Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: New Feature
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Truth be told, goblins were just tiny green monsters smaller than children, fragile creatures straight out of a novel's description. People were scared when they first appeared in these lands ten years ago, but now they were nothing more than annoying pests that showed up from time to time.
To put it harshly, they were seen about as threatening as the stray cats or mangy dogs prowling the neighborhood.
"Did a natural dungeon pop up nearby or something? I haven't heard anyone spotting them around here yet."
I didn't know much about ecology, but most goblins died the moment they set foot on this land alongside a dungeon's emergence.
Sure, if it was a massive dungeon near a bustling metropolis teeming with active hunters, that'd be one thing. But natural dungeons in the countryside like this were small-scale affairs—blink and they'd be gone, harvested like enoki mushrooms sprouting yesterday and vanishing tomorrow.
With their numbers barely keeping up, the loss of their vital dungeon entrance meant they naturally got weeded out.
Even if a few survived a few days, their main spawning grounds were deep in the mountains, forcing them into survival scrambles with the local ecosystem bosses.
They'd get chased off by a passing wild boar in a turf war, only to get smacked down by humans or trampled by a roe deer.
In a way, they vanished just as quickly and quietly as those enoki mushrooms.
"But if the local lord keeping this area in check ends up dead like this, that's a different story."
Honestly, from a goblin's perspective, wild boars were the real terror. Lately, though, the boar population around here had been thinning out, so it wouldn't be long before the survivors started expanding their territory somewhere nearby.
Of course, no one around here feared goblins.
Just keeping a big dog at the farm was enough to send them scampering away in fright—they never dared approach farmhouses. Even if they were starving and half-mad with hunger, you'd only ever see three or four at most. Who'd be scared of that?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［But if that's the case, you don't need to go hunting them down! The ones popping out from unstable gates die off quick anyway!］ "Exactly. But they've got their uses, so that's why I'm out here looking."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［...Goblins have a use?］ The SD Character tilted her head in bewilderment at my utterly relaxed demeanor. That's when Shitface started growling low again, dropping into an alert stance.
"Well, right on cue."
As expected, just three or four green dwarves down by the stream below, scrubbing the dirt off a wild boar carcass they'd dragged in.
"No suitable caves around here for them to hole up in. Once they've picked that boar clean to the bones, they'll come sniffing down to the nearest farm—our pigsty."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［...］ With their habitat confirmed and without being spotted, I began sneaking back down the mountain. Up until then, the silent message box had stayed quiet, but as the dense trees thinned and the farm came into partial view, it suddenly popped up a screen in front of me.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 [New Quest Arrived!]
"?"
What the hell is this?
Unlike the cheeky tutorial guide from before, this message came in a strictly businesslike tone.
I tapped the screen lightly, and the interface unfolded before my eyes like a letter.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［You! You're not exactly shouldering the future of this nation's livestock industry, but you're contributing a bit to modern folks' food culture! What if your pigs could save someone's future in another world? What would you do?］ "...Even if it's some future at stake, most people would save them, right?"
Comparing pigs to people still felt off, though.
No sooner had I replied than a new message appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［Then prove it! Show that even though you're a villain training a female knight into a sow, you recognize the sanctity of life deep down!］ Telling a pig farmer about the sanctity of life felt suspect from the start, but I tilted my head at the new prompt floating in front of me: ［Number of Pigs to Ship: 0 ［↑/↓］］.
"...What is this?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［As you can see, you're setting the number of pigs to ship to the other world! The more pigs you send, Breeder, the more lives you can save!］ "Hmm... even so..."
I did this job for the money. Handing over my revenue stream for free to some stranger in another world? Sure, if I saw them collapsing from starvation, I'd open my wallet without hesitation—but I wasn't saintly enough to give away my assets.
The message seemed to read my hesitation and fired back an addendum right away.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［We get it—no way you'd give away freebies to total strangers you've never met! That's why, as a special perk, we've got compensation lined up for every pig shipped!］ Compensation? Now that's a different story!
My heart skipped a beat as I awaited the details, and soon the reward info popped up.
⚔ REWARDS ⚔ Reward 1: 150% of current market value per pig + free feed supply! Reward 2: ???? Now it was my turn to doubt my eyes.
The free feed was tempting enough without specifics, but what really hooked me was the promise to buy at 50% above market price.
"Whoa..."
My finger wouldn't leave the button incrementing the pig count—like it was magnetized.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［Heh heh, you're thrilled! Too thrilled to speak! You greedy thing! Lives were on the line, but you hesitated without cash—now you're all smiles with the payout!］ Call me greedy all you want. From a merchant's view, sell high and done—who cares about the insults stinging my conscience?
I set the number, hit OK, and the final confirmation appeared: ［Ship now? [YES/NO]］.
I was about to tap YES like a moth to flame when unease crept in. Sure, it was just selling for me, but this generosity felt too good to be true.
"Plus, I had a shipment planned this week. If the pigsty suddenly looks light on pigs, they'll think something's up."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［No worries there! We'll handle a 'minor' perception shift to wipe all memories of this farm from anyone scheduled to visit. So no need to fret about your sows getting exposed! We'll do the same for the feed company. Just approve, Breeder, and you'll be rolling in cash... Grrr... Still suspicious?］ Saying it wasn't suspicious would be a lie. Why go this far for a pig herder like me?
First-time special or not, biting into fruit this ripe-looking screamed trouble down the line.
Dad once said: There's no such thing as free lunch—always suspect those handing out gifts.
Should I trust this?
No compulsion, so take it or leave it.
"What happens if I say no?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［Not mandatory, so declining is fine—no penalties. Keep adapting to your daily life with sows mixed in, tackle other quests as usual...］ "As usual?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［...Boldly offering my personal opinion: I recommend you accept, Breeder.］ I'd only climbed this mountain trail on a whim, tracking goblin prints, never dreaming it'd lead to a life-altering choice. But maybe because I'd already committed once—deciding to train Eleonora...
"...Fine. I've come this far; backing out now would be ridiculous."
I'd thought I'd stumbled into this mess at first, but these past few days, I'd caught myself enjoying the new routine.
Farm work blended seamlessly with training Eleonora—I'd fully immersed myself in it in mere days.
The moment I'd gripped that pigsty door handle, I'd already bid farewell to my old normal life. Why act surprised now?
"Just one question."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［...］ "What's your real goal? Why go this far?"
As if answering, a woman materialized before me—pink hair, armor evoking a Valkyrie from Norse myth, wings on her back.
A total stranger, yet oddly familiar, she nodded and declared:
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［I can't speak on that yet, but everything I do exists for you, Breeder. That much I swear.］ Suspicious as hell. Yet not suspicious.
Utterly shady, but that inexplicable aura—making me want to kneel just looking at her—melted away all my doubts like snow. From the cute, cheeky girl who'd teased me before, now this overwhelming presence. A contradictory feeling: insanely suspicious, yet not at all.
"Hoo... alright, let's see how far this goes."
Exactly 20—no more, no less. I hit YES on the prompt, giving final approval. Suddenly, a massive beam of light poured down on Eleonora's pigsty.
Like a UFO tractor beam from the movies, sucking things up?
This holy white glow—unlike the blazing sun overhead—bathed the pigsty for tens of seconds before vanishing.
At the same moment, a new screen appeared before me.
✨ QUEST SUCCESS! ✨ 'Shipping' now added to your Awakener interface! Rewards for shipped pigs incoming—check promptly! "Oh."
My phone chimed with a deposit notification. At the same time, every contact and transaction history tied to this farm began deleting one by one.
Connections handed down from Dad, severed by my own hand—bittersweet, and I felt awful toward him, but no time for that as new messages flooded in.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［Someone in the other world is baffled by your gift, Breeder!］ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ［Someone in the other world gives thanks for your grace, Breeder!］ ⚔ REWARD 2 UNLOCKED ⚔ 'Someone in the Other World' tab added to interface! What the heck is this?