Chapter 22: Goblin
[space_man][space_man]Turning around, what he saw was a green-skinned monster, a goblin, no taller than a child. It was hard to see in the darkness, but there were about six of them.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Are they actually intelligent? I’ve never seen anyone do this before.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”For now, let’s try to see if they’ll attack.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie released her magic power, sending a wave of intimidation towards the goblins. Two or three of them seemed to be pressured, but they quickly regained their composure and took up their weapons.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It seems like I provoked them instead. Normally, they would run away from this.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s just as well that I provoked them. It would be troublesome if they ran away and went to the village from this position.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld took out an ordinary sword from his subspace. Marie clenched her fists, checking the feel of her gloves.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well then, shall we do this for the first time in a while!”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The moment Eld finished speaking, Marie leaped towards the goblins. The goblins turned their attention to Marie, who had jumped up, and looked up.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Shot!!”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld launched a wind magic spell that shot balls of air at the goblins who were looking up.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The goblins who were hit by the wind magic attack staggered. It didn’t have much lethal power, so they weren’t seriously injured, but it was effective enough to make them flinch.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie clenched her fists and swung them down towards the ground. Upon landing, the force of her fists blew away three goblins, slamming them against the wall.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Before the remaining goblins could regain their composure, Eld closed the distance and with a single swing of his sword, cut off the heads of the remaining goblins.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Even if they have intelligence, they’re still goblins after all.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie said as she confirmed that the goblins slammed against the wall were dead.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”This method might have been a coincidence. Let’s try going deeper.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld said as he stored his sword in his subspace.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The strength of a single goblin is insignificant. Even a single villager can easily defeat one.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]However, the fear of goblins is demonstrated when they attack in groups. This time, the two of them understood this, so they were able to make them flinch before they could act as a group and successfully defeat them quickly.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Because they are positioned as easily defeated in stories, the number of adventurers and ordinary people who have been victims of goblins due to carelessness exceeds 1,000 per year. Also, because most of the victims, regardless of gender, are taken to goblin nests and used for their pleasure, people who are sexually aggressive are sometimes described as being like goblins.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]By the way, it is said that most of the goblin victims enter the goblin nests of their own free will and expose themselves defenselessly, but the truth of this is uncertain.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As Eld and Marie chose a path and proceeded deeper, they began to encounter forks in the road.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The two of them proceeded, marking the path they took so they could return safely. Occasionally, they would reach a dead end and have to go back and take another path.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]They don’t know how far they’ve walked, but they come out into a wide open space again. Intuitively, they feel like they’ve come quite deep.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ah~. It’s a relief to come out into a wide open space.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”There’s nothing special here either…… Eld, look at that……”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As Marie looked around, she saw a chair in the back and someone sitting in it.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well, is this the master of this dungeon?”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld took out the magic sword Tempera and approached cautiously. As he got closer to the chair, he noticed that the person sitting there was tied up and had a cloth stuffed in their mouth. And when he looked closely at the person……
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Huh? Maclaine? Why are you here?”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The person tied up and sitting in the chair was Maclaine, who had been missing recently.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Mugh, Mughguh! Mughmughguhguh!!”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”He’s probably saying ‘help me’.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld approached Maclaine and untied the rope that was binding him.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Haa~, I’m saved~.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]After removing the cloth from his mouth, Maclaine took a breath.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I haven’t seen you lately, and you’re being left alone for a ‘neglect play’ here? That’s quite a twisted sexual preference.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Who would do such a thing!! ……Well, maybe it’s not entirely wrong?”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Maclaine said, tilting his head.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Not entirely wrong……”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie said, stepping back a little.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”More importantly, you guys weren’t attacked by goblins?”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I don’t know if you’d call it being attacked, but we did fight. There were six of them.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”You were caught by those goblins? I’m surprised you’re safe.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie said, looking at Maclaine, who was fully clothed.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s true that I was caught by the goblins, but apparently it was to offer me as a sacrifice.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”A sacrifice?”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yeah, it’s been about three days since I was caught, but their behavior wasn’t what I’d expect from the goblins I’ve heard about. I’ve heard they’re monsters who’ll do it with anyone, regardless of gender.”
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Looking at the unharmed Maclaine, Eld was convinced. It certainly made sense that he hadn’t been touched for three days because he was being offered as a sacrifice. However, he wondered why the recipient of the sacrifice hadn’t appeared yet.
[space_man][space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As he was thinking this, the cave began to shake.