Goblin Slayer - Volume 1 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Unexpected Visitors

“Orcbolg,” the elf said without preamble. Her voice rang out clear, as if she were intoning a spell. 

It was before noon, when the adventurers who had woken up late came to see what quests were still available. It was considerably calmer than first thing in the morning, but the Guild Hall was still filled with hubbub, and every eye was fixed on the elf. 

“Oh, man… Get a load of her!” A greenhorn warrior boy whistled appreciatively. 

“Hey!” his party member, an apprentice cleric girl, snapped. 

“Sorry,” the boy said with a placating smile, but his eyes kept darting back to the elf. 

It was hard to blame him. Elves were naturally possessed of an otherworldly beauty, but even among their number, this young woman was striking. 

Age has scant meaning for elves, but by appearance, she might have been taken for seventeen or eighteen years old. She was slender and tall, clad in close-fitting hunter’s garb, moving as gracefully as a deer. 

The great bow slung across her back showed she was a ranger or perhaps an archer. The rank tag around her neck was made of silver. 

“She’s a high elf… They’re the blood descendants of the faeries…” 

“Their ears really are longer than other elves’…” 

A druid and a rhea girl whispered with a half-elf light warrior while their other party member, a heavy warrior, looked on. A young scout listening nearby said knowingly, “Of course they do.” 

Guild Girl had dealt with high elves before and was not nervous about meeting this one, but she was baffled by the words that came out of the girl’s mouth. 

“I’m sorry, ma’am. Do you mean oak, like the tree?” 

She was used to people approaching the counter and simply saying the name of a monster, but this was a word she had never heard before. Then again, there are fifty thousand kinds of monsters (no exaggeration!), so it was possible this was some variety she wasn’t familiar with. 

Or perhaps it was the elf’s name? The elvish language had the rhythm of a spell or a song. 

“No. Orc. Orcbolg.” As she repeated the words, High Elf Archer tilted her head as if to say, Got it? Under her voice she added, “Strange… 

“I’d heard he was here.” 

“Um, I see. So you’re looking for an adventurer, then?” Guild Girl had many talents, but even she didn’t know the full names of all the adventurers by heart. She turned to get a thick directory from the shelf behind her, but then she heard: 

“Idiot. This is why you long-ears need to come down off that pedestal you’ve put yourselves on.” 

The words came from a stout, wide dwarf standing next to the elf. The only thing visible over the counter was his shiny, hairless forehead. He stroked his long white beard thoughtfully. 

His outfit was in an unusual eastern style, and at his waist, he carried what looked like a bunch of junk. Guild Girl could tell he was a spell caster—a dwarf shaman. He, too, wore a silver tag around his neck. 

“This place belongs to the tall people,” he said. “More fool you if you think your long-ears words are going to profit you anything.” 

“My, how helpful you are. Then what, in your wisdom, should I call him?” the high elf said with a snort and a rather un-elven expression. 

In response, Dwarf Shaman twisted his mustache proudly and said, “‘Beard-cutter,’ of course!” 

“Um, I’m sorry, sir, but there’s no one by that name here, either,” Guild Girl said apologetically. 

“What, no one?!” the dwarf said. 

“No, sir. I’m very sorry.” 

The high elf shook her head in an exaggerated gesture of disgust, accompanied by a broad shrug and a sigh. 

“So much for the wisdom of dwarves. Stubborn as the rocks they work, and always convinced they’re right.” 

“Come down here and say that!” Dwarf Shaman exclaimed. He might have started a fight then and there if the elf hadn’t been twice his height. He could barely have reached her if he’d jumped a foot off the ground. The elf grew increasingly smug. 

The dwarf ground his teeth. Then suddenly, he seemed to think of something, and an unexpected smile came over his face. 

“…Heh. You elves… Hearts as hard as anvils and just as flat. That explains it.” 

“What?!” This time it was the elf who turned bright red. She glared at the dwarf and unconsciously covered her chest. 

“Th-that has nothing to do with anything! F-funny to hear that from you, when all dwarf daughters are barrel-shaped!” 

“We call them plump, long-ears, and it’s better than being an anvil!” 

Their voices got louder and louder. 

The enmity between elves and dwarves was as old as the gods. No one knew, however, exactly how it had started—even the ageless elves were not quite sure. Perhaps it was simply that most ancient antipathy: The elves revered trees and loathed fire, while the dwarves felled trees to build fires. 

Whatever the source of this hatred, these two were not going to be the ones to overcome it, as they stood arguing in front of Guild Girl, who held an increasingly desperate smile on her face. 

“Um, let’s—let’s all get along, okay…?” 

“Excuse me, the two of you, but if you must quarrel, please do so elsewhere and spare the rest of us.” A long shadow fell over them, interrupting the argument. 

A lizardman towered over them, body covered in scales, hissing slightly foul breath. Even Guild Girl nearly let out a “yikes…” at the sight of him. 

She had never seen the traditional garb he wore. Around his neck was a silver tag, as well as a curious amulet. 

Lizard Priest joined his hands in an unusual gesture and bowed his head to Guild Girl. “Humble apologies. It seems my companions are causing trouble for you.” 

“Oh, n-not at all! All our adventurers are such passionate people. I-I’m used to this sort of thing!” 

Even so, the group before her was an unusual sight. It wasn’t just that they were different races. 

High elves were rare, but it wasn’t unheard of for young forest people to become adventurers to sate their curiosity about the world. Dwarves were much like humans in their love of treasure and derring-do, and so they often became adventurers. And while the lizardmen were sometimes seen as more akin to monsters, some of their tribes were friendly, and once in a great while, a lizardman might become an adventurer. 

But all three at once—and all of them Silver-ranked. For three adventurers of such different backgrounds to form a party together was something Guild Girl had never seen before. 

“Um…” Guild Girl looked from the elf and dwarf, whose argument had not yet abated, to the lizardman. Outwardly, he looked like he might bare his fangs and leap at her at any moment… 

“So…who are you looking for, sir?” Even so, he seemed like the easiest of the three to talk to. 

“Hmm. Lamentably, I myself lack facility for the tongues of men…” 

Guild Girl nodded along. 

“Orcbolg and Beard-cutter are what you would call nicknames. In your tongue, you might say…” He nodded gravely and, as she had somehow expected, said, “…Goblin Slayer.” 

“Oh!” Her face glowed, and she clapped her hands before she knew what she was doing. She suppressed the desire to give a shout of excitement. 

Other adventurers had come here just to find him. His reputation was spreading. 

I can’t let this opportunity get away, for his sake! 

“I know him, sir! Very well!” 

“Ah, do you now?!” The lizardman’s eyes widened and his tongue flitted out of his mouth, in what seemed to be the lizardman equivalent of a smile. Guild Girl didn’t even flinch at the rather ferocious expression. 

“Oh, would you like some tea perhaps?” 

“I could not bother you so.” He called to his companions, “The two of you, it seems the one we seek is indeed here.” 

“You see? I told you.” 

“Ahh, but you couldn’t tell them, could you, lass?” 

“Look who’s talking.” 

“What’s that?!” 

Lizard Priest let out a hiss. The elf and dwarf glared silently at each other. 

“Now then, milady Guild Girl. Where is milord Goblin Slayer?” 

“Um… He went off to hunt some goblins about three days ago.” 

“Oh-ho. I see. But of course.” 

“I expect he’ll be back soon, sir.” Guild Girl looked hopefully at the door of the Guild Hall. She was worried about him, of course, but confident he would return. 

He would never be defeated by mere goblins, after all. 

“There!” Guild Girl called out as the bell over the door jangled, and two adventurers entered. 

The lizardman, elf, and dwarf all turned toward the door…and were lost for words. 

A beautiful girl in holy vestments stood there, holding a sounding staff in her hands. A priestess. Excellent. 

The problem was the man who strode boldly before her. He wore dirty leather armor and a steel helm and carried a sword that seemed too long to wield, along with a small round shield. He looked pathetic. Any rookie on his first quest would have been better prepared. 

He walked to the counter without a pause. Priestess had to rush to stay with him, but as his pace slowed, she was finally able to come to his side. 

“Welcome back, my dear Goblin Slayer! Both of you look like you’re in good shape.” Guild Girl gave them a wide wave, her braid bouncing in time. 

“We finished the job safely.” 

“Yes, somehow.” 

Priestess’s addendum betrayed a hint of fatigue against Goblin Slayer’s calm report. She was smiling bravely, but… Guild Girl nodded. She could understand. Goblin Slayer took quests day after day, night after night, with almost no rest. Keeping up with him must be trying. 

“All right. Give me the details later. It doesn’t have to be right away.” 

“Oh?” 

“Yes. There are some visitors here to see you, Mr. Goblin Slayer.” 

He turned toward the party standing next to him as though noticing them for the first time: a high elf archer, a dwarf spell caster, and a lizard priest. 

Priestess let out a little squeak of shock and then quickly shut her mouth. 

“Are you goblins?” 

“Hardly!” High Elf Archer gave him a suspicious look as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but he simply replied, “I see.” 

“So, are you Orcbolg? You don’t look it…” 

“Because I’m not. I have never been called by that name.” 

The elf got a pinched look on her face, while the dwarf, stroking his beard, bit back a laugh. Lizard Priest, though looking rather bothered, seemed accustomed to this. He joined his hands in an odd gesture, then bowed his head gently to Goblin Slayer. 

“We humble visitors have business with milord Goblin Slayer. Could we beg a few morsels of your time?” 

“As you wish.” 

“If you’d like to have a meeting, we have rooms upstairs…” The lizardman made a gesture of gratitude toward Guild Girl for her suggestion. 

“Let us go, then.” 

Priestess had stood silently throughout the entire exchange but now said, with a slightly panicked look at Goblin Slayer as he made to leave, “U-um, sh-should I…? Should I j-join you?” 

He looked up and down her slim body, then shook his head. 

“You rest.” 

He didn’t seem to expect an argument. Priestess gave a little nod. 

And without a second look, Goblin Slayer went calmly up the stairs. 

“Don’t worry. You’ll get him back in one piece.” High Elf Archer gave Priestess a slight bow as she passed. The dwarf and the lizardman followed after her. 

Priestess stood there, alone. 

“Sigh…” 

All alone. She sat by the wall in the corner in the chair that seemed to be saved for him. Her hands wrapped around a cup of tea Guild Girl had brought her. 

He probably just wanted what was best for her. She raised the cup to her lips. 

“Ahh…” She sighed as a warmth spread through her body. Priestess had come to recognize this feeling as the effect of a Stamina potion. 

It was kind of Guild Girl to add this to the tea. It felt wonderful to Priestess’s tired body. 

Am I holding him back? 

He was of Silver rank, she merely Porcelain. Even despite this difference, she didn’t think she was a burden to him, but still… 

Priestess rubbed her eyes. Her eyelids were heavy. 

She could hear the babble of adventurers throughout the Guild Hall. It was crowded as it was every day. Something tugged at the edge of her hearing, words she couldn’t quite make out. She yawned. 

“Hey! Hey there!” 

“Whaa—?” When she heard the voice a second time, Priestess jolted awake, hurriedly straightening up. 

Standing in front of her was a young man who looked somehow nervous—also Porcelain-ranked. 

He was a greenhorn warrior she’d seen around before. Standing next to him was a girl, an apprentice cleric. From her neck hung the scales and sword, the symbols of the Supreme God, who oversaw law and justice. 

“You… I mean, you’re the girl who works with him, right?” 

“With…who?” 

“You know, that guy. He’s always wearing that helmet?” the cleric said in a high-pitched voice. 

“Oh,” Priestess said, her puzzlement evaporating. “You mean Mr. Goblin Slayer?” 

“Yeah, that’s him! Hey…” Warrior suddenly dropped his voice and looked around fearfully. “You’re Porcelain-ranked, too. How about you come with us?” 

Priestess caught her breath, silent. A torrent of emotions raged within her, threatening to split her heart in two. 

She clenched her fists and pushed back the onslaught. It was only a second before she slowly shook her head. 

“No. Thank you, but no.” 

“But he’s a weirdo! What kind of Silver rank hunts nothing but goblins?” Warrior asked frowning. Any normal Silver rank would go after bigger stuff. 

“Yeah,” Cleric said, peering around the room with concern herself. “And dragging around a rookie, too. You know some people think you’re his prisoner?” Are you all right? 

“I even heard the reason he goes off hunting goblins by himself is something…weird. Know what I mean?” 

“Now, that’s not—!” Priestess’s voice rose reflexively. 

“Now, now. No bullying.” Their collective emotions were soothed by a gentle, sweet voice that suddenly broke in. When had she gotten there? How long had she been there? Witch, with her sensuous body and a silver tag around her neck, was standing right next to them. 

“B-but we weren’t—” 

“That, will be enough. Go, over there, okay?” 

Warrior looked like he was ready to argue some more, but Cleric took him by the sleeve and led him away. 

Witch gave Priestess a friendly look and said with a smile, “Let me, handle them, yes?” 

That was all it took. Cleric and Warrior said, “Let’s get out of here!” seemingly at the same time, and with an anxious look at Priestess, they left. 

Priestess sat in her chair, teacup in her hands. Witch slid into the chair next to her, almost pouring herself into the seat. 

“So, then. You are, the girl who tags along, with him, yes?” 

“Oh yes, ma’am, I am allowed the honor of accompanying him.” Priestess nodded firmly, settling her hands along with the teacup on her knees. 

“Accompany, eh?” Witch said meaningfully. Priestess gave her a puzzled look. Witch waved it away. “It must be, quite, difficult. He doesn’t notice much, does he…?” 

Priestess gave her the puzzled look again. “Um, I… He…” 

“Then again, it seems, you’re not much better.” 

Priestess made an apologetic gesture of embarrassment, and Witch looked at her fondly. She produced a long metal pipe and put some leaves into it with an elegant hand. 

“May I? …Inflammarae.” Without waiting for an answer, Witch tapped the pipe with her finger. A fragrant pink smoke soon drifted out of it. 

“I know. A silly waste of a word of power, isn’t it?” Witch gave a spontaneous laugh at the dumbfounded Priestess. “And you… How many miracles, can you use…?” 

“Um, I had two until recently; now I have four. I can only pray about three times, though…” 

“A Porcelain rank, with four miracles. My, you’re quite accomplished.” 

“Oh, th-thank you…” Priestess bowed her head, making her small body appear even smaller. Witch’s smile didn’t waver. 

“You know, he once, made a rather strange request, of me, too.” 

“What…?” Priestess suddenly glanced up at Witch’s face. 

Witch cocked her head alluringly. “I know, what you’re thinking,” she said teasingly. 

“N-no, I’m not…!” 

“He wanted a little help, with a scroll. So I know how, difficult it is, to…accompany him.” 

“No, I… He… Well, a little. He is Silver rank, after all.” She gave a slight, tired frown. When her head nodded, she saw the teacup still in her hands. Looking at the bottom of the cup through the translucent brown liquid, the words seemed to drop from her lips like water: 

“I-I can barely even keep up with him… And I-I’m nothing but trouble for him…” 

“And he’s so, good at what he does, isn’t he?” Witch breathed deeply and blew out a smoke ring. It floated lazily over to Priestess and dissolved against her cheek. She coughed violently. Witch apologized with a laugh. 

“That’s what, comes with years, and years, hunting goblins, without rest.” He’s leagues ahead of a Porcelain-ranked girl. Witch spun her pipe thoughtfully. “Goblin slaying certainly, does more good in the world, than someone who hunts bigger prey…but isn’t any good at it.” Her pipe indicated the adventurers milling about inside the Guild Hall. 

Somewhere in the hall, Spearman’s ears burned. Witch narrowed her eyes and looked out into the crowd. 

“That’s not to say, a fixation, on goblins is…entirely, healthy.” 

Priestess was silent. 

“In the Capital, for example, there’s no end of demons. There are monsters, everywhere, in this world.” 

Well, obviously. If there weren’t, adventurers would not have been so ubiquitous, no matter how many abandoned ruins there might be. But with threats of every type popping up in every place, the military alone couldn’t keep things under control. Their role was supposed to be dealing with neighboring countries, or Dark Gods or necromancers. Goblins were clearly a threat. But they weren’t the only one. 

“If you want to…help someone else. You can do that, even with, those two children from earlier, for example.” 

“That is—I could, but…” Priestess was growing agitated again. She leaned forward in her chair, but she couldn’t get any more words out. She trailed off with an incoherent mumble. 

“Hee-hee. There are, so many, paths, yes? And no, certainties. It’s difficult indeed…” She gave the huddling Priestess a pat on the head. “I’m sorry.” Priestess found the sweet-smelling smoke oddly calming. 

“At the least…if you’re going to, accompany him, let it be, your own decision.” 

If you’ll forgive my saying so. 

With that, Witch stood up with the same slinking motion as when she’d sat down. 

“Oh…” 

“I’ll, see you. I do believe you have, a date—pardon me, an adventure—with him.” And with a slight wave of her hand, she walked away, hips swaying, and vanished into the crowd. 

“My own decision…?” 

Alone again, Priestess gently worked the teacup around in her hands. 

The warmth she’d felt moments before was gone. 

As they entered the meeting room, the elf unslung her bow from her shoulder and asked, “So, are you really Silver rank?” 

The chairs in the room were covered in bronze-colored cloth and surrounded a table that had been polished to a shine. The shelves were lined with monster skulls and fangs, the trophies of past adventurers. 

“According to the Guild.” Goblin Slayer’s filthy armor and helmet hardly seemed to speak to his rank. He sat down heavily in a chair. 

“Frankly, I can’t quite believe it,” the elf said. She sat across from him with barely so much as a footfall and shook her head. “I mean, look at you. I’ve seen bugs that looked more intimidating.” 

“Don’t be stupid, long-ears!” The dwarf, happily seated cross-legged on the floor, gave a derisive laugh. Though humans tried to be considerate of other races, their chairs were too large for dwarves and rheas. “Before they’re polished, jewels and precious metals all look like rocks. No dwarf would judge a thing by its appearance alone.” 

“Oh, really?” 

“Yes, really! Leather armor prizes ease of movement. Mail would stop a dagger in the dark,” Dwarf Shaman pontificated, appraising Goblin Slayer with a wide look. Though most of his duties were pastoral, when it came to weapons and equipment, even a dwarf child knew more than many a long-lived shopkeeper. “…His helmet, the same. Sword and shield are small, easy to use in a tight space.” 

Goblin Slayer said nothing. 

The elf looked suspiciously at him. 

“He could at least get nicer-looking equipment.” 

“Clean items reek of metal,” Goblin Slayer said, a note of annoyance in his voice. Goblins have an excellent sense of smell. 

“Gods. You forest dwellers are so in love with your bows, you wouldn’t know a sword if it was stabbing you in the neck.” 

“Ergh…” The elf ground her teeth at the dwarf’s barb. He was obnoxious, but not wrong. Hunting came as naturally as breathing to the elves. This archer, for her part, did know something about suppressing smells. But she was young among the high elves and had left her home forest only recently. The several years she had spent so far in the wider world were the blink of an eye for an elf. She still lacked much experience. 

The dwarf stroked his beard with a self-satisfied look. “My life has been longer than your ears, girl. Why don’t you learn something from your venerable elder?” 

“Hmph.” But then the elf narrowed her eyes like a cat playing with a mouse. “I’m two thousand years old,” she said. “How old are you again?” 

The dwarf said nothing for a long moment. Then, reluctantly: “One hundred and seven.” 

“Oh my, oh my.” The elf snickered, and the dwarf stroked his beard dejectedly. 

They seemed set to go on that way forever. Just as Goblin Slayer was beginning to think it time for him to go back downstairs, Lizard Priest gave an agitated wave of his hand. 

“The two of you, that is enough talk of your antiquity. You shame those of us who do not measure our lives in centuries or millennia.” He was standing against the wall. Lizardmen did not sit in human chairs, mainly, it seemed, because their tails got in the way. 

“Now, what do you want with me? A quest?” Goblin Slayer was to the point as ever. 

“Yes, that’s it,” the elf said. She looked grave. “The number of demons around the Capital has been growing, as I’m sure you know…” 

“No, I don’t.” 

“This can be traced back to the revival of the evil spirits. They want to use an army to destroy the world!” 

“I see.” 

“…And we were hoping, with your help…” 

“Find someone else,” he said bluntly. “If it isn’t goblins, then I don’t care.” 

The elf stiffened. “Do you understand what I’m saying?” she asked through gritted teeth, an undercurrent of anger in her voice. Her distinctive, leaf-shaped ears trembled. “An army of demons is coming. We’re talking about the fate of the world here!” 

“Yes, I heard you.” 

“Then why—?” 

“Before the world ends, the goblins will put an end to many more villages,” Goblin Slayer told her in his even, almost mechanical voice. As if to say, This is my everything, my truth. “We cannot ignore the goblins because the world is in danger.” 

“How can you—?!” The elf kicked her chair, her pale face gone red. She leaned over the table to grab hold of Goblin Slayer. It was the dwarf who stopped her. 

“Well now, hold on, long-ears, think about what you’re doing.” 

“What do you mean, dwarf?” 

“We all can’t just barge in here and order him to do something. A Platinum might get away with that, but not us.” 

“Ye—Well, yes, but…” 

“No buts, then. Settle down. Let’s have us a nice, civil chat.” He chided the elf with a wave of his small, rough hand. 

“…Fine,” she huffed grudgingly and settled back in her chair. Seeing this, and seeing that Goblin Slayer did not seem the least bit upset by the incident, the dwarf gave a satisfied laugh. 

“He may be young, but he is ‘Beard-cutter’ indeed! He’s as settled as stone!” 

“Then,” Lizard Priest said, “you will not object if I proceed to offer him this quest?” 

“Fine by me,” the dwarf said, running his hand through his beard. “Better this than a coward.” 

“Milord Goblin Slayer, please do not mistake our meaning. We have, in fact, come to ask you to help us slay the small devils.” 

“I see. So you are talking about goblins,” Goblin Slayer said. “In that case, I accept.” 

There was silence. 

“Where are they? How many?” 

High Elf Archer looked slightly aghast; Lizard Priest’s eyes widened. The dwarf laughed vigorously. 

“Well now, what’s the rush, boy? Don’t you want to hear the rest of Scaly’s story?” 

“Of course,” Goblin Slayer said with a firm nod. “Information is crucial. I need to know the size of the nest, whether there’s a shaman. What about hobs?” 

“I had expected you might ask first about remuneration,” Lizard Priest said, his tongue flicking out and touching his nose. It might have been like covering his face to hide his embarrassment. “…To begin with, as my humble companion said earlier, there is an army of demons readying to invade.” 

Silence. 

“One of the Demon Lords, heretofore sealed away, has awakened and now seeks to exterminate us…” 

“Not interested,” Goblin Slayer said. “The same thing happened ten years ago.” 

“Mm. I, too, thought it did not concern me.” The lizardman rolled his eyes around with a grimace. 

A variety of expressions played over the elf’s face as he spoke, mostly communicating I can’t believe this guy. She glowered at Goblin Slayer, but his face, and any expression, was hidden behind his helm. 

“But thereupon the chieftains of our tribes, all the kings of men, and the leaders of the elves and the dwarves held a great conference.” 

“Rheas aren’t much for combat, so we lack one—but otherwise, we are the representatives they’ve sent,” the dwarf said, pounding his belly. “We are adventurers, after all. We’ll do the world and our ranks some good as a part of the bargain!” 

“It looks like we’re headed for a huge battle.” Not that you care. The elf seemed to have given up. 

The dwarf continued, stroking his beard. “The problem, see, is those nasty little buggers have started growing more active in elf lands.” 

“Have any champions or lords emerged?” Goblin Slayer asked in a murmur. 

The dwarf replied, “Perhaps.” 

The elf perked up her long ears at the unfamiliar words. “Champions? Lords? What are those?” 

“Goblin heroes. Goblin kings. Think of them as Platinum-ranked goblins, in our terms.” Goblin Slayer folded his arms with a long “hmmm.” He seemed very serious. The elf thought he appeared to be calculating something. After a long pause, he said: 

“Never mind. Not enough information yet. Go on.” 

“Upon our investigation, we discovered a single, exceptionally large nest. But…well, politics, you know.” 

“The military won’t move against goblins. As ever.” Picking up the lizardman’s thought, Goblin Slayer seemed to ask and to affirm at the same time. 

“The human kings see us as allies, but not equals,” the elf said, her shoulders stiff. “If we tried to bring our soldiers into this, they would think we were plotting something.” 

“Hence, a party of adventurers… But we alone could hardly stand before the humans.” 

“So, Orcbolg… Out of the many, we have chosen you.” 

“Long-ears has a real way with words, doesn’t she?” the dwarf said with a dry laugh. The elf glared at him, but the look passed quickly. 

“Do you have a map?” Goblin Slayer asked calmly. 

“Here.” The lizardman took a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Goblin Slayer. Goblin Slayer unrolled it with a rough hand. The map was drawn in dye on tree bark. The abstract yet precise style was typical of elvish cartography. 

It depicted a barren field with an ancient-looking building. Goblin Slayer pointed to the structure. 

“Ruins?” 

“Probably.” 

“Number?” 

“We only know the nest is very large.” 

“I’ll leave immediately. Pay me what you like.” Goblin Slayer nodded, rolled the map up with a casual motion, and stood forcefully. Stuffing the map away, he made a rapid check of his equipment and then began to stride toward the door. 

The elf grew agitated. “W-wait a second!” Her ears flicked, and as before, she kicked her chair and reached out her hand. “You sound like you’re going to go out there alone.” 

“I am.” 

The elf’s frown said, You’ve got to be kidding. 

The lizardman made an intrigued noise. “This is only my humble observation, but that esteemed acolyte of the Earth Mother is a party member of yours, is she not, milord Goblin Slayer?” 

“You’re going to take them on alone?” the elf said. “Are you insane?” 

Goblin Slayer stopped and exhaled slowly. “Yes.” 

And without another word, he walked out of the meeting room. 

Which question he had meant to answer, they could not tell. 

There was no way they could know. 

Inhale, exhale. He paused for only a second. Then Goblin Slayer walked briskly down the stairs and straight up to the front desk. The word he uttered was the same one that was always on his lips: 

“Goblins.” 

“So they did come to offer you a quest!” Guild Girl looked up brightly from her work. 

Spearman clucked his tongue nearby. He had just been trying to talk to Guild Girl. 

“What kind of quest is it? I’ll make a record.” 

“That lizardman will give you the details. I’m heading out. But I need money. Give me the reward from the last quest.” 

“Hmm… But you haven’t made your report yet… Well, I suppose for you we can make an exception, Mr. Goblin Slayer.” She added, “Just between you and me.” She signed a piece of paper and took a leather pouch out of a safe. A reward that might not be enough to compensate even a Porcelain-ranked party could be a pretty fair sum if you took on the entire adventure yourself. Goblin Slayer could support himself on goblin-quest pay precisely because he worked alone. 

He took the pile of dirty coins—painstakingly collected by the inhabitants of some impoverished village—and slid half into his purse. 

“Give the rest to her.” 

“Sure. W-wait, are you alone? Isn’t she—?” 

“I’m letting her rest.” 

That was all he said to the mystified Guild Girl before walking away. 

Spearman shot Goblin Slayer a dirty look as he walked by. 

“What does he think he’s on about, anyway?” 

But Goblin Slayer didn’t hear the sneering whisper. It didn’t matter. He had a great deal to think about. 

As he walked, he was mentally calculating his remaining supplies. He would have to buy rope, wedges, oil, antidotes, potions, and a number of other consumables. Once he got out of the Guild Hall, he would have to go somewhere to stock up on provisions as well. He needed his energy. Camping gear was no problem. As long as he was by himself, the most minimal comforts would suffice. Assuming the scroll was correct— 

“Mr. Goblin Slayer!” 

As he was about to walk out the door, he heard light footsteps hurrying after him. He snorted. 

“Um, that—that was a quest, right?” 

It was Priestess. 

It was not very far from her chair to the door, but the run seemed to have tired her. She was breathing hard and her face was red. 

“Yes,” he said. “Goblin slaying.” 

“That’s…what I thought.” Priestess gave a resigned smile. She could barely keep up with his unpredictable coming and going. Nonetheless, she held up her sounding staff excitedly. “Then just let me—” 

“No.” Goblin Slayer cut her off coldly. “I’ll go alone.” 

“What?!” Priestess raised her voice at Goblin Slayer’s calm words. 

Every eye still in the hall turned toward them at her near-scream. Some muttered, “Oh, it’s Goblin Slayer,” and looked away again. 

But Priestess stared straight at him, flinging her words. He would not go alone. She didn’t care if he always came back. He would not. 

“At least—at least you could talk to me before you decide—” 

Goblin Slayer cocked his head in an expression of complete bafflement. 

“Aren’t I?” 

Priestess blinked. 

“I…I guess we’re talking, yes…” 

“I believe we are.” 

“Ahh…” Who could blame her for the sigh that escaped her at that moment? 

“But it hardly means anything if I don’t have any choice in the matter, anyway.” 

“It doesn’t?” 

He’s really hopeless. 

“I’m going with you.” She declared it bravely, without hesitation. 

From the other side of his visor, Goblin Slayer looked at her. His dirty, battered helmet was reflected in her stare. 

“I can’t leave you,” she said. 

Their eyes met. Both were silent for a long moment. 

“…Do what you want.” Finally, Goblin Slayer heaved a sigh. He sounded a bit annoyed. 

But Priestess held her staff with both hands. Her smile was like a blossoming flower. 

“Thank you, I will.” 

“Then go collect your reward first.” 

“Right! Just wait here a moment… Hey, what about our report?” 

“We can do it later.” 

“All right!” 

Goblin Slayer stood by the door and waited as Priestess ran off. From the landing, uncommon faces watched her. High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman, and Lizard Priest all looked at one another. Someone let out a tiny sigh. 

“Even we can see what’s going on here. That girl’s got promise.” The dwarf was the first to come down the stairs, stroking his beard. 

“Far be it from me to propose a quest and refuse to offer myself in pursuing it.” The lizardman came next with a stern nod, joining his hands toward the elf. He descended the stairs a step at a time, his tail swishing back and forth. 

The archer was silent, lost for words. 

Orcbolg, the goblin-slaying adventurer, was here before her eyes, yet he was nothing like she’d imagined. She couldn’t comprehend his way of life. He was alien to her. 

What, are you going to let a little shock stop you now? 

The elf laughed. Hadn’t she left the forest looking for exactly this? 

She checked her bow and then secured it across her shoulder. 

“Grief, don’t you think you should respect your elders?” 

So saying, she stepped lightly down the stairs. 

You see, parties are often formed in just such unexpected ways.