Goblin Swordsman (3)

A short while later, having wrapped up the gathering quest, I sat on a tree stump swinging my legs back and forth. Before me lay the goblin, completely subdued by pressure points, sprawled face-down on the ground.

Saaah—

Slender rays of sunlight filtered through the dense underbrush. A cool spring breeze gently rustled the leaves, making my long blue hair flutter.

"......"

In the serene mountain silence, the goblin who had been unconscious slowly opened his eyes. Upon waking, he took in his immobilized body and me gazing down at him, then murmured,

"......So I lost, keruk."

His tone was remarkably calm, mismatched to the situation. He didn't seem to despair over his plight. Even pinned helplessly, not a flicker of fear showed in his eyes. He simply accepted his circumstances plainly.

It felt somehow off. Goblins, of all creatures—beings truest to their instincts—unfazed on the brink of death? It was almost like a human with convictions.

"Not scared? You might die any second now."

Curiosity piqued by his detached demeanor, I asked. The goblin bared his sharp fangs in a grin.

"Not scared."

He declared it without hesitation, his voice carrying a conviction like creed.

"As a magical beast, I know the law of the jungle well, keruk. The strong kill the weak, and the weak fall to the strong—that's the way of the world."

"......"

"Anyone who wields a sword to kill must be prepared to die themselves. That's why even now, I feel no fear, keruk. Isn't that the swordsman's resolve?"

The goblin fixed me with eyes gleaming fiercely.

"Just as I've slain humans who invaded my territory until now, this time it's my turn. It's merely nature's order. Kill me, strong swordsman."

Keruk.

With that, the goblin quietly closed his eyes, as if awaiting the death to come.

"Hah, well."

I let out a hollow chuckle.

"......You're a real interesting one."

I'd never imagined hearing such words from a goblin. Who could've pictured a mere beast harboring its own convictions? And more than that—a young swordsman who defined himself as such, pursuing his path with personal creed. How could any senior on the sword's way not admire that?

I smiled faintly and sheathed my sword.

"I'll let you live, little goblin."

The goblin's face lit up as he asked,

"......! For real, keruk?"

"Was that 'not scared' bit a lie after all?"

I shot back, bemused by his sudden shift. His eyes sparkled brightly.

The goblin replied with dignified poise.

"Not fearing death doesn't mean I want to die, keruk. What life craves death? Of course living's better ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if possible."

"......Uh, yeah. Fair enough."

"I haven't even mastered swordsmanship yet, and there's so much I want to do. Not scared, but it'd be a shame, keruk."

His logical explanation won me over; I nodded in understanding. Fair point—I didn't want to die either. I just wasn't afraid. If there were a way to keep living, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, no such path existed for me.

"Anyway, I've got a question about that swordsmanship of yours."

"What do you want to know, keruk? As thanks for sparing me, I'll answer anything."

"Where'd you learn it?"

I could've guessed he'd picked it up from the Flash Sword manual in the dungeon. But one puzzle remained unsolved: how had he entered without the 'key'? Had this mere goblin bypassed the traps and seals?

Not some Expert-level powerhouse, just a regular goblin before learning the sword?

His answer cleared it right up.

"From a cave I stumbled on by chance, keruk."

"......The traps? Seals? Illusions? No interference?"

"None at all, keruk. Though a massive landslide hit the mountain a few days before I found it."

Landslide.

That clicked everything into place. The impact must've wrecked the seal's core. A once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck for this goblin.

......A huge misfortune for Philip, though.

No way the key would've worked after the dungeon was already looted.

The goblin continued.

"There was a swordsmanship manual in that cave. I can't read, but somehow I understood it. Let me practice by the book's teachings."

Yeah, figures.

'The book held spiritual essence.'

A tome infused with spirit becomes an artifact in itself. Unlike magic, but the moment spirit imbues an object, it gains special properties. Even an illiterate could grasp it—I always infused my personally authored manuals with spirit for that reason.

But comprehension aside, cultivating it alone, grasping its principles, and embodying the swordsmanship? Pure talent territory.

This one had clear sword gift.

"Wasn't just the manual in the cave, right?"

"Right. Lots of shiny stuff, the sword I was using, unknown items too."

"Where are they now?"

"Moved to my territory, keruk. You taking them?"

He asked casually. I grinned playfully.

"Yep. Got a problem?"

The goblin shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. Spoils go to the victor—that's the winner's right, keruk. No reason for the loser to complain."

Haha!

I burst out laughing despite myself. Liking this guy more by the minute. Curious just how far he'd grow.

Though I'd take the dungeon's treasures, I had no intention of stripping it bare. Nor did I claim them as victor's spoils.

I'd spare the goblin.

In exchange, take some dungeon goods as his life's ransom—a sort of transaction.

He insisted spoils were the victor's right, unrelated to ransom.

But from my view, different story. These were legacies I'd left for posterity. Snatching them back myself? Bad optics.

Especially since it wasn't some undiscovered dungeon—it had an owner.

Spoils or ransom, same haul, right?

......Feels different, the vibe.

Spoils sounds like robbing a junior. Ransom? Let's call it 'contract consideration.'

Bragging about beating a kid swordsman junior to claim spoils? Nah.

Better as fair ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠contract pay.

I examined each elixir the goblin unearthed. His lair was a damp cave, quite distant from the dungeon cave. He'd buried all the dungeon loot underground like this, he said.

"These are all elixirs—why didn't you eat any?"

"Didn't know what they were, keruk. Would've if I did."

I scratched my head wordlessly at his reply.

......Should've included instructions? What each elixir does, effects, etc. I'd tossed in unneeded ones haphazardly back then, so no such thought crossed my mind.

Well, humans could've just had an alchemist or mage appraise them. Rare case for a goblin to find them.

Anyway. Pocketing the elixirs, I checked artifacts next.

First up: the sword. Grasping the blade with its faint red glow summoned the info window right away.

It'd serve as a temporary blade. The Radiant Sword... yeah, couldn't use that. Might drop dead even trying.

And this was the goblin's sword. Residual Shadow Sword—its option to spawn transparent sword qi along the trajectory meshed perfectly with the goblin's Flash Sword forms. He hadn't used it against me, so probably unaware of its power.

Just tell the goblin to keep using it.

Beyond that, shiny coins and a pile of grimy artifacts. I gathered the scattered coins, checked the total, and tilted my head.

Why so little? Over 13 million won equivalent, sure—but peanuts compared to the dungeon's original haul.

"Can't be everything. More?"

"That's all, keruk. Just what was there when I found the cave."

Hmm. No lie in his reaction.

I pondered, tapping my lips.

'Ah.'

......Landslide. Right.

Seal breaking swept some treasures away too? Hard to picture, but only possibility.

Asking about the dungeon state then, yep—the cave interior was wrecked. Back half collapsed; he'd only taken intact stuff from the front space. Later dug out some buried treasures from the rubble.

Front seemed intact, so barrier hadn't fully shattered.

'Artifacts......'

Landslide-swept ones probably wrecked, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠functions lost. Nothing standout anyway.

I picked the few decent, usable artifacts and handed them all to the goblin. Not my caliber.

'Harvest... about this much.'

I laid out my take: temp Iron Blood Sword, 13 gold, a few elixirs, junk artifacts worth selling to pawnshops or mage towers.

Sure, hundreds of gold buried somewhere underground—but no flipping the earth for it. Who knows the depth? Can't waste time.

Less than hoped, but decent haul. A regular player would've cheered at the fortune.

But right now, something more intriguing than loot.

I turned to the goblin.

"Wanna learn swordsmanship from me?"