Chapter 46: Meet (end)

Ika was about to enter her home when she gazed up at the night sky. The sky was beautiful, even for her, who has no concept of beauty.

As she entered her house, a sigh of frustration leaked out of her mouth.

She just came back after hearing out the Elder. She couldn't help but tremble at the explanation of Dal about the use of the sword.

The most depressing fact, for her, was that she couldn't use a sword. No matter how many times she thought about it, Dal was unique because he could handle one.

That's why she immediately sought the Elder's advice. If she couldn't use a sword to parry one, she just needed to do something about it.

However, the answer that came from the Elder was unexpected.

'I know about them, but I don't know how to counter it.'

If even the knowledgeable Elder said that he doesn't know how to counter a sword, there's no way she could do something about it.

Of course, it's not like she'll die immediately if she ever faced an enemy with a sword. Her instincts as a goblin and her battle prowess could even overwhelm her enemy.

However, what was concerning her from that fact is that she felt incredibly repulsed at the sword. No, it would be better to call it fear.

Back in her before-king days, even if she faced an enemy with a sharp horn or something like that, she wouldn't even flinch.

In a sense, a sword is like that horn, yet here she was, fearing it even though the battlefield has blessed her.

"I wonder what's happening to me..."

Said Ika meekly as she realized what was going on with her thoughts. She plopped down to the ground and lay in preparation to sleep.

It is usual for a goblin to fear something. The goblin's fear stems from instincts etched in their subconsciousness, making them shudder in fear if ever their instincts told them so.

And because her instincts deem the sword as something incredibly disturbing or scary, she just couldn't understand herself.

"I don't find Dal scary, though."

What made the simple turn into something complex was that Dal wasn't scary or anything when swinging his sword. She even felt reassured with it, without knowing why.

"Haaah."

Venting her frustration out with a sigh, she closed her eyes. And with that, she fell asleep.

****

Dawn woke up after a fruitful sleep. He wasn't tired or anything, but rest will always work wonders for a goblin.

He got up immediately after feeling his consciousness return. As always, food was waiting for him. In the spot where he usually finds food, Dawn found a bunch of meat.

The meat delivered to him was always top-class. The juiciness and tenderness of the meat don't even need to be said. The flavor of the meat mixed with blood was just that great.

On any other day, Dawn would have pounced on this meat right away. After all, even for Dawn, this kind of meat was enough to make him drool.

However, Dawn didn't do so. Instead, he just silently stared at it as if he was hesitating.

After a brief moment of deliberating, he finally stood up and took a slice of the meat.

Taking the meat near his mouth, he only focused on munching down the food.

His face, while he ate, clearly indicated that he was feeling down.

Who would have guessed that the once vigorous goblin could have this kind of look?

---I never knew...

Of course, this all goes back to an event that isn't big enough to be called an event that happened last night. It was a simple coincidence, but the ripple it caused was significant.

Dawn, after the meeting ended, was walking through the woods. He wanted to look for something to do.

After all, he is the goblin, a village chief who has too much free time on his hands.

If you don't count his actions of eating, walking around the village, and meeting with his goblins, he practically doesn't have anything to do.

While Dawn was walking, he saw the duo of Dal and Ika using the sword.

"How do you do it?"

"It's the same..."

Dawn could hear serious voices from the two. Curious about what it was, he only looked over them. He didn't want to disturb them, so he kept quiet.

As he was a high ranking goblin, a Viscount, there's no way they would be able to detect him when he's hiding.

While thinking about how the sword didn't fit Ika when she swung the sword down, he heard the frustrated voice of the goblin.

"W-why..."

It seems Ika also realized that she couldn't use it. After all, one could see just from the look of her face.

Dawn was just watching the goblins when suddenly Dal explained the use of the sword.

When the explanation finished, Dawn exclaimed in awe.

---The sword is used for something like that?

It was quite the education for Dawn as he learned about it this way. To be honest, Dawn didn't know a single thing about it.

After all, the Elder just said it's a tool; he didn't mention the use and how to use it.

When the goblin parted ways, Dawn also returned. It seems his too much time turned into something precious.

Learning about the sword and seeing his subordinates like that, his walk could only be fruitful.

But then, when he returned, he found Ika talking to the Elder.

When he heard the question and the answer, Dawn was shocked.

---There's no safeguard about the sword?

Until now, he only thought that the sword was a good thing. But, after hearing how the sword could cut up a goblin and that it has no rival, the sense of urgency overcame him.

He knew that they are not the only ones with a sword in their arms.

His unknown enemies, humans, hiding in the forest, are equipped with one, while Dawn and his goblins are not, except for Dal. Seeing how humans magnificently create the sword and its sharpness, Dawn could picture what will happen if the two forces meet.

When his thoughts reached up to that point, a word escaped from his mouth.

"Shit."

After that, he didn't stay long. He immediately went back to his house to think for a countermeasure for one. Even if the battle is in the future, he wanted to have some fallback, at least if it happens.

When he got home and sat down to think, no answers surfaced from within his mind as expected.

He thought, and he thought until he fell asleep, waking up in the morning.

"Fuuuu."

The tightly shut lips of Dawn parted ways when he breathed in and out.

---I better talk about this with those two.

Without him noticing it, the meat that he was eating was gone. He was about to get up when the slump of meat entered his eyes.

Touching his belly that demanded more, he reluctantly gave in and ate to his heart's content.

****

"We found it. Go, report back to the chief."

A blessed goblin ordered a normal goblin serving as his subordinate after confirming that he found the target they were looking for.

The normal goblin didn't talk back; he just answered with his actions. He quickly ran to where his fellow goblins were waiting for him.

Swish.

After breaking the twigs with his feet, pushing the leaves, and colliding with the trees, he finally saw a trace of their base.

Excited to fulfill his mission, the goblin kicked off the ground powerfully, running faster than before.

When he reached his destination, he came across a blessed goblin, a goblin that was as powerful and had the same rank as the one that ordered him.

That blessed goblin was Mos.

Immediately, the goblin 'talked' with Mos about what they found with his incomprehensible words. He pointed at where he came from before speaking.

"Gu! Gu!"

Mos' face brightened up when he understood what the normal goblin was talking about. After all, it was the news that he was waiting forever since they departed.

"Good!"

After saying that, he left the normal goblin and quickly walked to look for the village chief, Womo.

The normal goblin had a face of satisfaction on his gruesome face when he saw that he accomplished his mission.

It didn't take long for Mos to find the village chief as he already knew where he was.

Seeing the village chief's figure get closer as he took steps after the other, Mos shouted.

"We found it! Chief!"

Of course, the evolved goblin, Womo, heard what Mos was shouting with his heightened senses.

Not long after Mos was face to face with him, Womo ordered…

"Let's go. To see that bastard who wants to meet me."

…With a smile full of unknown intent.