Goblin Kingdom

Volume 2: Intermission – Attack II

Gi De’s subordinates returned in haste and reported to the water mage, Gi Zo.

“Humans are attacking?”

Gi Zo did not know much about humans. The most he knew about them were the king’s treasures, Reshia and Lili. Then there was Mattis who would prepare dried meat for them and the humans who would repair the fences.

“The humans killed Gi De!?”

The reporting goblin shivered in fright when he saw the usually calm Gi Zo turn furious. The goblin continued to shake as he reported that Gi Zo sacrificed himself to let them go. By the end of the report, Gi Zo was shaking in fury.

“It doesn’t matter who it is. If they bare their fangs against us, then we shall cut them down.”

He needed to inform the spearman, Gi Da, too. So he ordered the goblin to send word. As for him, he had to pay a visit to the king’s treasure, Lady Reshia.

There would probably be some unrest from the humans because of who they were fighting. He hoped Reshia and Lili could help quell that unrest. This particularity of his to be concerned about others’ feelings is one of the things the king and Gi Za held in esteem. Unfortunately, they were the only ones who thought so.

To the goblins, power is everything. Things like concern or empathy, which have no effect on one’s social standing in the horde couldn’t be any less relevant. And it would be so until the king solidifies his position as the rightful ruler of the horde.

Gi Zo himself did not see his power as greater than his peers, though he did find himself lacking from time to time. Because of that he felt the weight of his duty as the caretaker of the village.

“Lady Reshia, Lord Lili, it’s Gi Zo,” Gi Zo knocked, and the ladies granted him permission to enter.

Gi Zo’s respectful attitude to the king’s treasure was also born from his sense of responsibility. As he entered the crude yet orderly house of the king, he began to explain the situation. He held down the fury brimming within from the death of Gi De as he calmly reported to the king’s treasure. Afterwards, he asked them to help calm the humans.

“Very well. I shall do as you ask,” Reshia said.

Letting out a breath of relief, Gi Zo left the house. In his eyes burnt the fire of wrath born from the loss of his brethren.

“Lord Gi Zo,” the spearman, Gi Da, had his spear over his shoulder as he called out to him.

“Has lord Gi Ga returned?” Gi Zo asked, to which Gi Da shook his head. “Then there’s no other choice. We will have to overcome this danger ourselves… Lord Gi Da, I leave the village to you. I shall scatter the humans.”

Gi Da’s eyes opened wide upon hearing those words.

“No. I, should go! Lord Gi Za, is the village chief! I go!”

His burning heart seemed to fan his feelings, and he stamped his feet and even hit the ground with the butt of his spear.

“Not quite, Lord Gi Da. It is Lord Gi Ga who is in charge of the village. I am merely a representative, but it is my duty to protect the village.”

Gi Da eventually understood after it was repeatedly explained to him. The difference in intelligence between a normal goblin and a druid was big. Fortunately, Gi Zo was able to convince Gi Da to let him go.

“I will take those I can. Though my heart isn’t steady, I leave the village to you, Lord Gi Da!”

“Leave it, to me! I, protect village!”

The males of the goblins that could fight numbered 90. But that number included the injured and the greenhorns.

The goblins could reproduce incessantly, so it came as no surprise that they have already caught up to their old numbers before the orc war.

Gi Zo took with him only a third of the goblins, but each and every one of them was the cream of the crop, every one of them a hardened veteran.

The horde of goblins headed east.

◇◆◆

The female adventurer known as the White Hand of Life was – as the name implied – dressed in a gaudy, white robe from head to toe.

“It’s over! It’s over I tell you!” The elderly-looking adventurer clicked his hand when he saw the scene before him.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. Everything is going to be fine.” The White Hand of Life was as optimistic as ever.

“…” It was probably because of his taciturn personality that the other adventurer quietly held his shield up despite looking like he was about to curse any moment now.

A horde of goblins was before them.

After Gulland’s group that consisted mostly of adventurers destroyed an orc village, they went deeper into the forest to search for the saint while having fun hunting monsters.

Thinking about it logically, the orcs were probably at the top of the food chain here. There were a lot of them, but after Gulland attacked them, they immediately ran away. If those orcs were at the top, then it should stand to reason that the level of the monsters around weren’t much, so Gulland split his group into three.

“Would it have been better to go with the boss? Or maybe with the Wand of Destruction?” The elderly-looking adventurer quietly asked to no one in particular.

The White Hand of Life wasn’t happy with his mumblings, and she filled the wand in her hand with magic power.

“The divine god would rather you do your job than complain,” she said.

“Right, right… I probably should start currying favor with god now, eh.”

While the elderly-looking adventurer kept yapping, the taciturn adventurer nodded.

“Unyielding ShieldShield Rush!”

He struck out his shield against the oncoming horde of goblins to open a path. The goblins went flying, and a small path opened up for them, allowing them to slip away from being surrounded. The taciturn adventurer was the very example of a heavy knight. But the difference in number was just too great, and the goblins kept trying to find their way around their backs.

“Sorry, but I can’t let you gobs dig a hole out of that one! Wind Slash!” The elderly-looking adventurer slashed at the goblins with his long sword. It moved faster than the wind, leaving no opening for the goblins to take. This was the power of the light soldiers, the power of speed.

The small band of adventurers worked together to escape from the goblins’ surround.

“The divine god is greatConfusion!”

Magic power emanated from the wand of the White Hand of Life, wrapping itself around the area and oscillating.

The oscillating magic brought confusion to the goblins, causing them to slow down as they lost sight of their enemy.

“Just what you’d expect from the beloved priest of god!” The elderly-looking adventurer struck his sword against the yet sane goblins.

“Just hurry up and get out of their surround!” The White Hand of Healing said as she tried to keep herself from showing her impatience while they slipped through the confused goblins.

“Hurry.” The taciturn adventurer said.

But just as they were about to get free…

“Water bullet!”

“Ugh!?”

A groan of pain sounded from one of them.

Standing before them was a seemingly smart, red goblin, with a staff in one hand. It gave off the sort of dignity one would expect from a boss monster.

“Oh, come on… A druid?” The elderly-looking adventurer muttered, to which the taciturn adventurer nodded.

“Pull yourselves together! Remember your master!” The druid’s words woke the goblins from their stupor, and they fixed their grip on their clubs and stakes as they once again approached the three adventurers.

“Just fight as you normally do! Don’t cower!”

At the goblin druid’s words, the goblins all attacked.

“…Tch!” The taciturn adventurer clicked his tongue.

Two goblins took his flanks. At the same time, a club came swinging at him from in front, leaving him no choice but to jump back.

“Damn it!” The elderly-looking adventurer cursed.

He had struck his sword against one of the goblins, but it was able to receive his blow. Then while he was still open, another goblin aimed for his legs, breaking his balance and leaving him open to what would have been a fatal attack if he hadn’t somehow blocked it. The sparks erupting from his sword and the goblin’s club made him draw cold sweat.

The goblin that had stopped his blow a while ago, struck out its sharpened stake, passing right in front of him. He jumped back to make some distance, but behind him was the taciturn adventurer. They crashed into each other.

“Gigi!” A goblin cried.

An attack came swinging at them, and the elderly-looking adventurer hurriedly used his sword as a shield.

“Arrgh!” The elderly-looking adventurer cried out in pain.

One of the goblins had aimed for his legs. Just one would have been manageable, but then another three attacked him at the same time.

The goblins fought together well. Too well, in fact, and before he knew it, his clothes were drenched in sweat.

“Tch!”

He swept with his long sword against goblins.

“This is bad.”

The goblins were better at working together than he’d thought. Who would’ve thought there could be someone other than the elves or the demihumans of the main continent who could fight together this well?

The attack he’d received earlier to his feet was fatal. His life wasn’t in danger just yet, but he could no longer run from the goblins.

The taciturn adventurer didn’t look so swell himself either. His shield was stuck on the ground, and his hands seemed to have been done in, as he was desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

Running wasn’t an option. But then defeating all the goblins was even harder. In that case, there was only one option left. They would have to defeat the chief of the horde.

Unfortunately, that was a far fetched dream as the wall of normal goblins kept them a good distance away from the druid.

“As the divine god willsHeal!”

Suddenly, the pain vanished. And the two adventurers found themselves brimming with power. When they turned to the voice that spoke that chant, they found the White Hand of Life surrounded by something they could not make out.

“The divine god has not abandoned us yet. Please do your best,” she said.

It was only through the slight opening of her robes, but the elderly-looking adventurer was sure that she smiled just then.

“Tch…I don’t know about god or whatever, but it sure as hell feels like you’re just taking advantage of us, sitting there at the back without risking your life! Oi, quiet guy! Can you fight!?” The elderly-looking adventurer asked.

“Of course,” the taciturn adventurer quietly replied as he took out a hatchet from his great shield.

As the adventurers and the goblins stared daggers at each other, the curtains upon the dance of death between man and goblin were drawn.