Pushing the heavy cart full of medium-grade concrete toward one of five processor goblins, group three's hard work was about to pay off after all.
The processor goblin they were walking toward -- whose name they... SbUg didn't bother to learn -- was sitting on a wooden chair spacing out. The boredom of sitting around waiting for the other goblins must've really been catching up to him. It would be nice to be in his position, though. You don't do much of anything and still get a hefty paycheck. Sounds like a good deal... most likely.
One of the diggers got the processors attention.
"Hey, Mug, we've got a load of medium-grade."
"Alright... let me check it out. Group three, correct?" The darkish-green processor asked.
The digger hummed subtly and nodded. "Mhm."
"Just sit back and relax, I'm sure you all deserve a break."
The processor, over a period of around 5 minutes, took each chunk of concrete from the minecart and sorted them into boxes labeled 'medium-grade concrete.' After the last chunks were sorted, the processor asked:
"Where did you all get this much medium-grade? Never seen a full cart of it like this."
"It was all in a concentrated area. We were surprised too."
"Interesting... Well, that earns you.. let's see," the goblin flipped through a pamphlet labeled 'A Processors Guide to Revolutionary and Sublime Grade-based Concrete Sorting For Dummies 101,' what a strange name...
"5 points per ten pounds of medium so... 535 points! Good work, you all. May I have your cards?"
Each member of the group handed the goblin their cards one by one.
The goblin took out a rough pen and wrote '+535' on their cards, below their point count.
The processor goblin seemed content with their work. The ends of his mouth were curled upward slightly, forming a jagged smile.
'He must get some type of points too...' SbUg thought to himself.
SbUg was standing in the back of the group, trying to avoid talking to anyone.
After the processor and the diggers made some small talk, the former said:
"Well, it's about time to head out for me now. If you all want to go redeem your points, go check in with the receptionist. I'm sure Lug will be pleased as well. Have a good rest of your day, group three."
SbUg broke off from the group first, heading straight toward the exit and receptionist. The others soon followed as well.
The receptionist was busy writing in his logbook. SbUg interrupted him, reached his card out toward him and asked:
"Can I redeem my points? I should have.. around 650."
The receptionist looked very annoyed with SbUg's presence.
"What do you want? Raise, bonus, or trinket?"
Raises were worth 500 points, while bonuses were a much more lenient 100. Well, the name 'bonus' was a bit misleading, as it was really their only form of making money in the mines. Raises simply raised the amount earned from bonuses, so they were highly sought after. Nobody in the outskirts could really afford to go without making money long enough to save up for them, but since group three got a large amount of points all at once; SbUg could afford it.
"I guess I'll take a raise and a bonus... And a trinket with the remaining 50."
Without saying any more, the receptionist turned to a page of the logbook where SbUg recognized a picture of his face, followed by columns of various numbers and wrote on a new row:
"20 Copper"
SbUg's eyes traced above the number and saw the column's name:
"Bonus Amount"
The receptionist took out a key from his pocket and unlocked a drawer below his stone desk. After opening it, he took out 4 copper coins with a value of 5 copper each. He put them on his desk and pushed them toward SbUg, disdainfully not wanting to get near him at all.
The coins showcased the king's face prominently on one side, with the capital's luxurious concrete castle on the other.
'Payday!'
The receptionist opened another, less guarded drawer and took out something without putting too much thought into it - just probing his hand until it caught hold of something. After he grabbed something from the drawer, he put it on his end of the desk, and pushed it toward SbUg.
The trinket the receptionist gave to SbUg was a circular concrete apparatus with 3 hands ticking around the center - a stopwatch. It wasn't very luxurious or built nicely, but it represented his hard work, so SbUg was content.
"Thank you, may I sign out?"
The receptionist nodded and turned to the page in his logbook that had the sign-in times of each goblin that showed up today. He scribbled down the time in the row that dictated when they signed out. It showcased:
"6:12"
SbUg sighed.
"Have a good evening."
The receptionist replied with a mocking silence.
SbUg walked out of the mines, down the staircase, and began walking toward his humble house.
***
A well-dressed goblin in a luxurious wooden chair surrounded by fancy windows and furniture was previewing a book that contained the names and faces of various goblins who lived in Concretia. There were many similar books on the desk, containing similar contents. He traced his finger down each page, and suddenly stopped and widened his eyes.
The goblin his finger was paused on had a light green tint and similarly colored eyes. He stood out on the page of dull colored goblins, all located in the outskirts. The text to the right of this goblin's picture stated:
"Name: Tapek
Salary: 20 Copper
Address: 54 Molegret Road"
The goblin, who's face was twisted in an exasperated expression muttered under his breath:
"It can't be... the features, they're all the same. But.. but how? I have to tell the advisor. I have to tell him the king's brother is living."
The goblin got out of his chair and picked up the book of goblins. He scrambled down a spiral wooden staircase, which was the inside of a grand tower. Once he got to the bottom, he was now sprinting.
The hallways were passing by at astonishing speed, various royal workers and nobles looking at him with strange expressions. He finally made it to a wooden door that led to another wooden spiral staircase. He sprinted up the stairs as fast as he could, ascending the tower.
At the top, he busted through a even more luxurious wooden door, and walked across a carpet. He was now sweating profusely, kneeling in front of a throne. Not the throne of the king, but the throne of his advisor.
"Advisor Grup... I have news. Big news. The king's brother... that traitor... he's alive."
On the throne, the striking figure of an orange goblin clad in knightly armor laid, with a sword resting in a sheath in front of him. Grup's mouth curled downward. Somber at the news.
"Did you tell anyone else?" The menacing orange goblin pierced the worker with his striking gaze.
"No, no sir... I came straight to you!"
The orange knight shifted slightly in his throne, and put his hand on the grip of his magnificent longsword. He lifted himself out of his throne, and suddenly - for the worker - the world was upside down.
'W-why...'
He saw his own body collapse to the ground while his head spun through the air. Before he was truly dead, he could've sworn he heard the knight say:
"I'm sorry."