Free Web NovelChapter 3: Chapter 3: I’ll Support You
Heroes were the bane of all Demons. They could even slay dragons, yet they were exceedingly rare. As far as Shire knew, the most recent Hero in history was the Dragon Slayer Hero Siegfried, from 110 years ago.
Yet, without exception, these powerful and rare individuals all started on the path of the Hero by killing goblins. Siegfried himself was even called the Goblin Slayer for having turned in nearly ten thousand goblin ears in his lifetime.
As everyone knows, we men from Tokyo University love to do two things: corrupt a Hero and redeem a Demon.
And now, a living, naive Hero lay at Shire’s feet. ’How could this not be tempting?’
Shire knew he was naive from the information on his status panel, but given time to grow, the boy would inevitably become a true Hero.
Furthermore, his frayed, threadbare clothes, his broken leather shoes caked in mud, and his patched trousers all spoke volumes about his circumstances.
’Many Heroes rise from humble beginnings, after all. But this... this is a weakness I can exploit.’
’If I play my cards right, I can establish a channel to acquire supplies and intelligence.’
Shire wasn’t about to just come out and say, "I’m Shire Merlot, the traitor with a bounty of 300,000 Gold Coins on his head. I’m inviting you to join my crew today. If we succeed in overthrowing the Kingdom, I’ll grant you a Noble Title."
Doing so would be no different from saying, "I am Qin Shi Huang. I’m not dead, I’m just trapped in the Underground Palace. If you send me 50 bucks, I can lead my army to rebuild my dynasty, and I’ll make you a king."
’It’s best to build up enough trust between us before I ask him to help me find my sister.’
’And so, it was time for the interview.’
Holding the boy’s "resume," Shire knew that a goblin trying to hire a Hero to work for him was the stuff of fantasy.
’But,’ he thought, ’nothing is impossible. Besides, an opportunity like this won’t come again.’
He stared at Little John’s trembling eyelashes, his mind scheming like one of the outlaws of Liangshan Mountain, plotting how to recruit him.
’First step: play hard to get.’
...
With a SNIP, Little John felt as if someone had cut something.
His head was still spinning, but he instantly remembered what had happened. He squinted, scanning his surroundings.
"Get up, you’re awake," a voice by his ear said in Common Speech.
Little John scrambled to his feet and looked around. He was at the entrance of a den. In the distance, two goblins squatted before a cauldron, brewing some concoction. The smell wafting from it was beyond description.
Before him stood another goblin—short, bald, and holding a Short Sword—staring at him coldly.
"Goblins?" Little John jumped, assuming a defensive stance.
Seeing him free, the two in the distance immediately grabbed wooden clubs and began to close in.
The goblin in front waved a hand at his companions, and they returned to what they were doing.
"If you’re okay, you can leave," the goblin said, sheathing the Short Sword at his waist.
’Huh? He’s not going to eat me?’ Little John froze for a second, then remembered what happened before he passed out. "Where’s my teammate?"
"Dead. Ran into our boar trap. Got impaled by Long Spears," the goblin said, his tone nonchalant.
Little John was floored. ’This turn of events makes no sense.’
He thought about the waterskin Gunter had handed him. ’I was probably drugged by Gunter, but I still don’t know why.’
’And the veteran Adventurer who screwed me over was himself taken out by a few goblins.’
"Did you eat him?" Little John asked, staring hard at the goblin.
"We don’t eat people." The goblin before him looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Er." Little John was taken aback, but then it dawned on him. "You can speak Common Speech?"
"Yeah. So?"
"But don’t goblins speak goblin speech?"
"Gribble grobble waka waka," the goblin shouted to his companions, before turning back. "Like that?"
Little John’s jaw dropped. ’My entire worldview is crumbling.’
’The goblins Adventurers always talk about are greedy, stupid, evil, and cowardly. You could use every negative word in the book to describe the species.’
’Adventurer parties mow down goblins like weeds, and they really are just like weeds, ripe for the slaughter.’
’He’d even heard veteran Adventurers say that to escape, goblins would knock down their own companions with clubs to slow down their pursuers.’
’But now, this goblin who had just outsmarted and killed an Adventurer was using Common Speech to tell him that they don’t eat people.’
This was just too unbelievable. ’Are you even the same goblins they talk about back at the Ear-Cleaning Master Tavern?’ Little John wanted to ask.
"So, what are you waiting for? An invitation to lunch?" the goblin asked.
’No thanks, I’m good,’ Little John thought, waving his hands in refusal. He had just seen the other two goblins toss three dead rats, chopped in half, into the pot.
"Hurry and go. Humans can’t stay in this forest for more than three days. Especially a rookie like you..." The goblin trailed off, but his meaning was clear.
Little John had heard that humans had a low resistance to the forest’s corruption. Stay too long in the Nightmare Forest, and you’d start seeing illusions. Your mind would weaken, and you’d eventually descend into madness. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
The handbook from the Adventurer Association recommended a maximum stay of three days.
He said nothing more, just lowered his head and started to walk away.
The scrapes and bruises all over his body throbbed with every step, but a deeper pain resided in his heart.
’My Longsword is gone. My Silver Coins are gone. Even if I make it back to town, I’m completely broke.’
’I could probably find a day’s work as a laborer on the docks to make enough to eat.’
’But without a weapon, I can’t go back into the forest. And even if I wanted to take a gathering quest, I don’t even know where any of the plants grow.’
’Only veteran Adventurers have that kind of information, and no one’s going to team up with a weaponless rookie.’
’Rent a weapon? Don’t be ridiculous. Where would I get the money for a deposit?’
Little John heaved a long sigh. ’Mary... I’ve failed.’
When he’d left the village, he had gone to see Mary, only to find her by a large wooden tub, vigorously scrubbing clothes, a huge pile of laundry waiting beside her.
He hadn’t called out to her then, simply turning and leaving in silence.
But now...
"You’re a strange one. Free, and yet you’re sighing up a storm," the goblin’s teasing voice sounded from behind him.
"Come on, spit it out. Let’s all have a laugh at your expense."
Little John looked back. The goblin was sorting through a pile of items, and in his hands was Little John’s own Longsword.
"I..." Little John started, then hesitated. But then he glanced at the Lucky Card on his wrist, and an idea sparked.
"I am in a bit of trouble," he said. ’Maybe I can trick this stupid goblin into giving my Longsword back,’ he thought. ’If worse comes to worst, maybe I can just grab it and run.’
After Little John explained, the goblin before him nodded. "I get it. So you just need money. What’s so hard about that?"
"I’ll provide for you."
