Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty – In which Ark makes a few detours and shady deals in order to prepare a better future for Vera in the goblin tribe.

Seeing as how I had Vera with me, I thought it was the perfect chance to see if Jewel would cooperate a little with Vera. Jewel had some grand ideas for her cave-hole remodeling, and being the keeper of Husband’s magic had gone to her head a bit more than anything I had anticipated. Not that it bothered me, but I’m no stranger to working for lazy bosses. I used to work retail in my previous life.

“Jewel, before we start, would you be willing to show me your shiny stones? Not the shiniest ones, but just shinier than the topaz?”

“Husband want use other stone magic?”

“Not really. Not me, anyway. I’d just like to make an assessment. You… might even benefit from this.”

“What mean benefit?”

“It means doing a small trade now so you get the best big trade later.”

“Jewel listen more.”

“Keep it a secret from Prima, okay?”

“What secret hide?”

I put my arm around Vera.

“She might be able to help us.”

Jewel stared at me for a long moment.

“Stu–Vera help?”

I nodded.

“Hmm. Husband touch shiny stones?”

“Not at all. Again, this is about Vera.” I pointed to her.

We all sat down and a pouch was removed from a small hidey-hole near one end of her straw bed. She opened the pouch and tipped it over, emptying the many shiny stones out from it that she had.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Vera, remember what I taught you about circulating mana? I want you to put your hand over the stones here and push the mana inside of your body out onto them. You’ll feel like wanting to touch them or pick them up, but don’t. Instead, move your hand carefully over each one until you find the one that you feel the strongest about wanting to pick up.”

Vera nodded at my instructions and reached out with her hand and began to focus her mana over the stones. There were at least twenty different stones here of assorted quality, and I could tell from a glance alone that at least six of them were good enough to be minor focus orbs… well, stones. They weren’t smooth spheres like my quartz is. Her hands were moving over each of those aforementioned gems, but she wasn’t choosing one, instead her eyes kept looking somewhere over by the hole Jewel had removed the pouch from.

Vera stood up and pointed.

“There.”

I looked up at Vera first, and then over to Jewel.

“This wasn’t all of them, was it?”

Jewel wore a sharp look with an obvious frown.

“How know? Jewel not let Husband see.”

“It’s not for me, Jewel. You are in charge of my magic, and I only plan to use the topaz when you are around. This is for Vera, that’s all. I’ll move to the other side of the cave-hole if you don’t trust me.”

“Go. Move.” She pointed. “Not make Great Protector mad.”

“Do you think I want that either?”

I backed away a bit to take the pressure off of Jewel.

“Yellow.” Vera said, as Jewel painstakingly slowly withdrew a shiny yellow gemstone which she then held between her fingers.

“What is something like that doing here?” I asked, shocked to see such a high quality gem. It was easily on par with my own quartz focus orb.

“Found back goblin-home many moon past. Is… was… favorite shiny yellow stone. What Husband know? Magic stone? Great Protector look stone same Husband.”

“Yes. But first, Jewel, be honest with me for a moment. I don’t need to see it, but… do you have the round white one that is clear when you look at it?”

“Have stone. Took from things.”

“That’s fine. I’m sure it’s the safest if it’s in your possession. I can’t say for sure which is better quality without touching my mana to your yellow stone, but I can tell you that both are extremely high quality focus orbs. What I could do with either one of those… Well, if I meant to do bad things, it would be very bad. Very, very bad.”

“How bad?”

“I could make most of this whole cave collapse before your knife crossed my neck completely.”

I pointed up and mimicked the whole ceiling coming down with both of my hands. Jewel, who was about to let Vera hold it, snatched the shiny yellow stone back away from Vera in response.

“White stone better than yellow stone?”

“The white one is useless to anyone other than me. Until I die or am killed, that white stone will only ever react to my mana. No one else can use it for magic spells, unlike your yellow stone. Now, can you let Vera hold the yellow one for just a short while? It’s very important.”

“What Vera do with stone?” Jewel, cautious of us both, wanted to know beforehand what to expect. “Say first!”

“She’s going to make a bright light.” I answered calmly.

“Only light?”

“Vera, that’s all you are going to do, okay? Just for three breaths, push all of the mana you can into that yellow stone and keep the thought of the brightest sun in your mind when you do.”

Vera nodded and put her hand out flat, palm up.

“Three breaths, no more.”

Vera nodded again.

“Jewel, please. Nothing bad will happen, and I’m way over here.”

“Vera… do stone magic?”

“Yes. That’s why I want you to keep it a secret from Prima for now.”

Jewel’s frown turned into a sly grin now. She placed the shiny yellow stone onto Vera’s palm, and a moment later, for a span of time lasting exactly three breaths, we were all blinded as if staring at the sun, even with our eyes closed.

“No can see!” Jewel cried out.

“Neither can I. I haven’t moved. Just blink your eyes a few times and wait a moment. Your vision will come back in a little bit.”

“Husband trick!”

“If I tricked you, I would have covered my own eyes. I’m blind too! Just wait a moment, Jewel, you will be able to see in a few moments.”

I could feel Jewel’s impatience, but as promised, a few moments later, all of our visions returned to normal. Jewel snatched the yellow gemstone from Vera’s palm as soon as she could see well enough to, and put it back where she got it.

“Vera, you aren’t ready for that one yet. Pick one of the others for now. I saw you hovering over the blue and the red ones the longest. Which one felt stronger?”

“Both.”

“Tell me what is going on, Husband.”

“Vera can use magic. The light you saw was her mana potential. It might be higher than my own.”

“What mean potential?”

“It means if she had that yellow stone and half a day to use it, she could turn your cave-hole into the size of the one you all have me stay in. But she needs lots more training before she can, so right now, it might be difficult for her. I use force magic, but Vera’s better at formula magic. I don’t know yet what her full capability is as a magician.”

“But she stup–” Jewel hung on the rest of that word.

“Every goblin has something they are good at, Jewel. Prima seems to be very good at hunting, Berry is good with poisons, Ivory can make nice things with bones, Truffle knows the most about mushrooms… it’s just that no one in the goblin tribe could know Vera was good with magic formulas.”

“What Jewel good at?”

“Jewel is like a shiny stone. Beautiful on the outside but with many great things hidden from others not smart enough to see inside. I’m sure you’re the cleverest goblin in the tribe.”

She smiled and her sharp teeth went on full display.

“Not trade shiny yellow stone.”

“I won’t ask you to. But can you work with me so that she can have one of the others? I can’t trade anything other than letting you work me to the bone. No cave-hole in goblin-home will be nicer than yours.”

“Trade stone Vera, Husband not touch?”

“It’s for Vera alone to own. I will only use the topaz, and only when you are present.”

And that was how Vera obtained her first focus orb. It was an imperfect blue sapphire, but more than enough to begin to teach her how to use magic properly. I, of course, was made to work very hard for it. Thankfully I have an assistant and disciple now, and formula magic isn’t restricted by a focus orb like force magic is. It just empowers it.

To drive it home to Jewel exactly what Vera was capable of with her new magic stone, we drew some formulas meant for flattening the floors of her cave-hole. Jewel mistakenly thought it was me offering to renovate her cave-hole immediately, and quickly put the topaz in my hand and had me flattening walls as well, turning Jewel’s room into a comfortably boxy shape. Jewel wasn’t standing behind me with a knife at my neck to prevent me from doing anything questionable like she was supposed to. No, she suddenly became a monster customer, talking quickly in broken gob, wanting all sorts of things done to her room.

Truth be told, she kinda had me by the balls right now. Metaphorically, that is. Metaphorically, I continue to hope.

My first detailed job was to make a shelf with pedestals so she could display all of her shiny stones. She also had me make not just one, but two spacious bedrooms with raised beds and everything. Also a little dining and activity nook like the one I had made in Ivory’s half of her now shared cave-hole with Truffle.

I held little doubt now that Jewel was probably the most greedy goblin in the whole tribe, but that was something which was entirely in my favor. Greedy people take care of their valuables, and for Jewel, I knew she saw immense value in having me owing her favors.

When I could feel myself getting close to mana exhaustion again, I informed Jewel that I had to stop for now. There remained only a few touch-ups and smoothing out remaining to be done to her cave-hole, which I promised to do at a later time. With a nice new spacious bedroom of course it would need to be tested out. Jewel was quick to take me for a spin, and this time there was a very smooth wall for her back to be pressed up against as I fucked her roughly against it to her delight. I felt a bit bad for Vera who obviously wanted a turn and had been extremely patient, but this was a business transaction for her sake as well. I had a feeling that the sapphire Vera obtained was something that would be paid for in installments. This was simply the down payment.

But that’s a matter for future me to deal with.

There was one last thing I wanted to do before it got too late, and that was to take a trip to see Ivory about getting Vera a special kind of bone. I had left Jewel in her new bedroom with wobbly legs and a satisfied disposition. Vera continued to accompany me down the main avenue of goblin-home, past the shit-pit, until we came to the duo of mushrooms and bones’ residence.

Ivory was in and currently wrapping something that looked like string around a bone she was holding. Was it perhaps some kind of animal tendon? I have not yet been able to make a concrete determination as to what their highest technological achievements are.

“Ivory, can I request you to make something when you have time?”

“Husband want trade bone?”

“Yes. Vera, can you show Ivory your new sapphire?”

Vera stepped forward and showed the gemstone she had taken from Jewel’s stash.

“I want a bone about the length of her arm, the thinnest one you have that is also strong. Carve out a place in the top so this stone can be pushed into it and stay firm inside it, and also make the other end fairly sharp. Enough to poke into the dirt like this one.”

I showed her the bone she traded with me in order to get blue water made by Berry.

“What trade for bone?”

“What do you want in trade? Berry is making your blue water already.”

“...not know.”

“How about a promise for later? If you think of something you want, I’ll do what I can to get it for you.”

“Deal. Give stone.”

Vera held out the stone and Ivory dug a small hole near her new bedroom where the dirt was soft. She pressed the stone into it until it left an impression behind, then she returned the stone to Vera.

“Take day… maybe two.”

“There’s no rush on it. I’d rather you make it good than fast.”

I managed to leave Ivory’s without needing to put another deposit down, or in for that matter, since she was busy.

As the shit-pit was on the way back from Ivory’s place, I stopped in to take a leak, making sure Vera did the same if she had to go. Most goblins squat when doing either. Vera stood up and just let fly like I did. I thought it was kind of funny. I didn’t hate this little infatuation attachment she had with me. Much as I was a horrible person for taking advantage of her, I did want to protect her as well. She’s yet another one of my wives, but she’s also my main wife’s little sister. If it didn’t sound all weird saying it, she’s kind of growing on me as a little sister as well.

We stopped off at Berry’s room, only to say hi. However, she was also out of her cave-hole. I thought it would be rude to just go in without her being here. I might be welcome to enter her home anytime, but wasn’t sure how far the invitation extended, since I had a plus one with me in the form of Vera.

It was back to the breeding room for us both after two detours, and I wanted to take a rest. I know Vera wanted a go with me, and I certainly would have had no problem accommodating her, but I just wanted to rest for a minute before we began. I laid down on my bed, and Vera crawled onto it as well, becoming my huggable goblin-sized body pillow.

“Husband.”

I hugged her and patted her head, pulling her tightly into my bare chest.

“You’re a good girl, Vera. And a very smart goblin. Husband knows this better than anyone else.”

“...Ark.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“...Ark.”

I hugged her again.

“I don’t know when you learned that word, but don’t say it in front of other goblins except Prima, okay? That… is my name. Like how I gave you the name Vera, or gave the other goblins theirs, Ark was the name my mother gave me when I was born… when I came out of her as a strong one. Do you understand? This is a secret we’re sharing only with your sister, so let’s not tell anyone else.”

She nodded her understanding into my chest.

“Husband.”

After resting for a while, I felt good as new. I decided to let Vera decide what she wanted to do with me, since she was patient. She pulled me into her room and pointed at the wall.

“Jewel.”

Ah, she wanted me to pick her up and fuck her against the wall? I can do that. She took off her loincloth and I hefted her up, placing her softly against the flat inner wall of her bedroom and put myself inside of her. Vera was taller than Lily, but lightweight and not nearly as tall as Jewel or Prima. She was definitely a little-sister type of goblin, and she wanted the D.

She hugged my body as I pressed and pumped into her, her legs wrapping themselves around my back and hooking themselves snugly just above my butt. She was proactive, nibbling on my shoulder much in the same way other goblins did.  I don’t mind reciprocation like that from her. Her little cunt was nice and tight, coupled with the fact that she was circulating mana inside of her, I could feel her body get nice and hot. It’s not anything like dual cultivation from one of those smutty Eastern manhua from back in my previous world, but I could also push my mana into her, as well as direct it through my cock with some serious focus, something which caused her to start huffing and breathing raggedly. She had no problem having an orgasm or two while I did that, clamping down on my cock super tightly and making me want to push further inside of her than I had the size to do it with.

Of course I constantly checked with her to make sure she wasn’t being hurt and that she enjoyed it. She had gone so far as to say “deep,” which was tricky because I was already as deep as I could get! I had to really push my hips hard into her pelvis, which was even more tricky to do because her legs were already tightly wrapped around me. I did my best, anyway.

I plastered her womb with what I felt was a ridiculous amount of cum shooting out of my magic wand courtesy of my over-productive stones.

She was making small loud moans as she quaked on my cock. I slowed down, not wanting to leave her unable to easily move. I slowly pulled her from against the wall and let her down carefully on her bed. She pulled on my arm to join her, so I laid down with her again, this time flat on my back with her rolling on top of me, and she was peacefully content to rest there like that for a while as she plugged me back in and kept me inside of her.

She clung to me tightly while I caressed her body softly.

After that, it was bedtime. Instead of me sleeping on my new bed, I slept with Vera in her room, nestled snugly against her body, all the while running my hands all along the front of her body, and occasionally feeling her wiggle her butt securely against my cock. Her bone necklace and blue sapphire already added to her shelf of things, bringing the number of things she owns up to five.

She eventually fell asleep, but only after capturing my arm and holding it prisoner with her own, and smugly mumbled in the most goblin manner possible:

“...Mine.”