Goblin Kingdom

Volume 2: Intermission – A Calm Strategy

By the time Mill and Fick returned to camp, Ranid’s soldiers were everywhere. They looked at each other before deciding to go the center of the camp, where they found the two holy knights glaring at each other.

The atmosphere was so tense it felt like a fight could break out any time.

Surrounded by the soldiers and Wyatt, it was Gulland who first spoke.

“So, why does the iron-armed knight want us to fight with these small fries? Honestly, these men of yours are nothing more than dead weight,” Gullan sneered.

Compared to Gullan’s belligerent attitude, Gowen was as calm as ever. “There are many goblins. It is only reasonable that you use my men to ensure that not a single one slips through. I can’t be at ease unless you take this tenth of my men.”

Indeed, the goblins numbered almost a hundred. Regardless how strong the adventurers are, that was not a number they could completely exterminate. Be that as it may, the adventurers had their pride. They could not just nod their heads and agree to Gowen’s proposal. After all, was it not them who fought the enemy and chased them this far?

“Bastard… Don’t you think you’re being too selfish coming in at the last moment just to take the best part?” Gulland reached for the great sword on his back.

The adventurers watching from the sides all felt the great bloodlust emanating from the hero-adventurer, and so they braced themselves. If things were to turn for the worse, they might just end up fighting the feudal lord himself.

“Let’s not forget our prior agreement: to use the resources at our disposal to invade the fortress, while trying our hands at rescuing the saint.” Gowen looked down on Gulland with his pair of cold eyes. The chill from those two eyes of his could be felt even through that fiery bloodlust emanating from Gulland.

“Hmph… In other words, you’re saying we’re stupid for getting riled up.”

Gulland’s gaze was sharp yet, but he had already let go of the hilt of his great sword.

“Just do as you please,” Gowen said.

“I will,” Gulland sneered, but Gowen only ignored him.

After seeing the two wrap up their discussion, Fick shrewdly approached Gulland to report their earlier findings.

“Go report to that bastard too.”

“Are you sure?”

Much to Fick’s surprise, Gulland ferociously smiled and then nodded.

“Gather everyone. Gowen isn’t the only one with tricks.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Fick reported to Gowen too.

“Can we trust this intel?” The leader of the Yuan Scout Party asked.

Gowen nodded. “They’re most likely thinking of a way to get one over us, but… That’s alright.”

Narrowing his eyes, Gowen looked toward the direction of the yet unseen goblin horde.

“We will attack the goblins alongside them upon daybreak.”

◇◆◇

Gowen’s army numbered approximately a hundred as they marched through the forest. They were dressed in leather armor and equipped with a spear or a sword and shield, all of which were provided by Gowen himself.

“There is no need to push yourselves too hard. Their great number will surely make it difficult, so all we need to do is to attract their attention,” Gowen said, to which a young man, and then the rest of the boys nodded.

As long as they caught the enemy’s attention, Gulland would surely enter the fray. That was a surety for someone like Gulland who froths at the mouth at the thought of securing the greatest merit in this search for the saint.

Gowen thought up this plan knowing that.

Secure the village left behind, and the first of the conditions will have been achieved. After that was a question of which holy knight would rescue the saint. Gene was in the forest, but there were no signs of him. For all Gowen knew he might already be dead or then again he might still be alive, but there was no knowing for sure.

That left only Gowen and Gulland to rescue the saint. Considering the future development of this forest, it would be most advantageous for Gowen to let Gulland rescue the saint.

The holy knight who started out as an adventurer rescued the saint!

Gulland would return to the country a hero, and aspiring young men would look up to him. With that Gowen would be able to use their young, ambitious hearts to develop the forest.

The profit did not lay in this immediate battle, but in the future. As he calmly came up with that plan, Gowen decided to sacrifice these young men he’d raised himself. They would be attacking the goblins from the front to attract their attention, so he knew full well that their losses would be great, but that couldn’t be helped.

“It is a pity Gene is not here.”

Regret flashed his eyes for an instant before returning to their usual frost, then as he planned coolly in his mind without showing the slightest hint of distress, he gave the orders to attack.

◇◆◇

“Over here.”

The spear-wielding Gi Da led Reshia, the humans who left the village, and the female and baby goblins who could not fight. They ran to the west with six other warrior goblins, while Gi Da cut down the branches before him with his spear to create an easier path to traverse.

The goblins they had watching at the back were all elite. They were chosen by Gi Ga himself beforehand, and they all kept going even as the sun shone upon the forest.

The sounds of battle grew more and more distant until half an hour later when they could no longer be heard, and Gi Da finally stopped to let Reshia and the others rest. But there would be no resting for Gi Da and the other warrior goblins, as he ordered them to patrol the surrounding area.

Gi Ga told him to protect Reshia at all costs, so it came as no surprise that Gi Da was more solemn than usual. He could not let his guard up even for a moment.

And then he felt something, bringing him to raise his spear.

“Lord Lili,” he said, prompting Lili to wield her sword as well. “Someone is here.”

Gathering the rest of the goblins, they huddled up around Reshia, and made sure not to make an eek. They stood as still as they could while they perked their ears to catch even the slightest sound in the vicinity.

The sound of the wind swaying the leaves, the sound of the wind itself… Then in that place where no one should’ve been, Gi Da spotted someone: the small figure of a human.

“Name yourself!” Gi Da pointed his spear.

“I have no name to give to a monster,” the small figure quietly said as she brandished her talons. There was anger in those words.

A black mask covered her whole head, while only the vital areas of her body were padded with armor.

“Lord Lili…”

The moment the black figure bolted, Gi Da realized he could not win, but it was too late. The black figure was fast, so fast it made Gi Da wonder where she was getting all that power.

Gi Da struck out with his spear, but the black figure easily slipped past him, jumping over his shoulder as she drew an arc in the air and landed right in front of Lili, who immediately drew her sword.

“Tch… I’m not your enemy!” The figure said as she blocked Lili’s sword with her talons.

It seemed this assailant was severely shocked when Lili drew her sword against her.

“Huh?” Lili was at a lost. The enemy before her did not want to fight her. But then the other goblin warriors came up when they saw Lili in trouble.

“Tch!?”

The black figure dodged the goblins clubs one after another like a butterfly floating in the air, but the moment she landed on the ground, Gi Da’s spear was waiting for her. But even that sudden attack that that figure could in no way have seen coming was dodged by a hair’s breadth. As Gi Da watched the figure make some distance between them, he had no choice but to accept that this was someone far above his level.

“Gi Gi…” Gi Da who was standing before Lili and Reshia to protect them pointed his spear to this unknown assailant. “Lord Lili, please take care of the rest. We will take care of this one, so—”

But the black figure moved before Gi Da could finish talking. In response, Gi Da formed a three-man group with the other goblins to fight off the black figure.

“Go!”

Gi Da struck out his spear with all of his strength, but the black figure easily received his blow. At this point, it was clear as day that that figure’s talons would bury themselves into Gi Da’s flesh, but that was exactly what Gi Da was aiming for. As the talons reached for his wounded shoulder—

“!?”

—The other goblins swung their clubs, and they slammed them into the legs and sides of the black figure; a coordinated attack that sacrificed Gi Da’s body.

“Gaha… Ku…” Thrown into the ground, the figure squirmed in pain.

Gi Da was on his knees as well, but he somehow managed to stand up with his spear.

◇◆◇

“A wound like this…” The figure lifted the mask covering her face, revealing her identity as the mage killer, Mill. A wound like this was truly nothing to her. The Blessing of the Fire God would immediately heal it given some time, but that was also the problem… She needed some time.

“Lord Lili, please go! Run!” Gi Da urged, even as blood flowed from his shoulder, even as the hand he held his spear with was dyed in blood.

“Ku…” Enduring the urge to throw up, Mill calculated the distance between her and Gi Da. If Reshia were to run now, the injury she’d received on her legs would mean that she would never catch up. She needed to overcome this now.

The goblin before her wasn’t in good shape either. He most likely wouldn’t be able to fight well, but he still wrung the last of his strength to finish her after letting Reshia’s group run.

Mill dragged her legs along with the pain on her side. Thinking back on it, she was too impatient. Even if she did fight the goblins to rescue Reshia, and even if she was taken aback with Lili challenging her, she was still too impatient.

Glancing to the side where her fallen mask lay, Mill brandished her talons once again. She would defeat the enemy before her and rescue Reshia. In an instant, all the impatience clouding her judgment cleared up, and her concentration reached its peak.

Like a lone thread strained to the limit, Gi Da who studied the spear under Gi Ga suddenly hesitated to take a step.

Common sense dictated that finishing off a weakened prey was an easy task.

But the pressure emanating from the prey before him now made him hesitate.

Gi Da grit his teeth. What was this sinister pressure? He had to finish her off, if not, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish his mission. And yet!

Stifling his fear, Gi Da trudged on. Then as he gathered his killing intent onto the tip of the spear, he made himself forget about the wound on his shoulder, and he closed in on the wounded prey.

But just as he stepped near enough his prey, at that very border where either one of them could hit the other, the high-pitched scream of a human resounded from somewhere.

Immediately, the two warriors, one human, one goblin, looked toward the direction of that scream.

◆◇◆◇◇◆◇◇

Unlimited Training

—Previously translated as unlimited experience. Increases growth, but limits growth rate according to the number of enemies defeated. (LOW to MEDIUM)

Battle-Scarred Knight

—Charm towards those of lower or equal classes. Mental attacks from higher classes are rendered mute.

Thousand-Demon Slayer

—After killing a monster health regeneration up (LOW), attack up (LOW), and defense up (LOW).

Creator’s Blessing

—Charm is increased when leading those of the same race (MEDIUM). The attacking power of the races led is also increased (LOW).

Pursues the Martial Peak

—Previously translated as Seeker of the Martial God. Resistance to magic attacks (MEDIUM).

Martial Barrier

—This should have been translated as something before, but my notes are missing an entry. Can render attacks from every weapon mute (MEDIUM) and increase defense (HIGH) at the cost of greater burden on the body (MEDIUM).

Gi Ga’s level has risen.

89 -> 90