Matilda's Desperate Stand

'Good.'

Having dealt with Reddic, Tom, and Hassan like that, I pulled out the smartphone from my pocket. Sure enough, several notification messages were floating on the screen.

……Oh.

I let out an admiring whistle in my mind and immediately pulled up Elena's information.

Thanks to having her absorb life force, the Life Force Absorption skill had leveled up by one stage.

I should use this often.

It let me punish them just enough without taking their lives—and without dirtying Elena's body. With a faint chuckle, I tore my eyes from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smartphone and looked at Matilda.

"Ugh……."

Meeting my gaze, she let out a small groan, her body trembling faintly. Her sword, gripped in her hand, was shaking nonstop, so she must have been utterly terrified.

Well, can't blame her.

Right in front of her, three men had their life force drained by Elena. And she was surrounded by twenty-four goblins. Even the toughest person would have their legs give out.

I chuckled and took a step toward her, opening my mouth.

"Matilda."

"……."

At my call, she looked up at me with a face full of fear. I put on a friendly smile and spoke.

"Hand over the Mana Stone Fragment."

"Ah!"

As I held out my left hand, a gasp escaped her lips for a moment. Then, a beat later, she straightened up and shouted.

"……Don't move!"

With that cry, she yanked the Mana Stone Fragment from her ear and gripped its end tightly with both hands.

"What are you doing?"

"Make one wrong move, and I'll smash this!"

"……."

Her completely unexpected action left me speechless for a second. Emboldened by my reaction, she smirked triumphantly and yelled at me.

"Tell the goblins to drop their weapons right now! Hurry!"

I'd never imagined she'd pull a hostage stunt with a Mana Stone Fragment.

"Pfft……."

It was utterly ridiculous. It wasn't even a living thing—just a chunk of rock in her hand. And it was a fragment, as the name implied. Breaking it more wouldn't make it any less of a fragment. It would still be a Mana Stone Fragment, just smaller.

"……Are you an idiot?"

With that, I gestured. Elena, looking quite satisfied and full, swung her whip and wrapped it around Matilda's neck.

"Kugh!"

Letting out a pig-like squeal, Matilda collapsed to the ground again, struggling to pry the whip from her neck. But the more she thrashed, the tighter it constricted, like a living creature.

To think someone would try a hostage play with a rock.

Shaking my head, I picked up the Mana Stone Fragment she'd dropped moments ago. Checking my smartphone, a new notification appeared on the screen.

I hit No right away. There was still some settling up to do.

I want to make her a slave…….

Thinking that, I waited for a notification like the one with Elena asking if I wanted to enslave her, but nothing came no matter how long I waited.

……Maybe the conditions are different for humans?

With that thought, I pulled up the training list.

I hit No on the list prompt. Then the list of trainable targets within 100 meters appeared.

"What?"

Surprisingly, Matilda wasn't on the trainable targets list. No, not just her— it straight-up said None.

Thinking it might be a bug, I refreshed a few times. But it still showed None.

Is this the difference between reality and Otherworld Quests?

Gritting my teeth, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠desperately racked my brain for a way to enslave Matilda.

……Should I beat her to the brink of death? Or knock her out? Make her faint?

I considered various options, but none really appealed.

Just ditch her?

The thought crossed my mind briefly, but I shook my head.

……I'll need her for future Otherworld Quests.

She was a native of this world. Unlike Elena of a different race, she'd be useful in all sorts of ways for upcoming quests. So, for personal revenge and as a guide, I needed to enslave her.

Guess I'll have to try one by one.

It might take time, but this seemed the surest way. With that, I spoke up.

"Let go of Matilda."

"Sure thing~."

At my words, Elena retracted the whip.

"Hahk! Cough! Cough cough cough!"

With the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠whip off her neck, Matilda clutched it with both hands and hacked away. Once her breathing normalized, she ground her teeth and struggled to her feet.

Tough one.

It wouldn't be strange if she despaired, but she was stoking her fighting spirit instead. Especially the way she glared at me like she wanted to kill me…… it wasn't half bad. My heart even raced a bit, like when I first set foot in this world.

Chuckling softly, I patted the shoulder of a goblin beside me and ordered.

"Attack Matilda."

At my command, one goblin charged at her alone.

"Kerruk!!"

"Die!"

Seeing the goblin rush her, Matilda swung her sword with a shout. Thud! A dull sound echoed as sword met club. But soon, she staggered back a couple steps, unable to match its strength.

"A mere goblin!"

Frowning, she gripped her sword two-handed. She seemed intent on overpowering it with brute force over skill. And her judgment was spot on.

"Kek!"

Clashing head-on, the goblin was pushed back. Height difference was no joke, after all.

So that's why she underestimated the goblins.

Without the Ebony Staff's buff, what would have happened? We'd have struggled against her and her men for sure. Worst case, I might've had to abandon the quest while the goblins fought.

……This is fun.

Grinning, I patted another nearby goblin's shoulder.

"Attack."

No sooner had I spoken than the second goblin lunged at her. Panic flashed across Matilda's face. She flailed her sword to fend it off, but it left an opening.

"Aaaah!!"

A pained cry rang out. Hit in the side by the first goblin, she tumbled to the ground again, clutching her waist.

"Can't even handle one, huh."

At my words on her pathetic showing, she bit her lower lip and yelled.

"What…… what the hell are you?! I've never heard of goblins this strong!"

"Now you have."

"Hah, you bastard!"

"Right back at you."

She was the bastard who'd tried to rob me, after all. Sneering, I ordered the goblins.

"Trample her."

They immediately started stomping on her body.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

At just 1.2 meters tall, their kicks weren't that threatening individually. But with over twenty of them, it added up. Despite her leather armor, Matilda couldn't endure and finally passed out.

"Let's see."

I checked my smartphone.

Nothing.

Fainting apparently wasn't the condition, as no notification appeared.

……Threaten her?

Deciding on the next step, I summoned the healer's staff. Using Stamina Recovery and Wound Recovery on her, a misty light seeped into her skin, just like with Hyunju before.

"Ugh……."

After about a minute, Matilda groaned and stirred, regaining consciousness. I had the goblins grab her hands and spoke.

"Feeling better, Matilda?"

"Y-You……."

"Your face says you're wide awake."

Sneering, I grabbed her chin and forced her to look me in the eye.

"……Ever been gang-raped by goblins?"

"Eek!"

She let out a sharp squeak at my question.

"You seem eager. It'll be quite the unique experience."

"N-No! I hate it! Please…… you already got what you wanted!"

She shook her head desperately, thrashing so hard the goblins holding her arms wobbled.

"I did get what I wanted. But what about this? I'm not satisfied yet."

"What do you want?! I'll give you everything! Yeah?"

"What I want? Simple."

Chuckling lightly, I caressed her cheek slowly.

"……Revenge."

"P-Please……."

She seemed to hate the idea of goblins that much—her eyes welled with tears. Seeing that, a smile crept onto my lips.

Perfect.

Everything was going just as planned. In a gentle whisper, I asked.

"Don't want to get gang-raped by goblins?"

"N-No…… please, anything else, I'll do it…… lick your feet? Yeah?"

She hunched over like she'd lick them right then. At her exaggerated display, I laughed loudly on cue.

"No need. I don't want that anyway."

Her lips quivered, face darkening at my firm refusal. She figured the goblins were coming soon. Glancing around, she suddenly threw her head back hard.

"Hah!"

Startled, I jumped back. At the same instant, her head smashed into a protruding rock on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ground.

"……Crazy bitch."

I cursed involuntarily. Never thought she'd try self-harm in this state.

Frowning, I lifted the fainted Matilda, her forehead gushing blood.

"Wound Recovery."

Impressed by her spite, I raised the healer's staff and healed her. The bleeding stopped, the ugly gash mending cleanly.

That much against goblin rape?

Glancing around, I saw the goblins' shiny, snake-scale green skin.

……Yeah, I get it.

Twenty-four of them. The thought sent a chill down my own spine. Clicking my tongue, I waited for her to wake again. After a few minutes, Matilda's eyes fluttered open.