Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Newbie Adventurer Bern (4) - Goblin
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bern ultimately chose Blanca as his party member, and word of it spread, drawing sighs and tongue-clicks from the adventurers.
"Another promising talent down the drain."
"Come on, it's not that bad. She's a mage, at least."
"Shut it. Not all mages are created equal. Word is, she's nothing without her staff."
"She was great at reception work too. If she'd just stuck with that, everyone could've parted on good terms without losing face."
"Don't be too down. There might be a chance to work together later."
The adventurers weren't the only ones feeling uneasy—the guild shared the sentiment.
Especially the Guild Manager, who had personally recruited Blanca as a receptionist in the first place. He made no effort to hide his displeasure.
"Did it have to be like this? I don't think I treated you poorly."
"It wasn't bad. I just had something else I needed to do."
"Tch. You'll be getting some awkward looks for a while. Rumors have a way of twisting things—good ones turn trifles into legends, bad ones make up crimes you never committed."
"I'm prepared for that. I had to grab the chance somehow."
"...Huh. I get that he's promising, but you, saying it like that?"
The Guild Manager was one of the few who knew Blanca's true prowess from her heyday.
After her staff broke in an accident during a commission, her magic output had plummeted, earning her mockery for relying on "gear buffs." But the world was full of people who couldn't even make proper use of top-tier equipment.
What good is raw firepower if you can't deploy it at the right moment? It's just pearls before swine.
Blanca didn't respond.
Truth be told, even she had acted mostly on instinct in latching onto Bern.
Seeing her fall silent, the Guild Manager shrugged and slid a commission sheet across the desk.
Blanca skimmed it and frowned.
-Title: Goblin Den Extermination.
-Client: Atrah Barony.
-Frequent reports of goblins sighted in the territory's forest. Suspected den somewhere in the woods—request swift subjugation.
-Byproducts from goblin kills (e.g., materials) are yours to keep.
"It's a pain in the ass with crap pay, so no one's taking it. I suggested upping the reward, but they ignored me. Then they hound us to get it done fast. Damn nobles."
"I don't wanna do it either."
"You scouted that newbie during work hours, didn't you? Sidetracked on the job means penalties."
"That's separate from this. Deduct it from my receptionist pay instead."
"Ha, stubborn as ever. Perfect receptionist material."
The Guild Manager exhaled a puff of pipe smoke, smacked his lips regretfully, then rephrased.
"You and your new partner. I'll throw in extra evaluation points for promotion."
"That's a given. And from now on, let us take Rank 3 commissions too."
"Don't you know party commissions are capped at the lowest rank in the group?"
"That's just to stop deadweights from leeching off high-rankers to climb. If you've got the skills, what's the problem?"
"Tch. Fine—handle three tough Rank 2 jobs that everyone avoids, this one included. Need the track record to avoid 'special treatment' gripes."
"Double bonus points on those, and it's not a bad deal. I memorized all the evaluation criteria as a receptionist—don't try funny business."
"Acting like the boss now? Get to work!"
The Guild Manager waved her off irritably, and Blanca bowed her head before leaving.
"What a waste... such a waste..."
"That's how it happened—our first commission is goblin extermination. Sorry for deciding without asking."
Blanca, back to adventurer duties after wrapping up reception work.
Bern shook his head at her apology.
"No, it's fine. I planned to take a variety anyway. Bonus evaluation points are just icing."
"...Well, if you're okay with it."
Blanca felt a mix of emotions.
She appreciated his easygoing nature, but his nonchalance bordered on carelessness.
"Do you know much about goblins?"
"I've heard the stories. Not in detail, though."
"Fair enough. Especially coming from the Empire."
"Does origin matter?"
Blanca shrugged.
"Goblins breed like rabbits. Leave 'em alone too long, and their numbers explode. That's why big powers rarely see them—a single sighting brings out soldiers to smash the den."
The Kingdom of Birka was the opposite, she added.
"The royals and nobles here only care about their directly ruled lands. Even then, they hush up anything without immediate major damage. Goblins pop up everywhere as a result."
"If they multiply enough to threaten the populace, doesn't that endanger the barony's operations? Even ignoring good vs. evil, pure profit says regular sweeps make sense. With that breeding rate, designate them as training fodder for soldiers and do periodic hunts."
Blanca blinked.
Bern tilted his head, puzzled.
Did he say something weird?
"...That sounded awfully noble. Framing commoner protection as 'profit,' and using goblins for training? Never heard that before."
Bern clamped his mouth shut, realizing his slip.
From the shadows, Lucidra snickered.
Bern groaned inwardly.
With memories of his past life, he wasn't some clueless greenhouse flower ignorant of life beyond the palace, as Lucidra claimed. But over twenty years in that environment left its mark inevitably.
As the saying goes, the seat shapes the man—and minus sleep, every hour demanded he be the "Crown Prince."
'The crown prince is Alondre back there. I'm adventurer Bern.'
Bern resolved to deepen his role-playing, steeling his expression.
"Is that so? Barons collect taxes from the people, so if they starve or die, the baron loses out. Naturally, lords have a duty to protect them—be it for gods or profit."
"Guess there are plenty of barons too dim for that. World's full of idiots. High position doesn't mean high IQ."
That's not just me—Blanca's words don't sound like a commoner's either.
Bern thought so but didn't point it out.
"Anyway, let's head out."
"Right."
On the road to Atrah Barony, home of their target.
The pair paused for a break and exchanged info.
Each had researched the other solo, but coordinating meant hearing strengths and weaknesses straight from the source.
Tree Burning Magic
Blanca extended her hand, focused—and after about three seconds, a fireball the size of a soccer ball incinerated the firewood pile by the campfire.
Enough to vaporize a full-grown rabbit or medium dog in one shot, but struggling against boar-sized bulk and toughness.
"Lowest fire spell. Plenty to take down a single goblin."
"How many casts at full mana? Stronger spells?"
"Around twenty. There's Rock Burning Magic, mid-tier, but it takes ten seconds to cast and maxes at two per day if I skip other spells."
"Healing?"
"Varies by wound. Can't pin a number. Light cuts are fine, bones are pushing it. Severed limbs? Forget it."
More useful than expected, Bern thought.
He'd braced for uselessness post-staff breakage, but this had solid combat viability.
Which made him more curious.
"Heard you didn't mesh with other Rank 2s. Why?"
Booted from her Rank 3 party? Understandable.
They matched her prime; weakened, no longer a fit.
But Rank 2s—some he'd observed, even clashed with (that thug group included Rank 2s)—should salivate over Blanca's kit.
Starting fires sans tools? Camping gold. Healing cuts in the wilds where potions are scarce? Huge.
Blanca raising her nose at Rank 2s? Didn't fit what he'd seen of her.
'Hm.'
'No, rare sensible point.'
"Mm."
Blanca hesitated at Bern's question.
"Must I say?"
"If it's touchy, I won't pry."
"Please don't."
Is a fool in my shadow instead of a demon?
As Bern smiled faintly at the thought—
-Rustle.
A presence nearby drew his gaze to the forest.
"Is our target forest the one visible now?"
"No. Another full day."
"I see."
Bern picked up four of the stones ringing the campfire.
Blanca flinched, fearing burns, but he gripped them casually and hurled them into the brush one after another.
-Kiek!
-Kuek!
Short, eerie shrieks echoed.
Inside the brush: four green-skinned, long-nosed monsters sprawled unconscious.
"Goblins?"
Blanca panicked. Per Atrah reports, none should be here yet.
Bern noted elsewhere.
Clothes woven from hides and vines.
Crude blades, deadly enough.
Sacks from tattered human cloth for game and fruit.
Things might be bigger than expected.