After leaving Namila Village, Adlus and the others traveled north under a clouded sky. It was the direction that the Queen’s Knight Goblin had come from. That was the only reason, but that was all they had to go on.
Blizzards overtook them on the way, but they somehow arrived in the forest. And when they used Presence Detection, they found several goblins. Adlus hadn’t noticed it at that point, but their path was starting to veer to the east. It was likely because of the blizzard. We had been lucky to have good weather during our journey.
They advanced through the forest and exterminated several groups of goblins that they came across. It was through doing this that they discovered the giant tree. I didn’t know much about trees, but Daniela suggested that it was a ‘Nise Yggdra Tree.’ They derived from the Yggdrasill trees that the ancient elves had planted, back when they ruled the world. But they no longer existed.
However, it was said that a Hero had found a branch in the past. And it was planted through cutting.
In any case, the goblin nest was under this great tree. Apparently, many years of rainwater had carved away at it. The water was absorbed into the ground and eventually created a cavern. Or so Adlus had said. And yet, the tree was not dead. I suppose that was why the Yggdrasil tree was so special.
“I sent some of our best scouts down there. According to them, there are countless goblins.”
“Queens can give birth to many in just a week…this will be very dangerous.”
How long had they been there underneath the Nise Yggdra tree? If it was a year, that would be fifty-two weeks.
“Just how many children can she give birth to at once?”
“According to the guild, approximately thirty.”
“Ah…”
So, that could mean one thousand five hundred and sixty in one year? That was crazy. And considering a number of them could have evolved… No, I didn’t want to consider that.
“What about this? Pour oil into the hole and burn it.”
“The Nise Yggdra is an important tree. We cannot burn it down.”
Adlus said with a shake of his head.
“Besides, this is an underground nest that is filled with goblins. It is quite likely that there are other exits. If they were to escape, the damage will only increase.”
“Well, it will be the same if we just attack them head-on, won’t it?”
They would run from us just as they would run from a fire. They would leave by their other exits and scatter.
“Indeed. That is the problem. We wanted someone who had overwhelming destructive power that didn’t rely on fire.”
Adlus said as he turned to me. It was Daniela’s turn to shake her head.
“It might be possible with Asagi. But not now. His wounds are worse than I thought. As his partner, I cannot allow it.”
“This is not the time for such concerns. Surely, you can understand? There is a horde of monsters down there. And the stampede is already starting.”
Adlus had done some research on us before. And so he knew. We had once prevented a stampede from occurring. This was a similar situation. Perhaps it was much worse.
“…Alright. I’ll do it.”
“Hey, Asagi. Wait.”
“But, Daniela. There will be no point if I don’t do it now. It will be hard, but I have no choice. You understand, don’t you?”
“…”
I could tell that she was thinking about what happened last time.
“We protected Spiris. We have no reason to act differently with the Imperial City.”
“I understand the reason. It makes sense. But my feelings will not allow it. Asagi, you are falling apart. I cannot allow you to be whipped any harder. I do not want to. You are important to me.”
She held my arm and would not let go. It was as if she felt that once she did, I would go someplace that was far away… I could sense the desperation through her grip.
“You’re right. I’m a wreck inside. It was the price I paid for overusing my skills. I can’t fight like I want to. However, I can still fight a little. Even if it’s not enough, you are all with me. Adlus is reliable. Manager will be there too. And of course, you, Daniela. And so I can fight.”
“…”
“Besides, I hate the idea of coming this far and not being able to do anything. If there is something that only I can do, then I want to do it.”
That’s the way it has always been. That’s how I survived in this world. My time in this world had not been that long, but it was more eventful than all the years I lived before it.
And yet, even someone like me was capable of helping others. That was something I learned. The day that I first killed someone, I also saved a small girl. It was a painful experience, but the thing I felt more than anything was joy over saving her.
“…Yes…yes, I understand. Now that I think about it, you have always acted that way. You are not capable of ignoring someone that is in need of help. I know that more than anyone…”
Daniela let go of my arm and smiled with resignation.
“That’s my nature…I guess. I never really thought about it until now. But that’s just how I am.”
“Yes. It is how you are. And I would prefer it that you live as yourself, Asagi.”
I couldn’t suppress the overwhelming emotion rising up within me. And before I knew it, I was embracing her tightly.
“Thank you… It’s because of you that I can still fight, Daniela.”
“Asagi…”
“Daniela…”
Her arms slowly rose to my back. Then she hugged me, much tighter than I had her. And then our lips drew towards each other. The platinum eyelashes closed over her jade-colored eyes, and her lips and my lips…
“Well, I suppose we should hold a war council then.”
We moved away as if Adlus’s voice had torn us apart.
□ □ □ □
The meeting began two minutes later. Well, since we were outside, we were all still standing. But there was a table made of ice in the center that the seven of us stood around. Adlus, Manager, Daniela, me, and three scouts. Perhaps we were his favorites.
“Now, please repeat your findings to Asagi and Daniela.”
“Understood.”
Anis, the short-haired scout leader, turned to us with a sharp expression. It made you want to straighten your back.
“There is a large cavity near the base of the Nise Yggdra Tree. And when we searched with Presence Detection, we sensed numerous monsters below. Even around the tree, there were many claw marks and filth that further confirmed that this was the goblin nest.”
Hmm. Daniela nodded.
“But did you see them?”
“Yes. We observed them both outside and inside of the nest.”
“And how was it inside?”
“It…”
Anis’s eyebrows lowered and she suddenly seemed hesitant.
“We do not have the Night Eyes skill, so we could not clearly make out what it was like. However, we could tell that there were many goblins by using Presence Detection. That is for certain.”
“I see… So that’s where I come in.”
I looked at Anis with Night Eyes and she looked surprised. She had a very expressive face.
“Thankfully, I also have equipment that goes well with Presence Block, so I should be able to find out what is happening.”
“You have many skills…”
She looked a little discouraged. I shook my head.
“But I’m a master with none of them. You can’t beat a professional. In fact, I was hoping you could teach me a few things later.”
“If there is anything that I can help you with…”
Then she straightened her posture and did a perfect ninety-degree bow. And so I frantically bowed my head as well.
“What are you doing…”
Adlus looked at us coldly. Anis suddenly seemed embarrassed.
“Regardless, we should expect the worst. And that is how we will plan.”
Everyone nodded and the discussion began.
It continued for some time. It soon grew dark, and food was brought to us. And still, the talks continued. This time, I wasn’t manipulated. Many ideas were brought forward and many rejected. We took short breaks in between, but I couldn’t think of anything else but the plan…
In the end, one of the Jades who was taking the night watch had to tell us rather unkindly to get some sleep.
The moon was starting to fall by the time we retired to our beds.
The next morning, we continued where we left off. Once we had thought of and discussed everything that we could, we inspected what we had come up with.
After leaving Namila Village, Adlus and the others traveled north under a clouded sky. It was the direction that the Queen’s Knight Goblin had come from. That was the only reason, but that was all they had to go on.
Blizzards overtook them on the way, but they somehow arrived in the forest. And when they used Presence Detection, they found several goblins. Adlus hadn’t noticed it at that point, but their path was starting to veer to the east. It was likely because of the blizzard. We had been lucky to have good weather during our journey.
They advanced through the forest and exterminated several groups of goblins that they came across. It was through doing this that they discovered the giant tree. I didn’t know much about trees, but Daniela suggested that it was a ‘Nise Yggdra Tree.’ They derived from the Yggdrasill trees that the ancient elves had planted, back when they ruled the world. But they no longer existed.
However, it was said that a Hero had found a branch in the past. And it was planted through cutting.
In any case, the goblin nest was under this great tree. Apparently, many years of rainwater had carved away at it. The water was absorbed into the ground and eventually created a cavern. Or so Adlus had said. And yet, the tree was not dead. I suppose that was why the Yggdrasil tree was so special.
“I sent some of our best scouts down there. According to them, there are countless goblins.”
“Queens can give birth to many in just a week…this will be very dangerous.”
How long had they been there underneath the Nise Yggdra tree? If it was a year, that would be fifty-two weeks.
“Just how many children can she give birth to at once?”
“According to the guild, approximately thirty.”
“Ah…”
So, that could mean one thousand five hundred and sixty in one year? That was crazy. And considering a number of them could have evolved… No, I didn’t want to consider that.
“What about this? Pour oil into the hole and burn it.”
“The Nise Yggdra is an important tree. We cannot burn it down.”
Adlus said with a shake of his head.
“Besides, this is an underground nest that is filled with goblins. It is quite likely that there are other exits. If they were to escape, the damage will only increase.”
“Well, it will be the same if we just attack them head-on, won’t it?”
They would run from us just as they would run from a fire. They would leave by their other exits and scatter.
“Indeed. That is the problem. We wanted someone who had overwhelming destructive power that didn’t rely on fire.”
Adlus said as he turned to me. It was Daniela’s turn to shake her head.
“It might be possible with Asagi. But not now. His wounds are worse than I thought. As his partner, I cannot allow it.”
“This is not the time for such concerns. Surely, you can understand? There is a horde of monsters down there. And the stampede is already starting.”
Adlus had done some research on us before. And so he knew. We had once prevented a stampede from occurring. This was a similar situation. Perhaps it was much worse.
“…Alright. I’ll do it.”
“Hey, Asagi. Wait.”
“But, Daniela. There will be no point if I don’t do it now. It will be hard, but I have no choice. You understand, don’t you?”
“…”
I could tell that she was thinking about what happened last time.
“We protected Spiris. We have no reason to act differently with the Imperial City.”
“I understand the reason. It makes sense. But my feelings will not allow it. Asagi, you are falling apart. I cannot allow you to be whipped any harder. I do not want to. You are important to me.”
She held my arm and would not let go. It was as if she felt that once she did, I would go someplace that was far away… I could sense the desperation through her grip.
“You’re right. I’m a wreck inside. It was the price I paid for overusing my skills. I can’t fight like I want to. However, I can still fight a little. Even if it’s not enough, you are all with me. Adlus is reliable. Manager will be there too. And of course, you, Daniela. And so I can fight.”
“…”
“Besides, I hate the idea of coming this far and not being able to do anything. If there is something that only I can do, then I want to do it.”
That’s the way it has always been. That’s how I survived in this world. My time in this world had not been that long, but it was more eventful than all the years I lived before it.
And yet, even someone like me was capable of helping others. That was something I learned. The day that I first killed someone, I also saved a small girl. It was a painful experience, but the thing I felt more than anything was joy over saving her.
“…Yes…yes, I understand. Now that I think about it, you have always acted that way. You are not capable of ignoring someone that is in need of help. I know that more than anyone…”
Daniela let go of my arm and smiled with resignation.
“That’s my nature…I guess. I never really thought about it until now. But that’s just how I am.”
“Yes. It is how you are. And I would prefer it that you live as yourself, Asagi.”
I couldn’t suppress the overwhelming emotion rising up within me. And before I knew it, I was embracing her tightly.
“Thank you… It’s because of you that I can still fight, Daniela.”
“Asagi…”
“Daniela…”
Her arms slowly rose to my back. Then she hugged me, much tighter than I had her. And then our lips drew towards each other. The platinum eyelashes closed over her jade-colored eyes, and her lips and my lips…
“Well, I suppose we should hold a war council then.”
We moved away as if Adlus’s voice had torn us apart.
□ □ □ □
The meeting began two minutes later. Well, since we were outside, we were all still standing. But there was a table made of ice in the center that the seven of us stood around. Adlus, Manager, Daniela, me, and three scouts. Perhaps we were his favorites.
“Now, please repeat your findings to Asagi and Daniela.”
“Understood.”
Anis, the short-haired scout leader, turned to us with a sharp expression. It made you want to straighten your back.
“There is a large cavity near the base of the Nise Yggdra Tree. And when we searched with Presence Detection, we sensed numerous monsters below. Even around the tree, there were many claw marks and filth that further confirmed that this was the goblin nest.”
Hmm. Daniela nodded.
“But did you see them?”
“Yes. We observed them both outside and inside of the nest.”
“And how was it inside?”
“It…”
Anis’s eyebrows lowered and she suddenly seemed hesitant.
“We do not have the Night Eyes skill, so we could not clearly make out what it was like. However, we could tell that there were many goblins by using Presence Detection. That is for certain.”
“I see… So that’s where I come in.”
I looked at Anis with Night Eyes and she looked surprised. She had a very expressive face.
“Thankfully, I also have equipment that goes well with Presence Block, so I should be able to find out what is happening.”
“You have many skills…”
She looked a little discouraged. I shook my head.
“But I’m a master with none of them. You can’t beat a professional. In fact, I was hoping you could teach me a few things later.”
“If there is anything that I can help you with…”
Then she straightened her posture and did a perfect ninety-degree bow. And so I frantically bowed my head as well.
“What are you doing…”
Adlus looked at us coldly. Anis suddenly seemed embarrassed.
“Regardless, we should expect the worst. And that is how we will plan.”
Everyone nodded and the discussion began.
It continued for some time. It soon grew dark, and food was brought to us. And still, the talks continued. This time, I wasn’t manipulated. Many ideas were brought forward and many rejected. We took short breaks in between, but I couldn’t think of anything else but the plan…
In the end, one of the Jades who was taking the night watch had to tell us rather unkindly to get some sleep.
The moon was starting to fall by the time we retired to our beds.
The next morning, we continued where we left off. Once we had thought of and discussed everything that we could, we inspected what we had come up with.
