For the next few minutes, I simply watched in silence, giving the two goblin siblings time to calm down.
Their raw terror slowly faded, replaced by the fragile realization that they had somehow survived.
They looked at each other in stunned silence for a long moment.
Then, all at once, they threw their arms around each other in a tight, desperate embrace.
Their small green bodies trembled as they clung to each other, rain still dripping from their soaked hair and ragged clothes.
The sight tugged at something deep inside me.
I felt my non-existent chest tighten slightly.
They’re really just siblings...
Still, sentiment could wait.
I needed to get them inside.
I couldn’t leave them out there, soaked to the bone and shivering in the cold rain. More importantly, the brother was badly injured and clearly needed somewhere warm and safe to recover.
So, I opened the gate leading into my main hall.
The heavy wooden doors groaned loudly as they swung open on their old hinges.
I even lit the torches along the walls, warm golden light spilling into the courtyard and illuminating the dry interior beyond.
Come on. It’s safe inside.
However, the goblins didn’t seem to understand my good intentions.
If anything, the sudden movement of the doors only frightened them again.
They didn’t step forward.
Instead, both goblins immediately dropped to their knees and prostrated themselves on the wet ground.
Their bodies trembled as they remained pressed against the ground, almost as though they were kneeling before an actual deity.
"Oh, god."
I froze for a moment, completely taken aback by the sudden display of worship.
But then...
I realized it.
"Wait a minute."
"This is it!"
"My long-awaited moment!"
After all, I had just saved them by displaying overwhelming power.
To them, I must have looked like some kind of higher being, a mysterious, god-like entity that had protected them from certain death.
That meant the conditions should finally be met!
Intelligent enough?
Check.
Aware of my existence?
Check.
Sufficient affinity?
Check.
Able to recognize and accept me as their Sovereign?
Check!
It was time.
My first citizens!
"System. Grant these two citizenship! Now!"
[Ding!]
[Would you like to use Citizenship Granting on these two Forest Goblins?]
[Cost: 13 Points]
"Do it!"
I confirmed without hesitation.
The bodies of the two goblins began to flicker, faint light rippling across their forms as the Citizenship Granting process began.
The next few seconds felt much longer than they actually were.
Come on...
Come on!
Then, all at once, both goblins were enveloped in brilliant light.
At the same time, the System’s familiar chime rang out.
[DING! Congratulations!]
[You have successfully granted citizenship to a Level 8 Forest Goblin!]
[You have successfully granted citizenship to a Level 6 Forest Goblin!]
[Ding! Achievement Unlocked: First Citizens!]
[Points +20]
[Points Remaining: 359]
[You currently possess no Sovereign Skills.]
[The System recommends visiting the Sovereign Shop to acquire skills for managing your citizens.]
"Oh, hell yeah!"
"Finally..."
"FINALLY!"
Excitement surged through me like a raging fire.
I had done it.
I really did it!
After all this time, I finally had my first citizens!
Without hesitation, I immediately opened the Sovereign Shop and purchased [Eye of the Overlord].
It was a passive skill that allowed me to observe the basic status of any citizen under my rule.
With this skill, I would finally be able to see the stats of my citizens!
Now then...
"Let’s see what you’ve got, little goblins!"
****
As I activated the skill, two clear status windows appeared before me.
[Citizen Status]
Name: Unnamed (Designation Required)
Race: Forest Goblin
Sex: Male
Rank: ★
Level: 8
Vital Status
- HP: 25 / 110 ⚠️
- MP: 10 / 10
- Stamina: 12 / 100 ⚠️
Core Attributes
- Attack: 8
- Defense: 3
- Magic Attack: 0
- Magic Defense: 0
- Magic Capacity: 0
- Speed: 2
Recovery Rates
- HP Regen: 0.25 / min
- Mana Regen: 0.1 / min
- Stamina Regen: 1 / min
Skill List
- Hunting Lv.1
- Fishing Lv.1
- Carnivorism Lv.1
- Regeneration Lv.1
Active Status Effects
- Bleeding Lv.1
- Fatigue
- Cold
*****
[Citizen Status]
Name: Unnamed (Designation Required)
Race: Forest Goblin
Sex: Female
Rank: ★
Level: 6
Vital Status
- HP: 70 / 90
- MP: 10 / 10
- Stamina: 23 / 100 ⚠️
Core Attributes
- Attack: 6
- Defense: 2
- Magic Attack: 0
- Magic Defense: 0
- Magic Capacity: 0
- Speed: 1
Recovery Rates
- HP Regen: 0.25 / min
- Mana Regen: 0.1 / min
- Stamina Regen: 1 / min
Skill List
- Cooking Lv.1
- Carnivorism Lv.1
- Regeneration Lv.1
Active Status Effects
- Fatigue
- Broken Bone
- Cold
****
"Oh yeah!"
Seeing those status screens for the first time filled me with excitement.
It’s just like a game!
Stats, skills, status effects... I even had proper health and stamina bars to keep track of!
My gamer senses were tingling already.
I’m gonna level these guys up to max and turn them into the strongest goblins ever!
But first, there was an urgent problem I needed to deal with.
The brother’s negative status effect.
[Bleeding Lv.1]
Description: Causes the target to continuously lose HP. The amount depends on the skill level.
Effect: -3 HP/minute.
Duration: 1 hour.
****
He only had 25 HP left.
Worse, his HP regeneration was far too weak to offset the bleeding, restoring only a pathetic 0.25 HP per minute.
If I didn’t do something soon, he would lose the remaining HP in less than ten minutes.
As I watched, his HP ticked down again.
24 HP.
Blood had already begun pooling beneath him, mixing with the rainwater until the two were almost indistinguishable.
His eyes were dull and unfocused, and his breathing had become increasingly labored. He looked like he could collapse at any moment.
Alright. First things first.
I need to get them inside.
I dropped a piece of meat just beyond the entrance to my main hall.
The goblins hesitated for only a moment before seemingly understanding what I wanted.
The little sister hurried to her brother’s side, helping him back onto his feet and carefully guiding him into the castle.
Once they were inside, they were finally sheltered from the cold rain.
The little sister picked up the meat.
But she didn’t eat it.
Instead, she immediately handed it to her brother.
Thankfully, he could still chew.
Despite his injuries and the blood he had already lost, he devoured the entire steak in moments.
I dropped two more pieces of meat.
This time, both goblins ate.
While they were eating, I pulled up their status windows again and carefully scanned every description line by line.
There had to be something.
Anything that could stop the bleeding before it was too late.