Nikola stopped by the guards in front of the gates. He knew that if he didn't make his arguments known now, he was never going to find the chance to later.
He smiled; the guards weren't paying him any attention. They were looking at Arch, Brog and Flog. The three goblins were glaring right back.
They knew that the guards were just one smirk away from insulting them.
"Kind sirs," Nikola began, as he tried to step before the goblins, so that the guards wouldn't do the stupid thing and end up getting invaded by the entire tribe.
"I wish to share something with you," Nikola continued, as he took out of the carved bones. "Do you think this is art?"
A guard took the bone, ready to snort, only for his eyes to widen at the delicate carving.
"This is more than just art!" The guard said, as he began to turn the bone this way and that. "This is worth its weight in gold!"
Which was something that made Nikola like his chances of becoming a constant supplier of food for those who were discriminated against.
"It was goblins who made these carvings!" Nikola said, as he smiled at the guards. "Goblins who had done crimes, yes, but crimes only because they had nothing to eat. I do not say that they should be excused, but if even murder core dungeons can get the peaceful status once they stop with the killing, why can't goblins?"
It was a question more than one missionary had asked in their very short lifetime.
But where the missionaries were trying to get into the good graces of the goblins with words and empty promises, Nikola was taking the initiative and was delivering meat.
Which could actually make one melt inside, depending on the spices used.
"You wish to come inside and sell this?" The guard asked, as he took out a coin pouch. "My son is very young. And this thing has such lovely kittens on it. Do you mind if I buy it off you? For how much do you sell?"
Nikola smiled wider. He looked at Arch, who led his escort detail.
"This here is worth ten steaks," the goblin said. "We want meat, not gold!"
"Arch," Brog said, as he scratched himself on the head. "This is not just about what we want. We have to help Niki here get us the food. You can't expect a guard to go to the butcher's shop and bring you 10 steaks!"
"Ten steaks are worth 5 gold coins," the guard suggested, not wanting to be parted from the carved bone. "My son's birthday is tomorrow. Please, he will be so happy!"
Nikola looked at Arch once more. As the one in charge of the whole expedition, it was the goblin's call.
"Just tell him to never become a holy hero," Arch said, his eyes narrowed. "And we will accept your five golden coins."
The money exchanged hands, and Nikola smiled wider.
"Ok," he said, as he began to look at the other guard. "You just saw that the goblins are perfectly polite and willing to sell for money, instead of attacking and invading Mirstone. What do you say, kind sir?"
The guard nodded.
The gates were open to goblins for the first time in history.
But Nikola was a merchant with a plan. He looked at the signpost by the gates.
The market was to the right, the library was to the left, and the crafts district was to the southwest.
He smiled.
"Ok," he began, because he wanted to keep the goblins involved in the deal. "Let us do it this way: we will go to the furniture craftsman, and we will try to sell the carvings there! How does that sound?"
"Why? Won't the people want the bones the way they are?"
Nikola nodded. That was a good question.
"Oh, they will," he said, as he looked in the direction of the craft's district. "But if your carvings become parts of furniture, and the word spreads that you are working with craftsmen, then you will be recognized in the entire world!"
Arch nodded, Brog chuckled, and Flog decided not to comment.
After all, their business understanding was limited to guessing which travelers would make good soup, and which won't.
Nikola marched to the craftsman district with a mission and a bag full of carved bones.
The furniture factory loomed before him. He looked at the guard, who was eyeing the goblins with mistrust.
"Who let you in?" The guard asked, as he took out his crossbow.
"The guards! And we are here to sell carved bones to the Head Overseer," Nikola took out a bone. This one had the goblin tribe carved on it.
The guard began to look at it from all angles. Then he just took out his coin pouch and looked inside.
"I have just 10 gold coins left," the man said, as he looked at Nikola with pleading eyes. "Please, I can fetch a good price for this on the Black Market!"
"He is trying to exploit us!" Flog, said with a growl. "Are you going to let him do this?"
"There is one thing you have to understand about market economy, dear goblins," Nikola took the money, letting the guard pocket the bone. "It doesn't matter where your carvings go to. As long as the word is spread that you do fine work!"
"I still think that he should not resell our work!" Flog protested.
"Why?" Brog asked, as he looked at the blood-free gold coins on Nikola's palm. "Because I think that if he is paying now, there is really no trouble! He paid more than that guard by the gates!"
"True," Arch nodded his approval. "And when we get the artisans to buy our wares as well, we will be rich!"
The guard sighed.
"Man, it is too late to ask for the price the guards at the gates have asked for, is it?" He mumbled.
"Too late by far," Nikola pocketed the money. Knowing that he already had enough money for a delivery to the goblins.
But it wasn't just meat that he was going to deliver.
No!
He was going to get them more bones and wood for carving!
Let them be creative and his pockets full!