Ikaris was still waiting for an answer to his question and stared at them impatiently until the obese man took the initiative to introduce himself.
"I'm Pamiu. The big guy with the dreadlocks is Anwar, the handsome guy with the bow and feathers is Ekker and the injured woman is Urali. We all come from the land of Dul. Don't look for it, it was recently invaded by the Glenrings. We are among the only survivors."
The group of Ikaris exchanged thoughtful glances. Again, those damn Glenrings! Returning the courtesy, they introduced themselves in turn.
"What about that goblin?" Nardor grunted as he kicked the goblin in the backside, who responded with another hissing.
The four roomates shrugged in perfect sync.
"He was already there when we arrived." The injured woman named Urali complained angrily. "He attacked us on sight when we tried to choose our beds. According to him we are in his territory."
" ... "
"Well, nothing surprising from a goblin." Malia tutted as she cast a disdainful look at the bound and muzzled creature, who hissed again as he sensed her contempt.
The Dhampir was usually kind to most species but the goblin tribes operating near her former village Karragin had captured, raped, killed and devoured a significant number of her villagers. It was very hard to appreciate them under these circumstances. Especially since their infamous reputation preceded them.
"If he's here, it's because someone has authorized him to study here. He's either a Lord or someone's subordinate." Danchun reasoned aloud. "There must be something different about him from the others. His color for starters is unusual. A hybrid? Or a mutant?"
"Who cares?" Kellam rolled his eyes. "As long as he's this aggressive, we can't untie him."
"Fair point." Taguchi aggreed, keeping his distance from the goblin.
Ellie put on an uneasy expression as she saw the bound creature.
"Do we really have to leave him like this?" She asked anxiously.
"What? Don't tell me you feel sorry for him? Don't. He'll eat your arm off the first chance he gets. Or worse. He might want to dip his cookie you-know-where as soon as you're alone with him." Nardor said ominously.
Ellie involuntarily began to shudder as she imagined this horrible scene.
"Fuff Yuummph!" The muzzled goblin howled with his mouth sealed.
"Oh? I think he disagrees." Ikaris chuckled as he walked up to the creature. "I'll take the rag out of your mouth so don't give me a reason to hit you again."
Surprisingly, the goblin remained quiet. Perhaps he remembered the uppercut to the stomach that had made him vomit his breakfast earlier. Ikaris removed the cloth and the feral creature repressed a hiss.
"Your name?
"Edward."
The eyes of everyone present widened. Edward? They had expected a name like Strog or Brug or Zorag. His name was surprisingly "human" for a goblin.
"Okay Edward... Why did you attack them?"
"Because they came into my territory."
"It's not your territory but a dormitory!" Urali snapped at his obnoxious excuse. Her arm still hurt like hell!
The goblin shrugged. " We have to decide the chieftain too. It's always decided by force."
"You!!!" Urali pointed a finger trembling with fury at him. It took the help of her three friends to stop her from lashing out at him.
Ikaris and his group felt a headache coming on as they saw the creature's remorseless expression. Massaging his temples, Ikaris closed his eyes with a sigh, then breathed out as he picked a free bed,
"Oh screw it! I don't care. From now on I am the chieftain of this dormitory. My only rule is that there are no rules, but violence between us is forbidden. From now on be friends."
"Who are you to decide who is the chieftmmphh-" The goblin protested vehemently but was muzzled again by Nardor before he could finish his sentence.
Ikaris turned and gave the creature a chilling scowl. "Edward, you are free to challenge me for the position of chieftain any time. Until then, follow my rules. I won't be here much anyway."
That wasn't a lie. The bed he had just chosen was hard, the mattress dingy, the wool of the sheet rough and scratchy. He had already reconfirmed in his mind his decision to return to Last Saint Village every night. His companions were of the same mind.
Ikaris then stared at the rusty clock fixed above the front door and said,
"It is not yet noon. We can go get our manuals before we go home. I have things to do in Tartarus Shade this afternoon. Nardor and Danchun are coming with me. The rest of you have free time. You can return to Last Saint whenever you want through the portal we came through."
Before they could question him, he gave Taguchi and Kellam some gold coins. "For the payment of the portal and whatever you want. You can pay me back later when you earn your first money."
Malia and Ellie had already received enough gold when they got their Welcome Pack from House Morgunis. Nardor knew they needed to do some shopping for his blacksmith workshop while Danchun assumed he needed to seek her valuable advice.
"We haven't gotten our manuals back yet either." Pamiu suddenly exclaimed. "Let us accompany you to the library."
Ikaris was reluctant but finding no good excuse to refuse he agreed with a nod. Seeing them all leave the dormitory and leaving him tied up by himself, the goblin shouted, "Don't leave me here, I'm coming!"
Danchun gave him a warning glare while gesturing to slit his throat at the slightest mischief. Edward gulped, then nodded vigorously.
'What a scary woman...' He mumbled in his head as he massaged his aching wrists.
Once outside, Ikaris pulled out the campus map again and looked for the library.
"Tch, it's at the other end of campus."
Their group added five more members and walked across the campus for a second time, this time heading to the east wing. On the way, Pamiu, prompted by Ekker and Anwar, asked curiously,
"What kind of hybrid are you? I'm having trouble determining your origins by your smell and appearance."
Ikaris stopped and looked him straight in the eye. "Does it matter? What race are you? I can't figure out what you are either? See? Sounds rude when you're in the receiving end."
He started walking again, leaving the fat man behind. A guttural chuckle sounded behind them.
"So what? What's rude about asking someone's origins." The goblin shouted, clenching his fists, "I'm a hybrid and I'm not ashamed of it!"
His outburst stunned everyone. He was "clearly" not indifferent. But it made Ikaris realize something. They were all together because somehow they had incurred the wrath of Miss Kiwi.
"You're all hybrids, right?" He blurted out as he stared at his five new roomates in turn.
Ekker, the handsome guy with the bow who hadn't said anything until now, stepped forward and smiled.
"We don't know what we are either. Our lineage is so complicated that no one really knows what we are. The consensus of those who despise us is that somehow one of our great-grandmothers was a ghoul who got knocked up by a minotaur, gave birth to a hybrid who then slept with a demon, a troll, a wendigo, or all three at once. If it's not in that order, it's in the other."
Sizing up their build, their pointy black horns, and their rows of shark-like teeth, Nardor growled,
"Add an orc and an ogre and I'll happily believe you."
Ekker was stumped. Pamiu smiled wrily and said, "I think Anwar does have an orc among his ancestors."
"Because no one knows clearly what we are, since we lived in the Dul Country, everyone traditionally calls us Duleans." Urali finally spoke up.
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