“I have to get going, but there are some things you should know before I go. When I claimed this city, I chose the specialization as a Time Spell. That means for every day outside, 17 days will pass inside the city,” I said to Bubble and Sparkle.

  “You claimed the city? Like, as in soul bound? How?” Asked Bubble.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t understand. The sun will move faster? What type of advantage is that?” Added Sparkle.

  The problem with these people was their vague sense of time. They lacked a solid understanding of it. In our society, everything revolved around precise timekeeping, a concept rigorously maintained everywhere except in the most underdeveloped parts of the world. Here, I hadn’t heard anyone use a unit of time smaller than a day. It seemed they might not grasp the finer points of time measurement.

  Upon hearing their remarks, I realized that they hadn't grasped the concept that time could be not only linear and constant but also stretched. Their understanding of science was rudimentary at best, seemingly untouched by the complex theories of relativity that described time as a flexible dimension, influenced by speed and gravity.

  "No, the sun isn't moving any faster. You are now moving at seventeen times your normal speed," I explained as simply as possible.

  They looked at each other, bewildered, and replied in unison, “No, we aren’t.”

  This was a complex concept for those unfamiliar with basic physics. “Yes, you are. Everyone in this city is moving at a high speed together. That’s why it doesn’t seem like you are moving any faster.”

  Bubble looked puzzled, understandably, and sought clarification. “So you're saying that we're all moving at such a high speed that we don’t notice it?”

  “Exactly!” I exclaimed, relieved she understood.

  She seemed skeptical, even though I was pleased she had somewhat grasped the idea. To test her skepticism, she took a sewing needle from her pocket and dropped it from chest height to the floor. The needle fell at the expected rate, and as it hit the ground, she looked up at me and stated, “No, we aren’t moving any faster.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose, rubbed it thoughtfully, and then explained, “The reason it didn’t fall any slower is that it's within the city. Everything here, including the needle, is moving at the same speed because we all share the same relative time. Outside the city, time moves significantly slower.”

  “So, if that’s true, what does that mean? Why would you choose a bonus like that?” Sparkle asked. I was momentarily taken aback. These individuals were seeking more immediate benefits rather than long-term goals. It took me a second to think of a good use case that would help them now.

  “Good questions. When do you expect the other soldiers to come back?” I asked.

  “In about three days, there should be a rotation of supplies out and soul stones in. Then they will leave again,” Bubble replied.

  “With the time dilation, it will actually be about fifty days from now. That should give your group ample time to prepare to meet them,” I clarified.

  They looked at each other, this time with a hint of relief. “We could use that time. That was our biggest concern about you leaving. But how long will you be gone for?” they asked.

  “I’m not sure. I need to check on the others, but I will probably be gone for at least a day,” I answered.

  “So, at the very least, it would be 17 nights,” Bubble remarked to no one in particular. I had forgotten that they were nocturnal, so all of their references were in terms of nights instead of days.

  “Sorry about that, but you'll have plenty of time to accomplish a lot,” I reassured them.

  “What would you like us to do?” Sparkle inquired.

  Turning inward, I consulted my unseen advisor. “Do you have any ideas?” I asked Rabbit mentally.

  “Hmm, I’m pondering that right now,” Rabbit responded. “However, I’m still unsure about the grease part.”

  “What grease?” I repeated, puzzled by Rabbit's comment.

  "So, they've got a bunch of pizza combos like pizza, pizza bagel bites, calzones, and pizza on toast. But no pizza burritos, probably because all that grease would pool at the bottom, like those microwave burritos they still sell in grocery stores. That would make the last bites pretty gross, so I’m trying to figure out how to fix that. Seems like humans prefer their grease evenly distributed instead of pooled," he rambled on.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked, bewildered by his sudden tangent.

  Rabbit seemed excited about his idea. “A new type of pizza snack. I was thinking of borrowing the jingle from Pizza Bagel Bites. 'Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at suppertime! When pizza’s in a burrito, you can eat pizza anytime!'” He actually sang the tune to me.

  “Umm, I don’t think this is going to work,” I responded, still confused.

  “Don’t worry. They actually lifted that song from The McGuire Sisters’ 1957 single 'Sugartime,' so taking it from them isn’t really going to get us sued.”

  “That wasn’t what I was worried about. I meant, did you have any ideas about what the Goblins should do while I’m gone?” I asked directly.

  “That? Why didn’t you ask instead of getting all caught up in my pizza burrito idea?” Rabbit muttered. I chose to ignore whether his distraction was intentional or merely a case of typical obliviousness. “Well, they’ve got their own city pretty much set up. I’d suggest focusing on defenses in case the other Goblins show up early. Also, setting up areas for the extra guests that you’re planning to invite, and some peace with the Dwarves. Besides that, they need time to adjust to the new society because they just had a civil war. It’ll take time for everyone to adapt to their new roles. I’m certain they’ll face more internal challenges over the next few weeks than any external threats.”

  “Just FYI, they have pizza pockets,” I added casually and enjoyed the moment Rabbit’s mind was blown.

  Moving on, I conveyed Rabbit's proposed arrangement to the Goblins. They weren't thrilled about the Dwarves. In fact, they insisted that no Dwarves would be allowed in their side of the city unless I was personally present to oversee the situation. Nevertheless, they pledged not to initiate any hostile actions against the Dwarves, provided the Dwarves didn't act aggressively first. This compromise wasn't precisely what I had hoped for, but it was a step in the right direction.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Before I departed, they took me to the treasury. They explained that it had never been opened because no one had ever fully controlled the city. The Goblins had tried every method to access it, from digging tunnels to attempting to break through the walls, but nothing worked. The structure proved too resilient.

  Upon reaching the treasury, I was struck by the white metal that made up its walls and door. I couldn’t shake the worry that opening the door would trigger a full-on Goblin rush. To minimize the risk, I approached the entrance accompanied only by Bubble and Sparkle. Considering them no threat to my safety, I allowed myself to carefully examine the metal, running my hands over its surface and scrutinizing every detail.

  Finally, ready to proceed, I focused my will on the door, urging it to open. As with many things in this world, my sheer determination seemed enough to awaken the magic within.

  As the door glided open, I had been hoping to find stacks of gold bars, or perhaps diamond bars, or even just a bar to sit at. However, the sight that greeted me left me puzzled. I observed armor and weapons, but they were not arranged as one would expect in an armory, where items were meticulously laid out and categorized. Instead, these pieces were piled haphazardly on top of one another.

  I reached for the first item and noted that it was considerably smaller than anything I could wear and bore signs of charring, as if it had been scorched in a fire.

  “Goblin armor? Why is this place filled with it?” I mused aloud, my gaze sweeping the room. All the armor and weapons were scaled for smaller figures. They were suitable for Goblins but far too diminutive for someone of my stature. The weapons, at best, resembled short swords in my hands, with hilts that only fit a smaller grip.

  Bubble was kneeling with me, looking at the assortment, and she said, “This must be what remains of someone's possessions when they die.” She then pointed to a couple of rings and continued, “You see, there? Those are clearly Rock’s rings. He used to wear them often, even when he slept. They have powerful enchantments on them.”

  "It wasn’t on his body when you found him?" I asked, uncertain why it would be here.

  "There was no body. Within the city, if someone dies and is left alone for too long, they often disappear. He was, of course, there when you left, but everyone was a little too busy afterward to look after it," Sparkle replied.

  "I think death actually fuels the power of this city," Rabbit added. "Something like experience gained from kills."

  I didn’t have time to explore all the systems in the city, so I pushed this to the back of my mind, yet another thing I would have to look into later.

  Without any hesitation, I strode over to the rings, intent on trying them on one by one to decipher their functions. However, as I attempted to slip them onto my fingers, I quickly discovered that none of them were designed for my larger hands. I persisted, testing each ring on my pinky finger, and found that only a single one managed to fit snugly.

  You have found Ring of Mana Regeneration. You will regenerate mana 10% faster.

  The solitary ring that fit my pinky was indeed a valuable find. My curiosity piqued, I wondered about the abilities of the remaining rings, but considering the other seven wouldn't fit on my fingers, they wouldn't be of any use to me. Glancing around the room, I sighed as everything here was just too small to be of any help.

  “I don’t think any of this will be useful as I am just too big,” I confessed, slightly disappointed. “Another task to do is to sort everything in this room. Obviously, don’t give out anything valuable, but use your best judgment when it comes to the weapons and armor. I want the right balance of power until we can trust everyone. Let’s carry a big stick, so we don’t have to use it.”

  "While I think carrying a sword is better than a big stick, we might have something else that could help you. Sparkle, why don’t you go get them while I lead him up to the surface?" Bubble requested. It was clear they didn’t catch my big stick reference, as it was a very American saying, one that many in my world wouldn't understand either.

  As I trailed behind Bubble, making our way to the surface, every Goblin we encountered bowed to me. The women displayed broad smiles, but I noticed that some men didn't share the same enthusiasm. Many of them appeared to be in poor physical condition, likely due to injuries sustained earlier. I tried to convince myself that their lack of happiness was a result of their pain and discomfort. However, I couldn't shake off the ominous feeling that lingered in the air as I passed by them.

  Navigating the winding passages upward was convoluted, and I couldn't help but wonder why anyone would design it this way. However, as we traversed through areas that resembled natural caves rather than ancient architecture, I began to understand that this was not the original path in and out of the city.

  A volcanic eruption had once buried the city, and the resulting fissures created openings that allowed Goblins and Dwarves to access parts of the city that were never meant to be entered or exited. These fissures eventually led to the upper levels of the city. The entrance I had used to reach the cave was small, seemingly sized for a Goblin. It was positioned higher than floor level, and I suspected it might have originally been a window.

  Upon reaching the exit, we halted as Sparkle was already there, waiting for us. I wasn't quite sure how she managed to arrive before us, but I guessed that they had guided me through the Human-sized passages rather than the narrower Goblin servant routes, which were likely quicker but more challenging for someone of my size.

  “Here you go, my lord. We have had these in storage because we couldn’t use them, but knew they were valuable.” Sparkle presented me with a pair of shoes, a necklace, and a helmet. Regrettably, despite my rapidly increasing Analysis skill, I still couldn't identify objects just by glancing at them. There was a chance it could be a trap, but I chose to trust the small Goblins. I could almost hear Sana's disapproval in my head, admonishing me for doing something as reckless as donning unidentified enchanted items, but I did it anyway.

  I put on the necklace first as it was the easiest.

  You have found the Necklace of the Shadow. You receive plus 3 Sneak when the sun sets and an additional plus 4 when in a shadow.

  “I wonder if you get the plus four if it’s daytime. We have to test it,” Rabbit said.

  The helmet was simple to put on, thanks to a clasp here and there.

  You have found Mask of True Sight. Your Detection Skill has increased by 10 levels while wearing this object. You may now see traps, hidden enemies, and hidden areas that you overlooked before.

  Congratulations, you have learned Detection Level 1. “A master in detection is someone who will always find her house keys.”

  Bonuses:

  2% to the glow of objects per level if your skill is above the object’s level of concealment.

  The final item was the boots, and considering my previous pair had melted yet again, I was elated to have these. There were numerous things from my world that I sorely missed, like the soothing warmth of showers and the plush comfort of beds. Ever since Rabbit had mentioned it, I also missed the mouthwatering satisfaction of Pizza Bagel Bites.

  One persistent annoyance was the shoes. Each step was accompanied by irritating pinching sensations that I chose to ignore. Footwear on Earth had evolved to emphasize padding, which felt akin to walking on cushions. In contrast, here it was as if I were walking on a rugged cement surface strewn with a pebble stuck in the wrong spot. I had hoped that absorbing the Biodium would alleviate this discomfort, but regrettably, the sensation remained. Though my skin had become as resilient as metal, I could still acutely sense everything.

  Slipping into the shoes, a wave of nostalgia washed over me as it felt like being home again. While they didn't quite have the aesthetic appeal I was used to on Earth, their beauty was undeniable in their own way. The shoes enveloped my feet in a cloud-like embrace, offering unrivaled comfort and a weightlessness beyond anything I had ever experienced.

  You have found Claudman’s Shoes of Heavenly Clouds. These shoes reduce impact forces and decrease the user’s weight by 4 pounds.

  “This has got to be the best of the group. It may not be a combat enchantment, but I feel real comfort. Now all I need to do is find an actual bed, and I might be set,” I said.

  “I was thinking more like a shower. You would think for a hairless ape, you would be cleaner,” Rabbit replied, and I ignored his mocking.

  "Here are a change of clothes," Sparkle said, handing me a fresh outfit. I suspected she shared my thoughts about my smell. "I'm not sure if they will fit, but they're better than your rags."

  “One last thing. Your friend went out this entrance and went straight that way,” Bubble said, pointing straight and to the left.

  With a deep breath, I nodded and turned toward the path Bubble had indicated. It was time to track down Saresh and my friends, though uncertainty gnawed at me. I had no idea what I would find, and time was already working against me. With the weight of uncertainty pressing down, I set off into the unknown.