Negotiating with a lich had to be the most terrifying thing to ever happen to the earth gnomes. How did they end up in this position?

"I'm sorry, you want us to do what?"

Rino considered it for a while. Should he repeat what he just said, or should he try to clarify his intentions? He knew that sometimes he said the most misleading things, but this much should be fine, right? It was for the best that they formed their own conclusions about his motives.

"Isn't it fine? You're all orphans. I've never seen gnomes as young as your lot. Fifty is not a good time to die. You should only think about dying when you're lying on a bed too weak to move. The abandoned mines that you live in aren't safe enough. My town is still in development, but it is much safer than where you're living. Initially, I would have slaughtered all of you like how I slaughtered the bandits who wanted to rob me. They're the spectres that you saw earlier. However, I don't have a habit of killing children."

Correction, he did kill a child. However, Zerg's case was slightly special. Mercy killing was a category of its own that Rino did not want to disclose for now. Honestly, Rino just had a soft spot for children with rough childhoods. They reminded him too much about himself. Seeing these stubborn gnomes with a righteous fire in their eyes made him want to protect them.

There was a lot of doubt in everyone's eyes when Rino said that. Adoption? Nobody heard of liches adopting anyone. If anything, shouldn't he be busy eating children and terrorising everyone?

"Why would you do this? We're no longer children. Not in human years, at least. I'm also considered a gnome adult."

The leader of the gnomes spoke. Rino considered it. He actually liked this stubborn fellow. 

"I like you guys a lot. We have a lot in common, and if I'm going to create a kingdom, I need every talent I can have. Your concerns are valid. However, I will give you my word that I treat everyone in my kingdom fairly. You can take a tour of the village I established beyond these mountains. I didn't force any of them to do what they do. Most of them volunteered."

Sending everyone away except for Rina and Mutt, Rino spilt some of his future plans to convince the gnomes. He needed the gnomes to trust him willingly and follow them from their free wills if he wanted them to lend him their talents. Creative individuals and inventors do not like working under slavery or corporate systems. Their full potential could not be recognised without a willingness to want a better future. Rino knew that from personal experience.

From his vision of building a kingdom that inspires learning, educating the uneducated undead and putting everyone's talent to the best use and breaking boundaries of common sense, Rino told the young earth gnomes that he was sorely missing talented people who were capable of assisting him in building what he dreamt about. He had enough people working in the farms, in the mines and in the tannery that was not a butchery. However, when it came to research and developments, there was only himself, Rina and Kragami.

"I dream of a day that we can travel freely without restrictions to land, water or air to see what lies beyond this world. Aren't you curious about what's beyond the sun, stars and moon?"

A way to conquer the skies! From the beginning of time, the stories that Gods resided beyond the clouds were passed down from one generation to the next. There was no child who wasn't curious about how the gods looked, and if possible, nobody wanted to die to find out what the land beyond clouds looked like. Rino's proposal was very tempting, and despite their disadvantageous situation, the leader of the earth gnomes could not help but try to envision working with this terrifying magician before him.

Making a deal with Rino was akin to signing a pact with the devil. There was no way Rino would let them go once they agreed to this adoption deal. However, compared to living in fear of the harvesters, maybe this was the person who could grant them the protection they needed to satisfy their curiosity. If anything, it was more assuring to say that as long as Rino lived, they could never die. Death was only temporary. Rino was a lich who could bring the dead back to life, the king from the prophecies. Serving under this man could give them a chance to discover all the answers to their questions.

"If we agree to this adoption, can you promise to never make us do anything against our belief?"

Rino thought for a while. "It depends on what that is."

Answering quickly, the leader of the earth gnomes wanted to know if Rino would promise to treat them with fairness and sincerity like actual adopted children and not exploit them. In addition, he refused to partake in any external affairs regarding the economic and political situations of Rino's growing empire.

"I can promise that the gnomes' lifestyle and preference for isolation will be maintained, although if that changes along the line, we can make exceptions. As a fellow inventor and researcher, I am more interested in talking about future projects we could work on while providing for your needs."

Indeed, Zerg was a very attentive caretaker who learned the ropes well from Fronzo. Rino considered making him a butler for these researchers as someone had to take care of their basic needs. When Rino was in his researching mode, he neglected everything from personal hygiene to meals. Sleep only happened when his body shut down, and honestly, these earth gnomes would do the same if nobody stopped them. They did not appear to have the best lifestyle from their simple clothes and humble appearance.

Satisfied, the leader of earth gnomes introduced himself as Bink.

"I would like to be the only one to sign the magic pact on behalf of my brothers and the earth gnome gang. Please spare them from too severe a penalty if they rebel. I shall take the full consequence instead."

Rino raised an invisible brow when the other gnomes protested behind, still stuck from the paralysis spell.

"What good would that do? Every individual has the right to choose. You don't have the right to bear responsibility for another person's life even if you wanted to. I promised you earlier, didn't I? I would treat all of you fairly and sincerely as my children if I adopted you. You might be the oldest and the leader of the gnome gang, but you're only responsible for yourself as an individual. It's non-negotiable."

Hearing that, Bink was stunned into silence for a while. He looked back at the other gnomes who accompanied him on the suicide mission and thought back to the other earth gnomes he told the youngest to evacuate. He only accepted Rino's adoption proposal because it was the only way to save his brothers here. Who would have thought that Rino wasn't going to let any of them go?

"What if my brothers refuse? What will happen to them?" Bink asked, slightly afraid of Rino's answer.

The lich thought for a while. While it was better to have them come to him willingly, he was no longer interested in retaining talents who did not want to work with him. He might like the earth gnomes, but he didn't need all of them. Even Bink alone was good enough for now. The gnome leader did not have to convince everyone, but from how the seven other gnomes looked at him, Rino already knew that there would not be too many troublemakers who would choose otherwise.

It was a gamble, but Rino had faith that the bond between brothers who had been through thick and thin was stronger than a family with the same blood in their veins in corrupted noble families. Unlike the bandits, these gnomes were simple and pure-hearted creatures who truly cared for one another. They did not band together simply for mutual benefits.

"I'll let them go," Rino replied. "However, staying in the abandoned mine is out of the question. That is a mine that I want. I've been trying to look for dwarves for the longest time, and this is the closest I have to a hint of their locations."

Hearing how Rino was looking for dwarves, Bink shook his head. "You won't find dwarves here. They used to be around about a decade back, but they've left since then. Some of us saw them leaving, but they should all be dead now. Only their legacy was left behind, and we've been trying to protect it to the best of our abilities from monsters."

That would explain the strange switches and traps. Rino was more interested now that he knew. He had to have Bink no matter what. It didn't matter if half of the other earth gnomes left or if everyone else in their hideout ran away by the time he adopted Bink. Rino finally had his walking encyclopaedia.

"I won't kill them," Rino promised. "I won't chase them. They can go wherever they want or return to seek protection from Town Zera if they want anytime. However, they cannot live in the abandoned mines if they don't wish to be adopted by me."

The final answer ironed out all the unease in Bink, and he agreed to the adoption, much to Rino's elation.