Chapter 321
The female goblin’s gaze lingered on the disruptor, her sharp eyes narrowing as she studied it in the engineer’s hands. The room remained eerily silent, every ratman too afraid to speak or even shift under the weight of her presence. Even though the ratfolk were no strangers to dealing with goblins, this was different. This was Vellok’s apprentice—a force of authority and arcane power.
"You’ve been busy," the goblin mage finally said, her voice cold and cutting as she floated effortlessly above the floor. The contempt in her tone was unmistakable, as if the very idea of the ratmen tampering with magic was beneath her.
The chief, still kneeling, raised his head slightly. "Apprentice Tahlia," he began carefully, "we—"
"Spare me your explanations," Tahlia interrupted, her eyes now fixed on the disruptor. "I’m aware of what transpired on the surface. Vellok himself is intrigued by this... invention of yours." Her lip curled slightly. "However, curiosity can quickly turn to suspicion."
The room seemed to grow colder with her words, the tension mounting once more. Por, standing at the edge of the group, felt her heart quicken. She had faced danger on the surface before, but this was different. At least on the surface, she could fight back. Here, the thought of resisting was no longer an option.
Tahlia’s floating eye drifted toward the disruptor, the small orb glowing faintly as it focused on the device. "Tell me," she said, her voice now directed at the engineer, "how exactly did you come by this technology?"
The engineer’s hands trembled slightly as he held the disruptor, his mind racing for a response. He knew that the truth—a truth that tied the ratmen to stolen scraps of magical knowledge—could condemn them. But lying to a mage of Tahlia’s caliber could be worse. He took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully.
Before he could speak, the chief cut him off. "Your majesty, this was conceived by us, and the creation of such technology was nothing but a mistake."
"For our own safety, and to better hunt for food, we were forced to think of a way to deal with the magical beasts that hunt us. It took many years before this device was created."