(Attendance… plz…)
….
After Nabe completed her scouting run and reported back, the tension among the group eased significantly. With the confirmation that the villagers were safe and working normally, Nfirea relaxed his grip on the wagon's reins, and they continued their journey to the village.
As they traveled further along the path that led to Carne Village, the dirt road began to narrow steadily. Soon, they were flanked on both sides by vast, emerald-green wheat fields.
The wheat stalks were incredibly tall, easily over seventy centimeters, and grew densely together. They were thick enough that one couldn't easily see through them. Because they were still a vibrant, bright green, it meant the wheat wasn't yet ripe, which explained why the villagers hadn't cut them down.
The road narrowed so much that they were forced to break their loose escort formation and form up into a tight column as they approached the village entrance.
The wooden wagon moved forward with a rhythmic clattering. In front of the horse walked Momon and Nabe. Nfirea sat on the driver's bench, while Reinhard and Felt brought up the rear, walking calmly behind the wagon.
As they approached the village entrance, the heavy wooden gate that was part of the newly built palisade fence creaked open slightly.
A single figure walked out from the gap.
Upon seeing it, Nfirea immediately pulled back on the reins, bringing the horse and wagon to an abrupt halt. Everyone else stopped as well.
The figure that walked out of the village entrance was a Goblin.
However, this wasn't like the feral, filth-covered creatures they had encountered in the forest. This Goblin held a well-maintained sword in his hand and wore proper, fitted equipment, leather armor and gear that looked very much like what an actual adventurer, such as Peter and ithers from the Swords of Darkness, would wear.
This was a massive shock for Nfirea and Felt. A Goblin standing guard at the entrance of a human village usually meant the village had already been invaded and overrun by monsters. But Nabe had just scouted the village a few moments ago and reported that the human villagers were going about their daily lives safely.
If they were hostile, why hadn't Nabe noticed them or mentioned them? She had stated that she flew directly over the village to check on the humans. She must have not seen the Goblins and simply went straight to the village, and to Momon thinking she deemed them non-hostile to the villagers, or perhaps deemed them unworthy of mentioning compared to the humans.
Nfirea couldn't understand the situation at all. He stared at Momon and Nabe, seeking guidance.
The armored Goblin standing in front of them raised his free hand in a warning gesture.
"Don't even think of trying anything," the Goblin warned in a clear, authoritative tone. "Much less try it, unless you wanna get holed up."
Everyone was confused. The Goblin had spoken clearly, in their language, and with human-like syntax. He didn't just gibber wildly with his tongue hanging out before rushing to attack them like mindless beasts. All the Goblins Reinhard and Felt had encountered so far didn't show this trait. While feral Goblins communicated with their own kind through crude grunts and shrieks, they certainly didn't speak the common tongue so clearly.
Furthermore, this Goblin had the courage, unlike the cowardly scavengers of his race, to stand completely alone at the entrance and threaten a heavily armed party. That completely went against normal Goblin behavior.
Momon had already subtly stepped in front of Nabe, just in case she decided to take the Goblin's warning as a mortal insult and obliterate him.
Momon turned slightly and noticed Nfirea's reaction. The young apothecary was clearly scared, but it seemed he wasn't afraid for his own life. He was terrified for the village, and utterly confused by the sight before him.
Momon then shifted his gaze to Reinhard and Felt at the rear. Reinhard was completely calm, his posture relaxed without a hint of agitation. Surprisingly, Felt was also calm, resting a hand casually on her hip. They probably already knew these creatures weren't a threat.
Momon looked back ahead at the lone Goblin. Combining all the information, the calm villagers, the well-armed Goblin, and the defensive posture, Momon easily deduced what had happened here. He knew exactly why these Goblins were different. And if he was right, this Goblin standing at the gate wasn't alone.
Before Momon could speak or act on his deduction, Reinhard's voice carried clearly from the back of the wagon.
"He isn't alone," Reinhard said. "As we stand, we are currently being surrounded by others hiding in the fields. Though I do not sense any type of killing intent or hostility from them, unlike the wild Goblins we have fought before."
Reinhard looked around casually. Even though no normal person could see clearly through the dense, tall wheat stalks, it seemed Reinhard could see or sense through them perfectly.
The reason Reinhard wasn't panicked was obvious. Even if the hidden Goblins suddenly decided to turn hostile and launch an ambush, Reinhard knew he could handle all of them instantly without any problem.
"...Hehehe. You caught us, huh?"
A voice chuckled from the wheat.
Suddenly, the rustling grew louder, and Goblins stood up from within the dense green fields on both sides of the road. While some remained hidden with bows drawn, a few stepped out to join the Goblin standing at the front, and a few others moved to the rear, effectively surrounding the wagon.
The Goblin who had spoken first, evidently the leader, spoke again.
"Don't try to think of doing anything rash or sudden. We don't want to start a fight... especially with the ones in front."
The warning was clearly directed at Momon and Nabe.
Momon relaxed his stance slightly. "Relax. If you don't attack us, neither will we. As you can see, we are just somewhat surprised."
The Goblin leader exhaled a breath he seemed to have been holding. "Thanks for that. You're pretty strong, I could tell at a glance. But it would have been good if it was only that. The hairs on my body stand on end just by looking at you and the one beside you. When I think about the two of you as enemies, my instincts scream at me to run."
It was clear that the Goblin leader was genuinely terrified of Momon and Nabe. If these were normal, feral Goblins, they would have already fled as fast as their legs could carry them in the face of such overwhelming pressure. The fact that they were standing their ground and holding a conversation was a testament to their different nature than those other goblins.
Momon, while remaining outwardly calm, realized they were likely sensing his and Nabe's inherent negative auras as high-tier heteromorphic beings. Or more probably an instinct of theirs.
Momon also hypothesized about their origins. While he didn't know every single mechanical detail of the Horn of the Goblin General item he had given away, he guessed that the Goblins summoned by it probably possessed specific traits, like higher intelligence, better gear, and loyalty to the summoner.
Wanting to test something, Momon deliberately stepped forward and then slightly to the side, shifting his massive frame so the Goblin leader had a clear, unobstructed view of Reinhard and Felt standing near the wagon.
"Is that so?" Momon said. "We aren't here to fight either, so it works out for both of us."
Momon then turned to Nfirea. "It seems they aren't hostile, just as Reinhard stated. But it seems you are still worried, even though Nabe confirmed that the villagers are okay."
Nfirea gripped his knees. "I know Nabe said that. And honestly, it is the only reason that I'm somewhat calm right now. But you know... suddenly there being a fence this big, and now monsters guarding the gate..."
Momon sensed the deep anxiety in the boy's voice. He concluded that someone very important to Nfirea must live in this village. This wasn't just a simple herb-gathering mission for him.
"I see," Momon nodded. "Let me see what information I can get from him. Just wait here for a second."
Momon turned back to the Goblin leader. "Can we talk while we wait for whoever you are guarding the gate for? It isn't very relaxing to just stand here while your men surround us with weapons drawn. I would be grateful if we could talk and you could answer some of my questions. Can we?"
The Goblin leader thought for a second, then nodded cautiously. "No problem. Though the others will stay where they are for now."
"That is fine," Momon agreed.
Momon walked a few paces forward to stand nearer to the gate with the Goblin leader, creating a small bubble of privacy.
"What do you wanna ask?" the Goblin said, still keeping a wary eye on Momon's greatswords.
Momon led with the question he was most curious about. "What about them?"
The Goblin leader, initially agitated by Momon's sudden movement, looked confused. "What about them?"
Momon gestured subtly toward the back of the wagon. "You said your hair stands on end just by thinking of me and my partner as enemies... does the same apply to them in the back?"
The Goblin leader glanced past the wagon at the red-haired knight and the blonde girl. He had to wait for his own leader to arrive and make a decision regarding these humans, so to keep the peace and stall for time, he answered the terrifying armored giant honestly.
The Goblin shook his head. "No. They seem normal. I don't feel anything from them. Though they kinda look weak, especially the kid."
Momon nodded slowly, taking in the information. He hadn't gotten the confirmation he was secretly hoping for, that Reinhard projected some aura of absolute dread to monsters, but the lack of an aura was information in itself.
After that, Momon asked some general questions about the village's situation. Even though he already knew exactly what had happened, he couldn't speak of it or give the impression that he already knew without blowing his cover.
So, Momon played the part of the ignorant adventurer hearing the tale for the first time.
After getting a summary from the Goblin, Momon walked back to Nfirea, Felt, and Reinhard.
"I asked some questions," Momon reported to the group. "It seems the fences were built because the village was recently attacked by people dressed as Imperial Knights. These monsters, ahem, I mean, demi-human Goblins, are allied with the village somehow and are standing here as guards to protect it."
Just the mention of the word "attacked" caused Nfirea to completely lose his composure. He stood up on the wagon bench and practically shouted.
"The village was attacked...?! Is... is she... Is she alright?!"
By "she," Momon and the others didn't know exactly who he was talking about. It was clearly someone from the village, and by his desperate tone, he wasn't asking about the general wellbeing of the villagers, but one specific person.
As though in response to Nfirea's panicked shouts, a young human girl appeared at the gap in the village entrance, escorted by two more Goblins.
As Nfirea saw the girl, his eyes went wide, and he shouted her name with all the strength in his lungs:
"Enri!"
The girl heard the shout and looked toward the wagon. A bright smile broke across her face, and she responded in turn. Her voice was gentle and filled with kindness, the tone of someone addressing a very close, dear friend.
"Nfirea!"
At that moment, Momon recalled the conversation he had with the Goblin leader moments ago.
Ah… Momon thought, piecing it together. It would seem that her herbalist friend from the city was none other than the famous potion maker of E-Rantel.
….
A/N: Surprise surprise. Ahem, ahem. I delivered it way before the initial timeline. As the wise king is coming do you want wise king to be with momon or felt?
Q: Wise King as whose pet?
-Momon
-Felt
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