do?’

  [I suggest you accept this solution for now, and after your lessons on Kingship are over, you can decide if you want to change or not.]

  ‘Works for me.’

  “That works. I’ll make changes if the need comes up.”

  “Understood, Sir. That is the last topic we had for this meeting.”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Everyone kind of looked at Rick for him to end the meeting, and he kind of looked at them back before catching on.

  “Ah, thank you Chief Galgo. Let’s go make things happen.”

  After that little awkward ending, Rick stood up to go… well, he didn’t really know what to do or where to go until he was practically whisked away by Chiefess Hugala.

  She respectfully asked him to follow her back to her tribe so that lessons could begin in earnest. She strongly believed he couldn’t do anything else until he learned how to be a King.

  There was a small talk about a guard, but Rick waved them off, and in this one situation, Chiefess Hugala was alright with it. She was escorting him herself.

  And although she was a TinkGoblin and had the short stature to prove it, a Tier Six was still a Tier Six.

  She was not to be trifled with.

  And so the two of them took off in a run towards the Hessel Clan.

  Chiefess Hugala planned to keep the pace down a bit because she was aware that Rick was still Tier Five, but seeing that he was quite easily keeping up, she upped her pace— and of course, Rick matched it.

  In fact, since reaching Tier Five, this was likely the fastest he had ever gotten to run.

  And run they did.

  Through the perpetually dark forests that filled the Dark Lands of Mir.

  And a journey that would’ve taken the lesser Tiers more than a few days ended up being just a day for Rick and Chiefess Hugala.

  He was tired, but he managed to power through a 20+ hour run. Something that would’ve been crazy and impossible for him to do in his previous life— but here, at Tier Five and as King of Goblins, it was just a tough workout.

  “Welcome to Clan Hessel, My King.”

  Once they arrived, Chiefess Hugala greeted Rick properly. Or at least what she considered proper.

  “The Hessel Clan will forever serve you, and our hands will never stop our weave as long as you call for it.”

  “I appreciate your words, Chiefess Hugala.”

  Chiefess Hugala let out a sigh and pulled out a small wooden rod from underneath her cloak.

  She then calmly walked over to a confused Rick and swiftly delivered a slap to his fingers before he could react.

  “Ow!”

  “Forgive me, My King, but I will be taking your training seriously. First things first, My King. Your thanks and your appreciations are not to be given so freely. They are worth more than you clearly know.

  “They are gifts and rewards.

  “Do not just thank and appreciate every good gesture you come across, My King. Instead, you should accept my loyalty with dignity befitting a King of Goblins. It is only right that I promise my loyalty and my Clan to you.

  “Something along the lines of ‘I look forward to you serving me.’ Or maybe ‘I accept your loyalty.’ The exact wording can be different, but the idea is the same. Accept what is expected. Do not show thanks for something that is already yours.

  “Understood, My King?”

  Rick, who was still awkwardly rubbing his stinging fingers, simply nodded with an odd expression on his face.

  Of course, the strike didn’t hurt all that much, but the act of it all reminded him deeply of his mother.

  It had been a long time since he thought of anyone back on Earth in detail, and there were a few faces he had forgotten already, but the faces of his parents weren’t among them.

  Especially not his mother.

  And she wasn’t against physical discipline in the slightest.

  Even if he went back right now as a Tier 10 King of Goblins, she would without a doubt smack him upside the head if he slammed doors in her house.

  “Good, then let’s get you settled and begin your lessons in earnest. By the time we’re done, you’ll be a proper King of Goblins, My King.”

  Chiefess Hugala had a thin smile on her face, but for some reason, Rick didn’t see the smile of a Goblin that cared for him.

  All he saw was the dawn of a future in which his knuckles wouldn’t be spared from pain…

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