Goblin Slayer - Volume 12 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue - Of Stargint A Goblin - Hunting Scenario

His eyes fluttered open to the chirping of the canary. His body seemed immensely heavy, the ceiling above impossibly far away.

“Hrm…” He grunted softly and sat up. The bed creaked beneath him.

There was a chill in his room that suggested it wasn’t yet too late in the day. He might have overslept, but only by a little. That he had overslept at all, though, was a problem.

His old friend was watching him with a smile from the window. “G’morning! You really conked out, huh?”

“Hrm,” he grunted again, nodding, and then he stood and quickly pulled on some clothes.

I must have been very tired.

He realized that his friends—it took him a second to think of them that way—had invited him to do something he wasn’t used to. And going on an adventure that was certainly no goblin hunt really took it out of him.

An adventure…

He felt his lips arch ever so slightly at the word.

“Ooh, you look happy about something.”

“Do I?”

“I certainly think so.”

“I see.”

She also appeared to be happy, for she was smiling. He studied his old friend for a moment, searching the empty air for the words, then finally he said: “Aren’t you cold?”

“Hah, I’m plenty warm, thanks!” Then she spread her arms proudly.

Ah. I see.

“New woolen clothes?”

“Yep. I knitted them myself.”

She loosened her work belt and slid aside the top of her suspenders to show off her shirt. The wool was white and new.

He thought for a moment, went searching for the words once again, and finally offered the only ones he could come up with: “It looks good on you—at least, I think.”

“Hee-hee-hee…!”

Apparently, that wasn’t the wrong thing to say. The girl he had known for so long blushed happily and smiled again. “I knitted one for you, too—try it on later, okay?”

“All right. I will.” He nodded, then looked across the room at the black shirt folded and placed on top of his chest. He had somehow been reluctant to touch it—and it seemed that had not been the wrong thing, either.

“Can it wait until after my quest?” he asked. And then, perhaps thinking that wasn’t enough words, he added, “I don’t want to get it dirty.”

“Sure, that’s fine. But you’ll try it when you get home, won’t you?”

“Yes.”

He nodded, and the girl said, “I’ll be waiting for you!”

He observed that this, too, sounded happy.

§

Grimy leather armor, a cheap-looking metal helmet, a sword of a strange length, and a small, round shield.

He passed through the door of the Adventurers Guild dressed just as he always was, to find the same people there he always did. There were Rookie—no, not anymore—Warrior and Cleric, conferring with Harefolk Hunter.

“We need to get some experience with flying enemies!” The former rookie was saying. “I want to at least be able to take down a wyvern!”

“Yeah, but this Roc or whatever is impossible. We’ll get ourselves killed. Let’s find something else!”

“Hey, I been thinkin’, do adventurers really have to just hunt monsters all the time?”

When had it been that they had come to him asking about the proper way to use a club? It was an incidental memory for Goblin Slayer, but if it had been of some help to them, then good.

That reminds me, I used quite a few potions on that last expedition.

He had better make sure he was stocked up.

Adventurers Goblin Slayer knew called out to him as he went past on his way to the workshop. Among the established members of the Guild, he was well known as “the weirdo who’s all goblins-goblins-goblins.” He wasn’t quite sure how to take that. But there was no need to deny it, and it did not seem bad to him, so he let it be.

“Hoh, look who’s back.” The boss of the workshop, a man short and stout enough to be mistaken for a dwarf, eyeballed the metal helmet with his typical suspicion. “I haven’t finished putting that armor you gave me back together. What, did you run into a goblin who can use Disintegrate?”

“No.”

“Thought not. Never been a goblin like that, never will be.” The man laughed, a sound like rocks crashing together. It occurred to Goblin Slayer that he had now known this man for a fairly long time.

The boss started taking his order—first potions, then everything else he had used up, quite familiar with the process. He took down the items in a notebook, informed Goblin Slayer of the price of each, and then glowered at him from his one good eye. “You, boy… You could stand to buy a decent sword every once in a while. Something with a little history.”

“I have found your southern-style throwing knife highly useful.”

“That right?” He hmphed, then said more quietly, “Guess it doesn’t matter. It was a nameless blade that carved its way through the Dungeon of the Dead.”

“Is that so?”

“Mm.”

It wasn’t of much interest to Goblin Slayer. He liked the old hero stories, but they had nothing to do with him. He was just taking some gold and silver coins from his purse when there was a commotion from the workshop. He moved his eyes slightly behind his helmet and discovered the apprentice boy and the padfoot waitress jabbering about something.

“Uh, isn’t this a little big?”

“You think? I made it to my size.”

“Well, you’re—I mean, I appreciate it and all…”

“And that drink the other day was good, right?”

It seemed the waitress was in the process of making the apprentice boy try on the clothes she’d knitted. The knitting was a bit loose in places, and the size wasn’t quite right, but he didn’t seem displeased by them. Only now was Goblin Slayer realizing how close the two of them seemed.

He thought about it: He had come to know a wide variety of people, and yet there were still many things he didn’t know about them. And that was only natural. To know everything about even a single person was no mean feat.

“Dumb kid, slacking off…” The boss rested his elbows on the countertop, watching the two youngsters as if he were at a play. After a moment he said, “How about you? Maybe you should try looking decent every once in a damned while.”

“Is that so?”

“There was this elf girl buying a rapier here not long ago. A novice, seemed like a good kid. Even if her makeup did stink a little.”

“Hmm,” Goblin Slayer responded.

This wasn’t quite the season for rookies, but new adventurers could show up any time of year. Goblin Slayer didn’t give it much thought as he paid his money and went back into the Guild proper.

There were indeed many adventurers here. Maybe it was because winter would be coming in earnest soon: Everyone was here, and everyone seemed to be talking at once.

There were Scout Boy and Druid Girl watching Heavy Warrior and Female Knight with no small amount of exasperation:

“Ooh, is this…wine?! Hold on a second, just what do you take me for?!”

“You don’t want it, that’s okay with me.”

“Hey, I didn’t say I didn’t want it. You gave it to me; it’s mine now.”

Beside them, Half-Elf Light Warrior gave Goblin Slayer a polite bow, which he acknowledged with a nod.

He had just gone by them when he felt someone clap him on the shoulder.

“Yeesh, his head’s as thick as his armor. I told him to get her something a little more thoughtful.”

“Yes, you did.” Goblin Slayer nodded at the grinning Spearman.

“You, though, you better show that you can act like a real man. People pay a lot of attention to that when it comes to us guys, you know.”

“Is that the case?”

“Damn well is.”

If that was so, then had Spearman gotten anything for Witch? Goblin Slayer was just entertaining the question when she appeared, walking over to them in a way that emphasized her voluptuous body. Her cheeks were red as roses, such that even Goblin Slayer couldn’t fail to notice it.

“Oh, my…” Witch blinked her long eyelashes. “Am I…interrupting…a nice chat?”

“Naw, just shooting the breeze,” Spearman replied, moving away from Goblin Slayer with a motion like that of a carnivorous beast. “See ya, Goblin Slayer. We’ve got a date-venture!”

“I see.” Goblin Slayer nodded slowly, then grunted, trying to decide what to say. He finally settled on “Be careful.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Spearman grinned as if baring his fangs, then he gave a jaunty wave and set off happily.

Witch turned over her shoulder and said, “Fare…well,” leaving only a slight smile behind her.

What had Spearman given her? It would have been barbaric to ask. Besides, even Goblin Slayer knew what it must have been.

§

“Orcbolg, you’re late!” High Elf Archer called, looking up at him eagerly as Lizard Priest appeared to be giving her some kind of scolding.

They were along one edge of the ever-familiar waiting room. What had once been his spot had become their spot.

It wasn’t that the five of them were joined at the hip. But it was always good to see the other four.

“Ah,” Goblin Slayer said, approaching at his usual bold stride. “I didn’t mean to be late. I’m sorry.”

“Aw, don’t give it a second thought, Beard Cutter. Long-Ears here just happened to get up a little early today.”

“Complain, complain. We’ve all been so busy with our own things, I feel like it’s been ages since we were together like this.”

“Not sure an elf should use the word ages so lightly!”

The banter between Dwarf Shaman and High Elf Archer was likewise familiar—and it had been a while. Goblin Slayer listened to them with one ear as he looked at the others. Lizard Priest managed to appear relaxed even though he wasn’t sitting on the bench. Priestess was sitting, her hands folded politely in her lap.

“Any trouble?” Goblin Slayer asked.

“Heavens, nothing of the sort. We were merely messengers, you see.” Lizard Priest snaked his long neck from side to side, then made a strange palms-together gesture. “Although it seems our esteemed cleric and her companions have won much merit for themselves. I’ve heard the story.”

“M-merit? I hardly think…” Priestess’s voice had gone up an octave. “I hardly think it was that big a deal…”

Then again, she whispered just under her voice, maybe it was.

Goblin Slayer seemed to recall that High Elf Archer had dragged her off to some fortress or other. He noticed that her formerly pristine Sapphire status tag bore a few scratches and some stains—it was starting to look broken-in. He wasn’t sure if Priestess realized it herself—but that was unmistakably experience accumulating.

“How were things for you, Goblin Slayer, sir?”

“It was not a goblin hunt.” That much was certain. He quickly provided a summary of all the information he had grasped: “There was a strange monster there called…something or other. We’ve fought one before, and I have learned they’re a lot of trouble.”

“Uh…huh.” Priestess looked at him blankly. That meant the monster could have been an ogre, or a demon, for example.

“Hmph!” High Elf Archer said, finally having had her fill of arguing with Dwarf Shaman. “Give us some details, Orcbolg! Begin at the beginning and don’t stop until you end at the end!”

“I’m not a very good storyteller.”

“And another thing. I’m not sure I like you suddenly deciding to go off on an adventure!”

“I don’t believe it was sudden.”

“Oh, it came right out of the blue. And let me guess—today it’s back to ‘Goblins, goblins,’ am I right?”

“Indeed, you are.”

“And there it is. Sigh!” She kicked her legs, a behavior most un-befitting a high elf, yet still just as elegant as you would expect from one. Her tone wasn’t as sharp as her words, though, and her face was cheerful, as if to say, That’s life!

“All right, hurry up and go get ’em,” she said. “You know where to find us.”

“Mm.” Goblin Slayer nodded his metal helmet, then looked toward the reception desk. The rush for the morning quests was over and most of them had been taken; that would make things easier. He walked over, as ever, with no hesitation in his step.

On the other side of the counter, Guild Girl was rushing from one thing to another like an overexcited puppy. Suddenly, she noticed him standing there, and spun toward him, setting her braid wagging like a tail. “Oh, Goblin Slayer!” she said. She grabbed a sheaf of papers—it looked like she had specifically set them aside—and settled into her seat. Goblin Slayer looked at the papers to discover that, yes, they were the goblin quests.

“You look rather busy. No problems?”

“Busy is as busy does, and we’re always busy.” Guild Girl smiled, maybe a bit more wryly than she’d meant to. People tended to pay attention to the most visible things. “The world’s in danger, there are goblins around, and the water town is in an uproar.”

“I see.”

“It’s terrible, I tell you.” She let out a small sigh, though her smile never slipped.

Goblin quests, well, those would always be with them. People sometimes said jokingly that every time a new party of adventurers formed, a goblin nest was born—and sometimes it felt like it was true. Most such quests were easily taken care of. A few weren’t. And there was a mountain of other adventures.

“And we were thinking of doing something a little different for the winter solstice this year…”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, and, ahem…,” Guild Girl trailed off, then played with her braid for a moment before she said, “…I might, perhaps, ask for your help…”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Goblin Slayer replied nonchalantly. He didn’t have to think about it. Spearman had talked about repaying someone who’s done so much for you.

And it only makes sense, he thought. It might not involve goblins, but hunting goblins was only his job. It wasn’t goblin hunts alone that made the world go around. That was simply common sense.

“I’ll help you,” he said, and then he added with hesitation—unusual for him—“if you can make do with me.”

Guild Girl’s face lit up, and a smile blossomed on her lips like a flower. But, faithful to her task, she gave a sweet little cough and said, “So, what brings you here today?” The deliberately formal tone of the question sounded a bit mischievous now.

Goblin Slayer replied simply, “Goblins.”