Chapter 40: Working as a Cook for Kobolds

“They’ve all gradually returned to the cave; it seems they went mining,” Anna replied in a low voice. “I saw they weren't running away, so I didn't stop them.”

“A wise decision.” Gavin gave the young priestess a thumbs-up. “From now on, it’s not about us changing them, but letting them adapt to our presence. I just saw that there are plenty of good herbs nearby; find some time to take those little ones to gather some. When we roast meat later, I’ll save ten pounds for you to give to them as a reward. I noticed several kobolds are injured, with some having obvious disabilities in their arms or legs. Next, you do what you do best.”

“Understood. We call this building rapport,” Anna chuckled like a little fox that had successfully stolen a chicken.

This kind-hearted approach of Gavin's appealed greatly to the kind-hearted young priestess.

When she first heard about Gavin's plan to conquer the kobolds, she had truly worried that he would be like those slave owners, using whips to lash them.

If that were the case, she would have been in a very difficult position.

As it stood, her worries were unnecessary. How could a good man as kind as Mr. Gavin use such despicable and shameless methods?

She felt that her previous doubts about Mr. Gavin were quite misplaced.

Gavin, unaware that the young priestess had just issued him another "good person card" in her heart, tilted his ear and listened. Sure enough, the clinking and clanging of mining echoed from within the cave.

He praised them inwardly. He had long heard that kobolds were natural miners, especially those in tribes; aside from eating, drinking, and sleeping, they spent the rest of their time mining. They were more self-disciplined than slaves driven by whips, reportedly due to their racial instinct for digging.

Previously, Gavin had worried about what to do once these kobolds were well-fed and decided to just lounge in the sun. He couldn't exactly whip them; while that might force them to work, it would also breed resentment, which was not a wise move.

Now, he didn't need to worry about them; he just needed to focus on being a good cook.

Within minutes, Gavin had skinned and deboned the two lean rock goats.

One was skewered from head to tail and placed over the fire. He wouldn't give the whole thing to them at once, but would instead select a portion to serve as a reward, enticing them in the direction he desired.

The other was chopped into large chunks, with the bones kept to be thrown into a hanging pot to make braised meat. The broth would later be used to hand-roll noodles.

The boneless meat went into another pot to be stewed with various vegetables.

This time, Gavin didn't even have to call them. Those who were idle, especially the little kobolds, proactively went to help gather firewood.

After Gavin rewarded them with a few pieces of meat on the bone, their enthusiasm grew even stronger.

Perhaps they were hungry, or perhaps they smelled the aroma of food, as the kobolds who had previously ducked into the mine began to emerge one after another.

Very self-disciplately, they held their wooden bowls and formed long lines.

By the time the two meals were finished, the day had turned dark.

Gavin had no intention of letting the hanging pot sit idle, so he turned around and hunted a wild boar.

One pot wouldn't be enough, but two would be just right.

He simmered it over a low flame, and by dawn, the wild boar feast was ready.

This continued for three days, with two meals every single day, without fail.

One after sunrise, one before sunset.

There was never a repeat of the same dish.

Though the cooking was primarily stewing, the seasoning was impeccable.

For a group that had previously lived on the edge of subsistence, this kind of life was nothing short of paradise.

The enticing aroma did not go unnoticed by hunters, but as most hunters became the prey—the next main course in the stewing pot—the peering eyes noticeably diminished.

Even more mysteriously, during the distribution of food on the third day, Gavin habitually counted the heads and discovered that the number of kobolds had changed again. Two entirely new faces appeared at the end of the food line.

Though they tried to act calm, their behavior and mannerisms were unmistakably suspicious. The two kobolds nudged each other, hesitantly following the line forward.

Many of the Black Well kobolds merely glanced back at them once before ignoring them and dutifully staying in their own lines.

*Are kobolds really this non-exclusive?*

Gavin felt a flicker of doubt but decided to suppress his curiosity for the time being, intending to let nature take its course and see how the kobolds handled the matter themselves.

Thus, when the two kobolds shuffled up to Gavin, he naturally took a wooden bowl, filled it, and handed it to them.

The excitement on the faces of the two kobolds who received food was almost overflowing. They even politely barked twice at Gavin—that was "thank you" in the kobold language.

During this breakfast, Gavin focused most of his attention on these two kobolds.

As they ate, they barked a few exchanges with the other kobolds, especially that one named Gorth, and naturally integrated into their ranks.

After finishing their meal, they didn't slip away; instead, they scurried off to follow the others into the Black Well mine, presumably to go mining together.

Up to this point, aside from cooking, Gavin had not interfered in the normal lives of the Black Well kobolds, nor had he entered the mine.

As famous as their timidity was, so were the kobolds' traps. Who knew how many traps were hidden in the Black Well, which served as both their workspace and their home?

Gorth, the leader of the Black Well kobolds, did not head straight into the mine after eating this time. Instead, he lingered in the distance, radiating an aura of hesitation so strong that even Vic, who wasn't particularly sensitive to such things, could feel it.

Gavin, of course, knew what the other was struggling with. Although his kobold language was mediocre, he could understand parts of the barking arguments that occasionally drifted from deep within the mine. Combined with his own reasoning, he had a general idea of the situation.

Regardless of whether their initial surrender was genuine or feigned, after three days of Gavin's soft-handed policy, the political winds among many kobolds had begun to shift in his favor.

It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury back to frugality.

Though Gorth had never heard that saying, he understood the principle.

After Gavin's recent "disturbances," the Black Well tribe could never return to the way things were before.

Gorth decided he needed to have a deep conversation with Gavin: what exactly did he intend to do with the Black Well tribe?

Feeding them such good food and drink all the time was not a sustainable solution!

The other kobolds could eat thoughtlessly, but Gorth felt a sense of dread with every meal.

He had never met a human who wasn't black-hearted. Now that they were being raised on meat and delicacies, there must be a larger scheme at play. He feared that before long, the entire Black Well would fall into ruin, and his foolish clansmen would end up counting money for someone else.

"If you have something to say, just come over and say it. If you keep hovering like that, you'll dig a new mine shaft," Gavin said, waving Gorth over after cleaning the hanging pot, refilling it with water, and washing his hands.

"Greetings, Great One, woof," Gorth said, approaching hesitantly with a series of barks. "On behalf of everyone in the Black Well tribe, woof, I thank the Great One for your care these past few days, woof. But I advise the Great One, it would be best to leave this place quickly, woof."

"Oh?" Gavin showed an interested expression. "Haven't you already pledged your loyalty to me? Why are you suddenly driving me away?"

"Forgive us, Great One, I deceived you before, woof," Gorth said bluntly. "Because we did not know your nature before, woof, we feared you would harm us like other humans, woof. That is why we used this method to appease you, woof. But these past few days, the Great One has not only refrained from harming us but has even given us good food and drink. We cannot be heartless, so we must tell you the truth, woof. Our tribe is protected by someone. In a few days, he might come to collect taxes. If he encounters the Great One, I fear he will cause you harm, woof."

"No wonder!" Gavin said, looking enlightened. "No wonder your ore quality is so good and you work so hard, yet live in such hardship. It turns out someone is exploiting you. Who is this protector of yours? Tell me everything in detail."