TL Note: Author changed Baradua Tribe to Paradua.
Goblin Name Cheat Sheet:
The [Goblin] is to make it easier to CTRL+F.
[Goblin] Gi Ga
The former leader of the village. He was pressured by the protagonist in his goblin noble form, and was added to his subordinates. He uses the long sword, and is relatively smart for a goblin rare. Became a goblin noble in chapter 39.
[Goblin] Gi Gi
He evolved while hunting spear deer with the protagonist.
A goblin with many wounds on his body. The food of his horde was stolen by the gray wolves, so he made a decision to follow the protagonist. He is the most experienced amongst the goblin rares. His weapon is a curved katana. He acts like a samurai.
Recently became a noble, and received the divine protection of the Sword God, Ra Baruza.
[Goblin] Gi Za
A goblin rare. He evolved in chapter 37 after hunting with Gi Ga.
[Goblin] Gi Do
Goblin Rare. From Gi Gu’s Faction. He is known for his <
[Goblin] Gi Da
Goblin Rare. The goblin favored by the Mad God (Zu Oru). Has the <
Chapter 49: To the West
[Race] Goblin
[Class] Lord; Horde Chief
[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia)
[Subordinate Beasts] High Kobold <
Cynthia and Gastra played about with my tail that was like a toy for cats as I swung it.
The two gray wolves, Cynthia and Gastra, have gotten bigger recently. They’re about 50 centimeters long now. And although it’s wrong, they’re big enough to ride.
Even their levels have risen too. They started at one, and now they’re twenty.
I can’t let them act like babies forever.
From time to time, when Hasu, the high kobold, would drop by, they’d end up grappling with each other. But as it wasn’t anything serious, just friendly rough play, I’d just quietly watch over them.
I guess if anything, they must’ve been deciding the ranks. They are all similar dog-type races after all. I mean kobolds and wolves are all dogs after all, right?
Anyway, it’s been three days since the messenger came, and we’ve been repairing the village since.
During that time, I ordered the orcs that are now living by the base of the great tree to the north to pick up the corpses here at the village. They were a great help.
Half of the pitfall traps we made have also become functional again. Moreover, 10% of the fences have also been repaired.
We also began a large-scale acquisition of food resources. As we did, I ascertained the course we would be taking.
The plan is to leave the minimum number of goblins with the humans in the village, while we head west. Once there, I plan to turn Ganra’s Village into my base of operations as I attempt to have Gaidga and the other tribes under my rule.
Of course, I didn’t mention that part to the messenger.
Our last destination will be the acquisition of the Fortress of the Abyss, the home of the goblins. It is there where I will build my kingdom. Afterwards, I suppose I’ll take with me the promising humans and the kobolds too.
Once I put this plan into action, the village will be left unattended for a long time.
At that time, the one to protect the humans will be…
My gaze shifted toward the gray wolves that were playing with my tail. Cynthia was lying on her back, being playful as always, while Gastra seemed to have grown bored of playing, and was lying down, yawning.
They’re resembling the high kobold, Hasu, more and more. I won’t say of what exactly, but I should be careful.
“Protect the hum–– No. Protect Reshia. Protect her well, alright?”
I rubbed Gastra’s small head as I spoke those words. And he barked back, saying, woof! Good. Although I don’t really know whether he understood or not.
In any case, I’ll have to leave some rare class goblins behind to manage the village.
The question is… who should I leave behind?
I could leave a noble class, but then considering the humans, I should probably leave behind a druid.
What a troubling question.
“King, did you call?” said Gi Za as he entered the house of the king.
“What’s different, you say? Right…” as he pondered the question, he sat before me with his eyes closed. “Right, I think I’ve mentioned it before, but the four tribes are Gordob, Gaidga, Paradua, and Ganra. Each one of these tribes carry with them the blood of the goblin ancestors.”
A story I’ve heard before. Regardless, it’s an introduction to their fighting style, so I kept it in my mind as I continued to listen.
“As for their features,” said Gi Za. “Well it’s different for each tribe.”
That’s precisely what I wanted to know. That is that these so-called tribes have turned themselves into factions of sort. With something like that, it wouldn’t be strange if they managed to attain a peculiar evolution path.
Gi Za continued.
“The strongest amongst the four tribes is Gaidga, boasting superhuman strength, while the Paradua tribe manages the rider-beasts?”
Rider-beasts?
“What are rider-beasts?”
“So the Gordob Tribe are all beast tamers then?”
“Ahh, sorry. I, uh, slipped,” said Bern as he scratched his head.
Neumann could only laugh at his friend’s blunder.
With Lili having saved them, 15 villagers all in all, these people naturally came to rely on her.
Before, Lili had to be the one to meet with the goblins even for the pettiest of things, but ever since the orc attack, the people have gotten less timid.
Bern and Neumann are the only ones among the villagers who know how to wield a sword. But the extent of their knowledge is only from the bare experience gained when they were conscripted in the past. The difference between them and Lili, who is an adventurer that makes a living through her sword, is like night and day.
Because of that, despite Bern and Neumann both being older than Lili by five years, they greatly respected Lili’s swordsmanship.
“How’s Palone? And is Mill alright? He didn’t get hurt from playing all the time did he?” asked Lili.
Palone is Bern’s wife. She’s currently pregnant. As for Mill, that’s Bern’s oldest son. He’s still a babe though. He’s turning five this year.
“Nah, although we are expecting soon. Unfortunately, even if it’s the second time already, there’s not much a guy could do to help. As for Mill, well he’s the same as always. Always playing with the goblin masters. I told him it’s dangerous, but he just won’t listen,” said Bern, clearly perplexed. His friend Neumann could only pat his shoulders.
“It’ll work out,” Neumann said.
“They don’t make us pay taxes like humans do. They also don’t make us fight,” added Neumann.
Apparently, the goblin king didn’t have any intention of levying taxes. Lili’s expectation of a wretched life where they were treated as slaves was completely off.
The king was generous.
His only demand was that they produce what he wants. That’s all.
What the king wanted was food and the methods of preserving it.
Whenever she talked with the goblin king, Lili would mistake herself to be talking with royalty. An extraordinary one at that.
The world outside the forest was in distress.
Out there, chaos ran rampant with many of the chiefs in constant war with each other. And evil masters were like the grains of the sand, far too numerous to count.
She knew how filthy humans were. It was precisely because of that that she could not understand the goblins.
Defeating monsters was common sense.
Monsters are creatures with no other way of life but evil.
Or at least that’s what it should have been. Yet these past days have been telling her that that ‘common sense’ was nothing but a ‘public stance’.
If so, then what should she do?
She thought back to her respected employer.
They have probably already sent out a group to retrieve Reshia.
“Saint” Reshia Fel Zeal.
The Ivory Tower’s youngest graduate. A prodigy. Zenobia’s young follower. A cardinal candidate for the church. A woman blessed with power and authority regardless of her will.
She doesn’t know whether Reshia herself was aware, but Reshia’s influence was one such that it was enough to move a nation.
Right now is still fine.
But once that goblin makes man his enemy… where will Reshia turn?
And Lili herself as well… where would she go? She had to prepare herself.
But just a little bit, she thought. She’d like to keep living in this miracle-like peace.
“Woof!” barked Gastra as he swayed his tail.
She carried him up.
“You’ve also gotten heavier,” she said.
Who knew those fierce gray wolves could actually be this adorable?
As she thought that, she quietly prayed.
I wish this days would continue forever.
As Gastra rubbed his cheeks on her, she sighed.
◇◇◆
As the evening wind gently caressed my cheeks, the bell crickets’ song could be heard both near and far.
Even though I have no sense for seasons, I can tell… the seasons are changing.
As I absentmindedly stared at the moon, I felt a presence near me.
“Moon-viewing?” asked Reshia.
I only raised my tail in response.
“If you’re that lazy, you’ll be hated by women, you know?” she said.
“Well, whatever. Can I sit next to you?”
“Not yet, you mean. That’s a bit wrong, right?”
Well that’s true.
We absentmindedly watched the moon together.
“How’s Gi Ga?”
“Nah… I’m not.”
If I’m going to regret, then I wouldn’t have thought to fight from the start.
My resolve is just lacking is all.
The pain in this chest of mine is because I can’t come to terms with living on despite others sacrificing themselves for me.
Something like that should have been obvious from the start. But I can’t help but have my heart torn because of it.
This way of living… it’s as if I’m cursed, unable to live without hurting those close to me.
But I have to endure…
I have to endure, and move forward. Otherwise, there’s no meaning to it.
“I wonder why you’re so strong… Anyone would cry if they were sad. Anyone would run when in pain. No one would scorn you for doing so. No one has that right,” said Reshia.
“Yeah… that’s right.”
With her eyes cast down like that… Reshia, what is she thinking?
This wise girl who’s praised as a saint, and bound by the chains of destiny… what do you think?
Of your destiny? Your life? Your will?
“I never wanted to be a saint,” she said. “I want to run. I want to be just Reshia!”
As she stood up on her knees, she faced toward me, and rested her hand on my chest.
The sound of shattering entered my ears.
“With this there’s nothing left to bind you… You can even kill me if you want,” she said.
As her eyes looked up, her gaze met with mine. Ardor filled her eyes and her cheeks were stained red.
The breath she breathed woke up a force within me.
–––I want to kill and eat this woman.
“King…” she said. “How strict.”
A sorrowful smile painted her lips.
In turn, I could only caress her head.
“Tomorrow, I head west. When I return, I will return as the king of the goblins. Until then… please take care of Gi Ga and the others.”
I brushed off the dust as I stood up.
“…Ah,”
I felt Reshia gaze at my back when I stood up, but I left without saying a word.
I will become king.
For the sake of those who’ve sacrificed themselves…
For the sake of those who will die from here on…
Until then… I shall seek no one.
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The protagonist didn’t want to abandon the wounded, so Reshia had to stay behind.